Save Me, Daddy

I awaken later in the morning to someone shaking me. Feeling heavy-headed, I blink open my eyes, staring at Sophie with a touch of confusion.

“He’s gone mad, Harper.”

I blink again, forcing my eyes to focus on Sophie as I sit up in the bed. “Who?”

“Theo Jayson is insane. He’s insisting I marry Loukas.” The younger girl’s lip trembles. “He’s gone to discuss the particulars with Loukas’s father.”

“What?” I shake my head to clear it, and rub the sleep out of my eyes. “That’s crazy.”

Sophie nods. “He insists it’s the only way to fix this.” She wrings her hands. “I don’t want to marry him, Harper. I love Loukas, but it isn’t the kind of love a person is looking for, for a marriage.” I blush. “I’m not exactly in love with him, if you understand what I mean? He’s handsome and kind…and I was curious.” Her blush deepens as she trails off. “I wanted him to be my first lover, but…not my only lover.”

I hug Sophie. “I understand. It probably wasn’t a wise decision in some ways, but it’s an understandable one.” I shake my head. “He can’t really mean to force you to marry that boy.”

Sophie nods. “He reserved the church for three days from now and sent for a seamstress to make me a dress! All that’s left is to negotiate the deal with Loukas’s father.”

Biting on my lower lip, I’m torn. Jayson sounds determined to force the marriage. I know how stubborn he can be, and getting him to change his mind will be difficult. It’ll be impossible with Sophie’s presence. Making a decision I pray I won’t regret, I say, “Pack a bag while I make arrangements for you to travel back to New York. Once Jayson calms down, I’m sure I can persuade him that trying to force you to marry Loukas isn’t the right answer.” I sound much more confident than I feel.

It’s something.

Sophie throws herself against me, hugging me hard. “Thank you, Harper.”

“It’ll all be okay,” I tell her, patting her back while hoping I’m not lying to her. The thought of facing Jayson’s anger induces a wave of nausea as I slide from the bed, forcing me to swallow hard. Please let him be reasonable!

“You did what?” Jayson’s roar fills the salon, making me wince. “You had no right to interfere, Harper.”

Squaring my shoulders, I face him straight on. “I did the right thing, Jayson. When you’ve calmed down, you’ll realize that. It’s foolish to try to make her marry Loukas. She’s only eighteen, for crying out loud.”

“You undermine my authority and then call me foolish?” His voice is arctic, cutting through me to the bone. “You’re the foolish one for interfering with my family.”

I glare at him. “We got married so I could help take care of Sophie. I’ve done my best to watch out for her and protect her. Right now, she needs protecting from your crazy Greek pride.”

Jayson says something in Greek before leaning in close, his face against mine. “It’s not crazy pride that is motivating my decision. Sophie made a mistake, and I’m fixing it.”

“It wasn’t a mistake.” I run a hand through my hair. “She’s a teenager. Teenagers have sex. It’s not a big deal.”

?

?You didn’t,” he says quietly.

I falter. “Everyone is different.”

“If you, an American, can wait until marriage, why can’t my niece?” He exhales harshly. “I do not understand how she could do something like this.”

His confusion cuts through my annoyance, and I put a hand on his shoulder. “Sophie loved him. She acknowledges it isn’t the kind of love she should have for her husband, but she does care for him. Sophie chose him for her first. It was her choice, not yours or mine. You have to let this go, Jayson. She’s too young to get married, especially to someone she doesn’t love.”

He compresses his lips. “You don’t need love to make a marriage work. Look at us.”

I barely keep myself from reacting as though he struck me physically. In a cool voice, I say, “We have love for Sophie in common. We’re also older and more mature. Marriages of convenience aren’t the norm, especially for eighteen-year-old girls.”

His gaze settles on me with disconcerting intensity. “You told her she would enjoy making love when she was in love.”

I shift uneasily. “Yeah. I was trying to give her a good answer.”

“Do you believe what you told her?”

Sensing dangerous territory ahead, I clear my throat. “Yes,” I finally say reluctantly.

“Yet how would you know, Harper mou? I’ve been your only one.”