Page 20 of Forbidden Touch
A thick knot forms in my stomach. Pouring a glass of whiskey, I sink into my armchair and turn off the television.
Days have passed since I last had Fiona in my arms. Her image takes up all corners of my mind, and my hands long to feel her again—her delicate flesh, her sensuous skin. I obviously can’t handle this situation, but what can I do?
Being part of the Lane family is like living in an ornate prison, built on lies and manipulation. The power of owning a multi-billion-dollar company I’ve worked hard for—it’s all meaningless without her. If this is what it means to be a Lane, I want no part.
Resting my head on the leather sofa cushion, my heart slows as heaviness floods my body. I down more whiskey until it numbs me. At this point, I don’t even want to show my face. She breaks my mind, and I can’t forget about her. I hate this. Picking up my phone, I scan through dozens of email messages about the lawsuit—even a few from the lawyers themselves. Had they tried to reach out when I was with Fiona?
It doesn’t matter if everybody and their grandma reached out; it doesn’t give them permission to stamp my name on that damn lawsuit.
My vision drops down to a single email from the doctor’s office. The subject line says, “Lab Results.” Fear courses through me, and an image of me being rushed into surgery flickers through my mind.
I’d tried to forget about my heart issues, but the idea of waking up dead still lingers in my mind.
Is this the final notice—the one I get letting me know I’m soon a dead man? A knot in my stomach forms as I tap on the screen to open the doctor’s email.
Chapter 7
Jonathan
Themoonlightglowsthroughthe window of my office, shedding a soft light on my laptop. With trembling fingers, I click on the doctor’s email.
A few lines of the letter stand out, but the rest comes in blurry. I rub my eyes and scan the words until I reach the conclusion of the letter.
The results are within normal range. I’m a healthy man.
I shut my eyes and exhale. At least one hurdle is gone. The heart palpitations must’ve just been anxiety or panic attacks and nothing more. The knot in my stomach loosens, but the relief is fleeting. It’s a victory, alright, but it’s a hollow one. What good is a healthy heart if she’s gone and I have to live with the pain of knowing my family is to blame? I’m empty without her.
A knock breaks the silence, the sound echoing through the office. The staff doesn’t bug me when my office door is closed, and security is on the constant lookout for paparazzi. I lift my chin. “Yep?”
“Cousin.” A recognizable voice calls out from the other side.
“Come on in.” My tone matches how I feel—ambivalent. Numb.
Ava Lane-Wolfe walks in. The newest addition to the Wolfe family, yet still a Lane, she’s the cousin who just might have a clue of what I’m going through right now. She sets her diamond Birkin purse on the office counter and studies me. “Did you do this?”
Shaking my head, I look her in the eye. “Of course not.”
Her shoulders relax. “I didn’t think so, but I had to ask.”
“I understand. It was Mother. I’m guessing she didn’t consult you beforehand, either.”
“Oh god no,” she says, shutting her eyes. “I’m just gratefulmyname isn’t on that lawsuit.”
I correct her to drop the disturbing news. “Youareon it, Ava. Just because you’re not suing doesn’t mean you’re not involved. You’re a Wolfe now, and that means you’re being sued by us.”
She grimaces. “Why is our family like this?”
I pinch the bridge of my nose and rub my temples, desperately trying to ease the pressure mounting in my head. “It’s disgusting. I mean, ambition is one thing, but greed is another.”
She rubs her hair, and her caramel-colored bangs flop back over her forehead. “Yeah. We’re born into this mess.”
“It wouldn’t be so bad if my mother weren’t the queen of scandal. I swear she gets a kick out of using the media and human nature for fuel. It’s so reckless.”
“Sure, but what about my father, the king of lies? The man couldn’t even die without unleashing his greed beforehand. Thank God Ethan was understanding.”
Strangely, Ethan has been cooperative since finding out the company could not legally belong to him. Falling in love with Ava changed him.
I glance at Ava. “What’s he saying about all this?”