34 CHAPTER 33

Standing before the gigantic door, Anna glanced up at it's length. Her right foot was tapping on the floor continuesly but could not bring her fingers up to the door bell.

'What am I even doing here?'

She spun around, ready to leave but stopped in her tracks. Could she just leave after coming up till here? Closing her eyes she leaned back on the hard wood. Two days back when she received the phone call, she never thought she would hear him call her name.

"Anna"

It still rang in her ears. She remembered each and every word he said but could not respond to any of it.

"I want to meet you, I need to"

Need to? He sounded so desperate that she feared something was wrong with him.

"I know you are listening Anna. Please, I have to tell you somethings. Many things."

She gulped the lump forming in her throat.

"I will send someone to get you on Saturday. Please Anna. I would never call if it wasn't urgent"

She could hardly control herself that time and she hung up on him. He did not call back, neither did she. Two days, she could not get his voice out of her mind and before she knew, there was a car in front of her house as a man dressed in a black suit knocked on her door. Only Elora knew where she was going and that was a bit of relief for Anna.

'I can do this. I can do it'

She chanted to herself and opened her eyes. She turned on her heels inhaling deeply and brought her trembling fingers up to the door bell and pressed it twice. The loud reverberation could be heard outside and she gulped. What was it that he wanted to talk about?

After a few seconds, the door opened. A lady dressed in worker's uniform who looked quite old, opened the door. She was most probably the maid or the cook. The lady opened the door with a wide smile but it seemed to flicker as she scanned Anna's face. Nevertheless, she put the smile back on and stepped aside to let her in. Anna kept her head low as she walked inside the huge residence. She felt so small, so out of place in the unnecessarily big house.

"This way Miss" The lady in the uniform motioned her towards the stairs as Anna nodded and followed her up. She did not once look up or around the house, keeping her eyes on the floor. They passed by many doors and rooms when the lady finally slowed down in front of a door. It was right at the end of the big hallway and Anna's eyes involuntarily looked up. It was a door too big for bedroom, it looked like an entrance of a library which did not help to calm her ragged heart at all.

"He is waiting for you." A quick smile and with that she left, leaving Anna fiddling with the belt of her sling which was hanging across her chest. She clutched it tight as she tapped her foot uncontrollably om the floor.

"I can do this" She chanted again getting a hold on the door handle as she slowly pushed it open.

"I can do this. I can-" Her eyes went wide as soon as she stepped in and a loud gasp vibrated through her chest.

There he stood in the middle of his huge room, a pleasantly shirtless Raven. Anna froze. From the angle that she could see, it seemed like he was about to loosen down his trouser as well. Raven turned around upon hearing the familiar voice and saw a frozen Anna at the door. The trouser was really low on his hips, with his V line proudly flaunting itself.

Raven seemed less than concerned about the fact that he was half naked instead hurried to her with concern laced on his face.

"Anna. Are you alright?" He gently held both her arms and she visibly came alive on his touch. She caught a few quick breaths as she stared up at his questioning green eyes. They sparkled like they held a little universe of their own.

Oh, how will she ever get them out of her head?

He carefully lead her towards the couch and sat her down. Still holding her hand, he took a seat beside her.

"You okay?" He tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

Anna was zoned out to some other world. Rethinking about the decision of coming here, it just made things more difficult and complicated for her.

Raven saw her lost expression and brought two of his fingers under her chin. Tilting her face up, wanting to see her beautiful hazels but Anna closed her eyes. She did not want to look into those hypnotizing green orbs which would force her to give into his touches.

"Look at me." His deep voice ran the same shivers through her ears and down her back, urging the hair at her nape up in attention. But she refused to take his commands, she wouldn't. Not again.

"Anna..." Her eyes instantly opened up as her name slipped through his lips. It sounded more affecting and intimidating than she had heard over the phone. He did not call it out loud, just a breathy whisper, letting it slowly roll over his tongue.

His face was inches away from hers as he ran his gaze all over her face and landed on her eyes again. He memorised every curve, every line on her face. But it did hurt to see the in her eyes pain, and somewhere deep down, he knew he was the reason.

Raven's eyes slowly drifted down to her parted lips as she drew in shallow, unsteady breaths.

He visibly gulped, trying his hardest not to grab her by the neck and kiss her hard until she was out breath. He wanted her to know he missed her just as much, if not more. But he knew it would startle her and there was a reason he called her here and did not want to scare her away.

His subconscious held him in place but his heart rate did not seem to stable down. When she was this close to him, all he could have in mind was her. And her eyes, they were pleading him to take her in his arms and drown her in his warm embrace. He leaned down, closing the distance between their lips.

Anna's eyes fluttered open, upon feeling his warm breath caressing her lips. She pressed her lips together and placed her palm across his bare chest and stopped him from coming any closer.

Raven opened his eyes and sighed, pressing their foreheads together.

"I'm sorry." Her voice was hardly above a whisper.

She gently pulled away, just enough to look into his eyes.

"I can't..." She looked away, unable to hold his burning gaze anymore. His thumb brushed across her flushed cheeks and he gently stroked her face.

In a swift motion, he stood up from the couch and Anna immediately sat up straight, tucking her hair behind her ears.

Raven walked over to the bed where a black shirt was laid neatly. She looked up and saw him taking the shirt off the hanger and putting it on. Maybe he wasn't undressing but dressing up when she came in.

Raven turned around buttoning up the shirt, walking back to the couch. Anna could not help but notice how he had started buttoning from the middle button, leaving the first three open.

Is it a habit?

He sat down beside her and rested his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward.

Complete silence engulfed them as she nervously fiddled with her fingers and stole quick glances at him. Why was he quiet when he was the one who called her here?

Gathering up all the courage left in her she spoke.

"You said.. you wanted to.... talk?" Her voice came out lower than she expected as Raven straightened his spine and stood up.

He made his way towards the huge glass window fixing his gaze outside. Both his hands were now stuffed inside the side pockets of his trouser. The silence spread around again as Anna not so patiently waited for him to start speaking.

"There are somethings that you have to know. That I must tell you" He sounded dead serious and Anna's heart automatically started racing inside her rib cage.

She gulped, finally finding her voice.

"A-about what?"

Raven took a deep breath before continuing. "About me. About my past and....." His voice trailed off as he slowly turned around to face her.

"And Areum"

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A/N:- Who is ready for some backstory? Cause I am.