“Yes?” Anna finally replied, faking interest in a random contract she had snatched from the pile.
“I’m sorry to bother you, dear, but there seems to be a little problem on Mrs. Angela Wilson’s contract.” Without waiting for a reply, she slid her hand in between the files and pulled out a brownish envelope. “Ah, you haven’t even touched it.” Weirdly enough, her voice betrayed relief rather than disappointment. “There was a mistake in the date the contract’s been signed on. Now, if you had opened it and inserted it in our database, everything would have needed to be reset. Now, if you don’t mind, I think it’s better I deal with this.”
Was it too early to declare it a Christmas miracle?
“No, no,” Anna hurried to reply. “It’s all yours.”
“Thank you.”
And, with a small smile cast in her subordinate’s direction, the little woman went her way, her shiny high heels clicking on the wooden floor.
One less client to deal with, fewer hours to waste at the office. Speaking of time… 15:55. Her mind didn’t even protest any more at that point. The god of time was laughing at her in that moment and there was nothing she could do about it. A slight ache poked through the back of her skull, a sign that she had already spent way too many hours staring at that bright screen. She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples as she tried to give herself a little break, but to no avail – the pain got increasingly sharp until she felt like her whole head was being cracked in two. To be fair, she had always wondered how Zeus must’ve felt when he birthed Minerva through his skull. Life found the weirdest ways to fulfill wishes.
With a deep breath, the pain was gone almost as fast as it came. Perhaps she could still make the best of it, she thought, by leaving to see the doctor. A sudden wave of happiness coursed through her veins. Yes, that was the perfect reason to leave work earlier.
She grabbed her coat, tossed her bag over one shoulder and was ready to leave. Fortunately, there was no superior standing in the way between her and the exit, so nobody of importance would notice her absence. Once that lethargic state was gone, she decided she didn’t even need to see a doctor – there was nothing a hot scented bath wouldn’t solve.
Oh, how true that proved to be. As she felt the water covering her, her whole body started to relax, and soon she was feeling so soft she could swear she was made out of cotton. What a day. What a crazy day this had been. And there was nothing that could’ve brought her more pleasure at that moment than the soft caress of the water.
Well, there was actually one more thing.
As if guided by an invisible force, her hand slid down her belly, lower and lower until she found the little throbbing bud and gave it a gentle pinch. The sensation sent chills down her spine. Letting out a soft moan, she pinched again, this time harder, her body slightly arching against the white marble.
What a delicious sensation, she thought as she gently rubbed her swollen clit. It had been a while since she got to enjoy her own body like that, given that both her and her husband had a healthy sexual appetite. Whenever – or wherever, for that matter – they felt like it, they didn’t hesitate to make love.
Brushing her husband’s image off her mind, she shifted her attention onto herself. Her full breasts rose as she took a deep breath, sinking yet again underwater with the sigh that escaped her lips. Slowly, she slipped her middle finger inside, followed by a second. Her slick pussy quivered and she couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as she felt her muscles tightening and relaxing around her knuckles.
Her other hand swiftly traveled to her left breast, brushing over the hardened nipple and caressing it gently between her fingers. Teasing herself, she moved her fingers in and out of herself, ignoring her body’s desperate begging for an increased pace. She felt like she had to keep control, though. She had to tease herself to the point of climax. She had to—
She lost all control.
The hand that was fondling her breast just a second ago was now reaching for her clit, her whole body tensing up in anticipation as she found the treasured gem. With her fingers pumping in and out, she started rubbing the throbbing bud, harder and faster until she felt the exquisite orgasm building inside her.
She threw her head back and, with a loud moan, she came to her sweet release, her love juices mixing with the water. Her clit was still tense against her palm and she lovingly fondled it for a brief moment, not wanting to take her hands off that wonderful spot.
Finally, after a few more minutes, she decided it was time to leave the bath tub. She swiftly grabbed one of her bathrobes, wrapped it around herself and floated to her bedroom, her flushed cheeks almost matching the color of her fiery red hair.
The bedroom was empty, but that didn’t alarm her. Her husband must have been going through what he liked to call “a day longer than the holidays with your mom” and she trusted him enough to know it was true. Unlike any other men who pulled that excuse to see their mistresses without alarming their wives, her Jackson actually spent all that time working.
It was not like he had any reason to cheat, she chuckled as the white robe fell to the floor and she got in bed. A woman like her was a rare catch. And she intended to maintain that status.
* * *
She woke up to the smell of pancakes. Her husband’s side of the bed was also quite messy, a sign that he didn’t spend the night at the workshop, as he would sometimes. It was impressive how, even though he had been the last to return home – at a very late hour, she presumed – he was still the first to get up in the morning, all fresh and full of energy. It was a secret she had never been able to discover. Of course, she was always free to ask, but she was unsure whether she could follow his advice or not. She was just not made for it.
Whatever, she thought. It didn’t even matter now. It was the first day of a long-awaited break and there was nothing that could possibly ruin such a perfect—
BUZZ!
The sudden noise of her phone vibrating against the wooden nightstand prompted a small squeal from the woman. Choosing the easy way out, she decided she would ignore it until it would just stop. And so it did, before starting again. My, someone was really desperate to reach her.
Unknown number.
Her first thought was to ignore it, but by the looks of it, the stranger would just keep bothering her until she answered. Well, let’s not keep him waiting for any longer!
“Yes?” Anna uttered, her voice trembling in irritation.
“I—I need to see you,” the voice on the other side began, a tone she was horrified to recognize. Her heart pounded against her chest, irritation turning into anger and then pure panic. With a loud crack, her phone crashed against the wall – she could control herself no longer.
How did he even find her number? How the hell did he even get a phone in the first place? He was supposed to be gone. Gone forever and locked far away in a place where he could never reach her again. Where he could never hurt her. Where he couldn’t touch her…
She gasped, tasting the salty tears coursing down her cheeks. How she hated the taste. It was something she had gotten used to, against her will, and she despised it to death. Yet, they still came. They accompanied each sob and twisted together across her porcelain skin, some stopping at her lips, some settling for her neck.
“Anna? Oh my God, Anna, what’s happening?”
The panicked voice of her husband did nothing to comfort her. She cried and trembled, trembled and cried until his embrace finally calmed her down.
“What happened, my love?” he whispered against her scented hair.
“He—He called…”
* * *
December 14, 1994
The moon had already taken her place in the sky and there seemed to be no cloud that could take its light away. It seemed that winter was letting itself wait that year. It didn’t matter, though – there were less than two weeks until Christmas and, whether winter actually came or not, everybody was still going to celebrate it.
As proof, the town’s center and all the shops around had changed into their Christmas coats – colorful lights adorned the windows and lamp posts and happy men dressed in Santa suits would ring their bells from around every corner, announcing the upcoming holiday.
Sure, it had all started from November and sure, some people weren’t too happy about it – especially those old ladies at the store that kept complaining about some kind of “waste of taxpayers’ money” – but Anna was as happy as any nine-year-old would have been. She was walking home, the little paper bag dangling to and fro as she went. It was almost two hours since her mother had sent her to the store and she was sure she was going to be punished but she didn’t regret it a bit. The lights were so pretty, it would have been a shame if one walked by them without stopping to marvel at their beauty.
When she got home though, she noticed something odd – all the lights were off except a small yellowish beam coming from the kitchen. Maybe they went to sleep, she thought as she took her little boots off, hoping that what she thought would actually be real.
She fought back a little surprised scream when she walked into the kitchen. Her mother was there, slicing some vegetables. Then, slower than her daughter had ever seen her move, she let the poorly chopped vegetables fall into a boiling pot.
“Mom?” Anna asked reluctantly while she placed the newly bought groceries on the table. “Did the main light break?”
No answer. The woman went on with her business, pretending not to have heard her.
“Mom?”
“No!” she shouted, and the little girl jumped at the sudden reaction. “No,” she repeated, this time in a gentler tone. “Nothing happened to the light.”
She didn’t turn to her daughter, however.
“Then why—“Anna began, but was quickly cut off by a loud thud in the main hall.
“Oh, no, no,” she heard her mother murmur. “You were supposed to be asleep! Go to your room!”
“But Mom—“
“Go!” the woman uttered, pushing her daughter out through the side door.
Despite her mother’s plea, she didn’t go to her room. She didn’t go back to the kitchen either – something told her that it was wiser to just sit and wait.
And so she did.
“Matt?” she heard her mother asking. Oddly enough, her tone seemed to have sweetened. It was almost as if she had been eagerly awaiting the guest. Who, in the name of God was this Matt? And why was he so important that her mother was awake at this hour for him?
The voice the replied was familiar, though.
“I knew it,” she heard her father hiss. “The dim light was to let him know you’re alone, huh?”
A loud smack broke the short silence, followed by her mother’s squeal.
“For how long has this been happening, huh?” he inquired, his question accompanied by yet another slap.
“That’s none of your fucking business!” the woman shouted as she tried to fight back.
It was useless. The man was too strong to be fought with. Through the small crack between the door and the wall, Anna could see her parents throwing blows and insults at each other. She was witnessing some sort of contest – the one who wins is the one who hits the hardest – that her father seemed to be winning. And, to add to the shock, a strong smell of alcohol filled the room, a smell that hadn’t been there before her father walked into the kitchen.
She covered her ears, unable to pry her eyes from the terrible scene. Much to her horror, they didn’t seem to be stopping too soon. Please, God, she begged, her blue eyes flooded with tears, make them stop. I’ll do anything.
Another startling scream brutally interrupted her prayer. A powerful blow had hit her mother, turning her once oh-so-pretty lips into a bloody mess that resembled minced meat.
She didn’t even think about it.
A rush of adrenaline flooded through her veins, fueling her desire to protect her mother. She made a dash for it, her small body acting as a barrier between her parents. The last thing she saw was her father's rage-filled eyes as he raised his fist.
* * *
She had woken up later on a hospital bed with her aunt at her side, the only relative who could be trusted back then to take care of her. The details of her arrival there were still hazy. All she knew was that her mother had been cheating on her father for a few years with the same man, that Matt. Her father had found out eventually and, that night, after one too many drinks, he'd decided it was high time to teach his wife a lesson. Of course, he hadn’t intended the lesson to be that brutal, but the gods of alcohol clearly had different plans for him that night.
Luckily, she hadn’t been affected by his blow. As the medics assured her, the blow didn’t affect her that much. However, it acted as a trigger for her collapse – the shock of seeing her mother treated in such a savage manner did all the heavy work.
Another shock came a few days later when her aunt announced that custody of Anna had been passed to her and she'd accepted. The mother didn’t want to see her daughter again, for some unknown reason. Her father had been imprisoned for about fifteen years on serious domestic violence charges. She learned to live without them eventually, as her aunt did a much better job at taking care of her – the woman couldn’t have children so she was more than happy to take the little girl in. In a sick twist of fate, she had been finally able to care for a child.
In the end, after years of therapy and medication, Anna had been able to live normally. Little by little, she came out of her shell and started making friends. Then, in high school, she had her first boyfriend and her first heartbreak. Oddly enough, the experience left her optimistic. “That means he was not my soul mate,” she would reply with a smile, every time someone asked her if she was okay.
All in all, her life had taken a rather happy course, the proof being the well-paid job she currently had and the amazing man who she was able to call her soul mate.
As she looked at him, she felt her heart burst with love. She simply loved this man – a charming gentleman and witty teenager brought together in the shape of a blond-haired man with chocolate eyes that showed nothing but sincere affection every time she looked at them.
He had made sure everything was perfect and that at any given moment she felt happy and loved. And, as expected, everything had been perfect.
Up until that morning.
She completely lost herself when she heard her father’s voice at the phone. It seemed that he had gotten out of jail early for some reason, and he had somehow found her number and wanted to see her now. What did he even want? To clarify everything? And if so, what was there to clarify? He came home drunk, beat his wife and punched his daughter unconscious. That was all. There was nothing else to be said. She'd heard someone once say that you can’t bury the past. Up until that morning she'd thought exactly the opposite.
“Are you okay?” Jackson asked, not taking his eyes off the road. “Maybe we should’ve stayed home until you got over it.”
She shook her head.
“Nah, I’m fine. I’m pretty sure it would’ve gotten worse, though. Plus, we’ve been waiting for so long to finally set the house up. Can’t let a silly thing like this ruin our plans, hm?”
“Silly? How’s that even silly?” he sighed. “Anna, if he found your number, it’s just a matter of time until he finds you too. And what if I’m not there to—“
“Shh,” she hushed him. “He will not. And even if he does, what can he possibly do to me?”
The man didn’t answer but she knew exactly what he was thinking.
“It’s okay, Jack,” she smiled. “I’m fine, really. Thanks to you.”
It hadn’t been a lie. Somehow, his embrace managed to calm her down and, after a few hours, all traces of bad thoughts were gone.
He sighed and shifted his attention back to the road, without any other word. She knew he was worried sick, and in all fairness, she felt the same. But she would be damned if she was going to let that ruin their perfect v
acation.
Thankfully, after five more quiet minutes they were finally there and all their worries vanished at the sight of their new holiday home. It looked even better than the pictures, its stone walls shining in the gentle sunlight. There were a couple of wooden windows on two sides, the other two being sheltered by the mountain. By far the greatest feature of the house was the massive wooden door that marked the entrance.
Jackson approached it and, as if careful not to break it, he ran his fingertips across its smooth surface.
“Seems to be oak,” he told Anna. “And look.”
She swerved her gaze to the spot where he pointed, smiling at the sight of a small metal plate, adorned with their family name – Smith was carved in cursive letters, probably by the old man who'd sold them the house. From what she remembered, he used to make a living out of selling pieces like that.
“That’s a nice touch, don’t you think?” she asked, following her husband inside the cabin. There was no entrance hall, so they were immediately taken to the living room, a true hunter’s den.
“And so is this,” Jackson replied, smoothing down the white fur that covered the couch. He sat down and patted the spot next to him. She didn’t wait for another signal. With a happy sigh, she sat down next to him, sinking into the warmth of his embrace.
“Do you like it so far?” he murmured against her now exposed neck, gently grazing his teeth along her skin.
His lips arched into a slight smirk when he felt her shiver, a faint Mmmhm escaping her throat. He knew of course that it hadn’t been his question that prompted that reaction. Happy to feel her softening against him, he bit her neck, a small red sign appearing right where his teeth had been.
She moaned. He shifted. And before she knew it, she was under him, her legs wrapped around his waist and her tongue caressing him in a passionate kiss. One by one, the buttons of her shirt were undone, a wide grin etching itself on his face when he discovered that she wasn’t wearing a bra. Her breasts bounced slightly, finally freed from the comfortable prison of her cotton shirt. She gasped, whispering his name when his warm breath caressed her nipple, his mouth closing on her breast as he bit and licked the delicious tip. He was just as skilled as ever, taking as his only reward her increasingly louder moans.
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