Page 45 of Falling for the Forbidden
“I’ve called the police,” someone shouts, and my Dad stops.
Blood drips from Ben’s lip and his eye swells, but he doesn’t cower away from Dad. “This whole restaurant just witnessed you assaulting both me and your own daughter. I suggest you get the hell out of here,” he spits. “And take that cheap slut with you.” His lip curls in disgust as he glances at the woman over Dad’s shoulder.
“This isn’t over,” he warns. “Lauren, come on.”
“No fucking way. I’m not letting you anywhere near her.” The two of them stare at each other until the sound of sirens filters through the restaurant. Dad turns on his heel and marches towards the door, the woman hot on his heels.
“Fucking hell, are you okay?” Ben drops to his knees beside me and gently takes my face in his hands. His eyes run over every inch of my face, looking for injuries. His hands tremble, making the tears in my eyes finally drop. “Fuck.”
His thumbs wipe the moisture away and I’m lifted into his arms. Somehow, he manages to pull out a wad of cash from his pocket and, after apologising to the poor waiter who’s still standing there looking shell-shocked, he carries me from the restaurant.
The police car comes to a stop outside just as Ben pulls away from the curb. “Shouldn’t we have stayed to speak to them?”
“Do you think sending the cops after your dad is going to make this any better?”
“No, probably not. I’m so sorry, I—”
“Lauren, none of this is your fault. You have nothing to apologise for.”
“But your face.”
“Trust me, it’s looked a hell of a lot worse. He’s right about one thing, though. I never should have touched you. You’re way too good for an arsehole like me. I deserved a solid punch for that.”
“Stop talking about yourself like that.” He quickly glances over at me and my heart breaks at the look on his face. “I meant it, Ben. I love you.”
His grip on the wheel tightens, turning his knuckles white. He blows out a long breath and stares ahead. I can’t help feeling like my words just hurt more than my dad’s fists, but I’ve no clue why.
“Stay here,” he demands, pulling up in front of a shop. I have little choice but to do as he says, so I sit in the dark and wait. My phone vibrates in my bag but I don’t have the energy to find out who it is. It’s probably Dad ready to fire some more fucks into me for my stupid actions. Rolling my eyes at his childish behaviour, I rest my head back and close my eyes. My cheek throbs and ruins any chance I might have had of forgetting the last hour of my life.
My mind replays this evening over and over, trying to figure out how it all went so wrong. What were the chances of him being in the same restaurant on the other side of London? The shock I saw on his face when I first looked up, before his anger took over, told me that he hadn’t followed us.
It really was just a horrific coincidence.
The image of the red-headed woman standing behind him pops up, and I feel like I’m going to puke. I didn’t believe Ben all those weeks ago when he first found me in their kitchen and accused me of being my dad’s bit on the side. I was aware it was his wandering ways that broke him and Mum up, but I really thought he was serious about Jenny. Knowing the only reason he was in that restaurant in the first place was because he was also hiding a dirty secret ensures that my stomach continues to turn over. I guess it gives us some ammunition when we go home and confront him about all of this.
“Don’t fall asleep,” Ben says the second he pulls the door open.
“I wasn’t.”
“You might have a concussion.”
“I’m fine. Honestly. I didn’t hit my head.”
Dropping a couple of bags at my feet, he starts the car and pulls away from the curb. Silence descends around us. I hate the uncertainty I’m suddenly feeling. I knew Dad finding out was going to change things, but I wasn’t expecting what happened.
“A hotel?” I ask when Ben pulls up into the underground car park.
“What? You wanted to go home?” The laugh that falls from him holds no amusement.
“No. I’d quite happily never go back there again.”
“Now you understand a little of how I feel about that place.” He throws both our phones in the glove compartment after turning off the engine, and I couldn’t be happier to be cut off from the rest of the world after everything that’s happened tonight.
With my hand locked in his, we walk towards the entrance and book a room. The woman’s face behind reception twists in concern the moment she sees the state of us, but she soon drags her gaze away and hands over a key.
Knowing that we’re going to be able to at least enjoy the rest of our night together before we face reality does have me breathing a little easier, although it doesn’t mean I forget everything we’ve got coming our way when we do eventually go home.
“Go lie down.” Ben pushes me towards the bed, then goes into the bathroom briefly with the bags. I listen as he runs the tap before he reappears with a glass of water, a packet of painkillers, and a bag of frozen peas. “Here, take these.”
