Page 54 of Forbidden Mistress

“Yeah, classic panic attack. I get them all the time. Okay, not all the time. But before I went on my anxiety meds.”

I frown, pondering that. This feels way too visceral to be a simple panic attack. “You’re sure? I could be dying.”

Sam crosses the room and sinks onto my bed. Reaching out, she takes my hand in hers. “Breathe,” she tells me. Then she counts, instructing me to take one deep breath in, then let it out slowly. She counts in a steady rhythm. Amazingly, after a few cycles, it actually helps.

Her eyes flick up to my face. “Now, tell me what happened.”

I shake my head. I can’t admit it. It’s way too shameful. “Um. Nothing happened.”

Her pale brows twitch up. “That’s obviously not true. Avery saw the car pull up so she looked out the window to see who it was. She said she saw you…making out…with your brother. So…does it have something to do with that?”

Mortification burns my face. I want to sink into the floor this very minute. Someone saw us? I feel like I’m going to puke. “Stepbrother,” I correct. “No blood relation.”

“Okay, sure. Stepbrother.” She couldn’t sound more disinterested in my clarification.

I fall back against my pillows, pulling one up to cover my face. Then I proceed to scream into it for several seconds before pulling it back down. “Okay, so. There was a kiss. But that’s it.” I pause, remembering. “Wait, and a little bit of groping.”

I watch Sam’s face closely for any sign of revulsion. There isn’t any, thankfully.

Sam just studies me for a few long, silent minutes. “So, ah, do you have feelings for him? Like, deeper than brother and sister?” she asks carefully.

“No!” I practically scream. “I hate him. He took everything from me and totally fucked me over when I was at my most vulnerable. Setting aside the brother-sister thing, how could I ever be with someone like that?”

She frowns. “Maybe he has a reason for doing what he did.”

I lift my hands in exasperation. “Well, I wouldn’t know. He won’t share my dad’s will with me, and he won’t tell me who my dad’s attorney was.”

“If you’re named in a will, you’re legally eligible to receive a copy.”

“I never got a copy of anything.” I shake my head, at a loss.

She pulls one of my cactus-shaped throw pillows into her lap. “Wasn’t Hart—I mean, Lucien—going to help you with that?”

I push out a breath. “He would if I had the relevant information, which I’m having trouble getting, and just when I was about to make some progress, Lori’s accident happened. Now I feel like I’m back to square one. Lucien can’t do anything until he sees what’s laid out legally.”

Avery sucks in a breath through her teeth. “Shit. Maybe you can take Liam to court to get the documents.”

I laugh. “Yup, if I want to suck up all the money Hart has paid me…kinda weird, I guess, since I’d just be paying it back to him in lawyer fees. Ugh, it’s all so impossible.”

“Well, listen, how about you get some sleep tonight, and since it’s Saturday tomorrow, I’ll treat you to lunch? Maybe even hit the Huntington Library for high tea and a nice stroll around the gardens?”

I ponder that for a moment but it sounds unappealing. What I really want to do is see Hart. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen him and I haven’t had any contact or affection from him or any male, at least since this shit-show with Liam just now. That’s probably what’s made me more susceptible to Liam’s advances. Seeing and being with Hart will get my head on straight and help me forget whatever this is with Liam.

“I’ll get back to you in the morning about whether or not I’m feeling up to it,” I hedge.

“Okay, sounds good.” She slaps me on the knee and stands up. “I’ll hold you to it!”

I watch as she leaves, and the second the door clicks closed, I pull my phone out and send a text to Hart.

Hey, just got home. Mom is getting released from the hospital next week and everything is fine. I know you said to wait until she’s out of the hospital, but I really need to see you tonight. Can you come here?

Almost immediately, those three little dots pop up. I hold my breath, waiting for his reply.

Is everything okay?

I type out my reply.

Yeah, but it’s been a rough day. Plus, it’s been too long since I’ve seen you.

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