Behind The Proposal novel Chapter 42

"What other option do I have?" she cried, her eyes full of heart-breaking acceptance of the face. "I love my family. Even the way they are. Besides, it's better than having no family at all."

"What am I?" He asked, rising to the bait.

"Um..." she frowned and took her lip between her teeth.

But he'd started on that subject now. "I am your family now. My family is your family now. And you have their unconditional love and support."

She rolled her eyes at him. "They've only met me a few times."

"But you're my wife and that's all that matters," he insisted, knowing that to his parents and grandparents, that was all that mattered.

She shrugged and turned to walk away.

"Your parents... that's not how family should be. You should stand up to them, Soph," he pleaded, putting his hands on his hips.

He watched her pause and take her lip between her teeth again. "Just leave it," she murmured and continued to walk away in the direction of their bedroom.

"I can't," he growled as he moved to follow her.

She turned in the doorway to their room, staring up at him with tears running down her pale cheeks. "Please, Tom. Just leave it," she whispered desperately.

He looked at her, not wanting to hurt her or cause more heartache for her, but he needed her to see reason. It was frustrating him. He knew she was stronger than this, but she just refused to do anything about it.

She levelled him with a serious gaze as she wiped the tears off her cheeks. "Promise me you won't say anything to them. They are my family and I'll deal with them in my own way. I don't interfere in your family, so don't do it with mine." She finished and dropped her gaze and her hands, looking down at her feet instead of at him. Then she murmured quietly. "Please drop this, Tom."

He couldn't. It went against everything he believed in, everything his family had ever taught him. That the basis of family was love, trust, acceptance and support. She had none of that. And he didn't understand why. He drew in a deep breath, clawing for control of his anger before he spoke again. "Why do they treat you like that?"

She raised her stormy blue eyes to his. "I said, drop it," she growled and walked into the bedroom and shut the door behind her.

"Oh, Soph," Tom murmured as he gathered her in his arms and held her against his body.

His warmth and kindness turned her sob into full blown tears. She clung to him as she blubbered all over his t-shirt, trying to find comfort in his arms. His lips brushed against her forehead and his fingers rubbed up and down her spine, soothing her as her tears slowly subsided to shaky breaths.

"I'm going to call your boss, tell him you're too sick to come to work," Tom murmured.

She shook her head, making it hurt even more. "No, don't do that."

"You need to rest, you look like crap this morning."

"I feel like it," she admitted softly. "I hate fighting with you."

He brushed his lips on her trembling ones. "So do I."