Vartan speaks again, his voice is too calm. “At least you look like you have your shit together.” His gaze rakes over her like it’s nothing. “Aside from being a whore.”
He lifts his hand like he’s snapping at a dog. “Get your shit. We’re leaving.”
Catalina’s voice comes so softly, I almost miss it. “Wh–Why?”
He scoffs, looking at her like she’s stupid.
“Because I need to close a deal,” he says flatly. “A new tech company acquisition. Multi-million dollar deal. But the contract’s tied to family. Selling me the company means I need to become a part of the family. Their son needs a wife—and you, sweetheart, are going to be his wife.”
He says it like he’s ordering a fucking latte. I stare at him, my mouth opens, but there’s no air left in my lungs.
His lip curls into a smirk. “Try not to fuck this one up, would you? You’ve already proven you’re good at opening your legs for just about anybody.”
I’m fucking stunned. She briefly opened up to me about her struggles with her father, but this is fucking crazy.
The way he’s talking to her, it knocks the breath right out of me. I can’t wrap my head around it. This is the same man I used to shoot the shit with over the phone, the one who’d make offhanded jokes and send me dumb articles to make me laugh.
And now he’s standing here, looking at his daughter like she’s nothing.
Like she’s disposable.
I steal a glance at Catalina, she’s rocking on her heels. She’s ghost-pale, her body vibrates like she’s unraveling from the inside out. Her fingers clutch at her gold pendant.
It’s written all over her face. The look of anxiety, panic and I know it like the back of my fucking hand.
I move quickly, crouching down until I’m eye level with her, needing to see her face, to make sure she’s okay.
“Breathe, baby,” I murmur, rubbing slow circles on her back. “You’re okay. I’ve got you. You’re here with me. Not him. Pay attention to my voice.”
She doesn’t answer, nor does she blink. Her eyes are somewhere else, far away, locked behind glass. Her hands are trembling like she’s trying to hold the world together with nothing but thread.
Fight, baby. Please. Don’t let him take that from you. Just say no. Say something, anything.
I turn back to Vartan, rage thrumming through every inch of me like a live wire.
“You’re selling her.” I spit the words out. “You’re fucking selling her off like she’s inventory.”
He ignores me completely and shrugs like none of this matters.
“Cute. Defending her now.” His tone is sharp, bitter. “You fuck her and suddenly she’s your wife? That’s it?”
He scoffs, shaking his head like he’s disgusted.
“I sent her here because I trusted you, Carter. And this is what you do? You go behind my back, take advantage, and pretend you’re some savior?”
His voice drops lower, teeth clenched.
“How dare you. I was there for you throughout everything. And you do this to me?”
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” I say, clenching my fists. “I trusted you. I didn’t know you treated her like she was disposable.”
My chest tightens, fury burning hot under my skin.
“Get the fuck out of my house. While I’m still giving you the choice.”
He lunges forward, shoving me hard. I slam a hand into his chest, pushing him right the fuck back. He stumbles, but he doesn’t fall.
He looks past me, his eyes landing on her again.
