Read Online Twisted Affair: The Complete Series Box Set by M. S. Parker - Free Book Online

at dinner was reprehensible. Unforgivable.” His eyes were flashing. “I should cut you off right this instant.”
    I scowled. “You told me that if I agreed to follow your rules, you wouldn't do that.”
    “Exactly. After you agreed to marry Rebecca, you humiliated her and both families, got drunk and are now making up this completely ludicrous story about being engaged to a woman you clearly don't know.”
    “I never agreed to marry Rebecca,” I said. “I agreed to get a job, to stop getting plastered and doing stupid things. Am I in jail this morning? Did I do something dumb last night?” I really hoped I hadn't or this was going to get so much worse.
    “Don't use that tone with me.” He pointed his finger at me. “You knew exactly what you were agreeing to.”
    “She didn't want to marry me, Dad,” I said. “Rebecca Stirling was being used like a fucking chess piece.”
    “Watch your mouth,” he warned.
    “I meant what I said at dinner.” That part of the night I remembered quite clearly. “It's bad enough that you're forcing me into this. I'm not marrying someone who's forced into it too. That's basically prostitution.”
    “You're on very thin ice here, Blayne.” His mouth twisted into a smug smile. “But you've also just shot yourself in the foot.”
    I frowned. What did he mean? I hadn't said anything new.
    “When I first mentioned marriage to you, you said there was no way you could find someone to marry you that quickly. Then you refuse the engagement to Rebecca, citing all of those nice, noble reasons. Not once, either time, did you mention this fiancée of yours.”
    Shit. He was right. My brain scrambled for a lie that he'd believe. Or at least one that would sound plausible enough he couldn't completely discount it. “Because I knew you wouldn't approve.” Yeah, that was going to make it all better. “Livie's from the Czech Republic and I knew you'd think exactly what you thought. That she's in it for the money.”
    “No, I think it's the green card too.”
    I kept going, pulling bits and pieces together to create something of a story. “She's a businesswoman, Dad. A legitimate businesswoman. I met her a while ago.” I had to make this realistic but not hurt Livie's reputation. The chances of this getting back to her were slim, but she didn't deserve to be subject to malicious gossip. “We had drinks and I tried to get her in bed. She turned me down flat.” That much was moderately true at least.
    “And you proposed?” He raised an eyebrow, the expression on his face clearly saying he wasn't believing a word of this.
    “I kept seeing her in different places and we'd always have a good time drinking and talking, but it wasn't a relationship. She was okay with keeping it casual because I never wanted anything serious, but you're forcing my hand on that one. Last night, after I left, I saw her again. I figured if I had to get married, it might as well be to someone I knew I could get along with. When I told her what you were doing, she accepted.”
    Dad laughed and shook his head. “You actually expect me to believe that?” He gestured toward the door. “How much money have you spent on her? Did she ask for a big ring? A car?”
    “She didn't ask for anything.” I hated that my father could think like that about someone like Livie, but the only way I could get out of it was to tell him what really happened. I was in too deep. I couldn't do that. Dad would think I was a bigger failure than he already did and I'd be out on the street, with nothing to my name. “And she's a good girl. Not from some rich or important family, but she's not the kind of person who'll shame your precious name.” I gave him a bitter smile. “I do enough of that on my own.”
    He didn't contradict me.
    “She has a legitimate business, dresses well and is kind and polite.” All true. “You didn't say I had to marry some up-tight snob.”
    He looked at me hard and I knew he was trying to get me to