My Thug Bride

Katherine Summers
 Copyright © 2020 Katherine Summers

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living
or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or
by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written
permission of the author.

For any queries, write to: author.katsummers@gmail.com

ISBN-13: 9781234567890
ISBN-10: 1477123456

Cover design by: Art Painter

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309
Printed in the United States of America
 Contents
 
Title Page
Copyright
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
Epilogue (1)
Epilogue (2)
Afterword
 Chapter 1
Henry Hathaway

March, 2020.
Anna Fucking Reeves.
Have you ever looked at someone and just known in your bones that they
were not for you? I have. That person for me was Anna. When I first saw
her, she was wobbling out of a cheap bar, dressed in a pair of tight ripped
jeans and a loose, off-shoulder orange top. I still have trouble trying to
forget how she looked that day. It was because not many women around me
have the guts that Anna has. Even back then, she was alone at two in the
morning, dead drunk, barely able to walk. She stood in an alleyway where I
had ended up by chance. I still remember that day.
I will always remember it.
I was behind the wheels in my car, watching out against anything and
everything that moved. I had had a long day, and there was someone whom
I had to meet in private. I am a lawyer and this was during a time when my
business wasn’t going so well. The Hathaway & Brown Partners was not
what it is now. It took a lot of effort from me and my partner, but we are the
most sought after law firm today.
But those were difficult times. A high profile client had requested us, to
our surprise and asked to meet me in a less than ideal situation. A
reasonable man would have denied it, of course, a desperate man did not.
So there I was, in the dead of the night, parked in a dark and dangerous
looking alley.
And out came the wobbling Anna.
I had seen a dingy looking bar right at the corner, so I knew this drunk
woman had to be coming from there. Half my heart had beaten ferociously.
I have seen enough porno to know what could possibly go down here.
But I was also alert.
While Anna was fumbling for something in her bag – maybe her phone –
I decided I needed to be a little more inconspicuous. You see, from where I
was parked, she could see me. And I didn’t want her to. More than that, I
didn’t want to see what she was up to.
I remember praying silently for my client to come sooner.
While I turned on the ignition and was about to roll back, she wobbled all
the more. Her heels must have been killing her and I was right to think she
was looking for her phone. She finally pulled it out but not before thumping
her chest and turning to the side to puke her guts out.
I groaned. This was a disaster.
Should I go out? Did she need help? I didn’t want any trouble at this
point.
I pulled back, but I wanted to keep her in sight. It didn’t look like she was
there with a man or doing anything illegal – I decided to watch her in case
things went south. After relieving herself, she flopped on her knees and
took deep breaths.
It was then that a shadow moved.
I don’t remember seeing much. The shock from that day still shakes me.
I didn’t even see it coming but someone moved behind her. I didn’t see
them, I swear I didn’t, but I saw her. This woman – this complete haggard
looking mess – stood up on her staggering feet. And before I could breathe,
she landed a backward kick. It all happened within a split second because
what I saw next was her stepping back to lean against the wall. And before
her, a man fell, crouching on his knees.
His painful groan echoed through the night. She had kicked him right in
the crotch.
I practically pissed my pants. My heartbeat rocketed and I wanted to turn
around and drive away, but she kept me hooked. It was like watching a very
messy version of Batman live.
My analogy is wrong, I agree. But that’s what I had thought at that time. I
couldn’t even see the battle before me. She was that fast. And just like that,
she beat up two more guys who emerged out of nowhere.
She was sort of cool.
But I’m a lawyer by profession. My boyish fascination for coolness could
not outwit me even then, and very soon I had turned the engines of my car.
All of this was against the law, and I was leaving.
It was then that my phone rang. I saw the number of my client and a
swear escaped my lips.
Fuck you. I remember thinking. Fuck you a thousand times over.
But I picked up.
Somebody coughed and then panted into the phone. It was female.
“Don’t you dare fucking leave. I will find you and I will kill you if you do.”
Oh, yes.
The floor slipped from beneath my feet, and I was met with enraged,
fiery green eyes glaring at me from a good distance. She couldn’t see me,
but of course with those fighting senses, she knew where I was.
Yes.
My secret client turned out to be Anna Fucking Reeves that night.

Anna Reeves
I had never been so fucking angry. I mean I’m usually very angry as a
person, my dad says I’m a natural rebel. Doesn’t mean it’s always
meaningful. Most of it can come from just a simple characteristic of mine:
I’m headstrong. And I do what I want.
A high schooler’s line, but it has been my motto ever since I heard it: My
life, my rules.
I’m Anna Hathaway… Anna Reeves, actually. The becoming of the
Hathaway is what this fuss is all about.
The first time I met Henry was three years ago on a fateful night. It’s a
hilarious encounter from what I can remember of it. Henry says he will
never forget it. I keep telling him to let it go. He can’t.
He’s a wuss. He always has been.
And now that we stand with each other all these years later, I can’t help
but keep thinking. What made me fall for this man? We’re making
decisions that can uproot our lives. And yet, here we are anyway.
My story begins when I was adopted into the Reeves family. I was
thirteen. I was an orphan. With serious anger issues that showed up when I
turned five and slammed a boy’s head against an iron window. In my
defense he was bullying my best friend. She turned out to be a bitch, but
that’s a different story. I was circulated around foster families since then –
until Markian Reeves decided I was disturbed enough to adopt.
Markian is the Chairman of RDesigns and I am his social project.
I don’t mind that. Whatever the reason, he gave me a comfortable life.
Better than the one I had experienced for thirteen years. When I met Henry,
it had already been ten years since I had been living with Markian. Being
the business God he is, I am part of Markian’s share of corporate social
responsibility. That’s what I think.
He of course, thinks he loves me. I’m his prodigal daughter.
I’ll be honest though. I think I love him too. Part of the reason why will
always be Henry. Henry… how do I put it? It’s funny. Despite how fucked
up Henry and I are, when I met him for the first time, he was just a funny,
annoying ass. Like, when it all started, I’d never felt so angry before. I was
fuming on that night, three years ago.
I had just cleaned up a disturbing mess. Fought off three of my former
underlings. I was there to help Henry out with a rather lucrative offer which
he totally didn’t deserve. And what did he choose to do?
Run away.
I couldn’t believe my eyes back then. What a jerk! Here a lady was,
fighting her shapely ass off, and this man chose to turn away with his car.
He forced me to finish quickly. I beat up my rowdy underlings and called
Henry Hathaway. His name was as unimpressive as his physique.
I threatened him, “Don’t you dare fucking leave. I will find you and I will
kill you if you do.” The least he could have done was given a drunk
helpless girl a ride home.
But yeah. Talk about foolishness. I threatened a lawyer, literally.
In my defense again, I was angry. I dashed for the car, though I couldn’t
see his face. I knocked at the windshield and waited for him. God knows I
was fuming. What sort of a man runs when a girl is in trouble?
Henry now teases me, “It was a girl beating up grown men in a dark
alley. You get your facts straight.” I take his point. But back then, I
remember being annoyed. When I faced him, it took him a good two
minutes to react.
He rolled down his window.
Square jaw, lean and handsome face. Eyes that of a sea, blue and rather
pretty. His body was unflattering from what I could see of it. And he was
scared as shit.
 I rolled my eyes.
Fine. He won. He was a scaredy cat. My mistake.
I brushed through my bag for a paper. He practically looked ready to piss
his pants, he wouldn’t even maintain eye contact. No wonder he was failing
as a lawyer.
When I found my paper, I scribbled down my address and slammed it on
his half open window. Then, I turned around to leave.
You see, I have rules. I fight, but I’m not a bully. Man or woman, I make
it a point to spare the weak. Not because I’m a hero, but because
helplessness of any sort makes me terribly angry.
And that is how my first encounter with Henry went. Unflattering, right?
But he is the man I fell in love with.
The man I stand with now, wondering how in the world we found each
other. Three years… not that long a period of time. And yet it seems like
ages have passed. I don’t know what havoc our choices would bring along.
I hope we’re ready for it.
We, as the millennials would say these days, might be a classic case of
not meant to be. Or we could be lovers of the century.
That’s all that it is. Though I do want to retell this story from the
beginning.
Henry does too. I know.
I hope we get it right this time around.
 Chapter 2
Henry

November, 2016.
I am Henry Hathaway. Twenty seven years old, a lawyer with a firm that
doesn’t have any notable clients or cases, easily put. I do come from a
wealthy family though. My father is the Chairman of the Hathaway
Constructions, and my mother is a psychiatrist. I have a crazy family, but
I’m also one of those lucky men who never really faced a lot of struggle.
Good for you, you might think. It isn’t.
I mean, I did choose struggle whenever I could. Which was why I was
there last night to meet Anna Reeves. Which is also why I’m here in her
living room right now, scared as a reasonable fucking man should be.
Out of all the people, she had turned out to be the one hiring me. I knew I
was being asked for by the Chairman of RDesigns which was why I had
undergone all the trouble. A high profile client that I had landed on my own
was just what the firm and my pride needed. But as it turned out, his
daughter was the one who had asked for me, not him.
Anyway, as Phoebe Buffay from Friends would put it, Potato potahto.
It didn’t matter who from RDesigns called me. It mattered that it was
RDesigns that had called me.
I had been unable to sleep the entire night yesterday. The events of the
fight kept flashing before me. Of course I couldn’t forget Ms. Reeves’s
angry eyes. She had looked like she would murder me. It didn’t help that I
had been baffled enough to not even let her into my car. I mean, she had
given me a death threat.
Why then was I here? I did ask myself that before coming.
It was the same reason I was there in the alleyway last night at two.
 I breathed, trying to calm down. I looked around – her house was rather
plain compared to mine. I had been served a glass of water and I was
waiting for the punk girl. I had forbidden myself from thinking too much. I
did not, for the life of me, want to know why the daughter of Markian
Reeves was fighting off thugs in a street in the middle of the night.
Vigilante? Lady Batman? Or was she a thug as well?
Stop thinking!
I shrugged. I hate unpunctual people. She should have come down to
meet me sooner.
“Hathaway.”
I instantly recognized her voice. Not many people who had threatened to
put in the effort to find and kill me, you see. But she did have a knack for
pissing people off instantly. First meeting and she calls me Hathaway?
“Ms. Reeves,” I stood up and smiled. She came in dressed in the same
unflattering clothes that she had on last night. She also looked like she had
just gotten out of bed.
Oh, damn. This was annoying.
I think the smile wavered off my face because she didn’t smile back. She
sat across the table before me and motioned me to take a seat as well. I was
stiff, and my heart was racing. This woman was five foot four, but I could
read the menace in all of her figure and actions. Somehow, I didn’t want to
defy her.
She was definitely not a vigilante. No way she was Lady Batman too.
She definitely gave off a thug vibe.
“You didn’t get coffee?” she asked, looking around for a maid maybe. I
cleared my throat, “I didn’t want one actually.”
“Cool. I hate coffee too.”
You need it though. You look terribly hung over.
Remind me again that she was the daughter of a company owner?
“I don’t actually hate –“ I began. She cut me off.
“Yeah okay.”
Silence. This was awkward.
“Why’d you run last night?”
I swallowed. I really didn’t think she would bring up last night. I
assumed she was a secret thug, if she was one. Why was she talking about
this out in the open? Clearly, I didn’t think enough.
“I – I’m sorry.” I DID NOT mean it.
 “It’s okay. Scrawny ones like you usually run. Do some exercise. It’ll do
you good.”
This conversation should not be happening. I tried to cough my way out.
Of course, Anna Fucking Reeves couldn’t let it go.
“Why’re you coughing? Am I making you uncomfortable? Don’t be. It’s
just health advice. I’m not mad at you anymore. We have a long way ahead
of us so I’m letting this go.”
How magnanimous. She dared to say those words to me.
Anger swelled in me. I wasn’t so sure I wanted to work with her
anymore. I mean, worst comes to worst, I would have to ask for my father’s
help again. It wasn’t that big a deal.
I hated the idea as soon as it came to my mind. I stayed put.
“Yes, Ms. Reeves. What do you mean by a long way ahead of us though?
Why are we meeting here?”
“You want us to meet somewhere else?”
“No – I mean why did you contact me?” Why the fuck are we meeting at
all?
“Oh yes,” she was finally enlightened. It disturbed me, the way she sat,
how she was carrying herself. Brown hair, tousled and tangled, unbrushed.
Literally just out of bed. She hadn’t even pretended to care about her
appearance. I mean frankly, it was a little disrespectful.
“You see,” she finally got a serious look on her face, “I want you to file a
case for me.”
“Against?”
“My father Markian.”
I wasn’t drinking my water, but if I was I would have spit it out. I was
right. She was nuts.
“Tell me the details, Ms. Reeves.”
I was getting out of here. There was no way I was getting involved in
some shit family feud. Another thought struck me. If this knucklehead was
planning on suing her father, whose money was she going to pay me with?
She didn’t look very capable in the job department, from what I had seen so
far.
“Call me Anna. Ms. Reeves is crap. Details… there’s not much to it.
Markian doesn’t really like how I live right now so he’s selling me off to
some business associate of his. Business expansion and get rid of the
daughter – all at once. I want to sue him for that.”
 What?
“What do you mean?” I hesitated, “Selling you off?”
“Marrying me off.”
Oh. “Is he forcing you?”
“Not really. He threatens to cut me off if I don’t go on the blind date, but
I don’t care about his money that much. I’m more worried about his health.
If I marry off and leave forever, he might die.”
Okay. This was ridiculous.
“Ms. Reeves – Anna. I don’t see a case here.”
She was agitated. She brushed the locks of hair from her face as
ruthlessly as she could and actually stomped her feet.
“Then make one,” she insisted.
“What?”
“Don’t they teach you all these smart tricks in law school? Use all of it.
You did go to law school right?”
And I’d think you graduated school. You’re making me doubt it.
“Anna,” I tried to be patient with her, “There is nothing here that you can
complain against. He’s suggesting you to get married, maybe a little more
organized in life – that’s all.” Maybe you should consider it. You need to.
“Ah,” she laid back into the sofa again, removing her glaring eyes from
me, “I remember Kurt telling me your father is a businessman too. That was
one of the reasons I hired you. I mean, you’d understand right? You’re a
born rich ass heir. Do things always go down like this in aristocratic
families?”
Rich ass heir.
I shrugged. I was a moron. I should not have conceded to the ridiculous
demand of meeting the client at two in the night. I should not have come to
listen to this woman talk. But what could I expect? I was inspired by
Daredevil, honestly. He went in search of cases as a flop lawyer. I had used
that.
This was a disaster though.
“Well… I don’t know your family situation Anna, but –“
“Oh, it’s like this –“
“I – I mean, you don’t have to tell me.” I really don’t want to know. “But
I think we’re done here. There’s no case, and I think you should listen to
your father as well.”
 She dipped further into the sofa, “Okay. I won’t pretend to be the gallant
daughter. It’s true I don’t want to marry some jackass. I’m worried about
Markian, but I’m very concerned about me too. Make it stop, please.”
The please got me.
It would have made more sense if she had threatened me to take the case.
But I remained seated because she started to seem depressed. And I have a
heart, never mind a very fearful one right now.
“I still think you should talk to Mr. Reeves. Suing him for something that
hasn’t even happened is a bit extreme.”
“I’m not going to drag him to court. Just a threat of sorts. He receives so
many summons from the court anyway. Mine should at least warn him that
I’m serious, right?”
“Like I said, there is no case. But I am curious about something.”
“Yes?”
“Why do you want me to help you? How did you find me?”
“That!” Finally, the corners of her mouth lifted into a flimsy smile, “Peter
Brown. Your partner. I know him.”
I was confused, “Then why did you specifically ask for me?”
“Because you guys are new. That means you won’t cost much. I can pay
you out of my savings. That was the main reason. I can’t use Markian’s
money to sue Markian, that’s that. I asked for you because Brown won’t
meet with me.”
I was confused. Satisfied because I didn’t expect integrity from her, but
still confused.
“Why does Peter refuse to meet you?”
She full out laughed. It was distracting.
“Brown and I are fellow orphans. I beat him up back when I was five.
He’s been anxious around me ever since. Refuses to meet me alone at night.
So he suggested I see you.”
Oh shit no.
I couldn’t believe my ears. This woman couldn’t possibly be for real,
right?
 Chapter 3
Anna

I think I scared the living daylights out of Henry Hathaway. He looked

ready to wet his pants again. It was hilarious. Henry Hathaway is hilarious.
He took his leave as soon as he could. It’s a thing with men around me.
They’re skeptical, especially if they’ve seen me involved in something
violent. I mean, give me the benefit of the doubt now will you? I’m strong,
not a nutjob. I won’t hit you just because I can.
My second impression of Henry Hathaway was also nothing favorable.
The man was useless. All he kept saying until the end was, “There is no
case.” Fine! I know that too. But that’s what I was offering to pay you for.
Make one.
Asshole.
Anyway, he took his leave and I feel like Brown needs another punch in
the gut. The first time we fought, we were both in the Mary Greene
Orphanage. I was five, he was nine. He was bullying Kate Connor, my then
best friend. And I think I got pissed because he stepped on my ice cream
while calling me fat as well. I went a little crazy and attacked him, but the
dude tripped over a waterpipe and ended up banging his head on an iron
window rail instead.
And I got to see juvie rehab, thanks to Peter Brown and his stupidity.
I never forgave him, but the ass never apologized either.
We met again by chance when I graduated high school, and I demanded
an apology as soon as I saw him. He was scared shitless back then as well,
much like his friend Henry Hathaway was today. It’s true I guess. Wusses
do stick together.
But the problem now is, I need another plan. I was sure with the
RDesigns name and an unsuccessful lawyer, my strategy would work. This
Hathaway dude was too uptight. Too bad he was pretty.
Broad chest, kissable lips. Beautiful, beautiful eyes. I also liked how cute
his butt looked in his jeans. I must not have been thinking straight when I
thought he was unattractive last night. I might have jumped him today if I
was still drunk.
I think it was because the thought of Henry’s physique was stuck in my
brain that I didn’t realize when Markian came in. I was still lying on the
sofa and contemplating my next move, when he announced his arrival.
“Anna.”
I was pulled out of my reverie. His face stunned me for a second and my
first instinct was to feel fear. I hope he hadn’t heard me talk about my plan
to Henry. I shrugged.
“Hey dad. Morning.”
He is an old man who is probably fifty and terribly in love with his dead
wife. Rhea had passed away when I turned fourteen, which was six months
after the couple had adopted me. I don’t know how Mark was when Rhea
was around, but the servants in the house tell me he was a bright and
cheerful man back then. Now he was just somber and broody. The years had
only made him worse.
To be honest, I don’t really understand it. I think he could have moved on
if he really tried. But I wasn’t someone who could talk him through it. I
could barely talk myself through my teens.
He scowled at my state.
“Did you get drunk again Anna?”
I nodded, “Yeah.”
“I told you to stop.”
“I told you to stop too.”
“Anna, you will have to get married someday or the other. How long can
you keep living like this? You’re drunk every night. You get into trouble
every other day. You’re notorious for not being wanted. Do you know how
troublesome it was to get Shayne to agree to a marriage date for you?”
Shayne was Mark’s business associate. Shayne’s son was supposed to be
my future husband. Definitely over my grave.
I mean, it’s funny how hypocritical all of this was. Mark had spent the
last nine years of his life grieving Rhea, and here he was explaining to me
how I couldn’t survive alone. I pretty damn well could. I didn’t need
marriage to live. I thrived alone.
 “Anna.”
“I heard you.”
He was getting angry. I could see his brows furrow into a frown.
“You didn’t. Also, would you care to explain to me why Earnest
Hathaway’s son just walked out of my door?”
I flinched at that. Had he seen Henry?
My second thought of course was the names. Earnest and Henry. What
era did these gentlemen belong to?
“He’s the friend of a friend.”
I don’t think I’ve seen Mark fume so remarkably before. His nostrils
flared and he was clearly pissed, “I’m glad you didn’t get into trouble with
Henry. But you are no friend of any Hathaway, Anna. Cut him out.”
Woah. Where was this coming from?
“You and Ernie are rivals, Mark?”
“ERNIE?”
I practically laughed my ass off. They were! This was a jackpot.
“Henry’s a dear friend dad,” I said as casually I could, “I can’t just cut
him out.”
“Anna, I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Anna!”
My head hurt. I was hung over and I was having fun with this
conversation. But there was no need to yell. What is it with old gentlemen?
I like the word gentlemen.
“I can hear you perfectly fine. Why hurt your guts by hollering dad?”
He clenched his fists. I stood up and grabbed his hand. He resisted for a
minute but gave in when I pulled him to the sofa and made him sit. He gave
me a warning glare and whispered under his breath, “I hate Earnest
Hathaway. I don’t want you to stay in touch with him.”
I was done with having fun. My old man was serious, and usually I don’t
distress him. He suffers from hypertension so goading him for fun has to be
done within a limit.
I almost said okay, but he didn’t let me.
“Anna, I also want you to meet Shayne’s boy. I’ve heard he’s decent.”
“You haven’t met him?”
“You meet him first.”
Way to go.
 “Why do you want to get rid of me Mark? I don’t think I’m that huge a
liability to you.”
He predictably sulked, “You’ve never been a liability. That’s what makes
me a little sad. You stopped asking me for money when you were fifteen.
You keep getting in trouble and you keep getting out of it by yourself too.
You’ve never let me spoil you.”
“Honestly, none of that is reason to complain.”
He chuckled, “I’m not complaining. Just that if you had let me spoil you,
my threat to cut you out of my inheritance would have worked better. That’s
how the usual rich ass families and their kids work.”
Well.
Markian Reeves is a self made man. His fortune was built on effort. And
he had no kids of his own. He was pretty confused about the aristocrats’
ways of life as well. He had no experience.
My family is funny.
I called for an aspirin and he shrugged at me. I didn’t want to disappoint
him, but I agreed to go meet the dude he had found for me. Don’t get me
wrong, I was going to reject him, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t see him.
Also, some of my confidence came from Henry Hathaway.
His was a family with generations of riches. And he had downright
disliked me.
Which was hope that I might not have to reject this man I was meeting at
all.
If all went well, he would reject me instead.
 Chapter 4
Henry

“You’ve got to be shitting me!”

I am going to kill Peter Brown. At one point in my life I trusted this man
blindly. That trust went to dust when I came back from Anna Reeves’s
place today.
“I’m so sorry Henry! Man, I’m really sorry!”
Pete was running around the desk at our worn down office. I grabbed
some nachos from the bowl on the table and threw them at him. He had
been stuffing his face since yesterday while he put me out as bait. I had a 2
a.m. escapade thanks to him. And he didn’t even give me a warning as to
who I was out to meet!
My anger renewed.
I caught him by his shirt and pulled him back as he tried to make a run
for the restroom. I slapped his balding head and tried to gag him with my
arm.
“I’ll kill you! I will. Do you know how scary she was? I died twice since
last night!”
“I’m s-sorry! I’m sorry. Let me go man! I was scared too.”
“So you put me out? You asshole!”
“No, I knew she won’t hurt a stranger. She has principles you know.”
I wrestled him harder. He was making me angrier.
Peter and I have been tight since first semester of law school. He was a
half-round, gullible, lovable man until yesterday. Now he’s a sworn enemy
until I can beat him up.
We got our office 500 meters away from a Starbucks. Food is our
priority. I need to munch in order to research on cases and so does Pete. I
am the lucky guy who doesn’t need to work out too much but can stay in
shape. Probably good genes. Peter is a bit less lucky – he has to hit the gym
daily or he turns semi-round, like he has now.
We’re not tidy people so our office is a mess. Then again, we’re still
trying to land our first client so it’s okay.
I had let Peter go by now. He was gasping and trying to smack me back
but I dodged. He looked at me in defiance and said rather nastily, “I’m the
victim man. She hit me once. Then she forced me to apologize years later. I
was traumatized Henry.”
“Then you should have refused to see her at all.”
“Come on man. She’s a friend.”
That was it. I would have smacked him again but he raised his hands in
time-out and said in a rush, “I also thought it’d be great if she could land us
a case. I mean, she’s the heir of RDesigns.”
“Yeah, the company is doomed then.”
“Relax man. Let’s talk it out. I’m sorry again.”
I glared at him and threw another handful of nachos in resent. He dodged
and grinned and we ended the fight mutually.
While I was busy clearing out the desk, Peter attended a few phone calls
and made a few notes. If I have to define our relationship, only Shawn
Spencer and Gus come to mind. Psych was why I wanted to be a police
officer when I was a boy – till I realized it was dangerous work and I could
die. I could call myself the Shawn of our office, but Pete is smarter. I’m a
people’s person, I love the communication and talk. Peter is a fantastic
loner.
“Henry.”
“Yeah Pete.”
“You remember Cain from school?”
“Cain Matthews?”
“Yeah. He wants to meet us at the Green Apple restaurant. He said he
needs advice.”
I raised my brows, “On?”
“I don’t know. He said he’d talk once we agree to meet. He’s a good
guy.”
“As was Anna Reeves apparently. I’m getting skeptical about all these
random friends of yours calling us. Why don’t you tell him to come here for
a change?”
 Peter laughed, “Come on man. Anna is great, it’s just that I don’t want to
be around her. And you know Matthews. He was number one on the guys-
you’d-like-to-marry list.”
“Back in high school. And there was a list like that?”
“Sure.”
“You know a lot for a loner,” I pointed out, “it’s creepy.”
“Anyway,” Peter’s tone turned a little grimmer. I looked up, “Cain said
he was being followed so he didn’t want to be seen at a lawyer’s office. He
sounded pretty serious.”
“Does he also want us because we’re newbies?” I was being sarcastic.
“Maybe. Or maybe because we’re guys he knows. Let’s meet him Henry.
We’re free anyway.”
“When is it?”
“Tomorrow at seven.”
“Alright. But you owe me one for Anna Reeves.”
“Okay. What do you want?”
“You do the chores for the rest of the week.”
He sighed, made a face, but agreed. I smiled. Now that the ordeal was
over and there was the prospect of a new case, I felt like I could prod in.
“Peter, what is it with Anna Reeves you think? Why was she alone in that
alley fighting people off?”
Pete shrugged, “I really don’t know man. We stay in touch because she
wants to. I think she resents me for dating Kate.”
My interest sparked, “Kate Connor?”
“Yeah. We were all together at the orphanage and I used to like Kate a
lot. Remember that stupid phase where boys bully the girls they like? I did
that to Kate and apparently it pissed off Anna. She hit me, I got severely
injured and –“
I pulled up a chair and sat on it. “So Anna is your pre-school nightmare?
The woman who punched you, you tripped by mistake and she was sent off
for counselling?”
He nodded. No way.
“Dude. You have terrible luck. Tell me again why you still talk to her?”
Peter shrugged, “We met again on my high school graduation ceremony.
Kate brought her since we were seeing each other and she was still best
friends with Anna. She wanted us to bury the hatchet.”
“And you got hit again?”
 “No man! Anna pretty much asked for an apology and I gave one. We’ve
been in touch ever since.”
“How come?”
“She texts me sometimes and I reply.”
“Why?”
“It’s rude not to.”
“I mean, why does she stay in touch? You broke up with Kate years ago
and she has no reason to.”
“I don’t know man. I heard she had some heat with Kate and they ended
up fighting. Like I said Henry, she scares people shitless but Anna Reeves is
a nice girl.”
I rolled my eyes, “She called me Hathaway, even though we’ve never
met. She’s way too entitled.”
“You didn’t even pretend to give her a ride last night. You’re kinda
even.”
“Pete?”
“Yeah.”
“How do you know that?”
“I told you she texts me.”
Unbelievable.
I would have kicked his ass, but I instead reached out for his mobile
phone which was lying on the desk. I knew his password.
“You’re dead to me if you like her Peter Brown.”
Peter didn’t try to stop me. He did say in exasperation, “I was scared
enough when she asked to meet at two in the night to tell her I would send
you instead. Like her, my ass.”
“Isn’t it weird though? Why did she want to meet so late? And what the
heck did she even want?”
“I don’t know. Since it’s not our concern anymore, let it go. Her number
is saved under Gangsta.”
I let the phone go.
“I knew it!” I exclaimed, “She might be the heir of RDesigns but she is a
thug!”
“She is.”
Somehow, I didn’t want to know what she had said about me anymore.
It’s not like I could say anything back. I didn’t have the guts to.
“What sort of stuff is she involved in?”
 “Cut it out man. About Matthews –“
“I wonder what kind of sorry ass she is getting married to,” I whispered
under my breath, distracted but actually afraid.
 Chapter 5
Anna

I knew Markian was going to make a fuss out of it, but I had no idea he
would be so extreme. He stood watch outside my door while a maid helped
me dress up according to the occasion. Ten years with me and Mark still
underestimated my capabilities. He probably didn’t take into account that I
could change in a restroom on the way. I won’t because it wasn’t worth the
effort.
So I obliged Mark.
I put on a shimmering black cocktail dress and paired it with gold heels
and gold ear studs. I’m not especially gorgeous, I have an ordinary face and
I don’t use much make up. I look older than my years. I’m twenty three but
you could mistake me for a thirty something year old. Makeup doesn’t
really help a lot or maybe I just haven’t cared enough to learn the art. Sarah,
my househelp says it’s the latter. I don’t disagree.
I’m pretty when I dress up though. I’ll give myself that.
This was my first marriage date but I wasn’t nervous. I’ve been avoiding
these arrangements for quite some months but Markian lost his temper this
time around when I returned home with some injuries. I have my doubt
about his common sense sometimes. How is me getting married going to
help me become responsible as he puts it? I’m going to change overnight
because I marry a dude?
What is this dude going to be? Jesus?
I shrugged. No point thinking about it.
When I came out of my dressing room, Markian acted like a proper
father and looked at me rather tenderly. Sarah stood beside me, liking what
she had done to my appearance all over. I knew I was looking nice, but
when the reactions around me are so exaggerated it kind of pisses me off.
 Like… how ugly do these people find me normally?
I think I’m average. They’re in trouble if they think otherwise.
“I love these moments when you look like a woman,” Markian sighed,
“You’re stunning honey.”
“Thanks dad.”
“Don’t cause trouble. Don’t be terribly rude. And… try to not be very
open about your… uh, passions.”
My street life, basically.
“Yes Mark. I’ll be off now.”
“Tell the driver I need you home by midnight.”
I smirked at that, “Why? The Cinderella story starts at that time.”
“Whatever. By twelve, Anna.”
“Yes dad.” I’ll be back in a half hour if you want me to.
I was driven to the Green Apple restaurant. I already had my doubts
about this man who had invited me to a place named after a light vodka. I
texted my exact emotions to my group of close friends on Whatsapp, Kelly
and Shinoda basically. They’re both overseas so this is the only way to keep
in contact. We bitch together about whatever is wrong in our lives. It’s
pretty damn amazing to find people whose thought process matches your
own. It just makes venting so much more easier.
I typed, [Guess where I’m headed? It’s called Green Apple.]
Shinoda was the first to reply, [For real? Vodka?]
[Future husband, guys. Show some respect.] I added a winking emoji.
[You make me sad An.]
Kelly hopped in, [Want me to scare him? I’ll be your lesbian lover. Easy
breezy babe.] Heart.
I laughed out loud because I could imagine Shinoda’s grumbling face. He
was quick to reply, [Gross girls.]
I typed, [I think we’d be hot.]
Kelly agreed, [Totally. Any way you can send me pictures of him hon?]
I shrugged. No way in hell.
Our banter went on and it ended when I reached my vodka shot place. I
had arrived ten minutes early so it was all good. I practiced in my head on
what to say but lady luck wasn’t really on my side. The boy I was meeting
was fifteen minutes earlier so that actually made me five minutes late.
I had to hand it over to dad. Ray Elliot was HOT. He was seated in a
corner of the place like a figure carved out of sparkling marble. He was
beautiful like a wedding picture and handsome enough to make someone
drool. My first instinct was to think, “Wow. With those looks he should be
dating every woman in town.”
Why the heck was he meeting me for an arranged marriage?
He was dark haired with black eyes, and eyebrows so thick they made me
wonder if he had had a transplant. He was beautiful, I’ll say again. Enough
to make me forget what I was there to say. So I coughed instead and made
my presence known.
“Oh,” he said rather softly, “Anna Reeves?”
Sadly, yes. I’m not one to feel any complexes but this man made me feel
lousy for wanting to reject him. Should I not?
Oh come on Anna. Keep it in your pants. There was a reason why I had
gotten into so much trouble since two nights before.
“Yes. Ray Elliot I believe?”
We shook hands. His were gentle and distracting. I breathed deeply.
While I took my seat, he took a casual look at me and averted his eyes. I
grew a little conscious, but I looked away as well. Alright. Relax. It doesn’t
matter how he looks. My insides told me to go all out, scare him right off
the bat. But apparently I am not so badass as I think I am.
I made small talk. And I placed an order. He followed suit.
“You look pretty,” he mentioned lightly.
“Ah ha. You too.” I replied.
The thing about me is, I fawn over people and pretty things alike. And
my fascination lasts for about ten minutes at most. My heart will race, I will
want them, and then after turning around to look at the thing or person, I
suddenly feel a detachment. Then, I’ll move on.
It’s strange really.
The same happened with Ray Elliot too. He was gorgeous but he turned
me off fast. He was quiet and gave off a condescending vibe. I suppose he
was forced to come here as well. That was a load off my chest and I started
to relax enough to act naturally.
“So, uh… Anna. Can I call you Anna?”
“Sure.”
“What are your hobbies?”
It made me chuckle, “I’m sure you’ve heard plenty about them.”
He turned a little red and I concentrated on the pasta. Green Apple wasn’t
half bad. I’d bring Kelly and Shinoda here the next time they come back. I
really wanted them to hook up too. With each other or with other people.
The both of them were classic nerds. They’d be great as a couple though.
They were one of those people who were obsessed with each other under
the guise of being good friends. They couldn’t breathe if the other ever got
hurt.
My head was all over the place as the tirade with Ray Elliot dragged on.
He didn’t tell me he wasn’t into me, and I didn’t want to do it first because
well, I didn’t want any trouble with Markian. Maybe Ray didn’t want any
trouble with his dad either. Which again brought me to my first question.
Why was this handsome a dude in a marriage meeting? Shouldn’t he be
having a girlfriend?
And then, the strangest thing in my life happened. While I was dreaming
about two of my best friends getting together, someone stepped up to our
table.
Guess who it was?
“Cain, my man! Long time no see.”
The voice was familiar so I looked up. It was Peter Brown smacking the
back of my date-boy. Beside him stood a smiling Henry Hathaway.
“We thought we’d have an early dinner,” Brown said, “so Henry and I
came two hours before. How come you’re here early too? We’re not
supposed to meet until seven.”
Well, I’ll be damned.
I let go of my fork and laid back easily in my chair. I crossed my arms
over my chest. Ray Elliot looked visibly uncomfortable as he smiled at
Brown. Brown ignored my existence but Hathaway was a little more
diligent, I’d say.
“Sorry man,” Hathaway soon said to Ray, nudging Brown in the sides at
the same time, trying to point at me through his eyes, “We didn’t mean to
disturb you in the middle of your date. We can talk when you’re done.” He
fixed his eyes on me, “Hey. I’m Henry Hathaway. Cain and I went to the
same high school.”
Hah. Really?
I smiled. This was a dramatic turn of events and I liked it. “Anna Reeves,
Mr. Hathaway,” I said rather smugly, “This man however is not called Cain.
As far as he has told me, of course.”
Ray Elliot visibly paled, making my smirk widen.
 So this man who had come to meet me… Cain wasn’t his middle name
either. Which meant he was here filling in the shoes of the original Ray
Elliot.
This was classic.
Henry’s eyeballs could have fallen to the floor while Brown looked at me
and then at Ray in horror. He gasped and enclosed his mouth which flew
open wide. He looked at Ray and whispered, “Cain, what about Martha?
You told me you were getting married! Why are you here on a date with
Reeves?”
Alright. So this dude was named Cain and he was the one who was
getting married. It all fell into place now.
The beautiful but fake Ray Elliot had turned apple red while Henry
Hathaway refused to take his eyes off me. I took in a deep breath, very very
relieved. Now, I didn’t have to land up in any sort of mess. I concentrated
on my fake date.
“Ray… Cain. What’s your real name?” I asked.
He stammered and stood up, almost stumbled. Fear washed across his
features and he pulled back his chair in a hurry.
Such a waste of beauty. This one was a douchebag.
“I’m sorry Ms. Reeves – “
“Anna.”
“Y-Yes, Anna. I know this is terribly rude but –“
I cut him off again. My insides let go and I dropped all façade of good
manner, “I asked for your name.”
He blushed harder. Brown was looking at the two of us incredulously
now while Henry Hathaway was just being a jerk. Stop staring, jackass.
Fake Ray Elliot averted his eyes, “Cain Matthews,” he whispered.
“I’m assuming the real Elliot sent you?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did you agree? From what Brown said you’re about to get
married.” I mean, isn’t this considered cheating? I don’t know about true
love, but if my fiancé was out on a date with some other girl, I would kick
his sorry ass to the end of the world.
I asked, and was answered. I also ended up hearing the most stupid
fucking reason possible for a man to agree to an arrangement of this sort.
After five minutes of interrogation, I had lost my former amusement.
I was annoyed.
 It must be true, most pretty people were no-brainers. I’m judging, but
considering the circumstances, I can hardly help it.
I stood up from the table and took my leave. Frankly, by the end of it, I
was feeling a little hurt.
I know, I know it doesn’t make sense. I had come here to outrightly reject
a man I didn’t even know. But he hadn’t even had the courtesy to show up. I
tried to tell myself that it wasn’t because of me.
But that’s how people work, right?
You feel hurt by the stupidest of things. And you assume it’s all about
you even if it’s not.
Feelings like that.
I hate them.
 Chapter 6
Henry

I have no words.
It was like watching a contorted romantic comedy. Only I didn’t know
who the leads were, and it went downhill pretty soon. I don’t know how any
other woman would have taken it. But one thing was for sure, Anna Reeves
had guts.
She was sporty and she was brave.
I must be crazy to have felt this way. She was the same Anna Reeves
who had scared me senseless a day before. And yet, I couldn’t help the
sympathy that rose in me. She had come out on a marriage date, which
meant she had dropped her ridiculous plan of suing her father, only to be
ditched by the man she was supposed to meet.
I mean… this Ray Elliot. Whoever the fuck he was, he could have had
the decency to refuse her in person, right?
Frankly, I wouldn’t marry Anna either, but I would not treat her like this.
Or any other woman for that matter.
My brain must hate me because immediately, the night I had first seen
Anna Reeves flashed in my head. I had refused to let her into the car or
even step out for a conversation.
Wait. Could she have bullied the real Elliot in the past as well? Was that
why he was scared to come? She had bullied Brown. She had scared me.
Now we were all gathered here at one place.
Maybe it was a small world. And maybe she had gone around to beat up
mostly everyone in it.
Anyway, all things put aside, I lost my good impression of Cain
Matthews fast. I had no idea he could be so dumb. High schoolers often end
up being charmed by idiots, I concluded.
 It was stupid to watch him explain to Anna why he was duping his
identity. Shayne Elliot – Ray Elliot’s father – was on the board of directors
of RDesigns. RDesigns is the leading manufacturer of clothes for men and
women in their twenties/thirties. Their clothes are trendy and very
expensive.
Our friend Cain Matthews is getting married to his girlfriend Martha who
wanted her wedding dress to be custom made. That would be expensive as
fuck and the original Ray Elliot cut Cain a deal. An affordable dress for the
bride, made by RDesigns itself. He had inside access, courtesy of his father.
Does this get any stupider?
Apparently, the one to convince Cain to show up in Ray’s place was his
fiancé Martha herself. “It’s just to tell the girl you’re sorry,” she told him –
as Cain put it.
This is even stupider when I considered that the one they were convinced
into rejecting was the daughter of the Chairman of RDesigns itself.
Real Ray Elliot played the idiot couple rather nicely.
Once Anna decided to tell her dad what had happened though, there was
no way the bride was getting her custom-made dress. It would lead to an
inside war in the company too – a battle of pride within the conglomerate.
I was torn between congratulating real Ray Elliot and rolling my eyes. He
was a genius and a moron.
I was knocked back to my senses when I saw Anna get up and leave. I
didn’t want to check her out, but my eyes landed on her back and I was
enticed by the gentle sway of her hips when she moved.
The other thing that had taken me by surprise today.
Anna Reeves.
I hadn’t recognized her on first look. I had even introduced myself to her
like a fool and offered my hand for a greeting. I won’t forget her smirk.
Ever.
My cheeks grew hot and I blushed in embarrassment.
I had a habit of making a fool out of myself whenever I met Anna. Truth
be told though, this event was not my fault. She was fucking pretty
compared to the version of her that I had met twice before. If someone had
told me yesterday that Anna Reeves could pull off a dress like that and
appear a lady, I would have laughed in their face.
I think I stared at her for quite some time too. Out of shock, I assume.
I’m also afraid it was out of a tidbit of fascination.
 So when she walked out of the restaurant, I followed.
It’s true. Ridiculous, but I was worried about her.
It must be men like me who end up digging their own graves. Because in
that moment the thought of her beating up three grown guys only two nights
before did not occur to me at all. And I am supposed to be a lawyer.
Pete didn’t stop me either. I guess he was worried as well, since he really
didn’t dislike Anna from what I could tell from our conversation before.
Anna Reeves surprised me when I followed her out.
I thought she’d be headed home, but there was an outside staircase that
lead to a bar above the restaurant. She went up. And I followed hurriedly
because I knew what drunk Anna was like. A little bit.             
She ordered scotch on the rocks while I watched her from a distance. I
hesitated. What would I tell her? Why was I there? But she was Anna.
I was thinking too much. Of course she had sensed me follow her. She
turned around on her stool expertly and gave me a knowing look. I
swallowed.
She invited, “Come on.”
I don’t know why my head muddled. It could be the dim lighting of the
bar. It could be her dress which hugged every curve of her body. It could
also be her slightly parted lips and her slight smile when she invited me
over.
I swallowed again.
I took a seat on the stool beside her and ordered the same drink. She
checked me out with interest before she whispered, “Why are you here
Hathaway?”
I found my voice. Concentrate. “I guess I was worried.”
“About?”
“You.”
“Is it pity you’re feeling, Hathaway?”
“No.” Not if you put it like that.
I mean, I thought it was. But I’m not so sure right now.
She smirked, “Liar. I am open to sympathy though. I could use it right
now.”
“Sad?”
“Nah. More like… disappointed.”
“In?”
“Dad’s choice.”
 I chuckled. Our drinks arrived and we clinked glasses before she gulped
hers down in one go. She asked for a second.
“I know Cain from high school,” I mentioned.
“You told me before.”
“Yeah. I mean… I’m sorry on his behalf, as a man. I’m also sorry the guy
you were supposed to meet turned out to be such a jerk.”
She smiled, “It’s stupid to apologize for others, Hathaway. As far as jerks
go, I’m used to them.”
“You shouldn’t have to be.”
“Ah ha. I agree. It gets a little tiring if you meet them on a daily basis. I
was only done with you yesterday.”
I bit my lip in discomfort while she laughed out loud. She was savage, no
doubt.
“I’m sorry I didn’t have the guts to be decent that night.”
“It’s alright.”
I don’t know what it was. But something about her smile was very
enchanting. It could have been the red paint of her lips. It could also be the
slight upturn of her mouth when she was amused. Or I could just be horny
as fuck.
“How did you come to agree to this date?” I was genuinely interested,
“No more plan of suing your father?”
“Not unless you want to reconsider my case.”
I shrugged, “I might.”
She raised her brow, “Depending upon?”
“How much you need it.”
Her smile was the most playful one I had seen. She sized me up from
head to toe and gulped down her second glass. She ordered a third while her
gaze never left mine. Her eyes undid something in me. I spoke with
difficulty.
“I mean – I could consider it if you have another asshole lined up for a
marriage meeting.”
“Not that I know of.”
“I – I’m still curious. How did you come up with the suing your father
plan?”
She humored me, even though I could read the tension in the air. I’m sure
she could too.
 “It started off as a joke, really,” her voice was low, “I’ve been avoiding
this date for months. So Markian brushed me off one day saying that the
only way he’d stop bugging me was if I dragged him to court for it. I said
maybe I will.”
“That’s all?”
She sized me up again. Her brows cocked – it is a habit of hers I guess.
She was skeptical in telling the tale so she mentioned instead, “You do
know that we’re supposed to be rivals, right?”
“What?”
“My dad hates your dad. He told me no Hathaway should ever be a friend
of mine.”
It was my turn to laugh out loud. I eased my way in to tell her the full
story. It was also my chance to coax her into giving me details about hers.
I’m not sure why I was doing it, but I was interested in her. For now.
“My dad doesn’t hate your dad. They were actually best buds all the way
through college. They fell for the same girl and –“
“She chose your father?”
“No, she slept with them both while she was your dad’s girlfriend. From
what I’ve heard Markian Reeves never forgave my old man for betraying
him like that. My father of course regrets it and has apologized many
times.”
“Mark can be relentless. But are you defending your old man right now?”
“Of course not. I’m just saying you and I being friends isn’t a big deal.
We’re not from rivalling families per say.”
“Are you sure Mr. Hathaway has apologized though? It’s not like Mark to
hold onto age-long grudges.”
“Well… they keep emailing each other back and forth. It’s like a
bromance if you ask me.”
“Wow.”
I loved Anna’s expression as she fell into thought. I don’t know what her
father had told her, but I had seen Earnest’s emails to Markian and vice
versa. He often complained to me about them. He often bugged my mom to
give him unofficial counselling sessions as well – just to discover why
Markian might have responded to his last email in a certain way.
It was cute. I think old Markian Reeves is my dad’s favorite obsession
and pastime.
 Anna gulped down her third glass. I gave her a concerned look but did
not have the audacity to tell her to stop. I’m not sure how well she can hold
her liquor or what her capacity might be. She seemed fine till her third
drink.
“If what you’re saying is true, I can talk to Mark. He can use an old
friend,” she mentioned casually.
I nodded, “I’d like Earnest to stop obsessing and actually communicate
with Markian as well.”
“Bring him over someday, if it’s not too much.”
“I can try.”
I finished my first glass. I continued to watch her, not sure why my heart
was rising in upbeat at certain moments.
“So,” I continued, “Care for a dance?”
“I don’t dance. Don’t mind me, you go on.”
Yeah right. Like I dance. I asked in case you like to.
I stayed put.
“Hathaway, I take it back.”
“Take back what?”
“I said pretty mean stuff to Brown about you. I called you a jerk, ill-
mannered and brainless. I’m sorry. I appreciate you being here right now.”
Despite myself, I smiled. She was actually really cute. I saw the sincerity
in her eyes and said by instinct, “You’re not so scary after all.”
Her brows raised again – this time in challenge, “You never know.”
“I think I’m getting an idea.”
“You still want to know why I wanted to hire you?”
“Of course.”
We clinked glasses again. She started, “I’m sort of notorious in our circle
for getting into fights. Let’s say… it’s a hobby.”
“Being a street thug?”
“Not a good response Hathaway.”
I raised my hands in submission, “Sorry. Go on.”
“It’s all a major coincidence. I mentioned to one of my… friends that
Mark was forcing me to consider marrying Ray Elliot, Shayne Elliot’s son.
I came to know that Ray had quite a notorious history as well. I mean, I’m
not one to judge, really. But gambling debts? I thought I had to protect
Markian.”
 I was confused. The bar had gotten busier now that we had almost hit
past ten in the night. I saw quite a few people hovering at the table for
drinks. I focused on Anna, alert that nobody did anything inappropriate.
You see, that’s the thing about me too. I forget. Like I forgot that Anna
was more than capable of protecting herself. Still, it couldn’t hurt to watch
out.
I asked, “Don’t you think your father would know of something that
huge?”
“Of course,” she said with a casual air, “So I did brush it off as rumor.
Unless Mark was desperate enough to marry me off to a compulsive
gambler, there was no way Elliot could be one. Then I heard he had a
girlfriend, then there was something about him insisting on a custom made
wedding gown. I also heard there was pictorial evidence of him making out
with a minor girl.”
The lawyer in me became wary. I wasn’t sure I wanted to be part of this
conversation if it led to her confessing to something not in accordance with
the law. I believe she got that from my expression because she smirked
mischievously and said, “Don’t worry. I didn’t look at any evidence. Why
should I? The man is nothing to me. But there were so many rumors around
I figured it’d be better for all of us if we didn’t get involved. Hence, I
considered sending a legal notice to dad instead, to let him know that I am
serious about not meeting Ray Elliot.”
I sighed. I couldn’t help the chuckle when I heard the entire story, but it
was sort of funny. Logical, yet with so many loopholes it was almost naïve.
I’m glad she didn’t go through with the plan.
She pouted in response, “Don’t laugh,” she sulked, “The notice would
have been much better. Now I have to find a way to describe tonight to dad
without letting him know that his dear candidate sent in a replacement.”
“What? Why?!” Even I was mortified by this. How could she not be?
“Are you kidding me?” she looked rather surprised, “I don’t want an
internal war in the company just because of some dude. Mark’s gigantic
pride would be hurt and Shayne would want to protect his boy from it. It’d
all lead to an unwarranted mess. Totally not worth it.”
She surprised me.
Tonight was a night that would have to be one of my most memorable
ones.
 I don’t think I’ve ever had such a turnabout in opinion for any person in
the span of a day, as I had for Anna Reeves. She was considerate and brave.
She was also somewhat brainy for someone who was involved in brawls.
“You’re right,” I agreed, “But what about you? Aren’t you upset?”
She shrugged, “I’m good. My head cleared up after the booze. I mean I
was feeling low because I expect basic decency out of people. But just like I
didn’t want to see him because of all the rumors around him – Elliot might
not have wanted to meet because of all the stuff said about me. We don’t
know each other and we don’t want to either.”
“You could have figured that once you met. It would have been better if
you mutually decided you didn’t want to get married.”
“I guess. But who would be willing to take the chance? What if the other
party thought otherwise and agreed to the arrangement?”
“No one can force you to get married, Anna.”
“Of course. Still, war within the company again. It’s not worth it.”
“You realize that all of this is probably only in your head, right?”
“Obviously. It’s my opinion. I can only tell you mine, Hathaway.”
I liked how Hathaway sounded on her lips. It was endearing.
“If all your opinions are true…” I continued, “I still think it’d be better to
meet. You don’t like the rumors around each other, but rumors are just that
– rumors.”
She laughed at that. She checked me out without hesitation now – maybe
it was the alcohol, or maybe it was the falling night. She looked beautiful
when she smiled.
“You’re cute.”
My God. My heart missed a beat when she said that. Then it thrashed
around without control. I swallowed so I wouldn’t blush, but I don’t think
that’s how it works.
“All rumors are based on a kernel of truth,” she explained, while I tried
to hold in my breath, “take mine for example. Thousands of reasons you’ll
hear on why I’m involved in violent messes. Doesn’t mean I’m not
involved in them, right? The reasons could be rumors. The fact that I do it is
not.”
I whispered to myself, “Why are you involved in them, Anna?”
Was this getting too personal?
I didn’t expect what happened next. Her voice lowered to a sweet hiss
when she whispered back, “That’s too close, Hathaway.” And then her hand
was tugging at my collar. She pulled me close, I almost stumbled off the
stool. Her lips met mine.
She kissed me hard.
Oh. Fucking. Hell.
She was good. Very good.
Like I said, I am a stupid fucking moron many a times.
 Chapter 7
Anna

I have done a lot many dumb things in my life. Kissing Henry Hathaway
can be counted as one of them. I’m not sure why I did it. It could have been
because he kept blushing while hearing me out. Or maybe it was because he
was watching out for me, glaring and hissing angrily under his breath, if
someone came closer. I think he was looking out in case anybody tried to
grope me or something. It was cute.
I think I genuinely got interested in him right then.
He had seen me fight, right? I’m a trained martial artist. If anybody
needed protection, it definitely wasn’t me. He knew that, and yet it didn’t
stop him from doing what he was.
Henry redeemed himself in that moment. I forgave him for our first
meeting and the mishap that night.
Not that I was mad or anything. Just saying, I wouldn’t use it to judge
him or form a first opinion of him at this point.
My mind wavered as the night grew heavier on us, my heart fluttered
more than once. Hathaway was inquisitive and ignorant at the same time.
He gave off a wise air – he was a lawyer even if not a successful one – and
more than anything, he was distracting.
It took me off guard, every time he peeked at my glass in worry. He was
curious about me too, I could see that. It was also very distracting when he
bit his lip in embarrassment. And when he tucked open the topmost button
of his shirt.
Boy. It was getting hot.
He has a great chest from what I can see. I checked him out shamelessly
quite a lot of times throughout our chat. He was attractive. More attractive
than I wanted him to be.
 I loved his serious expression when he tried to explain to me why I
should have met Elliot in the first place. I know what I want. And I knew I
wanted Henry Hathaway then.
So while I saw worry flash across his features after he asked me about
my past, I pulled him close and kissed him on his lips. God, he tastes good.
Yes, hon. You are getting too close. But I don’t mind it as long as it
remains physical.
He didn’t let loose. I plunged forth, pushing my tongue into the
tenderness of his mouth, pulling him closer till he had left the stool. I stood
up, deepening the kiss till he was ready to kiss me back. When he held my
face to meet me with somewhat force, I pulled away.
I was out of breath. And he looked terribly lost.
I smiled. He was adorable. Definitely not a player. Definitely not the kind
I sleep with usually. Strangely, my heart was beating with a speed that could
match a run of mine on a treadmill at 15 kmph.
I grinned, signaling him to follow me out.
Of course, we ended up in the women’s restroom. It is where most people
hook up. It was empty and dimly lit. I wasn’t sure how fast Hathaway was, I
had assumed him to be quite inexperienced – but he was quick to lock the
door. This time, he took the lead. His hands were all over me and his lips
were on mine in no time. I kissed him back while he pushed me against the
door and cupped my breast. I moaned.
“You better be sure about this Anna Reeves,” he whispered into my ear.
I finally let go. My voice was heavy with need, “I’m the one who kissed
you, Hathaway. I started this.”
He smiled the smile of a wannabe devil. It was cute as fuck.
“Not for long,” he said.
His mouth was on my nipple, the knead tantalizing. He grabbed both my
hands in one of his and forced them behind my back. He held them there so
I couldn’t touch him. I bit my lip and pressed harder against the door. The
pleasure in me was growing. His other hand lifted the corners of my dress
and found its way to my panties. Once his fingers hit my slit, I could only
press harder so as not to scream.
“So ready,” he teased, as desire pooled between my thighs. He nipped at
my breast, then moved to catch my earlobe between his teeth. I hissed when
his fingers plunged in me. He kissed my cheek.
“Are you always this easy?”
 I heard the amusement in his voice. It triggered my mischievous side. It
was way too easy to get my hands out of his hold. I pulled out, it was even
easier to turn him around and push him against the door instead, even
though he was taller. He rushed his fingers deeper into me in response and
curled them inside. I almost buckled on my knees.
Bastard.
I could barely maintain my hold on him as he dug in faster. My body
stopped listening to my mind, my heart was beating so fast, my pleasure
rocketed to the sky. I didn’t want him to stop. I couldn’t think about my
control. I humped against his hand and let him go. My final breakthrough
was when his thumb pressed against my clit.
I screamed.
“Oh shit,” he whispered, pulling me closer so I could fall into his chest.
His heart was hammering against my forehead.
I climaxed all over his hand.
Damnit, Anna.
Not so much for a playgirl, am I?

Henry
I’m nuts.
Anna’s heart beat could have surpassed a raging thunderstorm. She was
panting against my chest, her forehead covered in sweat as she almost fell
back from her orgasm. I held her close. But my mind went still when I saw
her short of breath and clinging to my shirt for support.
It unclasped an emotion in me that wasn’t pure lust. I was happy. And I
felt warm.
Like I said, I’m fucking nuts.
I’m not a player. I’m not inexperienced per say, but sex is personal to me.
I don’t hook up because I need someone. She had to be my first time.
I was ready to slam my head back into the door she had pushed me
against.
My arousal was intense. I needed to relieve myself desperately, I was so
hard. But my insides were mushy with emotions uncalled for, my heart
tender for someone I didn’t even know. I let the pleasure wash off her
before removing my hand from between her legs. She was reluctant at first,
but I pushed her further into me so she wouldn’t see my face. I wrapped my
hands around her, telling my insides to stop scaring me.
This is a one time thing. It’s not a big deal.
Please stop feeling so warm.
You don’t know her!
I coughed to shut my mind. I talked of the most random shit that came to
my mind, “Anna, uh. This… That was good.”
I could feel her move to look up at my face. I forced the back of her head
into my chest again, tucked her under my chin, praying she would let me.
She did.
“Hathaway?” Her voice was soft.
“Y-Yeah.”
“Are you alright?”
No. I’m freaking out.
“O-Of course. It’s just… Anna. Don’t get me wrong. I’m very… very
flattered by… this. B-But can we stop now?”
Jerk. I knew what this sounded like. I couldn’t be here, trying to take care
of her feelings while ending up doing the exact opposite.
She stiffened in my hold. I swallowed hard, not knowing what to do. I
loosened my grab around her. I could feel her body shudder for a breath,
and I wanted to die.
She finally looked up.
That was the third and final surprise for the day.
She was smiling when our eyes met. I couldn’t read the expression on her
face, or the dim gloom in her eyes. It wasn’t anything that I had seen
tonight. She was almost a shadow of the girl I had met in the alley two
nights ago. She might have been angry. Or she might just have seen some
misplaced humor in the situation. I couldn’t place what she was thinking.
She whispered, “Sure.”
She came closer, only to turn the doorknob at my side and push open the
door. I made way for her and she stepped out. I hadn’t noticed when she
fixed her clothes. Before leaving, she turned around for a last time.
“Hathaway.”
I don’t know why my heart jumped up in hope.
“Y-Yeah.”
“When you’re looking for information, do it all the way. That’s why
you’re failing as a lawyer.”
 What?
She must have read my confusion because she smirked before saying,
“You asked me everything. Except what was important. Why did I ask to
meet you at two in the night, two days before?”
She turned back and left.
It bothered me more that her smile hadn’t reached her eyes. My heart fell
to the pit of my stomach at my thoughts. And I don’t think I could breathe
for the rest of the night.
Fuck me.
I really am a man who digs his own grave.
 Chapter 8
Anna

I needed more.
Markian had already gone to bed when I returned home, which wasn’t all
that surprising. He’s an early sleeper and an early riser. I couldn’t believe
this entire day.
I threw my bag on the couch as I rushed into my room and flopped on the
bed. I’m not someone who can sleep on soft covers, so my bed is always
rock hard. It’s a habit I picked up at the orphanage and it hasn’t changed. I
used too much force to fall down and ended up hurting my back.
But it was nothing compared to the humiliation I was feeling.
My heart twisted and tears welled in my eyes.
Jerk! Jerk! Jerk!
Asshole.
How dare he?
Granted, I had made the first move. But I didn’t force him – he was being
equally responsive. Then why his sudden change of heart? I had felt his
want against my stomach. And yet he chose to leave. He hurt my pride on
so many levels, I can’t even explain it. Not to mention, my head was still
filled with desire.
I was still in need.
I pulled down the straps of my dress and lay down in a more comfortable
position. I picked up a pillow and moved against it, my fingers playing with
my entrance while my head tried to reject any images of Henry Hathaway
that flashed in my mind.
Bastard.
There was no way I was forgiving him. Ever.
 I’m not sure when I passed out, but when I woke up again I had a mild
headache. I wasn’t very drunk, but I assumed it was the mental exhaustion
that got me. I covered myself with sheets and breathed into the darkness of
the room.
At least I was satisfied.
I didn’t want to get up or change. I didn’t even want to look at myself. I
was feeling miserable. My mind told me I had no reason to, there wasn’t
any chance where I had behaved out of line. But I couldn’t help the
disgusting feeling that spread within me. It made my head hurt harder.
I hadn’t considered one fact. What if Henry Hathaway had a girlfriend?
Peter said he didn’t, but what if he hadn’t told Peter either?
What if it was her thought that had stopped him?
If it was true, it put me in the wrong. The fault was mine. But somehow,
even this didn’t make me feel guilty. I just felt… sad. And disappointed. In
everything.
Sighing, I turned around and pulled the covers over my head.
Fine. It was all fine.
I didn’t care. It was not like I was ever going to see him again.
Even if I had wanted to, he had made it impossible for me now.
Quiet!
I didn’t want to.
I could have cried again. It isn’t always that I’m attracted to a man more
than just physically. Mostly, all I feel is desire. But Henry isn’t all hotness
and muscles… he is kind. Tonight, he treated me like a lady without a shred
of fear. I haven’t come across a man like that before and been attracted to
him at the same time.
Damn it. Damn it.
If he had a girl, she was a lucky woman.
I turned around in unrest only to realize that my back hurt. I groaned,
holding my neck to lessen the pain. It was then that another thought struck
me.
My pendant was gone.
I felt around my neck again and rose up in a hurry. It killed my back, but
I searched the bed and then the entire room. Wait. I always have it on.
Then why the heck could I not find it?
An acute fear instilled in me. I’ve had that pendant since I was very
young. It’s this chain made out of silver, and I have a ring woven into it. It’s
my most prized possession. I always have it around my neck, come hell or
high water.
I didn’t want to disrupt the security personnel, but I started to search
around my house by myself. Hours must have passed because by the time I
had revisited all the rooms of my house and was ready to search the garden
outside, the sun was already up.
I groaned when I stepped out.
It didn’t look like I had dropped it here.
Then it had to be at the bar. Or in that restroom, to be more precise.
I held my head. This had to be the worst day of my life. I was in the
middle of my garden, half drunk, shabbily dressed and still not clean from
the pleasure I had given myself last night. I had lost my one precious
possession, and the danger was that I might have to ask the one man who
had refused to touch me, about it.
I flopped on the grass. My heart dropped to the bottom of my ass. I
realized I was royally fucked.
I lay down in the middle of the garden like that and dozed off because
Markian found me there. I was too tired to get up or think or breathe. I
didn’t know how many minutes or hours had passed again. But I knew I
must have looked like a nightmare because even Mark seemed shocked.
That doesn’t happen usually. I already have surprised the heck out of him
in the past ten years, so he isn’t shocked by the way I dress anymore. It
seems I have broken another record this time around though.
“Anna. Anna, are you alright?”
Yeah. Just tired.
“Anna, talk to me.”
“Anna.”
“Anna.”
Ugh. I finally spoke out loud, “I’m okay.”
Mark’s worried face washed with some relief, “Then why are you lying
here? Is everything alright? Are you hurt? Anna?”
I really shouldn’t be worrying him. But he is such a busybody.
Against all my better judgement and all my wishes, I got up. I was still in
the stupid black dress and it hurt me physically to look at it. My back was
still aching I realized and my mind was stuck on the pendant. I wanted to be
left alone.
“Anna?”
 Apparently, that was too much to ask for. Some people are just clueless at
reading moods, right?
“Yes, Mark. I’ll wash up and meet you for breakfast. Wait… is it
breakfast time? Or already lunch?”
“Still an hour for breakfast, honey. But, there’s something…”
“Yeah?” Let’s get it over with. Did he want details about the asshole I
was set up with? I hadn’t had time to come up with an explanation that
wouldn’t hurt him or the company. Or did he want to know how last night
was?
Because God knows that went well.
I tried to calm down. It isn’t his fault, I told myself. Don’t take it out on
him. Relax.
“Someone’s waiting for you in the hall. So maybe take the back door.
You’re not…” he trailed off.
Presentable right now, yes.
“Who is it?” I asked.
“I – I’m not happy about this… but I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t
know what happened yesterday, but I want an explanation Anna. When
you’re in your right mind. I want to know.”
He confused me. I raised my brows, “What? Who is it dad?”
“Earnest Hathaway’s –”
My heart went cold. I stilled in place and my feet refused to move. I
couldn’t hear my father’s voice anymore.
Oh, no.
Henry… Why was he here?
“I’m worried about you, sweetheart.”
Bang on, dad. Bang on.
Now I am worried about me too.
 Chapter 9
Henry

I returned home feeling the most defeated I ever have. It wasn’t this bad
even when I lost my first moot in law school. At least I hadn’t pretended to
be one person and acted the complete opposite. This was a first. Everything
with Anna seems to be like a first.
It still didn’t change the fact that I was so fucking turned on, it hurt.
I had relieved myself in the bathroom, but I was growing back. It didn’t
help that Anna’s scent was still all over my body. I lay back in my bed, my
heart beating rapidly as memories of her swarmed my mind.
What was wrong with me?
You’re attracted to her, that’s what.
I tried to remember her crude self, the one I had met two nights before.
What were the cons of liking Anna Reeves? For starters, she beat up people.
Two, what had she said? Scrawny ones like you always run. She had called
me scrawny, a rich ass heir, she was ill mannered, headstrong from what I
had observed, not very mindful of her appearance in general and she
absolutely didn’t seem to care what others thought of her.
Isn’t that a good thing?
If she wasn’t the way she was, could I have dared to let her go while she
was still in my arms?
I’m must be an ass. An ass through and through.
My head throbbed even though I hadn’t drunk. I don’t fall for people I
don’t know. Every time I’ve dated, my partner was a woman I knew. This
should not be happening!
The one time I try and hook up for fun, I fall for her?
I’m insane!
“Oh stop it. You’ll kill yourself.”
 I rose up to see Peter help himself into my room. We share an apartment
and divide the rent so we don’t go broke by ourselves at the end of the
month. I shrugged.
I had earlier called him when Anna had left and asked him to find out if
she had reached her home safely. Peter was still at the restaurant, eating by
himself back then – after Cain Matthews was gone while I was busy
enjoying myself upstairs.
“I’m not doing anything,” I protested.
“It’s written all over your face. What’s this about Reeves?”
I didn’t want to talk about it. I sighed, “What about her?”
“Dude.” Pete slammed his ass on my bed pretty hard when he sat down.
He totally destroyed the covers. I hate it when my bedsheet has wrinkles.
“You had me follow the woman in the middle of the night,” he said in
exasperation, “Don’t what about her me. You like her, don’t you?”
I swallowed. My heart jumped at the words and I wanted to punch my
gut down.
“I don’t know her.”
“You’d like her if you did. Everyone does.”
“What?”
“Anna Reeves. She’s pretty popular, you know. Not the kind of popular
where everybody wants to go out with her. She’s not that type. But she was
almost everybody’s friend.”
I rolled my eyes, “You’re talking from your orphanage days?”
“I’ve known her forever. She’s the closest thing I have to a childhood
buddy ever since Kate and I broke up.”
I raised my brows. Would I have to compete over my best friend with this
woman now? Or worse, would I have to compete for her with Pete? He
seemed pretty fascinated with her from what I could tell.
“You have a girlfriend, Pete.”
“And she has met Anna.” Peter laughed at that. I was flabbergasted. That
was a lot of new information to have about someone who lives with me
every second of every day. A pang of jealousy rose in me.
Peter hadn’t introduced his girl to me until five months of them being
together.
“When did you introduce her to Anna?”
“She introduced us.”
He had got to be fucking kidding me.
 I rose up from my bed and sat up straight.
“Peter Brown,” I said, furious now, “Have you been cheating on me? Do
you have another best friend?”
I meant it. I was angry. Why hadn’t I heard any of this before?
Peter rolled his eyes at me and that pissed me off. He brushed me away,
“Come on man. It’s the same thing as you not talking about your family. It’s
complicated.”
“Did you just call Anna Reeves your family?”
“Yes – her and twenty other kids I grew up with. Calm down. Anna got
into a lot of trouble because of a misunderstanding. It was chance we met
again, and I am glad we did. She’s a great girl.”
I think I got it then.
Peter and I are tight, but there’s things I don’t talk about to him. It’s not
that I can’t tell him – it’s just that some things are that personal. You can’t
tell anyone about them. You don’t want to.
It’s me being as rich ass heir that I don’t want to talk about. For Pete it
could the emotional bond he has with the people he grew up with.
I think I got it. So I let it go.
“Fine,” I shrugged, “But… Anna. Man, how can I be attracted to her? I
don’t know her! This hasn’t happened before.”
Pete took in a deep breath, “Isn’t it good? It’s different so it should feel
exciting.”
“But, I mean, she’s really not my type.”
“Just tell me something. What’s the real deal here?”
“What do you mean?”
“You like her. Ask her out. What’s all this fuss about?”
“I – I don’t know.”
“She’s just different. Not a criminal that you’re being this cautious. Did
you guys fight by any chance?”
It’s worse.
Pete read the expression on my face. “How bad is it?” he asked.
“Very.”
He took in another deep breath, “Sort it out man. And tell me if you need
something. I’ll tell you the details about Cain Matthew’s case tomorrow.”
“Cain Matthew’s case?”
“Yes, lover boy. We went to the restaurant for the case.”
“We’re taking it?”
 “Not like we have a choice. It’s business. Of course we’re taking it.”
I nodded. It was nice to have Pete. While I was busy fawning over a
chick, Pete was working. I’m glad he’s by my side.
“Pete?”
“Yeah.”
“Why did Anna ask to see me in the middle of the night? The first time
we met.”
He looked struck, but then he laughed at me.
“Honest? I refused because she called me at two. It’s Anna after all. I like
her, but I don’t want the shit beaten out of me just because she’s pissed off
about something. I suggested you and you agreed as well. As to the why, I
don’t know. Maybe she was looking for a ride. Honestly man, I don’t know.
It’s Anna. Nobody could know except for her.”
He left. And I was left behind stunned.
See? This was what I was talking about! Who in their right mind would
like Anna Reeves? This was why I was afraid of the tender feeling inside
me while we were together.
It was for Anna Reeves!
And she is clearly…a thug.
What am I going to do?
And if I thought the rather dramatic night was coming to an end, I was
forced to think again. Because guess who called me?
Earnest Hathaway. At three in the morning.
“Dad?” I frowned, not sure why he had called this early. Was everything
alright?
“Henry, what’s this? Who are you going out with these days?”
The question surprised me, “What are you talking about?”
“I just checked my email, boy. Markian Reeves writes, and I’ll read it to
you verbatim, Hathaway, tell your boy to stay away from my girl. I don’t
want him near my house. I don’t want him near my Anna. Next time, I’ll
chase him out with the cane I bought for your last birthday. It’d be great if I
could whoop his ass with it. It would become truly special then.”
I could not believe my ears. And I could not believe my dad’s next
words.
“Henry, have you been seeing Markian’s daughter? Henry, you heard his
email right? He bought a cane for my birthday. He got me a gift! He should
have sent it to me. That old crank, why tell me through email that he
cares?”
Wow. Way to go, dad.
“Dad,” I was tired just listening to him, “Congratulations. Markian seems
to care about you. Also, can we not talk about this right now?”
“About what?”
“Anna. Anna Fucking Reeves. Or Markian. I’m hanging up.”
“W-Wait! Henry. Are you really going out with his daughter?”
“No, but I like her! I like her when I shouldn’t, and it’s driving me nuts.
So leave me alone dad. Please.”
I hung up.
My stress level rose. I remembered the feel of Anna’s mouth on mine, her
scent and her smile. My head could have shredded, so I turned around,
switched off my phone and buried myself into my bed. I wasn’t waking up
till the end of the world.
 Chapter 10
Anna

There have always been no times in my life when I haven’t been ready.
That is mostly because I’ve never felt the need to be ready. But when Mark
said that Henry was here, I don’t remember feeling more horrible.
So this is what it was like. To not be ready. To feel utterly ugly,
underdressed and just… not ready. I gave myself a glance and decided I had
to rush to my room and clean up. After what had happened last night, I
couldn’t let him see me like this.
If possible, he shouldn’t see me at all.
I saw that Mark was dressed in a three piece suit. I ran to him and
pleaded, “Dad. Please, lend me your coat. Just in case I run into him. I don’t
want him to see me like this. Please, please Mark.” I almost pulled off his
coat by his lapels. He stared at me like I had gone nuts.
“Anna. But you – you’ve never cared before.”
“About what?”
“About how you look when you meet a guy.”
“Right. Coat, dad. Please.”
He pulled it off and draped it over my shoulders. I gave him a rushed hug
and ran to the back door. Please, Henry. Don’t see me. I don’t want to.
Before I could leave though, Mark called me again. I turned around to
see him look flabbergasted. His fists were clenched. Was he trembling? I
would have run back but he held up a hand to make me stop.
“Anna. I… I want you to know. I’m not going to forgive Hathaway. He
was the only friend I made in my life. And it turned out to be a mistake. I’m
still not over it. So, please. Don’t make me, sweetheart.”
It made my blood boil. What the fuck had Henry said to Mark?
 I remembered our little conversation about our fathers’ histories and how
we could get them to meet.
He better not have shown up here at my house with his dad.
Not after how yesterday had ended.
Mark hurried off to the front door, refusing to match my eyes. It hurt me.
And the anger in me swelled. Fuck my pride. How dare Henry Fucking
Hathaway complicate things for my father?
I took a quick shower to wash the alcohol off my body. I put on a jeans
and t-shirt and rushed downstairs. The routine still took me twenty minutes.
When I barged into the living room, the argument going on was loud,
ridiculous and had no room for a third party.
Also, Henry Hathaway was nowhere to be seen.
The ones yelling their guts out at each other were Mark and Earnest
Hathaway.
What the heck was going on?
Had Hathaway really come with his father?
The argument of the fathers in itself was absurd.
I stood in a corner, waiting for a chance to jump in on the conversation. I
noticed Earnest Hathaway’s features in the meantime. It was because of his
face primarily that I could tell that he was Henry’s old man. Henry
Hathaway looked dangerously similar to his father. I could see what a 50-60
year old Henry would look like. From an objective point of view, I think he
would be handsome as ever.
The fathers’ conversation went something like this. I don’t think I
understood a lot of it.
“You shouldn’t be this obtuse,” old Ernie was yelling, “You’re hurting
our children. How great is it that they’re in love?”
Dad bellowed back, “I don’t want a cheating scumbag for Anna. If it’s
your son I’ll refuse any day.”
We are not in love. I’d have said it, but like I mentioned, there was no
room for a third party. It was amazing that Markian was looking so alive so
early on in the morning. Usually, he doesn’t care about anything. He’s
always listless.
The conversation moved on to a cane that dad had bought last year. I DID
NOT know it was for Ernie Hathaway. They fought over it – why dad
hadn’t sent it over, why Earnest hadn’t visited, it jumped to Markian’s wife
Rhea and ended up with Mark calling him a heartless scumbag again.
 Where the heck is Henry Hathaway?
I know I was wishing with all my heart to not see him, but I would really
like an introduction to what was going on. I was not used to romance of any
sort – forget about bromance. And that too of dads.
Around a half hour later, the object of my thoughts made an appearance.
And boy, did my heart fall to the floor when I saw him.
If I had thought I looked like a pathetic mess this morning, Henry
Hathaway was a sight to redeem me.
He was still in last night’s clothes when he was led into the living room.
He had bed hair and I have no doubt that he hadn’t washed up. I don’t think
he knew that he had buttoned his shirt wrong. What in the world was up
with him?
I was surprised as it is.
“Dad!” he called out as he barged in, “Dad what are you doing here?”
The dads turned around. I was standing in the opposite corner of the
room, I don’t think Henry saw me. While Ernie frowned at his son, Mark
was straight up savage.
“This rascal is your son?” he scoffed at Earnest, “He dare show up at his
probable in-laws’ place dressed like this?”
Wait, wait, wait.
WHAT?
“What?” Henry looked terrible. He had bags under his eyes and he was
clearly annoyed, “Dad what the heck did you tell Mr. Reeves?”
“And he has no manners.” My dad stated.
Well. Markian should be the last one to be surprised by lack of manners.
I’m pretty coarse in my speech most of the time.
“Henry,” Earnest walked to Henry, “Don’t you worry son. I’ll sort this
out for you. It’s my fault.”
I could tell Henry Hathaway was losing his patience. It was kind of
amusing, like watching a soap opera of sorts.
“Dad, sort what out?” Henry fumed, “Why in the world are you here?”
Earnest shrugged him off and turned back to face Mark. He said,
“Reeves, look at my boy. He’s a lawyer and yet he has shown up like this at
his girlfriend’s place. Do you know what he told me last night? I like Anna
too much, dad but I shouldn’t. And then he hung up on me! He never hangs
up on me.”
I lost my footing.
 My heart rushed, thumping hard against my chest. My cheeks grew hot
and my hands sweated.
Oh, goodness. Henry had said what?
I coughed to shut out my own reaction. It drew the attention of the room
instead. I looked up and was met with Henry’s eyes.
I froze. And all color drained from his face. He turned pale as if he had
seen a ghost. I swallowed.
“Oh, is that Anna?” Earnest smiled and turned around to look at me, “My
son sure has a unique taste!”
I pressed my lips, my eyes glued to Henry. Heat ran through my body
and I blushed as flashes of last night played in my head.
Damn.
Henry looked away. He took two steps forward and held his father’s
hand. He pulled him lightly as he said, “Dad, a word. Please.” He dragged
Earnest away.
All the amusement in my body left me and all that I could feel was my
fiercely beating heart. As if someone was clenching it in her hands from the
inside.
I didn’t realize when Mark came closer and snapped at me, “You should
have told me!”
I was out of it, but I still responded, “Told you what?”
“About the ring! The proposal. Do you know how embarrassed I was
when I heard it from Hathaway? My own daughter didn’t say a thing to
me!”
I frowned, “What proposal Mark?”
“You tell me.”
“I would if I knew what you were talking about.”
It was then that Mark unclenched his fist while pulling open my palm
with his other hand. He smacked something onto it and barked, “This. Here.
Why did Hathaway have it?”
It was my pendant. Relief flooded all over my body. My smile could have
crossed my ears. It wasn’t lost!
But… what?
Mark began to ramble, “I hate the sight of Hathaway. That craphead
thinks he can come here and mess with me fifteen years, eleven months and
twenty three days later? Where was he all this time? My daughter? He can
turn himself inside out and he won’t have my Anna! Anna, out of all the
people in the world, you fell for that whacko Henry? Is he an addict? The
way he looked! What about Ray Elliot? Anna, you have –“
I drowned his voice out.
I think the pendant must have come off during our little heated fiasco at
the bar room yesterday. In that case, it must have been with Henry. Why did
his father have it then?
Mark was still muttering to himself. It’s strange that he doesn’t realize
how much into Earnest Hathaway he is.
“Dad, you like Earnest. Just admit it.” I said casually. I shouldn’t have.
It launched Mark into another series of heated self-remarks until Henry
re-entered the room and called out rather nervously, “A-Anna, a word.”
Turning to Mark, he sought permission, “Sir, may I?”
I rolled my eyes.
“Dad, I’ll be back in a sec,” I announced and glared at Henry in the
process. I didn’t mean it, of course, but my glares kill even when they’re
half-hearted.
Not in a passionate way, the kill kill way. The ones that makes you scared
for your life.
While I moved out of the room as Mark nodded in a forced pretense of
decency, my hand brushed against Henry’s for a second.
Electricity ran through my fingers almost instantaneously. I pulled away,
my heart launching itself in another furious reverie. I quickly stepped out,
not wanting to match his eyes.
Boy, oh boy.
Did Henry Hathaway really like me?
Because chemistry, we had. Feelings? I’m not so sure.

Henry
Dad. Dad. Dad.  Why do you always create so much trouble when it
comes to Markian Reeves?
What are you guys? Lovers?
They’re more into each other than they’re into anybody else. Doesn’t
mom ever feel cheated? I honestly wonder. He forces me to.
I wouldn’t have woken up from my sleep the next morning if Pete hadn’t
kicked me out of bed, literally. A lot had happened while I was asleep.
 I woke up with a headache with Peter shouting in my face, “Henry, your
dad! I think he went to Anna’s – man! Look at this.”
He shoved a note at me, a sticky note, yes. My head was clogged but I
could recognize dad’s handwriting on the paper. My father always carries
sticky notes around. He was born a nerd.
His note read – “Don’t you worry, son. I’ve gathered my courage, I’m
going to get your fiancé back for you. The ring is beautiful <3 Did she
refuse to accept it? I’m excited and so nervous. Say good luck to dad
Henry! Your dad is the best!”
Oh no, no. What was this?
I sprang up from my bed like a haunted man and looked at Peter in
question. Pete shrugged in response, “Earnest came in early morning and
asked for you. I couldn’t refuse your dad man. I don’t know why but he
asked me to go out because he wanted to have a word alone with you. God
knows I had no idea he hadn’t woken you up. He left in a hurry and I came
in to your room to find this note stuck to your bedpost. Henry, I’ve been
trying to wake you up for the past hour – why the heck were you so sound
asleep?”
Horror filled every inch of my body. Oh fuck no.
“I took sleeping pills – I, I couldn’t sleep,” I said, my heart rocketing
against my chest. Dad had gone to Anna’s thinking what? What fiancé?
What ring?
I could have hit my head.
“How long since he left?” I asked hurriedly, getting out of bed and
buttoning up my shirt as fast as I could.
“About forty minutes,” Peter said.
“Fuck.” I pulled on my shoes and a jacket. Then, I ran.
I ran as if my life depended on it. It did.
My car didn’t have enough gas, I didn’t carry my wallet, so I decided I
would run the entire way. Only – that happens in movies. Of course I
rushed back to my room and got my wallet to hail a cab. I might be of this
generation but I’m pretty old school. I don’t use e-wallets. They just don’t
feel right to me.
The taxi driver wouldn’t have let me in if I hadn’t paid up first – that was
how nasty I looked. I tried to straighten my hair and look alive, but it didn’t
work. All the while my mind was fixated on one thought: Anna.
 After what had happened last night, I didn’t have the heart to see her.
And there my dad was, ready to say God knows what. This must be what
living through hell was like.
What had dad assumed about us?
I tried to call him, but he didn’t pick up. Lady luck would be quite
smitten with me if this mess worked out fine. Because I had a feeling I was
screwed. So, so screwed.
When I reached Anna’s house, déjà vu hit me like a sandstorm from
behind. The first time I was here, I was afraid because of the woman who
had called me – I had seen her fight on a street like a maniac. Today, I was
afraid because of my father who was acting like one. Anna Reeves… you’re
definitely a first.
I wasn’t allowed to get into the mansion – of course, the way I looked I
wouldn’t have allowed me in either – until I had shown my I.D. to the lady
guard and a picture of my troublesome father. Apparently, he was already
inside and causing trouble. I was led directly into the room where the storm
was brewing.
It was difficult to get dad away from Markian, but I knew I had to do it
when Anna coughed. Her eyes met mine. I hadn’t seen her stand in the
corner, maybe it was her thug abilities but I hadn’t even sensed her
presence. Usually, any human can sense the presence of people around
them.
When I saw her, my heart burnt. She was in a pink t-shirt and skinny
black jeans, looking like she had just walked out after a bath. She was…
enticing.
I swallowed. Water was still dripping from her hair and soaking her tee,
her face was slightly turning red. I wanted to get closer. What kind of
perfume was she wearing today?
Fuck.
Last night swam in my mind like a daydream and ended in a nightmare.
I turned around, my heart beating faster. Her lips caught me off guard as
did her eyes. I could imagine my fingers in her, the sound of her heavily
beating heart and her moaning pleas.
I took my father’s hand and ran for my life again.
I am the horniest piece of shit that ever lived because I checked her out
before running out the door.
 Once I had left the room, I looked for a private space, but it wasn’t like I
knew this house. So, I dragged Earnest to the garden outside hoping we’d
be out of earshot of every possible person there.
Dad got out of my hand and looked at me with marked fury. He was at a
safe distance away from Markian Reeves, so he didn’t have to pretend to be
patient with me. He barked heatedly, “What’s wrong with you? I had it
under control! Why’d you come looking like this Henry? You’re
embarrassing me!”
That got me. Heat rose in me too, “I am embarrassing you?”
“Yes – didn’t you hear Mark? He called himself a probable in-law of
yours. It was going good! Now he’ll think my son is a thug or something.
Look at you!”
Yeah right. I was the thug.
“WHAT was going good?” I asked, “What in the world did you tell him?
Dad – Anna is not my fiancé; I don’t even know her!”
Confusion masked my old man’s face, but he still maintained his anger,
“Don’t mess with me young man. You clearly told me last night that you
liked this girl.”
“Yes, I – I do. But… let’s start from the beginning dad. Why did you
think you had to come here and sort anything out?”
I tried to keep my patience even though my annoyance was getting the
best of me. I did not need to be doing this. I didn’t even have to be here.
Earnest frowned, “I was worried after you hung up on me. You sounded
so upset. I came to visit in the morning, but you reeked of alcohol.”
What? But I hadn’t even drunk!
“And Henry, did you –“ dad lowered his voice, “I mean – stop jerking off
in your sheets son. It smells disgusting.”
I might as well have choked. I was so not having this conversation.
“But as your father I think it is my responsibility to sort out any problems
that you might have because of Mark and me. You were clinging on to this
ring so desperately, it broke my heart. I’m assuming your proposal didn’t go
well and Anna refused to marry you. That’s what upset you so much,
right?”
What ring?
“Dad, I don’t know about any ring,” I said flatly. I didn’t. “And I did not
propose to Anna Reeves. We met three days before and I like her. That’s as
far as it goes.”
 My dad’s expression turned to one of perplex, “But you only date your
friends Henry,” he said.
I rolled my eyes, “No I don’t. But yeah, it’s a first with Anna. Usually
I’m attracted to women I’ve known for some time. Also, we’re done here
now. What did you tell Markian Reeves?”
I think the reality of the situation hit dad then. His eyes widened and he
stared at me for a number of seconds. Then, he wiped the sweat off his
mouth. I could see a slight shiver in his hands.
“I – I told Mark you kids wanted to get married.”
I thought so. I wanted to bash my head on the ground.
“Fine, let’s go and clear this out then,” I said.
Dad didn’t move. I would’ve made him but his hesitation bugged me. I
stopped for a while to consider his situation. And I wasn’t pleased with my
analysis. From what I knew, dad and Markian hadn’t seen each other in
years. A misunderstanding had provided him with an excuse to finally meet
Mark for something outside of his need to apologize. And now, that had
turned out to be a major fault on his part as well.
How would it look to Markian? That this was another fiasco caused by
dad. He would question my old man’s sincerity and I don’t think Earnest
could take it.
Yeah, Mark is that important to him.
I sighed. I’m not so sure anymore. I understand it. If I was in my dad’s
shoes and Peter was in Mark’s I don’t think I’d be able to stand it either.
Some friends are very important, some people are a part of you no matter
what happens. You don’t share blood – but the bond in itself feels like it’s
worth the world.
I get it, dad. It’s illogical and annoying, but I get it.
Although it wouldn’t have begun if he hadn’t slept with his friend’s girl.
That’s bro code! It’s ethics. My dad is a man of principles so I don’t get
why he did it.
I shrugged and whisked his shoulder.
“I’ll try and find a better way out. L-Let me talk to Anna first,” I told
him. The light of hope that spread in his eyes made me smile, so I nodded
to him reassuringly. I’m sure that Anna would murder me though.
The thought of seeing her again made my heart pound – despite all odds,
I wanted to meet her. It scared me a little, but what else could I do?
I went back into the room.
 Anna doesn’t look anything like Mark. I mean, of course – but when I
saw the pair in the room again, not a soul could have said that they weren’t
father and daughter. Mark was impatient as he said some pretty hypocritical
stuff regarding Earnest to her while she told him point blank, “Dad, you
like Earnest. Just admit it.”
She made me smile.
I don’t think she was listening to Mark’s outburst, but I stalled for a
second. The image of her filled me with a strange warmth again. Her figure
was gentle, but I could see a marked dignity in her air. She was beautiful,
even when I watched her from behind.
I shrugged and stepped inside. In my heart I hoped things would go well.
I must be out of my mind because when I asked to speak with her alone,
she glared at me. I found it cute. Cute. When her fingers brushed against
mine, the energy between us was so palpable, I ended up thinking about
yesterday again. I blushed, she swept her hand away.
I followed her out.
I wonder what Anna Reeves was doing to me. I’m usually well behaved
and chemistry-less with almost every girl I date. And here I am, reverting
back to our half-assed eventful night that ended up in a disaster. All because
it’s Anna.
At this rate I might as well brush away all my doubt and ask her out.
I mean, for some reason I really, really want to now.
 Chapter 11
Anna

I was nervous.
I’m never nervous!
Ever since I hit eighteen, I’ve had my fair share of fun. I’ve had a few
one-night stands, I’ve had friends with benefits. And as ridiculous as it
sounds even after five years of all that, I’ve never properly dated a man.
I’ve never been in a relationship.
One of the reasons is that I don’t like the kind of responsibility it brings
along. I don’t want to be answerable to my partner for what I do with my
time and life. Another reason is, I’ve never officially been asked out.
So when I heard the words that Henry Hathaway liked me, I think it’s
pretty natural to have my heart pounce about like a mad baby kangaroo.
I haven’t been told those words before.
I haven’t been told them even now, but the possibility makes my heart all
mushy. I still might be a girl who is a thoroughly hopeless romantic on the
inside. Even if I’m scared of commitment, romance is still on the book.
I mean, date me!
I did my best to keep my distance from Henry, but I could feel his eyes
on my back. My mind played with the only possible question at hand – if he
liked me, why had he refused to be with me last night?
It’s not always that I forget to be angry. I’m short-tempered most times,
but this situation was an exception. I couldn’t be mad. I wanted to be. My
brain wanted me to be. But all I could be was a falling mess at the hands of
a rapidly beating heart.
Hathaway, it is all your fault.
I jumped when he held my hand. I turned around as a reflex and just
about stopped myself from kicking him in the groin. I held back, scared of
my own reaction. My heartbeat rose, I asked him angrily, “What was that
about?”
Henry looked at me in shock. I swallowed. His eyes didn’t leave mine. I
pressed my lips.
“I – It’s reflex. Why would you grab me suddenly from behind?” I
stammered.
He gave me a you’re-being-impossible look, “I wanted to hold your hand.
I wasn’t grabbing you from behind.”
“I –“
And then he burst out laughing. As strange as it was, Henry Hathaway
laughed. The sound of him was like the merry laughter of a child who has
seen Tom ‘n’ Jerry for the first time. I was entranced.
My heart stopped, skipped and thrashed against my chest as if asking to
break open.
My hands shivered. I looked away, trying to hide the pink rushing to my
cheeks. This was ridiculous.
“Don’t laugh,” I whispered.
Henry shut his mouth. When I peeked at him, the smile still hadn’t left
his eyes. Damn, he was handsome.
We stopped short of the garden, in the corridor that led to it. I saw
Earnest Hathaway roam about nervously as well. It brought back some of
my sense.
“What’s going on?” I asked, once we were in a private space, “I don’t
understand any of this Hathaway.”
He was tense. Henry rubbed his hands together. Maybe when we were
done, I’d remind him that his shirt was buttoned wrong. I didn’t mind it
because it gave me a sneak peak at his chest. Did he work out?
“I’m so sorry about everything Anna.”
“And what does everything include?”
“Just… everything.”
I held in a smile. “Why are you here Henry?” I didn’t plan on making this
easy on him. But I did want quick answers to troublesome questions like
why his dad was at my house so early in the morning. Or why he thought
we were fiancés.
“I don’t know where to begin Anna,” he rushed, “All of this is such a
huge misunderstanding. My dad thought that…”
 When he was done, I couldn’t believe my ears. Earnest had told my
father what? And… really? REALLY?
This was not a mess. It was a bloody blunder.
I glared at Henry in anger. I meant it this time. He looked at me
helplessly, but it did nothing to undo my temper.
“Anna,” he hesitated, “I – I really don’t know what started this. I’m not
even sure which ring dad was talking about.”
I rolled my eyes and unclenched my fingers to show him the pendant that
dad had handed over to me back in the room. “This,” I said, “I lost it last
night. It must’ve gotten off while…”
I trailed off. Of course he knew how it could possibly have gotten off.
Henry swallowed and I stepped back to lean against the opposite wall of
the corridor. The space leading to the garden outside was narrow, so there
wasn’t much room for distance. I still kept mine.
Henry nodded, saying hurriedly, “I know dad caused a lot of
misunderstandings, but I – I want to think of a better way to resolve it. He
hasn’t met Mr. Reeves in years you know… and I don’t want him to be
called a liar right after he has.”
His argument flared my anger, “So you’re going to let my dad think I’ve
been with you this whole time? Without letting him know? I don’t care
Hathaway. I’m telling him the truth.”
“No – No! Don’t misunderstand Anna. I just want your help to come up
with a better excuse for this. I’m sure you don’t want your father’s feelings
to be hurt because of us either.”
“Us? I have nothing to do with your mess.”
“Yes, it’s all my fault. And I apologized. Consider it, please Anna.”
I hesitated. His entreating eyes were part of the reason, the other half
being because this was an unexpected chance for Mark to sort out his
situation with Earnest. If the Hathaway father and son explained it was all a
misunderstanding, my dad would bite their neck off, gloat on his supposed
victory and be back in a sad slump by the nightfall. I didn’t want him to
lose the opportunity to talk to old Ernie.
Not when I knew this might never happen again. It hadn’t happened in
fifteen years.
“Fine,” I concluded, and Hathaway’s face lit up with a bright smile. My
chest thumped, I blushed and looked away reminding myself that I was still
angry.
 “Thank you Anna, really – thank you. Let me talk to dad.”
I followed him out into the garden. All the while, my mind kept going
back to one small inconsistency: Earnest had just mentioned that Henry had
told him that he liked me even though he shouldn’t. But Henry hadn’t
mentioned anything of the sort while explaining to me the details of last
night.
Had he deliberately missed out? Did he even like me?
A little disappointment rose in me. I shrugged at it, but it remained.
Earnest Hathaway looked at me closely when I greeted him. I was once
again struck by the familiarity of his features with that of his son. I
mentioned it to him. He laughed, “Of course, Ms. Reeves. He’s my boy. He
got my looks.”
Okay. I didn’t respond.
Henry cut in, “Yes, dad more importantly Anna agreed to help us out. Do
you have an alternative in mind?”
“I don’t think there is an alternative son. What do I tell Mark?”
“You can’t say that Anna and I are not involved –“
“Yeah, Mark would bury me alive if he knew I dragged his daughter into
this. He might sue me as well.”
“Okay, so that’s a start. Good job dad.”
Henry twiddled his thumbs and I think I lost my heart to talk. Were this
father and son for real?
“Anna,” Henry turned to me, “Do you have something in mind?”
Agreeing with them was a bad idea.
“If I was good at making plans, I wouldn’t have met you in the first
place,” I snapped, “But if any of this hurts dad, I’ll have your soul.”
That’s the thing about me. I ended up being harsh on him and threatening
him – literally – again. Sometimes it’s apparent to me why I haven’t been
confessed to till date. Like, I legit might be losing my chance with this man
as well.
Henry nodded, then whispered while stepping closer, “Hold your temper
before my dad, Anna. Please. He’ll bully me about this forever.”
I cocked an eyebrow, not knowing what he meant by that.
We might have argued again, but Earnest piped in. He said thoughtfully,
“Kids, I think I know what to do. Let’s not tell Mark about you guys at all.
Maintain my story of you being fiancés. I told him that Henry proposed and
Anna refused, but since the ring belongs to Anna and Mark knows about it,
let’s say Anna proposed but Henry didn’t accept. It will be easier for me to
talk to him while I try to convince him to allow the arrangement.”
I shouldn’t be saying this about an older man, but what a selfish
sonavabitch. What about this plan made him think I’d agree to it?
“And have Mark believe Anna betrayed him? Come on dad,” Henry
responded, and I was impressed, “He told her early on that he doesn’t want
her involved with us in any way.”
I felt the need to establish a few ground rules, so I said to old Ernie
Hathaway, “I’m only doing this so you and Mark can sort out your feelings
for each other, sir. You so obviously have things to work out so all of us can
move on.”
“Yes, Anna. Thank you, I really appreciate it. I owe you one.”
“Someday,” I couldn’t resist the urge, “Do tell me why you slept with my
father’s girlfriend in the first place. There must have been a reason.”
Earnest’s face was a mirage of a thousand emotions blended into one
when I said the words. His eyes bored into mine for a minute while Henry
stilled beside me. I’m not one who wavers, but Earnest obviously wasn’t
trying to stare me down. He seemed… troubled. Conflicted.
I can read faces sometimes. I could read old Ernie’s then.
Slowly, he nodded at me and I smiled back in response. The tension in
the air dropped a little and Henry let out a loud sigh.
“Then,” I said, “Let’s improvise. If you’re not going to be proved a liar,
the fact that Hathaway and I are fiancés has to hold. I can go with the lie till
you have a proper conversation with dad. I’ll put a time bar on it for my
sanity: Three days.”
Earnest Hathaway’s face lost its color while Henry caught my hand. He
surprised me again but I held back my reflex elbow punch.
“Anna, I don’t think dad can resolve this in three days.” He said
worriedly.
“I don’t think you’re in a position to complain Hathaway.” I didn’t want
to be nasty. I really didn’t. I wonder why I self-sabotage with such
sincerity?
“Children, no argument,” Earnest butted in again. I wish he would stop
calling us children, “Anna, there’s something important you’re forgetting. I
have to talk it out with him and convince him about you guys. That’s the
only way you can peacefully date for real.”
 I didn’t move. Henry’s hand clenched around mine – he still hadn’t let
me go. We froze.
My heart started to pound while I could feel the rush in Henry’s pulse. It
led to me anticipating something astronomical and I blushed hard.
Woah. Maybe I would be asked out for the first time, at twenty three. In
this moment. Right now.
Woah.

Henry
He is such a busybody. He didn’t have to say it so blatantly.
I mean, I was going to ask Anna out. It’s not like I had a choice. I am
more attracted to her than I am consciously aware. And honestly, I’m a little
excited about the idea of us. She’s so different, it could be fun.
But when my father put it like that, I froze. I didn’t realize I was still
holding her hand – and I definitely didn’t know when I grabbed her more
harshly. It came to me when I felt her fingers against my wrist. I quickly let
her go.
“I – That’s our business dad. Let’s talk about you and Mr. Reeves first.” I
said as seriously as I could. I also pulled my poker face, hoping it worked.
He didn’t let it go, “Your business is related to mine. Who knows, if you
end up liking each other seriously you might become fiancés for real. You
won’t face any rejection then. I’ll clear your path right now.”
Dad, dad, dad. Let me ask her out first! Stop jumping the gun!
I was afraid to look at Anna. I really was. What would she think of me? I
think she might reject me for exposing her to Earnest alone.
I heard a quiet laugh. I slowly turned around to face Anna and saw her
chuckling silently. My heart jumped in nervousness and I managed a wimpy
smile but her laughter didn’t relieve me. She was pretty as fuck though.
“Hathaway.” God. I really do love my last name when she says it.
“Yeah.”
“I think we need to talk in private again.” She could barely hold in her
chuckle. Her cheeks were slightly red and her eyes were lively with her
smile. She reminded me of a mischievous sprite.
So much for a confession.
 We made our way back to the stupidly narrow corridor with dad giving
me a thumbs-up as I went along. I would roll my eyes out at him, but I
brought this upon myself when I confessed to him first. I shouldn’t have
told him that I liked Anna Reeves. Then I wouldn’t be about to ask a girl
out while looking like a homeless thief.
I clenched my fists and repeated what I had to say to her in my head.
Only, I didn’t know what to say. My mind went visibly blank once Anna
leaned against the wall and folded her arms against her chest. She smiled at
me and cocked a brow, like she always did.
I don’t know how I ever became a lawyer. God knows I had nothing to
say. So I forced myself to talk.
“Anna.”
She smiled.
“A-About last night…” I pretty much averted my gaze from hers, “I-I’m
sorry.”
“You already gave me a very inclusive apology before.”
“Yes. I’m saying I shouldn’t have left.”
“You shouldn’t have.”
She wasn’t going to make this any easy for me, was she?
“But I had my reason. Anna, I’m not much of a hotshot. I mean I’ve only
been, you know, intimate in my relationships before. So yesterday was…”
“A bit out of your comfort zone?”
“Yeah! And sudden. And strange. I mean, it was excellent, but it
happened without warning.”
“Yes, and usually people take weeks to plan such things out.”
“Don’t be sarcastic Anna, please. I’m trying my best here.” I struggled
for words again. And her impish mouth spread into another bold smile.
She bridged the distance between us in one step. Before I could react, she
pressed her body into mine and wrapped her arms around my neck. I stood
stiff as a log. My heart however did jump to my throat and threatened to
burst out.
“Hathaway,” she whispered, her eyes boring into mine. I swear she is the
devil, “I’m twenty three. I’ve never been formally asked out, so I was sort
of looking forward to this. But…”
She trailed off. Her arms snaked around my neck more comfortably as
she leaned in closer to mumble against my mouth, “You’re a disaster,
Hathaway.”
 Oh, hell.
I wrapped my arms against her waist and pulled her close. My lips
crashed against her sweet mouth, and I pressed her into myself. The kiss
was shattering, my bulge grew and last night came flashing into my mind
like a wet dream. I sighed, not letting her go.
“Is this a confession, Hathaway?” she managed between our kiss.
“You bet your ass it is,” I replied.
I love the taste of her on my lips. I might have grabbed her hips or pulled
up her tee, but she was much more in her senses than me. She broke the
distance between us again and pulled away, but didn’t leave the space of my
arms.
“Hathaway, Mark would kill you. Let’s take this somewhere else later.”
I was dazed. I looked at her sea green eyes and wet hair, she smelled of
cocoa and honey, her lips were so red. She pushed herself into me again and
kissed my cheek. I let her go.
She moved out of the corridor and into the garden, while I watched her
from behind. My heart was racing, my lips itching for her touch. She
seemed like a strange enigma in that instant, walking away, unfazed, as if
untouched.
I went crazy for a small second. I ran again.
I grabbed her from behind and pulled her close. She stopped in her tracks
to look up at me. I embraced her harder. I was secretly relieved she didn’t
kick back.
“I like you Anna Reeves,” I whispered landing a soft peck on the top of
her head, “I really like you. Would you go out with me?”
She broke into a terrific smile again.
“I think I said yes a few seconds ago.”
We kissed.
It was a sweet, sweet moment, almost close to perfection – if something
hadn’t hit my ass. I didn’t want to pull away from my – uh, girlfriend – I’m
blushing for real. But I had to when a fierce glare almost scorched my back.
“You scumbag!” Markian Reeves howled at us, “I saw what you did to
my daughter. Come here! I’ll whoop your ass!”
Apparently, he had thrown a cane at me. The cane he had bought for my
dad.
I swear to God, parents can be really dramatic most times.
 Chapter 12
Anna

“Anna, you tell me the truth.”

Improvise, Anna, improvise. I stood before Mark, my head a flurry of fast
paced alternatives and possible plans. Of course, I should’ve thought this
out. I mean, what was I expecting kissing Hathaway in the garden and in
the corridor?
I didn’t even get to enjoy my first confession.
I stood before a fuming Markian who looked ready to burst, while
Hathaway stood two steps behind me. He did want to take my side, literally,
but Mark’s glare had made him step back. His father was seated on the
couch on the other side of the round glass table.
“You said you weren’t involved with him Anna,” Mark accused, “I
thought you didn’t lie to me.”
Well… technically, we had nothing between us till two minutes ago.
So how do I tell the truth and protect everybody’s feelings again? It’s a
hassle. I don’t want to do it.
“Hathaway asked me out,” I said flatly. But old Ernie jumped in to say,
“She means proposed! Proposed… and she means Henry, not me. We’re
both Hathaway so…”
I rolled my eyes and turned around to stare at him pointedly. I hope he
got what my gaze said: Shut up.
“Anna – “
“Dad, Markian. Dad. Yes, Henry proposed to me,” I said carefully
choosing my words so I could buy me some minutes, “But I flat out
refused. I mean, we’re all enemies right?”
“Then why did he have your ring? It’s the most precious thing to you.”
 I faltered at that, but Henry chimed in, “She – she gave it to me as a
goodbye present. She likes me, but she couldn’t say yes because we’re…
enemies.”
I held in my laughter that could have escaped at how Henry said enemies.
He hissed the word. He’s cute.
“You be quiet,” Mark said angrily, “Anna you tell me. Have you two
been dating?”
“We’ve seen each other a few times.”
Three, precisely.
“So is he a nutcase? Why did he propose to you?”
“I guess he just likes me that much.”
“I can’t believe it.”
The slight wonder that filled Mark’s eyes made me scoff. He gave a
doubtful look to Henry but I could tell he was genuinely amazed.
“That’s a little rude Mark,” I pointed out.
“I – I didn’t mean it like that sweetheart.”
“Of course you did.”
Henry snorted behind me. I cocked my brow  and turned around again,
this time to scowl at the Hathaway son. I hope he got my gaze too. It said:
Shut up.
What was so funny anyway?
“Maybe you should ask him why he proposed to me,” I clicked my
tongue, “He’d be the one to know.”
Mark evaded the response. He said instead, “Anna, do you like him too?”
“Of course. You saw us kiss dad, of course I like him.”
“Is that why you’ve been avoiding the dates I set up for you? To see this
man?”
That got me.
Up until that moment, I wasn’t considering the arrangement to be of any
use to me. I mean I wanted Mark and Earnest to be on the same page about
their feelings, I secretly wanted to go out with Henry without Mark creating
a hassle, so I was going on with the plan. But there was one other thing that
this lie could bring about – it could avoid the war that Ray Elliot ditching
me last night could have started.
Oh, boy. Original Elliot owed me big time.
I didn’t speak. But I gave Mark a guilty enough look for him to fume and
stomp his foot, “You were!”
 “I’m sorry dad. But when I first met him, I really didn’t know about your
legendary battle with his family. I swear I wouldn’t have seen him again if I
did.”
“You lied to me Anna!”
As if it was the first time. I wonder why parents so conveniently assume
their children are always honest with them. I mean… we’re not, and we do
still love you.
“Sir… sir. May I say something?” I was relieved when Henry spoke
again.
Mark glared at him with all his might but he wasn’t getting anywhere
with my answers so he nodded his assent to Henry. Hathaway said politely,
“Anna rejected me saying she would never hurt you. When she came to
know about… our family feud, she said no to my proposal last night. She
got to know about it only a day before, so it isn’t her fault.”
Wrong move, Henry.
“Don’t defend my daughter for me, Hathaway,” Mark seethed and I knew
Hathaway had touched a wrong nerve. It sort of got on my nerves that this
drama was being conjured to save Earnest Hathaway’s ass, and yet he was
the only one not making any decent contribution. He knows Markian the
best, right? He should be able to talk this through!
“I’m sorry!” Henry was quick to say, “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“What do you do?” Mark asked.
“I’m a lawyer, sir. I have my own firm Hathaway & Brown Partners.”
“Why haven’t I heard of it?”
“We’re just starting out.”
“Do you have eyes on my Anna so I’d make an investment?”
I almost laughed out loud at that. Mark is cute. I think Henry struggled to
hold back his smile as well, but Mark’s disrespectful interrogation finally
gorged Earnest into active defense.
“Reeves, Reeves,” Earnest sat up straight now, “Let’s not do this mate.
I’m filthy rich, why would he seduce Anna for money? Give me some
credit here.”
“I don’t know, he might be scum like you.”
Dad really needed to come up with a better response. I was feeling bad
for him, but I also felt bad for Henry.
“Reeves, let’s do this: Give the kids three months to test waters. Time for
Henry to woo Anna. Time for you to know if he’s good enough for your
daughter. And maybe… we could talk things out in the meantime. It’s good
for everyone. I’ve never thought of you as an enemy, you’ve always –“
“The nerve! You have no reason to!”
“Yes, sorry man. But think about it. The kids are serious. What will
separating them accomplish? I also don’t think Anna’s going to listen to
you.”
“Excuse me?!”
“Relax, Henry is fucking disrespectful too. Kids somehow manage to
grow up all wrong even if we do our best.”
“My Anna is beautiful, responsible –“
“I don’t doubt it. But isn’t it annoying when they don’t listen to you?”
“It is. It’s harder for me because I’m alone. At least you have Emily.”
“I know. Hearing about Rhea broke my heart mate.”
“Is that why you didn’t visit?”
I was getting invested in the conversation when Henry held my hand and
dragged me away. Honestly, Mark and old Ernie didn’t even notice, even
though we were walking away right in front of their eyes. It surprised and
amazed me at the same time.
Were they really just friends?
“I doubt it too,” Henry smirked. I raised my brows at him, impressed, “Is
there somewhere we won’t be disturbed?”
I smiled and led him up to my room.
My room is as unflattering as it can be. I’m not messy as a person, I
prefer less stuff which is all easily accessible. My bed is queen size and my
curtains are dark blue. My sheets are white. I have a working table in a
corner and a walk-in closet with unimpressive clothes.
I buy what I can afford. Mark has a pretty decent heir, I’d say.
I could see the surprise on Henry’s face when he saw my room. He
looked around, hoping to find something interesting I guess.
“It’s so – “ he lost his words.
“Ordinary, I know,” I completed it for him.
“By the way, isn’t it too soon for me to be seeing your room?”
“Not one bit. You’d never find out what I don’t want you to know
anyway.”
He pulled me close and we were all over each other again. He kissed my
neck and held me tightly, laughing as he said, “Your father would kill me
for this.”
 “I would do it first if you don’t explain to me why you left last night.”
He pulled back a little, “Don’t tell me that’s why you brought me here?”
“Why else do you think?”
He drew me against his chest and left me no room to move by wrapping
his hands tightly around my waist. He kissed me on my lips. I’m beginning
to really enjoy his taste.
“I told you I’m not a hotshot, Anna,” his mouth moved to my jaw as his
voice dropped to a low whisper, “It was so sudden… and I didn’t
understand why I kept feeling so warm. I had to go because I didn’t want it
to end as a one night stand when I actually like you.”
I’ve read the butterfly-in-your-stomach thing a thousand times in books
before. But I didn’t think I would ever feel it. The bottom of my belly
fluttered and twirled about in ecstasy. He is so romantic!
I draped my arms around his neck and said softly, “I thought it was
maybe because you had a girlfriend.”
He looked back at me, surprised. I blushed hard. I like this very different
version of me that even I don’t know about. It’s weird how I keep feeling
hot and mushy all over.
“You’re so pretty.” His hands moved to the inside of my tee. I shivered. I
felt goosebumps along my spine where he rubbed my skin. His fingers
reached to unclasp my bra. His teeth were on my pulse. He licked and bit. I
moaned. “Dre-Dressed like this?”
“Every time I see you, you’re pretty Anna.”
“Even when you saw me in that alley?”
“Oh, I was so turned on.”
“Asshole.”
We moved to the bed. I lay beneath him as I unbuttoned his shirt. I guess
I don’t need to tell him it was buttoned wrong anymore. He pulled up my
tee and with one swift move, removed my bra. I blushed again when his
eyes landed on my breasts. I could see him swallow as well – his mouth
was on my nipple in an instant. He suckled hard. I bit my lip in delight as
ecstasy flew through my body and throbbed in sweet ache between my legs.
His hand moved to my other breast, caressing it while he plucked and
pulled, teased and pressed on it hard.
I sucked in a breath and swallowed a moan. Need rushed in me too soon.
I pulled him closer. I could feel his bulge against my stomach.
 He let go of my nipple, which pulsated once his tongue had left. He
kissed his way down, his fingers playing with my breasts instead. I gave
way to my desire. My mind muddled and I arched my back when he rolled
my little buds between his forefinger and thumb. He kissed my belly.
At the same moment, I somehow registered a sound.
The sound of footsteps.
My reaction was instant. I pushed Henry away and got up from the bed in
horror. He lost his footing against the bed and fell back on his ass.
“It’s dad!” I mouthed, quickly pulling down my tee and throwing my bra
under the pillow. Henry’s eyes widened and he got up from the floor. He
began to button his shirt in hurry while dad’s voice came from outside my
door.
“Anna, why are you in your room?”
I urged Henry to be quick while I stood up and rushed to the door. I
hadn’t locked it. Mark pushed it open as hard as he could and got in. My
heart was still pounding and I was short of breath. I turned around to look at
Henry at the same time as Mark did.
Relief flooded my entire body. He was dressed.
I leaned against the door, ready to sigh when I noticed Mark was tense.
He clenched his fist. I looked worriedly at the cane that he had in his hand.
Hadn’t he already thrown it at Henry once?
Mark hissed under his breath, “Why is your shirt buttoned right
Hathaway?”
I froze. Dad launched himself at Henry who yelped out when he saw the
cane. Markian didn’t throw it at him this time – but he did approach him
rather fiercely.
I couldn’t help but feel a heart attack coming.
This was ridiculous. Dating Henry definitely wasn’t going to be an easy
deal.

Henry
My life lacked action on a lot of fronts.
I got it all at once in one room when I decided I wanted to date Anna
Reeves. All things put aside, what is wrong with Markian? I think I get
where Anna gets her temper from. But the truth is they aren’t even blood
related. What the heck. This man must know that I could put him away on
charges of assault. And have my first big case.
I dodged his cane and we ended up in the living room again. I explained
how Anna just told me that I hadn’t buttoned my shirt right. I’m honestly
ashamed. I had no idea I was roaming around in her house like that.
I had lost my breath and most of the desire in me. Anna was constantly
behind, trying to reason with Mark. Nothing helped except when Earnest
interrupted, “Relax Mark. We already decided to give them a go.”
Markian Reeves glared at my father but promptly stopped. I had to stop
my mouth from falling open. Like… seriously?
Why don’t the two just get married? They’re annoying. I feel sorry for
my mother unless she has an unhealthy obsession for one of her friends as
well.
Mark settled down and they informed us of their unanimous decision to
give me a month to woo Anna and suck up to Mark. I swear, I could have
bitten my tongue in frustration. It’d be easier if they just sorted their grudge
and let us be. I agreed though and we were declared fiancés. Dad took us
both aside and congratulated us, which was all the more frustrating because
things like this were not supposed to happen in this day and age.
While I had to leave with dad, I couldn’t help but give Anna a reluctant-
to-go hug and kiss her cheek.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I whispered to her. She’s way bolder than me
though.
She gave me a small kiss on the mouth and said, “Sure.”
I think I love her already.
I usually don’t find the first text hard. We don’t have an online
relationship yet. I’m not a fan of social media, but being the owner of a firm
comes with its parts that I don’t like to execute. One of them being
advertising. I would’ve hired an agency to promote us, but then, we’re not
exactly sound on capital. So we self-promote and I’m on all social
platforms. That night I did something I haven’t done post asking someone
out – I sent Anna a follow and friend request on all websites I could find
her on.
Then I moved on to actually sending her a text on Whatsapp. I’m usually
pretty good with these things. But because it was Anna I didn’t know what
to say. I retyped the message a hundred times before settling for a simple,
Hey.
 I waited for my phone to buzz while I prepared dinner. Peter was over at
his girlfriend’s for the night so I didn’t have the chance to share the news
with him. What would I say when he came back tomorrow? Man, two of
your closest friends are dating!
Anna and I are together!
Together-together.
I’m hopelessly happy about us.
My phone buzzed while I was grinning to myself. I pulled it out and
beamed when I saw Anna’s name on it. Her message read, [Hey, accepted
your requests. You look cuter in person btw].
My fingers moved on their own, [I’ll have to hold the judgement on
yours for a minute].
I literally spent the night staring at the four pictures of her that she had
uploaded on Instagram, two on Facebook and her D.P. on Whatsapp. She
looks cuter in person too. We talked away the time till it was six in the
morning and I didn’t want to go to work anymore.
I saw her last text and smiled myself to sleep. It read, Night now, hon.
I know, it’s out of the blue but I’ve become a person who misses his
partner dearly one night after going out. I’m in a relationship. I’m dating
Anna Reeves.
I think my grin might fall off my face. I love this.
I’m enjoying it so much already.
 Chapter 13
Anna

Henry is comfortable.
Being with him is easy. It’s natural. He feels like home.
On our first date, we had dinner together, we went for a midnight movie
and I made out at a theatre for the first time. It was thrilling and exciting
and it felt all wrong at the same time. Henry kept holding my hand in the
car all the way back home. He kissed me in front of my house and I came
back in, a happy mess.
I didn’t know someone’s bare touch could ever excite me so much. Even
when I’m not particularly aroused. Every time we’re together I feel like
waves of current running through my body. Most of all, I can’t believe I
finally have a boyfriend.
I’m in a relationship!
I would generally have told myself to wipe the lousy grin off my face,
but tonight is a special occasion. Hathaway is a great guy, no doubt. I really
like him.
But if I am being brutally honest with myself, he did tire me out a little
bit today. He was fun to be with, of course. But I keep wondering why he
was so nervous. He kept looking around as if he expected someone to pop
out of thin air any minute. I really don’t know what was up. We’ve barely
started going out, so I could only ask him if something was wrong. He
denied it, obviously.
The thing that discomforts me is that his wasn’t the kind of nervousness I
was feeling – the one that came to me because of my first date. Henry’s was
the kind that makes you want to be ready against a possible assault.
I sighed and lay down on my bed, throwing away my purse. I’m happy.
My insides are fluttering and my heart is beating fast. His face keeps
flashing in my head at random moments and I end up blushing. But
Henry… I wonder what today was like for him? Why he was so stiff even
when we were together?
I really wanted to invite him back to my room. But I didn’t want to
subject him to Mark so I didn’t. I also wasn’t sure.
Dating is nice all over, I guess. Maybe I just need to back off a little.
Thinking too much is no good.
I pulled out my phone and stared at the screen for a few minutes. I texted
Henry, Got home? And then put the phone away. I’m not sure what the time
limit for texting is. We were talking all night yesterday. We were together
today. Was I being clingy?
But I just wanted to know if he reached back to his place safely. Should I
have asked Brown instead?
Ew. No. That would be weird as hell.
I haven’t mentioned about Henry to Shinoda and Kelly yet. So I officially
have no friends whom I can go to for dating advice. I also don’t know how
they’ll react when I tell them. They’d congratulate me and ask for pictures,
but neither of them know Henry. I don’t know him either. Not that I need
their opinion, but it would be nice if they got to know Hathaway someday.
Then I’d be able to have sound advice from considerably intelligent people.
I rolled around on my bed again, secretly hoping for my phone to flash
with his message. I hope I didn’t make any mistakes. I hope I didn’t turn
him off on the first day itself. I hope all of this ridiculous happiness lasts.
I hate it when I spiral into overthinking. It’s a habit and it comes out
whenever I’m restless about a situation. Usually, the situation is one that I
don’t have control over. I sighed.
I had a session scheduled tonight with two of my underlings. The thought
excited me somewhat and I forced myself to get up and change. Working
out makes me destress, and although I still had an hour left, I began to get
ready. I put on black treggings and a black tank top along with sneakers. I
tied my hair up in a ponytail. I texted dad not to wait up for me and told him
where I’d be, then I left the house.
When I was living with the third foster family of my life, I was nine. It
was a difficult time for me back then. It was also the first time I got bullied.
I understand that almost everybody is bullied at some point in their life. But
as the way of people goes, what I’ve understood from my experience back
then is that diversity is always offending. What’s different is scary to people
– and I was different. That time in my life is what makes me who I am
today. I made a difficult choice as a child and although it costs me on a few
fronts, I’m glad I do what I do. I’m also glad Mark never asked me to
change.
I don’t know if it’s because he’s callous or accepting or just plain
enthralled, but I like that he doesn’t impose or interfere. He is a good man.
I took an Uber that dropped me off a mile away from an abandoned
warehouse. I ran the remaining distance. The warehouse is where I’ve
established my base. It’s nothing fancy, it is about ten miles away from
home, but it is the perfect place to practice. I rotated my neck and stretched
my shoulders as I entered the yard.
The warehouse seems like a haunted house located in a junkyard, to be
honest. But it’s the best I can get if matters have to stay out of the public
eye. I crossed the barren ground around and pushed open the door to the
place. I had handed over the keys to Nathan and Ian – my students for the
night – earlier.
My senses heightened as soon as the door creaked open before me. The
lights weren’t turned on inside and I could feel a presence at the entrance
itself. I almost rolled my eyes at the plain-as-a-day plan of my students.
They were using darkness as a shield against me. The first attack came
when I took my second step in. Nathan stepped out from behind the door
and swirled a wooden pole at me. I dodged it with relative ease. He had
aimed for me while standing on my left side, so I bent backwards to evade.
I didn’t fall though; I held the pole in my other hand instead and grabbed it
off of Nathan. Hitting his right shoulder with it as lightly as I could, I
shrugged. He fell back.
“You haven’t learnt shit,” I scowled, “Remain on the ground and hope to
God Ian does a better job. Else I’ll beat the shit out of you both.”
Nathan smiled a sheepish smile and crossed his legs on the ground. I
didn’t return his sweet smirk, I was giving this team the benefit of my
doubt. Maybe they had a plan. Maybe Nathan was being so useless as part
of this plan.
I ran into the darkness.
The warehouse is relatively big and filled with garbage of all sort. When
I practice, I allow anything as a weapon. I use only my body to attack and
defend, so that the fellows can learn. It is necessary. It is fair.
 I stood in the middle of an open roof hall that used to be a courtyard,
some ages ago. Or so I’ve heard. My senses led me to look towards the roof
in caution. Was Ian there? I was expecting theatrics of some sort, and I
wasn’t far off. A can rolled near my feet and a fire cracker went off at a
distance. I paid it no heed, but I clenched my fist. He wasn’t coming from
the direction of the can. If he understood anything about stealth, he’d be
approaching from where I’d least expect. They’re rookies. According to
them, which direction puts me at a disadvantage?
I was right.
A shadow moved across the open roof and landed close to my back, the
kick would have hit my tailbone and cracked it for sure, the pressure of the
wind was so harsh. I evaded and landed a knee jab at Ian’s stomach. He
dodged as well, from what I could see his left hand moved. I closed my
eyes in response and smelled dust. His move was to blind me momentarily.
Not bad.
For his third training, Ian wasn’t half bad. I smiled and kicked back, he
punched – we both evaded the attacks. The brawl went on for a good half
hour before I saw the hint of desperation in Ian’s eyes. He was getting
frustrated. During rookie days, desperation is what makes or breaks a fight.
Usually, it breaks a fight.
I saw a blade flash, at the same time I could sense another pair of
footsteps behind me. I grinned harder. What was this? The classic let’s-tire-
her-out-then-secretly-attack method? Nathan and Ian underestimated their
master. Could be because I’m female.
I decided to end it.
I bent and caught Nathan’s leg under my armpit – he was going for a kick
at my neck – while evading another punch from Ian who rounded around
me. I turned around and disbalanced Nathan, landing a hit on his knee so he
would smash to the ground. Ian’s knife was close to my ear now, I caught
his wrist, but I underestimated the length of the blade. It turned out to be a
dagger and I had caught the blade instead of Ian’s wrist.
I hissed but pulled the blade with full force. Ian lost his footing for a
second, I landed an elbow jab to his cheek. He staggered and fell as well. I
stepped back from both of them, breathing heavily.
“Time out boys,” I announced, pressing both of my hands to my hips,
“Well done.”
 They got up. None of them was much hurt, I always recommend they use
hockey pads because we can’t afford much better. It’s good for my training
too – when caught in a real life situation my kicks and punches are four
times stronger because of the extra weight I practice with. Usually I have to
use twice my normal strength to hit my padded students.
There wasn’t much to clean up, they had kept the session pretty simple.
But I did want to give them a few tips, so the boys went in to pick out
whatever could be used to make a fire. The electricity in the warehouse was
cut a long time ago. It is also one of the reasons why it was safe to practice
here. Nathan grinned widely at me again while he brought in a broken
wooden desk. Ian’s smile was cocky. He raised the carton of beer and a box
of first aid at me.
“We prepared,” he announced. He was pleased with himself.
I sat back in the hall-cum-courtyard while they lit the fire. I bandaged my
bleeding palm and opened a can. The boys followed. We clinked our cans
and drank silently while I decided to postpone my lecture on our fight. The
night air was cold and it relaxed my very core. I smiled.
My hurt boys were looking at the stars in the sky and chuckling, between
minutes they broke out fighting about who performed more poorly in
today’s plan. They made me laugh.
Life was good.
 Chapter 14
Henry

If I had even for a second thought that Anna and I were a perfect fit, I was
dead wrong. Anna Reeves was difficult – I knew that the first night I saw
her. One thing led to another and we ended up on our first date together, but
damn Peter Brown for poisoning my mind. He came in the morning, we met
at the office and I broke the news to him with all the excitement and
nonchalance that I could.
Peter’s eyes were round and wide when he heard. I think he overreacted,
but he stood up to give me a hug while patting my back. It didn’t exactly
feel like congratulations even though he said, “Congrats mate. You actually
asked her out!”
“Thanks,” I said, brushing my thoughts away.
“You guys meeting today?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m surprised. You’re the most unlikely couple to have come together
Henry.”
“Why? You were urging me to ask her out only a day before.”
“That’s because you were obsessed with her man.”
“I still am.” I remembered the taste of her lips on mine, her sweet-solid
confession, her voice when she had said, “I’ve never been formally asked
out, so I was sort of looking forward to this. But… You’re a disaster,
Hathaway.”
I mean, she’s adorable.
“I get it and Anna’s great and all,” Pete was still talking, “I just don’t
think I can deal with the level of stress dating her would bring along.”
I frowned, “What stress?”
 Peter hesitated and I remembered. Yes, the first time I had seen her she
was fighting off thugs in a dark alleyway. Her name was saved under the
title Gangsta on Pete’s phone and I didn’t know shit about what she did.
Why she was a thug if she was one. Would she tell me anytime soon?
How much of this crap was she involved in?
Does she get hurt?
The last thought stayed in my mind. I swallowed but I defended my
pride, “It’s all good. I like her, it’s all that matters.” But Pete’s words got to
me. They stayed in my mind the entire day.
When I left to meet Anna in the evening, the dangerous beat of my heart
and the flutter of my stomach were back. I was floored by her smile, I was
enticed by the way she moved. Every time she opened that small mouth, I
wanted to dive right in and play with her tongue. She’s beautiful and she
drives me insane with want.
But Peter’s words never left my mind. My eyes involuntarily kept
scanning every visible body part of hers for signs of wounds. I kept
watching out against anyone who might be approaching us.
Does she have enemies? Do people try to harm her? What is it that she
does?
I didn’t want to employ any resources to find out. I wanted her to tell me
in her own time. But I wasn’t sure I had the patience to wait. Our first date
was exhausting for me, to be honest.
I think I made her uncomfortable with my behavior as well. I regret it, I
really do. At one point she asked me if something was wrong, why I looked
all nervous. She’s sharp so she must have known I wasn’t exactly feeling
first-date jitters. But I lied and pretended, because what other choice did I
have?
The movie was good.
When we kissed, her soft moans made me want to take her right there. I
didn’t want to let her go. But that was also about the only time I was
focused on her, on us.
When I left her before her house, I wanted her to invite me back to her
room. But I wasn’t sure if I wanted that because I was curious and excited –
or because when we were intimate with each other, I had a way of
forgetting about my insecurities.
She didn’t ask me to come in. I drove back home a guilty man.  
 I was glad she didn’t invite me in. When my head cleared, I really was. I
mean she’s twenty-three and she has never dated. From what she said to me
during her confession, she had never been asked out. Which made me an
absolute asshole for treating her like this.
What did she think about all of this?
Would she regret being with me?
I parked my car in the garage and was on the way to my apartment, when
my phone buzzed. I pulled it out to see Anna’s message. Got home? It said.
Damn it.
My heart panged with guilt but there was excitement flooding through
my veins as well. I was thinking too much. Today was only our first date.
We had time together, I could get to know her as much as I wanted during
our days. I shouldn’t be assuming things.
So I turned around and drove back.
I wanted to correct my mistake. Maybe I would let her know why I was
being weird today. Maybe. I don’t know. All I know is that I wanted to see
her. And I’m pretty sure she’d be glad to see me too.
How I wish though that I hadn’t turned back.
When I reached in front of her house, I was surprised to see her
unmistakable frame jump out of the fenced garden. She was dressed in all
black – a tight black tank top with a pair of skinny black treggings. She had
come out of the gate and was headed towards the main road. She didn’t
notice my car, and something about the focused expression on her face
made my heart throb in panic.
I can’t explain what I did in that moment. I also can’t defend myself as
being right. I just acted out of instinct.
I began to follow her.
She ran for some time before hailing a cab. She left the cab at a
seemingly remote area and ran again. I was hesitant to leave my car but I
did after a second of thought. All the while my heart was pounding, my
hands trembling on the steering wheel. I kept remembering my first
encounter with Anna, and I dreaded she was here, about to do something
similar.
I sweated when I saw her enter the dark, abandoned warehouse. My
entire being told me she would know someone was following her. What if
she saw me? How would I explain this silent stalking? Did I not trust her?
 Of course I didn’t. I barely knew her. Which was why I had no right to be
doing this. But I couldn’t stop either.
My breath was lost in my mouth when I saw someone step out of the
dark building and swing a pole at her. My feet moved on their own – I don’t
know why exactly I ran or what I would have done – but then I stopped in
good time. Anna fought on the doorstep like an expert, and she seemed
friendly with the guy she beat up.
What was going on?
I watched her every move. I forgot to breathe on more instances than one.
Anna Reeves was like a flash of light, a beautifully moving blade of glass
that cut deep. That was the only comparison I could think of, while I
watched her fight another man from afar. I’ve only seen such wildlife action
in movies. But Anna was right there in front of me, fighting for real,
performing like a goddamned princess at war.
She was gorgeous.
Even the air around her seemed unapproachable to me, as if nothing
could penetrate that distance between us. It was a world where she existed
alone. It made me shiver from thrill. It made me sick with worry.
She had cut her hand.
I clenched my fists to stop myself from moving. I also knew I was far too
new an existence for her to reveal this side of hers to me. I mean… how do
I explain it? When I saw her smiling into that fire and looking at the two
boys before her with tenderness that I have not yet seen, I knew this was a
part of her that I would never get to know of. It was a look I can’t define.
My phone buzzed. I hid myself in a corner and saw that it was Peter’s
text. He was asking how my date was going. It made me recall Anna’s
message, so I texted back, I got home. You?
I don’t know why I did it. Maybe I wanted her to tell me she was hurt.
Maybe against all odds, I wanted her to call me and say she missed me.
I didn’t have the heart to keep looking at her. I was worried, I was
fascinated, but most of all I felt like this was not my place. That I didn’t
belong in this part of her world.
Exactly in that moment, I received her reply.
It said, I’m home.
I know. I said it before, I choose struggle whenever I can. So right about
now, I’m doomed, right?
 Chapter 15
Anna

I didn’t pay it a lot of attention at first, but something between me and

Henry began to change on the very next day. Our second day together was
awkward. Even though I had made up a full story to let him know why my
hand was bandaged, it surprised me that he didn’t bother to ask. Even while
we ate, he avoided my eyes. He kissed me out of obligation and he left me
no choice but to come to an obvious conclusion – he did not want to be with
me.
The thought hurt like hell. I don’t know if it was because I thought Henry
didn’t want me, or because I so desperately wanted to be able to date for
more than two days – but I was deeply hurt. It also came with pain and
sadness and a lot of anger, but I knew something was very, very wrong
between us.
It was early morning, but the next three days of the same fake routine
with Henry got to me. I finally texted Kelly and Shinoda, I need help.
Kelly was the first to respond, [Morning honeychunks. What’s up?]
I smiled, [Morning. Not much. You know if Shi’s up yet?]
Shinoda jumped right in then, [Here babe!]
I didn’t waste time. I wanted to let it all out. So I typed as simply and as
nonchalantly as I could, [Guys. There’s a guy I’m dating. I need help.]
Their responses were fast and furious. They bombarded me with
questions – all of them bordering on rude. I knew that would happen, so I
replied to each of them quickly. They still couldn’t stop texting me the array
of, No way. You got asked out? Who’s this nutjob?
Why’d you not tell us?
Of course you need help if you’re dating! It’s your first time!
My girl grew up <3 Luuuuv
 An, baby did you have a chance to hit him yet?
I rolled my eyes. I wanted to keep my patience and I also wanted to keep
from crying. So I texted pretty seriously, If you won’t hear me out, I’ll go.
They shut up. I relayed the whole story to my besties, and I was again in
for a rude surprise. Kelly was the first one to hammer it in for me, He
knows something about you that’s driving him away. I don’t see what else is
wrong babe.
Shinoda added his infuriating two cents, He asked you out after you
scared him shitless. Maybe he doesn’t like this uncertainty about what you
do. I know I wouldn’t. I mean, you showed up injured and you didn’t tell him
how or why, An.
I was angry. He didn’t ask me! I typed.
Kelly texted back, Maybe he knows.
That is what put things into perspective for me. That is also what made
me remember my training session with Nathan and Ian five days before. I
had noticed another presence in the warehouse that night, but students have
a way of tagging along with each other. I usually have two or three other
silent onlookers who want to watch and learn before it’s their turn to
practice with me. I didn’t pay it much heed before, but that night, whoever
was watching me fight at that warehouse never came out to greet me even
when the practice session was over. By the time I had left the place, I knew
that he/she had already gone as well.
My throat dried up when I thought of the possibility. Could…
Could it have been Hathaway?
It was impossible!
How the heck would he know to come there? Unless… he had somehow
seen me while I was on my way to the warehouse and followed me there?
Impossible…
My hands trembled when I thought of it. But it also made so much sense,
I didn’t know what else to think.
I mean it. It didn’t add up how Henry didn’t even ask why I had a
bandaged hand.
The thought pissed me off. It also twisted my heart in agony.
I’m not someone who likes to talk things through. I’m not even good
with communication and stuff. But if I couldn’t talk to Henry about this… it
was going to be the end for us. By the way he had been acting for the past
few days, my assumption began to hold ground.
 I could safely and to my horror, conclude that that night, he was the one
at the warehouse.
Damn his ass if he was.
Wasn’t I too early in the relationship to be facing these problems already?
I thanked my friends and put away my phone. I pulled out of bed to take
a bath. My head hurt when I thought of it all, and somehow, it made me
want to drink and workout again. I shrugged and changed.
Hathaway, what do I do with you?
He had mentioned he was a people’s man. He was the one who could
deal with hoards of human beings lined up in a single room. So where were
his skills now? Why hadn’t he come to me? Wouldn’t it be better to ask me
to clear things up, if he was going to act so distant? I hated the idea of it all.
I’ve read that the first month of any relationship is the honeymoon phase.
The couple doesn’t run into problems. The couple is all over each other and
can’t get enough. They’re all happy as fuck.
Then, there’s us.
Maybe I just need to stop reading and watching any sort of romance. The
idea of what is supposed to happen is driving me insane.
I enjoyed a relatively relaxing bubble bath along with a glass of wine to
clear my head. But the pleasure was short lived because Henry decided to
text me. Honestly, it was aggravating. He sent a simple message asking me
what I was doing, but it got on my nerves. I cannot keep up a pretense of
any sort. If something is wrong, I have a hard time admitting it is not. I’m
not trained to lie, you see.
I put my phone away. My head was full of Henry, but I didn’t want to
talk to him just yet. My phone beeped thrice more and all were texts from
him.
Quiet, babe. Please.
I need to rest. Away from you for now.
I lifted my feet out of the tub and watched the soap disappear between
my toe and fingers. I hummed a song, I tried to keep Henry out of my
thoughts. When the buzzing texts turned to a call, I snapped.
I picked up, “I’m busy Henry,” I barked.
“Then why’d you pick up?”
His voice was soothing but it angered me anyway. I knew I was being
harsh when I said, “Hathaway, what do you want? Aren’t you at your
office?”
 I forgot he didn’t really have work. He was working on some case from
that Cain Matthews guy, but besides that there wasn’t much that he had told
me about.
“I am. I just wanted to hear your voice.”
“Or are you feeling sorry for being an asshole these past few days? I
don’t want to deal with this right now Henry.” I didn’t want to say it. But
the words dropped off my mouth like an unstoppable time bomb. I regretted
it as soon as I uttered them.
There was silence on the other side. He didn’t say a word, except a soft
whisper of, “Excuse me?”
I apologized, “No – I, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. I just – it’s not a good
time, Henry.”
“I was never an asshole to you, Anna.”
Yes, and that was the problem. I would rather you talk to me than pretend
to be nice.
I ate my words, “Yes, I’m sorry.”
“Anna?”
“Yeah.”
“We need to talk. But nothing changes the fact that I like you. A lot.”
I’m bloody stupid. I’m saying it because his words actually brought so
much relief to my soul, it made me feel pathetic instantly. Is it because he’s
a lawyer so he’s good with words? Or does he mean them?
Because I teared up as soon as he said it. I whispered, “Yes. Me too.”
“I miss you babe. I’ll see you in the evening.”
“Yeah.”
“Bye.”
“Bye.”
Is it possible to like someone so much in so little time? Or am I love
deprived?
I got out of the tub. I dried myself and decided I was going to lie around
the whole day. I didn’t want to move. I had either a lot of thinking to do or I
needed to stop thinking at all. While I got under the sheets, I didn’t dress
myself. The covers felt soothing against my bare skin. It was kind of
arousing too. My decision was instantaneous. I’d have done anything to
relax right then, so I lay back and my fingers found their way between my
legs on their own. The caress was gentle and relieving, I rubbed my folds
and pressed down on my nub. Fire ran though my body, my back arched
and desire pooled in me within a minute. I played with my insides till my
head went blank. I came soon afterwards and immediately fell asleep.
I don’t know how long I was out, but when I woke up, it was to the
drastic sound of Sarah knocking at my door. I groaned and demanded,
“Yes?”
“Ma’am, Mr. Hathaway is waiting for you downstairs.”
What? Was it evening already?
I turned around to pick up my phone and saw it was three in the
afternoon. How long had I been sleeping? “Tell him I’ll be down in a
minute,” I yelled back. I collected the sheets, washed up and dressed
quickly before running downstairs. I’m never prepared when he comes
around. I’m not sure I ever will be.

Henry
She called me an asshole. She shouldn’t have.
I couldn’t concentrate the entire day because of her. I know that we’ve
not exactly been up to the mark, but calling me an asshole is pushing it up a
notch. I’ve been nothing but downright gentlemanly with Anna. She needs
to learn how to talk.
The past few days were nerve wracking, I’ll admit that. But what’s her
problem now? I’m getting tired of obsessing over her. I’ve been in
relationships before but I’ve never done so much thinking about them. My
past girlfriends were easy to be with. Anna vexes me. I keep questioning
everything about myself and us.
I don’t think I’ll forget that night at the warehouse. I also don’t think I’ll
recover from my feelings back then. Which means nothing is going to
change for the better.
I don’t know why despite having these thoughts, I ended up wrapping all
my work and rushing over to Anna’s house as fast as I could. Like I
mentioned, she’s driving me crazy. I’m doing things I’ve never done before.
And I’m not enjoying being this way, unlike what fairy tale romances
say.
Truth be told, it was annoying when the househelp informed me that her
madam was asleep. Am I the only one going crazy over here? How could
Anna be sleeping? I’ve lost sleep over us for the past few nights.
 I know I told her that we should talk, but it doesn’t change the fact that I
don’t know what to talk about. I won’t admit to her that I saw her fight at
the warehouse. Or whatever it was that she was doing. Teaching, I’d like to
call it. But I fail to understand why or how come. I haven’t lied to her about
one thing though – my feelings. I do like her. A lot.
It’d be nice if I could understand why.
Her random acts entrance me. We were out walking by the park the other
day, when I saw her suddenly run out to a kid. This kid was sitting on a
bench in the park alone, and she scared the shit out of him by jumping at
him from behind. He cried, I had to buy him ice cream and a couple of
balloons to calm him down. Next day, I saw her walk this kid home from
school, and he didn’t want to let her go.
I’m telling you, there’s something about Anna Reeves.
While I waited for Anna to come down, I was relieved that Mark wasn’t
home. I mulled over Cain Matthew’s stupid as fuck case and sighed. It was
sad that he was our first client. He thought he was being stalked so he
wanted our help to get a restraining order. I know. I’m rolling my eyes right
now. But Pete’s investigation told him that Cain might actually have been
followed by a guy who had been hired by his fiancé. He of course hadn’t
told Matthews of his suspicions yet. So we’re caught somewhere between
being struggling lawyers and wannabe private detectives.
My opinion though? We’re being sore losers. But I don’t see a way out,
so that’s that.
“Ah – Hathaway.”
Her soft voice drew my attention. I’m surprised I’m dating her. I looked
up and Anna was standing right before me, hair messed up and looking like
she had indeed just woken up. To her credit, I think she tried to look
presentable for me. There was a hint of care in the way she was dressed –
she had pulled on a dress instead of the usual jeans and tee. I noticed all of
that, and nothing beat the throb of my heart and the happiness that rushed
through my insides when I saw her face. It happens every time.
She’s like external dopamine to me, if that makes sense.
“Hey,” I said, standing up, “I hope I didn’t catch you at a wrong time.”
“No – no. I was just taking a nap. Your… work. Are you done?”
“Yeah. Finished early.”
“Great. Great.”
 I could see she was nervous. I stepped forward to hold her hand but she
withdrew. I raised my brows – I think I’m catching her habits – and she
shrugged with a silly smile.
“Henry… I. I don’t like this. I – “
I bridged the distance between us and kissed her. She responded, but
didn’t weave her hands around my neck like she usually does. Instead, she
put them on my chest and pushed me away lightly once she had kissed me
back.
I love how she closes her eyes every time we kiss. I also love how
distracted she gets afterward. I wonder if this reaction of hers is exclusive to
my touch?
“Hathaway – “ she was short on breath – “Don’t, I – Were you at the
warehouse that night? The night we went out on our first date.”
Of all the things I expected Anna to say, this was not it. For a second I
thought I misheard her. But then I looked into her eyes and the worry in her
expression told me I hadn’t. That’s another thing about Anna Reeves. I’ve
come to love her eyes. They’re a sea green, the kind that make me feel
goosebumps every time she’s looking at me with want. The kind that make
me want to embrace her when she is worried.
I suddenly lost any semblance of insecurity that I had previously had. I
held her hands and said by instinct, “That doesn’t change anything, Anna.”
Her face lost color and her eyes went all the way from fearful to terrified.
Then, I saw the visible fortification of a person’s heart. For real. I’ve read
about it, but I saw it happen to Anna again. I remembered the night I had
left her at the bar. Just like that time, her eyes went cold within a second
and she stepped back. Her demeanor changed to that of someone who had
been backed into a corner. I hated feeling like some beast who had finally
detained its prey.
But Anna reacted to me like that.
“You saw.” She whispered. Before I could talk, she said, “But Hathaway
we don’t have anything that can change between us. You saw me that night,
you decided it wasn’t worth talking about. A week in, and we’re down to
faking our relationship. You were right. You haven’t been an asshole to me.
Though I do think our definition of asshole-ness differs quite a bit.”
I don’t know what she wanted to do. I’ve studied psychology for three
semesters, so I knew she was trying to protect herself from being hurt. But
is this her way of sorting things out? Because if she wanted a reaction out of
me, she pretty damn well would get one.
I was enraged. Instantly. Why the fuck was she playing victim here?
“Anna –“ I began to howl.
She swallowed, I saw the shiver in her hands. I lost my words. I lowered
my voice instead, “I said I don’t care.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to say at all.
“You haven’t acted like you didn’t.”
“I was baffled, Anna.”
“You didn’t even ask me about my hand.”
“What?”
“My hand,” she raised up her arm and I saw her bandaged palm, “My
hand. This hand.”
I won’t lie. Her emphasis and the determination that filled her eyes threw
me off track. I looked at her and she stared back in defiance. My reaction
was based off the hint of hope I saw in her eyes. I bit my lip. I laughed.
Hysterically. Like a stoned man.
Really… how much of a pampered girl is she? Isn’t she adopted? How
much did Mark manage to spoil her in a mere ten years? She was hilarious.
Anna Fucking sweet-as-hell Reeves is hilarious as fuck.
I’m done being nice.
I grabbed my girl. The lost expression on her face was cute, the beating
of my own heart was quite sexy. Anna was beautiful, and I wanted her.
Now.
Our kisses are always fiery, passionate. They trigger something almost
animalistic in me, I want to take her in places that could get us both
arrested. She manages to hold me down close to her body every time we
kiss, I react to her within minutes. I love the feel of her breasts in my hands.
She’s perfect in our moment together. I love how she feels pressed against
me, simple as that.
I caressed her hand and kissed it.
“Is that better?” I whispered. She frowned. She pulled her hand from my
grasp and pushed me away.
“Do I have to pretend this is cute?” she looked genuinely bothered,
“because I think it’s creepy.”
“What is?”
 “The kiss on hand and is-it-better thing. It’s weird. Kisses don’t heal
wounds.”
“They do sweetheart. It’s called magic touch.”
She looked thoroughly unconvinced. I don’t think I have a chance of not
falling in love with her. I laughed so hard at her confused expression, my
sides hurt. I brought her close and hugged her again. It’s awesome when her
head ends up right under my chin. She’s a perfect fit in my arms. She makes
me feel delighted in a way I can’t point out.
We ended up in her bedroom again. I didn’t want to let her go. After our
little talk which basically led to sorting out nothing, my feelings for Anna
somehow reinforced. I didn’t hesitate this time. I didn’t want her out of my
need to shut down my insecurity anymore. I wanted her because she was
driving me insane with desire.
She lay on the side of her bed, her bottom placed perfectly on the floor. I
flipped her skirt and loved the unflattering red underwear she had on. It
suited her and was so unlike her at the same time, I loved it anyway.
Grabbing her thighs, I pushed them apart and kissed her insides, enjoying
the little moan that escaped her lips. She was getting wet, her scent wafted
into my mouth making me grow hard.
“You’re too responsive, baby,” I mentioned. Pulling down her little red
thong, I hit her core. She gasped. And then she screamed.
I devoured her insides, licking, sucking, fucking Anna with my tongue
till she was thrashing on her bed. I grabbed her bottom and pushed her into
my mouth, she grabbed my head and begged me to not let her go. Biting her
growing nub, I pushed in and out till I heard her sob. That was my cue. I
kissed her slit and whispered, “Come for me, sweetheart.”
Obediently, the sweet little woman shattered. Just like that.
I moved up. I kissed her lips, licked her pulse and bit her earlobe. She
moaned, trying to recover from her high. My heart thudded wildly. I kissed
my way down to her body again. Anna is always beautiful, but nothing
matches the expression she has when she’s climaxing. The ecstasy on her
face is one initiated straight up by the devil. She is fucking beautiful.
My own need pressed. I unhooked my jeans and whispered into her ear,
“Baby, are you ready?” I touched her folds with my fingers again and
played with her entrance. She responded quickly and thrashed one more
time, bringing herself to another demi climax.
 I’m telling you. Anna is full of surprises. Even when she is this easily
aroused, she’s making me grin in utter mischief. I’m hard, I’m in need. But
I can’t help but think to myself, “Oh baby. What will you do now?” I’m
bloody thrilled, my Lady Batman.

Anna
His fingers pull in and out of me, working their way into my very core.
I’m shuddering in delight, my mind is numb from pleasure. I can’t think. I
might pass out. Henry is gold. He feels so good. His thumb moves to my
back to draw circles around my anus while his fingers keep working their
way inside. He rubs both my entrances. I’m losing my mind. He feels like
heaven.
My body has a mind of its own. I’m reacting to Henry like I’ve never
reacted to anyone before. He’s scaring me a little too, with the slight
movement he has going on with his thumb. I’ve never done anal before.
Does he want to take me from behind? I don’t think I’m ready for that yet.
Pressure builds up inside me and I lose my thoughts again. His hand feels
so perfect against my bottom, I might let him get away with anything. I end
up coming again.
I need him. I need him to touch me more, and I need to feel him pressed
against my body.
I haven’t had so much pleasure in a long time. Especially not one with a
guy looking at me as if I am the most beautiful woman on earth.
“You ready baby?” he whispers.
Not yet. Not yet.
Despite the heavenly climax, I prod myself on my elbows to catch his
lips between my teeth. He’s sweet. He’s hot. His mouth makes me shudder.
I can taste myself on him when we kiss. It is so incredibly profane and so
right, my insides quiver. I wrap a hand around his neck to pull him closer
while he holds on to my waist.
“I want to look at you Henry,” I whisper between gasps.
He’s stunning. I haven’t noticed the gray in his eyes blue eyes before. His
lips are soft and his kisses, fulfilling. He’s not muscled with six or eight
packs, he’s just rightly toned. I sat up, he followed me on the bed. I flipped
the button of his jeans. The bulge in them wasn’t surprising, but the sight of
it turned me on. When I pulled out his cock, my heart pounded with wild
ferocity. My hands quivered when I touched him. I kissed him again, he
kissed me back with unrestrained want. I worked my hand on his manhood.
I didn’t need him any more aroused than he already was, but I loved the
furious passion that my touch drove him into. His kisses grew in intensity,
he bit my lip before removing my hand from him. He pushed them back
into the bed and held both of mine palms in one hand of his.
“Don’t. Move,” he grunted. I smiled, stilled in place. He moved to my
bottom and kissed the insides of my thighs again.
“Open up.”
I parted my legs a little. He positioned himself between me saying,
“Anna, sweetheart. Are you alright? … ready?”
He’s such a gentleman. He can damn well see that I am.
I nodded in response. His mouth landed on mine as he pushed himself
into me. His grab around my hands loosened, I gasped. His other hand went
around my hips. He didn’t start moving till I had told him I was okay. My
entire body shivered, I began to grind against him with a fervor unknown to
me before. He pushed hard. His hands roamed the entirety of my body, my
mind wandering to places and highs I never could have known. I moved
against him in that ancient rhythm of passion, fed his desire for me with
moans that turned to delightful, delicate screams within minutes.
I wanted him to be mine. Mine forever. I pulled him closer as he
whispered sweet nothings into my ear. His hips pushed and thrusted against
mine, he pulled me so tight against him, he could never have let me go.
I cried.
I shattered when my nipples rubbed against his chest and he twisted them
in his hands. One last push and a slight whisper in my ears, I could hardly
understand when he came with me, within me. I lost at the words he had
said. Utterly, terribly lost. To him.
His voice that whispered, “Oh Anna… I love you.”
I won’t ever forget it.
 Chapter 16
Henry

I’m not ready for a fight. My insides are melting, my heart is beating so
fast I could practically explode all over again. But like I said, Anna is full of
surprises. Who ever said I’m going to like what she has in store for me?
I had pulled her fingers in between mine to kiss the back of her hand
when I saw that she was bleeding. The bandage on her palm was soaked in
blood, her wound from the other night had reopened. I swallowed, my heart
twisted. I was torn between my urge to embrace her – and freak out. The
best I could do was freeze up in reaction.
She is a carefree soul lying beside me, panting and covered in sweat. But
I couldn’t hold in my reaction. I knew if I said anything I might end up
ruining this moment of ours. But I couldn’t move. My eyes fixed on her
bleeding palm and I couldn’t remove my hand from her own. Anna noticed.
She raised her head to give me a light kiss on my lips. I responded
automatically.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“Your hand. It’s bleeding.”
“Oh… that. I didn’t notice.”
It’s a conflict when you know it in your bones that you’re falling too hard
for someone, and yet you don’t belong with them. That was what I felt for
the next half hour. My heart beat for her, the intimacy of the moment we
had just spent made me want to hold onto her forever. But when she
launched herself up from the bed, dressed and redid her bandage, I knew I
did not belong. She didn’t say a word to me. She smiled, looked at me from
her chair with stars in her eyes – I could see it. But she didn’t talk about the
wound, she bandaged it as if it was the most natural thing in the world to
do.
 Was what we did just now special only to me?
I shrugged. I held in the plethora of questions that flooded my mind. I
adjusted my jeans and went to her.
“You know,” I mumbled to myself, “I meant what I said.”
She knew what I was talking about. Swallowing, she whispered back,
“It’s… It’s barely been a week, Henry. If you’re curious about what I do,
just say it.”
She was deliberately getting on my nerves. I had told her I loved her. She
actually thought I was merely messing around.
“You think I said it out of heat?” I tried to keep my voice from rising.
“Out of habit maybe. People say things they don’t mean during sex,
Henry.” She wasn’t looking into my eyes. I can’t believe we’re going to
have another argument.
“I don’t know how it works for you, but I don’t say things I don’t mean
Anna. Your past, what you do was the last thing on my mind when I said
I’m in love with you.”
I noticed her visibly struggle for her next words. I could see she was
trying hard to cover up her emotions when only minutes before she was
lying in my arms and screaming. She gulped, “What’s the point of this
conversation, Henry?”
My anger flared, “The point is, I love you. I’m with you. We’re dating, I
think this is going somewhere. But I can’t sleep at night if I don’t know
why you’re in dark alleys behaving like a thug, Anna. I care about you.
More than what you do, it bothers me that you might return home hurt.”
“I…”
Her words lost in her mouth. She got up and fell into my arms perfectly.
“Anna –“ I hesitated.
“Give me some time, Henry,” she whispered into my chest, “It’s nothing
big, but give me time to come clean.”
If it’s nothing big, then tell me sweetheart. I swallowed my words.
Instead, I drew my hand through the softness of her hair, saying, “Alright,
sweetheart. As long as you keep safe.”
I could only resist so much. After that evening, I barely held in my
instinct to deploy my father’s services and find out what Anna was truly
involved in. But I had promised her I’d wait. And I had very gallantly also
mentioned that I always kept my promises. I’m telling you, movies and
telly screw us ordinary people up. Why else would any normal human being
have a generic response to words like, “You didn’t mean it.”? Who would
say, yes I didn’t. I think we’re conditioned to say, “No, I mean it. I always
mean what I say.”
I mean what I say. I’m just saying.
I might be going crazy here.
In my haze to figure out what Cain Matthew’s case was about, and to
understand Anna, I am not ashamed to admit that I totally forgot about my
old man. I remembered he existed in the equation between me and Anna,
when he visited my office along with his better half and nemesis, Markian
Reeves.
I’m kidding.
A week after our little love fiasco, Mark and Earnest came to me
together. Which was a sore reminder of the fact that to Mark, Anna and I
were engaged. He apparently came to check up my office space. He
couldn’t hand over his daughter to just anyone, as he put it. I practically
rolled my eyes.
Had the two old men made up?
“Not really,” dad told me after pulling me to the side, while Mark was
going through my bookshelf. I am so glad that Peter had an early morning
meeting with Matthews. Had he been here, we would have turned the
officeroom into a mini soccer playfield by now. I want Mark to approve of
me. Then at least one thing between me and Anna would not be tense.
“He’s coming around,” dad said, “we spend a lot of time together. The
past two weeks have been amazing. I don’t know why we ever stopped
talking, truly.”
“Because you slept with his girlfriend,” I said dryly.
Dad was not pleased, “Quiet Henry,” he scolded, “Yesterday, we went
fishing and he got really curious about you. So I invited him to your office
and told him all about how competent you are. How are things between you
and Anna? Do you guys want to marry yet?”
“It’s been two weeks.”
What is this man even thinking?
I shrugged and walked to Mark, “Anything you’re interested in?” The
books were all law related and bare Acts. Mark glared at me in the way a
dutiful father glares at his daughter’s prom night date. I held back a
chuckle.
“I run a clothing company. None of this is interesting,” he shot back.
 I nodded, “I keep telling Anna she has fantastic taste in clothes. She
must’ve learnt it from you.”
Mark positively frowned at my words, “She has horrible taste. I, on the
other hand, keep up
with the trend. We’re nothing alike as far as clothes are concerned.”
As a semi-horrible dresser myself, I don’t know what he’s talking about.
Unless it involves donning a suit to a business meeting, I can pretty much
live out my life in pyjamas or jeans. The men’s skinny jeans in the market
these days? It’s utter bullshit. No man or woman should wear that shit in my
humble opinion. I’m not a fan of the skinny ripped jeans Anna loves to
wear either, but I don’t think she cares for an opinion on this matter.
“I think Anna’s beautiful anywhichway,” I said in lousy remark, and
Mark glared daggers into my skin.
“Of course. She’s my daughter.” He said it rather haughtily, “I hope
you’re not getting on her nerves, Hathaway.”
I smiled, “Not yet.”
“I’m still warning you. She’s a tough one.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way, sir.”
Mark’s eyes grew softer with my responses. He agreed to have coffee and
the conversation turned from mildly unpleasant to enjoyable. He spent four
hours with me, talking about Anna, asking about me and smiling in general.
Like I said, we’re all conditioned to hearing and saying cool replies. He
felt Anna would be safe with me. Because from what I could gather from
his talk about her, was that he didn’t really have confidence in her when it
came to men. I think at one point, he was actually thankful that I was in
love with Reeves.
“I’ve rarely seen her make a good choice in men,” he had said without
restraint, “It’s not my business, but she worries me son. You’re the only
decent one that has shown up till date. I don’t really believe you proposed
to her, but I’d be lucky as hell if you do.”
His words worried me. What did he mean Anna didn’t have a good
choice in men? Was I not her type? She had said she never dated before,
so…
 Chapter 17
Anna

I can’t figure out a way to tell Henry. What way can there be to slighten the
effect of the words, “I act like a thug because…”
I wrote up and threw a few hundred pages trying to figure out a decent
way to tell him. But the fact is, there is no decent way. Remember I said I
was bullied when I was nine years old? It began back then. It was mere
chance that while I was punched in the ribs by two older kids for something
I had said – or done, I don’t remember now – I was saved by a man who
owned a dojo. His name is Toni Kruger. He taught me mixed martial arts for
the next five years. I was moved around two different families during those
years, until Mark and Rhea found me and kept me. They formally adopted
me, even though the child psychologist shoved my history and violent
tendencies in their faces as a deterrent. I told you. I think Mark kept me as
part of his share of corporate social responsibility.
Anyway, those five years are what ended up changing my life. I learnt to
control my anger through MMA, I also kicked a lot of sorry asses. Truth be
told, I sometimes used to fancy being adopted by Toni during those days.
He cared for me a lot. I didn’t understand why he didn’t make a move until
he left five years later. I had been with Mark and Rhea for about a year
then. Rhea had passed away, and Toni left without a word or even a
goodbye. It was a difficult time, because Mark suddenly became a
depressed, gloomy man whom I didn’t know, understand or trust. Toni left,
I had no friends and home was a disaster.
I was a fourteen year old kid. Coping was something I was forced to do
even though I didn’t know what it was.
That one year was a very quiet one for me. I turned to books – which was
a lucky choice – else I would have turned to drugs. I certainly was capable
of it. Books taught me a lot of things, inspiring, magical, romantic and
adventurous. When I turned fifteen and Mark sent me to the most
prestigious high school in the city, I ran.
I didn’t leave him, of course not. Despite his gloom, he was a good man.
I had learnt that muchabout him. I began to bunk school because almost
everyone around me came from rich ass families. I didn’t get them, so I
stayed alone. Two months into high school and some dude bullied me again.
I restrained my urge to beat the shit out of him but I did hit him back. Mark
was called by the principal, the boy turned out to be the son of someone
Mark knew professionally. We were both let off easy, we both were forced
to apologize. Mark and the boy’s father apologized to each other as well. It
was done so the structure established within their businesses and that
shitbag school stayed in place.
I would’ve been in deep shit had I not been Mark’s daughter. I wasn’t
when I was five, which was how I came to understand instantly that it is a
horrible, disgusting structure that I didn’t want to be part of. I am a rebel,
but I’m not an advocate of social change in any way. I can barely keep a
hold on my own life. You could say I’m selfish. I was the daughter of a
powerful man, I could try and change something. I didn’t. I’m human. What
I did was protect myself in the only way I could think of.
Because that moment made me think, what if Mark decides to abandon
me? Rhea was no more, we weren’t blood related. He could. He had every
reason to. I was a troublemaker. He knew my history.
Everyone said I was the heir of RDesigns. I wasn’t even sure I was
family to him.
So I began to bunk school. One way was to study hard and become
competent enough to inherit RDesigns. But that is not who I am. I wanted
something of my own. I didn’t want to be dependent upon the adults around
me anymore. Maybe the only exception at that time around would have
been Toni. I trusted him. But he had left. I remember missing him so, so
much.
The first day I bunked school I went back to Greene Mary Orphanage. I
don’t know why. I began to walk to it every day. I met Kate Connor once by
chance. Which is how I got in touch with the kids from the orphanage who
had been with me when I was there. Greene Mary only keeps children up to
the age of sixteen. After that, they’re let go. So all of them had left the place
– some had been adopted, others were making their way through life one
way or another.
I met a lot of them voluntarily. I learnt a lot about the world from their
experiences, add to it my own. A lot of them told me they were bullied as
well. Which is when I offered to help them out with self defense, basic
techniques if not full blown MMA moves. That is how it started. It began
with one friend for an hour in the morning and afternoon, when he had a
break from his part time job. And it consumed my entire day soon. I knew
about the warehouse from Toni, so we practiced there. One friend turned to
ten, and ten to a hundred. Within three months, I was packed with
youngsters. So I developed my own system to filter the real victims from
the fake ones. You see, I’d only ever train the bullied. Never the bullies.
I attended school once in a while, enough so Mark wouldn’t find out that
I was bunking class. But I was in love with my own version of a self-
defense class. I wasn’t authorized to teach MMA, I was still a minor, so all
of this was in the grey areas of law. And then, three years later, when I
turned eighteen and thought that I could finally do something about my
little hobby – Toni came back.
I had also made a hobby out of visiting Toni’s dojo once a week for those
three years, in hopes that he’d be back one day.
His reappearance changed my life once again.
I still vividly recall the day when I had seen the lights of his dojo turned
on. I had rushed to it like a mad girl and banged at the door while pressing
at the doorbell. He had opened two minutes later, dazzling as ever.
I might be exaggerating now that I think about it, but one look at him had
made me cry like a baby. I launched myself at him, told him how much I
missed him, told him I hated him and how glad I was to see him back – all
at the same time, through a bundle of tears. It’s an embarrassing memory.
He had just stood there, his hand patting my back and his face lit up with a
gentle smile.
I think Toni Kruger might have been my first love. He was a forty year
old black man who had trained me for years, and yet I knew nothing about
him. Which is why when I told him about my plethora of students, how
cool and thrilling it was to live this double life, he told me that he was with
the CIA.
He was an international spy.
 I know. It’s almost like I was in a movie. But because Toni had never
voluntarily given up information about himself before, I believed him in a
heartbeat. He told me he had missed me too, and had checked up on me
more than once. He had been to Venezuela for a task these past three years,
but even from there, he said he already knew about my little double life.
That blew me away.
He knew I was using the warehouse, he also knew I had a system to only
allow the bullied to learn from me. He was proud and impressed.
“I never thought I would be picking up such a talent when I saved your
ass all those years ago,” he said, laughing. And I remember sitting there
stunned.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Toni made me an offer. He
wanted me to join him on a potentially harmless spying expedition to
Vietnam. I remembered being shocked into silence.
“I use my own people on missions. I trust you, and I definitely think
you’d make a kickass agent Anna, if you study a little harder this year. Till
then, I want you to have a taste of what it’s like.” He said the words as if
they meant nothing. But to an eighteen year old, they were as close as I
could get to a lifeline.
I told Mark I was going to be on a trip with friends. Mark and I had
gotten civil by then, but I can’t say I meant a lot to him. Or vice versa. I just
liked him. I had long ago stopped taking any money from him. He paid for
my school which I didn’t really attend, and my own expenses were easily
taken care of with the money that my senior students paid me. I never
charged them. They just said they’d stop coming if I kept training them for
free. And that was that.
I went with Toni. One mission as his talented student and sidekick turned
to three more, and Toni wanted me to follow in his footsteps. He said I
should go to college. But making a few trips with him made me realize that
as thrilling as his life was, I didn’t want to live like him. I didn’t want to
risk my life every day for anything.
I told him that.
Toni is a shady man. I don’t know how much authority he has in the
government, but he made me promise him one thing.
“I know you love what I do Anna,” he said, “So promise me, every once
in a while, you’ll come with me. Maybe once in six months, maybe once in
five years. I want you to always remember how much you’re capable of.
Which is why until the day I retire, promise me you’ll keep being my
sidekick.”
“I won’t be qualified,” I had resisted, “I told you, I won’t be training to
be a spy.”
“I’m an important man, Anna. The entire CIA knows I have a daughter I
like to take out on missions.”
Yep. That had sealed the deal. I agreed to come with him whenever I’d
want an escape from my life. And that is how I became an underqualified
yet highly efficient, freelancing spy.
The last time I went with Toni was eight months ago.
After making that promise to him, and making a shit ton of money from
my escapades with him, I gave Mark a heart attack by failing senior year of
high school. I don’t know how word about me spread, but the same year I
was called upon for help by the Chief of Police of my city. I became a
contractual employee for the police department. I’m not a detective, I’m
someone they hire when they need my help with gathering information.
I know my way around the streets. I’ve practically trained boys working
at restaurants, cleaning streets, picking up mails, delivering pizzas. I have
my way of knowing things.
It’s been five years since this system was established. I’m still an off the
record freelancer. Sometimes I help the local police, one time I helped the
FBI, sometimes I help Toni. Most times, I just teach minors how to get out
of tricky situations.
Mark obviously found out about my fiasco when I failed senior year. I
dropped out and never went back. I told him the truth. I expected to be
thrown out, but I had money so I was prepared. His reaction is what made
our bond what it is today.
He sat in stunned silence for fifteen minutes once I had finished telling
him what I had been up to. Then he asked for all my stories. I told him on
the condition that he never say shit to anyone else. We spent the entire night
talking. The next day, Mark refused to go to work and I ended up telling
him all about what I had been doing for the past year again. When there was
nothing more I could say, he told me, “I cannot believe I had such a talent
living under my roof. I’m a horrible father for saying this Anna, but I am so
proud! You’re the coolest kid ever. Fuck convention, sweetheart. I want you
to do whatever you want. You have RDesigns backing you, if you ever need
my help.”
 I’m a very lucky woman.
Over the past five years, I can’t say Mark hasn’t regretted his words. He
understood pretty soon that what I do means I threaten my life too. He got
more and more anxious with the years. His descent into a worrying old
man, who was torn between being a proud father and wanting his daughter
to be a normal girl after all, made me reluctant to ever date seriously.
Rumors around me spread, of course. I don’t care – I didn’t, until Henry
came along. And he said he loves me, I’m practically obsessed with him as
well. But I really don’t know how to explain all of this.
Which ordinary man would understand the utter madness that is my life
and still care to be in love?
The fights were enough to freak him out. Imagine him finding out that
I’m the colleague to an international spy?
It’s funny. And it freaks me out like hell.
 Chapter 18
Henry

The Cain Matthews wedding also marked our three week anniversary
together. I’m saying it because we both got invited to the party. Being the
extremely sporty chick she is, Anna accepted in a heartbeat. Turns out Cain
and his fiancé apologized to Anna. Anna even asked a favor of Mark and
helped Martha get that custom made wedding gown of hers from RDesigns
at a seventy percent discount. I love my girl, but I honestly don’t get her
sometimes.
Mark got invited as a thank-you from Martha and he asked my dad to be
his plus one. Earnest honestly could have flown to the moon and never
come back. He was that happy. Mark left the house to pick up dad, Anna
asked him to drop her off at my apartment so we could come together. I had
offered to pick her up, but of course she had told me, “Your place is on the
way. I’ll ask Mark to drop me there. Let’s save gas Hathaway.”
We’re not going to die from lack of gas, sweetheart. Maybe from a virus,
three weeks from now. But not from lack of gas certainly.
I’m kidding.
I’m glad she came to me instead, because the way she looked would have
made me fall to my feet. A red trumpet dress slit up to her mid-thigh, the
satin hugging her body so perfectly, I visibly swallowed. Anna is an enigma
whenever she dresses up. I looked at her shapely legs and her brilliant
smile, I couldn’t help but think, boy her father was wrong. She has great
taste in clothes.
“You look handsome,” she kissed me on my lips.
“You look –“ She cut me short with her sweet laugh, “I can see your face.
I’m that pretty?”
“Divine, sweetheart.”
 “You could be talking out of affection.”
I pressed her into my body. She must’ve felt my growing hard-on against
her bottom, because she stared at me with surprised, chuckling eyes.
“Still think I’m being nice?” I teased.
“Uh-huh.”
The past week between us has been great. Except the mild discomfort of
not knowing what she does yet, things have worked out fine. Every time I
see her, I’m so awed, I’m pretty sure of my love for her right about now.
We’ve taken a lot of walks, watched tons of movies, talked through nights.
It feels like there never was a time when she wasn’t with me.
I’m lonely when I have to drop her off at her house. We text the night
away. And I want her on a daily basis. Every time we’re in a safe place, I
feel like spreading her legs and burying into her sweetness. I’m happier
than I’ve ever been.
Still insecure, but very happy. Sometimes I do wonder what the boys
Anna has been with were like. She’s such a decent woman. Who wouldn’t
like her?
“I can’t believe you paid for Martha’s gown out of your own pocket,” I
played with her hair while she adjusted my tie, “Technically, they’re both
assholes.”
She laughed, “Because she asked me to be her bridesmaid, and I was
feeling good.”
“For real? You’re the bridesmaid? And where in the world do you get so
much money from Anna? I know it can’t be Mark’s.”
“All in good time, honey. I’m not the bridesmaid. I refused.”
“Why?”
“Because I wanted to spend the night with you.”
“Don’t make me go harder baby.”
She cocked her brow and grinned her classic grin. Her hands trailed the
front of my pants.  I sucked in a breath when she rubbed my cock through
the fabric. It felt good.
“I wouldn’t d-do that.” My voice was barely a whisper.
“Damn me,” she replied.
She let me go. I kissed her as fiercely as I could before we left for the
wedding.
The wedding per say was boring. There was some media coverage
because of dad and Markian. I stayed out of everyone’s way, greeted the
people I knew and focused on Anna alone. I avoided dad like a nightmare. I
drank some wine and flirted with my lady for the rest of my time.
Once the bride and groom began to dance, I took Anna to the dance floor
as well. She’s an incredible dancer. She’s also a tease, because I noticed
how she deliberately moved close to me and against my groin but drew
away way too fast. The next time she tried to pull her little stunt, I wrapped
my arms around her waist and pulled her into myself. She stood put.
“You’re quite daring,” I mentioned.
“So are you,” she replied.
“There’s so many people around us, sweetheart. This isn’t exactly a club
party, so you should stop teasing me.”
“Maybe you could hold it in while I do whatever I want.”
“You’re way too entitled.” I couldn’t help my chuckle. She smiled. She’s
seducing me with her eyes.
“I’m the heiress of RDesigns, sweetie. Of course I’m entitled.”
“By the way, guess who your father introduced me to?”
“Shayne Elliot. I saw.”
“I also met his son, the original Ray Elliot.”
She raised her brows, “Any judgements in that case?”
“He’s unimpressive. You have a far more handsome a boyfriend.”
“Honey, I have the handsomest boyfriend.”
“Want to show me off to him?”
“He can go fuck himself on the head, Hathaway.”
Her smile was enticing. She pressed closer to me. She makes me wonder
how she doesn’t show a speck of fear of the public around us. Or the
presence of our fathers. She grinds her body against mine. I want her to
stop. She dares me with her eyes. Her lips spread into a cocky smile. I’m
way too easily swayed by her charm.
Without a thought, I hold her chin up and press her lips into mine.
“Language, baby,” I warn.
“You sound jealous.”
“I might be.”
“Of?”
“If the douchebag could really have been your type.”
“My type?”
“Your dad mentioned something about you not dating nice guys,
sweetheart.”
 “Hathaway, it’s dad who is probably jealous.”
We took off.
Turns out, we’d both never done it in a car before. I took Anna on the
backseat of my car. I had to press my hand to her lips to stop her from
screaming while I held her hips and took her from behind. I don’t like the
word doggystyle, but boy, it is the best thing we’ve ever done.

Anna
Henry can be quite the man when he decides to be. Our lovemaking in
his car was so intense, I thought my heart would fall out. I’ve never felt so
satisfied before. I think he improves tremendously with each of our
passionate nights together.
I adjusted my dress and fought for breath while he buttoned his pants. I
tried to fix my hair so we could go back to the party. Henry stopped me
from opening the door. He kissed the back of my hand and pulled me into
his chest.
“Henry?”
“I love you,” he whispered.
My heart aches everytime he says that. It also jumps around with joy that
fills every vein in my body. I kissed our entwined hands and smiled.
“I love you too.”
“For real?”
“Yes.”
“Anna?”
“Yes?”
“I want to marry you.”
I froze.
What?
My fingers clasped around his own harder, and I lost my words.
What in the world?
“You don’t have to give me a reply,” he said while I leaned into his chest
some more. His head was on top of mine, and he kissed our hands again,
“But you’re the one for me, Anna.”
“The one?” I whispered.
“The one person fated for everybody. You’re it for me.”
 “How can you be so sure?” You don’t even know what I’m involved in,
Henry.
“I am. It’s you.”
I could have cried. Emotion riled through my throat. I’ve never had
someone love me so intensely before. I’ve never felt so strongly for anyone
before either. But I’m not sure of my feelings. I know my heart beats wildly
every time we’re together. He makes me so happy. He makes me feel like
living isn’t a chore. I look forward to my days. I sometimes even want to
skip on my teaching classes so I can be with him.
He’s all the adrenaline rush I need.
But then, there are times I want him to draw away. I want to run, as far as
I can. Because, how long can a flimsy love last? Feelings are shallow and
ever changing. We’ve been together for three weeks. We love each other
now. My question is… for how long?
I don’t want to be hurt. Ever again. People have always left me behind,
which is why I sought to make an independent life for myself in the first
place. I’d rather be left alone than go through the trouble of coping with
abandonment again. I’m not even sure what I’d do if Henry left me. Which
is why, sometimes I find myself wanting to run from my feelings for him. I
hate handing over power over me to anybody else. And I end up resenting
feeling this deep an attachment for Hathaway.
I wonder where he gets his confidence from. Isn’t he afraid of the girl
who was fighting off thugs in the middle of the night?
I made up my mind. I don’t know why. Somewhere in my heart I wanted
him to say all these words to me again, after I had told him who I was.
Somewhere I was also bracing myself if he decided to run away. Then I
could at least protect myself from severe emotional damage.
“Henry?” I gulped.
“Yes.”
“Remember the day I promised I’d tell you everything about me?”
He stiffened. “Yes.”
“You can’t tell a soul.”
It was the longest night of my life. I’ve never felt so afraid. Not even
when I went out with Toni for the first time ever. My insides clenched, my
hands shivered as I tried to get the right words out of my mouth. Love is
strange. I’m afraid as I speak, I can’t help but wonder what this means for
us. How is Henry going to react? I’m afraid. I’m more afraid than I have
ever been.
I tried my best to explain to him who I was, the choices I have made, but
the stunned expression on his face revealed absolutely nothing. I tried to
find traces of fear, reluctance… maybe the need to get away. But he looked
shocked. That was all I could get. Even after I had stopped talking, Henry
didn’t speak. Silence flooded the backseat of the car where we had just
made love. It somehow seemed to have happened ages ago.
It was awkward. I could hear my heartbeat in my eardrums. At some
point I began to sweat, I wanted to ask him to say something. Anything.
Relief came to me when my phone rang. Surprisingly, it was Earnest
Hathaway who had called me. I picked up in hesitation but couldn’t hide the
relief.
“Hello?”
“Anna? Where are you guys? Henry isn’t picking up.”
“Oh, we’re nearby. I – I’ll just ask him to go inside.”
“Actually… no. If you have a minute, could we talk for a bit dear?”
I frowned, “Yeah. Sure. What is it?”
“I don’t want to talk on the phone. Can you meet me in the garden behind
the wedding hall?”
I was very confused. But nothing at this point was unwelcome, except for
the silence in the car. I agreed, “Yeah, I’ll be there in five.”
I locked my phone and gave Henry a sideward glance. He looked deep in
thought. He was twiddling his thumbs and staring straight ahead at the
windshield. Despite my best intentions, his lack of reaction ticked me off. I
told myself that my growing anger was senseless and unjustified. But…
how do I help it? I hate feeling helpless. And at that point, helpless was all I
felt.
I took my leave as indiscreetly as possible. I don’t think he noticed. I
drew my fingers through his hair before leaving, resisting the urge to kiss
the top of his head.
Please be over it, Henry. Please.
I walked to the garden.
The night air had grown colder and my dress was making me a little
uncomfortable. Asking for Henry’s coat wasn’t an option anymore. So I
wrapped my arms around myself and busied myself in wondering what
Earnest wanted from me. The garden was dimly lit and not many people
were outside. I spotted old Ernie standing beside the fountain with a glass
of wine.
“Mr. Hathaway,” I called out. He turned around and smiled. For a second,
he resembled an older version of Henry. It relieved me, and made me want
to cry at the same time. I swallowed.
“It’s cold isn’t it?” he asked. I shrugged, “I’m fine.”
“Where’s my son?”
“He’s in the car. He forgot something.”
Earnest gave me a knowing smile, and it made me feel worse.
“Where’s my father?”
“Mark? I think he was hanging out with one of his colleagues. You
enjoying the party?”
“So-so.”
“You look beautiful, dear.”
“Thank you Mr. Hathaway.”
I’ve mentioned how sometimes, I can read people’s eyes. I could see that
Earnest was struggling for words. I could also see that he was beginning to
get uncomfortable. I wondered what he wanted to say. And because the
thought of Henry didn’t leave me for a second, I urged him, “So…
something you wanted to talk about?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Remember when you asked me, Anna… that one day I should tell you
why I betrayed Mark?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought tonight would be nice. If you’re willing to have the
conversation of course.”
Alert signs rose well within my body. I had made old Ernie promise me
that he should someday let me know. But why suddenly? Why today and
now?
“Is everything going well between you and Mark?” I asked out of worry.
“It couldn’t be better. It’s just… I want to tell you now, Anna. I think it
could help.”
“Help with?”
He chuckled, “Henry mentioned you’re a tough one. Just hear me out,
dear.”
I held back my voice at Henry’s name. I nodded.
 “You know how much Markian means to me, Anna,” Earnest began,
“Back in college, we were best friends. I’m not a very social person, I never
was. If you ever ask Henry, he’ll say his father is a nerd. I guess Mark was
the same as me back in those days, which is why we clicked as soon as we
met.”
“Truth is, I never heard of you until three weeks ago,” I admitted
seriously, “But I know you’re very important to Mark.” Maybe more than
me. Mark and I are a very recent phenomenon. If not for me failing senior
high, we’d always have been a family on paper alone.
“It is like him to not mention me.” There was a hint of sadness in
Earnest’s eyes. I shut my mouth. I’d have to be very careful of what I say to
him. He is a sensitive man. Is Henry that way too?
“Anyway. Care to walk with me?” I took Earnest’s hand. We strolled
around the garden. It was freezing, but my attention fixed on old Ernie’s
drooping shoulders. Where was all of this coming from? Besides a few
greetings that we had exchanged via. text, we weren’t really close. I wonder
why he wants to tell me what happened so long ago.
I had asked him, I wanted to know. But his timing is just so… horribly
wrong.
“I don’t remember her name… the woman your father was dating. Truth
be told, I was a little jealous back then because Mark’s time wasn’t mine
alone anymore. I don’t want you to find that cringeworthy, Anna. We were
just very good friends. I had always been alone before I found him. After
him, I hated being left alone.”
I smiled, “I understand. I’d prefer all my friends to myself as well. If
Kelly and Shinoda ever find themselves a new best friend, they’re begging
for war.”
I half meant it, it was half an attempt to ease his mood.
Earnest smiled back, “I know, right? But besides that, I never really was
in love with Mark’s woman. I mean come on. She was his girlfriend. And
he was my best friend. There was no way.”
I was surprised, “Then how come –“
“I’m building up to there,” he grinned, but it was a sad smile, “You know
what an orgy is, right?”
I hesitated. This better be going somewhere.
“Your son’s son would know what it is, word travels that fast in our
country,” I said flatly.
 “My son’s son? Anna, by any chance –“
I rolled my eyes. I am not pregnant. He got that from my face, because he
coughed and continued again, “I helped this jock out once with a project we
were put in together. He invited me to an afterparty. Which is where I saw it
for the first time… an orgy.”
My brows twitched. Earnest didn’t match my eyes. I frowned, “So
Mark’s girlfriend was… part of this group session?”
“Her and five other guys I knew.”
I swallowed. “Did you –“
“No, no!” He started to look offended. I for one, was starting to get
uncomfortable.
“I just… took pictures,” his voice lowered while my eyes widened.
“What?! That’s awful!” I protested. He shook his head, “I know, but I did
it so I could tell Mark. I wanted to call him to the party initially, but I
thought he’d be too heartbroken so I just, took the photos as evidence.”
“Oh come on,” I looked at him in disbelief, “Are you for real? What
next? You showed them to Mark?”
He pressed his lips and shook his head in denial. I groaned internally. Not
for one second I had thought that this story could take such a turn, “You
didn’t,” I said. I could read his face.
“I didn’t want to hurt Mark.”
“What happened next?”
Earnest’s voice dropped to a low regretful whisper, “He saw the photos in
my phone one day.”
“You didn’t delete the pictures?!” This was painful to hear. I think I
stared at Earnest as if he was the dumbest man I had met. He gave quite the
competition to the ones that I have.
“I was young, I was foolish… I just. Didn’t. I…” He trailed off.
He swallowed and I screeched internally. I hoped I was wrong about
what I was going to say.
“Mr. Hathaway,” I breathed, “Did you, by any chance, liked looking at
the pictures?”
His eyes dropped to the ground. We had stopped walking now. This was
practically taking the shape of a fierce confrontation. I was offended on
dad’s behalf.
“You’re sharp,” he said sheepishly. I took three breaths and tried to hold
my temper in.
 This was ages ago. It wasn’t my concern. In my mildest voice, I said,
“Call Henry, sir and he should be able to tell you how many violations of
the law you’ve made back then.” Coming from me, it sounds ridiculous, I
know. Doesn’t mean I’m not annoyed.
“About four laws, I know now,” he said, “It was a foolish thing to do,
but… you know. The pictures were – “
“No, no! I don’t want to hear it! Please don’t say it.”
“Yeah. You get what I’m saying –“
“Yes, I do. Please stop.”
He kept the pictures because he liked what he saw. The rest of the story
went like this, Mark found out. He thought old Ernie had slept with his
girlfriend as well. He dumped the girl, he dumped Ernie and the rest is
history because he never really got over his friend.
Earnest tried to explain, but I understand Mark. This was a fatal breach of
trust. I would not have trusted a man like him again. My only query now is,
why are we having this conversation? I’m not sure I had signed up to hear
this sort of a tale.
“I’m sorry for making you uncomfortable like this,” Earnest apologized
after he had finished the story, “I put you in an awkward position.”
He had. “Does Mark know about this?”
“Yes.”
“He believes you?”
“I chased him around for ten years before I gave up and settled overseas.
I used to email him during those years as well, and I kept in touch when I
returned. He believes me, now, yes. Thanks to you.”
I ignored the last part, “Has he forgiven you?” I asked.
“We had a rather intense conversation about it. He hasn’t. But he
admitted that he missed me too much to keep holding on to the grudge. It’s
an improvement.”
I’m not sure I’ll understand this camaraderie. Earnest’s dedication was
remarkable, as was Mark’s persistence to not forgive him. I tried to put
myself in Mark’s shoes, and then in Earnest’s. I tried to imagine what it
would have been like, had Kelly or Shinoda done something of that sort to
me.
The answer is, I don’t know. Maybe I’m not supposed to know. This is
between them. It should remain there.
 “Earnest…” I finally said, “I understand that I asked for the truth
between you and dad. But why did you decide to tell me right now?”
“Because my son is in love with you Anna.”
That caught me off guard. I knew it, but the words somehow hit me like a
solider punch when I heard them come out of a third person’s mouth.
“A-And?” I hesitated.
“I’ve heard rumors about you, dear. I won’t beat around the bush. I’d
trust you despite anything I might have heard because you’re Reeves’s
daughter. I want you to trust Henry the same way. He’s my son, he might do
or say something foolish, but please remember that he loves you. He’d
never get over you if you left.”
Why would I leave?
Despite myself, I smiled, “You’re assuming we are the same as you and
dad.”
“I know my son is horribly like me.”
“Which is why he’ll betray me?”
His face fell, “No, which is why he will never leave you.”
“And you’re telling me this because?”
“I want you to trust him Anna. Truth is, I wanted to talk to him about
this, but I saw you guys in the car and he looked somewhat shocked. You
seemed quite nervous as well, which is why I decided to call you out
instead. I don’t know what happened, and I have no right to interfere, but
because you agreed to help me out with Markian even though you didn’t
have to, I had to tell you this. Loyalty runs in the Hathaway’s blood, even
though we might make stupid decisions.”
So that was it.
I’m not sure how I felt about it. It was nice of him, it was uncomfortable
for me, but maybe he was right. Henry and I had had disagreements for
quite a while now, but he was always the one who came around to me first,
more gently after an argument. The fact that he had inherited loyalty made
me feel discomforted.
I nodded to Earnest, not sure what he wanted me to do. I mean, I had told
Henry everything. The rest was upon him. If he chose to run away or betray
me, I’d be very deeply fucked. I deserve a little credit here for trust I think.
The thought of Henry going back against me seemed impossible, and
thinking about it hurt, but I’ve said before. I’m heard headed. My head
works all ways even if it rips my heart apart.
 Like, Julius must never have thought Brutus would betray him either,
right?
It wasn’t a very nice sign that I had been walking around with his father
for a good half hour and he hadn’t even called. Or maybe he needed more
time.
Of course he does, my mind told me. You just dropped bombs on him.
My heart twisted, turned and ached. It’s impossible to control emotions.
Even more impossible is to know everything and yet hope for an outcome
that I know can’t be. It didn’t make sense for Henry to come find me in a
half hour. And yet I wanted him to. So desperately wanted him to tell me
we were alright, it hurt both my feelings and my pride.
I don’t know what else I can do.
 Chapter 19
Henry

Okay.
So I’ve been making love to a CIA agent. My God. I did not know I
could score so good.
I should’ve punched myself in the head for having a thought like that, but
it’s true. It’s the first thing that came to my mind when Anna was telling me
about herself. She’s technically not CIA but… damn.
Damn.
She’s good. She’s so far away from being a thug, and yet her story makes
so much more sense… I’m not sure what I was even thinking when I was
afraid she might be a mobster. I swear at one point I was preparing myself
to hear her say, “Hathaway, I’m with the mafia. I might become the boss
someday.”
I was numb. I don’t know if it was because she had blown my mind away
or if I was thrilled about her life. Goosebumps ran over my body. It’s true I
don’t know how to respond. But now that I’ve heard it, she feels way out
my league.
How did I manage to be with her?
I’m stunned, surprised, and I can’t believe she can be so amazing at
twenty three. I swallowed. I don’t know how long it took me to sort out my
thoughts because when I looked beside me, Anna was gone. I frowned and
stepped out of the car. My heart was beating so fast, I was thrilled enough to
actually feel hot. I breathed and smiled ear to ear. I knew from day one that
Anna Reeves was involved in dangerous shit. But I cannot believe she’s a
freelancing Lady Batman. My Lady Batman.
I turned around to make my way into the hall, but as fate would have it, I
couldn’t meet Anna the entire night.
 I was kidnapped.
And as it turns out, everything with Anna is a first.
I’ve only seen it happen in movies. In real life, it is hard to imagine that
anyone would abduct anybody. Sure I’ve seen detective T.V. shows and
movies and I am a lawyer, but abduction is a bit extreme, isn’t it?
A fact that a lot of people do not know is that abduction and kidnapping
are two different terms. In the simplest of explanations, kidnapping is the
word used when a minor is taken away. The term literally has kid in it.
Abduction is the word you go for if you pick up a man who came of age
ages ago.
That was the first thought in my head when I woke up.
I woke up. That is also the anomaly because I realized I didn’t know
where I was or what had happened. Or why I was waking up. I remembered
stepping out of the car. I remembered wanting to go to Anna but staggering
a little. Then, everything had gone black.
Had I fainted?
I could hear foreign voices around me. My eyes were blindfolded and my
wrists hurt from what I imagined was a duct tape around them. My feet
were bound as well, and I was definitely sitting on a chair. Which made me
realize in dismay – I had been abducted.
As soon as the realization hit me, I freaked out. What in the world? Why
the fuck would anyone abduct me?
I was no use!
My mind raced and I concluded two possibilities – it was either because
of the Hathaway Constructions or Anna Reeves. Dad is a billionaire with no
heir except me, and Anna was – well, a part time agent.
My gut told me it was the latter.
Swallowing, I concentrated on the voices. They spoke Italian I think,
which I didn’t get a word of, but my experience told me Italians abducting
me was a bad deal. Mafia! The Godfather. Vito Corleone! Was I going to die
here?
My heart beat faster. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t half awed by the
situation. I was terrified, yes, but I was also kind of looking forward to how
I would be saved.
I would be saved right?
The sound of footsteps around me increased. After about a half hour of
me regaining consciousness, they removed my blindfold. I had made sure I
didn’t move even an inch during the time they didn’t untie me. What if I
ticked them off?
Although I do think I ticked them off by not moving.
While the blindfold was ripped off my eyes, my vision was filled with the
face of a square jawed, bearded man who was twice my size and height. He
was smoking a cigar as he shoved his face too close to mine, before
grunting, “You up mate?”
I am not your mate.
I swallowed my reply and tried a smile. It must’ve been lousy.
“Ah – yeah.” I said.
“How long you been up?”
“About a half hour.”
“Why you not call for help?”
“Well… I was trying not to tick you off.”
I noticed four more men seated further around me. I think I was in a
warehouse of some sort, because the place was filled with tools. Or maybe
it was a repair shop. I couldn’t figure out. I saw a door to my far left,
another huge guy amongst the other four, and three who were kind of
leaner. I’m no Bruce Wayne, so I studied my surroundings and decided I
was fucked. The least I could do was figure out why I was here.
The humongous man nodded at my reply, the five talked in Italian again
and laughed out loud. The beard-man said to me again, “You call
Boogeygirl mate. We have no business with you.”
Boogeygirl?
“I don’t know who that is,” I replied honestly.
“You shoving your tongue down her throat tonight man. Anna. The
Reeves woman. She thinks she is John Wick. You call her now!”
It’s funny how gangsters get pissed so easily. Like, you could explain the
situation to me at the very least. However, my insides did groan. Anna,
Anna, sweetheart. What mess did you land into now? All of my protective
instincts sprang up. They were getting to Anna over my dead body.
Which could technically be true.
“How do you know her?” I asked. Maybe to buy some time. Maybe for
distraction. I don’t know why I asked that stupid a question.
“Everyone in business know her.”
“What business?”
“Is this man really her boyfriend?”
 The humongous man looked back at his minions – I imagined he was the
boss thug – he barked in Italian again. His men said something back and the
expression on the guy grew fouler. They all glared at me before he spoke in
broken English again, “You not her boyfriend?”
Will they kill me if I said no?
I could feel bugs crawling down the length of my spine. I swallowed.
Let’s stick to the truth. I can’t protect Anna by dying.
“What do you want with her? Why did you bring me here?” I evaded
answering.
My eyes tried to look for any weapons that the men might have had on
them. I didn’t want to be gunned down. As various possibilities ran through
my mind, I realized more and more what a precarious situation I was in.
“She destroy our business, we destroy the bitch.”
A swear almost escaped my lips. I held back and breathed.
“You should have brought her directly then. Why pick me up?”
“You kidding? She monster. We need gun to handle her.”
They did have guns!
Terror seized my soul. My heart pounded in fright. What do I do?
“So your plan is to call her here to save me?”
“Yeah.”
“What if she doesn’t come?”
“You not the boyfriend?”
“What did she even do to you?”
It was the wrong question to ask. The boss man’s face turned fouler and
what came next was a series of tantrums. More than anger, he seemed like a
frustrated man whining about his superior at work.
“She tells police about my dealing,” he was loud, “she beat up my
Antonio boy. I can’t find out who tells her my plans! There is a mole here!
She a monster, your woman. She haunts my memory, everybody knows she
Toni’s daughter, can do nothing about her. I want revenge. I beat her up
tonight by holding you hostage. Then I fly from country.”
As stupid as it might sound, this was the man’s plan. He looked very
sincere when he talked about it. I wanted to smack my forehead. Is it a thing
with me that even the villains in my life are plain morons? My first case,
my first adventure…
But these were morons with guns, which put me instantly at a
disadvantage.
 “She with police, she with my boss, she with FBI, she everywhere! Is she
God? What you see in her man? How she not scare you?”
“Well… she did the first time I saw her.” The words escaped my mouth
involuntarily. I recalled the dark alley, the vodka shot restaurant and how
she had never come around to telling me why she had wanted to meet a
lawyer at two in the night.
“I gun her today!”
I was starting to lose control. I’ve been taught to be patient, but this
man’s constant rant against Anna was flaming my anger. I realized right
then what a loyal boyfriend I am. I think at that moment I also understood
why people call love moronic. I knew that maybe if Anna came here she
could rescue me, but I didn’t want her near here anywhere at any cost. She
had to be safe. I could deal with this. Guns and all.
“I calling her now,” the man said.
“Woah, wait! I don’t think she will come. We’re not that close.”
“Don’t lie man. We just going to beat the little shit up. Can’t kill her. She
knows our boss.”
“Your boss?”
“The Don of the Outfit.”
“The Chicago mafia?”
“Yes.”
“What are you doing all the way down here then?”
“Business, man.”
I was baffled. Anna knew the Don of the Outfit?
“How does she know your boss? Isn’t she – you just said she’s with the
police!”
“Police work with Dons and bosses. You don’t know shit man. Give and
take, we don’t fill their street with drugs, the mayor don’t interfere with our
business.”
“So Anna knows your boss how?”
“You ask too many questions.”
I was also surprised that the gigantic man was answering them. He was
quite talkative, while the four behind him simply drank beer. This is a farce,
but I’m torn on how serious I should be. Or what should bother me more.
“Just curious. She never told me a thing, you know.”
“She scary. She must not want to scare you.”
“Maybe.”
 “The Boogeygirl saved the Don’s wife, so he agreed to keep drugs off the
street. I lost business because of it, and Don says I can’t harm her. It angers
me man!”
Now who the heck is Boogeygirl? I asked, and the man practically
fumed, “She your woman! Anna Reeves! You making fun of me?”
My head hurt. Honestly.
Long story short, Anna had somehow saved the wife of the Outfit’s boss,
which had made him make a pact with her to keep drugs off the street in
Chicago. This bearded man had lost business in Chicago and Anna hadn’t
left him alone even when he had moved here. She always knew where his
deals were taking place and the police ended up busting them. This man
called Kahn couldn’t kill her because of the Outfit, so he wanted to beat her
up to satiate himself. He couldn’t beat her up as long as she was alone, so
he infiltrated the party and saw us kiss in public. Hence, this extraordinary
situation, because I’m the boyfriend he can hold hostage.
I was both flabbergasted and at a loss. It’s difficult to fathom all this in
the span of a few hours, when yesterday only I thought of my girlfriend as
an ordinary thug. She’s involved in so much shit at twenty three?
I’m twenty seven and still struggling for a breakthrough case!
I can’t say I’m not jealous.
The man’s patience finally ran out and he gave Anna a call. My heart
beat in my mouth, I tried to stop him but he had run out of things to tell me
and his underlings had finished their drinks. I don’t know what it was, but
something about the scene disturbed me. I couldn’t imagine my Anna in
places like these – alone – surrounded by men like this, fighting them off. I
don’t know. It disturbed me. More than that, it scared me.
As cool as it had seemed earlier in my imagination, now it only freaked
me out. I was worried she’d take the call. I was worried someday, she might
not return home.
It’s ridiculous how I’m the one tied up, and all I can think of is if I could
keep Reeves far away. From here. From everywhere that was like here. I’m
the truest example of a man in love.
 Chapter 20
Anna

Not Hathaway.
The first thought that came into my head when I saw Henry’s empty car
was that something had gone wrong. Although my heart was beyond
convinced that he had left because he couldn’t face me, my instincts told me
otherwise. I trust my gut. Which is why I was startled when I saw that the
CCTV in the parking lot had been sprayed over.
Another reason was that his car wasn’t locked.
His phone was switched off, and he hadn’t gone inside. He was nowhere
in the vicinity of the wedding venue.
Not Hathaway. Not in a thousand, million years.
My entire body shook as I realized that something horrible might have
happened to him. My feet worked on my own, I took my leave from the
party. On my way, I called the Chief of police.
“Chief Natalie, it’s Anna.”
“Yes Ms. Reeves.”
“I need help.”
Over the next half hour, I came to know that all the CCTV’s on the street
had been tampered with, while the large area covered by the ones on the
main road made it impossible to narrow down a suspect. The police
department still checked, while I called for footages of the guests at the
party. I also asked Natalie to check the cameras near my house and
Hathaway’s – if someone had abducted him, they had to know where we’d
be tonight. Chances were that we were being followed for some time.
Greater chance was that he had been followed.
If anyone had dared to take Henry, it was obviously a personal vendetta
against me. Which is why I only needed to see one face – one familiar face
so that I’d know which lowlife had dared to touch my man.
“Ms. Reeves, calm down. We’re doing all we can.”
Natalie is a dear acquaintance but her consolation wasn’t welcome. I ran
through the screens of film like a mad woman. My best hope was to find a
known face among the guests at Cain Matthews’s wedding. I should have
refused to go there. I shouldn’t have let Henry go either. I shouldn’t have
left him alone in the car. I shouldn’t have told him about me tonight,
damnit! It was my fault!
In two hours, we had our perpetrator. All the while, my throat hurt from
the lump in it, and my eyes were burning from the effort of holding back
angry tears.
Kahn Roar had taken Henry. Kahn Roar was an alias this man used for
circulating drugs on the street. He was a former minion of Sawyer Bensen,
the Capo of the Chicago mafia. I clenched my fist when I found out.
Footages didn’t help us. Natalie booked one of the waiters at the wedding
who confessed he had spiked Henry’s drink under someone’s orders. Some
substance that makes one lose consciousness in an hour or two. I could
barely keep my hands from throttling this man. Turned out, the orders were
given by Kahn.
The rest was easy for the police. Easier for me. I know all of Kahn’s
hideouts. Even though I had to pull a few strings with my ex-disciples in the
middle of the night, I knew where that asshole went in a half hour. He was
at the Blair automobile workshop, which was a front for his illegal deposits.
I rushed there with the Chief, the head detective of the department and
his partner.
All the while I prayed for Henry to be safe.
Please, honey. Please be safe.
The police surrounded the workshop. There was a window on the upper
floor and a pipeline reaching to it if I could climb the tree right next to it. I
got ready to make the trip, but Natalie held my hand.
She’s a beautiful, intelligent woman, and I know she sees me as nothing
more than an impetuous child. I don’t discard her orders, but today was
different.
“Ms. Reeves,” she said, “You know you can’t go in. We have this under
control. You’re an informant of the police, you’re not with the department.
You’re a civilian.”
 “What if something happens to Henry?” My mind wasn’t exactly steady,
“Natalie, I’ve always listened to you. Not this time. Just… not this time.”
She looked me firmly in the eyes, I looked back with determination. I
was going in one way or the other, she knew that. After a minute, she
sighed and let go of my arm. Removing a gun from the back of her pocket,
she placed it in my palm.
“Don’t use it under any circumstance, I’m giving it to you so you can be
safe.”
I nodded, “Yes ma’am. Thank you so much.”
“Just one thing Ms. Reeves, who is this gentleman to you? I’ve never
seen you so rattled before.”
How much does Henry mean to me? Just three hours ago it was a tough
question that came with a lot of baggage and consideration. Now, I didn’t
even think before I pushed the gun into my pocket and replied, “Everything,
Chief. I can’t live without him.”
I grabbed for the tree, took to the pipeline and reached for the window. It
was half open and I could squeeze my way in, albeit with some trouble. The
room I fell into was dark. There was the smell of dust everywhere, so I
assumed it was a storage space. I ran out noiselessly and noticed the
structure of the workshop. One floor and basement. There was a railing
guarding the rooms on the first floor that ran all the way to the ground. I
assumed Henry must have been locked in the basement, but I checked the
rooms on the first floor just to be sure.
My heart was thumping louder than a cracking thunder. I spoke into the
wire I was wearing, “I’m on the first floor. It’s clear. Henry isn’t here.”
It was then that I heard voices. I hid myself into one of the rooms when I
saw a shadow move on the floor below me. I don’t remember Kahn’s voice,
but my body almost sagged from relief when I could identify Henry’s.
He was okay.
He was okay.
I swallowed and ran down the stairs as softly as I could. I followed the
voice to the tool shed of the workshop. I noticed that the police had already
invaded this part of the workshop, which meant they had also taken out the
guards outside. I saw head detective Harker run out of one of the rooms on
the ground floor. When he saw me, I motioned towards the locked door of
the tool shed.
He came over.
 “Damn you Reeves,” he almost spat, “I hate you pissing all over my
jurisdiction like this.”
I rolled my eyes. He’s one nasty jerk, but he’s good at his job. Also, his
only problem with me is that I’m too young and he doesn’t want the blood
of a kid on his hands, as he once put it.
“They’re in there,” I whispered.
“How’d you know?”
“I heard voices.”
“I heard them too. I thought they were coming from the other side, so I
went in to check. Just some bullshit guards over there. Not your boyfriend.”
I took in a deep breath, “I heard Henry’s voice. He’s in here, I’m sure."
Harker alerted his team while I tried to breathe.
It was then that my phone buzzed. I saw an unknown caller. I didn’t pick
up, but soon enough another voice from inside boomed, “She ain’t picking
up! He right! If he not boyfriend, Boogeygirl will not show up!”
The voice sounded angry. I stilled.
“It’s them.”
Harker nodded, “Yeah. Please stop going by the alias Boogeygirl,
Reeves. It’s fucking stupid.”
He broke down the door. The rest was usual for me, only this time it
didn’t bring any sort of thrill. Just worry. So much worry. I rushed in after
Harker. The toolshed was small, and among the shots that were fired it was
easy to spot Hathaway. He was on the far left to the door. Harker and his
men charged in and disarmed the five thugs inside, while I took the chance
to run to Henry.
I could only put in so much effort to not burst into tears.
He sat tied on a chair, his arms bound by duct tape while his legs were
tied together by a tight rope. It looked painful. There was a blindfold around
his neck.
“I’m so sorry,” I almost sobbed, trying to rip apart the tape, “I’m so, so
sorry, sweetheart.”

Henry
Anna has guts. She’s terribly kind, amazingly funny and truthful to a
fault.
 But the thing is, she is also very sensitive.
I wasn’t hurt, not in the least bit. I was sighing from shattering relief
when my bearded buddy had hollered that Anna wasn’t picking up her
phone. He was contemplating his next move when the door to my far left
had suddenly burst open.
A regiment of police officers had entered the room.
A commotion arose. I had been wiggling my hands as best as I could but
to no avail. The tape wasn’t going to loosen. So when bullets began to be
fired, my first reaction was to duck my head – which was useless by the
way – and disbalance the chair so it would fall. I did not want anyone
shooting me in my head by mistake or otherwise.
However, my chair didn’t fall. Amongst the horde of officers came my
self-proclaimed little future bride. Seeing her brought about the instant joy
that is like reflex to me now. And then, there was dread.
“Anna, careful!” I said, as I saw her run towards me. But my voice was
drowned out by the hollering detective who was cuffing the huge guy and
his men, and barking instructions rather angrily.
Anna reached to my chair. She was looking like a mess, nothing like the
ethereal beauty I had left behind at the wedding party. I saw she had
changed into trousers and a shirt, her eyes seemed weary and every inch of
her body looked like it would crumple any minute.
She could have cried any second. She fell to my feet.
“I’m so sorry,” she mumbled to herself as she tried to tear through the
tape around my wrist, “I’m so, so sorry sweetheart. I shouldn’t have left you
alone. It is all my fault.”
I wasn’t even hurt. But her sincerity touched me. It hurt my heart. I
wanted to embrace her and console her right there.
“Sweetie, I’m alright. Look at me.”
“I’m so sorry Henry.”
“Anna. I’m okay baby.”
She managed to remove the tape, but when she ripped it off my skin, I
howled in pain. It fucking hurt! I don’t know how women manage to get
waxed everywhere, but that tape hurt. My scream brought about something
violent in Anna.
I’ve seen her play before. In the warehouse, with her students. I’ve seen
her beat up others as if their power meant nothing before hers. Back in that
dark alley. But I’ve never seen Anna angry in a fight.
 Her eyes fixed on the red marks around my wrist. I didn’t take them
seriously, they just stung a little, but those scars flipped something
murderous in her.
“That fucking piece of shit,” she whispered under her breath. Before I
could stop her, she got up on her feet and turned around. With two
blindingly enraged steps, she pulled Kahn Roar by his collar and out of the
head detective’s hands.
“You fucking load of crap!” she howled. Her fist connected with Kahn’s
face. The man spat out blood. I flinched myself, shocked at the display.
Kahn fell to his feet, while Anna kicked his chest with her foot, “You dared
to touch him,” her voice was cutting.
The detective must have been shocked as well, but he came back to his
senses soon. Anna would have punched Kahn again, but he managed to put
his arms under her armpits and drag her away from him. Anna protested
rather violently, all the while hissing, “Let me go Harker! I’ll beat the
daylight out of this asshole!”
“No you won’t!” Detective Harker insisted, letting Anna go once there
was a safe distance between her and Kahn, “I will have to put you in for
assault if you do that, Reeves. So careful. Throw your tantrums at home to
daddy, where he can make all your many faults go away. Here, you
behave.”
I didn’t like this man.
Anna was already pissed, but her face turned fouler at his words, “Then
maybe I should smack your gutless ass too before I run to daddy, Harker.
He’d make it all go away anyway.”
Normally, I would have laughed, but right then I was worried. Anna’s
display put me into an urgent need to be by her side. Another officer had
untied me while Harker was baiting Anna, so I rushed to her when I could
walk. I was careful to hide my discomfort. Heaven knew what she would
have done if she saw that even the ropes had left marks on my thighs.
“Anna, calm down.”
I grabbed her hand and forced her to turn around. The rage was so
evident in her eyes, I had to hug her tightly to ease her mind, “Baby. I’m
okay. Really.”
She let go. Very slowly, she pressed her body into mine. Her hands went
around my waist. I almost crumpled myself when I felt her shiver against
me. I held her to my chest and kissed the top of her head.
 She cried.
I’ve never seen Anna cry before. On the verge of tears, yes, but I’ve
never seen her actually cry before.
This is all the declaration of love that I need. My feelings took a
turnaround, she had scared me seconds before, now I wanted nothing more
than to take her back home and make love to her. Maybe watch a movie and
brew her a mug of hot coffee. She had had a rough day.
I hadn’t even got the chance to tell her how I felt about her hobbies.
She was amazing. Thug or not. CIA or not. Mine or not. She was just
amazing.
“This is why the Chief shouldn’t send kids to a crime scene,” detective
Harker’s words were harsh, but when I looked up at him I could tell that he
was surprised as well. Maybe he had never seen Anna break down either.
“Hand me over your gun. Chief told me she gave you one for protection,”
he barked.
Anna nodded into my chest as a response to detective Harker and shoved
a shivering hand into her pocket.
Everything else was a flash.
Anna had dropped her gun while beating up Kahn.
She turned around in my arms in a heartbeat, in time to see Kahn
pointing the gun at the handcuffs around his wrists. He shot without
hesitation and broke free. The next second, the muzzle of his gun was
aimed at me.
Detective Harker flew towards him. Everything was happening so fast,
and yet somehow, I could catch each of everyone’s movements. It was all
slow to my eyes. When the gun was pointed at me, my soul told me I was
done for. This was it.
It was too late. Kahn was grinning, making a final statement, probably
saying that if he couldn’t kill Anna, he could remove me. It would devastate
her more, and he wouldn’t be making an enemy out of his Chicago mafia
boss either.
I took a deep breath and pushed Anna out of the way, to my left side. It
was reflex again, to safeguard the only person precious to me right then.
The room rang from the sound of the gunshot once again.
I screamed.
Not from the shot, no. I had underestimated Anna.
 While I had pushed her out of my arms to my side, her hand had grabbed
my elbow, refusing to let go. But she was out of the line of the shot. The
gun had fired, I had closed my eyes in relief. She was safe. At the same time
however, she had pulled my hand behind my back and knocked me down to
the ground in a mere half second. I screamed from her attack. She had
flipped me over.
Meanwhile, she herself had fallen to her knees before me.
I watched in horror as the front of her shirt began to soak red. The bullet
had struck her heart.
She cocked her brows as she fell to the floor, smirked a strained smile as
she looked into my eyes.
“Like hell I’ll let you die on me, Hathaway,” she said, “Like hell.”
My world stopped before me. I screamed again.
 Chapter 21
Anna

I had a dreamless sleep. Which meant that if I was indeed dying, I would
have died a painless death without regret. Thankfully, I wasn’t.
I woke up to utter noise, feeling groggy and stiff. The voices seemed
distant at first, but then I could identify them. My senses are sharp even
when I’m half asleep. I tried to concentrate on the words being said before I
opened my eyes.
“It’s his fault! He was at her side, and he couldn’t protect my Anna. This
lousy – “
That was my dad. The next voice which came was in retaliation to
Mark’s. It was Earnest’s.
“How can Henry protect Anna? She’s the one who is CIA!”
“She’s not CIA! And isn’t Henry a man? He should have looked out for
her!”
“He did! What kind of logic is isn’t he a man?”
Ugh.
They were annoying. I’m not going to open my eyes. But then I heard a
small, faint, “I’m so sorry, Mr. Reeves,” and my eyes flew open anyway.
Hathaway!
It was Henry.
I didn’t take into consideration that I might have been put on sedatives. I
shot up, or I thought I did – until my entire body felt like liquid mercury
had been pumped into it. I groaned before I could sit up straight. It caught
everybody’s attention.
Mark was the first to launch at me.
“Anna! Baby, oh my girl. You’re up!”
 I had difficulty focusing my eyes on him, but he pulled me into a tight
hug right away.
“Are you alright? Honey how do you feel?”
Like you’ll squeeze out all my breath? Had it been an ordinary
circumstance, I would have said it. But Mark was shivering around me. I
know I had scared him with my little stunt. I managed a smile. Even my
face felt stiff.
“I’m okay, dad,” I said.
“Are you sure? Let me call the doctor.”
“You can call him, but I feel alright. Just slightly light headed.”
“He said you’d be a little drowsy when you’re up.”
“That must be it.”
I looked around. No doubt I was in a private hospital room, alight with a
T.V. screen and fridge. Guests, a washroom and two huge windows. Rows
of towels, chairs and a comfortable looking couch. I’ve been in a lot of such
rooms, usually to visit patients. Lying down here as one feels weird.
I shrugged.
I focused my attention on the other two figures in the room, while patting
dad on the back. Earnest was watching Mark, smiling in what I think must
be relief. My heart thumped when I saw Henry. He looked at me blankly.
My own guilt rose. My throat felt choked, I breathed hard.
I kept glancing at him through the corner of my eyes, all the while as I
flurried through Earnest’s greeting and Mark’s worries. Henry had taken his
seat on the couch. His legs were parted at length with his shoulders, his
hands clasped, clenched in the space between them. He refused to look at
me. His gaze was fixed on the floor.
I don’t know why I felt like crying again.
I scanned him with my eyes for signs of visible injury, while the doctor
rushed in to check up on me. I saw that his wrists were bandaged. I hoped
his legs had been treated too. Did it hurt too much? Henry wasn’t used to
this sort of pain. It worried me.
Once the doctor had left, dad was sensible enough to catch up on the
tension between us. He left us alone and took Ernie out as well.
I coughed. Henry didn’t move.
“H-Hathaway. A-are you alright?”
I brushed a wrong nerve with my words. I knew it because when he
looked up, Henry’s eyes were bloodshot. There was anger on his face – the
kind that made my heart beat rapidly in a scarce emotion. Fear.
“Henry – “
“If I could, I would throttle the living daylights out of you, Anna
Reeves.”
His voice was barely audible as he stood up and stepped closer to me. I
swallowed in indignity, “N-Not a nice thing to say to someone who just got
shot, baby.”
“Don’t fuck with me Anna.”
I bit my lip. To be honest, I don’t know where this fury of his was
coming from. Up close, it was even more frightening, because Henry is a
lot bigger than me. Had it been a usual unknown thug threatening me up
close, I would have hit the shit out of them. But Hathaway being that way
scared me.
“I don’t know why you’re so angry.” I said honestly. I swallowed. If this
continued, I might burst into tears anytime. It could be the hormones, it
could be the meds. I wasn’t sure if I was soon to get my periods, but I only
wanted a lot of affection right now. From him.
Especially from him. It was selfish of me to think that way when he had
just been abducted because of me, but I wanted him to be nice nevertheless.
Why was he angry?
“You’re kidding me, right?” He asked. I looked back blankly.
“No. I don’t know why you’re mad at me. And I don’t know what to do
about it either.”
“You could start by apologizing.”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Henry. I’m really, really sorry. I shouldn’t have left you
alone in the car, I should have known better. I’m sorry that all of this crap
happened hours after I told you about myself…I’m just. I’m sorry.”
I looked away. I repeatedly told myself to shut up and stop shivering.
Don’t cry! You can get out of this with some ounce of dignity.
Henry didn’t make it any easier on me though.
“Anna… you can’t be serious.”
I looked up at him. Somehow, even after my heartfelt, sincere apology he
looked angrier. I backed away, which is unlike me, but I was feeling
vulnerable. Dressed in the hospital gown with my body not quite acting the
way I wanted it to, the bloody look in his eyes made me more miserable.
I couldn’t hold it in. I don’t know what came over me. I picked up the
pillow from behind my back and threw it at his face without a second
thought. Then I burst out crying again.
Inside, I was cringing. I knew it was pathetic. I can’t help it.
“I said I’m sorry!” I lashed out, “Do you have to be so mean? What do
you want me to do?”
Then I lost my temper because of my tears. I wasn’t going to cry! But the
waterworks didn’t stop, so I clenched my fist and seethed instead, “I’m
sorry you had to go through something so terrible. But I didn’t plan for it to
happen, alright? I am who I am, I do what –“
I couldn’t complete my words.
Henry’s hand went behind my neck. He pulled me close to himself and
brushed his mouth over my lips.
I blinked. Shut up.
What?
His kiss grew in intensity till he consumed my mouth. I shivered, my
body responding automatically, my mind in a muddle. Wait… what? Were
patients supposed to do this?
Could I do it here?
He let me go after leaving a hickey on my neck.
“You’ve got to be shitting me, Reeves,” he said. He wiped my tears with
the back of his hands, but his expressions didn’t lose the ferocity in them.
His thumb brushed my lips, his eyes stopped on my own.
“What?” I asked defiantly.
My heart sank. His anger didn’t seem to be fading, and because Henry
has never been mad at me before, I was baffled and hurt. He might be right.
I am pampered. But I deserve to know what’s bugging him, right?
He sighed. He was angry, I know it, but this time he tried to close it off.
“Settle yourself,” he said in a low voice instead. Picking up the pillows
from the ground, he put them behind my back again. I pressed my lips. I
began to feel guilty about throwing them at him. I also got annoyed at my
gutless feelings. What the fuck is wrong with me?
You’re in love, my mind whispered, hopelessly in love. And people turn
stupid in love. I was turning stupid.
“How’s your shoulder? Does it hurt?”
I shrugged, “No.”
“Anna.”
“Hm.”
“You can’t be this clueless about how I feel.”
 I didn’t speak. If he was going to be an ass, so be it. I’m not responding.
If I cry again, I’ll hate myself forever.
“Anna… stop ignoring me damnit!”
“Hathaway, I’ve apologized. If you’re going to talk in riddles, I’m
begging you to leave. I don’t want to keep going back and forth like this.”
“You’re being an asshole Reeves.”
“You’re being just as cruel Henry.”
I don’t know how long that minute lasted. Our eyes matched. I couldn’t
read him like I could his father. I didn’t know what this moment was
between us. But it hurt like hell. The bullet that had pierced through my
heart could pierce through me a thousand times again. It would still not
manage to hurt me as much.
Hathaway took his leave. I shrugged, looked away. Till the door had
slammed on me, I held back my courage, and my pride. Then, I let it all go.
I cried till my insides felt like they would fall out.
If love and all the shit that came with it was so nonsensical, so damned
painful, I wanted out. I so wanted out.
I didn’t see Henry the coming week.
At first I struggled. I couldn’t look at myself in the mirror without
bursting into tears. Then, anger overcame pain. Then came indignity. And
then, pure sadness.
I missed him.
He didn’t call, he didn’t text. Dad didn’t mention him, Earnest stopped
coming over and I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on. This
is why I hated feeling too deeply, being so overly attached to anyone.
People leave! What had Earnest Hathaway said after telling me his dramatic
story? My boy would never get over you if you leave, Anna.
Who had left whom now?
The bloody thing was I didn’t even know why.
Maybe I did. Maybe I even understand. It would be difficult for him to be
with me after what he had gone through. It would be difficult to come to
terms with someone like me. We didn’t have a future even if we did have
feelings. Maybe Mark was right all along. I am difficult to love.
But I deserve a clean break up if nothing.
I deserve to be told to my face that we don’t mean anything to each other
anymore. At least then I can tell myself that moving on is my only
alternative. There is no hope for us.
 To make matters worse, pictures from the wedding day of Matthews had
been published in almost all newspapers. Henry and I were kissing in it, so
speculations were flying all around – we were dating, we were marrying –
Rdesigns and Hathaway Constructions’s heirs were coming together. What
an odd combination. Yada yada.
Had I known one kiss would cause so much damage, I would have kept it
in my pants.
Now, even to the world, we were betrothed. Fiancés. God I hated that
word.
It reminded me of the not too long before moment when Henry had asked
me to marry him.
I missed his touch. I missed his voice, the caress of his hands, his deep
blue eyes. I missed looking at him and being awed.
Nothing happened in the entire week. Mark was very attentive to me
during this time. It made me feel guilty, because I’ve never been a burden to
him. But now, I felt like one. I didn’t even have an outlet for my stress
anymore. Thanks to the wound on my shoulder, I couldn’t train.
It was the shittiest situation I could be in.
Toni called, he was out for what he said was a duty call, Kelly and
Shinoda called as well. They wanted to be there for me but something
prevented them. I don’t remember what. I was glad none of them could
make it. I didn’t tell them I was shot. They heard I was sick. I didn’t tell
them I had broken up either. Nobody needed to know.
When the miserable week was almost over and Sunday morning had
arrived, I had had enough. I took a bucket of chicken, twelve cans of beer,
opened up Netflix and decided I would blow my mind and binge-watch
videos till I can’t think of Henry anymore.
Then I cried my eyes out again. I’m turning into a wuss. And all because
of Henry Fucking Hathaway.
 Chapter 22
Henry

Last week was a storm of emotions.

I was fuming most of the times, waiting for this hard-headed, self
righteous, downright annoying chick to call me. Was it that hard to
understand my feelings? I get why I’m the first man she has dated. She’s so
clueless it’s almost selfish.
While fuming, I’m also preparing to propose.
There is not much that I won’t do for Anna. She sort of sealed the deal on
my feelings when she took a bullet for me. I mean, it made me so bloody
angry I could have throttled her. But it also made my heart as steady as
anyone’s can be – I knew I wanted her for the rest of my life when I was at
the hospital, looking after her for the twenty four hours she hadn’t woken
up.
The nerve this woman had. She thought she could ask me if I’m alright
after getting shot and scaring me out of my wits?
She even dared to apologize for getting me abducted! Not for taking the
bullet, but for supposedly landing me into trouble.
I’m still mad, seven days gone.
Doesn’t matter that I want to spend the rest of my life with her. My
reaction might be intense, but I want to be right by her side every time she’s
pulling off something dangerous like this. I know that I’m looking for a
lifetime of anxiety if we tie the knot. But if we don’t I’m going to die of
anxiety anyway. It’s better to know than to lie wondering. If Anna is a
challenge, I’m prepared.
I figured she’s the one for me three weeks into dating. All my hesitation
is gone after seeing how reckless she actually is.
But that still doesn’t forgive the fact that she hasn’t called me yet.
 It is also pissing me off that Mark and Earnest keep hanging out at my
office like it’s no big deal. I think Mark has long ago figured out that Anna
and I are not engaged and I definitely hadn’t proposed to her when I first
met him with my dad. He doesn’t ask a lot of questions, which I respect.
He’s a decent man when not being swayed by my father’s overzealousness.
I think Mark and Ernie only cared about the status of our relationship as
long as theirs was tumultuous. Now that theirs is getting sorted, they pretty
much leave us alone to figure out our futures.
It’s rare for parents to do that, so I’m glad they’re so much into each
other.
But the problem is, they come to my office every day. They tease me
about Anna and Mark reports to me about her condition daily, then gets a
kick out of how distressed she is that I haven’t called. They’re enjoying the
whole thing – Anna doesn’t have a clue I’m preparing to propose to her
officially, and because she’s mad at me she couldn’t have one either. Mark
and Ernie are annoying as always, giving me ridiculous proposal ideas and
practically preparing for a wedding.
Mark sometimes makes me so uncomfortable when he smiles at me from
ear to ear and gushes, “Anna made such a good choice! I didn’t expect it!
You’re so normal, Henry, you make me proud.”
I’m not sure how to respond to that.
My mother, Emily Hathaway is probably the most tolerable of all the
people around me right now. Even Peter is annoying because he can’t stop
beaming. When he isn’t beaming, he’s possessive. Which I understand.
We’ve been best friends forever. He needs time to adjust to the fact that I’ve
fallen hard for someone. I’m moving on.
It might have been a mistake to tell mom first that I planned on proposing
to Anna. Dad overheard the conversation, he told it to Mark, they hung out
at the office and announced it to Pete. Now everyone in my life knew,
except for my girlfriend. She probably thought we had broken up.
Mom was also enthusiastic about us, even though she and Anna don’t
really get along. Mom’s the sweetest and the most generous person out
there, which makes Anna very uncomfortable. She knows that mom is a
psychologist which is why she says to me, “Emily’s so nice… I just keep
thinking she’ll figure out something terrible about me and hate me for being
with you. I don’t want us to meet a lot, Hathaway. For real.”
 It is true though. Anna is right. Mom has given me subtle hints over the
past two weeks that I should think about it more. “I find Anna lovely Henry,
but she has problems. I know it when I see her,” mom says.
Who doesn’t have problems, mom?
Mom has never been someone who interferes with my life. When she
saw that I wasn’t going to think it over, she simply helped me pick out a
ring and wished me luck. The whole week went by pretty quickly amongst
all of this. But the thought of Anna lingered. It was painful, but above all it
put me in a state of constant anger.
Truth be told, I was waiting for Reeves to text me first. This time, there
was no escape. I wanted her to come around, realize that what she had done
was traumatizing for me. Who gave her the right to think that I couldn’t die
on her, but she could take a bullet for me? When did we come to that
consensus?
What had she said before taking the shot?
“Like hell I’ll let you die on me, Hathaway. Like hell.”
It still pisses me off.
The only reason I haven’t proposed yet is because Anna hasn’t made a
move. I’m not going to resolve things between us this time. It’s not fair.
Even though I’m sitting in my office grumbling on a Sunday, I’m not going
to text her.
I prepared a case against the hotel management whose waiter had spiked
my drink. While reading through the files, I could barely concentrate. I
deliberated again – should I just call first and get mad at her instead?
No. NO!
Anna is right. I’m a wuss. If she can hold out for so long, if she doesn’t
care about me enough, I definitely should not be the one turning back.
But… what more an expression of care can someone show? She had taken a
bullet for me. And I haven’t even been by her side during the time of her
recovery.
I would have been. But it’s difficult. The entire time I was with her when
she was unconscious, the thought that she was hurting because of me hadn’t
left. I could barely speak when she had woken up. My throat had nearly
choked, and seeing how she was so ignorant of my feelings had made it
unbearable. I’m not masochistic. She has her father by her side, but me? I
can’t even complain that it hurt.
 In the middle of my conversation with myself, I heard a knock at the door
of my office.
“Come in,” I called out. Was Pete back? I put the papers away and turned
around in my chair. I froze.
Anna stood in front of me, looking like a devil straight out from hell. If
devils roamed about looking that messed up, that is.
I can’t explain the natural happiness that filled my insides by instinct.
Every time I see her, my heart leaps. It leapt again. She was here! She had
finally come. I might as well have run into her arms, but I stopped my
wandering thoughts and stood up.
“Anna,” I whispered.
She was dressed in pajamas, literally. She had bed hair, she obviously did
not have a bath and her face looked like she hadn’t bothered to wash it in
months. Her eyes were bloodshot.
My endurance broke when I looked into them.
I ran to her anyway, she met me halfway through. My arms wrapped
around her body while my heart thrashed against my chest. Something deep
twisted inside me as she fit perfectly in my arms after so long again. My
fingers brushed through strands of her unruly hair. I breathed.
She pressed herself into me harder. For a while, we didn’t speak. After
what seemed like ages, she whispered, “I missed you.”
Me too, sweetheart. Me too.
I hugged her tighter and kissed the top of her head. She kissed my lips.
“I’m not breaking up, Henry. I don’t want to.”
I smiled. Her insistence is familiar, as is her scent, her defiant eyes and
her indignant face. I can hear her heart beat with mine. I love the comfort of
being around her. I lifted her up, smiling into her lips.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“I love you too.”
“Anna…”
“I know. I’m sorry for jumping in front of that gun. I should have saved
us both instead, Henry.”
She knows. Finally. She knows.
She wrapped her legs around my hips. I supported her bottom, my mouth
settling over hers in urgency. She kissed me with the passion of a someone
deprived, I lost my breath and pushed my tongue through her own.
I had missed her touch.
 Her hands wound around my neck. Goosebumps ran through the skin of
my spine till I couldn’t control my urge. Grabbing her hips, I ground her
against my sex, my bottom ready to tear through the fabric of my jeans and
through the flimsy material of her shorts. Anna moaned into my mouth, her
head falling back in pleasure. My hand reached to her back, under the loose
top she was wearing. I drew circles along the bumps of her spine. I grew
harder once I found out that she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“Did you come here to seduce me?” I asked with interest. She was
amusing.
She could barely manage between gasps, “If you had insisted on breaking
up, yes.”
I kissed her again.
As the kiss deepened, I felt the damp heat of her body through her top.
She sank her fingers into my shoulders and took her tongue deeper into my
mouth. The rest of the world might as well have disappeared. Only the
sensation of her existed. My lungs began to burn from the lack of breath.
Drawing back, I gasped for air. She buried her lips in the curve of my throat
and nipped the bone with her teeth.
She was asking for it.
I brushed my thumbs across her bare sides. She shivered from the touch.
I walked to my chair and sat on it so that she was straddling my lap.
Anna gasped when she felt the full force of my cock against her bottom.
“Did that – That happened because of me?” She asked. Her eyes were
round with surprise.
I rubbed my fingers on her back again, then dipped my head to catch her
nipple in my mouth. The fragile material of her top was beautifully
revealing her hardened buds. She dug her fingers into the skin of my
shoulders as I suckled. I bit her through the cloth.
She cried.
“Who else would do that to me sweetheart?” I whispered.
She undid my jeans with shivering hands. It took tremendous control to
take it slow, I didn’t want to be rough when this was the first time we had
seen each other in a week. I tucked my fingers into the sides of her shorts
and pulled them down. She spread her legs in the process. I nearly came
when she moved against me.
“Shit,” I cursed, afraid I’d let go – and grabbed her hips to stop her from
moving. She clung to my chest and said heavily, “Give it all you’ve got,
Henry. I need you all the way.”
“Don’t do that sweetheart,” I could barely manage. I let go.
I drove into her with one thrust. She screamed. My fingers dug into her
cheeks as I pushed inside, shafts of delight waving through me as I sang in
her sex. She met my rhythm with equal passion, her hips colliding with my
bottom like wind crashing into thunder. Her hands went tighter around my
neck. I lost myself in black, dreamy clouds, afraid to stop, terribly lost.
Then somewhere between thunder and a sandstorm, she whispered into my
ear.
“I love you Henry. I love you so much.”
She was mine. Once again.
This was the beginning of our forever.
 Chapter 23
Anna

My shoulder hurt. As I pulled up my shorts, I realized once again that I

had hurt myself in the process of making love to him. I knew Henry would
freak out so I rushed to the restroom, but he caught me anyway.
It was a moment of déjà vu. Henry was flabbergasted and in guilt from
the look of it. I almost burst out laughing.
“I’m alright,” I reassured him, “The bullet hit my shoulder so the doctor
said I could move after a week.”
“Move, not have sex – “ Henry protested, “I’m so sorry, Anna. I
should’ve been more careful. Let’s go to the hospital right now.”
I rolled my eyes, “The day the bullet hit me… I think I was unconscious
because of the fatigue. The bullet barely hurt. It’s alright. You can help me
dress it here. Besides a sting, I don’t even feel a thing.”
I damn well felt more than a thing. But I could convince Henry that I was
okay, so he gave in after a while. Once the wound was dressed, it was time
to move on to the inevitable conversation which had been delayed because
of our passionate encounter.
Henry fixed me a cup of coffee, while I sat atop his desk. I didn’t want to
get excited again by sitting on his chair.
“I didn’t think we’d ever do it here,” I chuckled, glad that nobody had
barged in before, because we had forgotten to lock the door.
“Same, sweetheart,” he said.
Henry’s fingers sifted through my hair with the usual adoration with
which he touches me. I melted. This is what I’ve missed. In my own grief, I
had forgotten that even though it was I who had got shot, Henry was the one
who must’ve felt guilty. It was such a simple feeling – I would have felt the
same way had it been me in his stead, but I couldn’t see it because of my
own selfishness. In the past week, I guess I’ve realized how egotistic I can
be. Usually, it doesn’t bother me. But with Henry, I can’t act that way. He
means too much.
“Can I hug you again?” I asked, emotion weaving through me.
“Why ask?”
He put down his mug and wrapped his arms around me. I breathed in the
familiar odor and pressed my face to his chest. The beating of his heart
calmed me down. He smells like summer and autumn at the same time, the
kind of guy who belonged everywhere. He could make his way into
anybody’s heart.
A month and a half ago I didn’t know him. Now it was impossible to live
without him.
I sighed.
We had started dating under the pretext of being fiancé’s. Now the entire
country thought we were engaged. I don’t yet know what Henry’s thoughts
are on me being a freelance agent, but I’ve decided to do it.
I’m going to propose.
When I came into this room, I had already decided that I wasn’t going to
let Henry leave my life. Even if I had to be despicable and seduce him into
being with me, I’d do it. And if things went right, I’d ask him to marry me.
Maybe not now. Maybe fifteen years from now when he feels okay about
me. But he had to be with me.
I want him like I’ve wanted nobody else. All of him. For the rest of my
life.
“Henry?” I snuggled closer.
“Yeah.”
“I’m so sorry for not knowing how you felt. It must’ve been hard for you
to watch me in the hospital.”
“It’s okay. As long as you don’t jump in front of a gun again, baby, I’m
okay.”
“I understand… but you have to know it was instinct. I didn’t plan to, my
body moved on its own.”
Henry removed his face from the top of my head and held my face in his
palms. Looking into my eyes, he said very seriously, “You said I couldn’t
die on you Anna. Who gave you the right to decide you can? Don’t lay your
life on the line for anyone sweetheart. Not even me. You’re too precious.”
 I was baffled. How does he manage to say such sweet things with so
much sincerity? I would understand if he were bluffing. If he didn’t mean
what he said. But Henry Hathaway wasn’t like that. He was honest. And he
meant every word.
I crooned my arms around his neck and pressed my face into his chest
again. My lips spread into an involuntary smile.
“I’m extremely selfish, Henry. I didn’t know I could die for anyone till I
saw the gun point at you. Turns out, I can.”
He sighed. “Not selfish, honey. Just old school stubborn. The type that’s
cold on the surface yet terribly kind.”
“You’re the only one who can look at it that way.”
“That’s good then.”
“Henry?”
“Yeah.” I braced my heart and swallowed. I drew my arms away from
him and touched the side of my neck. The pendant I always wear was there,
as was the ring woven into it. It is the thing closest to my heart, the only
symbol I’ve had since childhood that made me feel I hadn’t been
abandoned. At least not completely. Somebody had left something behind
for the child they had to let go of. I liked to think of it that way.
“I…” I trailed off. I made up my mind, but faltered. I didn’t meet his
eyes. I played with the pendant with my fingers, while fixing my gaze on
the ring around it. I whispered, “I’ve realized there’s no easier way to put
this Henry. I… I want to live with you. But heirs to conglomerates don’t
simply live with each other, so I think –“
 
I stopped and closed my eyes. This came out so wrong. It was
embarrassing. I took in a deep breath and looked up at him. Pressing my
lips I tried again, “Henry… Will you… I mean if it’s okay with you – I
know I can be difficult –“
Henry’s expression went all the way from confusion to that of horror. He
was quick to draw my hands away from the pendant and clasp both of them
between the palms of his own hands.
“Anna, no,” he looked mildly horrified, “You have to stop sweetheart.”
“But I – “
“No, no. Listen to me,” He came closer, “You can’t be doing this to me.”
Doing what?
 “Anna, honey, you were the one who asked me out first. This, at least,
has to be done by me. Give me a moment sweetheart.”
Confusion drew on my face. Henry rustled through the drawer of his desk
nervously, while I peered into it from my position from the table-top. My
breath quickened when I saw him withdraw a small jewelry box.
Wait… That size…
My heart stopped to beat when Henry held both my hands in his again.
He looked deeply into my eyes.
“Anna. I – I don’t know what to say. I thought I’d have time and I’d have
it all planned out. I looked for a restaurant and I also thought I’d write it all
down on a paper and say the sweetest things to you. I know you deserve it.
This was supposed to be the best thing ever, but – but look how it turned
out. I’m sorry –“
I pressed my lips. My heart had fallen into a frenzy, beating so hard
against my chest I thought I could hear it resonate in my mouth. I cocked
my brows and smiled a nervous smile.
“Henry, you’re flipping baby,” I reminded him, hoping and not hoping at
the same time. Say it, my mind protested, say it so I can faint without
worry, Hathaway.
“Yes, yes. Sorry,” he continued, “Anna… I. When I first saw you, I never
imagined this day would come. You were this angry, arrogant prick with no
civility and you got on my nerves. I hated your guts. But – but it all
changed when – “
“You saw me at the Green Apple place with Cain Matthews?”
“Yes, precisely. You’re the only one who can bring about a turnabout in
my opinion within the span of a day, honey. I was so attracted to you in one
night, I couldn’t sleep.”
“I admit I was beautiful,” I nervously laughed.
He eased into a smile, “You were. But I treated you horribly and – “
“Henry?”
“Yes?”
“I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Please, please hurry up.”
I think it got him geared up into action because he nodded and snatched
the jewelry box from the desk. “Me too,” he said, “Anna I just need to let
you know that you’re the best thing that could have happened to me. You
bring so much thrill and excitement into my life, I can’t imagine spending a
day without you by my side. You make me proud and awed and just so
happy, I… I can’t get enough of you. You make each day seem like it
shouldn’t end. So sweetheart, if you feel the same way even remotely, I’d
like to spend the rest of my life trying to be the man I know you deserve.”
He dropped down on one knee and flipped open the box, “Anna Reeves.
Honey… will you marry me?”
I knew it was coming. And yet the words sent goosebumps down my skin
and tickled my spine. My eyes misted and I half-laughed, half smiled.
“I will,” I said through a haze of emotions, “I will, Henry Hathaway. I
didn’t think I could ever love anybody so much. I don’t even know if I
deserve you but… I love you. I love you so so much. Thank you for making
me feel like the most beautiful woman on earth. Thank you for never
leaving me alone. I just… love you –“
He stood up and hugged me tight. The tears I was holding back let go. I
think I heard him sniffle on my shoulder as well. We both laughed and cried
at the same time.
He slipped the ring on my finger when it was over while I finally took
out the one around my neck. It was ironic how the misunderstanding of us
had begun so subtly because of my ring. And how it was now, in this
moment, the symbol of our love. I slipped it on his finger. Somehow, it
turned out to be a perfect fit.
I washed up while Henry ordered a pizza for us to celebrate. We couldn’t
go out since we both looked like we had come out of a battlefield. When
our order arrived, and I took the first bite, the ring on my finger dazzled me.
I couldn’t for the life of me imagine that I was engaged to Henry.
“Anna?”
“Yes?”
“Sweetheart, as cute as I think you look without your underpants, could
you not come to this place going commando again?”
I cracked at his words, “Of course.”
“I mean I don’t mind one bit. It’s just that our dads hang out here a lot.
And my mom.”
I pressed my lips in surprise, “They do?”
“Yes. And because we’re officially engaged, I don’t think we should be
keeping secrets anymore. Mind telling me why you’re called the
Boogeygirl, honey?”
My eyes went wide at the word. And then despite myself I ended up
blushing.
 “It’s the alias I gave myself,” I whispered, nibbling on the pizza slice,
“You know, to symbolize a girl who is a villain’s nightmare. Or something
like that.”
“Anna?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re never naming any of our kids. That’s that.”
I pressed my lips. We looked at each other. We laughed again.
Life was good.
Life became perfect.
 Epilogue (1)
Henry

We married six months after the proposal.

Anna had made it indefinitely clear to me that she didn’t want to push
me, I could take my time, and a thousand more disclaimers of hers that I
can’t recall now. I’d made my decision anyway. I’m glad to say, she’s still
fussy, still bossy and still totally awesome. Today, we’re celebrating our
anniversary.
It’s been three years since we met.
A lot has happened in the past three years, and I’ve come to realize one
important fact: real life is not like we know it. When I watched movies, a
marriage or a proposal or a kiss always declared a happily ever after for a
couple in love. The end of their story. But that is not how things are.
Life is so much more complicated afterwards. In fact, I think the fairy
tale is shown to end at a kiss or a proposal because the reality is not so
pretty after all. After Anna and I tied the knot, things didn’t go easy for us.
It wasn’t a granted happily ever after. We tried, and tonight I’m proud to say
we made it.
We’ve been by each other’s side through hell and rough storms. Through
mad pregnancy, hailstorms of bullets and mind boggling court cases. She
gave up a lot for us. I tried so hard for our little family. It wasn’t easy. But it
was worth every second of our effort.
I looked up at Anna as she entered the nursery. After we bought a new
house, we had a spare room that we wanted to turn into a guest bedroom.
We hadn’t come around to doing anything about it for a year and a half,
until an unplanned pregnancy made home in our life. We had painted this
room and prepared for a nursery back then, a safe haven for our firstborn, a
little boy.
Adam.
“You done, sweetheart?” I asked.
 She smiled, “Yeah.” I didn’t think it would be possible to be in awe of a
woman’s smile after three long years. But it’s all the same for me. My heart
is flushed with happiness every time she’s around. My wife, Anna Reeves.
She goes by Hathaway-Reeves now.
I know right? She’s impossible. Still a first for me in so many respects.
Especially when she makes me laugh so hard.
I got up and helped her sit on the beanbag chair. I eyed the envelope she
held in her hand curiously. Kissing her cheek, I whispered, “Anything you
need, honey?”
She wrapped both her arms around my neck and pulled me in for a not-
so-innocent kiss. Smiling into my mouth, she said softly, “You. And for
Adam to not wake up.”
I chuckled.
“I want you too, sweetheart. But the doctor said no sex for the next three
months.”
She pouted, “He didn’t say no foreplay.”
“And what would you do after you’re aroused to the point of no return?”
“Relieve myself with your help.”
I suppressed my laugh, “Don’t spoil my daughter, baby. What if she’s
listening to you?”
I knelt down and planted a kiss on her bulging belly. Anna’s fingers went
through and caressed my hair.
“Oh, she’s definitely listening right now,” she smiled.
As soon as she said the words, I felt a small thud against the side of my
cheek. Despite having felt it three times this month, I was still filled with
joy.
“She’s kicking!” I exclaimed. Anna sighed, “She does that a lot. I’m
suspecting she’ll be a lot like me Henry.”
I smiled helplessly, “I don’t mind. But I think we’ll both die of anxiety if
that happens.”
Anna smacked the back of my head playfully, “What if Adam turns out
that way too?”
“We’re in for a lifetime of thrill then sweetheart.”
I glanced at our baby boy who lay in his cradle, suckling on his thumb.
He had yet to say his first word, which was why we were very careful
around him. We tried to keep course language to a minimum which really
took a lot of energy out of Anna.
 In the past three years, Markian and Earnest’s relationship has become
better than ever. They both adore Adam and argue on who he takes after
more. My mother has come around to love Anna a lot as well. She finds
every reason to invite us to dinner on weekends and spend alone time with
her. I’ve met Toni who makes a visit twice every year now since Adam was
born. He misses Anna. I understand.
Initially, Anna had had no intention of letting go of the life she had built
for herself. When we got married, nothing about us was a problem. In fact,
my first big case came because of Anna. When I sued the management
whose waiter had spiked my drink, the hotel turned out to be a front for
illicit drug activities. My firm received a lot of exposure due to the case.
What followed were back breaking cases that came knocking at our door
along with a lot of adventure, but the path to the Hathaway & Brown
Partners becoming the most sought after firm today was paved.
One year into our marriage, amongst all the havoc, Anna received the
offer to join Toni on a duty call. She agreed. When she came back home
two months later, she had a stab wound on her arm and she hadn’t
completed her task. That’s when we had found out.
She was pregnant with Adam and had almost suffered a miscarriage.
Sometimes, my heart pains. She had been posed with a huge choice back
then – we hadn’t planned Adam in anyway. He had barged in on our lives.
But he was also so precious that Anna had given up working with Toni in a
heartbeat. I know it made her sad. I also know it made her feel lonely. But
that was the first sacrifice she had made for our family. After Adam was
born and it was time to take care of him, she had to quit the unofficial
training she gave to the young’uns as well. There was danger of being hurt
and she wanted to be there for Adam, healthy and strong.
“I can’t abandon my son, Henry,” she said everytime, sighing the deepest
sigh of regret, “I know what it feels like to be abandoned. I won’t do that to
him.”
Her life is out on the fields. I knew that. I gave her time to sort her
feelings out, I’ve been taking care of Adam every day. I don’t leave her
alone. Ever. Which is why I knew she won’t be the woman I came to love
anymore, if she kept denying herself everything that was her heart and soul.
But tonight, we won.
I pushed Anna into getting a license for a training center. She thought it
was an okay replacement for what she did at the warehouse since she
couldn’t actually allow the use of weapons at a training center. Toni gave up
his dojo when he heard of this – calling her a rightful heir. I think it was the
thought of carrying forward Toni’s name as an instructor which excited her
to take up the job. It’s her oldest, one of her best memories. She still has her
old students come up there now. I know for sure that her teaching touches
grey areas more often than not.
But the dojo could never have excited her like working with the cops did.
Which is why I pushed her into finishing high school. She was embarrassed
at first, she denied it saying she was old, she wasn’t going back to school.
But I made her anyway.
And tonight we win because not only did Anna complete senior high, she
also passed the written entrance exam to the police academy.
I planned it all a year ago. I want her to be an agent. An actual one. Not a
freelancer. Someone who could go out on the field any time, and would be
protected by the government for being part of it. Not a mere skilled
outsider.
I won’t say it was an easy decision to make. When Anna gave up
everything remotely dangerous for the sake of us, I was relieved. Relieved
that she’d be safe. She’d be home. But Anna was enchanting for a reason.
She was so many things that I never could dream to be, I wanted my kids to
know their mother for the woman she was. I didn’t want security at the cost
of Anna’s dreams. She had worked hard to be who she was, and I somehow
wanted to protect it.
I removed my face from her belly and lifted her up. She squealed in
surprise. Settling myself on the beanbag instead, I lay her on my lap. Anna
chuckled, pressing her face into my chest while she put an arm around my
neck for support. I kissed her.
“Whose are we reading first?” I asked.
“Yours of course.”
“Okay. Baby?”
“Hm.”
“Congratulations. I’m so proud of you.”
She beamed. The corners of her mouth lighted her beautiful green eyes,
and my heart sang.
“Thank you! I didn’t think I’d make it. But here we are.”
I shifted so I could pull my envelope out of my pocket. I handed it over
to her.
 “There you go.”
I knew what it would mean for us if Anna went back. What about her
safety? What if she’s hurt? What if one day she doesn’t come back? All
those worries would return. We had therefore reached a conclusion. If Anna
qualified her exam, we would begin to write letters.
Letters to our children.
Today is the first instance.
When we got married, we decided that we would always respect each
other’s choices. And my kids would know their mother and father one way
or the other.
I know how gruesome the concept of writing such letters is. But like I
said, reality is not pretty. And I know that I can’t live without Anna. But she
won’t give up living just because she’s afraid she could abandon her kids.
Which is why we decided. With the utmost honesty possible, we would
talk to our kids. As if they were sixteen… eighteen…twenty. Fifty maybe.
They should know that come what may, Anna and I would never abandon
them. They were precious and loved.
She pulled the letter from my hands. Opening it up, her face brightened.
“I know it’s fucking silly, but I’m sort of excited.”
“Language sweetheart.”
“Yes, yes. Should we start?”
“Yeah.”
She read the first two sentences aloud. Her expression changed to one of
bother soon. I ended up chuckling. My letter went like this:
“My Thug Bride
Kids, this is the beginning of your mom and dad’s fated romance. I’m
calling Letter #1 My Thug Bride because the first time I saw your mom, I
thought she was a thug. There was only one thought resounding in my head
the entire night of our first meeting - Anna Fucking Reeves!”
Anna looked up at me in alarm.
“Henry, did you just badmouth me to our children?”
I shrugged and landed a peck on her cheek, “Don’t act so innocent. We
said we’d write about the first day we met. So I’m pretty sure you wrote
nothing nice about me either.”
She cocked a brow, “I didn’t write Henry Fucking Hathaway.”
I chuckled, “Sweetheart, just read the letter. I’ll gush all about how much
in love I am with you, but our babies have to know how kickass their mom
is first. And why dad fell in love with her.”
She stared at me in doubt before her eyes fell on the paper again. She
began to read, “Have you ever looked at someone and just known in your
bones that they were not for you? I have. That person for me was Anna.
When I first saw her, she was wobbling out of a cheap bar, dressed in a pair
of tight ripped jeans and a loose, off-shoulder orange top. I still have
trouble trying to forget how she looked that day. It was because not many
women around me have the guts that Anna has. Even back then, she was
alone at two in the morning, dead drunk, barely able to walk. She stood in
an alleyway where I had ended up by chance. I still remember that day.
I will always remember it.
I was behind the wheels in my car, watching out against anything and
everything that moved. I had had a long day, and there was someone whom
I had to meet in private. I am a lawyer and this was during a time when my
business wasn’t going so well. The Hathaway & Brown Partners was not
what it is now. It took a lot of effort from me and my partner, but we are the
most sought after law firm today.
But those were difficult times. A high profile client had requested us, to
our surprise and asked to meet me in a less than ideal situation. A
reasonable man would have denied it, of course, a desperate man did not.
So there I was, in the dead of the night, parked in a dark and dangerous
looking alley.
And out came the wobbling Anna.
I had seen a dingy looking bar right at the corner, so I knew this drunk
woman had to be coming from there. Half my heart had beaten ferociously.
I have seen enough porno to know what could possibly go down here.
But I was also alert.
While Anna was fumbling for something in her bag – maybe her phone –
I decided I needed to be a little more inconspicuous. You see, from where I
was parked, she could see me. And I didn’t want her to. More than that, I
didn’t want to see what she was up to.
I remember praying silently for my client to come sooner.
While I turned on the ignition and was about to roll back, she wobbled
all the more. Her heels must have been killing her and I was right to think
she was looking for her phone. She finally pulled it out but not before
thumping her chest and turning to the side to puke her guts out.
I groaned. This was a disaster.
 Should I go out? Did she need help? I didn’t want any trouble at this
point.
I pulled back, but I wanted to keep her in sight. It didn’t look like she was
there with a man or doing anything illegal – I decided to watch her in case
things went south. After relieving herself, she flopped on her knees and took
deep breaths.
It was then that a shadow moved.
I don’t remember seeing much. The shock from that day still shakes me.
I didn’t even see it coming but someone moved behind her. I didn’t see
them, I swear I didn’t, but I saw her. This woman – this complete haggard
looking mess – stood up on her staggering feet. And before I could breathe,
she landed a backward kick. It all happened within a split second because
what I saw next was her stepping back to lean against the wall. And before
her, a man fell, crouching on his knees.
His painful groan echoed through the night. She had kicked him right in
the crotch.
I practically pissed my pants. My heartbeat rocketed and I wanted to turn
around and drive away, but she kept me hooked. It was like watching a very
messy version of Batman live.
My analogy is wrong, I agree. But that’s what I had thought at that time. I
couldn’t even see the battle before me. She was that fast. And just like that,
she beat up two more guys who emerged out of nowhere.
She was sort of cool.
But I’m a lawyer by profession. My boyish fascination for coolness could
not outwit me even then, and very soon I had turned the engines of my car.
All of this was against the law, and I was leaving.
It was then that my phone rang. I saw the number of my client and a
swear escaped my lips.
Fuck you. I remember thinking. Fuck you a thousand times over.
But I picked up.
Somebody coughed and then panted into the phone. It was female. “Don’t
you dare fucking leave. I will find you and I will kill you if you do.”
Oh, yes.
The floor slipped from beneath my feet, and I was met with enraged, fiery
green eyes glaring at me from a good distance. She couldn’t see me, but of
course with those fighting senses, she knew where I was.
Yes.
 My secret client turned out to be Anna Fucking Reeves, your mother that
night.”
 Epilogue (2)
Anna

I snuggled closer to Henry, laughing at so many of his phrases. I didn’t

know he had been so afraid of me that night. I looked up at the firmness in
his face, the stern streak that his mouth had developed over the past three
years. He has changed a lot in the time we have spent together. And yet he
remains the same.
I don’t know what I did to deserve him.
I closed the letter and handed over mine to him. I pressed a hand to my
stomach, caressing it gently, wondering if my daughter felt all the love that
I had for her father. For her brother. For her.
You know it right, sweetheart? Mom loves you. So much.
When I had given up working with Toni, I hadn’t thought I would miss it
so much. My intention in being an agent had always been to be able to build
something of my own. To have a place where I wasn’t alone. Somewhere I
could belong.
I belonged with this family of mine now. I thought it would be enough.
But as it turned out, it wasn’t. I missed the field, the thrill, the
empowerment that came with the joy of knowing that I was ridding the
world of one more horrible piece of shit. So when I gave in to Henry’s plan,
I felt an ecstasy I hadn’t felt in years.
It took me time to consider and accept the fact that if I went around doing
dangerous work again, maybe there would come a day when I might not
return home. Like it had happened when we had found out about Adam. I
had nearly escaped death.
But life was empty without my work. So for now, I’m just going for it.
If nothing, I like to think that I’m making the world a little better place
for my kids. And I’m not someone who would die easily anyway.
Henry opened up my letter and teased, “Scared?”
 I challenged, “Mine isn’t as mortifying as yours. I didn’t title it My Wuss
Groom.”
Despite himself, he cracked, “Damnit. I’m reading.”
His voice was soft and soothing. I looked over at Adam, sleeping soundly
as he suckled on his thumb. My heart filled with happiness. He looks a lot
like Henry. But when he’s angry and crying bloody murder in the middle of
the night, I know he resembles me.
Henry began to read, “Hello babies. This is mom. I’m not really a writer,
so I don’t know how this will turn out. Dad and I decided to tell you how we
first met. So I guess… here we go.
I had never been so fucking angry. I mean I’m usually very angry as a
person, my dad says I’m a natural rebel. Doesn’t mean it’s always
meaningful. Most of it can come from just a simple characteristic of mine:
I’m headstrong. And I do what I want.
A high schooler’s line, but it has been my motto ever since I heard it: My
life, my rules.
I’m Anna Hathaway… Anna Reeves, actually. The becoming of the
Hathaway is what this fuss is all about.
The first time I met Henry was three years ago on a fateful night. It’s a
hilarious encounter from what I can remember of it. Henry says he will
never forget it. I keep telling him to let it go. He can’t.
He’s a wuss. He always has been.
And now that we stand with each other all these years later, I can’t help
but keep thinking. What made me fall for this man? We’re making decisions
that can uproot our lives. And yet, here we are anyway.
My story begins when I was adopted into the Reeves family. I was
thirteen. I was an orphan. With serious anger issues that showed up when I
turned five and slammed a boy’s head against an iron window. In my
defense he was bullying my best friend. She turned out to be a bitch, but
that’s a different story. I was circulated around foster families since then –
until Markian Reeves decided I was disturbed enough to adopt.
Markian is the Chairman of RDesigns and I am his social project.
I don’t mind that. Whatever the reason, he gave me a comfortable life.
Better than the one I had experienced for thirteen years. When I met Henry,
it had already been ten years since I had been living with Markian. Being
the business God he is, I am part of Markian’s share of corporate social
responsibility. That’s what I think.
 He of course, thinks he loves me. I’m his prodigal daughter.
I’ll be honest though. I think I love him too. Part of the reason why will
always be Henry. Henry… how do I put it? It’s funny. Despite how fucked
up Henry and I are, when I met him for the first time, he was just a funny,
annoying ass. Like, when it all started, I’d never felt so angry before. I was
fuming on that night, three years ago.
I had just cleaned up a disturbing mess. Fought off three of my former
underlings. I was there to help Henry out with a rather lucrative offer which
he totally didn’t deserve. And what did he choose to do?
Run away.
I couldn’t believe my eyes back then. What a jerk! Here a lady was,
fighting her shapely ass off, and this man chose to turn away with his car.
He forced me to finish quickly. I beat up my rowdy underlings and called
Henry Hathaway. His name was as unimpressive as his physique.
I threatened him, “Don’t you dare fucking leave. I will find you and I will
kill you if you do.” The least he could have done was given a drunk helpless
girl a ride home.
But yeah. Talk about foolishness. Your mom threatened a lawyer, literally.
In my defense again, I was angry. I dashed for the car, though I couldn’t
see his face. I knocked at the windshield and waited for him. God knows I
was fuming. What sort of a man runs when a girl is in trouble?
Henry now teases me, “It was a girl beating up grown men in a dark
alley. You get your facts straight.” I take his point. But back then, I
remember being annoyed. When I faced him, it took him a good two minutes
to react.
He rolled down his window.
Square jaw, lean and handsome face. Eyes that of a sea, blue and rather
pretty. His body was unflattering from what I could see of it. And he was
scared as shit.
I rolled my eyes.
Fine. He won. He was a scaredy cat. My mistake.
I brushed through my bag for a paper. He practically looked ready to piss
his pants, he wouldn’t even maintain eye contact. No wonder he was failing
as a lawyer, I thought.
When I found my paper, I scribbled down my address and slammed it on
his half open window. Then, I turned around to leave.
 You see, I have rules. I fight, but I’m not a bully. Man or woman, I make
it a point to spare the weak. Not because I’m a hero, but because
helplessness of any sort makes me terribly angry.
And that is how my first encounter with Henry went. Unflattering, right?
But he is the man I fell in love with.
The man I stand with now, wondering how in the world we found each
other. Three years… not that long a period of time. And yet it seems like
ages have passed. I don’t know what havoc our choices would bring along.
I hope we’re ready for it.
We, as the millennials would say these days, might be a classic case of
not meant to be. Or we could be lovers of the century.
That’s all that it is. Though I do want to retell this story from the
beginning.
Henry does too. I know.
I hope we get it right this time around, kids. And I hope we both get to
read these letters with you someday.”

Henry put the letter away.

The atmosphere between us tensed. He played with locks of my hair
mindlessly, while I eased into his arms.
“Sweetheart?”
“Yeah?” I looked up at him.
“You never got around to telling me why you had called me at two in the
morning that night.”
I straightened. I pressed my lips to hold in my smile, surprised that the
secret had not given way for three years. We had forgotten about it.
“It was because of Peter,” I finally confessed, “He used to mention you
when we texted, so I was curious what you were like. He turned down
meeting with me that night, so I asked for you instead. We made a bet. He
said I couldn’t scare you. I said I’d frighten the living hell out of any man.”
“No way.”
Henry looked struck. I got up and pinched his cheek, “Don’t start being
mean to Pete now. He’s getting married next week.”
“I sure as hell will get back at him,” he said through gritted teeth.
I pulled up and brushed his lips with my own. He swept his hand on my
belly, making his way down to my thighs gently. I grinned.
 “By the way, if I attend the senior high prom, you’re going to be my
date,” I joked.
He smiled, “Isn’t it over already though?”
“This year’s got delayed because of some virus. We were lucky to have
gotten over with the finals and the entrance tests.”
“Then yes, sweetheart. We’re so dancing through the prom night. Do we
take Adam along as well?”
“Kelly will watch over him. Or I can ask Shinoda.”
“You know Anna…”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s make it work. Our family, our jobs, our kids… let’s make all of it
work.”
“We will, Henry. We will.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He leaned down to catch my lips between his teeth. He kissed me gently,
passionately. I pressed into him, thrilled by the rapid beating of my heart. I
wonder how I still manage to be so excited by this man. The love of my
life. Henry Hathaway.
Life is good with him. Life is great.
With him by my side, my every day is the promise of a happily ever after.
A fairy tale with a haphazard, perfect ending. A beginning we created
together, the end of which we are yet to see.
A happy ending it will be, perhaps.
 Afterword

Greetings, dear reader!

Thank you for purchasing this copy of My Thug Bride. I hope you had a
great time going through this book. In this small note to you, I wish you the
best of health and a safe period of social distancing.
During this time of crisis that has the entire world in a lockdown, I hope
My Thug Bride could bring you a little joy. The purpose was to deliver a
light-hearted romantic story, and I hope it was fulfilled.
If you enjoyed reading the book, do leave me your reviews on
Amazon. For notification via. email, you can subscribe at:
http://eepurl.com/ghw_cb

With love,
Katherine Summers.
 Books by Katherine Summers
 
Series (The Perfect Bride Series, Volume I & II)

            

Standalones