Chapter 58
Anu-Ms K
“We. Are. Done,” I say, shouting at him, repeating his words.
“I thought I couldn’t live without you, but turns out that I can.
It may take years for my heart to heal and learn how to live without you, but it will learn,” I retort, exhaling.
“Baby steps,” I mutter to myself, something I’ve been reminding myself of lately.
“I appreciate everything you did with Teni, but we have come to the end of our road, and we must say goodbye. You need not worry. I’ll be leaving Chicago soon, so our paths will never cross again,” I solemnly state.
His face creases into a deep frown, and I notice the worry lines etched into his brow.
“Anu, please forgive me. Give me another chance.” His pleading words fall on deaf ears as I scoff at him.
Averting eye contact, I recoil from his touch and notice the disappointment on his face, but right now, I choose me first. A gentle touch from him is all it takes to make me agree to all his terms, even though I should be running to the hills.
“What we had was all or nothing.” I pause.
“We had all before.” I catch my breath for moment.
“Now, there’s nothing. There’s no halfway or in between.
” I pause from my vehement words and emotions.
“I don’t hate you. We had a good time, and I’ve mentally accepted my dad’s offer.
It all worked out for the best,” I say in a calm voice, and a shrug, maintaining my defiance stance, with a straight face, even as I shatter inside.
He frowns at me.
“You can’t do that,” he shouts in my face.
“Pretty sure I can,” I challenge in a dulcet tone, a stark contrast to his shouts. “Last I checked, I have every right to make decisions for myself.”
“You can’t, because you love me, and I love you.” His voice is heated.
“Sometimes love isn’t enough,” I answer succinctly.
“It is for us, Anu.”
He tries to touch me, and I shriek from him. His exasperation is obvious.
“What can I do, Anu, to earn your forgiveness? Please, tell me. I’ll do anything. Tell me what to do,” he asks, and I hear the plea in his voice. Yet, it all upsets me rather than appease me.
“If you want my goddamn forgiveness, you will be on your fucking knees, and since we both know you are too proud for that, you can stop asking me for another chance, We. Are. Over,” I vehemently state and turn to leave. He forcefully grabs me, and I watch him slide to his knees.
Daniel on his knees makes me freeze in place.
“I want your forgiveness and another chance.” His voice is gentle.
I was certain Daniel would never get on his knees, but here he is before me.
“I’m sorry, Anu, for the pain I caused you.”
“Teni was the architect of the hurt,” I say, breaking from the ice sculpture I’d become.
“But you…” I try to pull from his hold, but he won’t let go.
“You…” I choke on the word as my heart tightens and I force back the tears that are threatening to fall.
“…inflicted the worst pain possible when you didn’t believe me and broke my heart,” I say, fighting the tears and the hurt trying to charge through me again.
“I know, and I’m profoundly sorry,” he says.
“Can you just get up?” I say, wiping the traitorous tear that fell.
“Not until you tell me I’m forgiven.”
I eye him for a second.
“Where did you go after you left that morning?” I ask instead; my inner bad angel likes him on his knees. She wants to make a shit load of demand.
“I came here angry. Broke a few things, screamed at no one. Drank lots of alcohol then called Zack to come and get me back to you.”
“Why did you go back to our apartment?” I ask. She’s now pushing me.
“I missed you, and I told myself that I’d forgiven you and we would talk it out. I slept on the sofa, waiting for you to come home.”
What?! He loves his fancy bed.
“You slept on the sofa? You hate that sofa.” I stare at him in disbelief, and can’t seem to picture him sleeping on the sofa.
“I was too wasted to notice any difference.”
A soft crackle escapes me despite my anger.
“Get up, Daniel.” My good angel is back in charge.
“Am I forgiven?”
I want to say maybe but I know him. He won’t let it go.
“Yes.” He’s on his feet so fast and has me wrapped up in his arms. “I missed you, and I’m sorry, Princess,” he whispers in my ears.
My body softens against him as I wrap my arms around him.
“I missed you too,” I utter.
I want to remain angry at him; however, I love him too.
It truly is a downfall that I must accept when it comes to him.
Though, for now, I remain guarded because, if ever there’s one thing to be said about Daniel, he can be relentless when he wants something.
I know for a fact he has studied my body like a scripture, and he knows how to worship at the altar of my pussy, and each time he comes to worship, I reward him my orgasm and no restraints.
Whatever the reality or fantasy is: I’m the worshipper, not him. Now I need to take a step back and think about where we truly stand.
We stand, holding each other, not speaking because, in that silence, we know Teni was the earthquake that shook the core of our love, and we both know what we almost lost and the gravity isn’t lost on us. Tension leaves my body. I force back the tears as he holds me tighter.
“I’ll never walk out like that again, I promise.” I nod with my head on his chest. “Are you okay?” he asks.
“Just tired. I need to go to bed,” I say, sniffing. He pulls from the hug but doesn’t let go of my hand as he heads to his room.
Inside the room, he lets go of my hand and goes to his closet and returns with a shirt for me.
Without words, I remove my T-shirt, shorts and bra and put his shirt on, loving the feel of it on my skin again. He pulls the sheet, and I get in bed. He comes to kiss my forehead and turns to leave. I want him to hold me.
“Are you coming back?”
He smiles.
“Yes, princess, in a few minutes.”
I nod and turn to my side. He kisses me again.