Instead of running away with my tail tucked between my legs, I step up next to Rook and square my shoulders while holding my head up high. The sigh Rook lets out is full of resignation and I have to bite my lower lip to stop myself from smiling.
Now is not the time for smiling.
As the new shape of the moment settles around us, I take a moment and study Rook’s father. Even though the similarities between the two are obvious, the calculating look in the man’s eyes is something I’ve never seen in Rook. His father looks at me like a piece of meat, but his eyes still dart around like he’s taking inventory of something he expects to be his.
Little does he know it’s not going to happen now.
Unless he’s here because he heard about us getting married.
He’ll just have to get over it. Because we are married and we’ll still be married in a year to satisfy the demands of the will. Hopefully, we’ll stay married long beyond that.
A girl can dream.
There’s something slimy about Rook’s father. It makes me wish I had taken the time to get properly dressed.
“And who exactly is this?” His father’s voice is oily as he asks the question.
I shiver because of the way it hits my ears, and Rook takes a step closer to me. He wraps his arm around my shoulders and tucks me into his side. The movement is so natural and easy. His father’s eyes widen as he takes us in.
“That’s none of your fucking business,” Rook snarls, the threat in his voice clear to hear.
But his father pays no mind to the warning bells that should be going off in his head right now. Instead, he makes a tsking sound and shakes his head like he’s disappointed.
“If youthink you can hire some whore to pretend to be your wife and think that’ll be enough for the lawyers, you’re more of an idiot than I thought you were,” he says the words like he’s being magnanimous.
He’s not.
“You better watch your fucking mouth,” Rook seethes, “that’s my wife you’re talking about.”
The man’s mouth drops open, but then he snaps it closed a moment later. Something sinister crosses his face and I have to force my feet to stay in place even though I want to step back and put more distance between us.
“Your wife?” The disbelief in the man’s voice has me narrowing my eyes. His eyes sweep over me again and he licks his lips. “You picked a pretty whore for this scam; I’ll give you that.”
I can see the rage building in this man; his face is turning red and he starts to sweat. His eyes turn wild as he looks around like he’s about to lose something he never truly had. I’m afraid it’s going to make him reckless. It’s obvious that he’s the kind of man whose recklessness would be dangerous.
His head tips back and he barks out a laugh. Rook’s body is rigid next to me, and he steps slightly in front of me as if to be a shield between me and any danger that might be coming my way.
It’s a shame that the danger would be coming from his father.
I glare at the man standing at the bottom of our porch steps while his mouth opens and closes. I hope our marriage feels like a knife twisting in his chest.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Rook’s dad spits out the words venomously. His eyes land on me and his lip curls up in disgust. “You married him?”
I don’t know where the gumption comes from, but I find myself holding up my hand and wigging my fingers. “Oh, I definitely married him,” my voice comes out smug and I don’t have it in me to tone it down.
Iswear it looks like the man’s head is going to pop off his neck right here and now. Rook’s hand flexes on my hip and squeezes before he pulls me even tighter against him.
“You need to leave,” Rook’s voice is hard and doesn’t leave any room for his father to try and ignore the command.
“You’re going to regret this,” his father whines while pointing an accusatory finger between us. “There’s no way this is ever going to hold up in court. It’s obvious you only got married because of the will. I’ll tear down your fake fucking marriage and then the farm will still be mine,” he threatens.
But his threats sound hollow to my ears.
“And you,” he turns his full attention toward Rook, and my heart starts to pound in my chest. “Fuck, you’re such a disappointment. You’d rather keep this stupid fucking farm and work yourself to death, just like my father did, instead of doing the smart thing and selling this godforsaken place.”
I have to bite my lip to stop myself from telling this vile waste of skin exactly what I think of him. It’s not worth it and there’s no reason to enrage him even further.
There’s no way that he’ll be able to take ownership of the farm, not now. Even if I wasn’t sure about this whole arrangement at first, and those doubts were completely founded, I’d be all in at this moment.