Page 67 of Original Sins (Dark Odyssey 6)

I don’t want to talk to him, but since I know it won’t bode well for me if I continue to ignore him, I pull out the phone and answer it after the fifth ring.

My heartbeat picks up because the other reason I don’t want to talk to him is, of course, my plans and the sin I’m getting up to with two of his most trusted associates.

“Dad,” I say into the phone and walk out onto the patio.

“Jesus, I was starting to worry.”

“Why?” I throw back.

“How can you ask me that?”

“Dad, how can you askmethat? I told you what Peter did, and you still want him to marry me. I’m not going to understand your reasons for still accommodating him. Most fathers would kill him for what he tried to do to me.” The type of man my father is should place him first in line.

He goes quiet. A sign that maybe he’s thought about it.

I don’t know how he chose to deal with Peter, and I don’t care.

“Evie, this is hard for me. I told you I dealt with it, and he won’t treat you like that again. Every good father wants his daughter to be with a man who can take care of her. The reason I picked Peter is I trust him. I trust him with the empire when he takes over one day, and I trust him with you. I’m disappointed to hear he behaved that way with you, and I’ve done what I can do to set him straight. He won’t hurt you again.”

“How do you know that?”

There’s no way he can know that for sure.

“If he wants the business, that’s what he has to do.”

That’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. All Peter has to do is be nice to my father’s face then show his true colors again after we’re married.

“I see. That makes no sense, though.”

“Evangeline, this is happening, and I don’t want to call you and talk about this shit again. Let’s move on. To bridge this mess, Peter’s going to take you to dinner next week when he gets back from Colorado.”

“I’m not doing dinner with him,” I say quickly, thinking on my feet.

“Yes, you are.”

Christ, what do I do?I can’t go to dinner.

I’ll be with the guys in the evenings. And no way am I going to break my evening with them for Peter.

I know I’m dancing on thin ice with this crazy as fuck plan, but I have to do what I have to do.

“Not dinner, something else.” I have to meet him halfway, or he’ll get strict and mess up my plans.

“Why not dinner?”

“I don’t want to be alone with him in the evenings, and I’d prefer if he is to come that he come to the house in the daytime when Cordelia is here.”There, keep it sweet.

If I didn’t have to see Georgiou and Henry, I’d fight tooth and nail.

“Lunch then.”

Thank God. “Okay, lunch.”

“I’ll message you with a time and speak to Cordelia as well.”

“Okay.”

“Try to be okay with this, Evie. The subject of marriage is not up for discussion. It’s happening, so you have to get used to it.”

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