2
Ezra
“Father, will you please just hear me out.” I grit as I follow my father through the house toward his office.
“There’s nothing to hear, Ezra, the decision has already been made, and that’s the end of it.” My father snarls as he opens the door to his office and stalks in. I follow him and watch as he picks up dossier and proceeds to flick through it. God, this man is insufferable.
“No, it’s not the end of it. Not if I have anything to say about it.” I argue back, and my father lifts his icy blue eyes and glares at me. “I will not marry Calum. I don’t care if society deems it or if you promised his father that it was a done deal. It’s my life, and I’m saying no. I already have a boyfriend.”
My father drops the file in his hand on the desk somewhat hard and regards me carefully. “And what makes you think you have a say in the matter, Ezra? Your little boyfriend agreed to dump you, and all it took was a measly hundred thousand. That’s all you were worth to him, Ezra.”
I gape at him, stunned. “I don’t believe you! You paid him off to leave me!”
I look down at the checkbook he tossed in front of me. I pick it up and see the stamp with Xavi’s name and the hundred grand signed off by my father.
My father glares at me. “You will marry Calum Ezra!” He barks, pointing his forefinger in my face.
“I will not marry that pompous, preppy little ass licker. If you adore him so damn much, you marry him!” I hiss angrily and turn to leave, but my father’s hand hitting his oak desk and the booming sound of his voice made me halt.
“Ezra, get back here!” I turn to face him, and the anger in his eyes made my insides shrivel. “Since when have you become so imprudent to speak to your father in such a manner. You will respect me, and you will obey!”
“Obey?” I scoff and defiantly cross my arms over my chest, “I am neither an employee nor a child. I am twenty-three years old. You can’t force me to marry someone I don’t love for the sake of your selfish gains. I am not a business deal! And respect works both ways, father. You taught me that, remember?”
“Love? Don’t be naive, mi hija. Do you think I loved your mother when we met? Love is nothing but a fantasy, respect, and compromise; those are all you need to make a marriage work. Don’t be foolish. Calum is a good egg, and he is wealthy in his own right. You’ll be living a life of luxury, and he will take care of you. What more could you want?”
“I don’t need him to take care of me!” I shout hotly. “I don’t need Calum or anybody else. Please don’t punish me because you never got the son you always wanted. I know that you don’t think I have what it takes to take over once you retire. That’s what this is all about. You’re planning on having Calum take your place while I sit back and play the dutiful trophy wife.” My father sighs and sits in his chair.
“I’m only looking out for your best interests, mi hija. Everything is in place. The wedding is in three weeks. You will marry Calum.” There’s a threatening edge to his tone, and I should have backed down, but I didn’t.
“And if I don’t? What then?”
My father leans forward, placing his forearms on the table, and looks at me, a shadow of a smirk on his face. “You’ll be cut off, the money, the cars, all will be gone. You want to live your own life, make your own choices, you can do so, but without my help, without my money. Let’s see how far you get, sweet pea.” Bastard! I should have seen this coming. Daddy knows I’m too accustomed to my lifestyle.
As a V.P at H.Q Corp, I’d have no job. If I tried to make it out there independently, he would make it damn near impossible for me to get a job anywhere; his influence goes far beyond New York. “I believe we have come to an understanding, Darling?”
Damn him.He’s got me cornered. Without another word, I turn and walk out of his office. I have three weeks to find a way out of this marriage. Like hell, I’m marrying that stuck-up asshole. As far as my father is concerned, Daddy’s good little girl will do as she’s asked. Marry the upper east sides most sought-after bachelor—Calum Sinclair.
God, I can’t tolerate him, while he was incredibly good looking with his sharp facial features, clean cut with piercing green eyes, and blond hair shaved at the sides with the top long and swept back neatly. Prim and proper. He was every girl’s dreamboat—everyone but mine. I’ve been dodging his attempts to court me for years, but he never seemed to accept that I didn’t want him. I didn’t then—and I still don’t now. I can’t believe Xavi sold me out for money. What a colossal asswipe and to think I was considering sleeping with him.
I am done with these stupid immature boys!
I walk into my bedroom, close the door behind me and lean against it. If I was going to be forced into marrying a man I can barely tolerate, I’m going to make damn sure I enjoy what freedom I have till then. I walk over to my bed and pick up my cell phone. I dial my best friend Jordin and wait for her to answer.
“Hey, Chiquita.”
“Hey Chiquita, we’re going out tonight. I need to blow off some serious steam.”
“Okay, where are we going?” I move over to the full-length mirror on my wall and stare at my reflection. I felt as though a storm was brewing inside of me. I was beyond angry with my father but more so at myself for allowing him to treat me like I was something he owned, something he could control.
“Someplace wild. You know all the best hangouts. Pick one. I want to get fucked up tonight.” I tell her and walk into my closet. The light comes on, and I run my fingers through the line of clothes I have hung up on the railing.
“What’s got you twisted?” Jordin asks, and I heave a sigh pulling out a red mini dress.
“I’ll fill you in later after I have a few martinis in me.” I pick out a pair of black Louboutin’ stilettos and walk over to my bed.
“Say no more. I’ll round up the ladies. See you around eleven o’clock, Chiquita.”
“Ciao Chiquita.” I hang up the phone and toss it aside. I have two hours before Jordin arrives with the girls.