Jaymes Young - Infinity

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Changing into a simple outfit, Rory throw on some blue jeans, a strappy crop top and a beige cardigan. She pulled her mane of blonde curls into a ponytail before popping her head out of her room to check if the coast was clear.

She stepped outside and sauntered down the corridor, her face twisting to a scowl when she spots her half brother, Henry.

He stood by the staircase dressed in a maroon suit that didn't go well with his fiery red hair. He looked smug as if he had know something she didn't.

"Matrimonio," he smirked. "Do you know what it means?"

"No," Rory frowned, "I don't care either so stop being a little freak."

She pushed pass him, descending the stairs but his next words stops her in her tracks.

"Dad is going to marry you off to Mr Torres." He laughed. "He's finally getting rid of you!"

Rory glared him, clenching her fists tightly making sure she didn't hit in the face. They weren't close - they were mortal enemies. Henry had disliked her her from the moment she walked into their house. And, the feeling was mutual. To her, he resembled a little gremlin she'd love to squash.

She never bullied him, it wasn't in her nature. She merely rolled her eyes and walked a way. Hurting his ego would only caused more problems for her especially with his mom and their father. Besides the little leprechaun failed his Spanish test, he doesn't know anything.

The kitchen was deserted when Rory entered. She gathered the ingredients to make a sandwich while watching a recording her tutor had sent her to recap their last lesson. She was homeschooled and she hated it. No matter how often she protested, her father always found away to shut down her whining.

He didn't have to tell her his reasons - he was embarrassed to have an illegitimate child. But she was older than Henry by three years, he hadn't meet his current wife then.

It didn't matter. What happened, happened and as soon as she graduated Rory planned on ditching her current life for one so much simpler.

She wanted what she had back - her mother, their little house on a quiet neighbour and maybe they'll adopt a dog or cat, either was fine.

Since she was child, Rory recalled her mother suffering from severe schizophrenia. By the time she was 14 years old, her mother had become incapable of taking care of her. She was immediately admitted to hospital and she was shipped off to her father. At least, the institute her mother was currently in was about hours journey. That's where she went everyday whilst her everyone at home thought she was studying - basically being a model student. Rory would leave before anyone woke up, catching the first bus out of town and returning before anyone questions her whereabouts.

It was the perks of being homeschooled.

Taking her plate upstairs in one hand and a drink in the other, she drifted upstairs completely lost in thought that she didn't see her father's wide eye pinned on her as he emerges from the hallway with his guest.

"Rory!" He hissed, catching her attention.

Startled, Rory halted in the middle of staircases, green eyes nervously darting between to the two men at the top of the stairs.

Her mouth parted slightly as she sucked in a sharp breath. The man she had only every seen from a distance was standing only a few feet away. His looks up close was sharper, darker and more rugged. He was handsome but his presence made her uncomfortable especially the way his dark eyes lingered on her expose midriff.

She tighten the cardigan around, suddenly feeling subconscious. She had a good body from years of ballet and gymnastics but all that was put to an end when her mother needed someone to keep a watchful eye on her. Still, Rory exceeded in gym class and considered joining track and field but that also needed plenty of time and attention to which she couldn't spare.

She still kept fit, doing home exercises and yoga so she didn't really need to feel self conscious. But, the way he looked at her, as if she was his next meal, made uneasiness course though her body.

"This is my business partner, Gideon." He introduced her. "I don't think you two have met before."

"No we haven't." She said, brows twisting in confusion. Her father never introduced his business partner to her. She wasn't important enough, Henry had told her.

"It's nice to meet you, Rory." Gideon stated, eyes gleaming in playfulness. "I hope we can get acquainted soon."

She remained frozen, rooted in the middle of staircase watching Gideon's leather shoes coming closer. He paused in front of her, big hand reaching for her chin. Rory slammed her eyes shut, feeling her face being forced up to Gideon's own. His breath fanned her face while nostrils take into his musky manly scent.

Spiced vanilla with a hint of lemon. She gulped, sensing his soft lips pressing a kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"It was lovely to finally meet you, mi tesoro." He whispered.

Gideon watched her pale cheeks turned bright red with a smile. Embarrassed by a little innocent statement, she was truly adorable. He released her chin, climbing down the last of the steps with her father and his men following closely behind. Before leaving, he turned to see her still glued to her place. She'll be his soon.

Carl follows him out.

"I hope to marry her by the end of the month. Make sure to break the news to her by then." He said, "The reception and everything else will be prepared by me." He slid on a pair of designer black sunglasses. "Only the best for my Princess."

Nodding, Carl bid him goodbye with a blank expression. He gets to plan the wedding while he was left to deal with teenager, mood swings and all. That's what he thought she was going to be like when he first meet her. Henry hasn't reach his rebellious teenager phrase yet and probably never will, so he didn't know what to expect when she had moved in - he didn't know how to raise a teenager and a daughter at that.

To his surprise, she was quiet and reserved. Spoken when spoken to, she kept to herself. The girl was dressed in thrifted clothing and worn out shoes. She hadn't ever asked him for anything yet he still deposited thousands into her bank account every month. He didn't know whether it was his fatherly instinct taking over or he just felt sorry he hadn't been there for her.

Even to this day, she didn't spend more than a dime.

Carl turned back into the house, catching her before she disappeared down the corridor.

"Rory!"

She turned face him, watching him stroll up the staircase.

"I know I shouldn't be out of my room when you have guests." She sighed, "I'm sorry about that but I was hungry." She waved her food in front of her. "Couldn't wait."

She turned on her heel again, desperate to leave his presences. He watched her enter her bedroom with a clenched fist. Digging his nails into his palm was the only to forget about the guilt creeping up into his chest. It shouldn't be hard to dispose of my mouth he didn't chose to feed. They had no connection apart from the 50% of dna in her veins. Yet, he didn't understand the emotion caught in his throat.

The realisation hits hard harder than a bus, he just used his own child as a scapegoat to save his own ass.

~*~

Sleep didn't come easy for her that night. After escaping her father's scolding, she returned to her room ready to focus on her school work. However, her mind was elsewhere. She could still feel Gideon's warm lips pressed against her cheek no matter how hard she tried to wipe it off.

He made her feel hot, to point she wanted to strip naked and jump into a cold shower.

All concentration had left her body, leaving her rolling around on the bed in frustration. She had tried calling her mother to help relax her mind but the doctor's said she was on medication that made her drowsy.

Dinner with the family wasn't great either. Especially when Henry sat across from with a smug expression, taunting her. His smile said he knew something that she didn't then she remembered what he had said earlier. Her father intended to marry her off to man she didn't even know.

She swallowed, Henry was a liar and a bully. He was lying, he had to be. There was no way her father would do something like that, it was cruel and inhumane to handle over your child like that.

Henry was lying. Henry always lied.