Page 29 of Forbidden

He hauls himself up, his face flushed. “You’re finished. I’ll torch your life—your empire, everything.”

“Try it.” I round the desk, close enough to smell the fear under his cologne. “You’re losing control, Holden. The moment you walked in here, begging, you lost. Now, be grateful I’m letting you walk out of here with your dignity.”

His nostrils flare. “You’ll regret this.”

“Doubt it.”

He glares, then storms out, cane pounding. The door bangs shut, and I’m alone. I slump back into my chair, staring at the void above. Penelope’s everywhere in my head—her scent, her skin, the way she looks at me like I’m salvation and damnation rolled into one. She dares me to break every rule I’ve got. I should’ve told her about Henry, about this cage I built. Should’ve warned her I was tangled up in Henry’s mess. But I didn’t, and now it’s a fucking avalanche.

And yet the question still comes to me in the deeper corners of my mind. Why her? Why risk it all? Because she’s a fucking wildfire, burning through every wall I’ve got. I’ve spent years carving out power, burying grief, and keeping my heart cold. Then she walks in—young, fearless, all sunshine and sin—and I’m unraveling. I see her in my daughter’s smile, in the life I lost, but it’s more than that. She’s a drug I can’t quit, a pulse I need to feel. I’d ruin myself for her, and I wouldn’t blink. My empire, my rules, my soul—none of it means shit if she’s not mine.

I snatch my phone, punching Ralph’s number.

“Get me everything on Holden. Dig deep. I want leverage by sunrise.”

“On it, boss,” he rasps. “Anything else?”

“That drug bust he dodged last year—the one Vincenzo’s still on trial for? Pin it on him. Leak it. I want him drowning in it by morning.”

Ralph snorts. “You’re a vicious fucker.”

“Keeps me warm at night.” I cut the call and toss the phone onto the desk.

The room’s quiet now, but my mind’s a warzone. I know Henry’s not bluffing—he’ll come for me. And if he digs too deep, he’ll find Penelope. She was the line I shouldn’t have crossed, a kid tied to my past and my daughter’s ghost. But I don’t care. I’ve crossed it already, tasted her, claimed her and I’d do it again. Rules are for men who don’t know what they want. I do. Her. Even if it drags us both to hell. She’s mine, and I’ll burn this city down before I let him touch her.

I pour a whiskey, the glass biting my gloved hand. My daughter’s face haunts me, now gone because I wasn’t fast enough, strong enough. Gone forever because of a coward behind a wheel. I was supposed to protect her. Failed. Now Penelope’s here, and I’m failing her too, dragging her into this pit. What kind of man does that make me? A monster? A fool? Both, probably. All I know is I’d let Henry burn me alive before I let her go.

The phone buzzes. It’s a text from Penelope: Missed you today.

Simple. Innocent. Fucking devastating. I want to text back, tell her to run, save herself from me. Instead, I drain the whiskey, heat burning down my throat. I’m too far gone. She’s in my blood, and I’m not strong enough to cut her out.

By morning, Ralph delivers. Henry’s linked to the drugs, and the leak’s viral. By noon, his name’s trending with a shitstorm of headlines. I’m in my office when he calls, voice shaking with rage.

“You piece of shit,” he spits. “This isn’t over.”

“It’s over when I say it is.”

“You will marry her.”

“We’ll see.” I hang up, lips twitching.

But I know him. He’ll regroup and strike back. He’s a snake, and I’ve just kicked the nest. But for Penelope, I’d kick it a thousand times. She’s worth the chaos and the collapse. I’ll shield her with every fractured piece of me, even if it’s the last thing I do.

Chapter 10

Penelope

I push open the door to Gianna’s apartment, the smell of fresh paint and baby powder hitting me right away. Trust Gianna to already be gearing up for said baby when her bump is hardly visible yet. She’s perched on the couch, her belly round under a loose shirt, flipping through a magazine. She looks up and grins, all dimples and warmth.

“Hey, you made it.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” I kick off my shoes and drop onto the cushion next to her, sinking into the softness. “How’s the little kicker doing?”

“Already keeping me up all night.” She rubs her stomach, laughing. “How’s Mom?”

“Better. Less fog in her head these days.” I lean back, stretching my legs out. “She asked about you yesterday. Actually remembered your name.”

Gianna’s eyes soften. “That’s progress. God, we’ve been through some shit, huh?”

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