Page 54 of Forbidden Forget-Me-Not

“Why not tonight?”

“Because he may not have openly shown it, but I can tell he is stressed. If the conversation doesn’t go well then…well, lets just say it’s better to have it when he’s in a good mood.”

I swallowed again.

That was the problem with loving men like Goran. He would never abandon me, but his morals and loyalty ran like deep grooves in his personality. Traits that were equal parts admirable and frustrating as hell.

“Okay then.” I grabbed the pile of clothes and headed into the bathroom. After closing the door, I leaned against it and shut my eyes.

Why had I thought this would be easy? So stupid.

I showered quickly and stepped out to towel off. Once I was dry, I pulled on a tank top and cotton sleep pants before walking out into the bedroom.

Goran was settled on the floor. He watched me as I climbed onto the bed, but stayed quiet. I would have given anything to know what he was thinking. I flicked off the light and stared up at the dark ceiling, the moonlight dulled by the white sheers.

Goran lay close enough that I could hear him breathe, but far enough that the world still stood between us.

“I’m covering for Nathaniel tomorrow night,” Goran whispered.

“That’s fine. I don’t need you to follow me around twenty-four seven,” I said as a twinge of anger pulsed in my gut. Not because he agreed to work, per se, but because it felt like an excuse to put distance between us. Worse, I understood it and didn’t blame him.

“You shouldn’t be alone if you decide to go out. I can have someone else take you wherever you want to go.”

“I don’t need a babysitter, and I can’t hide from my father forever. One or two nights away from the house won’t change his mind about my future.”

Those words had never felt truer. Even here, inside the walls of Nathaniel’s house, I would only be safe for so long before Father found another way to control me without ever lifting a finger.

The bed dipped as I shifted, pulling the blanket tighter around myself as if it would keep everything that went bump in the night out.

“Lani…I don’t like the idea of you alone.”

“And I don’t like the fact that my husband would rather sleep on the floor than possibly upset my brother, but here we are. Goodnight, Goran,” I said, annoyed as I closed my eyes.

“Lani…you know it’s not that simple.”

“I understand, Goran. Can we just go to sleep? I’m tired and in a bad mood. This isn’t a good time to talk.”

“Sure. I’m here if you need me.”

He was all protection without possession. Devotion without demand. And somehow that hurt more. Which was ridiculous considering that’s exactly what I’ve been refusing from Julian. Goran would die for me without hesitation, but would he claim me and drag me away from my family…never. My head was a mess.

We loved one another, that wasn’t in question. But part of me had thought all we needed was the paperwork for him to whisk me onto a plane and fly off into the sunset. When I had envisioned our life together, I saw us touching a map and deciding where to live. Maybe a house on the beach or a large sailboat. Our life together played out like a romance novel.

But that was a dream, and now I had to come to terms with the difference between fiction and reality.

Somewhere beyond the walls of this house, my father was already planning his next move. I felt it and had no idea how to stop him.

Chapter

Seventeen

KAYLANI

When I woke up, Goran was already gone. That weighed heavily on my chest, and even though I knew he was just doing his job, it felt different.

After getting dressed, I texted my mom and asked her to meet me alone for brunch at the country club. She happily agreed. I wasn’t sure what I hoped to get out of the conversation, but it seemed necessary.

As I headed down the hall toward the kitchen, I heard Savannah talking to Cutter. The moment I rounded the corner, my nephew spotted me. His face lit up, and he ran at me like a forty-pound bowling ball.