West nods. “Yeah. So that part will be okay.”
I look down at where my phone has started to ring.
“Ugh,” I say quietly. “It’s my dad. How the hell did he find out so fast? I’m not ready to talk to him.”
“Maybe get it over with?” Serena suggests gently.
Christ.
I accept the call.
“Hi, Dad.” I put it on speaker because there’s no reason not to.
“What did you do?” he asks without preamble.
Here goes nothing. “I’m guessing you already know the answer to that question since you’re calling.”
“To some hockey player?! What were you thinking?”
“That I’m…in love.” I almost wince as I say the words. Not because there’s anything wrong with Viktor. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. He’s handsome and has been nothing but kind and generous since this whole thing started.
“That’s ridiculous!” he roars. “You and Nathan were the ultimate power couple. In fact, I saw him yesterday and he said he was open to reconciliation.”
After he stole from me?
Fat chance.
“Nathan is an abusive asshole,” I say firmly. Talking about being in love with Viktor is tricky but telling the truth about my lying, thieving ex? That’s easy.
Dad sighs. “Did you even think about a prenup?”
“Of course I did,” I reply smoothly. “For both of us. He’s wealthy, Dad. Money isn’t a consideration.” It’s pretty much the whole consideration but no one outside of our inner circle has to know that.
“This is absolutely unacceptable,” my father continues.
“It’s already done.”
“If you want to be part of this family, you’ll get it annulled.”
I laugh even though it’s not even a little bit funny. The thing is, he threatens to disown me every single time I do something he doesn’t like. Then my mother gets involved, soothes the ruffled feathers, and I get a stern talking-to about boundaries and behavior. This time, however, it’s going to be a lot more complicated.
“Did you just laugh at me?”
“No. I just laughed at the absurdity of you threatening your twenty-six-year-old daughter with your love.”
He sighs heavily. “Love has nothing to do with it. This is about making yourself, and our family, look bad. About proper behavior. You can’t just marry some…Russian athlete. Did he need a visa? Is that it?”
“Stop it. He’s the starting goalie for the Atlanta Thunder. He has a visa through the team. We fell in love. It’s that simple.”
“Then why didn’t you bring him around? Have some kind of courtship? You’ve always dreamed of a big wedding—why would you elope?”
I press my lips together to keep from shrieking in annoyance.
His questions are all valid.
And the whole “we’re just too in love to wait” response that we planned doesn’t ring true. Not when I’m on the hot seat like I am now.
“Dad, it’s not complicated. When we get back to Atlanta you’ll meet him, okay? I have to go.” I disconnect before he can say anything else.
