Page 16 of Forbidden Touch
WarmthoughtsofFionarun through my head as I sit back in the black leather chair of my home office, interlacing my fingers behind my head. Why am I not plagued with thoughts about my medical condition? I should look up symptoms or treatments or something, but it’s not where my mind is.
Looking at my phone, I scan through texts to see if she’s responded to my message about grabbing dinner tomorrow. She hasn’t. I type out another message.
Me
This weekend was so amazing.
Silence ensues while I sit and wait for a response. Moments later, I receive a message from her.
Fiona Wolfe
Was it?
Her strange response leaves my mind racing.
Me
Was it not?
Fiona Wolfe
Does it matter at this point?
My phone slips from my grasp, clattering on my desk. Picking it up, I freeze. My brain scrambles. This is as confusing as hell.
Clutching the phone in my hands, I try to decipher the meaning of her text, but eventually give up. After pulling my office curtains closed, I dial her number.
She picks up immediately, but there’s no sound. The phone line is silent.
“Fiona?”
“Surprised to hear from you and not your lawyer.”
Her voice sounds different—kind of like it did when we first met at the art auction.
My mind scrambles. “Okay. What’s going on?”
She sighs. “You tell me.”
My fingertips grip the phone tighter. “Uh, I’m not sure what we’re talking about right now. What is this?”
The room’s air becomes thick with suffocating silence.
“You must really hate my family to be coming after me like this,” she voices.
My torso breaks out in a heat. “What?”
“Is this part of the game, Jonathan?”
I’ve had enough. “Look. I’m not sure what this is about, but if there’s something I should know, do tell.”
“Well, let me ask you this,” she says, pausing. “Were the past few days real, or were they just part of the plan?”
My ribcage tightens. “What plan?”
She scoffs before chuckling. “Oh, how innocent you are.”
“Okay, this is getting out of hand. Can you be straight with me and tell me exactly what’s happening?”