Page 30 of King of Pride

Still, there was no sign of either man.

Rose began pacing restlessly across the living room, glancing toward the study every few seconds. The longer they stayed inside, the more suspicious she became.

“Did they murder each other?” she whispered to herself.

Finally, unable to take the suspense any longer, she headed toward the study. She slowed as she approached the door and carefully leaned closer, intending to sneak a look inside.

Before she could, the door suddenly swung open.

Rose jumped back.

Oswald and Maverick stepped out together.

Neither man looked remotely shaken. They simply walked back toward the living room as though they had just finished discussing an ordinary business matter.

Rose followed them, her confusion only deepening.

She stopped in front of them and looked from her father to Maverick, waiting for someone to explain what had just happened.

Oswald finally turned toward her.

“Marry Maverick.”

He gestured toward the man beside him, his tone so calm and casual that it sounded as though he were asking her to pick up something from the store.

Rose stared at him.

Her mouth fell open.

“What?”

“You can go and marry him,” Oswald continued. “The courthouse should still be open. You can get it done today.”

Rose could only stare at him in shock.

“Why? What is going on?” she whispered.

But the stern expression on her father's face silenced her before he could even answer.

Panic began creeping through every inch of her body.

‘He wants me to marry Maverick?’

Of all the men in the world, he wanted her to marry Maverick Bishop—one of the most ruthless and intimidating men she had ever heard of.

‘How could he ask me to marry him?’

It felt as though her own father had just thrown her straight into the den of a wolf.

Even people within Maverick's own family were said to be wary of him, and yet Oswald was standing there calmly telling her to marry him as though it were the simplest decision in the world.

Her heart pounded violently against her ribs as fear climbed into her chest.

Rose looked at her father, still unable to believe what she was hearing.

“Dad, why do you want me to marry him?” Rose asked, her voice rising with panic. “I told you it was just a one-night mistake. It’s not going to happen again.”

She tried to step closer to her father, hoping to reason with him, but Oswald gave her a stern, cold look that immediately stopped her in her tracks.