Page 98 of Reluctantly His

Neither of us gained an advantage over the board.

“You won’t make her happy. You know that right? Charlotte needs structure, tempered with refinement and culture, not some uncouth, gun-toting gorilla. What she needs is a proper marriage to the right man, with the right connections, from the right family. The type of marriage only I can arrange.”

I raised an eyebrow as I moved my other rook out of harm’s way. “Really? Because I thought what she needed was love and the support of someone who believes in her and her talent.”

His fingers wrapped around the head of a knight as he twirled the piece between his thumb and forefinger. “Was that your angle? Prey on my daughter’s need for validation from her cold-hearted, bastard of a father. I didn’t think taking advantage of a woman’s vulnerabilities was your style, Reid.”

In a bold move, I shifted my king to take his queen. “If your daughter was susceptible to such tactics, you have only yourself to blame.”

It figured this man considered a desire to be accepted and loved a vulnerability. It was a basic human need to strive to belong, to be a part of something. Whether it was family, religion, a career, we all wanted to feel as though we mattered.

The wonderful thing about Charlotte was how her need was expressed through music, a noble endeavor to bring beauty and light into a dark and uncertain world.

The drive to entertain, enlighten, and soothe our fellow man was one of the most, quintessentially human of all. It was a goddamn miracle that growing up in this man’s frigid shadow, she had somehow held onto that ability.

It was one of the things I loved about her the most.

How essentially her vulnerabilities were actually her greatest strengths. With an upbringing like hers, she should have been a spoiled, jaded bitch. And yet she was kind, sweet, and giving.

I couldn’t wait to see what she was capable of accomplishing with the right sort of love and support behind her.

His gaze narrowed as it fell on his captured queen in my hand. “Are you questioning my parenting in my own home?”

“Not at all, sir.”

Lucian relaxed.

With my forearms on the table, I leaned forward and continued. “There’s no question about it. I’m calling you a piece of shit father who valued money over your daughter’s affection.”

“I should kill you for saying that to me.”

I raised an eyebrow. “You could try. Then again, a man like you doesn’t build a billion-dollar empire from nothing by surrounding yourself with yes-men. Family may be a means to an end with you, but the straightforward truth still counts for something.”

He intertwined his fingers as he stared intently at me over the board. “You want straightforward? I don’t give a damn about your money. You’re not good enough for my daughter. And you’re not good enough for this family. Marriage is about strengthening positions and securing the future for the next generation. All a marriage to you would bring is money. I have plenty of that, and I have no interest in filthy oil or acres of wasteland in Texas.”

“Connections like the Zeiglers?”

He adjusted his seat. “I’ll admit that was a… miscalculation.”

“A miscalculation. You almost married your daughter off to a violent, inbred sociopath.”

Lucian steepled his fingers and pointed at me. “Says you. He says differently. According to Romney, you framed him for the boat heist in an effort to get him out of the way so you could steal Charlotte from him.”

“She was never his. Charlotte was—and will always be— mine.”

“That is yet to be determined.”

I shifted my knight forward. “Checkmate.” Rising, I drained my glass and slammed it on the table. “I don’t expect us to be like family or even friends, but I suggest you don’t make me an enemy. Try to come between your daughter and me, and it will be war between us.”

After saying all I intended, I turned my back on him and crossed to the threshold.

Lucian called out, “Does Charlotte know about your millions?”

I shifted my head to the right but didn’t turn. Again, I remained silent.

He continued, “I only ask, because I’m told she has built up quite the domestic fantasy about a hand-to-mouth existence with her down-to-earth, blue-collar man. How do you think she’ll take it when she learns you’re one of the heirs to a billion-dollar fortune?”

My jaw clenched as I curled my fingers into a fist.

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