by K. I. Lynn
A groan left him. “You and fucking shorts.”
“What? It’s summer and hot as hell out there.”
“You are in a perfectly climate-controlled interior.”
I shrugged. “I like shorts.”
He ran his hand higher, dipping between my thighs on his way back to my knee, making me gasp at the electricity that zipped through me.
“I appreciate your shorts as well. Especially these little cotton things that are easily discarded.”
“Meaning?”
His lip twitched. “Are you not following my mood?” he asked as his fingers skimmed the inside of my thigh again.
“You’d destroy my clothing?”
He grinned, and I was forced to swat his hand away before I began squirming and giving away how much he was affecting me.
“Your mother called me today.” As I said the word “mother” with regard to Vera, I suddenly understood why her children opted for the more formal title over the simple “Mom.” If there was a motherly bone in her body, I hadn’t seen even the slightest hint of it. Then again, she was a de Loughrey, and Atticus’s mother. They seemed similar in many regards.
That seemed to be a cold water equivalent, and the heat that encircled us receded. “Are you to begin working on the wedding?”
“Did you ask her to call me?”
He shook his head. “Why would I thrust you into such a position?”
“To give me something to do, since you blew off my work request.”
“I agreed, didn’t I?”
“And yet, no calls or contacts.”
“Do you want the position due to my name or your own merit?” he asked.
My lips formed a thin line. “My own, of course.”
“Then apply as everyone else does.”
“Fine,” I huffed. I really did want to do it the hard way, but I also knew one word from Atticus and I could be working as early as next week.
“What did she say?” he asked. His posture had stiffened since I mentioned she’d called and he almost seemed frozen, as if he were on guard.
“That we’re getting married at the Plaza and you should have told me.”
He hummed, some of the tension leaving him. “I suppose I failed to convey that information. She had it set weeks before our contract.”
“Seriously?”
He nodded. “I think my mother is in desperate need for something new and exciting.”
“She told me some things.”
“Things?”
“Why did you…” I trailed off, trying to form my thoughts into a coherent question. “Why did you agree to divorce me if the head of the family is forbidden to divorce?”
He arched a brow at me. “No one forbids me anything.”
“Except me.”
He nodded and squeezed my ankle. “Except you.”
“I was just reading something, and it said—”
“It’s nothing more than conjecture mixed with the knowledge that no head of the de Loughrey family has ever divorced. It’s not forbidden, it simply isn’t done.”
“Your mom said that the head of the family will only marry once.”
“Because lasting marriages have preceded.”
“Will you marry again after we divorce?” Even saying that word in conjecture to my relationship with Atticus felt wrong on every level. Even if my head knew that we were a contract, a business agreement, my heart still felt more for him than I was willing to acknowledge.
His gaze met mine, and I could feel him shutting down on me. The lazy touch was gone, and his jaw was clenched tight.
“No.”
“Why?”
He glared at me. “Before we’re even married, you want to talk about me marrying someone else?”
“It’s just that you seem so set on it. Once I’m gone, you’ll be free to find someone to love.”
“Once you’re gone, you’ll still be here!” he roared.
I pulled back in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“What I mean is that you will have a condo in this building. Our children will remain close to me. No matter what, you will still always be there, haunting me.”
His voice broke on the last words, and a vice gripped my chest. I reached out, but he pulled away before I could touch him. There was no way I was going to let that go so easily and I straddled his legs, trapping him in place, not letting him run from me again.
I cupped his face as he pulled away and snarled at me, his eyes focusing on anywhere but me.
“Hey, calm down. It’s okay. It’s okay,” I said lowly as I smoothed my thumbs against his cheeks. It was like trying to soothe a wounded animal. Fear and a lack of trust had him lashing out against me. Exposing his emotions was difficult and left him feeling open and vulnerable.
He glared viciously at me, and I couldn’t help but smile, then laugh, before leaning in and pressing my lips to his.
It had been a move born purely from instinct. A moment where we were both relaxed with our walls down. Our flaws laid out.
For a moment, it was just Ophelia and Atticus. A man and a woman.
His arms wrapped around me as the kiss deepened, pulling me as close as possible. Maybe he was as reluctant for me to leave one day as I was.
Maybe one day, we could be bound by more than signatures on a contract.
“This is torture! Inhumane!”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “I’m hanging up now, Gen.”
“Seriously? How can you do this?” she whined.
Not surprisingly, Genevieve’s bank account was near empty, depleted of her monthly allowance. Her issue was that she’d just been informed that she would not be getting her usual deposit, meaning she was forced to subsist on what she had for another month.
“How? Because per usual, you were only thinking about yourself. The media backlash against Ophelia for that night is egregious. She was fresh meat, and you threw her to the wolves.” Genevieve had gotten away with much more in her life than most. Partly because she was the salutatorian of her high school class, and she graduated from Yale with a 3.87, but I knew she never got the praise she was searching for. None of us did.
“I didn’t mean for that to happen. I was just trying to help.”
“Help?”
“She was so upset about something, and lonely. I like her, and I didn’t want to see her like that so I thought going out would cheer her up,” she said, her voice lowering. I could hear the sincerity in her tone. There was nothing malicious about her intent, but in the end, someone was hurt.
“Cheer her up? Do you even know why she was upset?” I asked. Despite the care she had for Ophelia, I could not back down due to that.
“Because of the rush of fame, I think.”
“Because her stepfather was blackmailing her. And then you ruined her public image just as she was exposed to the world as my fiancée.”
“I didn’t think—”
“No, you didn’t,” I said, cutting her off. “And therein lies the problem. I’m being generous because you were accepting of her, but you are not absolved from punishment.”
“But six weeks?”
“Nothing. And all family members have been advised not to give you a single penny, or else I will come after them next.”
“Atticus,” she whined.
“You want two months?”
If she was in front of me, I could just imagine the spoiled little stomp of her foot.
“Also, stay away from her.”
“But…”
“I mean it. Repairing her image is going to take time. The charity for Adrianna helped, but right now, I don’t need her associated with you in any way.”
“I really do like her.” Her voice was low, repentant.
“I know, but for now, go back to ignoring her like everyone else.”
Ophelia had been told not to interact with Genevieve, and after that night, she was falling into line there. It helped that things were improving between us.
&
nbsp; “Be good.”
“Yeah, right,” she said, her boisterous voice returning. “I’m the wild princess, remember?”
“I still remember when you were on the Dean’s list.”
“Don’t ruin my image.”
A chuckle left me. “If you gave me any harder of a time, I was going to kick you out of the tower and put you up in Ophelia’s old apartment.”
A sharp gasp left her. “Fine. I’ll deal with it. It’s not like I have any other choice.”
“I’m sure with as smart as you are, you can come up with some way to make money on your own.”
“Whatever. Bye,” she said, clearly sulking before the line went dead.
The conversation went better than I’d anticipated, but I could hear the guilt in her voice. She really was trying to be Ophelia’s friend, but that was the problem, wasn’t it? Did any of us even know how to be friends with anyone?
Ophelia wasn’t after Genevieve’s status or money. Only her company.
That was the refreshing part about her. Despite how much money I spent on her, what she wanted was my time. It was a foreign concept to me, but I was beginning to understand her desire for it.
A longing to be near her had settled inside me. She was infecting my thoughts and had me racing home to spend time with her. Being around her was calming, and that calmness was like a drug in my system, making me itch for more and more every day.
I didn’t ever want to part from her.
The door to my office slammed open, and I groaned as I wondered why the fuck I was paying to have assistants if they couldn’t stop people from barging in. My father’s larger-than-life ego waltzed in.
“How is it dealing with a fiancée that embarrasses the entire family?” he asked. Nearly two weeks had passed, and I had fought off interacting with him so not to deal with his bullshit.
I ground my teeth together. “I don’t know. Perhaps I shall speak with Mother, since you embarrass her often.”
The usual quick temper had anger rolling through him and fire sparked in his eyes. “Watch how you speak to me, son.”
Once upon a time, his overbearing presence kept me in line, afraid of his ire.
But I wasn’t a child any longer, and he still had not come to accept that I had surpassed him. His anger no longer had me freezing and trying to please him in hopes of praise.
Those were emotional hang-ups I no longer had with him. They’d long been gone. No, now his anger served to stoke my own. His ego forgot who was in charge.
I am the king.
“What power do you hold over me that I should tuck my tail for you?” I asked.
“I’m your father,” he boomed.
“That only gets you so far. The issue has been dealt with, the punishment administered.”
“Do you even have it in you to punish the girl?” he asked, speaking about Ophelia.
“Are you testing my ability to lead? I can assure you, if you continue to attempt to throw heiresses at me, I will make certain to show you how apt I am at controlling and administering punishments.”
“You should have taken the Harris girl.”
“I do not wish to continue speaking of that piece-of-trash whore.”
His eyes widened.
“You told her to throw herself at me, didn’t you?” I asked, already knowing the answer. It had been confirmed by Harris himself as he’d begged me to stop destroying his company.
“She was a better match.”
“By whose standards? Ophelia is the best match for me. All aspects of me.”
“She’s making you weak.”
“On the contrary, she is making me stronger. Now, if you wish to continue bashing my fiancée, get the fuck out. If you have business to speak of, then use your words for that, because I will not tolerate any further verbal griping or attacks against Ophelia.”
Once I was done, silence stretched between us as electricity crackled. He didn’t want to give up the power, even though it was already done.
“Atticus, have you seen—” Elizabeth stepped in, her thought ended as she blinked at the tense situation before her. Her expression flattened into one of disdain mixed with disinterest, often described as the de Loughrey default setting. “With this tense atmosphere, I take it that Ophelia is the subject.”
“You should talk some sense into your brother, Eliza.”
She folded her arms across her chest, which had them resting awkwardly on her baby bump. “The one who needs sense knocked into them is you, Father. You seem to be lacking that in spades.”
“Excuse me? I taught you to have more respect than what you are both showing.”
“Respect is earned, and you lost ours ages ago. If you’d like to regain some, accept Ophelia into the family with open arms. She has quite a sunny disposition—an asset to this family.”
“She is an albatross around this family’s neck. You’re just too blinded by pussy to see it.”
The anger rose up in me like a tidal wave, fierce and fast and ready to destroy everything in its path.
“Go home, Father. Back to Stronghold. And stay there. If you say one more fucking word at this moment, I will not be held responsible for my actions against you.”
His eyes widened, and finally, for the first time, I could see the spark of acceptance. The sharp edge of his gaze flicked from Elizabeth, then back to me. His posture was rigid, unwilling to back down, but he knew he’d pushed me too far and wasn’t prepared to fight back.
With a reluctant nod, he headed for the door, slamming it as he went.
“You showed great restraint,” Elizabeth said once he was gone.
“At a time I shouldn’t have,” I seethed, my muscles coiled tightly, desperate for an outlet.
“Perhaps, but you were able to exert your dominance without bashing his face in. That in and of itself is a massive accomplishment.”
With a whip of my hand, I picked the phone up from my desk and slammed it against the wall with a roar. The explosion of plastic shattered the red from my vision and settled the burning need to smash his face in to a manageable level.
“Why does he test me so?” I growled.
Elizabeth took my hand in hers. “Because he is greedy for control. Losing the responsibility of being the head of the family took a burden from his shoulders, but I don’t think he anticipated the complete loss of power, control, and obedience. We are not in his court any longer. We are in yours.”
“You are much more diplomatic than I am.”
She gave me a slight smile. “Not that much. I simply use my temper with a piercing tongue instead of a brash fist.”
“I appreciate your praise of Ophelia. Thank you.”
Her smile spread, and her gaze softened. It was almost nostalgic. I hadn’t seen a look like that cross her face in years.
“She’s good for you. I could see that plainly at the charity dinner. I know I wasn’t the most receptive toward her at the family dinner, but perceptions change. Anything that is good for you is good for us all.” She stepped forward and stretched up to place a kiss to my cheek. “Open your heart to her. Don’t keep yourself locked away.”
“When did you become so wise?”
“What are you talking about? I was always wise, you’re just a stubborn man.”
A chuckle left me, and I leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I will heed your advice, counselor.”
“Good. Now, I’m going to waddle back to my office and put my feet up.”
“You know you can take maternity leave at any time.”
Her nose scrunched at that thought. “I prefer to keep busy.”
“You should go down to Haven for a week or two to relax before the baby comes.”
A hum left her. “That’s not a bad idea. Have a good rest of your day.”
“You as well.”
As I sat, I was surprised to note how calm I was. After a normal visit from my father, I was a fuming disaster of bottled anger, but after letting off a small bit of steam, Elizabeth
’s presence and backing of Ophelia tamed me. True, I had lost it for a moment, but normally I would still be stewing. Instead, I opened up my phone to read a missed text from Ophelia.
Ophelia: I was sitting on the patio when this little friend came to visit.
Attached was a photo with a wide-eyed, huge-smile selfie of Ophelia pointing over her shoulder to a small black and white bird with a bright yellow head sitting on the chair’s back.
I couldn’t help but smile at the childlike giddiness of her expression. It was just as I’d seen on the dock with the fish. A different kind of warmth spread through me as I looked at her. It wasn’t the intense desire that I was accustomed to, but a burning ember deep in my chest.
A groan left me as I glanced up at the clock. I’d lost track of time again, and it had gotten past six. There was still work to be done, but I could get to it at home after dinner.
It was nearly seven when I entered the condo. Loreno and Amara could be heard in the kitchen, but no other sound. The great room was empty, and from my vantage point I could tell the terrace was as well. Turning back down the hall, I headed toward Ophelia’s bedroom, but it was also vacant. I stopped by my bedroom to drop off my jacket, tie, and cufflinks, leaving my vest on and rolling up my sleeves.
I’d noticed the way she stared just a bit longer when my forearms were exposed. Continuing on my circuitous path to the kitchen, I entered to find Loreno and Amara, but still no Ophelia.
“Ah, my friend, how are you?”
“Well, and you?”
“Good, good.”
“Have you seen Ophelia?” I asked.
Amara looked to her husband, then back to me. “No. She didn’t greet us when we arrived.”
I furrowed my brow. “She greets you?”
Amara smiled. “Oh, yes. Nearly every day. Such a sweet woman.”
I ground my teeth together as a nagging sensation settled in my chest. It was akin to the panic I’d felt when I realized she’d left me weeks ago. I swallowed it down and pulled up my phone to locate hers.
A wave of relief moved through me. She was twenty-two stories below me in the theater room.
The tech team had managed to link the phone-finding application with the building’s internal location system. It didn’t matter what floor she was on. If the phone hadn’t exited the building, it was still there.