Page 53 of His to Love
To my surprise, the door to my father’s office was wide open. I didn’t bother knocking on the doorframe to make my presence known. His head snapped up as soon as he saw me. He was sitting behind his desk, a glass of whiskey held gingerly in his hand. His lips pressed into a straight line barely masking his annoyance that it had taken me so long to get here.
I couldn’t help Detroit traffic.
“Come in.”
I obeyed and stepped into his office and immediately saw Malik in a chair to the side of my father’s desk where he couldn’t be seen from the doorway. He turned to face me and then pushed to his feet, setting his own glass down on the desk. I fought the urge to crinkle my nose. I despised whiskey.
“Good evening, Gabriella,” Malik said, stepping forward and doing that proprietary thing he did that I was beginning to also despise. With one of his hands low on my hip, he leaned forward and brushed his lips across my cheek.
“Evening,” I muttered, glancing down to my feet.
When Malik had dropped his hand from my hip and stepped away, I slowly brought my gaze up to meet my father’s. Irritation bubbled beneath my skin. This was the man who had allowed me to believe that something was wrong with Mom, all under the guise of getting me to the house. The man had no shame when it came to getting what he wanted.
A lumped formed in my throat at the thought. I knew what he wanted. Malik’s presence made that clear.
“Before you get started with why I’ve been summoned,” I started, unable to hide the anger from my voice, “I thought you should know that I took your advice and spoke with Ms. Pillar. I began my position with DPA this morning. And I’ve placed a deposit on a new home, apartment, really.” My father’s lips thinned further. His frustration with me rippled through the room.
I almost wanted to smile. Maybe curtsy.
“Is that all?” he asked, his lips twisting into a sneer.
No. But it was enough.
At the small nod of my head, he relaxed slightly. “Very well, then.” He continued. “Malik will escort you to the benefit next Saturday.”
I gritted my teeth. I should have known I would be railroaded into this after I dismissed Malik’s invitation. Malik was just as cunning as my father. I might have underestimated his interest in me.
Before I could think of the appropriate words to say, to tell him that I had already asked Tyson to accompany me, Malik stepped forward and took my hand. “It will be pleasure to have you on my arm.”
I bet. I barely spared Malik a glance before looking back to my father. He looked rather pleased with himself as he sipped his whiskey. I knew better. His current relaxed state only hid the cogs working in his mind, trying to find a way to trap me.
“I would like to speak with Malik for a few minutes. In private,” I said, stressing the words at the end.
“Whatever you have to say—”
For the first time in my life that I could remember, I interrupted him. “Will be said in private. Either here or later.”
Both men tensed.
“Jimmy,” Malik cut in, his voice patronizing as he glanced at me with a wink. “Please, allow me to speak to Gabriella.”
As if I needed my father’s approval or permission.
I was done with all of it, and I planned to make myself clear. It had been stupid of me to even agree to see Malik just to make my mother happy. There was nothing I could ever do that would earn me favor in the light eyes of the man in front of me. The man who was clearly annoyed with being asked to leave his own office.
With heavy reluctance and anger, my father finally nodded and stepped away from his desk. “Very well,” he muttered. The door to the office closed behind him as he exited.
I was given no time to say my peace before Malik’s hand, which was still on my arm, gripped me more firmly. I turned to him and wrenched it out of his grasp.
“Gabriella,” he said. I jerked at the warning in his tone.
I pressed my lips together and took a step back, lifting my hand. “I will not be attending the benefit with you. I’m sorry, Malik, but you knew I was going to go with my father—”
“Your father has decided not to attend this year,” he said, interrupting me.
I tried to maintain a rational and calm demeanor; the men in my life hated overly emotional women. I closed my eyes and inhaled a calming breath. This was not going to go over well.
“And while that’s most definitely news,” I said, rolling my shoulders back and lifting my chin to meet his gaze, “my plans have also changed. I’m sorry to tell you this, truly, but I only agreed to meet with you to appease my parents. I have no interest in the family business, Malik.”
