The Summer Villa. Melissa Hill

in yet another harebrained financial scheme.’ She wrinkled her nose in disdain.

      ‘Why do you never have anything good to say about Uncle Ted? He’s your brother.’

      ‘I have no control over family – sadly. Ted made his choices and I’ve made mine. The results speak for themselves.’

      Her mother was always so goddamn controlled. Not once in Kim’s entire life had she ever seen her overcome by emotion. Most of the time she wondered if Gloria actually had any for anyone or anything outside her work.

      Not even her father seemed to move her. It was always the job. Kim wasn’t sure if even that made her happy. There was no way of telling.

      ‘Stop lazing around up here and come downstairs,’ her mother ordered with a solid pat on Kim’s shoulder. ‘Your father and I need to speak with you about something.’

      Kim sighed heavily. ‘What is it? I was in the middle of something.’

      ‘Downstairs in two.’

      She watched as her mother swept out of the room as if nothing had transpired and Kim’s protests meant diddly squat. Which was exactly the case. It was just expected that she’d do as her mother demanded. Her words and opinions were meaningless in this house, in this family.

      She picked up her phone again and texted her best friend Natasha.

      Meet at the club tonight? I know I’m seriously gonna need to blow off steam when this day is over. Ugh.

      She slapped her phone down on the mattress and forced herself from her bed, realising there was no putting it off.

      She might as well find out whatever latest scheme her parents wanted her involved in. Probably just another skinny nerd with a great idea her father wanted Kim to show a good time by pretending to be Paris Hilton.

      It was embarrassing, not to mention demeaning.

      She might have legs up to her armpits and green eyes that could charm George Clooney, but that didn’t mean she was dumb.

      Minutes later, Kim sat, stunned.

      Her parents had had a lot of shitty ideas about a lot of stuff, but this was by far the most outlandish scenario they’d ever come up with for her.

      ‘Are you guys serious?’ she asked for the second time, slightly dazed. ‘Or I am misunderstanding in some crazy way?’

      ‘Depends on what you understand,’ her mother answered coolly. ‘If you understand that you’ve had a very privileged life, with opportunities that you’ve repeatedly squandered, that you’re not getting any younger, and that we feel it’s time you got serious about your future – then yes, you understand us correctly.’

      ‘You actually want me not just to entertain but actually seduce some random stranger,’ Kim repeated hotly, her eyes wide.

      ‘He’s not a random stranger; you’ve already met Spencer Andrews. You just haven’t had a chance to spend a whole lot of time with him, that’s all. That’s what this is about. A summer in England, all expenses paid, to spend quality time with Spencer – and Lord and Lady Andrews, of course.’

      ‘Seriously?’ Kim’s horrified gaze shifted to her father. ‘Dad, do you understand what you guys are actually asking of me?’

      ‘It’s not much what we’re asking, and it’s a potentially advantageous move for you, too.’ Peter levelled his gaze on her. ‘We have paved a great path for you in life, Kimberley. We’ve always given you everything you could want – definitely more than most. Now it’s your turn to make a move that could affect your future and ours, too, of course.’ He spoke as if he were giving her a choice, whereas Kim knew better. ‘And, honey, you know like your mom pointed out, you’re really not getting any younger. That pretty face won’t last forever.’

      Kim was floored, not to mention wounded to the core. In all her life she’d never been made to feel like nothing more than a piece of ass. And by her own father!

      Whenever she did take his business prospects out on the town to show them a good time, she never just left it at that. Instead she talked to them about their hopes and intentions, teased out their strategies, and subtly influenced them to choose Weston Inc.

      She’d thought her father knew this and quietly appreciated it. But he hadn’t even noticed.

      ‘You actually expect me to do this? You actually expect me to coldly pursue a guy I barely know? With marriage as the endgame? I’ve never even been in a proper relationship with someone I like, so why would I want to be involved with someone I don’t?’

      She was trying her best to contain her anger and dismay. This was like something from a horror movie, playing out before her eyes. People didn’t do this in real life. They didn’t just pimp out their daughters as part of a freakin’ … business move!

      But Kim realised, it was basically what her folks had always done. Except this time they wanted her to go a step further and actually try to land this English guy as a potential husband, taking her off their hands in the process.

      ‘Dad,’ she pleaded softly. ‘Please, don’t ask me to do this.’

      ‘Kim, don’t act like a child,’ Gloria tsked. ‘Do you think the life this family has comes free of cost? There’s a price and we all have to pay it. Your father paid it. I paid it. Now it’s your turn. You can’t expect us to bankroll you forever. It’s high time you had a plan for the rest of your life and we think this is the perfect start.’

      Why had she thought her father would help her? He never had before. Whatever her mother wanted she got. It was clear that what Gloria wanted now was a familial connection with some kind of gentry and her father the backing of this English bigwig’s multi-billion company.

      Capitalism at its finest. A merger of the purest kind and all it would cost was Kim’s sanity.

      Her heart sank. They were asking her to offer herself up for their futures. It wasn’t about her. It was about them. It was always about them. She gritted her teeth.

      ‘I’m not doing it,’ she told them, her chin lifting. It was pointless, she knew, but she wasn’t going to just go along with something this crazy without a fight. ‘And you have no right to ask—’

      ‘It’s not a request, Kimberley.’ Gloria’s tone brooked no nonsense. ‘Everything’s already arranged.’

      ‘Well, you can just go and rearrange it then, because I’m not doing it. I’m not throwing away my life – my entire future – for one of your business deals. And it’s disgusting that you’d even consider—’

      ‘Maybe you might like to suggest an alternative career plan then?’ her mother interjected, her voice dripping with sarcasm. ‘Because lazing around in bed till midday doesn’t seem like much of a go-getter strategy to me.’

      ‘You seem to have forgotten that I was working late last night – with Dad’s clients. Seriously, is that all I am to you two? Some built-in entertainment manager for Weston Inc.? I’m your daughter, for chrissakes! What about some consideration for my needs?’

      Gloria harrumphed. ‘Your father and I have always ensured that your needs are more than catered for – with your expense accounts, generous salary and pretty much everything you could ever want.’

      ‘Except love …’ Kim replied in a small voice. ‘And respect for what I might want or need.’

      ‘Honey, think about it,’ her father began, his tone softening, and she was hopeful that her words had finally got through and appealed to his better nature. ‘This is a solid plan. You’re always saying you’re bored of New York, so it’s an ideal opportunity, to get out and explore new horizons. London is a great city – a summer there could well be exactly what you need.’

      ‘A summer there sounds fine, Dad; it’s what I’m expected to do while there that makes