The digital clock on the nightstand glowed a harsh red: 115 AM.
Anissa lay flat on her back in the massive master bed. The sheets were cold. She stared at the dark ceiling her chest aching with a hollow, rhythmic pain. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the look of absolute disgustand betrayal on Harding's face.
She threw the heavy duvet off her body. She sat up, her bare feet hitting the cold hardwood floor.
She couldnt do this. She refused to let a stupid humiliating misunderstandingdestroy the only real connection she had in this life. Anissa didn't bother putting on a robe. She walked out of the master bedroom, the silk of her pajamas whisperingagainst her legs. She walked down the dark hallway and stopped in front of the guest room door.
She took a de ep breath, wrapped her fingers around the cold metal handle, and pushed
It wasn't locked. The door swungopen silently.
The guest room was pitch black, save for a thin sliver of moonlight slicing throughthe gap in the heavy curtains.
Harding was not asle ep. He was sitting up in the center of the bed, his back resting against the headboard. He was wearing dark sweatpants, his chest bare. In his right hand, he held an unlit cigar, rolling it rhythmically between his fingers.
His head snapped toward the door. His eyes caught the moonlight flashing like a predator in the dark.
“What are you doing here?" Harding demanded, his voice a low, hostile rumble.
Anissa st epped into the room. The cold floor chilled her bare feet, but she didn't stop until she was standing right next to the mattress.
ˆ\ came to explain the bag," Anissa said, her voice shaking slightly but holding firm.
Hardinglet out a harsh, bitter laugh. ‘Explain what? Which speed setting 0.0% 1225 ml
RCH Ÿ% +120 Points at most you prefer?"
The crudeinsult hit Anissa like a slap. Her sadness instantly evaporated, r eplaced bya flash of hot, defensive anger
She slammed her hands down onto the edge of the mattress, leaning over him.
“Are you an idiot, Harding?" Anissa hissed, her voice a furious whisper | told you, Clara boughtthem! She forced them on me!”
Harding stopped rolling the cigar. His body went completely still. “Why would she do that?"
Anissas face burnedin the dark. The sheer humiliation of the truth made her want to die, but she forced the words out of her throat
"Because you ignored me for seven days!" Anissa cried out, her voice cracking with raw emotion, ‘Because you ran away to London like | was a disease! Clara thought... she thought you had lost interest in me. She told me to wear that stupid lace to seduce you, sơ you would stop hiding from met"
The words hungin the dark room like a suspended explosive.
Snap.
The thick cigar in Harding's hand broke cleanly in half
He dropped the pieces onto the nightstand. He shifted his weight the mattress dippingviolently as he moved toward the edge of the bed. The sheer physical presence of the man radiated a sudden terrifying heat. “You think lost interest in you?" Harding asked, his voice droppingto a dangerous, gravelly whisper. You think| was hidingfrom you?" Anissatured her face away, a tear slippingdown hercheek ‘Weren't you? ‘You wouldn't even look at me...
She didn't get to finish the sentence.
Harding's large hand shot out. He grabbed her wrist, his gripiron-tight but incredibly careful not to bruise her. He pulled her forward with a sharp, powerful tug,
Anissa let out a startled gasp as she lost her balance. She tumbled forward, crashingdirectly onto the mattress
Before she could even pushherself up, Harding flipped her onto her back. He swung his heavy leg over her hips pinningher beneath him His large hands bracketed her head, sinkingde ep into the mattress