18. Sinful Book 2

I tried calling Antonio severally after his mother left the house, but he wasn’t picking up. I know he was hurting and he wasn’t in his right state of mind due to the appearance of the woman that either physically and verbally abused him or just didn’t care enough.

This was my problem with Antonio, I hardly knew anything about him, he never bothered to tell me anything. Anytime something happens to bring up his past, he does this; he goes into his shell and doesn’t want to talk about any of it, so where does that leave me? Thinking and making up stuff in my head, trying to put the bits and pieces together and come up with something tangible, and it rarely ever works out.

I didn’t want to ask Antonio upfront because I felt it would be insensitive of me, and it would be better for him to open up to me when he’s ready to do so, but it began to feel like he didn’t want to let me in on anything that concerns him. I know it was wrong of me to think that way, but I couldn’t help myself. I have been dating the man for a year now, and we’ve gone through a lot, pushed and pulled, there has been a lot of ups and downs in our relationship, but not once did he ever come to me with anything that might be bothering him. I always had to hear things from Aaliyah, Noah, and Dan, like I wasn’t the one sharing a bed with him.

I sighed and loosed the robe from around my body, then I walked to the closet to get dressed. I had been calling Antonio to let him know I was going to accompany him to get Diego from school, so I’d use the opportunity to talk to him and hear what I can get from him. Maybe I didn’t know much about the man because I never asked questions, maybe he didn’t want me waiting for him to open up, maybe he was waiting for that push from me, and I was going to give that push.

I got dressed and called Larry to come get me, because I didn’t see the point of driving to Antonio’s office when he was going to bring us back home from the school.

After a few minutes, when Larry came to pick me up, I received a message from Aaliyah, asking me to hang out with her later. I texted her back, telling her why I couldn’t make it. I contemplated telling her about Antonio’s mother coming to the house, but I decided against it as it wasn’t her business, and Aaliyah didn’t know much about the woman anyway.

Larry drove me to Antonio’s company, and when we got there, I met Antonio mid-way into my journey to his office. I had gotten to the elevator, when he was coming out of it. For some reason, there was an awkward air that surrounded us, and I’m sure the few employees that littered the area “on purpose” felt it too.

I smiled up at him awkwardly, taking in his tired eyes and messy bun. Antonio’s eyes relaxed as he kept his eyes on me for much longer, then he smiled and hugged me.

“You came right on time,” he whispered in my ear. Shock waves shot through my spine as his lips touched my right ear.

“What do you need me for?” I asked him, a small smile playing on my lips, bitting the sides of my lower lips slightly as I smiled.

“I didn’t kiss you goodbye, and so I couldn’t concentrate at work,” he pouted. I wasn’t even expecting that at all, I thought he wanted to have a quickie...

“Oh,” I guess my showed how far my mind has gone, because Antonio laughed then kissed my forehead, asking me what I was thinking. I know if I had a lighter skin, it would show how red I was from embarrassment. I told him I came so we could go pick Diego up from school together, and that seemed to light up Antonio’s mood even more.

Antonio grabbed my hand protectively as we walked past his employees who either had ready eyes from looking at us, or just pure admiration. Antonio took the car keys from Larry and we went on our way to go get our son.

While in the car, I kept stealing glances at Antonio, to see if he was in the right state to take my questions, and if he’s going to give me honest answers, or any answers at all.

“You keep stealing glances at me and I’m very sure it’s not because you want me to pull over and fuck you senseless,” Antonio laughed. I wonder how he was able to filter his language around Diego since he was very raw with words and it never bothered him.

“No, that’s not why, although I wouldn’t really mind,” I smiled back at him.

“It’s about what happened this morning,” I started. Antonio froze visibly; his knuckles were turning white from how tight he was gripping the steering wheel. I sighed and turned my head to the other side. I didn’t want to go on with the conversation if he was going to act like that.

“Yeah? What about it?” He asked. It was an opening, the first opening got to ask him about anything. I turned to him immediately, then looked at his hands on the steering wheel; his grip on it had loosened and his body felt light.

“Well, how do you feel about it?” I asked him. How do you feel about it? That was the best I could do? Even Antonio found the question weird and dumb because he laughed, then cleared his throat and said, “It was tough, but I realized I shouldn’t let them have so much hold over me, because I became who I am without them, and I have my perfect little family,” Antonio smiled, then his right hand caressed my thigh. My heated warmed at his words, but I needed more than that.

“What hurts more, the fact that she left and is only showing up all these years, or...” I couldn’t bring myself to mention the physical abuse.

“Everything, seeing her brought back memories I didn’t need. She wasn’t the best mother, or the nicest, but I felt pity for her but not in a way would make me forgive her for her bad parenting,” Antonio said and smiled. I see why he was the way he was to Samantha.

“So you don’t want her back into your life?” I asked him. “Not really, I’ve come to not care about her anymore, so I don’t want to see her anywhere close to me or my family. You know, my father is part of it, he never tried to make her come back, when she left, he told her to stay away from me, so he’s part of the reasons why I hate her,” Antonio presses his lips together. He was a sad man with so many sad memories, and I didn’t want to think about it, but I think he was trying to tell me something concerning Samantha.

He never tried to make her come back so he’s part of the reasons why I hate her

I see.