Page 28 of The Sounds of Her

That tickles something in the back of my brain. The name is familiar, but I can’t place it. I’ve represented hundreds of people over the years and faced up to even more in court. There are a hell of a lot of names in my memory banks, but I’ve never represented anyone called Penny.

“Who is she?”

Roman looks around, I’m talking too loudly, but I don’t give a shit. I want the truth and if I have to stand up, throw a glass of champagne and scream at the top of my lungs, I will get it.

“Who is Penny Finley?” I ask again.

“You should ask your dad about that,” he shifts in the seat, for the first time looking uncomfortable.

My head hurts as my mind comes up with all the reasons this is causing my parents’ problems. My eyes lower to the pristine tablecloth, the perfectly folded napkins, and the shining silverware.

A memory starts to come back to me. I try to pretend my childhood didn’t happen most of the time, because it was miserable. My parents never argued in front of me because mom always kept up appearances.

I was sneaking to the kitchen to get something to eat because mom wasn’t happy with something that happened in school. I can’t even remember what, but it warranted me not having any dinner. At sixteen, I knew all the ways to sneak around the house without being found out.

They were arguing in dad’s study, and the name Penny came up. Not the full name, only Penny. Mom was so damn angry. The door to the study was ajar, and I saw dad sitting at his desk, his head in his hands as mom railed at him.

I figured it was a distraction and left them to it so I could sneak to the kitchen.

I’m old enough now to put two and two together. A name from the past, one that pissed mom off. A mistake. Now Mom is trying to marry me off to cover up whatever this is.

An affair will destroy her. It will ruin her perfectly crafted reputation. In her eyes, they’ll never recover from a scandal like this.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure that whatever this woman meant to dad all those years ago, it hasn’t changed if he invested money in her without telling mom. Money he’s now lost. What doesn’t make sense is why it’s causing mom to turn this crazy?

“Look, I agreed to go ahead with this. Dad isn’t happy with me and gave me an ultimatum. I don’t like it any more than you do, but I have no option.”

“Why?”

“It’s non-negotiable for me. I have to get married.”

“So find someone else.”

“Dad made a deal with Gerard. It won’t be that bad, you’re attractive, you have a good job, you’re independent, we don’t need to spend a lot of time together.”

I stare at him in disgust. Being reduced to base characteristics by this clown is not impressing me.

“I have a lot at stake, things riding on this. It has to happen,” he leans forward, his body language stressing his point.

“Be honest. For once in your life,” I add under my breath. “What is the real reason? A guy like you doesn’t want to be tied down.” His jaw clenches as he looks away. “Is that what it is? Your dad wants you tied down?”

I know very little about Roman Campbell, he parties a lot and doesn’t shy away from the limelight. He’s always pictured at events, and I’ve heard about wild drug parties in the past. My eyes close.

This is about his reputation. Fuck, it’s worse than I realised.

“I figure we can come to an agreement between us while doing what our parents want. I won’t stop you from seeing other people. We can be discrete.”

“Careful Roman, your inner sleazebag is showing.”

“I thought you were in too because you want to protect your dad. I didn’t know Gerard and Eloise hadn’t told you.”

“So let me get this clear in my head. Because you are a party animal who can’t keep his dick in his pants, I have to marry you,” I snap, drinking more champagne and holding out my glass so he’ll refill it. He doesn’t seem happy at my assessment of the situation but obliges.

“If the marriage is off the table, then so is dad’s deal and I can’t have that.”

My eyes narrow on him. Why would Roman go along with this, knowing he will not change, but he wants me to keep his secrets of seeing other women?

Besides sex and drugs, what else is there to make someone this desperate?