Page 101 of Twice as Forbidden

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I don’t know how it can—”

“And the whole age gap thing. I mean, it’s hot. I read this book once—super hot trope. But yeah, Mom’s going to have a heart attack. You might want to wait to confess this one—”

“Confess what?”

“I’m pregnant!” Lettie shouts.

“Hush it. You’ve never even had a boyfriend,” Mom says, reentering the room.

“Gee,thanks, Mom. Youhaveheard the story of Mary and—”

“You’ve never had a boyfriend?” I straighten at Noah’s return.

“None of your business. I’ve had plenty.” My mom rolls her eyes while Lettie puffs out her chest. I shake my head. “Everyone. Can I have a moment with Noah?”

“Sure thing, sis.” She winks at me, sending Noah a cold glare, and leads my mom out the door.

The silence is suddenly deafening, and I don’t know where to start or what to say. “Noah—”

“I don’t want to hear it.”

“But I have to say it. What I did. It wasn’t fair to you.”

“Fair? How about it was fucked up? He’s mydad. Twice your age. What, did you think you would sleep with him and the two of you would run off together? You don’t know him. He’s a cheating piece of shit. He takes what he wants without caring who he hurts in the process—”

“That’s not true—”

“Jesus, Georgia, open your eyes. You’re just another toy to him. Where do you think I got all my issues from? He’s why I am who I am.”

“I’ve always tried with you.” Noah’s head snaps to his father in the doorway, and I wonder how long he’s been there and how much he heard.

“Please, you can feed her your bullshit, but it’s not gonna work on me.”

“Noah, I love you.”

“Yeah, so you sleep with my girlfriend. Great show of affection.”

“You two were broken up. I would have never crossed the line if—”

“But you did! You always fucking do! Why her, Dad? Why did you have to take the one good thing I had in my life?”

Tears stream down my face.

“I never meant to hurt you, son.”

Jackson steps toward him, his hand outstretched, but Noah slaps it away. “Stay away from me,” Noah snaps. “You’ve done nothing but hurt me—hurt Mom.” His furious gaze shifts to me. “I wish I never brought you home,” he spits, and my heart shatters. “Our fate was already sealed, but at least I could have kept you safe from him.”

“Noah,” I call as he runs out. Jackson moves to go after him but finds my mom, who witnessed the whole thing.

She walks in, taking the empty chair next to my bed. She’s quiet for a moment, then says, “So… you think your sister’s really pregnant?”

“You don’t have to do that. I know you heard everything.”

Her shoulders rise and fall. “Do what? Just making small talk. I don’t get to do that much anymore. I miss it.” I adjust myself as best I can and take a good look at her. She’s too skinny. And her skin is ashen. It doesn’t take a genius to put the pieces together.

“Are you—is something wrong? I feel like there is, and I don’t know why you wouldn’t tell me.”

She pats my hand, wearing her mom smile as if she’s about to tell me the world’s gonna end but in a sweet mom way that makes it all okay. “Just spit it out, Mom. I know you.”

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