Page 4 of Pursuing Desire

“This is it,” I say with a flourish as I swing the door open and step back.

I haven’t yet looked in, but Lana has. And her face is a mask of horror and shock. “Is that—Anthony?”

“Oh shit!” I hear Anthony say from inside the condo. I swing my head quickly around, and that’s when I see two shocked faces staring back at me—Anthony and a woman I don’t know.

It takes me a long moment for my brain to catch up to what my eyes are seeing. Questions are bouncing around like ping-pong balls. Why is he here when he’s supposed to be out with friends? Who is this woman? What are they doing? How long has this been going on?

There’s a roar inside my head, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. I blink my eyes frantically as though it will change what I’m seeing. My eyes focus and fixate on the scene that will be burned into my brain forever—my naked fiancé and the blonde who is straddling him.

I can’t speak. I can’t think. I can only stare at them. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the clothes strewn around the room as though they were taken off in a hurry.

Like they couldn’t wait to be together.

Anthony pushes the girl roughly off him and looks around at the clothing on the floor. He finds his pants and grabs them off the floor, then slams one pant leg on at a time while stumbling toward me. “Jess, sweetie, this isn’t what it looks like. She’s an old girlfriend. She came onto me, and I was trying to get her to leave.”

A gasp comes from the mouth of the supposed old girlfriend. “What the hell, Anthony!” she exclaims.

I shake my head vigorously, trying to come to terms with what I’m seeing. My fiancé, the guy I bought this condo with, he’s cheating on me.

Lana puts her arm around me for support but doesn’t say anything.

My voice barely squeaks, “How could you do this to me? How could you screw around on me?”

I’m barely able to make out the blonde getting dressed behind Anthony. She’s moving fast. I wonder if she was able to undress as quickly as that? Without a word, she grabs her shoes and handbag and squeezes by me to leave the condo.

Anthony is now directly in front of me, buttoning his pants. He tries to touch my arm, but I shrink away from his hand. His eyes narrow, but he doesn’t try to touch me again. “Sweetie, this was a one-time thing. You know, a last hurrah before we get married. She doesn’t mean anything to me.”

I fight the anger I feel simmering below the surface, but ultimately, I fail. My disbelief from before has turned to full-fledged anger. My entire body is shaking with it. “Sweetie? I’m not your fucking sweetie. How long has this been going on? How long have you been cheating on me?”

“Cheating? That’s not what this is. I swear, this has never happened before. You know I love you. You’re the only one I want.” He slowly raises his hand to cup my chin and leans down to kiss me. I jerk away before he’s even close.

“All those late nights at the office. Were you with her?”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Take your shit and get out,” I grind out with deadly calm. Like a volcano, I feel ready to explode. I need to get him out of here.

“Now, Jess, I can’t do that. I live here, too,” he says with false sweetness and a smirk.

I can’t keep the anger in any longer. “Get your shit and get the hell out of here. Right. Fucking. Now,” I grind out between clenched teeth.

“No,” he says calmly. “I live here, too, and I’m not leaving.”

I hear Lana gasp beside me.

I knock her arm off my shoulder and walk over to where Anthony’s shirt is lying on the floor. I pick it up and then pick up his shoes. I walk back over to the open front door and toss them out. “Get the fuck out of here,” I yell.

Anthony plants his hands on his hips and sneers at me. “Maybe you forgot. I have as much right to be here as you do. You can’t force me to leave.”

I realize he’s right at that moment. He doesn’t have to leave, and there’s nothing I can do to get him out if he refuses.

Lana stiffens beside me and removes her arm around my shoulders. She puts her hands on her hips as she addresses Anthony. “Listen up, asshole. You don’t know who you’re messing with. My husband’s lawyers will be on this so quickly. You won’t be able to get out of here fast enough.”

Anthony shrugs and gives her an evil smile. “Jake Anders? Oh, his fancy-pancy lawyers won’t be able to do a thing. There’s a signed contract. I am the happy co-owner of this nice abode. Isn’t that right, Jess, baby?”

His hard-as-nails eyes swing back to me, daring me to contradict him.

I put my hand on Lana’s arm. No way can I allow her to handle this or come to my rescue. This is my mess, and I’ll figure it out.