Page 79 of Twice as Forbidden

It’s only a matter of time before Noah knows the truth. I can’t control that, but I can control the narrative.

“Last chance, Georgie.”

“Vince is blackmailing me into getting a ledger from your dad so he can ruin him and his company.”

Noah’s brow furrows in confusion, then his gaze narrows. “What?” He looks at Vince. “The fuck? Is that true?”

Vince releases my leg and leans back on the couch. “Let’s not jump to conclusions, bud. Why would I want to blackmail her? I simply told her she had a choice: confess her dirty little secret, or I’ll do it for her.”

“What secret is that? And why the fuck would you know anything about her?” Noah stares at me, waiting for me to shut down these outrageous claims. But I stay mute, my silence confirming Vince is telling the truth. “George, tell me what the fuck is going on?”

“Noah,” I say his name, my voice cracking, but he’s already up and standing.

“What the fuck is your secret? Are you two hooking up or something?”

Vince laughs, and chills skate down my arms. “No, not me. Though, I’m sure she wishes it was me.”

I shoot up off the couch. “Noah, listen to me. Vince and his father have this vendetta against your dad. They’ve been plotting for years to take him down. Sabotage his company. He told me if I didn’t steal a ledger from your dad’s office, he—”

“Get to the point, slut. Tell him you’re screwing his dad.”

I inhale a sharp breath, and my eyes shoot to Noah’s. He’s gone stiff, his eyes blazing in disbelief. He turns, and my heart cracks. “What?”

“Noah.” I try to reach for him, but he steps back.

Clenching his eyes shut, he shakes his head, then reopens them, a growing fury burning in the depths. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“You heard me, brother. Your little girlfriend is fucking your dad. Caught her coming out of his room the other night.”

“What?” He runs his hand through his hair. “Georgia… no. She—you wouldn’t—”

“She did. Ask her.”

He looks at me, waiting for me to give him an answer I cannot give. “Noah—”

“You’re seriously fucking my dad?”

“It’s not like—”

“You are or you aren’t!” he yells, and I flinch. “I’ve been trying to be fucking better for you. Be the person you see when you look at me—someone who’s not a piece of shit—and you’ve been fucking my dad this whole time?”

“Noah, it’s not like that—”

The words die in my throat as Noah suddenly surges forward. I barely have time to move before he’s right in front of me, backing me into the wall. His arms shoot out, palms slamming against the wall on either side of my head, caging me in. “Youareor youaren’t?” he snarls, his face inches from mine. There’s something wild in his eyes that I’ve never seen this close. A twitch in his jaw, a muscle ticking like a warning light.

My heart hammers against my ribs. I’ve never been afraid of Noah. But now? I think I might have broken something in him.

“Noah,” I whisper, my voice shaking. “Please don’t.”

“Don’t what?” he growls. “Don’t lose it? Don’t act like the monster you’ve always said I am?” He doesn’t touch me. But his presence is crushing. The fury rolling off him is suffocating. “I brought you into my house. Got you a fucking job. Saved you from going back to that hellhole with your deadbeat mom and sleazeball stepdad.” His voice cracks, rage bleeding into something rawer. “Even after you tore me to pieces, I let you stay. Because I felt fucking sorry for you.”

“Noah, please,” I beg.

“I should’ve kicked your ass out. Made you go home. Maybe a beating from your stepdaddy is exactly what you deserve.”

The words slice through me, but I don't let them sink in. My pulse pounds in my ears. I need to get out of here. I twist to run, but before I make it two steps, Vince grabs my arm.

“Let go of me—”

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