Page 51 of Dark, Forbidden, & Taboo

All the years I spent suffering on the street erased the memory of the only person who ever loved me.

“You know each other?”

Emily’s voice pops up again with another round of shock and dismay. Rock rubs my back as he turns me around to face her.

“Something like that. But don’t worry. Considering how rabid you and Amara were for each other back in summer camp, I’m not going to hold you to the Bahamas’ weekend.” He glances at Julius over his shoulder, “While you were busy fucking a kid, she was busy fucking an adult. Guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—this one just doesn’t seem to have a grasp on how gravity works.”

“Call the cops,” Rock says to Kuruk, nodding at him. “Then come work for my father. The pay is better and there’s nothing scandalous happening over on our side of the line.”

He tosses the shattered bottle at the security guard, who still looked like he wanted to get his hands on me, and chuckles.

“Try it. I promise you’ll be surprised at what I can do when I feel like I’m cornered.”

My brother takes my hand in his, kisses the top of it, then winks as he walks out of the ballroom with me proudly at his side.

Not only had forgotten how loved I once was, but I had also forgotten how protective he had been too.

Chapter 19

Rock

“Hey, Mimi!”

A few months after the fallout, I follow Davina into one of the fancier shops near where she used to live, with Angie in my arms, resting on a hip.

“Davina!” she calls out happily as she rushes forward to hug my little sister. When she sees me standing behind her holding my niece, she gives me a kind smile. “Hello.”

“Hey there,” I reply with a grin, bouncing Angie on my hip. She smiles up at me and then rests her head against my cheek.

“I wanted you to meet someone,” Davina tells her excitedly. “This is my brother, Rock. Myrealbrother.”

“Well, it’s an absolute pleasure,” Mimi says, her smile becoming warm as she leans forward to give me a side hug.

“Pleasure’s all mine,” I assure her with a nod. I set Angie down on the floor and watch her wander over to the dresses for a moment before I run a hand down my face, then cross my arms over my shoulder.

“Daveigh told me how good you’ve always been to her and her friends. I wanted to thank you for seeing past what you saw and seeing inside instead.”

“There’s nothing to thank me for,” Mimi says, shaking her head. “Good people are good people, regardless of how they present. I knew she was a good girl from the moment I saw her.”

I cut my eyes toward Daveigh, giving her an amused glance. “Right. So, anyway, the reason I wanted to come over was to let you know that I appreciate everything and to offer you a job.”

“Oh, sweetheart, that’s very kind of you, but I already have a job as you can see,” she says, gesturing around the store.

“Think of it as more of a side hustle then,” I reply with an eye roll and a shrug. “My dad recently became Secretary of State and he’s always looking for custom suits for the both of us, custom dresses for Mom, and now that I’ve expanded the family,” I say, nodding at Daveigh and Angie, “we’re gonna need a tailor. Interested?”

Mimi looks curiously at Daveigh, who’s nodding at her in encouragement.

“One round of fancy, designer clothes for our family and you’re rent will be paid for the year,” I entice with a grin. “And it’s not a year-round job. It’s per diem, so you’ll have plenty of time to keep running this place.”

“Can I think about it?” she asks softly.

“Of course!” I say happily. “I have a feeling that with Little Miss here being as in love with that rack of dresses over there, we’ll be by often, so when you’ve made up your mind either way, just let me know. I’ll hold off Dad on hiring someone in the meantime.”

Mimi gives me a grateful nod and I smile. Daveigh walks over to her and they start chatting amongst themselves, while I walk over to the shop door and shove my hands into my pockets, watching pedestrians wander up and down the street.

Rock,I think with a chuckle.

No one ever knew my real name. I insisted on Rock because that’s what Daveigh called me as a child and I liked it.

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