Attempted Rejection

Emma~

The room goes silent the second I enter, and every hair on the back of my neck stands to attention. I think it’s my body’s way of processing the fact that once again, all eyes are on me.

You’d think I’d get used to it by now with who my brother and father are, but maybe that’s one of the reasons I ran away to hide in the kitchen all these years. I wish I could run back there again now; it’s my safe space, while this place is certainly not.

I survey the room tentatively for any changes, but there are none aside from the missing plates. In fact, it’s as I feared, Orion is sat there once again looking at me, while I manage to catch the anger on both my brother’s and father’s faces. Oh hell, what’s he said to them? Does this man have no manners?

Without thinking, I turn to the offender and scowl at him with all the anger the past few hours have brought me. His eyes widen in shock for a fraction of a second before his face is composed once more, but it’s enough to know that I can get a reaction. It’s what he deserves for all that he’s putting us through.

“You requested to see me, father?” I don’t usually call him ‘father’, but ‘Papa’ seems so casual for such a tense conversation as this. If I’ve made things difficult with my reactions, I need to show all the respect I can, you know, to try and avoid a scolding later.

He looks pained as I ask this, and without knowing why, my stomach drops what feels like a thousand feet. “Yes, Emma…”

A pause follows as he can’t seem to finish the sentence. He’s always been a confident speaker, filling gaps where needed, which is why his hesitance takes me by surprise, but I stay quiet to let him take his time if it’s needed.

But unfortunately, someone else doesn’t approach it the same. “Say it.”

My father’s hands cover his face, an act I don’t think I’ve ever seen him do before. “How can I? How can I ask this of her?”

I inhale a sharp breath at the sound of the anguish in his voice, and turn to the person clearly causing all of this. I want to yell, to scream, or at the very least give him a piece of my mind—only to find that the bastard is smiling.

“Well, if you don’t, I’ll take it all anyway, only with your head as part of the bargain.” Orion answers simply in a low voice, while looking down to pick a stray piece of lint from the collar of his shirt.

It’s the only time where his eyes haven’t been glued to mine.

“His head?” The exclamation escapes me, and I turn to my father. “He couldn’t, Papa, tell me he couldn’t do that.” I want to run to his side, but my brother holds out his hand slightly as if to signal the need to stay put.

“Couldn’t he?” Orion speaks again, tilting his head to the side in a mocking manner. “Let’s get one thing straight, Princess, I can do whatever the fuck I want. That includes taking your hand in marriage and your father’s company as a dowry.”

My jaw falls to the ground. Whatever it was that he wanted, I never expected it to be that. Or is this just an example? My father has yet to say another word, but when turning to check, the look on his and Owen’s faces are enough to confirm the awful truth.

Why though? Why me? What have I done to deserve this?

Could this monster not build his own company? Hell, could he not just take it if that’s what he’s after. Why does my hand in marriage have to be brought into the equation?

“No.” I shake my head, speaking quietly at first before finding my voice. “No, like hell I’d marry you. Who the hell do you think you are?”

Rather than get frustrated like I am though, he smiles slightly, like there’s something I’m not getting. But it’s him that’s wrong if he thinks I’d be doing any such thing.

“Like I’ve already said, I’m either your future husband, or your father’s murderer… but I’m nice enough to let you pick.”