Chapter 44 A New Plot

The next morning Isabel shook as she paced in the living room. She was so angry but she had to keep it together. She tapped the packet of pictures against her leg and waited. She needed to get Melissa and May on board in order for this to work. Erin had completely betrayed her and now Isabel was living in a tiny four-bedroom house on the edge of town. Anna was not going to get away with this.
“Darling,” Melissa said with a sad look as she walked into the room and held her hands out to her. “You’ve had an awful time, I’ve been so worried about you.”
“I have,” Isabel said as she hugged Melissa “you don’t know how awful it has been living in such squalor.”
“It must be horrifying, how many bedrooms did you say you had?”
“Four,” Isabel said quietly as they sat on the couch. She wiped away a tear and grabbed Melissa’s hand “It’s practically a ghetto.”
“I can’t imagine dear, how can I help you?”
“Well I wouldn’t ask, but it’s just that I love your family so much that I wanted to share this information.”
“What information is that?”
“Well, these pictures came to me anonymously with a note and I wanted to show them to you seeing as they were of a family member.”
“What family member?” Melissa asked sitting up straighter.
“Here you take a look.”
Melissa opened the manila envelope and pulled out the prints. She opened her mouth and gasped but when she looked up at Isabel a calculating gleam had entered her eyes.
“You see why I was concerned?” Isabel asked with a smile.
“oh I see completely,” Melissa said as she smiled and tapped the envelope against her mouth s she thought about what to do. Her mouth spread into a wicked smile as she texted May.
***
Anna knocked on the door of John's office and slipped inside as the sun was setting over the horizon. John was leaning back in his chair with his eyes closed. He looked tired but Anna knew he had to work late tonight to finish a contract.
“Sweetheart, how are you?”
John cracked his eyes open and smiled at her motioning her closer. “I’m tired, but I can’t wait to finish this so I can get home to you.”
“You know I’ll be waiting.” She said softly as she slid onto his lap. Her hands laced into his hair and she pulled his head back so she could kiss him.
“why do you think I’m trying to get home so fast?”
“Oh really?”
“Absolutely, the thought of you all warm from the bath and smelling like lavender in our bed always makes me motivated.”
“Motivated huh?” she asked as she tickled his face with her hair.
“Very,” he said softly as he pulled the hair back and began kissing down her neck. Anna moaned with every touch of his warm mouth on her heated skin. She arched giving him all access. “Let me show you.”
“I don’t know, “She moaned breathlessly as his hand crept under her skirt. “I think you have too much work to do.”
“I have plenty of time.” He growled as his hand ran lazily along her panties. He teased her legs open and felt her tense as he moved his fingers over her. The material was soaked and she heard her own breath slipping out harshly as he pushed it aside.
“John,” She moaned breathlessly. “Anyone could walk in.”
“I don’t really care.”
His fingers moved over her and she screamed against his ear as the wave took her. “John.” She moaned softly as he rocked her.
“It’s okay baby,” he said softly as she trembled in his arms “I’ve got you.”
She reached for the zipper of his pants but he pulled her hands away gently. “No this is just for you.”
Anna kissed him and curled up against him as her breathing settled down. He stroked her hair and held her as the last of the colors of the sunset faded from the wall. He gently cleaned her up and then tucked her against him on the couch.
“I wish you could come home with me.” She said with a sigh “We could finish this in our own bed.”
“ I would like nothing more beautiful but I have to finish this.”
“Well, I’ll tell you what, you finish this and then come home and we’ll finish what we started. That is if you’re not too tired.”
John growled as he kissed her at the door. “I’ll show you too tired, wait till I get home.”
“Promises, promises,” She said with a smile as she walked out the door.
The drive home was long and Anna’s thoughts drifted. She drove practically on autopilot to their house. If she had been paying more attention she would have seen Isabel’s car pulling away. Anna entered the house and walked to the living room dreaming of John when a cold voice cut through the silence.
“Anna, I have something I need to talk to you about and it has to be now.”
Anna turned to Melissa dropping her keys on the hall table. “I don’t really care what you want to talk about, I’m busy.”
“Not too busy for this” Melissa said with a cruel smile as she walked over to Anna and slapped the pictures down on the hall table, “you want to see these.”
Anna looked down and gasped. There in full color was a series of pictures of her looking very much like she was making love to Anthony, even though she would never have done this. Anna didn’t know what to say.
“Not so busy now are you? Get in here before I call John and tell him over the phone.”
Anna looked at the pictures, sick to her stomach as she felt her safe world begin to crack.