Page 99 of Twice as Forbidden

He lowers his lips to mine, soft and tender, and a sob escapes me as I kiss him back, my tears wetting both our cheeks. “This isn’t your fault,” he murmurs against my lips. “It’s mine. Because I can’t stay away from you.”

“Holy. Shit.”

Jackson pulls back, and I catch a glimpse of my sister standing in the doorway, her eyes wide in shock.

“Lettie.” She doesn’t move. Fuck. How do I explain this? “Lettie, I can explain.”

“Um… I—maybe I should just—okay. Wrong room. Not my sister making out with her boyfriend’s dad. God, I need more sleep. Or coffee. Hospital coffee is wretched—okay, bye!” She spins on her heel and strides off before I demand she come back so I can explain.

“Great.” I groan at the stabbing pain in my ribcage.

“Relax.”

I look at Jackson. “Why was I in a car with Vince? The last thing I remember is the fight. You and Noah…”

“You sure you want to know? I think it may be best you heal more before—”

“Don’t treat me like a child, Jackson. If that’s how you see me, get out—”

He grabs my hand. “Georgia Price, I’ve tasted how sweet your cunt is. I don’t think of you as a child.” His comment causes my cheeks to flush. “I won’t lie or keep anything from you. I only want to protect you.”

“I don’t need protecting. Jackson, please.”

“All right. I don’t know what you remember, but you’re right. Noah knows. I don’t know to what extent, but Vince told him.” I close my eyes, trying to shield him from my guilt. “No hiding, Peach. You want to know, I’ll tell you, but I do it with your eyes on me.”

“Okay.”

“Noah and I fought. It got out of hand. You were accidentally pushed, and I lost control with him. It wasn’t my best moment, but I refuse, no matter who’s at fault, to ever let him put his hands on a woman. During the scuffle, Vince disappeared. Somehow, he knew I’d moved the ledger to the safe in my bedroom.”

“He has access to your surveillance. He’s been watching us.” The thought sends chills down my spine.

“I know.” There’s shame in his eyes.

“Hey, it’s not your fault,” I tell him.

“I should have protected you from him.”

I brush my hand against his cheek. “No taking blame. We’re all at fault here, okay?” He nods. “So, he has the ledger?”

He stares at me as if waiting for something to click. “You don’t remember anything?”

I fight through the cloudiness of my memory. “No. Jackson, what are you not telling me?”

There’s hesitation in his eyes. “No one knows the full story. That’s something only you can fill in when the memories come back. At one point, you opened your door and threw yourself out of the moving car. Vince chased after you. You two fought, and he was hit by a car in oncoming traffic.”

I freeze, my breath catching in my throat. “Is he?”

“He’s dead.”

I cover my hand over my mouth. “I killed him,” I whisper, but the words sound foreign.

“Georgia, no,” he says, his tone stern but gentle. “Don’t go there. He was planning something far worse for you than the fate he suffered.”

“I don’t understand.”

Jackson inhales a deep breath and explains Vince and Veronica’s plan. By the time he finishes, stating I was also hit by a car, my head is spinning.

“I don’t—”

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