Anna's POVI had gone through the books in my Wattpad library for the umpteenth time, I needed a book that would keep me locked from my phone and I was yet to find it.The chime of a new message caught my attention, and I minimized my screen before going through my messages. If I knew what awaited me, I wouldn't have.The content of the message sent me throwing my phone at the farthest end, I was gripped by fear that had suddenly pounced on me like a cat on an unsuspecting mouse. I could feel one of my panic attacks creeping in slowly and I struggled to inhale and exhale, at the same time I struggled to count to one hundred like I was advised in therapy. Why wasn't it working? My brain felt like a giant spider web trying to contain all my fears, and all of them seemed to be crawling towards me right now with their sharp little teeth bared. All of them wanted to bite me where it hurts. The pain was unbearable, but I could not stop shaking. What if they succeeded? Why was I spinning
Caden's POVI sat up on my bed, and for a split second, I couldn't tell what was real or not, those tiny beads of sweat fell from my forehead and my chest. My sheets felt damp even with the AC on.I had seen her again, she looked sad, really sad.I wrapped my arms around her but she stood still, not returning my hug, not even when I called her “Mami” like she always loved. When I pulled away, she raised her hands to my cheeks, caressing them softly, her eyes were full of pain, it felt as if she was trying to say something before she disappeared.After eleven years, there was no day I went to bed without seeing her, and she had never said a word, not even “Pierre” it was my middle name, she was French. She'd call me even when she had nothing to say. For a while I couldn't help but wonder if my coming here was necessary like I had thought before, did I make the right decision? What would she say?I groaned, I wasn't a child, my mother wasn’t here, she had never been for a long time. I
Anna's POVNo, I didn't receive any more text from Scar, and no it didn't make me feel any better. It left me in a panic and made me more watchful than a hawk. I could also feel Erica watching but I pretended not to notice because noticing meant talking and I wasn't ready to do any of that.I threw myself into work as if my life depended on it. It was a busy month for us as we were expecting a visitor, a big one or so I heard. Even Trevor and his jokes didn't help. It only took him a while to realize that something was off about me and he didn’t stop bugging me about him when I couldn't take it anymore, I snapped at him.An action I regretted because he was a sweetheart and didn't deserve any of my ill-treatment.Trevor was a colleague whom Erica could swear on her life that he had a thing for me but I didn't think it was true though. Trevor was way out of my league and the last thing I needed was a man. The last time someone tried to get with me I ended up in the hospital and I was
Anna's POVThe following days at work were horrible, the new boss barely responded to my greetings, and when he passed beside me, he always had his nose scrunched up as if I smelled bad. He had done that again today and I couldn't help but sniff at my polka-dot chiffon blouse. It didn't smell bad. I sniffed my hair that was let loose past my shoulders and it didn't smell bad either.“Trevor, do you think I smell bad?” He was carrying a file.His cheeks turned red immediately and I realized how that must have sounded. My cheeks turned red too, redder than his.“You smell nice Anna, you always smell nice”I didn't think my cheeks could burn any brighter but they did and I had to bite my tongue to keep me from smiling like an idiot.Trevor left me standing there, hurrying off to submit the file he was holding.Apart from the sunshine and roses Erica and sometimes Trevor added to my life, it was mostly dark. Just like the days you could feel chaos slowly creeping in on you, waiting to en
Anna's POVAnd just like Erica said, Danny came over with a box of pepperoni pizza and drinks.Danny was Erica's boyfriend, they had been dating for eight months and I think they were a perfect match. With his sandy blond hair, tanned skin, dimpled cheeks, sea-green eyes that seemed to glow from afar, and his infectious smile but he was shy and reserved yet somewhat easygoing. There was a certain glow of affection in his eyes whenever he looked at Erica. It was as if she held the stars within her own eyes while also lighting up the entire galaxy that is Danny Phantom. It was strange to me at first, it made me question what their definition of love was and made me question what my definition of love was. Scar never looked at me like that, when he did, there was a certain glint of mischief in his eyes and a knowing smirk on his face and it took me years to figure out what he wanted even though I could see right through him sometimes. I was young, I had only finished high school. Sc
Anna's POV“Open the damn door, Anna!” Erica banged her fist against the door, her voice echoing through the small flat which seemed to be getting smaller and smaller by the minute. I was sitting on my bed sobbing.I don't know why I was crying so hard. Maybe it was the pain from earlier, or maybe it was the fact that I was going insane. There were so many things I couldn't understand and I couldn't think straight, but my heart was breaking. My body was breaking down, breaking into pieces.“Let me in!” Erica continued.“Babe” another voice followed, it was Danny.It was hard not to picture him standing in front of Erica, his hands on her shoulders and his eyes practically shooting out hearts. I could bet that it was exactly what he was doing.“Why wouldn't she talk to me?” I heard Erica sigh. I knew exactly what she was doing, she knew I was listening and wanted me to hear their conversation. To know what they thought and cared about me but I wasn't going to take the bait, I would
Caden's POVI left for work earlier than I usually did. Today I had papers to sort out. I was going to meet some artists to talk about collaboration deals and I needed to buy art pieces, to add to what we had and I was going to add some of my work. I had to plan to avoid paying extra due to some of them working on commission.As I tried to park properly in the parking lot, that feisty red-haired passed by, I noticed how long her hair was and her clothes were fitting, giving the perfect trace of a pair of firm hips and perfect derrière I didn’t know she had. Her legs were long and slim. Her waist was narrow enough to make me lose my breath and I couldn't help but curse myself.What was I doing checking out an annoying bitch when I had so much to do?I got out of the car and walked inside, walked right past her, and I don't think she noticed because she had her head buried in the files in front of her, mumbling incoherent words to herself.What surprised me was the other worker, Trevor
Caden's POVThey sat there speechless, their eyes widening as they observed the glare on my face. The room fell silent, with only the faint sound of their breaths breaking the tension. Their expressions oscillated between confusion, concern, and a hint of fear. It was evident that my reaction had caught them completely off guard.They didn't expect me to be watching.As seconds turned into an uncomfortable time, they exchanged perplexed glances, silently seeking answers from each other. I remained stoic, my face, an inscrutable mask, giving away nothing of what was transpiring within.Eventually, one of the artists mustered the courage to break the silence, his voice trembling slightly. "Is something wrong?" He cautiously asked, his words barely audible. The vulnerability in his tone hinted at the extent of his concern and it irritated me greatly.His words hung in the air, waiting for a response that seemed reluctant to come. I took a deep breath, slowly exhaling, allowing the tensi
Caden’s POVHow was I supposed to find her? I turned on the tracking app on my phone and followed its directions. She was in front of a hospital, curled in a corner.Her arms were wrapped around her as she rocked herself back and forth, rocking slowly. I hurried towards her. My feet stumbled over some debris and I almost fell. She didn't notice me yet but when she did... I froze with terror when I realized how fragile she looked. How much she needed help. The pain that was radiating off her wasn't physical; it was mental and emotional. It radiated from where I stood and all I wanted to do was wrap her up in my arms. Soothe her mind and take away this pain for good. Instead, I just watched her, afraid if I spoke or made even the slightest movement she might collapse and not wake again.She was mumbling words, words I couldn't hear and her eyes seemed to be fixed on something yet unfocussed.I hadn't seen such raw pain from anyone before and I could feel the heat of it coming off of her
Anna’s POVPanic engulfed me in a warm hug that grew tight, almost suffocating as I stared at the man in front of me.The hair in my arms stood straight up like spikes, my breath caught in my throat.I could hear my heartbeat racing and I couldn't think, could hardly breathe. I couldn't speak or move, as I tried to focus solely on his face, which seemed to glow with a light from within. His hair was dark like ink, and shiny.But his eyes, those eyes were cold and danced with mischief and danger. Like liquid ice.I knew those eyes. I had seen them so many times, burning in my nightmares. Eyes that looked deep into yours like they could read your deepest desires. Eyes that screamed chaos, he was looking at me like a cat playing with its food before devouring it and leaving the bones to crumble underneath the weight of his appetite. I knew those eyes. “Not exactly who you were expecting, am I right?” he murmured amusedly, taking in the sight of me as if he had planned this whole encoun
Anna’s POVIt was hard to decide but I decided that I needed therapy. I had to continue with my session if I wanted to be better and I needed to be better.Not just for anyone but for myself, too. It wasn’t as easy for me to get help in a professional setting but some people could. People like the person who had been there with me all through this whole process. She sat quietly in her chair in my room, listening to my every word with patience and understanding. She forced me to be better, ignoring the fact that I was a handful.I couldn't pretend that I wasn't anxious, it felt like it's been ages since the last session. It felt like the first day all over again.Beads of sweat formed on my forehead despite the cool air conditioning in the waiting room. The steady drip of water from a faucet sounded in the background and my heart beat faster than normal. Sweat dripped onto the table as well as the palms of my hands. A couple of strands of hair fell into my face and I brushed them bac
Caden’s POVSebastian and Anna sat not very far, she was so engrossed in whatever he was saying that she even giggled and threw her head back.Anger flew through me like lightning and I began to move to their table. The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Are you fucking serious right now?” I growled, staring at them, his eyes were suddenly wide with fear. His jaw clenched tightly as if he wanted to say something but the words were stuck on the way down. Anna looked red like she had been caught doing what she was supposed to do. She bit her lower lip and turned to look away from me. Sebastian who observed everything just looked confused but soon his usual smile was back on his face as if nothing ever happened. He looked over at me, “Yeah, that’s a good way to sum it up,” he gave an awkward laugh. He seemed amused by me. And he was laughing at me. He couldn't have been more wrong! It wasn't funny!“Nice to see you, Caden”“We need to talk,” I said looking directly
Caden’s POVMy eyes trailed to her exposed thigh as she slept on my bed beside me. It was so smooth, so beautiful and so tempting to reach out to.I clenched my fist, fighting the temptation. My hand itched to touch her, to rub along her smooth leg, to explore every inch of her. I could feel the bulge in my pants, straining uncomfortably, at the thought of it.After a few seconds of contemplating, I heeded finally, tracing my fingertips in a buttery light way, across her exposed thigh, trailing from her knee, down to her midthigh. I kept my eyes glued on her face while I made my journey, taking special care not to wake her up. When I got lower, I paused and stared up at her face once again.My breathing quickened as I continued down. Her eyelashes fluttered, revealing her beautiful brown orbs, as she stared back at me in a dazed manner, while my finger kept trailing down to her entrance, my eyes still trained on her.“Caden?” She called out softly, as it sounded more like a restrai
Anna’s POVI couldn't believe I had let that happen. It wasn't like me to lose control like that, but it just happened. It felt like we were in the middle of a movie set – and we had just finished playing out one scene, and all of a sudden it was raining hard.I couldn't have been so stupid! I had begged him to touch me, I had screamed out his name over and over again last night while he slammed into me like an animal possessed. And now that I had finally gotten what I wanted… he had to say that.Shame washed over me, and tears stung my eyes as I walked down the street, trying to keep from crying in public. I could not believe this – not after everything we had done last night. But when I thought about how it had ended, my insides turned to ice.I didn't know what I was thinking, maybe that I had seen some level of vulnerability from him? But he was Caden Gallagher, the famous playboy. Why was I surprised that he would never want to give up his reputation for something as trivial as
Caden’s POV“I want this,” I heard her say.That was all it took for me to lose the self-control I was holding onto as I went back to kissing her, this time with urgency.It was like my entire world was spinning and I could barely focus. I was kissing her like there was nothing else in the whole world, the world, and everyone but her. Her fingers tangled in my hair as she tugged my hair in need, urging me to deepen the kiss. I didn't mind, I just kept kissing her.And then I lost all control of my actions, kissing her harder and faster as her body became heavier in my embrace, my hands traveling down, slipping underneath her shirt to trace along her skin.She arched into my touch causing me to lose my train of thought. I didn't think much about what I was doing, all I cared about was the warmth radiating from her body and the feeling of being completely engulfed in her presence.Her hand slid under my shirt tracing the curves on my chest, leaving a burning sensation in its wake. My h
Anna’s POV“Do you have any siblings?” The question was a whisper in the wind that night and yet I heard it clear every day as if my ear were ringing with it. I blinked once or twice before focusing on the man opposite me.“No. Erica Is the closest thing I have to one” My voice sounded sadder than I intended it to be.“And what about Erica?” He must have read the meaning behind my words and sensed that something was wrong.“I am not the definition of sunshine, maybe hurricanes and storms, and sometimes people like Erica get tired of dealing with people like me. I wouldn't blame her, I am a handful” The words spilled from my mouth like water out of an overflowing dam. Tears sprang into my eyes and I turned away to gaze at the moonlight shimmering in the sky above us on the rooftop of La Cuisine de Camile, for the first time Caden was letting me pay after much persuasion. I knew it was selfish but I wanted this moment to be special. Even though I had never really been one for physical
Anna’s POVI woke up with a throbbing headache and with the sun threatening to make me blind. I had no choice but to roll over in bed and close my eyes until the throbbing subsided, at least for the moment. I couldn't even find the words to describe my hangover. I only knew it was bad when my eyes stung like they would explode. The thought of doing anything more than lying in bed made me feel even more nauseous. But I knew that as long as I kept my eyes closed and didn’t move, then I’d be fine for now. But I thought wrong and too fast.This is why saying no to alcohol was the best option, I finally understood that.At least Caden had been there, and he brought me home.Sucker! I thought to myself as that fluttery feeling came back and I let out an annoyed grunt. This time instead of trying to suppress the urge to vomit, I felt worse than before, and I wished I could just sleep for at least another couple of hours. I don’t know if I was still drunk, or not hungover enough yet to de