Page 11 of Forbidden Love, Part One

“I doubt the owner would mind all that much,” I replied.

When the man’s face came into view, I realized that he looked familiar.

“Johnny? Is that you?” I squinted my eyes at the same time that Marshall answered the phone.

“Who’re you?” Johnny asked.

I blinked three times, in awe of the man he’d become. Granted, we hadn’t seen each other much growing up, but I think I’d recognize Marshall’s cousin anywhere that I saw him. It was unfortunate he couldn’t say the same about me.

“It’s Trisha, Zane’s sister.”

“Trisha, what’s going on?” I heard Marshall through the phone’s speaker. I could also hear a lot of noise in the background—music maybe. “Where are you?”

“Oh, let me just finish talking to Marshall and I’ll be right with you.” I turned before he could say anything else. “I just bumped into Johnny at the farm. Where are you?”

I could hear his growl despite the noise in the background. “I’m on my way back.” He hung up. I stared at the phone, wondering what was with his change in behavior all of a sudden.

When I turned back to Johnny, his eyes were lit up with recognition.

“I swear to god I almost called the cops on you,” he said with a laugh.

“It happens,” I said and laughed along with him.

He’d grown into a fully-fledged man since I left, trading his tall, skinny figure for a lot more muscle and growing out his hair so that it could now be tied into a ponytail at his nape. I could even see the outline of a well-shaven beard.

He explained to me that he’d been working on the farm with Marshall ever since he’d gotten out of college. He wasn’t much younger than Marshall himself. He was a year younger than him and older than me.

Still, it was hard to believe that he was his cousin when they looked so much alike. Though, where Marshall’s hair was black, Johnny’s was a dark brown, and where Marshall had a piercing green-eyed stare, Johnny had ocean blue eyes.

“How is Zane, by the way?” He asked as we walked back. “I haven’t seen him these past couple of days.”

I tried my best not to cringe. “He actually went up to see Amelia.”

“Oh, right—his girlfriend, yeah?”

I nodded. “That’s the one.”

We stepped onto the porch to find Marshall propped on the open doorway, his arms crossed. A glare passed between him and Johnny that I didn’t exactly understand. I thought that it was better if I didn’t.

“I’ll see you around, Trish,” Johnny said before turning around and leaving.

“See you around, I guess,” I replied when he was already out of earshot.

“Stay away from him,” Marshall said when I looked back at him.

I arched a brow. “I’m sorry, what?”

“If I see you talking to him again, I’m calling your brother,” he enunciated each word like I was stupid.

Chapter Eight

Marshall

The rage I felt the moment I heard Trisha had met Johnny was blinding. All I did was step out for a drink and the next thing I knew; he was already swooping in like a fucking vulture.

Trisha’s face was red as she scrutinized me. “What’s so bad about—”

“Just don’t fucking talk to him again, Trisha. That’s it. End of story.” I turned and headed back inside, where I should’ve been in the first place.

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