Page 23 of Parker
Joel mentioned no one. My stomach churns. Am I a rebound? A side piece? The other woman? Of course, there is a woman. A proper woman. Men like Joel don’t end up with girls like me. Not for keeps. I’m a novelty. A story to tell his sons when he grows old.
A wild tale to enjoy before returning to the life carved out for him, and a wife who fits the mold. Eliza. I bet she’s perfect, polished even. The kind of woman who’s never worn handcuffs, unless it’s for fun.
“Joel,” she shrieks again. “What about Eliza? You’re getting married.”
The words punch straight through my heart. Engaged. He’s engaged.
It’s like the floor opens up beneath me. One minute I’m floating, and the next I’m plummeting hard and fast. Engaged. The proof I’m a placeholder hits me square between the eyes. My mother was right.
Tears sting at the unexpected turn of events. How stupid could I be to think that within a week, I could meet a man, move in with him, and he’d be my true love? My soul mate. My future.
I creep toward the landing. His body is rigid, powerful fingers wrapped around the banister looking down to his mother on the stairs. His jaw ticks. He looks ready to murder someone. The moment our gazes meet, something shifts. Sadness flickers across his face, and he gives me a soft shake of the head.
I want nothing more than to believe him, but how can I when the name Eliza blares in my ears? Raging like an alarm. Am I merely a mistake to be regretted when reality strikes? A walking disaster that tore apart his curated life on impulse?
“Mother,” he growls. His voice controlled but deadly. “Eliza and I are finished. We have been for weeks. The wedding won’t be happening. You know that.”
She tries to interrupt him, but he talks over her. “I’m sorry our relationship breaking down has caused issues between our families, but you and I both know it was for show. There was no love. There never was. Now leave.”
He turns away from her, eyes landing on me again. “Because of your dramatics, I need to go and explain your outburst to Nicky and why you tried to blow up my life.”
“Nicky,” she hisses, as if tasting something foul. “Is that the name of the little tart leading you around by the balls?”
I’m humiliated. Furious. And somehow, still aching for him. His mother never even saw me, and she made up her mind. I’m nothing but a problem. A mistake he’s making with his dick. Andthe worst part is, a piece of me believes her. I retreat back to bed, not knowing what else to do.
The sound of the front door slamming closed signals she’s left. Joel wanders back into the bedroom. He sits down beside me, he looks calm on the outside, but no doubt is storming within. I sit on the bed, twisting a stray piece of hair between my fingers to stop my hands shaking.
“Who’s Eliza?” I ask.
“Arranged marriages are still going strong, even in modern society,” he explains, his tone solemn. “Eliza and I were teenagers when we were first introduced. Our parents hoped the match would happen naturally.”
My eyes widen as I listen. This is like being in the Twilight Zone, an alternate universe to the one I grew up in.
“She’s beautiful,” he says, and my heart constricts. “Smart, too. She’s studied to become a human-rights lawyer, much to her family’s disgust.”
Of course, she is beautiful and smart. The kind of girl who never has a prison record to explain or worry about which fork to use at a meal. She’s everything I’m not, everything I can’t be. Suddenly, I feel like a square peg in a round hole.
A chuckle escapes him, but his hand rises to his curls and swipes through them nervously. Sweat beads on his forehead. He doesn’t want to be having this conversation with me.
“We were allowed to be friends until she turned twenty-one. Eliza is two years younger than me. We were nothing more than friends at that point.” He takes a deep breath. “Then, on her twenty-first birthday, our parents told us they wished us to marry. It was a shock to us both.”
Unsure what to say, I stay mute. He stretches for my hand, but I move it out of his reach. Doubt starts to flit through my mind as he continues. Those beautiful green eyes stay fixed on the floor.
I want to believe every damn word he says. But deep down, the part of me that’s spent ten years locked away can’t trust anything that looks this good.
“We told them no. It didn’t go down well. Her father was furious with her and threatened to cut her out of the family. Reginald Worth is used to getting what he wants. What we didn’t know was that our fathers had already struck a deal on the paperwork, the inheritance, and the like. Eliza’s brother can’t be trusted with the family funds. He’s squandered plenty over the years. Her parents have no suitable male heir.”
My eyebrows shoot up as the pieces of the puzzle click into place.
“They wanted you to become head of their family?” I ask.
“I wouldn’t saywantedme to, but they were short of options. Mr. Worth doesn’t get on with his extended family. Bitter feuds run deep. Choosing who his daughter would marry was the next best thing, and as my family is wealthy, he felt we wouldn’t use them as a cash cow.”
“What were your parents’ thoughts on it?”
He shrugs and his lip curls as if tasting something bitter. “My parents felt it was a positive financial arrangement. It would further secure the Parker fortune. We were backed into a corner, Eliza and me. We agreed to try to have a relationship but stood our ground on marriage. To buy us some time, we told them we needed five years to learn about each other and focus on our careers.”
“And both families agreed?” I ask, surprised.
