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He brushed past me. “Are you alone?”
“Hello, Niven. How are you? It’s nice to see you. What’s that you say? It’s nice to see me too? Why, thanks.”
“Cut the crap, Eliza. I’m here—” He saw my ring, stalked over, and grabbed my hand. “What in the bloody hell is this?”
I jerked it away from him and sat on my sofa. “Niven, please don’t do this. I beg you.”
“I forbade you to see him months ago.” He paced in front of where I sat. All I could think of as he did was how much he was reminding me of my father.
“Niven, sit down.”
“No. This has gone on far too long. If you won’t put an end to it, I will.”
I stared up at him. Had he no idea he was breaking my heart? And not because I intended to end my relationship with Levi. I stood, walked to the door, and opened it. “It’s time for you to leave.”
He looked stunned. “You cannot be serious!”
“I’m very much so. If you do not, I’ll have to call building security.”
“Eliza! Can you hear yourself?”
This wasn’t a pissing match for me. It was my life. I didn’t want to have this conversation, let alone engage in an argument that wouldn’t change either of our minds.
“Will you at least listen to why you cannot continue your relationship with Typhon Marras?”
“I’m marrying him, Niven. Whatever you say won’t make a difference.”
His tone softened. “Please close the door.”
I did but stood beside it and leaned against the wall.
“Sit down.”
“You are in my home, raising your voice at me. Do you even realize what you’re doing?”
“And you have refused to listen to reason. Just like?—”
“Stop. If you’re about to suggest I am anything like my parents, I invite you to take a look in the mirror. It’s you who’s behaving like Nigel. Not me.”
He stared at me with wide eyes.
“Before you say anything else, I have one question for you,” I said.
“Eliza, please?—”
“I want you to really think about this before you respond.”
He nodded once.
“Would you be talking to me this way, treating me this way, if Harper were here?”
“I’m concerned about you?—”
“Answer the bloody question, Niven!” I shouted at him. “Would you?”
When he sat in a chair and put his head in his hands, I sat on the sofa.
“Will you listen if I tell you why?” he asked.