Page 35 of Losing the Forbidden
She paces up and down in front of me, her fists clenching and unclenching as she tries to process and make sense of what I’m telling her.
“There’s nothing here, Lauren. The business is on the verge of going under.”
“Bullshit. I do the accounts, the profits are better than they’ve ever been.”
“That’s what he makes you believe,” Erica says, chipping in for the first time.
“What? You’re in on this too?”
“Lauren, trust me when I tell you that I understand how hard all of this is to swallow, but your dad wasn’t the kind of man you thought he was.”
Lauren looks between the two of us like we’ve just slapped her. “I don’t know what to think. I see all the figures. I see exactly—”
“What he wants you to see.”
“How? And why are you only telling me this now?”
“You might want to sit down,” Erica says, gesturing to the chair behind Lauren.
“I’m fine. Just tell me what’s going on.”
“Okay, well…you know how things were for me after Matt and I split up?” Lauren’s brows draw together in confusion, but she doesn’t interrupt. “Nick knew I was in trouble financially, and he knew I’d do just about anything not to lose my home. So…”
“So?”
“Fucking hell, Lauren.” Erica drops her head into her hands and blows out a few slow breaths. “Just remember that I was in a really bad place, okay? He started being really nice, helping me out, giving me lifts home after I sold my car, just little things. He helped me out financially so I wouldn’t miss a mortgage payment.”
“Right…”
“I slept with him.”
“What?” As if Erica’s words are like a physical blow to her chest, Lauren stumbles back and crashes into a chair. “Fucking hell. This is a joke, right? This isn’t fucking happening,” Lauren fumes, walking to the other end of the office. “You slept with my fucking dad?”
“I know how bad this sounds, Lauren. Believe me, none of this was by choice.”
“I’m hearing that word a lot today.” The laugh that falls from her lips is anything but amused.
“He blackmailed me, Lauren. He made me fall for his charms. He made me need him, and then he made me do exactly what he wanted for fear of the truth coming out and losing my home.”
“And what did he make you do? Other than…the obvious.” Lauren shivers at the thought while Erica looks like she could puke any second.
“He had me doctoring the figures. Intercepting documents after you’d filed them. Ben’s right, there’s nothing here. I’m so sorry, Lauren.”
“Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”
“I couldn’t. I was—Iam—humiliated that I allowed it to happen, but I was drowning and he gave me an out.”
“So what you’re both trying to tell me is that he made you leave,” she says, looking at me, “and he made you sleep with him and cook the books?”
“Jesus, I’m so sorry, Lauren,” Erica repeats, but Lauren’s already turned away from her.
“This is all your fault. All of it.” Her fists slam down on my chest, but I’m faster than her and I capture her wrists. “If you hadn’t let him manipulate you. If you hadn’t left. If you’d just fought for what you wanted; none of this would have happened.Thatis your fault,” she says, pointing back at Erica, who’s wiping away the tears on her cheeks. “All. Of. This. Is. Your. Fault,” she says as she fights against her restraints. “And I fucking hate you,” she screams. The shock has me releasing her arms, and she runs before I get a chance to stop her.
Chapter Twelve
“Well, that went well,” Erica manages through her tears.
“Fucking hell,” I shout, rubbing my hands over my head and down my face. “Now what?”
