Chapter 8

Anthony’s POV

“Tony?” Dawn gasped laying on the floor.

“Yes?” I flashed a cocky grin as I walked over to her.

“What are you doing here? You can’t be in my house . . . in my room! You are going to get me in so much trouble! Oh my . . .”

“You talk a lot when you’re nervous,” I smirked kneeling in front of her.

“I do not . . . I’m not nervous,” She swallow and looked anywhere but at me.

“Look into my eyes and say that,” I breathed leaning in closer to her.

She turned to me with full confidence, “I am not . . .” I leaned in closer and she faltered, “nervous,” Her breath was shaky.

“I make you nervous,” I breathed proud.

“Hardly,” She scoffed weakly.

“Whatever,” I rolled my eyes and stood grabbing her hand and bringing her up with me.

“What are you doing here, Anthony? You can’t be here,” She warned.

“I wanted to see you,” I smiled truthfully. Of course I wanted to see her. Every minute away from her was driving me completely crazy. I wanted her every minute of every day and I needed to let off a little steam. Going for runs was not working anymore . . . especially because my last run brought me right to her backyard without me even realizing it.

“Most people come through the front door when they want to visit,” She crossed her arms over her chest.

I smiled. I loved it when she got sassy.

“I was feeling romantic. What’s that vamp’s name? Ethan or something like that?” I smirked and started looking around her room.

“It’s Edward . . . you are way off,” She snapped.

“I knew you would go for that sappy stuff,” I turned and winked at her and then moved to her desk.

“I’m not sappy . . . and I don’t think coming in through the window is romantic,” She grabbed a notebook from my hand and replaced on the desk. “It’s creepy.”

“You think it’s incredibly romantic and you just can’t get over the fact that a complete stranger can read you like an open book,” I leaned into her placing my face mere inches from hers.

“I . . . I . . .” She swallowed as she stared into my eyes. “That’s not true.’

“You’re lying,” I cut her off and stepped back. "Your eyes twitch when you lie," I moved on to the next object.

The bed.

Hmm, I remember this, My wolf purred.

I smirked.

“Aw, how cute,” I teased. “Teddy bear.” I picked up a bright blue stuffed bear. “Wow, it smells like blueberries.”

“He smells like blueberries because it’s my mother perfume. She gave him to me,” She snatched it from my hand.

“Do be so rough,” I wagged my eyebrows at her and flopped down on the bed placing my arms behind my head getting comfortable.

“Anthony, get out of here . . . now!” She demanded throwing the bear on the bed and placing her hands on her hips.

“Nah,” I sighed. “I’m comfortable now.”

“Tony!” She whined.

“You gonna throw a hissy fit?” I teased sitting up.

“Listen you . . .” She raised her hand to slap me, but I caught her wrist inches from my face. “Let go!” She demanded pulling away from me.

I smirked and pulled her wrist with me as I laid down.

“Tony, seriously,” She breathed looking into my eyes.

“Why?” I asked suddenly. “And don’t tell me ‘because I want you to’ because I know that’s not true.”

“Because I have a boyfriend, Tony. A very big, football-playing boyfriend that gets extremely jealous, really easily,” She explained.

I rolled over so that I was on top of her, and she couldn’t struggle anymore. “I am bigger and better than your boyfriend, Dawn. I can promise you that,” I wagged my eyebrows.

“Tony,” She laughed and then tried to get a serious face.

“Dawn,” I made a fake serious face.

She laughed again and then became serious. “I don’t want to get you into trouble.” She explained.

“Anything I do to get me into trouble will not be on your head. Now, if my being here puts you in trouble then tell me . . . I can vanish before you say 'get out' . . . again,” I flashed a toothy grin.

She sighed, “It could get me in trouble . . .”

I started to get off of her.

“But only if he finds out,” She grabbed my arm, stopping me.

I laid back down careful not to crush her under my weight.

“Truth is, Anthony,” She sighed and moved her hands to my chest, “hanging out with you . . . it’s just easy,” She looked up and met my eyes.

“I can agree with that,” I breathed.

“And here I am just trying to make it more and more difficult,” She put her hands to her face.

I felt bad that she was blaming herself. I didn’t want that . . . I just wanted her to leave Ian. Her saying that it was easy to hang out with is a huge step. A step in the right direction and I liked that. I didn’t want to ruin that now.

I grabbed her hands and pulled them from her face.

“Don’t worry. Everywhere you try to make it difficult I will be there making it easy again,” I smirked. “For example, you tell me to go away and I climb in through your window.”

She laughed, “Tony, you are crazy,” She shook her head.

“I pride myself on that fact,” I smirked.

“Good because it’s my favorite quality of yours,” She laughed.

“I love your laugh,” I admitted.

“Thank you,” She breathed slightly shocked.

“You don’t laugh enough . . . You know that?” I smiled.

“You seem to make me laugh easy enough,” She smiled back.

“Laughing makes life easier, trust me,” I breathed.

“Why do I feel that under this perfect exterior that you struggle with life?” She studied my eyes.

“Because I do . . . I am not going to say I have it bad, but I don’t have it easier either. My brother, the one guy I should trust, is my worst enemy. Imagine growing up in a household where . . . you’re not wanted. I understand how it has changed him, but I just wish we could go back before . . .” I paused catching myself as I almost spilled that Felix was a vampire, “everything.” I breathed. “Back when it was normal.”

“I understand that. My father . . . he was an abuse alcoholic. He abused me . . . in so many ways that I finally felt like I didn’t belong. My mother tried to protect me the best she could, but when he got drunk he got dangerous . . .”

A low growl rumbled through my chest uncontrollably.

“No father should ever hurt their child . . . I couldn’t imagine . . .” I closed my eyes so she wouldn’t notice how they paled to the eyes of my wolf. I didn’t want to scare her.

“It’s okay,” She breathed placing a hand on my cheek.

I opened my eyes and looked to her.

“I few years back he was sent to jail. My neighbor called it in one night when he walked in on my father . . .” She breathed and fear flashed through her eyes.

“Dawn, if you stay with me . . .  I will never let anyone hurt you again. Ever,” I breathed place my hand against her cheek.

“But I’m with Ian, Anthony. I can’t just . . .”

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him,” I smirked.

“Or you,” She smirked also.

“I can take care of myself. Don’t you worry about that,” I leaned into her.

“Anthony,” She breathed. I moved my lips to her neck and kissed her smooth skin.

She gasped and moved her hands over my chest and to the back of my neck holding me to her.

I leaned back and looked into her eyes, but they were trained on my lips. I took a deep breath, taking in her, scent and then I leaned in to her, pressing my lips to hers.

She instantly responded. Her one hand moved to my hair as the other moved down my back. My hands stayed on either side of her head supporting my weight.

I nibbled on her bottom lip and she quickly opened up, allowing me to deepen the kiss. My tongue explored her mouth loving the feel of it and memorizing every bit because I didn’t know how long it would be before I could do this again.

Suddenly, taking me off guard she pushed on my chest making roll over so that she was now straddling me.

I smirked but didn’t break the kiss as I moved my hands down her sides to the bare skin of her hips where her tank top had ridden up.

She shivered from the shock and broke the kiss breathing hard. She planted kisses down my neck and I couldn’t help but groan. Damn, that feels good!

My hands moved of their own accord as my fingers slipped into the edge of her shorts. She gasped and I rolled over so that I was on top of her again. I slid my hands down her thighs and kissed across her neck slightly nibbling.

“Tony,” She moaned and I felt my canines extend.

Take her . . . NOW! My wolf demanded.

Lucky my senses were suddenly aware and I was able to hear the car pulling up in the driveway and the front door opening.

With one last kiss to her lips I disappeared out the window within a second before she could even notice. I hit the ground and started running. As soon as I reached the woods I shifted and kept running.

I fucking hate you. My wolf growled.

Don’t go crying about it. I teased.

I was happy to even get five minutes alone with her. Plus, she said I was easy to hang out with . . . That made my week.

Dawn’s POV

His lips moved from my neck to my lips.

I was totally prepared for him to deepen the kiss and then he was just gone.

I sat up on my elbows confused. I looked around the room, but I couldn’t find him anywhere.

I got up and walked to the window and looked out.

Nothing.

“What the hell?” I mumbled and then closed the window.

“Dawn.”

I screamed and jumped, turning around.

When I saw it was Ian I pressed my hand to my fast beating heart and took a deep breath.

“You scared the hell out of me,” I gasped.

“Why? Are you hiding something?’ He demanded.

“No, I just wasn’t expecting you to be over. I was just about to get ready for bed,” I responded.

“Well, good,” He smirked walking over to me.

“Why is that?” I asked when he wrapped his arms around my waist.

“Because I am not letting you sleep alone in this house again,” He smirked.

“Ian, really I’m tired . . . I just want to go to bed,” I begged.

“We will,” He kissed down my neck and moved his hand over my ass.

I sighed wishing it was Anthony’s touch I was feeling and not his. Even just the shadow of his touch was driving me crazy as Ian pulled me to bed and then stripped to only his boxers and laid down with me. Ian could have no effect on me anymore. Because whenever he touched me all I felt was the absences of Tony’s touch.

No more pain, just the hope for pleasure.