Why Now?

Ryder’s POV

Something was wrong with me. Sleeping with a stranger was one thing, but sleeping with your brother-in-law?

That was insanity.

The worst part of it was that I liked it. Fuck! I preferred it to the first time.

What the hell was wrong with me?

I slowly woke up and pulled the warm sheets off my skin, ready to get out of bed, but then I turned and saw him lying there, Darian.

He was still beside me, his chest rising and falling, and I couldn't explain why the sight of that shifted something in me.

The last time we slept together, he'd left before I opened my eyes. But this time he was here.

Did it mean something?

I let myself watch him longer than I should’ve, his soft lips, the way his lashes rested on his skin, and his messy hair, placed against the pillow. He looked… sweet. In sleep, at least.

"Why are you staring at me like that, Ryder?" Darian spoke, his eyes still closed.

"I like watching you sleep." My cheeks burned, but I didn’t bother to lie.

His lips widened a bit, I couldn't tell if it was amusement or mockery.

"Cute. But shouldn’t you be out of my bed before someone notices? Or do you like the idea of getting caught?"

"I—" The right words got stuck in my throat.

"Tell me," he said, finally opening those steel-grey eyes. "Why did you agree to marry my sister when it’s obvious you’re into men?"

"I’m not into—"

"You don't want to finish that sentence." He cut me off, "It's fine." He then slid out of the bed and walked to his wardrobe.

My eyes betrayed me. Instead of looking away, or leaving the room just like I planned when I woke up immediately, I found myself tracing the line of his bare back and the curve of his ass until heat pooled low in my stomach.

Who was I kidding? I liked him. I was obsessed.

"I don’t want to marry your sister."

The words slipped out before I could catch them.

I couldn't tell if I was being brave or stupid, but either way, he had already heard what I said and there was no taking it back.

"What?" Darian paused, his robe half-on as he turned to me.

"I don't want to marry Lira," I responded, clearer this time.

"Make me understand." He stared at me for a moment before he continued, "You threw a party last night to celebrate the engagement. So..."

"That was my father’s idea. I’ve never wanted her."

For a second, something unreadable flickered in his expression. Then he crossed the room until he was close enough that I could smell him and his faint cologne. "Then why agree in the first place?"

"Because my father—"

"Now you sound like a spoiled heir looking for someone to blame." He cut me short. "What do you want, Ryder?"

I read Darian's expression for a while, wondering why he was asking me this question. Didn't he know that I didn't like her? Didn't my outburst yesterday tell him that I felt caged?

"I don’t know. But I know it’s not her." I managed to say.

Darian’s lips curved into that same smirk that always makes my chest tighten.

Then he placed his hand on my shoulder, his fingers staying just long enough to make me forget how to breathe.

"Lira likes you, and if you don’t feel the same, you’re walking her straight into heartbreak. I’ve seen enough of that crap in this family."

"My father—"

"This is your life, not his," he said, in a dismissive tone and then stepped back. "Now get out of my room before I change my mind about letting you leave."

"You're right." I said grabbing my clothes, "I should talk with my father. I'm calling this off."

Just as I picked up my phone, I froze. There were tons of notifications, dozens of tags, and my name plastered everywhere.

"What the fuck?" I cursed as I couldn't believe what I read with my eyes.

"What is it?" Darian asked, frowning.

"It looks like… my father told the world I’m getting married in seven days."

"I like the sound of that," Darian said casually and walked straight into the bathroom.

Anger roared through me, causing every fiber of my being to tremble as I stormed out of Darian's room.

I headed to my father's room and pushed the door open without knocking, but he wasn't in there.

On getting out of the room, I almost collided with Ethan.

"Good morning s—"

"Where's my father?" I queried, as it was the only thing I cared about at the moment.

"Your father should be in... You don't look alright. Are you okay? Plus the servants mentioned you didn't sleep in your room last night, is there—"

"Ethan." My tone made him flinch.

"I'm sorry, sir. Your father should be in his study. That was the last place I saw him." Ethan responded. But before the words could leave his lips, I was already out of his sight and heading straight to my father's chambers.

"What's the meaning of this?" I pushed the door open and held the screen of my phone out for my father to see.

"I am not—"

"I don't care about your desires today, Father. You told me last night that my wedding was in seven days, but it seems like the media already knew that before me. Well, I'm not getting married to Lira any longer. Disown me if you have to." I quivered with indignation and turned to leave, but his voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Ryder, please hear me out."

This was strange. My father never begged. He always ordered.

"I know you’re angry, and you have every right." My father's voice came out calm forcing me to turn to look at him.

"But I didn’t tell the media. Not intentionally. I might have said it at the party out of excitement... I’m sor—"

"I'm still not marrying—"

"We're broke, son." My father yelled.

"What?" I questioned, unable to believe what my father was saying.

"Yes, I'm in a lot of debt and this marriage is the only way I can save us, my legacy, your legacy. Please... I'm begging."

I stared at my father for a long while and I couldn't say anything. This was the first time I’d ever seen him beg. And I couldn’t tell if it was the truth… or just another form of manipulation.

Why now, when I’d finally decided to stand up for myself?