Annie's Story

Chapter Twelve: The Affair

Chapter Twelve: The Affair

Annie entered the backstage room. Everyone's eyes darted between her and Jake. Jake's face softened at the sight of Annie. Thomas looked at Trevor, then at Kincaid and Miguel. They all nodded at one another.

"Hey, everyone," Thomas said. "Let's move the party to the pub."

The crowd hooted as they exited the room, leaving Jake and Annie alone. Annie crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at the floor. Jake came over to her, wrapping his arms around her. She buried her head in his chest as the tears fell again.

"Jake," she said, her lips quivering.

"Annie, what happened tonight?" Jake asked. "Has he ever hurt you before?"

"No," she said, wiping her eyes. "He is under a lot of stress at work. He is never like that."

"Annie, promise something," Jake said.

"What?" Annie said.

"If he lays hands on you again, you will walk away," Jake said.

"Jake, I told you he isn't like that," Annie said, sniffling. "He is just stressed and tired. Things will calm down once he gets things going at work again."

"Annie, please, before he really hurts you, I need you to promise to leave," Jake said, rubbing her upper arms.

"I promise," she said.

"I wanted to punch him tonight," Jake said.

"I am sorry you had to see that," Annie said. "I won't bring him around anymore now that I know how he really feels."

"Please don't let him keep you from us," Jake said. "I need to be able to see you."

"He won't," she said. "I promise."

"Okay," he said. "Are you ready for that drink with the guys?"

"You know it, but please, no jager," Annie said, shivering. Jake laughed, draping his arm around her shoulders. They left the building, strolling to the pub four doors down. Jake held the door for Annie. She entered to the sound of cheers.

Thomas, Kincaid, Trevor, and Miguel surrounded her. Thomas waved a hand, and a waitress brought over six shots. Jager was in the glasses. Annie's face scrunched up. Jake laughed until his side hurt. Annie held up her glass, and the guys followed. She brought it to her lips and tightly closed her eyes. Tilting her head back, she drank the shot in one swallow.

"So gross," Annie said. Thomas took her glass and winked at Jake.

"Are you ready for another one?" Thomas asked.

"No!" Annie said, trying to wipe her tongue off.

"Wash it down with this," Miguel said, handing her a beer. Annie took a big swig. She coughed as the rest of the jager got washed down her throat.

"Why do you guys do that to me?" Annie asked.

"Personally, I just like the look on your face when you drink it," Thomas quipped. "It makes me laugh."

"Thanks, you big jerk," Annie said, elbowing Thomas in the stomach.

"You are so very welcome," Thomas said, laughing. "Belly up to the bar, baby girl. It's time to get drunk."

"I'm going to hurt in the morning. I can already tell," Annie said.

"That is the goal," Thomas said, grinning.

***

Markus didn't go home after the fight with Annie. He went to Luigi's restaurant looking for Cari. He needed to blow off some steam. He wanted to tell her about her father. He knew he wasn't going to have the money he owed Luigi and feared for his life. Raphael was going to hurt him or, worse, kill him.

What would happen to his business, to Cari, to Annie? He needed to protect them both before Luigi found out he had been hanging out with his daughter and dating another woman.

Cari was not in the restaurant. He left, thinking maybe she was at home. He went to her brownstone, climbing the stairs. Poised to push the button on her doorbell, he hesitated. What was he thinking? He couldn't do this to Annie or Cari. He needed to go home. He turned to leave only to see Cari coming up the stairs.

Cari was wearing a low-cut red dress with heels to match. She was carrying a purse just a shade of red lighter than her dress and had her hair in a clip at the back of her head. Her eyes were glassy. She swayed back and forth.

"Well, hello there," Cari said. "The concert is over?"

"Yeah," he said.

"Do you want to come up?" she asked, stumbling past him to the door.

"I shouldn't," he said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"But do you want to?" Cari asked. Her voice took on a sultry tone.

"No, yes, I don't know," he said, sighing.

"Come on up," Cari said, smiling and grabbing his hand. He let her lead him into her apartment.

Her apartment was two stories. When they walked in, they were met with the living room. The open plan allowed Markus to see through the windows to the city outside. Her brown leather couch was placed in the center of the space, with two armchairs on the opposite side. The kitchen was off to the left of the living room. A marble countertop accompanied the white cabinets. To the right was an office space. Bookshelves surrounded the mahogany desk.

She closed the door behind them, locking it. Kicking off her shoes, she sauntered past him, hips swinging. She took the clip from her hair, letting it fall down her back. She looked back over her shoulder to see if he was watching her. She sauntered over to the couch and sat down. Markus stood by the door, not moving.

"Come sit and talk to me," Cari said. "I want to hear all about the concert."

"It was good," Markus said, hesitantly walking over, sitting on the edge of the couch. He rested his elbows on his knees.

"What's wrong, Markus?" Cari asked, turning toward him.

"Nothing," he said, shaking his head.

"Markus, I can tell something happened," Cari said, moving closer.

"I'm sure it's nothing," he said. "It's just how she looked at him while he sang that made me think there was something between them."

"You know, we all can have a crush on a famous person. I am sure you do," Cari said.

"I know, but she knows this famous person really well," he said.

"Did you ask her how she felt about him?" Cari said.

"I did, and she couldn't look at me when she told me no," he said.

"Well, maybe there was at one point, but she learned her lesson," Cari said, reaching over to touch his knee. He placed his hand on hers but did not move it off his leg. He held her hand, rubbing her knuckles with his thumb. They sat silently for a few minutes.

Cari leaned forward to put her face in front of his. She smiled at him and leaned in. He kissed her with the same passion he kissed Annie for the first time. She pushed him back against the couch, bringing her left leg over his lap, never stopping the kiss. His hands moved up her thighs, under her dress, to her hips as she wrapped her arms around his neck. He grabbed the waistband of her panties, tugging at them. She moved to take them off.

Cari climbed back on top of Markus, feverishly kissing him. She reached down, unbuttoning and unzipping his pants. She plunged her hand inside his pants, feeling how hard he had become with her touch. She smiled against his lips. Pulling his member out of his pants, she wiggled her hips until she felt him enter her. Moaning from the sensation as she moved up and down on his shaft.

His movements were in tune with hers as he moved to go deeper into her. Her head went back in the throes of passion. Her rapid breathing caused him to increase his speed. He picked her up without breaking their connection and laid her on the couch. They ground their hips into each other. As he came forward, her hips went up, arching her back. He collapsed on top of her with his head nestled under her chin. She wrapped her arms around him, relishing the state of euphoria.

They fell asleep in each other's arms. Markus awoke in the middle of the night, dressed, and snuck out of the apartment. He looked back at the window, smiling. The sun was just beginning to crest the horizon. The oranges and pinks of dawn's first light blended into the grays and dark blues of the last bit of the night sky.

The early morning runners were passing by Markus on the sidewalk as he slowly walked back to his apartment. Albert was the morning doorman. Albert was a happy man so early in the morning, and Markus could never figure out why. Markus smiled at Albert as he approached.

"Late night, Mr. Belle, or a very early morning?" Albert said, smiling.

"A little bit of both, Albert," Markus said, patting Albert on the arm.

"Ah, I gotcha," Albert said, waving his finger at Markus as he opened the door for him.