Page 55 of Forbidden Desires

I stopped beside their table, ignoring the other men for now. “James, a word,” I said, and it wasn’t a polite request, but a direct command. “Outside. Now.”

He had the stupidity to sneer up at me. “I really don’t think you and I have anything to discuss.”

“You’d beverywrong about that.” Clearly, James had no idea I’d discovered the truth, and he was arrogant enough to believe he’d never get caught.

Since James seemed to need more of an incentive to have a conversation with me, I turned to the men sitting around him, who I recognized as investors from Spaniel Global Management. “Gentlemen, I’d think twice before handing off any of your money to James Duponte, since he currently has a personal financial debt of over five million and has been a part of some shady business practices you should look into before partnering up with him on anything.”

James jumped up from his seat, panic and anger flashing across his features. “What the fuck are you doing?”

I gave him a cold, chilled-to-the-bone smile. “Exactly what I said I would do the last time we spoke, so donotfuck withme, James, because there is plenty more I can share with your investor friends that would pique their interest. Now, would you like me to continue our discussion here, or would you like a word with me privately?”

His jaw clenched, but instead of defying me again, he glanced back at the men at the table, who now where watching our exchange with extreme interest after that bomb I’d just drop on them.

“This man is certifiably insane,” James said in a shockingly calm voice, even though I knew I’d shaken him up inside—with my sudden appearance and for sharing his dirty laundry. The slight quiver in his lip gave him away. “Excuse me while I take care of this issue so you don’t have to hear his vitriol and lies.”

I turned around and walked out of the bar. James followed me until we were outside and I faced him again. By then, his complexion was bright red, indignation rippling off him in waves. “I don’t know what the hell you think you’re doing—"

I immediately cut him off. “I warned you that if you fuck with me or Jasmine, that I would expose you for the fraud you are,” I said, grateful to have my calm and control back in this situation. “And I intend to do exactly that since you didn’t keep your end of the bargain. The fact that you brought my parents into this turf war between us changes the playing field completely, in that I plan to fucking destroy you.”

He scoffed, trying to maintain his haughty demeanor. “Oh, please. It was your precious Jasmine who sold you out. I know your driver saw me at her apartment and undoubtedly told you. But what you don’t know is that Jasmine asked me to find out who killed her parents, which admittedly wasn’t easy information to dig up, and in exchange she offered me some very salacious information about you and the appalling conditions of the facility where you’ve sequestered your parents. I just thoughtthe patrons of Coral Gables ought to know that the revered Eric Maxim is not nearly as credible as you want everyone to believe.”

Hearing James’ version of events straight from his mouth, and me finally processing it with a clear head…it all sounded implausible and ridiculous because Jasmine never would have approached James foranything. Except, his comment about finding out who killed Jasmine’s parents caught my attention.

“Is that what you were doing that day in her apartment?” I asked, putting the pieces together in my mind, certain that it was James who’d instigated the plan to make Jasmine look culpable. “Giving her whatever you discovered about her parents’ deaths and who was responsible?”

“Yes, and she wasverygrateful.” He smirked. “I have to say, your little slut is all about a little quid pro quo,” he said in a very lewd tone, his words meant to get under my skin and make me believe the worst of her.

The only thing it did was bring out the protective beast in me when it came to Jasmine, considering what this man had already taken from her. Done with the conversation, and done with James, I shoved him against the brick wall and braced my forearm at his throat with enough pressure to make his eyes bulge and a wheeze eek past his lips.

I bared my teeth at him, feeling feral. “This is your only warning, you fucker. If I ever hear Jasmine’s name, or any other slander about her, coming from your mouth, you will regret every goddamn word.”

James choked and clawed at the arm I still pressed to his windpipe, restricting his airflow. “She’sthe one who betrayed you,” he rasped, still trying to twist things around.

“No, Paula, the receptionist at the facility, betrayed me because of your filthy money.” Shock flashed in his eyes when he realized I knew the truth. “Now I’m going to systematically destroy your life, James. Make you a fucking pariah in CoralGables that no one will do business with or socialize with. You fuck with me and what’s mine—both my parents and Jasmine—and you will pay the price, ten-fold.”

Certain I’d made my point, I released him. He grabbed his throat and choked, even glared at me, but with nothing more to say, I turned around and headed back to the car waiting for me at the curb.

Now, I desperately needed to see the woman I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. If I hadn’t already fucked up my chance with her.

“Jeff, take me directly to Jasmine’s apartment, please.”

CHAPTER 27

Eric

Jasmine wasn’t home. I’d knocked, firmly, numerous times, but there were no approaching footsteps, no noise from inside, and no answering the door.

Frustration gripped me, and I headed back out of the building. Feeling emotionally and mentally exhausted after the day I’d had so far, I sat down on the concrete stairs leading up to Jasmine’s apartment, not quite ready to get back into the car with Jeff until I figured out what to do next.

The only other person who would know where Jasmine was, was Dominique. It had been six weeks since I’d ended things with Jasmine, and the thought of her with another man ripped me to shreds inside. But given her line of work, I knew it was a possibility.

With my stomach in knots, I called Dominique, who I hadn’t talked to since leaving for New York to be with my parents.

She answered fairly quickly and didn’t mince words, as was her way. “Please tell me you’vefinallycome to your senses.”

Wherever Dominique was, I heard voices and noise in the background. “I’m back in Coral Gables and I’m trying to find Jasmine. Is she…” I forced myself to say the words. “Out on a date?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you Jasmine’s business, all things considered.”

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