Free Beelzebub Girl by Jayde Scott Page B

it on a plate."
    "No salt and pepper?" Dad put down his fork and turned to face Dallas, ready to resume his interrogation. "Back to you, son, what are your plans for the future?"
    "So, Dallas." Dad put down his fork and turned to face him, ready to resume his interrogation. "What are your plans for the future?"
    Dallas swallowed the half-chewed chunk in his mouth and tapped his napkin against his lips before he replied. "I was hoping to find a job that pays well."
    "Really?" Dad nodded, seemingly impressed. "That's commendable, but I was thinking more in the line of your intentions regarding my daughter."
    "Dad! We barely know each other." He was about to embarrass me again.
    "You're my only child. I have a right to know."
    Our gaze locked in a fierce battle again. We stared at each other in reticence, the promise of silent treatment versus keeping me away from the family fortune until I turned thirty passing between us.
    I spoke first.
    "It's none of your business. Now, back off."
    "I would like to ask for permission to date your daughter," Dallas said.
    Dad laughed. "I thought you two skipped that step."
    I gaped. How did Dad know that?
    "You told him?" Dallas asked.
    "She didn't. You see, son. I know everything. Nothing escapes me here in Hell."
    Glaring at Dad, I nudged Dallas. "It's his nickname for this place because of the unbearable heat."
    "We're going off topic, Cass." Dad folded his hands on the table, his eyes glued to Dallas. "You were telling me what you had in mind regarding my daughter."
    "Cass is a fantastic girl. What we have is very special," Dallas said. "I've never felt this way before."
     
    Grinning, I turned toward him, my brawl with Dad instantly forgotten. "Never ever?"
    Dallas nodded, eyes sparkling. "I hope you feel the same way about me."
    "Yes." My smile widened as I reached for his hand. A hot flush of love washed over me as his fingers clasped around mine, his thumb rubbing my skin. And then I noticed a bloodstain the size of a coin between his index and ring finger. Disgusted, I kept my smile in place because I wasn't going to complain about it. I'd make Dad pay for the steak later.
    "Very touching," Dad said. "Let's get back to the topic though.
    Do your plans involve getting physically close to my daughter?"
    "What?" I yelled. "No, Dallas, don't answer this one." I glared at Dad. "Why don't you arrange for your chef to prepare something edible while I call Mum? I bet she'd love to catch up. I could ask her about that old lady, you know, your soul mate."
    Dad set his jaw. "Your mother's probably in bed by now, sweetie. You wouldn't want to disrupt her beauty sleep, would you?"
    I grinned triumphantly. "Are you sure?"
    "Positive." Dad got up and headed for the kitchen mumbling,
    "There must be some leftover chicken from last night."
    "Don't forget dessert," I shouted after him, knowing he could hear me all too well.
    "About before," Dallas started. " I want us to get to know each other and then see where it leads us. I've never given marriage one single thought, but it might happen one day, who knows?"
    One day ? Was he kidding? Didn't he know I'd been planning my wedding ever since I could crawl? I already had my dress designed, with all the details like pearls, silver threads and the whole shebang.
    Waiting for him to figure out whether marriage might feature in our cards wasn't an option.
    "Marriage?" I laughed and slapped his arm. "Why would anyone want to hurry?"
    Dad popped back in with a huge plate, the aroma of cheese and pepperoni invading my nostrils. "The chicken's gone, but I've just found a huge pizza in the oven. What are the odds, huh?"
     
Chapter 9 – It's called 'research'
    In my absence, Dad had turned one of the bedrooms downstairs into my own home office with the usual huge glass table, sumptuous leather chair and bay window overlooking the erupting volcano skyline. I couldn't say I was unhappy. However, as much as I loved Dad, being with him 24/7 was more than I could