Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57891 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 289(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Without thinking about what I’m confessing, I reply, “My mother.”
“Oh.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
I spin her again, letting my hand linger on the swell of her back. The gentle acoustic music turns a bit more intimate, and I pull her closer, staring down into her doe eyes.
“You think you have me all figured out, don’t you?” she asks, once again not answering my question about this being only about sex between us. Perhaps that’s for the better.
As the number ends, I softly kiss her lips, not for show but because I want to.
Another song plays, and Brook keeps me on the dance floor rather than return to the sea of people. She leans into me, and we dance for a moment without much conversation, just enjoying each other.
“Tell me something,” she says just before I spin her and pull her back in.
“Like what?”
“Is there anyone you find interesting here?”
“You,” I answer instantly.
She huffs a laugh. “What do you find interesting about me?”
“Everything about you interests me. Is that what you needed to hear?”
She challenges, “That, among other things.”
Before I can respond, the song is over, and this time, we return to the task of mingling.
When we’re back to standing with my group of friends, Gerald points out, “Why have you and the dean been staring daggers at each other all night, Ronan?”
“Like you don’t know,” someone says to my right, but I can’t break contact with Gerald, who feigns innocence.
“I mean, Ro’s fucking his daughter. Of course Chambers wants him dead,” James says, and the group laughs.
Gerald laughs slightly, although he looks nervously at me. “Well, maybe give your upcoming father-in-law a warmer greeting than Ronan,” he says in an attempt to break up the tension.
It fails miserably.
I can be professional and civil, but I glance down at Brook, and I have no room in my heart for niceties.
“He locked Brooklyn out of her home with no access to her possessions, and my lawyers are looking into the matters of his previous divorce and the splitting of the assets. So I imagine it’s more about money than him caring for once in his life about being a father.”
Brook stiffens beside me for a second. This is the first time she’s hearing this. I barely have time to process what’s happening when my father suddenly stands beside us.
There’s an immediate tension in the air all around us. The group is quiet and rather awkward. There’s no greeting from him. Not that I expected there to be.
Instead, he instantly states in front of everyone, “I’m surprised I’m hearing you're engaged, Ronan.” His hand lands on my shoulder. He doesn’t hide the displeasure in his tone, staring only at me. Brook grabs my hand in a reassuring gesture, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Father,” I greet him as if it’s not a displeasure.
The group dissipates and gives a nod in their departure. My relationship with my father is well-known to … well, to not fucking exist.
“I need to use the powder room.” Brook excuses herself, and I kiss her temple before she can run off.
As the group leaves, my father takes his place in front of me, looking me in the eye. “Why am I hearing this from everyone but you, Ronan?”
“I was waiting for her ring.”
“Not your mother’s ring, I hope.” His words sting, and I’m grateful Brooklyn didn’t overhear him.
“We’re going ring shopping soon.”
My father eyes me skeptically and takes a sip from the whiskey glass in his hand.
“So you’re not actually engaged?” he adds. “Both of us know you were always better alone. Seeing you … like this—”
“I asked her to marry me, and she said yes,” I adamantly reassure. “Get used to the idea, Father.”
Meaning every last word, I down my whiskey and leave him to wait for Brooklyn so we can get the hell out of here. We did what we came to do, and now we wait for what’s next.
CHAPTER 18
Brooklyn
Another week flies by with no new articles apart from a small mention in the Gala Times. Nothing negative and I’m grateful for that. This morning, though, I can’t believe what I’m seeing in front of my eyes. There’s an email from my father, and I read it from the beginning for the third time.
Brooklyn,
The fact of the matter is that you've always been a huge disappointment to me, and you marrying Professor Wolf is just another thing I can add to my neverending list. But I’m going to keep this short and sweet. I’m disowning you. You think you can cross me and get away with it by spending my hard-earned money?
Think again.
I’ve given you everything.
EVERYTHING.
Now, you’re as dead to me as your mother.
Sincerely, Dean Chambers
It’s been almost two months, and I just don’t understand why he won’t let this go, and why he continues this… this… I don’t even know what it is. He’s already cut me off financially. It’s like he just wanted one more stab at hurting me.