Page 104 of The Forbidden
Glancing over my shoulder, I shoot him another fake smile then quickly walk away. Once I’m a few steps away, I break into a jog, finally listening to that voice screaming in my head, to run away.
Four days after the night that changed everything, I am feeling a little better. I don’t want to acknowledge that it might have something to do with Evan now calling and messaging me. Despite wanting to respond to his texts, and to run into his arms, I ignore him.
Hisroyalassholeness: We need to talk.
Hisroyalassholeness: Please Anais.
Hisroyalassholness: Answer your phone.
Instead, I make plans to meet Lana for lunch and some much-needed retail therapy. Anything to get my mind off Evan. It’s working for the most part. But every now and then, my thoughts slip to him, dissecting every moment between us like I might find something I missed.
My phone rings, interrupting my current binge watch program. Grumbling, I pause the show and snatch up my phone, grimacing when I see my brother’s name flashing on the screen. He’s been calling for the last couple days, but I’ve been dodging his calls. It’s Sunday now. If I ignore him again, he’ll just show up.
“Hello, brother,” I chirp, aiming for light and airy.
“Don’t hello me,” he growls. “Not only have you been ignoring my calls, but you were fucking around with my best friend.”
My spine snaps straight, eyes widening in shock.
Evan told him?
Or did Harrison put two and two together, and figure out the truth?
I swallow down my anxiety, trying to keep calm. “I don’t know wh–”
“Stop with the bullshit, Anais,” he cuts me off. “I spoke to Evan. He told meeverything.”
My heart hammers in my chest. The lump in my throat grows exponentially, stealing all the air from my lungs. Shit. As much as I’m furious with Evan, I never wanted him to lose Harrison. They were best friends long before I came along. I have to fix this.
“Harrison,” I start, softly, cautiously. “Don’t hate Evan. It was me. I pursued him.” It’s not a complete lie. I did push him until he snapped. Sure, Evan’s an adult, and not completely blameless, but I’m not putting it all on him. I rub at my temples with my free hand, trying to alleviate the sudden headache forming. “The truth is, I’ve been in love with him for as long as I can remember,” I admit, my voice cracking. “I asked Uncle Christian for that internship, so I could get close to Evan.”
“The fact you call his fatherUncle Christian, should tell you how wrong this is.” My brother deadpans.
I roll my eyes though he can’t see it. “We’ve always called them Uncle Christian and Aunt Elena.”
He exhales harshly, and I can practically hear him pinching the bridge of his nose. “Look Anais, you think you’re in love with Evan. I get it. He’s powerful…” he trails off, snorting a laugh. “And even I can admit the bastard’s good looking,” he says begrudgingly. “But like I told you before, and I stand by it, Evan’s not for you.”
Annoyance flares inside me. I’m so sick of everyone, my brother and Evan, acting like they know what’s best for me. I’m an adult for crying out loud. “Look, I appreciate you looking out for me. You’ve always been the best big brother.” My throat tightens with emotion. “But you’ve got to let me make my own choices, even if they’re the wrong ones. And yeah, sometimes it might end in disaster, but that’s life. You’re supposed to make mistakes. It’s how you grow.”
He’s quiet for a long moment, then he sighs, his voice softer when he speaks. “When did my little sister grow up?”
“Sometime in the past year, I guess.”
“He doesn’t deserve you, Anais,” he murmurs.
I squeeze my eyes closed, letting his words wash over me. My voice is a whisper when I say, “Maybe not. But that doesn’t change the way I feel about him.”
Harrison groans. “Nothing I say will change your mind, will it.” It’s not a question, more like resignation.
I shake my head even though he can’t see it. “No.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing,” he grumbles. I smile. Because in a way, this is Harrison giving me his permission.
“Not really,” I admit, laughing. “But that’s part of the fun.”
“So, how’ve you been?” Lana asks as we sit down to lunch. She studies my face closely, taking in everything.
“I’ve been better,” I admit, honestly.
