Page 66 of Forbidden Game

“My life isn’t all work.”

Even I can taste the lie.

“Doesn’t sound like it.”

“Dad,” I say in a warning tone.

“Don’t mean to pester you. I just care and want you to have a little fun in life. Go on trips with your friends. Meet a nice boy. Live life outside your schedule. You know that’s all Carson wanted for you, too.”

The air in my chest solidifies and drops like stones at the name.

I quickly scoop them out of my stomach and dump them on the ground. I don’t want the pain to weigh me down.

I’ve learned to break through the pull of the memories after years of therapy and am finally at a stage where I am living my life again—even if it isn’t to the fullest, it is still more than the shell I had once been.

But that name is still a trigger.

“Sorry, Bug.”

“It’s fine, Dad.” I collect myself with a deep breath and let the light back into my body. “I’ll have you know I went to the beach the other day.”

“Oh, really? I’m happy to hear. Who with?”

“Parker.”

The second his name leaves my lips I regret it.

“Oh?” My dad says it in that curious way that makes me cringe inside.

“Yeah, we were driving home from a thing, and he made us pull over.” I try to keep my tone light so he won’t read into it. I am an extremely perceptive person, and I got that way because of my dad. He can read me like a book. “You know Parker, always playing.”

“Yes, I do know. Interesting of you to indulge him.”

I grit my teeth as I search for a box cutter to open my second package.

“I wouldn’t call it an indulgence.”

“It’s not a bad thing, Bug. You need to loosen up more, have fun, and he seems like a good egg.”

“Good egg. Bad egg. He’s still my employer.” I huff as I give up and just grab a pair of scissors to slice the tape with. “And I don’t need to loosen up.”

My dad sighs. “You hold your reins tighter than a rider getting on a horse for the first time.”

I purse my lips as I run the scissors down the tape. I adore my dad, but he laments my work ethic and has been harping on it for years now.

I open the cardboard package and blink down at the red box inside. The very box that has the word Valentino printed in shiny red foil.

I lift the cardboard package to read the name on the label again.

Yup. It’s definitely addressed to me.

I take the Valentino box out and then flip the package to see if there is a note or anything, but it’s empty.

Slowly, and using both hands, I lift the red lid.

My breath hitches at the sight of the beautiful white patent leather heels within. The gold Valentino logo glistens on the ankle strap as I pick one of them up and hold it in the light.

They’re stunning.

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