Anthony's Diamond (Anthony Bridgerton Fanfic)

26. I Believe I am in Love With You

   "Everything is ruined Anthony... Everything," I hoarsely whisper finally growing the courage to let go of his open arms. I don't know if I would be able to let go of his grasp if it wasn't for the fact that I have found myself straddled over his lap. It isn't until now that I have had a chance to look into Anthony's eyes. They look so apologetic and protective, this only makes me even more heart broken.

  "How so?" He asks still massaging my hand for comfort.

  "There is a man, a Duke actually. Father wants me to marry him," I weakly explain only to end up in even more tears.

  "What?" Anthony almost snaps. I can tell he is angry, maybe saddened as well. His eyes are no longer empathetic but dark and his chest and arms stiff.

  "When he was away he found it in himself to take away the little bit of freedom a woman has left. He was going to allow me to pick a suitor, Mother wanted me to pick my husband. But he just disregarded that with all of the other vows he made to Mother," I continue grabbing onto Anthony's muscular arm.

   He doesn't reply, he just stares trying to understand the words that I am speaking.

  "Anthony... he hit me," I whisper with the hugest amount of pain and shame in my voice.

  "What?" Anthony repeats with even more disbelief in his voice as he tightens his muscles and clenches his jaw. He doesn't say another word allowing whatever thought he is brewing fester and grow.

   "He has never hit me before, it's as if Mother's sickness is intoxicating him as well. He has always been awful but never like this. At least he used to have respect for me," I stutter speaking fast only to calm.

   I watch as Anthony becomes even more angry with every word I speak. Yet the air is silent and dry despite the pouring rain outside, the only noise being rain drops.

"Anthony I know you may not love me the way I love you, I know you see this courtship as purely a professional business proposal... but please say something. I need you to say something," I continue now beginning to let a few tears escape once more.

"Have I honestly led you to believe that my only intentions with you are based off of profession? Sure my leap of faith with going into a proposal such as this was for the greater good of my family, but I wouldn't do it if I wasn't to be with a woman I truly love,"

"B- but what you said the other night. You said you couldn't promise me your love, you said not yet,"

  "I said that because I was terrified Veronica!" He yells with so much passion that I am not frightened, "I was so scared to admit that I do have feelings for someone because of how my last relationship ended. I could not bear another heartbreak such as that one. I figured staying in denial, stating that I don't love you, not yet, would make the pain more bearable if anything were to happen to you. I figured giving myself time to get to know you better, to get to love you better would make the leap easier. When going into the season my self my mind was solely there for the greater good of my family. You simply caught me off guard. I don't know how to express it but I..."

  "My lord... you love me?" I hiccup interrupting his long rambled and passionate speech.

  "I- yes... I believe I am in love with you," Anthony replies his voice now calm and loving.

  From there it is my turn to say nothing. Instead of words I kiss him, I kiss his delicious soft lips with every fiber of me being.

  "I love you my lord," I moan through the kisses that he has so happily returned, "I want you,"

  From there I grasp onto his signature button down and work to rip it off, trying but failing to be delicate with the buttons. 

  "Veronica... we can't," Anthony groans once his shirt is off.