Page 97 of Forbidden Billionaires: Vol. 3

“Jon?” I racked my brain. “James’ father?”

He nodded. “Indeed. I’m so glad I caught you. I heard about what happened, dear. How are you feeling?”

“Better now.”

“Good.” He smiled. “Do you want to sit and catch up for a moment?” He gestured to a park bench off to the side of the path.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I can’t. I really must be getting back.”

He coughed. “I understand.” And then he coughed again. And again.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

He kept coughing.

“Do you want me to go get a water bottle?”

“No,” he wheezed. “I just need to sit down.”

“Here.” I helped him over to the bench he had pointed to before.

He collapsed onto it and patted the spot beside him.

How could I say no? I was worried that if I left him alone he’d cough up a lung. I sat down even though all I wanted to do was get back. I wanted to read more of the manuscript. And watcha movie with Melissa. And maybe get a goodnight kiss from James. It was a silly thought. But also a perfect one.

“Sorry, dear,” the old man said. “My lungs aren’t what they used to be.” He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, but instead of blowing his nose or coughing into it, he just wrung it in his hands.

I didn’t know what I was supposed to say. The hairs on the back of my neck rose again. “I really should be getting back.”

He took a deep breath. “Just a minute and I’ll be alright.” He took another deep breath.

I started to tap my foot nervously. How did James’ father know this guy? Jon was fit for his age, and wealthy, and put together. The man beside me was the opposite of all that. Not that two people so different couldn’t be friends. It just felt…off. “How did you say you knew Jon again?”

“Old friends.” He reached over and placed his hand on my forearm. His fingers were like ice.

Something clicked in my mind. And I almost laughed out loud, but luckily I stifled it. I didn’t remember him. He just looked like someone I remembered. Professor Snape from the Harry Potter movies. He had an uncanny resemblance to that actor. “Has anyone ever told you that you look like Professor Snape from the Harry Potter films?”

“Why, yes. Your daughter actually. Last time she saw me she actually called me Snape.” He smiled.

There was something off about his smile. It didn’t seem genuine.At all.If anything it felt menacing. I shifted nervously on the bench as his words tumbled around my head. “But I thought you said it’s been several years since you’ve seen me. Scarlett’s only three and a half.”

“Several can mean three,” he said calmly.

“But if it had been that long she wouldn’t have been talking. And…” I tried to remember what James had told me about his parents at dinner. “James’ relationship was pretty strained with his parents when we met. I didn’t even meet them until just a little before our wedding.”

“I thought you didn’t remember anything. I guess you can’t always trust tabloids. I should have known when they were talking about what designer dress you were wearing when you left the hospital instead of focusing on the real story. Your lost memories.”

Tabloids?God, this man didn’t know me or my family. I tried to stand up, but his icy fingers dug into my skin, pulling me back down onto the bench.

“Let go of me or I’ll…”

“You’ll what? Call for help? There’s no one around. And you have no phone.”

How could he know that I didn’t have a phone? Unless he had been following me. I knew I felt someone watching. I knew it. Why hadn’t I said anything? Why hadn’t I trusted my gut? I knew why. Because I had been fighting my gut this whole time.My gut screamed that I loved James. That I could trust him. That he was everything. But I kept denying it. I had been telling my gut to piss off ever since I woke up in that hospital room.

“You’re coming with me,” he said and pulled me off the bench.

So I did what I knew I was good at. I tried to knee him in the crotch.