FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE HEART.

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

As pressure of Sidney's breast pressed against Mike's back his eyes slowly opened to the sight of the authentic curtains of her room and the glass of wine that stood half full in on the small table beside the bed.

  He groaned and sat up making sure he didn't rock the bed as much as last night. Sidney turned away from him still asleep and covered herself a bit more. Mike walked to the bathroom and looked himself in the mirror, "What the fuck have I done?"

  His mind went back to the moment he grabbed Sidney and begun to kiss her, things escalated much too quickly for him to slow down.

  But a part of him...no...all of him wanted it. The feel of her, the heat of her. Something inside him wanted those moments again rather than letting it all dessolve into oblivion. But how about.

  Anna...

  He sighed and stepped into the shower quickly letting hot water to rush down on him as he tried to clear his head, but nothing stopped the thought of Anna's smile.

  Fuck it. It was just sex, who doesn't have it?

  A part of him wanted to believe that his actions were right, but most of him felt disgusted with the skin he had just washed. At least he knew that he couldn't stay in this place much longer.

  As he opened the door Sidney's voice caused him to freeze, "You're leaving?" Mike looked back at her over his shoulder, his brown eyes piercing into that of hers, "I need to go, Sidney, I need to clear my mind."

  She rose from the bed wrapping the covers around her body and walking up to him, "You don't need to do anything. I'm here for you, we're here for each other." She placed her palm on his cheek, "There's no need to leave again, Michael."

  Mike winced as he pulled her hand away and stepped back, "I'm not leaving, I'm just going to think on things. I'm not running away from us."

  Sidney stared at him for a few seconds and as she did Mike discovered that he couldn't look away from her, but then she nodded, "I understand. Take all the time you need, but promise that you'll come back to me again. Last night wasn't a mistake.

  No last night was far worse than that.

  He said nothing else and simply got into the elevator that took him to the ground level where the attendant tossed him his car keys. But then he had no idea where to drive over to.

  His phone rang and he got it out to see the caller was Anna, he still answered feeling like it was stupid not to. "Babe?" She called over the line, "I've been trying to reach you for over an hour. Is everything alright?"

  He was silent for a moment before he spoke back to her, "Overslept." He said bluntly, "I guess you're back?" "Yes, I'm back." She told him, "The castle just needed some redecorating and mum's business needed to be stabilized. I miss you. Come over."

  Mike felt a sudden pressure in his chest as her words sunk in. He didn't want to see her right now, he was afraid of what could happen. He wanted to hang up and just toss the phone away but he still stayed on the line. "Sure," he said, "Maybe we'll go out or something."

  He heard her giggle, "Or we can just stay alone in my room. Lights off. Clothes off." Normally a grin would appear on Mike's face by the suggestion she had made but his expression was one of worry and confusion.

  "Maybe. Just maybe." He hung up before she could get suspicious of his tone then stepped into his car first driving home for a shower and a change of clothes before parking in front of the Levesique mansion an hour later.

  He knocked and to his suprise Anna appeared, "The boys are out, and mum and dad are gone to. The house is all ours. Of course, I'm not going to rush." He gave her a weak smile, "Yeah. I'm a bit hungry though."

  She pulled him in and leaded them to the kitchen. As they stepped in she lifted herself to the counter while Mike went to the fridge and pulled out some bread to make a sandwich.

  "So how was school when I was gone?" She asked, "Any drama? Fred and that other girl, are they good?"

  He was going to try to reduce his own talking.

  "Everything is good. Fred is alright, Kim and Wills are doing nicely. How bout you? Was France a bore? Are you comfortable being back there and all that?"

  She rolled her blue eyes, "To be honest, Mike, being a royal is sometimes a real pain in the ass. I needed to see my aunts and uncles I really dislike, some crazy cousins and other family members I didn't recognize."

  "But France was good. I felt better, safer, probably because of the giant bodyguards assinged to me and followed me everywhere I went. Saw some old friends though, I showed them the magazine we're on. They asked for your number but I said you're not for sale."

  Mike grinned, "Good to see that I'm being viewed as a product." "My product." She corrected as she hugged him from behind but suddenly his mind flashed to just some hours before this when it was Sidney in her position. His body stiffened and Anna spotted the concern on his face. "Raccoon? Is everything alright?" The mention of his nickname brought his senses back to her.

  "I'm okay. Just tired."

  She looked up at the clock that hung above the fridge. "It's still early. Why don't we go and watch a movie or something in the parlor?" Mike nodded feeling that it was a better option, he made more sandwiches and he and Anna sat in a blanket to watch a movie in her theater room.

  They watched about three before Mike decided he needed to go.

  As he stood in the door way of her house she tiptoes to place a kiss on his cheek. "Be safe and text me when you get home. Okay?" Mike nodded and turned away before Anna could see the tears forming in his eyes.

  The fact that she had no idea of his previous actions during her absence made him feel sick on his inside. He didn't deserve her.

  She doesn't deserve any of this...

  Although he felt like this he drove back home and parked in the garage before heading up to his room but as he opened the door he suddenly felt a powerful force as Wills drove his fist into Mike's face.