say?” When he says nothing an arm comes around my waist and without looking I know it’s Daniel. He pulls me to my feet and my back rests against his front.
“You don’t deserve her,” he says, his deep voice vibrating against me and giving me strength. “She’s the only reason I haven’t let everything in your world crumble away while you toss money at all your shitty investments.”
“You offered me up like a piece of property? That’s all I am to you,” I say, and the room is so quiet now everyone can hear me.
My stepmother rolls her eyes annoyed at my question, but my father is the one to answer.
“You would’ve been happy; just look at you now.” My father dismisses me with a wave of his hand. “Besides, I got it taken care of. You’re not married anymore.” My father stands from his chair and before I can blink Daniel is in front of me and in my father’s face.
“We’ll talk about this at our meeting,” my father says as he straightens his coat like this is just a misunderstanding.
“What meeting?” I ask, but I have no idea what he’s talking about.
“There’s no meeting,” Daniel says.
“If you want to marry my daughter-”
“Want?” Daniel laughs, cutting him off. “I will marry your daughter, John. And there’s not a fucking thing you can do about it.”
I gasp when I’m lifted up and tossed over Daniel's shoulder, thankful I have on a full-length dress that covers me as he carries me from the ballroom and out of that horrible scene.
I smile to myself as I think about someone trying to stand in the way of Daniel. He’s a force of nature and nothing will get between us. Want? Yeah, that was the wrong word.
Chapter 6
Daniel
“That motherfucker,” I grunt as I slam the car door closed behind us.
I look over to Blakely who is taking a few bobby pins out of her hair that’s falling after being thrown over my shoulder. I don’t know what came over me, but all my control snapped. I watch as she smooths down her silky brown hair and I ache to reach for her. I clench my fists and the fear I only ever have when it comes to her keeps me from doing it.
What if my need for her is too much and she recoils from my touch? The thought alone knocks the air right out of my lungs. She doesn't look over at me as she worries her bottom lip between her teeth. I’d give anything to know what she’s thinking right now. Normally I’m good at predicting the outcomes of things, but right now I’m at a loss. I try to calm myself by taking a deep breath and reminding myself that I won’t let her go. No matter how pissed or hurt she is I’ll fix this and make her love me again, or I’ll die trying. I can’t bear her not wanting to be with me because she thinks that I took her over some shitty deal her father tried to offer me.
“Blakely,” I say gently, and she turns to face me and her cool blue eyes meet mine.
“Stop calling me that.” She looks away and stares out the window. I reach for her small hand, engulfing it with mine and she doesn't pull away.
“Dream girl,” I say as I bring her hand to my lips and kiss the back of it.
When she faces me again her eyes are filled with tears. I can’t take it and pull her into my lap and wrap myself around her. I want to shield her from the hurt of her family and the disappointment that they’d treat her this way, but I can’t.
“I’m so sorry,” I tell her as she buries her face into my neck. My heart pounds in my chest as I run my hands up and down her back.
“She would have liked you,” she says after a few minutes of silence and I know she’s talking about her mom.
“I think I would have liked her, too. I have a feeling she was a lot like the girl you keep hidden away. The one that only comes out when she’s with me.” She leans back to look at me, and I cup her cheek. I hate seeing the tear tracks on them, but right now I need to give her what she needs.
“I wanted to fit in.”
“You do fit in,” I tell her as I tuck her hair behind her ear. “You