Page 1 of Fighting for the Forbidden
Prologue
Lauren
The second thedoor slams shut, I turn into Joe’s chest. Squeezing my eyes shut, I fight my need to break down, but the devastation running through my body is too strong.
I just did the one thing I never thought I’d be strong enough to do.
I sent the only man I’ve ever loved away.
Joe’s strong arms wrap around my body and he whispers ‘everything’s okay’ in my ear. I don’t believe a word of it. How can anything be okay when it hurts this fucking much?
With my heart in pieces, I give myself over to my tears. I suck in deep lungfuls of air as I sob into the hot skin of his chest.
His hands softly rub my back, but it does nothing to soothe the pain. Nothing in the world can make what I just did any better.
The hurt in Ben’s eyes as he looked at the two of us is going to be forever in my mind. I’d always hoped that I’d get the chance to do to him what he did to me the day he left. I hoped in some fucked up way that it would make it all right, but the crack in my heart that I’ve been living with for the past six years is now bigger than ever.
I’d convinced myself that he obviously didn’t love me back then; that in the long run, him walking away was the best thing that could have happened. I’d fallen head over heels so fast that the longer it lasted, the more it was going to hurt when it ended.
But the man I just sent away isn’t one who doesn’t care. He’s a man who loves me just as much now as he did back then. His feelings were written all over his face; they have been since the day he walked back into the office like no time had passed.
Everything I thought I knew has been smashed to pieces over the last couple of days, and right now, I don’t know which way is fucking up.
It’s not until Joe’s warmth leaves me that I realise he’s moved us to the sofa.
“You did the right thing there, sweets,” he says, wrapping his hand around the back of my head and kissing my forehead. He rests his lips there for a few seconds, and I’m reminded of everything this man has given me.
He appeared in my life just at the right time. If it weren’t for him, I’ve no idea how I’d have got my life back on track after Ben left. Somehow he managed to pick me up and point me in the right direction, something everyone else around me failed to achieve.
Fate brought us together, and I’ll forever be grateful that he turned up looking for a job when he did. He’s been my rock this week. He’s done every single thing I’ve asked of him, which is why he’s the one drying my tears right now. My body trembles once again as memories from only moments ago at our door hit me.
My head might tell me that it was the right thing to do, but it seems my heart has another opinion.
