Forbidden Love

“We traced a lump sum to an offshore account that links back to a Jessica Anne Wiles.”

“How much?”

“Two-hundred thousand.”

“Fucking cheapskates.”

“Yeah.” Barton snorted out a laugh.

“You know better than anyone, Barton. I reward loyalty. Under Olivia’s leadership, she would have excelled and earned that in a bonus alone.”

“I know how generous you are, Barrett. You’ll find everything in the dossier in front of you.”

“Have you informed anyone else of your findings?”

“Not yet. We came to you first. Jesse Frisello and me, that's it.”

“Good.”

He eyed me. “You don’t seem overly happy at the finding.”

Why would I be? I lost her. I lost everything.

“I’m thrilled,” I said, feigning a smile.

“O… kay.”

“Go. Have some time off. I know you and Jesse have been working nonstop on this.”

“Thanks, Barrett,” he said, getting up to leave.

“Oh, and Barton… good work as always.”

“Thank you, sir.”

* * *

I sat on the discovery, and when I got home, I poured myself five fingers of whiskey and then some, drinking until I passed out cold.

A bang in the living room startled me, and I quickly shot up, which I really shouldn’t have because my head thumped like a herd of predators. I looked over to the side of my bed. The bottle of whiskey was half empty.

Fuck, that would explain it.

Another clatter in the kitchen.

Who was here? Please tell me I didn’t call a fuck for the night. Bile rose in my throat. Fuck, no.

I flung the sheet off me. Thank fuck I wasn’t naked. I still had yesterday’s clothes on. I walked over to the door, trying to hear any signs of who may be on the other side of the wall.

What if it was Lourde who was here? What would I say? I don’t know if I had the strength to push her away again.

Don’t be ridiculous.The look in her eyes when I pushed her away was a pain worse than death. She never wants to see you again.

My heart sank. If it wasn’t her, then…

“Fuck.” A throbbing pain hit my chin bone, shooting past my knee cap.

What the hell!

A chair had been placed near the doorframe. What the fuck was that doing there?

“Barrett, is that you?”

“Evelyn?” I rounded the corner and walked from my bedroom.

“It’s me!” She walked over to me, and the first thing I noticed was her walking had improved tremendously. Round-the-clock therapy since her last operation was working.

“Holy shit, look at you!” I said, pulling her in for a massive hug. She held me and hugged me back. It was a hug I desperately needed, and damn, I'd missed my sister.

“You smell like a pub!” she said.