Fury and Deals

Megan was still sitting on a bench on the veranda when her father came outside looking for her some fifteen minutes later. She could see instantly that she had reason to be afraid. Her father looked furious with her, more so than she had ever seen him in her whole life. 

He shook a finger in his daughter's face. "I told you to take this seriously Megan." He was fuming at her. "Follow me." 

Megan stood and her father wrapped a large hand around her upper arm not giving her a chance to follow and barely walking at a pace she could keep up with. They walked in this uncomfortable way all the way across the house and into the study. Ryan slammed the door after they entered, and he shoved his daughter into a chair in front of his desk then walked around and sat behind it. Megan remembered absently that there was still a party going on out there. 

"Do you have any idea what kind of damage you have unleashed on your family tonight, Megan? Mr. Ross has pulled his support from the oil refineries. There are workers lives on the line without those repairs that Ross's money pays for." Ryan Steele told his daughter. 

"I am sorry father..." Megan started to say. 

"What were you thinking?" Her father yelled at her. 

"Father please... Caden isn't suitable for marriage. If I married him, it would be a lie." Megan said pitifully. 

"What do you mean?" Ryan looked at his daughter critically. 

Megan sighed, "he's just different." Megan knew she had to be careful about what she said so that she could protect Caden. 

"Explain to me how. If Caden's father is unreasonable in his son's marriage proposal, then maybe we can deal with the issue without anything further needing to occur. Tell me how the boy isn't suitable." Ryan urged his daughter. 

Megan swallowed thickly. "I can't." 

Ryan scowled at the insubordinate young woman. "Can't or won't, Megan?" 

Megan sat up straighter. "Caden is my friend. I won't explain further than to say that he is different." 

Ryan banged his fist on the desk. "Then you leave me no choice. I won't let your brother inherit nothing because you refuse to do your duty and marry." 

Ryan took a deep breath then poured them both a healthy glass of bourbon. Megan gave her father a questioning look. "Drink it Megan, you're going to need it for what comes next." Megan looked at her father with true concern taking a sip. 

"Drink all of it, now." Ryan told her grimly. 

Megan did as she was told, coughing hard by the end. Megan eyed her father warily. Suddenly she felt a presence behind her, and a pair of hands suddenly rested on her shoulders. She went to move away but that deep voice that swirled like smoke spoke close to her ear. 

"You need to listen now. It will make this all go much easier." Then the man let her go and moved to sit with grace in the seat beside her. Megan glanced at the man but didn't recognize him. He was dark haired and beautiful in a handsome way. 

"You will be married tonight, Megan." Ryan told his eldest with a sigh. 

"What?" Megan screeched. 

"Mr. North has agreed to marry you and pay out the losses I have suffered due to your refusal to marry Caden Ross. You will do this, Megan." Ryan's voice was severe. 

Megan turned to stare at the man beside her. "This is Gabriel North? He has been married four times in the last four years. Where are his wives father?" 

"Those marriages were each annulled after thirty days, and the wives went to live comfortable lives in places of their choosing. I confirmed this before I agreed to this deal. Look if your marriage doesn't work out then you too can be free to choose your life. Isn't that what you want, what this has all been about?" Ryan tried reasoning with his daughter. 

"Gabriel North killed all those women, everybody knows it. Now you are sending me off to die too. Thanks for caring father." Megan was seething. She wanted to run screaming from the room. 

Gabriel turned to stare at Megan. Her heart jolted as she saw his pitch-black eyes. She literally could not tell where the iris and pupil separated. 

Megan steeled herself. "I won't agree to marry him. You can't make me tell the officiant I am willing." Ryan scowled at his daughter, but Gabriel gave her a glittering, dangerous smile. 

His voice was silky smooth as Gabriel spoke looking at her with those swirling black eyes. "You will marry me. You have no other choice. I have already bought you and the only way you get out of this is if in thirty days I let you go. You can fight, but I will win. Megan, this situation can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be. Make a smart choice." Gabriel reached out and pushed a lock of hair over her shoulder. 

"I can have her belongings sent up to your estate tomorrow." Ryan interrupted Gabriel's staring at his daughter. The intensity of the man's gaze made him uncomfortable. 

"That will not be necessary. Everything my wife needs will be provided for her. If she should decide to separate from me in a month, she can have her belongings moved to her new location." Mr. North explained quickly. Megan was still watching him, her look somewhere between horror and fury. 

"I think we're ready. Where is the officiant?" Gabriel North said staring at Megan again. She felt dizzy. This was really going to happen, but there was no way she would marry this murderer. There was no way that he could make her say I do. Gabriel pulled her up to stand beside him. 

Ryan Steele looked at his daughter hating every part of this. "This way," he said standing and heading outside into the garden. What choice did he have? He could not allow his company to falter over Megan's refusal to marry. Plus, this might be good for Megan. A real chance for her to gain her freedom. 

Ryan took hold of Megan and pulled her with him to the center of the garden where the officiant waited along with Gabriel's personal guard waited for Gabriel and the soon to be Mrs. North. Ryan was practically dragging the girl by the time they reached a rose archway where the late-night clandestine wedding was about to take place. 

Megan was pushed down on a bench while they men spoke briefly with each other then to the officiant. The longer she sat here the more aware Megan became that this wedding was happening. The officiant had to know that Megan was not the most willing of brides. North had told her that they would be married, no escape. She was a prisoner whether Megan wore chains or not.