A thick powerful arm shot out of the darkness and wrapped tightly around her waist, jerkingher forward and saving her from a nasty fall Anissa's hands flew up, pressing flat against Harding's chest to steady herself.
Her breath caught in her throat. Herding had clearly just come from his own shower. He was wearing a pair of loose, gray sweatpants and a dark, fitted t-shirt The cold water she had just spilled clungto the dark fabric, but he didn't seem to care.
The heat radiating from his skin was intense, a stark contrast to the freezing water soaking her robe.
Anissa looked down, flustered by the sudden mess. "I'm so sorry, | didn't see you" she stammered, the shock of the collision leaving her breathless and disoriented
Harding's arm was still locked around her waist, holdingher flush against his body. He looked down at her.
His eyes darted across her surprised expression, his grip on her waist remainingfirm as if the sudden proximity had momentarily frozen him in place.
The air inthe hallway evaporated
Anissa felt the muscles in Harding's am instantly tum to iron. His breathing hitched, becoming ragged and shallow. She could feel the heavy, rapid thud of his heart poundingagainst her own palms.
She slowly tilted her head up.
Harding's gray blue eyes were dark, clouded with a sudden overwhelming emotional intensity that made Anissais heart race. The guarded wall he usually k ept upwas entirely gone r eplaced bya de ep, conflicted yearning that seemed to pull her in.
“Harding.." Anissa whispered her voice trembling.
He didn't speak. He lowered his head, his face coming inches from hers. She could feel his hot breath ghosting over her lips. The scent of his clean skinand sharp mint toothpaste filled her senses,
Drivenbya sudden overwhelminginstinct, Anissalet her eyes flutter shut. She tilted her chínup, her lips parting slightly, waiting for the impact of hismouth.
For one agonizingsecond, nothinghappened.
Then, Harding's entire body went rigid Hisjaw locked with a sickeningpøp.
He rippedhis arm away from her waist as if the contact had burnednim, his jaw set so tight a muscle pulsed violently in his cheek He didn't stumble back: he took one deliberate, forceful st ep away, creating a chasm between them, His breathingwas harsh, controlled.
Anissa stumbled slightly, her bare feet slippingon the hardwood floor, her back hitting the hallway wall as her eyes snapped open in shock. A ‘sharp, stingingpain flared in her chest, a sudden rejection that cut de eper than any physical blow. What did | do wrong? hermind screamed, a wave of profound humiliation crashing over her as she stared at the empty space where his warmth had just been.
Harding was already taking three massive st eps backward, putting a huge desperate distance between them. His chest was heaving his breathing ragged and uneven He looked at her—and then down at his own trembling hands—with an expression that looked terrifyingly like panicand intense, agonizingself-loathing
“Go 10 sle ep,’ Harding ground out, his voice harsh and scraping like sandpaper.
Before she could say a word, he turned on his heel and walked swiftly, powerfully —down the hallway toward the guest bedroom his stride radiating a desperate need for distance.
SLAM
The heavy door shut with a violent force that rattled the picture frames onthe wall
Anissa stood frozen in the dark, shivering violently as the cold air conditioninghit her damp robe.
A crushingwave of humiliation washed over her. Her face burned with ‘shame. She had literally thrown herself at him closed her eyes for a kiss, and he had pushedher away like she was a disease.
Morgan's voice echoed in her head again. He has a woman in his past... a ghost he cant let go of.
Tears of mortification pricked Anissas eyes. Of course, He had almost allowed himself to be sw ept upin the vulnerability of the moment, buthis heart had violently rejected her because st eppingforward meant letting goof his past. She wasn't the woman in the secret room.
Anissa wrapped her arms around her shiveringbody. She walked back to the master bedroom, shut the door, and for the first time since she moved in she tumed the deadbolt, lockinghimout.
633% 102: NE
< Marrying My Exs Powerful Bilionaire Un. #% +12 Q Points at most At three in the moming the sky above Manhattan split open
A massive thunderstorm rolled off the Atlantic, hammering the glass windows of the penthouse with violent sheets of rain. Thunder rattled the floorboards, and jagged flashes of lightning illuminated the dark rooms in strobe- ike bursts.
Inside the locked master bedroom, Anissa was drowning
She was tangled in the heavy duvet, her body thrashing violently from side to side. Her skinwas slick with cold sweat, her hair plastered to her forehead,
The sound of the freezing rain had dragged her subconscious straight back to the alleyway where she had died.
The snow was piling up over her legs. She couldnt feel her fingers. The cold was a physical blade slicingthrough her lungs She tried to scream for help, but her throat was frozen shut She was dyingalone inthe dark. “No... please...” Anissa whimperedin her sle ep, her voice a broken raspy sob. Tears streamed from her tightly shut eyes, soaking the silk pillowcase.
Down the hall, in the guest room, Harding was lying wide awake, staring at the ceiling his body still tight with unresolved tension
Aloud crack of thundermasked the sound at first, but inthe silence that followed, he heard ít. A highpitched desperate cry coming from the master suite
Harding threw off the covers. He didn't bother with a shirt or shoes. He sprinted down the dark hallway
He grabbed the handle of the master bedroom door and shoved. It was locked.
Panic, cold and sharp, pierced his chest. He slammed his thumb against the biometric scanner hidden in the doorframe. The system recognized his master override print. The deadbolt clicked open. Harding burst into the room