“Come in,” I called. The door didn’t open. Usually, I asked not to be disturbed, turning housekeeping away a lot of the time so I got up to get the door. I pulled it open, expecting to see a member of the hotel staff with a trolley, but it wasn’t. The tall man in a suit looked at me with the same disapproval that had etched his face into a permanent scowl my whole life.
“Father?”
He looked me up and down. “Why aren’t you dressed?” he barked. I wasn’t a child, and no one had invited him. How the hell had he found out that I was here? That was a dumb question and I knew it but I went from confused, to raging. I was about to give him what for when I noticed he wasn’t alone. Behind him was Lisbeth Lane.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, biting my tongue.
“Not a word of good morning. You were raised better.” He pushed me aside and stormed into my suite. Lisbeth stood at the threshold smiling at me. I stood aside.
“Good morning Lisbeth, would you like to come in?” I asked, motioning into the room.
“Thank you,” she said, strolling in. I took a deep breath closing the door with all three of us inside. I had planned on leaving London without seeing my father again. As far as I was concerned, the two of us were done. Lisbeth, I did need to talk to, however. Just my luck that she showed up but the two of them together didn’t bode well. I walked into the sitting room where my father was pacing, and Lisbeth was listening to him.
“If we’re quick, we can have everything done with at the end of this week,” he was saying.
“Have what done by the end of this week?” I asked. He stopped walking.
“The two of you are getting married,” he said. “You can sign the paperwork and then we can begin planning the ceremony.”
“I’m going back to New York.”
“You are doing no such thing, not until you’re wed.”
I raked my hands through my hair. “There will be no wedding. Do you understand? I can’t believe I’m still discussing this with you.”
Lisbeth looked a little sad, but my father was fuming. “For once in your overindulged, spoiled life, you are doing what you are told, Niall. You have been an embarrassment to this family for far too long. Do you understand?”
“And what are you going to do if I don’t do what I’m told? Disown me?”
“Maybe I finally should.”
“You have nothing on me, father. What will you do? Cut me off? I still have mother’s money. You’re not threatening me into marrying someone against my will.”
“I should disown you. Strip your title,” he said. I heard Lisbeth gasp. Ah. She didn’t like the sound of that, did she? Told me exactly why she was interested in marrying into the family. My quarrel was with my father though, not with her. As far as I knew, she had been roped into this as well and I wouldn’t be her first choice if she could make it herself.
“Do it. If you do, Charlie gets it and he deserves it.”
He stalked up to me, poking me in the chest. “You’ll besmirch the family name forever if you do this.”
I laughed. “Is that a threat? What family? This one? Am I supposed to capitulate to people who made my life miserable?”
“You ungrateful little git,” he said, taking the lapels of my robe and shaking me. I laughed, moving his hands.
“I’ve never seen you this worked up over anything,” I said. “I’ve wanted you to care all my life and finally you do. This debt of yours must be quite something. I don’t envy you. Good luck, I’m having no part in it.”
“You will, Niall or God help you!”
“What? What will you do, father?” I asked. He sputtered, his face still bright red but his threats failing him because he had nothing on me. Not a damn thing. For once, he needed me and there was no way for him to force my hand.
“You will not embarrass this young lady,” he said slowly. “Apologize to Miss Lane.” He walked out, leaving us alone. I waited and watched to make sure he didn’t come back. Dealing with my father drained me but this was hopefully the last time we had this conversation. What was he going to do? What was he planning? I had a bad feeling that if I didn’t get out soon, this wouldn’t be the last that I heard of him. Lisbeth was the only thing still keeping me in the city now. At this rate, I could be out of here by tomorrow… depending on how this went. I walked over to one of the sofas and sat.
“Well,” Lisbeth said, giggling. “That… went well?”
I laughed. “It went just the way he knew it would. I don’t know where he gets off thinking he can make me do anything at all with the history that we have.”
“I’m sorry that you’re being forced into this.”
“Likewise. This honestly seems like this is a total waste of your time.”