The Billionaire’s Pawn

STRIKER

“Dad, thank you for meeting me.”

Dad looked at me, confused. “Of course, anything for my boy. Are you okay?”

I slumped my ass onto the chair before his desk. “No.”

“What’s wrong?” He froze. Suddenly, he looked distraught and broken. The last time I saw the look on his face was when I told him I had enlisted in the Marine Corps. At first, he refused and cried, but before I left, he finally came along and respected my decision to join the service, and it felt like it was the first time I broke his heart.

“Dad, I’m fine.” I rubbed my temple. “I’m sorry.”

He came around across mine. “You said you’re not okay. And you wouldn’t be here if it’s not important.”

“I swear I’m fine. Not in trouble. May I ask something?”

“Of course.” The crease between his eyebrows was still there.

“Wait. Am I holding you up? Do you have a meeting to go to?”

“I’ll cancel in my schedule if you need me, Striker. What’s going on?”

“I need your advice.”

“What was your question?”

“I was wondering why you never get married.”

Finally, he beamed at me. “Well, I’ve met amazing people, but I thought if he loves me, I don’t have to marry him for him to stay with me. And I already made a decision that I would not have another child. You are enough, and you made me happy, Striker. I’m the luckiest Dad in the world.”

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you, too, son. Now, what’s going on?”

“I need to decide in two days. If I say yes, I don’t think I would be fair. If I say no, I will break that promise again, and I don’t like the feeling that someone hates me. What should I do, Dad?”

“And you can’t be more puzzling than that, huh?” He looked amused. “You know we never keep a secret with one another, Striker. Just spill it. Drop the bomb. I can handle it.”

“I got fired. I don’t have a job and can’t see London again.”

“What got you fired? You can’t, or you won’t?”

“I screwed up, okay.” I felt ashamed admitting my mistake because I had never let my Dad down as far as I could remember. I was his only boy, he was always there for me, and the last thing I would ever do was disappoint him. Judging by the look on his face right now, I just did.

“You hurt London?”

“No,” I told him the shorter version of what happened that morning. “Her father fired me, and I’m restricted from seeing her again.”

“That bastard.” He was quicker on his feet. “I’m gonna have a word with Linus. His daughter has a mind of her own. He can’t do that to her and fire you.”

“Well, he gave me an option, and I don’t think London will be so thrilled about it.”

“What is it?”

“Linus told me to marry London.”

“What?” His voice came out a whisper, but he looked shocked as fuck. He hadn’t blinked in seconds.

“I just promised I would never leave her again, Dad.”

He sat back, sighing as if he had lost all his energy, but he didn’t look pissed. “I believe in marriage, son. I don’t know if you are ready to settle down. And marriage is a lifetime commitment to your partner, to stay loyal, to stay through thick and thin, to share what you have and vice versa, to accept each other’s imperfection, and to make sure that you hear her needs, her opinion, her sides, and be there for her. I know you are a good and responsible person, but I don’t want you to make a mistake by rushing to get married and regret it later without knowing who you will marry.”Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

I listened, and Dad was always right. He had a point.

“Take a breath for a moment. You are a man of your own. Forget about me being your father. Think of me as your friend. Would you listen to someone like Linus?”

“No.”

“Forget about your promise because, in the end, your life will be on the line. You can’t save everyone, son. If you’re going to marry London, obviously, financially? It’s not an issue. But will she marry you? Does she know about it? Do you like her? Okay, I know you like her, but are you willing to risk a part of you to be her husband?”

“I’m confused, Dad.” I rubbed my face with my palm. I suddenly had a severe headache.

“That’s good. At least you didn’t say you don’t know. You have something in your mind. Get some air. We’ll take about this in the morning, okay?”

“Thank you, Dad.” I hugged him tight because that was all I needed.

Before I left his office, he called my name.

“Yeah?”

“Linus is not someone who just decides for his daughter easily. He thought of it carefully, and if he asked you and not her boyfriend, then he likes you a lot. Whatever his reason is, you’ve earned his trust. And I know you, my boy, London will be the luckiest woman to be your wife.”

I managed to pull off a smile. “Appreciate it, Dad.”

***

“I can’t believe you put my boy through the toughest position, giving him an ultimatum.”

“Dad,” I warned him as they shook hands. Dad never filtered his mouth and said whatever pleased him, whatever he wanted to let out of his chest.

“It wouldn’t take a while for him to make a decision if he cares deeply about my daughter.”

“How can you be sure you didn’t set that all up to force my son into marrying London? And they are not in love. They just met last week. What do you gain from this?”

“Dad, we already talked about this.” I sat across Linus and my Dad beside me.

“He did that, son. Why do you think he was there when suddenly you both got drunk?”

I wanted to roll my eyes. I barely slept last night. I felt like I was being robbed-my life was being robbed from me, but I also cared about London. How would she react when her father told him this shocking news if she hadn’t known about it until now?

So this arranged marriage thing would be life-changing for both of us after all. It was funny how I had just told London that I wasn’t really to be in any relationship, and now, I had just made the biggest decision in my entire life.

“If you think I did all this, tell your son to stay away from my daughter. That’s all.”

“Please, you two, just calm down. This is our lives. I bet you haven’t told London.”

“Not yet.”

“Just so you know, if you do this, forcing herself on me in marriage, you’re going to break her heart, and if you don’t allow her to meet me, you’re breaking her heart as well. Why don’t you just be there for us while we get to know each other.”

“How can I be sure you won’t break her heart and leave her again?”

“Well, you won’t, but I can do that too. Even if we’re already married, the chances are big that this won’t work out.” My words stopped him and made him think.

“I didn’t have any idea that she’d gone through that. And believe me. I would never intentionally break your trust. And I would never intentionally hurt London or any woman. I felt ashamed that you had to see your daughter and me in that position because if I would sleep with her, I would not defend myself, and I wouldn’t just sleep with her because it was your daughter or she was London. I would sleep with her because I liked her and wanted to be in a relationship with her.”

“Are you in a relationship with anyone right now?”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “No, and that would be so awkward if you found me in that position if I was with somebody.”

“I told you my son is a good man, Linus.”

He sipped his coffee. ” I have no doubt, Tate. I wouldn’t have told him to marry my daughter if I didn’t know Striker was a good man.”

“I will marry London.” I instantly saw his eyes light up. “Provided that you won’t interfere with our lives unless I hurt her, then you can bury me six feet under.”

“I hope it won’t come to that, son.” Dad patted my back. “And Linus, when did you become so old-fashioned, deciding for our children into a forced conjugal association? We are in the 21st Century, for God’s sake. When our children become adults, they can live on their own. The only thing we can do is guide them and be with them when they need us.”

“I just want what’s good for my daughter,” he said, which shocked me.

“And that good includes my son? By violating their freedom and autonomy to decide the choices of their relationships. Well, shit, Linus. You just become the father of the year.”

“We’ve talked about this.” I looked at Dad. “I just wanna point out that that’s not my intention, hurting London.” I faced Linus again. “You won’t give us money or help us unless we need you. I will do everything to provide for her needs and to make her happy. I will help her get through tough times. And no grandchildren talk unless it’s our decision.”

“I’d love to babysit your children, son,” Dad delightfully suggested.

“I’d love to have grandchildren too.”

“No. Not until London is ready. And she will stay in my house.”

Linus raised his hands. “That’s not my decision. Marry her, take care of her, make her happy, and never make her cry. Then we’re good.”

“It’s settled then. We have a ring to shop for, son,” Dad said merrily.

“Now, how do you break this news to her?”

“Leave it to me.”

“No. I’ll do it.”

“Let me tell her first, and I know my daughter. She will come to you and convince you not to fall into the trap.”

“Well, this is definitely a trap, Linus,” Dad unapologetically said.

“Dad, it’s okay. I don’t think I’m not going to marry another woman than London, anyway.”