Page 49 of Forbidden Desires

There was the slightest pause before he replied, “Yes, sir.”

“Alright. Thank you. Did she seem like she was feeling any better?” I asked, concerned that she might have relapsed.

“She…umm, did seem a bit off,” he said.

I heard the reluctance in his voice, which wasn’t something he normally displayed. After our years together, and knowing how much I valued truth and honesty, he was forthcoming with everything.

“Off, how?” I asked.

Another brief hesitation before I heard him release a sigh. “When I stopped by to deliver the groceries there was a man named James in the apartment with her.”

Fuck.I abruptly stood up, my stomach twisting with unease.What the hell?Did James have a goddamn death wish? Why the hell was he pushing my hand by approaching Jasmine when I had the ability to fucking destroy him?

Jeff spoke again, just as hesitant. “The man who was there, he left before I did, but she…uh…asked that I not saying anything to you.”

I blinked at that. I was having a hard time wrapping my mind around that request from Jasmine, and could only surmise that she hadn’t wanted to worry me. Clearly, I’d been short-sighted in not thinking James would still have the balls to defy me when he had such a huge threat hanging over his head.

“We’re good, Jeff,” I said, still reeling with the bomb he’d dropped on me. “Have a good evening.”

I disconnected the call, just as a “ping” came through. My crazy heart leapt, expecting a response from my earlier text from Jasmine, but surprisingly it was a message from Dominique.

Darling, please tell me you’ve already seen this. I’m so sorry.

I frowned in confusion, having no idea what she was referring to. Attached to her message was a link, which I clicked on. It took me toThe Affluent Collective—a Coral Gables society page that reported on society news and events. The link dropped me right onto a page with a headline that read:Philanthropist Eric Maxim secretly sequesters ailing parents with dementia out of public eye

My blood ran cold. What. The. Fuck. Normally I didn’t give a shit what the gossip site had to say about me, most of which was fairly tame and revolved around my philanthropy ventures, and sometimes, speculation about the women on my arm at variousevents. They were also known for exposing what they deemed salacious details about the rich, famous, and powerful in the community, but as of this moment, my private life had never been fodder for gossip.

I forced myself to read the article, my anger building with every word I consumed.

A source close to the well-known billionaire and self-proclaimed art patron of Florida has recently disclosed that Eric Maxim, who has always been close-lipped with his personal affairs, has been keeping his parents hidden away in a senior living facility. That’s right, the man who has made his brand all about giving back, abandoned his parents to the care of a notoriously abusive, problematic, and often underfunded care facility.

The source also revealed that the care facility in question isn’t even in state. Talk about trying to hide a dirty little secret…

The article went on, spewing nauseatingly specific details about my parents that only one person in my life had intimate knowledge of.

Jasmine.She was the only one privy to the depth of knowledge covered in this article.

The realization, the betrayal and deceit, nearly brought me to my knees. I had done everything in my power to protect my parents, and she’d betrayed the deepest pain of mine to a public that would twist the truth, not caring about my parents and their afflictions, nor how much guilt I carried with it.

The anguish I felt in that moment was brutal. Like someone had reached into my chest and ripped out my heart. A heart that had grown soft for a woman I’d confided in. Trusted. Fallen in love with…

I was such a fucking fool, but the pieces seemed to fall into place when I thought about James being at Jasmine’s apartment. Were the two in cahoots to ruinme? Had I beenset up and so fucking blinded by Jasmine’s charms and alluring smiles that I’d completely let down my guard, which in turn James had somehow taken advantage of?

The thought made me livid. Beyond furious. Blinded by rage.

I needed answers, even though I was certain I’d be met with lies and platitudes. But there was only one explanation for how this article could have published such accurate information, and it all pointed to Jasmine.

I went to my office and printed up the article, then grabbed my car keys and sped toward her apartment.

CHAPTER 24

Jasmine

The file had been sitting on my coffee table in front of me for the past few hours since James walked out of my apartment. I’d gone through it, every page, every word. Not just once in case I’d read things incorrectly, but twice.

Knowing the truth, I felt so damn fragile, like I was going to shatter and break if I so much as moved. Yet, I’d finally gotten the answers I’d wanted about my parents’ deaths. Who’d been responsible. The person who’d gone on to live their life without a care while my parents were dead and gone, forever.

I never would have believed it would be James of all people who’d swoop in, providing me with the knife that would reopen up a wound that I had thought that, while scarred over all these years, had at least healed.

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