Page 30 of The Heiress

The butler returns with a tray of refreshments once I introduce myself. He then stops halfway into the room. No wonder. Mr. DeMonte has gone from pure indifference to being prepared to rip my ovaries out of my body.

Like I said… I’mthatLorde Sheen.

“Sir,” the butler says with a clear tone. “Should I…?”

Marcello flips some papers over. Whatever he uses to freshen up his office smells a lot like my sweet Daisy. Honeydew. A little cinnamon. Sweet and spicy. I also know for a fact that she tastes pretty sweet.

How about I not mention that to her dad?

“That’ll be all, Andre. Ms. Sheen and I need privacy for a few minutes. This is sensitive.”

“Yes, sir.” The butler bows before excusing himself. I swear I hear the door lock.

Look, I am not usually one to play into stereotypes, but this has the feel of a mob hit about to go down. Great. The cops are going to find my body wearing this preppy bullshit. I even smoothed my hair down today and put on a touch of makeup! Shit. I’m such a poser.

“Why are you here?” Marcello growls, slowly sitting in his office chair. His look says that he’s heard it all. With a daughter as gorgeous as Daisy? I’m sure he has. Does it make me sound like an idiot to hope that he’ll make an exception for me? You know, the girl fucking up his daughter’s tastefully arranged engagement?While being female too?

“I came to speak about your daughter, Daisy.”

Holy shit. That is legit fire burning behind his eyes. Whelp. Goodbye, life. We had a good run.

“Lorde Sheen.” He draws my name out in a tired drawl. “You’re that movie star’s daughter, right? The girl the papers say has a new ‘girlfriend’ every week?”

“Yes, my mother is Camilla Sheen.” I don’t comment on the other stuff.

“You’re the girl my daughter was caught kissing a few weeks ago.”

I try so hard to keep a straight face as I nod. You’d be squirming too if you had a hot white light shining on you! “Yes, Mr. DeMonte. I don’t know if Daisy has told you, but we’ve been seeing each other for a while.”

That look on his face. The one wanting to kill me? Guessing Daisy hasn’t told him.

“I want to clear the air, Mr. DeMonte. Daisy and I are very much interested in pursuing a serious relationship together. I’ve come to ask for your permission to date your daughter.” It feels so weird saying that. Not just to a woman’s father, but to a guy so traditional that he actually tries to betroth his adult daughter to a stranger. And probably, you know, doesn’t think much of the whole queer thing. At best, he’s indifferent on a personal level and thinks it gets in the way of him crafting the familyhewants. At worst? Oh, boy.

“Daisy is engaged.” He clears his throat. “Andnotdating women. I don’t know what this world is trying to tell you, Ms. Sheen and the good Lord knows it’s none of my business whatyoudo with your life, but in this house… well. We’re Catholic!”

His somber tone has transformed into a formidable growl. The protective Daddy is pacing in front of his lion’s den and prepared to snap at the heels of anyone looking to get in. Don’t I know that Daisy isreserved?I bet DeMonte is the kind of guy who thinkshis daughter is some chaste waif who doesn’t know her urethra from her vagina.

“I know, sir. I was as shocked as she was to find out.”

Uh-oh. Bad, Lorde, bad! Don’t piss him off!

“That is to say… I don’t think he’s the right person for her. Sir. If I may say so. Ahem. Sir.”

Look at me. Losing it. You’d think I consider this man my future father-in-law or something.

Speaking of something… that something is burning in my pocket right now.

At least Marcello doesn’t rip my head off. Instead, he sits back in his seat. Upright, but too far away to choke me out. “What makes you think that, Ms. Sheen? I don’t have to assure you that my wife and I have done our due diligence in picking a good match for our daughter.”

Parents always like to think that, don’t they? From what I’ve dug up on Cristiano, however, he’s a bigger playboy than some of my acquaintances in Hollywood. He’ll be true to Daisy for as long as the honeymoon. If that. Maybe until they have their first kid by the time she’s twenty-five.

I lean forward. I want this man to see the whites of my eyes. “Have you ever been in love before, Mr. DeMonte?”

He doesn’t answer. According to Daisy, her parents’ marriage was arranged… but that doesn’t mean this gruff guy has never been in love. I’d find it impossible to believe.

Time to play my hand.

“I’m in love with your daughter, sir. I’m pretty sure she loves me, too.”

---