Forbidden (The Soul Mates Book 4) by Victoria Johns (32)

“My key isn’t working.” I watched as Carly put the brass object into the keyhole of her childhood home and nothing happened.

“I think the bolt is across the door.” She began to wrestle with it a bit more, her panic evident especially as she’d convinced herself that he’d come around after he’d slept on his new found knowledge.

This was not a good sign.

We’d both spent last night tossing and turning, and snatching the odd half hour of sleep here and there. It was as though we both knew that when the sun rose again, so would the next bout of arguing.

My mom didn’t seem surprised when Carly appeared in the kitchen dressed in fancy clubbing clothes from the night before. Dad had clearly brought her up to speed with the craziness that was my life. There was this odd assessing look in her eyes, though. I couldn’t tell whether she approved or not, and let’s face it, she could have been another hater to add to the list.

“Would you like breakfast?” I hesitated and felt awkward, but Carly didn’t.

“Just a coffee would be lovely, Mrs. Griggs.”

“Call me Barbara.”

When Carly took the mug from my mom, I saw her inhale, about to launch into some sort of speech, and nearly shit myself with panic, wondering what she was about to say. “I’m sorry for all the drama and trouble. I don’t really know what else to say.”

“Just tell me you know what you’re doing. Both of you. That this is what you want.” My mom looked at me as she continued, waiting for me to chip in. “This family has been through this type of thing before, remember, and it wasn’t fun for anyone.” She was referring to Dolly and Jonas. I imagine when you’re a foster parent and your foster son and foster daughter get together and get pregnant, it’s quite the scandal. I’d seen the worry last time and didn’t want to be responsible for putting her through that again. I needed to put her mind at rest.

“Mom, this is different. I promise.”

“But Carly is so young. Our families are friends and her mom is your best friend. Carly has her whole life ahead of her.”

“I’m hardly a senior citizen, and whatever happens right now will affect my life, too, because I plan to be in hers.”

Mom looked at me again and my dad finally decided it was time to enter the conversation by squeezing her shoulder in reassurance. I knew that she just wanted to be confident that I was sure. Whatever decisions Carly and I made, they would stand beside us like they did for Dolly and Jonas. “Will you see your brother while you’re in town?”

I looked at my dad, wondering what to say to her.

“Son, she’s female not stupid, and that sixth sense their species possess is not to be messed with.”

“I don’t know, Mom. It will depend on what happens after we’ve visited Carly’s house.”

“Speaking of which,” Carly interrupted, “we should get over there before they head out to work. Thank you for being so understanding… Barbara.” It was nice to see Carly interacting with my mom and not acting like some out of place, timid mouse.

“My dear, you have a tough road ahead of you, but you’ll always be welcome here.”

So, while my folks were prepared to support us, the obvious fact that Carly couldn’t even get into her house spoke volumes. And it was shouting loud and clear that she was not welcome.

Carly started to bang on the door. “Mom, Dad, come on. Open the door!” After a few loud thumps on the woodwork, nothing changed. Their cars were still outside so they hadn’t gone to work. Whatever they were doing wasn’t good news for my girl. I sensed the fear that Carly was experiencing when she lashed out and started kicking at the door. Her anger was taking over so much that I was about to drag her away from it when it finally swung open.

“What are you doing here?” Tommy grimaced through the door aperture.

“I came to talk like we agreed. You know, to sort things out.” I could hear Carly’s confusion.

“I made myself clear last night.”

“But—”

“You made your choice when you went against my wishes and left with him.”

Carly wobbled on her heels, and the fear she felt leeched into me, too. “Dad, you don’t mean that. Where’s Mom?”

“Seeing to your brother and sister. Some other people you also took a pass on last night when you walked away.”

“Come on, Tommy,” I tried. I could feel Carly’s hand shaking against my side as she tried to compute the data he was feeding her.

“I’m definitely not listening to you.”

“You don’t mean this, Dad,” she finally whispered.

“Are you over this? Are you done with him and whatever this nonsense is?”

Carly didn’t answer. Even I was waiting for her to bail on me and I felt like a complete bastard when she didn’t, looking to the heavens with a quick prayer of thanks because she’d found the strength to not capitulate to him instantly.

“Until you’re through with this, you aren’t welcome here.”

Tommy went to close the door, and as I was about to shove a foot in the way of it and scream at him for abandoning his flesh and blood, Carly threw an arm out. “I want to speak to Mom.”

“Not an option either.”

I couldn’t believe he was being such a fucking asshole. He was actually going to go through with this bullshit. Now I was starting to get angry, too. “Don’t you think you’re taking this just a little bit too far.”

“When you have a daughter and a close friend abuses his position by fucking said daughter,” he gritted out, leaning forward, “then you can tell me I’ve gone too far. When someone takes something so precious and innocent, and tarnishes it, you can have an opinion. Until then, shut the fuck up and leave.”

“Dad.” Her word was barely audible.

“Look at the state of you. You couldn’t even dress appropriately to come talk to me.” Tommy shook his head, failing to hide his disdain.

“Then let me come in and get changed, and we can all sit down and talk about it in a calm, civil manner.”

Tommy ignored her. It was like she hadn’t even spoken. He continued flinging his tirade at me. “You bring her here looking like this. You arrogant fucking dick. I worked my ass off to give her a better life and in the space of what? A few months? You’ve turned her into the whore her mother was.”

The shocked gasp that left Carly’s body seemed to take all her energy with it. But my girl wasn’t one to show weakness, and as quick as it happened, she reined it in, and where once her hands were shaking, they now formed clenched fists full of fury. “Did you really just say that, Dad?”

“I did and it’s what you make me feel. I’ve never lied to you and I won’t start now.”

“All my life I’ve tried to be someone different, someone you were proud of and not associated with her, and you throw it back in my face at the first opportunity. I can’t believe you did that. What Jack and I have isn’t some random fling or fuckfest.” Tommy’s body went ramrod straight at her words. He did not need to be told what went on between us behind closed doors. “This is an actual relationship with feelings. Not where some guy knocks up a girl and then disappears from their life until the kid is a desperate teenager with nowhere to live.”

Oh fuck. Ugly, fighting words.

“It was not like that,” Tommy spat back.

“And I know that because I gave you the chance to explain, and I listened.”

I was so fucking proud of her right now. She was channeling her rage and using it to make a deserved point.

“I won’t get past this, Carly. I just don’t see it happening. I feel betrayed by both of you. I won’t say this again. Last time. Him or your family?”

If I was half the guy she believed I was, I would have stepped up and walked away, saved her the choice by making it for her… but I wasn’t.

I watched as she angrily swiped away a stray tear before setting her lips in determination and nodding at him. “You did this, Dad. You, not me.”

As she finished, she spun on her heels and walked away from the door. A momentary look of regret flashed across his face, like he couldn’t quite believe she’d gone through with it.

“What are you doing, Tommy? Let me talk to Lacey”

Hearing my voice reminded him that I was the cause of all this, and the look of regret was replaced with fury. “Not a fucking chance. You’ve just cost me my daughter. As soon as that college office opens, I’ll be calling.”

“Tommy! What have you done?” I heard Lacey shout from behind as she tried to open the door, only to be thwarted by Tommy.

“No, Lacey, what they’ve done is wrong.”

I didn’t want this causing problems in their marriage. “Tommy, don’t punish Lacey for this. We’re supposed to be mature adults.”

“Really?” he spat back at me. “As the older of the two, why aren’t you acting like it and ending this?”

I hated that he put that on me. The heart wants what the hearts wants, and it wanted Carly. In a proper deflective manner, I threw it all back. “You want to talk about professional? Pot. Kettle. Black. Tommy. Or have you forgotten how old Lacey was when you two got together?”

“I should fucking kill you,” he shouted, and he went to put a step in my direction but was held back by an invisible force that was definitely Lacey. “I should knock some sense into you!”

“Out of respect, Tommy, I let you have one free shot. I didn’t fight back and that won’t happen again. I’m gonna follow my girl now and try to convince her that you didn’t meant that shit and you’ll come around.”

“Don’t bank on it.”

What a fucking asshole. “You’re prepared to lose her over this?” I asked, calling his bluff.

“No, but she’s prepared to lose us. You both know where I stand. You caused this, Jack, not me.”

“I’m hoping like fuck you’ll realize that you did this by making her choose between the man she loves and her family. Grow the fuck up and quick because I won’t provide excuses for you for long. Lacey, I’ll be in touch!” I shouted at the figure I couldn’t see.

I heard the door slam, and as I jogged back to the car I could see that Carly was already inside, staring ahead in stony concentration. Before I joined her and attempted to sort her out, I called her mom’s cell. As expected, it went straight through to voicemail. “Lacey, I’m sorry you found out like you did. Please believe me when I tell you I tried hard to stay away from her. She’s just too easy to love, and trying to forget her or live without her right now hurts too much. Talk to Tommy. Make him see sense. I’ll look after her but the words they’re saying to each other are going to cause more damage if they don’t bridge that gap soon. Love you, Lace.”

Carly didn’t move as I climbed inside. “Baby, silly question but are you okay?”

“I can’t believe he said those things.” Her voice finally broke and the tears started to fall before she attempted to pull herself together.

“He’ll come around.”

“Besides me, my dad is the most stubborn person I know. But I thought my mom would back me up.”

“She tried. Give her time. She knows how to handle him.” I took her hand in mine as I started the engine. My cell pinged with a text.

“Who’s that?”

“Your mom. She just needs a bit of time to work on your dad.” Carly’s relief at hearing her mom hadn’t disowned her was evident. “Hey, come on.” I leaned across and kissed her, not caring that we were outside her parent’s house, not giving a fuck that they could be watching. My girl needed me and until she told me to walk away, that this wasn’t what she wanted, I was going to be there in any capacity she needed. “You sure about this? It would kill me, but I’d understand,” I asked her, looking her square in the eye for any hint that she was having second thoughts.

“No. I can be adult about this. He didn’t have to act that way. It’s all on him.”

I didn’t hide the relief I felt from her words, so I kissed her again until my cell pinged with a new incoming text.

“Let’s go home,” she muttered, taking my attention from the quick text chatter. “What now?”

“Now, you get your game head on. Do your best to forget about this shit and concentrate on your finals. That should give everyone the time they need.”

Carly nodded and kissed me quickly on the lips before I put the car in gear and pulled off.

But in terms of ‘what now?,’ first things first, I was resigning from my post by email the minute we go home. Tommy could do all the reporting and informing he wanted, but I couldn’t ignore how his threat didn’t even faze me. If that was the case then why was I doing the job in the first place.

When Carly finished there, so would I, if they didn’t fire me first.

Then we could go back home and force the families to accept that we were now a couple. One who was no longer in hiding or doing something shameful and forbidden.