Page 61 of Twice as Forbidden

The sound of my office door opening breaks through the chaos. “Is everything all right, Mr. Blake?”

“No. Get Wayne on the phone. NOW!”

I need to set my emotions aside, burn them to ashes, and pull myself together. Beneath Georgia’s betrayal, there’s an even bigger issue at hand.

Fucking Hallstead and his son.

I always knew Vince was trouble. Jealousy and hatred are written all over him, just like his worthless father. But this? Blackmail? Why the hell would he want the ledger now? If I hadn’t walked in, would she have found the USB as well?

I shake my head, already knowing the answer. Only one person knows the importance of what’s inside that ledger.

Burt.

It’s been a lifetime since I’ve crossed paths with him. A man I considered a brother.

“I can’t believe we did it. This is gonna work.”

“Fuck yeah, it’s gonna work. The plan is flawless. No one’s ever created a coding system like this. It’ll be impossible to duplicate, which means the demand for our program will be insane.” I slap Burt on the shoulder. Years of hard work, and we finally developed a coding system that’s set to revolutionize the medical field—a platform that integrates AI, robotics, and real-time diagnostics to perform surgery with unparalleled precision, minimizing the need for human intervention.

“I’m so proud of you, baby!” Veronica jumps in my arms, pressing her plush lips to mine. “Baby, we’re going to be rich.”

“We’re all gonna be rich,” Burt chimes in.

I squeeze Veronica’s ass, grinding her against my eagerly growing hard-on. “And what do you plan on doing once I’m rich, baby girl?”

“Showing you how proud I am of you.” She grabs my cock through my jeans, and I buck my hips into her hand.

“Unless you’re willing to share again, you two need to get a room.”

I gaze over Veronica’s shoulder. “That was a one-time deal, buddy,” I remind Burt. There’s a slight crease in his brow. I’m no fool. I see the way he looks at my girl. Not a chance. I’m not one to share. Too much booze had me out of sorts the last time. Mark my words, it won’t happen again.

“While you’re writing up the contracts, let’s get our ducks in a row before we present our program.”

“Leave me to do all the dirty work while you get your dick wet, I see how it is.”

“Oh, I’m definitely gonna get that, my friend. But I’ll take care of submitting all the patent requests. Make sure everything is solid and copyrighted—”

“It’s fine. Enjoy yourself. I’ll take care of everything.”

“You sure?”

Burt smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. It could also be that he’s in love with my girlfriend. Because I can be an asshole, I stake my claim and grab Veronica’s ass, thrusting up. She purrs, throwing her head back, and I can practically hear the grinding of Burt’s jaw. He slams his bourbon back and discards the empty glass on the table.

“You two enjoy.” He gets up, grabs the copied notes from my ledger, and walks off.

I call after him. “We’re gonna be fucking rich. Put a smile on your face.” I grab my own glass and raise it to him. “Cheers to our future, brother.” I down my drink. His eyes flick to Veronica before he makes his exit. I grip Veronica’s ass cheeks and grind into her. “If I were a betting man, I’d say my best friend is in love with you.”

“And I would say that’s a real shame since all I want is your cock, baby.”

“Is that right?”

“I’d do anything for you, Jay. Fuck me, beat me, I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes to be yours always.”

“Hmmm… that sounds enticing. Why don’t we go back to my place and start with fucking. If you’re a good little girl, I’ll tie you up and turn your ass red.”

“You’re talking my true love language, baby. Let’s go. We have a lot to celebrate.”

The memory makes me sick. The months that transpired after. Years of friendship. Dedication and loyalty. Fucking gone.

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