Page 13 of Marry Lies
Miles scoffs from next to me. “It’s not an arranged marriage?” he asks my father. “Except that you’re dangling a million dollars in front of her.” My heart skips a beat at the way he’s defending me. He looks at me, his expression hard. Resolute. His hand comes to his collar again as he pulls it up over his scars.
He quickly turns to face Charles. “I don’t want to marry her,” he hisses.
I know I feel the same way, but ouch.
“I gave you time to find someone on your own, and you failed,” Charles says to Miles, his voice even but menacing. “This is a pressing matter. Your business depends on it. I know people have been turning down the opportunity to meet with you. And not to mention the article in theLA Weekly—”
“I know,” Miles says, voice strong. “And I asked for more time to secure someone. I did not ask to be pressured into something neither of us wants,” he adds.
“We don’t have all the time in the world, Miles. Every weekend, another article is printed about our family. Between you, Chase, and Orion, I’m turning down calls from reporters every single day.”
“Yes, well, Chase is spoken for,” he says quickly. “He has Juliet now.”
“Not until there are wedding bells.” He gives Miles a withering look. “Orion is a lost cause. He’s young. Maybe he’ll come around, maybe he won’t. Liam and Malakai are smart enough to stay hidden away—”
“Sort of like you?” Miles interjects.
“What’s the big deal?” Charles asks. “A year is nothing.”
“Actually, it is a big deal.” Miles sighs and crosses his arms, looking at me again. There’s something so heated and fractured in his expression. It makes the contents of my stomach turn to lead.
I sit up straight and my face flushes with embarrassment. Miles isn’t just mad—he’sfuriousat the prospect of marrying me. I mean, of course it’s a completely silly idea, but he’s acting as if this is the worst thing that could ever happen to him.
I’ve had enough. I’ll let them fight amongst themselves, because I refuse to be a bargaining chip. And I refuse to watch Miles and his father dangle my clothing line on a string. It’s the onething I have—theonedream I refuse to ever give up on.
“Excuse me,” I say quickly before grabbing my purse.
But just as I move to stand, Miles pushes up from his chair and walks away, muttering something about using the restroom.
Good.The last thing I need is for him to see the way my face is beginning to crumple, the way my chest aches when I think of my father marrying me off like a lamb sent to slaughter. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry—it feels like a joke. This is the twenty-first century.
“Ma chérie,” my father mutters.
I glare at him. “Give me a moment, papa,” I say quickly, closing my eyes and trying to recalibrate my breathing as I sit back down.
Inhale, exhale, inhale, exhale…
I hear Charles and my father talk softly amongst themselves, but the only thing going through my mind is what Miles said just a moment ago, repeating in a loop.
I don’t want to marry her.
I don’t want to marry her.
I don’t want to marry her.
Though the money would be nice, I can’t, in good conscience, agree to anarrangedmarriage.God, how embarrassing.This is all so fucked up. I knowmy father is only doing this because he wants me to pursue my dreams. I know he’s not made of money, either. It’s very kind of Charles to offer, but I can’t possibly take the money.
Or can I?
No.
The money is a whole other thing. But I’m not sure I can face the rejection of Miles Ravage. I can’t hear him try to argue his way out of this, even if I agree with him.
I’m not paying attention to anything until my father places a hand on mine.
“Stella,” he says gently. “Charles went to go check on Miles. Are you alright?”
I snap my head to look at my father. “Of course I’m not okay. I can’t believe…” I trail off when I see Charles walking back to our table.Alone.
