Forbidden Love

9

Lourde

Idon’t know why I was so upset. Just because Barrett didn’t say those three words back to me when I said them to him, it didn’t mean he didn’t love me, did it?

I loved him more than any goddamn thing in the world. With every single fiber of my being and in my soul’s heart, he was the man for me. I knew it. I wanted him to know it and feel it too.

But the kicker was, I thought he loved me. It was in the depth of his kiss, his slow and desperate touch, and his need to fulfill me to try to make me breakfast by nearly burning the apartment down.

But now, with all my past heartache, I wondered if my feeling radar was way off.

The truth was, none of my ex-boyfriends compared to Barrett. Not one. It was embarrassing to call them exes because what I have with Barrett was ten times more than any of them combined.

This morning, I left Barrett after the shower and left him for his meetings. He had enough going on with managing the crane accident and juggling his PR response to the media that was crushing him with safety issues. So I let him be and returned to my apartment, helping prepare for tonight.

Hours later and now watching Pepper and Grace fuss about outfits to wear tonight, I couldn’t wait to see him.

“Hey, love bug, stop thinking about his dick!”

“Jesus, Pepper!” I laughed.

“Well, was I right?” she pressed, turning around from my floor-length mirror to push me further.

I grinned. “You little slut bucket,” Grace squealed. “But I’m so happy for you. Barrett is a catch among catches. Wait till the media gets wind of this. You two will be society’s heaven.”

I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want that. I just want to hold on to us for as long as we can.”

“Well, it’s not going to go anywhere once the world knows.”

“True.” I pushed across the hangers, looking at my dresses for this evening—no, that wouldn’t do. Nor would that.

The silence behind me made me stop what I was doing. Pepper was looking down at her phone. “Oh, my God. I knew it.” She threw her phone. “I fucking knew it!” she yelled as she paced.

I ran over to her. Grace and I exchanged looks.

“What’s going on, Pepper? Calm down.”

She put her head into her hands.

“It’s Jake, isn’t it?” Graces said, taking Pepper’s hands and pulling them down.

Her eyes were red as tears chased down her cheeks.

She nodded. “He just broke up with me.”

“What, why?”

She shook her head. “I swear I should’ve seen it coming.”

“Did you see it coming, Grace? He was acting weird these last few weeks. Always with a single Hunter and his friends.”

“I thought you guys were so tight,” I said.

“Fucking asshole. How can he do this to me?”

“He is an asshole, and to do it in a text… what a pussy,” Grace added.

“I’m sorry, hun. The good news is there are loads of gorgeous men here tonight. I know you don’t want to hear it, but maybe indulge in some mindless sex? That will take your mind off it.”

“Yeah.” She smiled.

“Or get hopelessly drunk,” Grace added.

“I can definitely help you with that. In fact, the bartenders should arrive soon.”

“Fuck him, Pepper. You don’t need that in your life. Trust me. I ought to know with the number of cheating assholes I’ve encountered over the years.”

She pulled a skimpy dress off the hanger. “Maybe I should wear this,” she said, smiling.

“That is gorgeous, Pepper. With your black hair, dark features, and red dress, you’ll look like a vixen! Jake will forever regret the message he sent if photos of tonight ever come out.”

“Jake, who?” she asked, wiping the tears from her cheek.

“That’s the spirit,” I said, hugging her.

“Anyway, tell me about Barrett. I’ve seen in the media about the crane accident this week. How’s he holding up?”

I paused. He hadn’t really mentioned too much to me about it. He seemed altogether, but maybe there was more to the story he wasn’t letting on. Maybe he didn’t want to worry me. “It’s not ideal, his picture being plastered all over the news, somehow insinuating his company is not adhering to safety guidelines.”

“You are the media, Lourde, or your family is. Can’t you control it a little?”

“No, and Barrett would never ask me to interfere. I might hold the title of a Diamond heir, but I have nothing to do with the media business. I don’t even think Connor or Dad have that level of influence over what gets reported.”

“Don’t be so naïve, Lourde. The media owns this country.”

I scrunched up my brow. “What do you mean? That my family is somehow involved in spreading these lies?”

She put a hand up in the air. “I’m not saying that at all. I’m just saying the media prints what is fed to them, and if it’s lies, then that is what gets out to the masses.”

“Do you think Barrett leads a dangerous construction company?”

“No, of course, I don’t. He’s so meticulous with everything. He has safety standards above and beyond what regulations require, so I find it hard to believe this has even happened.”

“Well, you know what that means, then?”