Free Pure Heart: Anything for You Series - Book 1 by Ann Wynn Page A

together.” He confessed. He looked like he was telling the truth, but Michael was not convinced. He could just be a really good liar.
     
    “You can't! She's with me now. Go back to your wife and leave us be.” There was authority in his voice, which only made Carl angrier.
     
    “She's mine. You will never have her! And if I cannot have her, nobody will!” He bellowed.
     
    Carl lunged for him. His aim wasn't so bad. Lacking sleep, Michael was not able to dodge well. Carl's fist hit his lower lip, cutting it and making it bleed. But as soon as his fist connected to Michael's face, he collapsed on the floor, as if he had used up his remaining strength to swing his fist at him. He looked pitiful lying beneath him. Michael took the opportunity and jumped on him, holding his two hands behind his back. Once he was sure that he wouldn’t be able to get away, he stood him up and pinned his face against the wall. He grunted at the impact. Michael was not cautious. He deserved to feel pain right now and he was willing to give him just that.
     
    “Now, I will ask you nicely. Leave my girlfriend alone, or else I will make sure to really mess you up next time.” He threatened him, because he knew it was the only way to end this. He only hoped it would work eventually. Carl grinned as bitterness seeped from his voice as he responded.
     
    “Your girlfriend seduced me. I was happily married before I fell in love with her. She's a really good lover. I thought she would do everything for me and now, my wife left me and she's all I have, but she won't take me back because she has you...” Carl mumbled.
     
    “Did you know that I used to live here with her too? Everything was okay for a year, but then one day, she just decided to ditch me. My wife was desperately trying to contact me to return to her then, but I just didn't care. I was so consumed by my love for Joana that I was too blind to see anything else. Now, I know what I was to her. A plaything. I was a test subject, and because I failed to resist her advances, I have failed to gain her love.” He laughed bitterly as he continued to talk, while Michael held him against the wall.
     
    Michael listened as he continued to blabber while he restrained him. He held on to his arms to steady him. But as soon as he started telling him more intimate details about his affair with Joana, he felt disgusted that he would tell him about their dirty little secrets. He didn't care. He didn't want to hear every single one. Annoyed, he pulled him off the wall and pushed him down the staircase to escort him outside the apartment building. Joana was watching everything through her front door.
     
    Somehow she had managed to take a peek when she heard Carl's voice move away from it. When she saw that Michael had escorted him out, she opened her door and followed them. When she saw him push Carl outside of the building, she ran toward him. Carl saw her and laughed like a man possessed as he looked at her with crazed eyes.
     
    “Now you show up. Don't worry; I won't hurt Lover Boy here, but I'll be back, Joana. I promise you that, and when I get back, be ready for me, because I will ruin you as you have ruined me. Just you wait.” He continued to laugh after his declaration.
     
    Joana whimpered as she held on to Michael's arms. Michael clenched his fists. He wanted to pummel him to the ground bad, but before he could take action and come near him, Carl ran away as fast as his feet could take him. Although he stumbled several times because of his drunken state, he was still able to leave. He sighed heavily. This was not a good way to end a stressful day.
     
    “I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I'm a mess. I never should have said yes to being his lover.” Joana said sincerely.
     
    She babbled as Michael escorted her back to her apartment. He was quiet. He recalled everything that Carl said. What if Joana was not a victim, but why was she lying to him? As soon as she was already in front