Forrest novel Chapter 27

FORREST

I GOT back to the penthouse. My mother and Meadow were in the living room, engaged in a serious conversation.

“Mama, can we talk?” I threw Meadow a glare, hoping she would not try to be so dumb to not get the message. “Alone, please?”

Scowling, Meadow stomped upstairs. I sat beside Mama once Meadow was out of sight. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her into my arms.

“How are you feeling?” I asked her when my anger wore off. I missed her terribly, but I couldn’t risk her being with me. I had to sacrifice something for us when in return, she would be safe.

“I’m good. You worry too much when I should be the one worrying about your suicide mission.”

I kissed the top of her head.

From the start, I knew she was right—it was a suicide, but I wanted answers. Once this was over, I knew everything we sacrificed for would pay off.

All I needed was closure and a new life.

After what happened to the last PI Alan and my mother hired, they decided it would be better if I would be far from the people I loved, still, the bastard never gave up looking for us.

When I stayed away from my mother, I thought I would have a good life, then something terrible happened almost three years ago. I found out he was a part of it. Whatever his reasons, I knew one of them was, he wanted to tie loose ends.

“He’s not gonna kill me, Mama. It’ll be just a business meeting.”

“What if he will recognize you? You share his blood, Forrest. Don’t be so stupid.”

“I’ll be fine, Mama. I need to start a new life or get back the life I left years ago. Don’t you want it? That finally, I can come back to England with you? With this kind of arrangement, I don’t think I can even start something new if I won’t face him. The world is getting smaller between us, and you know that. One day, eventually, we’ll cross paths. I can’t spend my days looking over my shoulder, scared that he might stab me from my back. I thought you want me to have a girlfriend, get married, and have a family?”

“Tell me about your plan with your so-called business meeting? Are you going to tell him who you are? Make a deal with the devil? What made you think he will hold at the end of the bargain, Forrest? The last time we checked, he was a canny and cutthroat bastard. He’s not going to change even he finds out who you are. Our lives will be in danger. We will be in great danger.”

“Only one way to find out. It’s been years. We can’t live every day with fear, Mama. I can’t do it anymore. Now I have the chance to face him, I won’t let our fears hold me back to stop whatever the grudge he’s holding against us. It has to end one way or another, or so help me God.”

Mama’s broken sobs ripped through her that tightened my chest, and it hurt a lot knowing she was worried about me. The urge to punch Alan had my body vibrated with anger.

“I promise I will come back to you in one piece. Just one last request, Mama. Then you can ask me whatever you want. I will do it in a heartbeat even if I have to marry someone to your choosing.”

Mama lifted her hazel eyes filled with unbridled torment mixed with excitement.

I wiped her cheeks dry. “I’m so sorry. Forgive me if I have to keep this from you.” I pulled her into a hug again. I was hurting her even though I was doing this for her as well. I knew she understood why I was doing all of these, but I was her son, and I knew how much she was terrified of losing me.

“You didn’t even introduce us.” Her words sliced my heart.