Page 31 of Fighting for the Forbidden
Chapter Eight
Lauren
I toldmyself when I agreed to this trip with him that I wouldn’t do anything stupid. I’ve already made enough bad decisions when it comes to Ben to last a lifetime. But then I find myself arm-deep in his bath water, gently cleaning his broken and bruised body. I know he wants me; the evidence was pointing directly at me when I helped him step into the tub. I need to get my head together. We need to talk and find a way for us to continue to be around each other if he stays, which seems likely now he’s taken over the business.
I’m not all that hungry after making the most of the continental breakfast the hotel had to offer this morning while Ben was still fast asleep, but it’s the only excuse I can think of to get me out of that tiny hotel room and away from him before I do something I’m going to regret. He’s not happy about it—he made that obvious when he appeared with bubbles and water droplets still running down his sculpted body and a towel barely covering his still erect cock. One glance at it and I knew I needed at least a few minutes break; it was calling to me like a fucking ice-lolly.
The second I step foot outside the room, I feel like I can breathe once again. I spend the short walk trying to come up with how I’m going to explain everything properly to him. Thanks to Danni dropping me in it yesterday, desperation to know the truth pours from his eyes every time I look at him. I’m amazed he’s allowed me this long without demanding to know what I’m hiding, but I know that’s soon to come to an end, and it’s got to be better coming from me willingly than him having to drag it out of me, right?
I can’t be gone any longer than twenty minutes, but as I walk towards our hotel room door my nerves get the better of me. Sucking in a few deep breaths, I prepare to tell him something that could change everything for us. Depending on how he takes it, I’m not sure if I’m going to be able to hold back. I know I should be stronger, should stand up for what I believe is right, but this is Ben I’m talking about. I’ve never been able to let my head lead the way where he’s concerned.
The room’s silent and deserted when I walk in. Dropping my handbag on my bed, I continue towards the open French doors with the bag from the deli in my hand. I find Ben sitting in the chair I was in earlier, staring down at his phone. He’d have heard the door shutting, so he knows I’m here, but he’s yet to turn to me and that has the nerves that are fluttering in my belly exploding.
Something’s wrong.
Eventually, he lowers his phone and slowly turns his face my way. Anger pulls at his features, his eyes hard with accusation.
“W-what is it?”
“I think you need to start explaining, don’t you?”
“Shaking my head, I try to figure out what he’s talking about, but I’ve no idea what could have possibly happened in the short time I was gone.
“I’ve no i-idea what—”
“Don’t talk shit. You know exactly what I’m talking about.Danniknows exactly what I’m talking about. She already warned me.”
My stomach drops and my hands tremble. I guess me wanting to get in there first has been shot to shit.
“I suggest you sit down.”
“I…I’m good.”
“Sit,” he barks, and my body does as it’s told.
“You remember Liv?” I nod briefly. She was the one who came over before I even knew who she was and told me that Ben still loved me. I kind of wanted to punch her in the face at the time, but I know she was only trying to help.
“Yeah.”
“Did you know she’s a journalist?” I shake my head, my heart racing. “Well, she is. And do you know what journalists are good at?” Shaking my head again, I wait for him to say the inevitable. “Would you like to be honest, or do I need to drag it out of you?”
Tears burn my eyes as he stares daggers at me. I knew he’d be angry if—when—he found out, but I didn’t quite appreciate the level of anger I’m looking at right now.
“Joe and I…” I trail off, not really knowing how to put it.
“Yeah…?”
“We’re not together,” I admit, looking down at where my fingers are playing with the hem of my dress.
“Good. And why not?”
“Because he’s…not interested in me,” I whisper, feeling the weight of the lie I told pressing down on me.
“Now, that wasn’t that hard was it?” he spits. I sniff as my emotions start to get the better of me, but his stare doesn’t waver. “I fucked you, thinking we were betraying another man. You allowed me to believe that what we were doing was wrong. But the whole fucking time, you were mine to take.”
“I’m sorry, I—”
“What?” he snaps.
