Chapter 27: The Dark Before The Dawn

Anna's POV

"Enjoying your little research?" Antonio asked me as my heart sunk in my chest.

"I.. ah... I... wasn't..." I stuttered.

"You what?" His eyes aimed at me like missiles on its target. He had caught me red handed in his office and there wasn't any valid excuses I could come up with but the truth.

He wasn't the one who should be angry. The only person who supposed to be angry, was me. I had everything taken away from me and I was stuck in a life I couldn't break from or escape.

Yes, I should be the angry one.

I threw the copies at him. "That's why I'm in here! You think I wouldn't have found out about this Antonio?"

"Huh, what are you talking about?"

"Was this your plan as well?" I pointed to my stomach, indicating that I was referring to the baby.

He peered down at the scattered papers all around him. He gathered them and I watched carefully as he read through.

After a moment, his eyebrows creased together and he exhaled.

"You weren't suppose to find out about this," he said softly.

"Excuse me! How was I supposed to find out about this Antonio?! You're unbelievable. You and your father are monsters."

"Anna, I didn't know much about this until you pieced it together."

"That's bullshit! You've been CEO of my mother's company for years. You're bound to know!"

"I know my father had an affair with a rich black woman but I had no idea she was your mother and you were her beneficiary to her possessions. This is all new to me Anna!"

The tears poured down like rainfall. Antonio moved towards me.

"Please don't hurt me," I cried.

"Anna, I'm not going to hurt you. I can't hurt you."

He dropped to my level and used his thumbs to wipe my tears away. "Was that why you were speaking with Shal Marshall, so you could get back what rightfully belongs to you?"

I nodded my head yes.

"It doesn't have to come to that. I could sign everything back over to you Anna."

"You'll do that?"

"Of course I'll do that. It's yours. It wouldn't be fair to keep it away from you."

"Thank you so much Antonio."

He lifted my head up so that I was looking at him in his adorable eyes and then the unthinkable happened.

He kissed me.

The kiss slowly deepen and my eyes shut to process that he actually made the first move without any seduction from me.

"Anton..." I spoke through the kiss.

"Mmhh," he mumbled.

I didn't say anything after that. His hands traveled underneath my legs and I was scooped up like a bride in his arms.

I buried my face against his hard chest and took in his scent. He smelled like sweet cinnamon and strong lavender. Whatever his fragrance, it was heavenly and I didn't want this to fade away anytime soon.

*
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I opened my eyes when I felt my back hit the mattress. I was in his master bedroom and he was looking at me with a smile on his face.

"Hey."

"Hey," I answered and the smile came again. He gently pulled me upwards and wrapped me up for a hug.

"Antonio, what's happening?"
It was a silly question but that escalated rather quickly and I was beginning to get lost.

"I'll be honest with you Anna. I can't get you out of my head. I know I'm married and I love Melissa but there's just something about you that I can't shake off," he explained.

It wasn't an explanation to dance and jig about because as he said, h was married and he loved Melissa. I wasn't about to have him to myself but piece of Antonio was better than no Antonio.

We kissed again. He moved his lips to my neck and gently trailed and cover it with kisses. I couldn't control the moaning noises that escaped my lips when he did that.

My eyes closed in and my breathing picked up. My heart found its rightful place in my chest now and I felt like I was floating on clouds.

Antonio removed my T-shirt and exposed my black lace bra. I caught when he smiled to himself but it quickly disappeared when he moved to my pants.

"Does your leg still hurt?" he asked.

"No it doesn't."

"I'll still be careful." He studied the cast.

Oh my. This was about to happen.

This is actually going to happen between us again.

"Maybe we shouldn't," he said.

"Are you afraid of hurting me?"

"No, that's not it. I just think that I shouldn't have started this to begin with."

"Please don't say that. We both want this. You said that you can't be out of your head. Do you know why?

It's because I was meant to be there."

"Anna, you're a very beautiful woman who's seriously messed up but this isn't going to fix anything or change anything between us. I can't have you like this, you deserve happiness and you deserve someone better than me."

"I don't want someone better. I want you. I'm willing to start over and be yours. Only yours."

"I can't ask of you to do such a thing. I'm married."

"And where's your wife right now?"

He sighed heavily and handed my T-shirt back to me.

"I know you love Melissa. There wasn't any doubt about that but she walked away from you, your home and y'all marriage. She doesn't deserve you after that but I do."

"Anna, put your T-shirt back on." He got off the bed and headed for the washroom.

I put my shirt on and laid back in the bed but quickly sat back up when the bedroom door busted open.

"What the fuck! What are you doing in this bed?" Melissa asked.

Antonio must have heard her voice because he came running out of the washroom, zipping up his pants.

Her eyes immediately went to his crotch area.

"Oopss," I said with a smile.

She walked out the room but to my great surprise, he didn't rush after her.

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