Chapter Nineteen
The cameras pushed in from every angle, flashing in Radley and Cricket’s faces as if getting closer would somehow make things clearer. The rest of the lineup was forgotten for a moment. The King, understanding that, moved over to Arden and Danica, all three of them putting their heads together to discuss whatever they thought about the situation. Too many people were shouting, both in surprise and anger. Someone threw something on stage toward Radley, but the King snarled at the crowd and they backed up just a bit. Cricket appreciated his interference because she’d already picked out the wolf who’d thrown the glass just before it shattered. If the King wouldn’t have stepped in, she’d been prepared to fly off the stage.
Money began exchanging hands again immediately, and Cricket knew it was all directed at her. There was so much moving, so much being asked, that she knew too many of the other teams would come after her. They both had marks on their heads, simply because of her last name.
Guilt hit her. Radley was risking his life to race beside her, all for what? So she didn’t have to get married? But it was too late to back down now and Radley had known the risks, probably better than she had. Still, she glanced over at the wolf only to find him already looking at her. An understanding passed between them, a knowledge, and with a slight nod of her head, they both faced the crowd again.
Cricket’s eyes found her father standing amongst the others. He gave no money, did nothing at all but stared at her with the ice in his eyes he was known for. His large blue wings were so still, they looked unnatural. It was only when the cameras panned to him that he relaxed, not because he was again calm, but because he was playing a part.
“What do you think of your only daughter racing?” one of the reporters asked, shoving a camera in his face and a microphone.
“The Snapdragon family is proud of her, of course,” he said, his voice as smooth as she’d ever heard it. “She will do well in the Races, and I have every faith in my daughter that she’ll win.”
Radley glanced at her, his brows just barely furrowed in question.
“I can’t be pulled out now,” she whispered, her eyes on her father. “Not without bringing shame to the family. He’ll pretend as if he’s known all along.”
“All about appearances,” Radley scowled.
Cricket nodded. “All according to plan.”
King Yophiel stepped back on stage and Cricket took that as her cue to step down. She moved around Radley and led the way. She wasn’t surprised that her father met her at the base of the stairs. He clamped his hand around her arm a little too tightly. The smile he gave her was all teeth, all threat.
“Come along, daughter. We’ve plans to discuss.” The words were grit through his teeth, and she knew, for him to show any emotion at all, he was angry. “Come along, wolf,” he ordered Radley.
Radley bristled but Cricket met his gaze and pleaded with her eyes alone for him not to react. The alpha clamped his lips shut and followed along silently but Cricket knew it was nearly impossible to do so. He only did it for her.
There was an office in the back of the building that her father dragged her to. He threw out his hand, sealing a bubble of privacy around the doorway so no one else would hear what was said between them, not unless they were in the bubble.
“Wait outside,” her father ordered Radley.
It was too much to ask for Radley not to respond.
“I’m not a dog,” he snarled, his face twisted into a scowl. He kept glancing at the hand on her arm as if he thought her father would harm her.
Her father looked at Radley as if he was exactly that, a dog, and it pissed Cricket off.
“I’ll be okay,” Cricket promised Radley just before her father shoved her roughly into the office and slammed the door behind them. She whirled on the man whose blood she carried. “You didn’t have to be rude—”
“What do you think you’re doing, Cricket?” he snarled, advancing on her. The office wasn’t large by any means, and it was made smaller by both of their wings taking up space, but with the anger rolling off him in waves, Cricket found herself attempting to put more space between them. “Are you trying to embarrass me? Shame the family to get back at me?”
She scowled. “No, of course not—”
“Then what?” He spit, his wings flaring wide in threat. “You’re feeling adventurous? You’re bored? I thought you smarter than this—”
“I’m worth more than a brood mare!” Cricket shouted, cutting him off. He fell silent, his eyes focused on her and her alone. His wings snapped shut. “I have more value than any children I may bare, more than any man you want me to marry for business mergers,” she continued, her eyes hard. Her own wings were wide open in threat, too. She may not be her father, but she was still her father’s daughter. She was still a Snapdragon, and she could be just as imposing when needed.
His face softened. “Cricket—”
“You wouldn’t listen,” she accused, her face pinched in anger. “You wouldn’t listen when I asked you not to marry me off. You wouldn’t listen when I proved I could help the business grow just by taking over the marketing. I can bring profit to our companies without tying myself to a male. And when I win this Race, the whole world will know the same.”
Her father’s lip curled up. “And you chose that mangy wolf—”
“That wolf is an alpha,” Cricket corrected. “And you very well know that. I did what I had to. My own father won’t see my worth, so I’ll make sure you have no choice but to.”
“This is preposterous. The chances of you winning are—”
“I’m going to race for my own hand in marriage,” Cricket continued, her eyes hard. Her wings stayed open in threat as she refused to back down. She tilted up her chin. “When I win this race, you’ll not marry me off like a trinket. I’ll decide who and when I’ll marry.”
Her father raised his brows. “Anything else?”
She pursed her lips. “And I’ll take over the marketing for the entire suite of businesses.” Cricket genuinely liked marketing. She enjoyed finding ways to help the businesses. She could continue adding value however she saw fit.
He stared at her for a moment, his head tilted to the side. She could see the moment he decided to accept her wager, could see the moment he decided there was no way she could win but that she would most likely survive.
“Fine,” Lord Snapdragon said, and he was all Lord right then. The man who raised her wasn’t there. This was business and nothing else, despite her being his daughter. “But if you lose, you’ll be married to a male of my choosing before the sun rises on the following day.”
Cricket didn’t hesitate. She raised her chin, every inch as stubborn as her mother, every inch as proud as her father. “Deal,” she agreed and held out her hand toward her father. His larger one enveloped hers tightly as they shook, the magic sealing the deal.
And then Cricket moved passed her father and opened the door to Radley’s struck face. No doubt he’d heard everything, but she couldn’t look him in the eyes.
“Come on,” she said. “Let’s get out of here.”
“Cricket—”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she murmured, and he snapped his mouth shut.
Together, they left the hall, not bothering to return to the party. Instead, they got in the town car and rode silently back to the private plane.