by Kat T. Masen
The Trouble With Love
The Forbidden Love Series
Kat T. Masen
The Trouble With Love
Kat T. Masen
Copyright 2021 Kat T. Masen
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to real events, real people, and real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, organizations or places is entirely coincidental.
All rights are reserved. This book is intended for the purchaser of this e-book ONLY. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage retrieval system, without the express written permission of the author. All songs, song titles, and lyrics contained in this book are the property of the respective songwriters and copyright holders.
Disclaimer: The material in this book contains graphic language and sexual content and is intended for mature audiences, ages 18 and older.
Editing by Nicki at Swish Design & Editing
Proofing by Amy at Briggs Consulting LLC
Cover design by Outlined with Love Designs
Cover Image Copyright 2021
First Edition 2021
All Rights Reserved
Contents
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Sneak Peek – The Trouble with Us
Other Books by Kat T. Masen
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“Sometimes it’s not the butterflies that tell you you're in love, but the pain.” - Unknown
Prologue
Will
The silver tip of the pen hovers above the piece of paper in front of me.
My lips press together in a slight grimace as all eyes inside the boardroom fall upon my every move.
All I have to do is sign my name—a simple task I’ve done many times.
Yet, the repercussion of such an easy action will onset tremendous suffering. I felt it the moment I stepped into the room only an hour ago, to last night when I laid wide awake unable to shut down my thoughts. Everywhere I turn and every breath I take isn’t without a constant ache that has long buried itself inside me.
This pain, unbearable and consuming, is what we have become.
“Is there a problem, Mr. Romano?”
My gaze lifts. Jeff, the head of our legal team, quizzes me with a frustrated stare. His team worked nonstop to make this deal happen. Our company was against all odds, yet we persisted and won the final bid. Purchasing this other company will expand our name in the tech industry and officially make us a billion-dollar empire.
This is everything I have worked hard for in my career—the long hours, non-existent social life, constant travel, and stress associated with starting up a new company. All of it has come to fruition.
Then she walked back into my life.
Amelia Edwards.
She’s no longer the annoying kid who would torment me with her childish games, and I’m no longer the teenage boy who would entertain her to avoid the wrath of my mother and aunt.
Our families have ties, strong ties, something neither of our mothers let us forget over the years. Unlike many other families, we’re bonded by the timing of the past and not connected through sharing the same blood or gene pool.
Perhaps, in the chaos of what we have become, it’s our way of justifying our actions.
But the biggest surprise, the one I never expected to take my breath away that afternoon several months ago is how Amelia turned into this beautiful woman. The very reason why my emotions fucked with my head, causing me to hesitate in front of our executive team.
Her body isn’t supposed to be so irresistible to the point that I crave her every goddamn moment. I’ve been with many women, but no one has ever owned me like she does when we’re alone. Maybe I shouldn’t have succumbed to my desires and taken her selfishly to satisfy my craving of her innocence.
But in return, she did something which rendered me speechless. Something an older and more experienced man should’ve known better.
She made me fall in love with her.
“I’ll repeat Jeff’s question since perhaps you didn’t hear it,” Lex voices coldly, unforgiving with his tone. “Is there a problem?”
Across the room, the most powerful man I know watches me with an uninviting stare. His fingertips drum against the woodgrain table. The shade of his usually vibrant green eyes has turned almost black.
Anyone else caught in his unrelenting stare would’ve recoiled and signed the contract. But as the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach begins to alleviate, it’s instantly replaced with resentment.
He leaves me no choice.
My company’s future is in his hands. We need his investment to complete this purchase, and all I have to do is sign this contract and move to London.
Away from Manhattan and away from his oldest daughter.
Beside me, my phone vibrates with a text appearing on the screen. Slowly, my eyes shift across to the notification. I keep my expression flat as the words tear through me like bullets ricocheting from a loaded gun.
Amelia: I will always choose him.
These five words end everything between us; I’m left with no choice. Even if I give this all up for her, she’ll never be happy unless her father approves.
And I know for a fact he doesn’t want a man like me to be in a relationship with his daughter. We’ve been friends well before this, and for many years, he’s been a mentor and a father figure who treats me like his own son.
He knows I never cared for women unless it was for my own selfish physical needs. We often joked about my inability to settle down with anyone since all I care about is work. We had spent many nights just sitting at bars, drinking while talking about life. He knows me better than my father, better than any man I’ve called a friend over the years.
But then it all shifted.
A complete turn of events in which, if he knew the extent of our relationship, he’d never approve.
I’m not stupid. He taught me everything I know, and when the master himself has taught you all his tricks, you know well enough that his proposal for me to move is because he knows the secret we’ve been keeping.
The forbidden affair between his nineteen-year-old daughter and me.
My throat begins to tighten at the same time my knuckles turn white around the pen still resting in my hand. Pressing hard against the paper, the pen glides across as the blank spot above the line is filled with my signature.
Without a thought, the pen falls against the table as my head s
lowly lifts to the ruthless stare of the man who pulls all the strings.
The same man who Amelia chose over me.
Her father.
Lex Edwards.
The new stakeholder in my soon-to-be billion-dollar company.
One
Amelia
I stare at the three envelopes sitting in front of me.
For the last two years, it was all I could think about—college.
What exactly do I want to do with my life, and more importantly, what sacrifices am I willing to make for a future that may not be right for me?
I gave up parties and social gatherings, opting to study and earn college credits. I’m blessed with a boyfriend who’s equally as focused as me. We’ve spent numerous hours cramming for exams and it all boils down to this very moment. I sought comfort in knowing I’m not alone. Most of my peers have received their acceptance letters in the last few weeks, each one getting into their first or second choice of colleges.
My cousin, Andy, is still waiting to hear back from two colleges. He and I have followed the same method—our personal choice, our mother’s choice, and our father’s choice.
However, Andy has been fortunate to have both his parents support his decision, never mentioning a preference as to where they thought he should apply. Unlike myself, Andy is creative, so I wasn’t surprised when he told me one of the colleges he applied to was NYU, and being the amazing human being he is, he got accepted. So, all his applications were of his own doing—three different colleges for three various reasons.
I’m not that lucky.
My mom lets out a sigh, sitting beside me as I hold the letter opener in my hand, staring blankly at the envelopes.
“They’re thick,” Mom comments, touching my hand softly. “Go ahead.”
I take a deep breath, counting down in my head while giving myself a pep talk.
Don’t define yourself just because you get rejected.
Remember, each school has its pros and cons.
Jamming the opener into the corner, I slice the envelope open. Pulling out the letter, my eyes move toward Dear Amelia, Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you admission to the University of Southern California.
My shoulders slump as I slide the acceptance letter toward my father, who sits across from me. Within moments, his eyes beam with triumph. I’m not surprised by his reaction since he chose the college, which means I can stay as close as possible to home. He doesn’t say a word, especially after we butted heads earlier over a party I want to attend tonight. I rarely ask for much these days, but granted myself a pardon from studying since the pressure is causing many emotions of late. I am beyond burned out, yet in his eyes, I’m just a kid wanting to go to parties to have sex, drink alcohol, and smoke weed.
“What’s going on?” My sister, Ava, enters the room while munching on an apple.
Wearing her denim shorts and white midriff top, I’m shocked Dad hasn’t reprimanded her for showing skin since the rule is either the short top or short shorts—not both.
Ava wraps her hands around my father, hugging him tightly. She has always been his favorite, unlike me—the black sheep. When it comes to Ava, she gets anything she wants, and I swear, when she enters the room, he looks somewhat relieved to see her rather than having to focus on me.
“Amelia has received her college responses,” Mom softly says before scowling. “Ava, what’s with that top? Don’t you think it’s a bit too tight?”
“All the more reason to go shopping,” Ava responds with a grin, taking a seat beside my father and grabbing the letter. “Oh, USC, you can live at home.”
I ignore her, knowing all too well she understands my hesitation in remaining close to home. Dragging the letter opener through the next envelope, I pull it out quickly to read, Dear Amelia, Congratulations! I am pleased to offer you admission to the University of California, Berkeley.
With a pleasing smile, I slide it over to Mom. Her chocolate-brown eyes dart back and forth until the corners of her mouth turn upward. Momentarily, she glances toward my father, who offers no emotion upon reading the acceptance letter.
It’s an option, and San Francisco is only a five-hour drive from home. It would be a long enough distance for me to live on campus yet still be able to visit home occasionally on the weekends.
The final envelope sits in front of me, the most crucial one of all. The college I chose, the college I have dreamed of attending for as long as I can remember, Mom’s alma mater—Yale.
The navy logo sits in the corner, the envelope not as thick as the others. I prepare myself for the worst, the possibility of my dreams being shattered all in this one moment.
I have so desperately wanted to study law, and aside from Harvard, which I opted not to apply to, this is the one place where I want to start my future just like my mom did many years ago.
The sharp blade glides once again across the seal as I take a deep breath, my stomach tied in knots. I close my eyes briefly before pulling the letter out and opening it wide.
“What is it?” Ava asks in anticipation.
Dear Amelia, Welcome to Yale!
I release a loud breath, falling back onto the chair, overjoyed at the words which seal my fate. The straight A’s, and everything I did to make my college application as best as it could be, has paid off—this letter proof of exactly that.
My eyes do a doubletake before Mom’s hand rests on mine. “Congratulations, honey. You’ve worked so hard for this.”
Clearing her throat, she follows with, “Lex, would you like to say something?”
Slowly, my eyes lift to meet my father’s. Unlike Mom, who’s on the verge of tears, his reaction is the complete opposite. The hard stare and the way his hands clench against the tabletop is anything but welcoming.
Growing up with a father who also happens to run a billion-dollar empire wasn’t always easy. Sure, we had a beautiful home and nice cars—money was never an issue. But Lex Edwards is a known tycoon. His intimidating stare alone frightens anyone who dares to challenge him. All but Mom, she somehow has him under some sort of weird spell.
And being the oldest has its disadvantages. I am the guinea pig of his rules. The only saving grace has been Mom. She understands me and has often played the mediator between us. The last few years have been the hardest. We’ve had somewhat of a distant relationship, though I never truly understood why.
However, this time, I doubt he’ll listen to her.
Yale is across the other side of the country, and even though it has been my dream, my father’s slow and steady gait warns me that the battle has only begun.
I hold his stare, crossing my arms, knowing we’re about to get heated.
“I don’t expect a congratulations from you, Dad. But you, of all people, understand the importance of working hard toward your goals, unlike some other children of yours who’ll remain nameless.” I purposely ignore Ava’s roll of her eyes. “I have studied hard to get straight A’s. I don’t spend my weekends shopping or attending parties. In fact, I’ve declined almost every social invitation aside from tonight’s, which you so easily refused my attendance. I’ve done nothing but invest my time into making sure I got the results needed to get into an Ivy League school.”
His eyes soften, and perhaps, my words finally get through to him.
But, of course, my victory is only momentary. He toys with his cufflink, still wearing the suit he wore to work today. Although he has removed his jacket, his white business shirt and navy tie remain. Steadily, his gaze fixates on mine. The emerald-green orb’s I’ve grown so accustomed to are slowly shifting to a darker shade.
“Congratulations, Amelia. You have worked hard to achieve the result you desired,” he says in a significantly neutral tone, “But I’m sorry, you’ll not be moving across the country.”
Pushing his chair out, he stands up, his tall stature demanding attention. “You’ve got other excellent choices. I suggest you pick one of them.”
And just like
that, he exits the room, an audible breath expelling as the reality of his words begins to sink in.
Everything I’ve worked so hard for seems impossible to attain because of the one man who controls my life.
Lex Edwards.
My father.
Two
Amelia
“Millie, can you imagine all the hot college guys?”
Ava jumps onto my bed, causing the mattress to shuffle and disturb my momentary silence. Her golden-brown hair falls messily against the lavender bedspread, and the scent of her cherry-flavored gum lingers in the air between us.
“California guys, since it’s obvious where I’m going,” I answer bitterly.
Beside me, Ava lays on her back, hands resting on her exposed stomach as we both stare at the ceiling. “He’ll come around.”
I rub my eyes, letting out a frustrated breath. “Maybe with you. He treats me differently.”
“Well, it’s not exactly like you make an effort with him either.”
“Two-way street,” I quickly inform her. “You’re his favorite.”
I recall a childhood full of great memories, and given our closeness in age, the two of us were inseparable. I’d been dubbed the so-called daredevil in my earlier years, never a moment of fear as I jumped off things, out of things, rode my bike at a fast speed without a care in the world. Ava and Andy were unfortunate that I bullied them with my overbearing ways, and on more than one occasion, I dared them to do things that landed us all in trouble.