Claire could tell that Jeff was angry when he came to pick her up at the airport, but she had no regrets, she did what she had to do, Anthony was very important to her. She loved him and felt responsible for what he was going through, and she couldn't live with herself should anything ever happen to him because of her.
Silence draped around them on the drive home and when they reached their destination Jeff removed the small suitcase from the back seat and Claire watched him, as he angrily disappeared into the house, and she sighed, knowing it was going to be a long day full of lectures and torture.
She hadn't even taken the first step in the house when he started, "Just what does this dog mean to you anyhow?"
His voice was dangerously cold and Claire swallowed, "He is my friend and I think the world of him!"
She closed her eyes when Jeff swore out loud and marched into the sitting room. Following after him, she sat herself on the couch close to him and said, "There is no reason to be jealous of Anthony, he is sick and needs help and I want to help him."
"You left me and went running to him against my wishes. You chose him over me."
"I would never choose anyone over you," Claire clarified, "I love Anthony very much, but I love him differently, he is my friend and I care for him, you are my husband, my soulmate and I adore you."
"You adore me yet you couldn't obey my wish and not go to him."
"Don't do this Jeff," Claire cried, "there is no reason for you to feel insecure in our relationship. I love you so much and that will never change."
Jeff grabbed her and pulled her on his lap, he kissed her hard and passionately and tightened his hold on her. "If it ever changes Claire I don't know what I would do."
"I have loved you my entire life, you think I can stop loving you now? look at me Jeff!" She demanded when he closed his eyes, "open your eyes and look at me!"
When Jeff opened his eyes, they were hazed with pain, "Why do you do this to yourself," Claire asked, "why do you intentionally cause pain to yourself!"
"Because the thought of losing you is unbearable."
"You would never lose me Jeff, I'm not going anywhere without you." She told him and kissed his face with butterfly kisses, "besides who would want me now, I'm having your baby and will soon be fat and ugly"
Jeff couldn't help but smile, "Fat and ugly?" He laughed, "you would never be ugly to me when you carry my child in your womb Claire, to me you will always look beautiful no matter how heavy you get."
They made love on the couch, and then on the floor and then Jeff pulled her into his arms and took her up the stairs and into their bedroom where he ravished her again and again until the wee hours of the night.
*************
"Daddy!" Stephan screamed, "are you ok?"
Steven turned to face his son, "Of course I'm ok, why would you think otherwise?"
"I called your name three times and you ignored me!" Stephan pouted.
He was thinking of Abby, he was always thinking of Abby, "I'm sorry I was just thinking."
"Daddy can I stay one more week here with you, I want to go back to the zoo and see the lions and tigers, you promised!"
"Your mother won't like that Stephan," Steven explained, "I don't have a choice but to return you tomorrow."
"I want you to return me to mommy, and not my aunt!" He wailed, "she is always in a bad mood when she takes me back to mommy."
"I'll see what I can do." He ruffled Stephan's hair, "I'll check my schedule and if I can cancel some appointments I will take you back myself."
When Stephan smiled from ear to ear, it melted Steven's heart. He loved his boy so much that sometimes it overwhelmed him. Steven wanted nothing more than to take his son himself back to his mother, that way they could spend more time together, but the thought of seeing Abby up close had him feeling upset.
How was it so easy for her to marry Jeff and now get engaged to Moss if she still had feelings for him. Why was she calling him and not speaking. What did she want, if she had moved on with her life then why was she still calling him and hanging up? What the hell did she want, he thought angrily, why was she playing games!
Steven knew in his heart that Abby hadn't slept with Moss yet. He knew Abby better than anyone else did and when he saw Moss with Abby at the court house he knew instantly that she hadn't slept with him yet.
Relief had flooded through him, it was very hard for him to imagine Abby laying in another man's arms. Now his son is asking for him personally to return him to his mother and the idea of that made him scared.
Were he to do that how would he feel and how would she react to the fact that after a full year he allowed himself to be around her. The thought overwhelmed him and he debated what he should do, but after much deliberation, Steven called his office and told the receptionist to cancel all his appointments for the next day. When the call ended he was not satisfied with the idea of seeing her tomorrow. How would he control himself and stay calm and relaxed, when mixed feelings will drive him crazy once he sees her?
All-night he tossed and turned, and didn't get the sleep he so desperately needed. The next day Stephan was very happy to learn that his father would be the one returning him to his mother. Steven was indecisive on how Abby would react when she saw him. Would she be upset that he was the one returning their son to her or would she like the fact that he did.
On the plane Stephan was a chatter box, Steven smiled, as he listened to his son chatter away about a dog his mother had promised to buy him.
"I want a Yorkie daddy!" Stephan proclaimed excitedly, "grandma has one already and his name is Cucci, but I want to buy one more so Cucci can have a friend!"
"Get a rescue dog from the shelter," Steven explained, "those doggies are desperate for a home."
Steven's eyes lit up excitedly, "I'm going to tell mommy!"
When the pilot announced to buckle up for landing, Steven made sure his son was strapped in before he strapped himself.
"If mommy decides not to buy me a puppy, I'm going to tell Moss to convince mommy," Stephan said, "he is nice and will help me."
Steven stiffened, the mention of Moss sickened him. It was bad enough that he was engaged to Abby, but the thought of him being step dad to his kid made him angry as hell.
The ride to the mansion was swift, the limo pulled up at the curb and Steven and Stephan exited, "Wait here I shouldn't take long." Steven told the chauffeur.
Taking Stephan's little hand in his, Steven walked around the back of the mansion and through the side walkway to the back yard, he was thinking to shoot a few shots of basket ball with his son before he left, but who was he kidding, from the back he could see through the glass window and doors inside the mansion and he wanted to glimpse inside to see if Moss was there.
It was quiet in the back yard, Steven's eyes slowly took in the beautiful landscape and admired the way it flowed so easily throughout the entire yard. It looked like paradise, he thought, with all the beautiful aromatic flowers of all shapes and colors. He stopped for a moment and swallowed hard, this place reminded him of the Chicago Botanic garden when he had taken Abby there for a picnic.
Looking around, Steven noticed that half of the back yard was made to please Stephan. There were many toys and things specifically for his son, and that pleased Steven immensely. His eyes shifted to the mansion, and Steven stiffened. Abby and Moss did not notice they were being watched and they were having a private moment.
Cursing under his breath, Steven pulled Stephan alongside him, and walked past the red brick patio and to the sliding glass door where he knocked on the glass to get their attention.
Immediately Abby and Moss pulled away from each other and Abby came running to open the door. She looked surprise to see Steven and was left speechless. It took a few minutes for her to recover and by that time Moss had come to her side and slipped his arm possessively around her tiny waist.
Abby opened the glass door and Stephan jumped into her arms, "Mommy, mommy, I missed you!"
It was a blessed moment and for a second Steven forgot his anger and a warm feeling engulfed him. The mother of his son, wrapped her arms around his son and Steven swallowed back a choking sob. This could have been his wife, his life and his family, he thought bitterly, and it was all taken away from him because Abby couldn't love him enough.
"I didn't know you would bring Stephan back yourself." Abby said, she did everything in her power not to faint or show how emotional she was at the moment. Seeing Steven again had her heart hammering against her chest.
"My sister was busy." He lied, "so I didn't have a choice."
Steven's eyes shifted to Moss, and he nodded in greeting, but what he really wanted to do is smash the guys face in.
"Please come in." Moss said politely, "we were just about to have a cup of coffee and would love it if you joined us."
"Yeah daddy please stay," Stephan begged, "I want to show you my new toys!"
When Stephan ran upstairs to his room to get his toys, Steven walked inside the mansion and made himself comfortable at the table. "Two sugars for me." He told Abby when she was making his coffee.
"Yes I remember you like it sweet." She admitted and placed the cup of coffee in front of him. "Moss would you like a cup too?"
"Yes, thank you." Moss smiled at her when she returned to the table and placed a cup of coffee in front of him.
Steven watched, as she walked around the table and placed her cup of coffee on the table and sat herself down next to Moss. Bringing the cup to his lips, he took a sip of hot coffee and almost choked when his eyes rested on Abby's fingers. The ruby ring shined bright on her finger and caught Steven by surprised.
"Are you alright," Moss asked, with concern, "can I get you a glass of water?"
Steven nodded unable to talk, and when Moss stepped away from the table, Steven through her a questioning glance. Their eyes met and locked and heat surged throughout Steven's body. A powerful feeling of love, an all consuming feeling of adoration and need. It caught both of them by surprise and Abby looked alarmed. Last thing she needed was for Moss to find out about the ring.
Placing a glass of water on the table in front of Steven, Moss walked back to his place next to Abby and sat himself down. He did not missed the look between his fiancé and Steven and his gut twisted with pain.
An awkward moment of silence followed, and each were in their own thought until Stephan came running inside the kitchen with many toys in his arms.
"Daddy look," Stephan said, and dropped all the toys on the table, "Moss bought me all of the characters from toy story!"
"Lucky you!" Steven commented dryly, and he threw an accusing glance at Abby. Seemed to him that Moss was trying to take his place and Steven had a major problem worth that.
Moss smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair, "Tomorrow we can go and buy the rest of the toys you wanted."
"That won't be necessary," Steven cut in and said, "I will see to it that he has everything he needs, I am his father and I will take care of this right away!"
Moss didn't like the tone of Steven's voice, but for Abby's sake he said nothing. He only nodded in Steven's direction, his eyes were cold and hazed with jealousy.
"From now on I will be picking Stephan up and I will be be bringing him back too." Steven said pointedly, "it will give me a chance to spend more time with my son."
'My son' was emphasized, and Abby read the raw emotions in Steven's eyes and knew that something was wrong. Why was he behaving different today, why was he acting emotional and what exactly is it that bothered him, she thought, until she realized what the problem was.
It was the ring, she knew because he kept staring at it. He caught them off guard, had she known that he would come she would have taken the ring off. Now she looked foolish wearing it, and she regretted not taking it off.
"Moss can you please come upstairs to my room and help me get buzz light year, he is perched atop the shelve and I can't reach it!"
Moss didn't want to leave Abby alone with Steven, but Stephan left him with no choice, "Of course, let's go buddy."
Steven watched Moss and his son climb up the whiskey colored, wooden stairs, and as soon as they were out of sight, he jumped off his seat and swiftly walked around the table. Grabbing Abby's hand, he pulled her to her feet and hissed, "Why are you wearing the ring!"
"What?" She asked, her heart beating wildly, "I...I..."
Pulling her into his arms, Steven searched her eyes for answers, before he kissed her lips savagely, passionately, melting Abby into hot flames of fire, with his tantalizing kisses, and she fell against him kissing him back hungrily and without shame.
Steven was not prepared for the feelings that coursed throughout his body when his lips touched hers. He thought to punish her for everything she had done to him, but instead he found himself being punished. Having Abby back in his arms again after all this time was a striking reality, it was as if she had never left. The feelings that awakened in Steven were so powerful that he lost himself in the moment and this was an eye opener.
He loved this woman even more than he ever had thought. She was not just the love of his life, she was his soulmate in every sense of the word. "Abby," he whispered hoarsely, when he finally pulled his mouth away from hers, "why?"
Tears were evident in Abby's eyes and she was about to answer him, but she heard footsteps, Moss and her son were coming down the stairs. Steven was desperate for answers but knew that he wasn't going to get any today. He kissed her hard and fast in the lips again before he let her go and went back to take his seat.
When Moss came in the kitchen he noticed something was not right and his eyes dragged from Steven to Abby, "Is everything alright?" He asked, not sure what had happened during his absence, but when Abby was about to respond with a lie, Stephan came to her rescue.
"Daddy look!" Stephan squealed with delight, "this is buzz light year, and he is my favorite toy!"
Steven threw his son a rueful smile, "Wow!"
Stephan beamed with joy, "I knew you would love it daddy!"
Steven was having a hard time concentrating on what his son was saying, Moss was his nemesis and he wanted to punch him square in the face! It was surreal to him, to love a woman who now belonged to another. His eyes dropped to her fingers, on one hand she wore Moss's diamond and on the other hand she wore the ruby! Steven felt defeated.
The entire situation was surreal, why hadn't his mind registered the engagement ring on her other hand? Grief swallowed him, and he wanted to scream, it was an impossible situation where only divine intervention could help him fix this.
Moss felt compelled to speak when he witnessed Steven's face turn ashen white, "What's going on here!" He demanded, as he looked from Abby to Steven.
Abby sensed trouble was brewing and to avoid catastrophe she placed her arm around Moss's waist. He immediately responded by pulling her closer to him and placing a kiss on her lips.
Steven's eyes shifted from Abby to Moss and he knew that instant that she had finally slept with him. This sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks. He felt like he was suffocating, he couldn't breath and his heart twisted with excruciating pain.
Abby had given herself to this man and Steven didn't know how to accept that fact. His accusing stare pierced right into Abby's eyes, as jealousy rippled through him like a raging volcano, but he held himself regal for the sake of his son, and quickly hugged his son and bid everyone farewell before he exited the mansion and never looked back.
She so easily kissed him back when he pulled her into his arms, she wore his ruby ring on her finger as if he meant something to her, she was a player, a liar, and a whore, and he was a damn fool! I am fool! He thought, as he swiftly climbed into the limo that had waited patiently for him. Steven closed his eyes, and threw his head back, as he laughed hysterically. The chauffeur glanced in the review mirror with a quizzical expression on his face.
It is finished. It is done. And there was no going back, his father was right, leave the past where it belongs and move forward if you want to succeed in life. A coldness filled his heart, and hatred filled his mind. He would marry Victoria, and move on with his life, for even though she was a cold hearted bitch, she didn't act like the Virgin Mary. Victoria never pretended to be someone she was not, she was exactly who he knew her to be, ruthless, cold hearted and a bitch! She didn't play games, she was real and a hard ass.
His decision was made, he would go back and marry her and together they would turn their company into a billion dollar industry. There was only room to love one, and that would be Stephan. Everyone else could go to hell he thought. No more pain, no more dreams of love, no more living a lie.
He unshackled the chains that held him prisoner to Abby and set himself free of her! He was finally free of his torture!