Page 103 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

“Yes, Schatzi?”

She looked nervous again. “Did Seth... approaching me this morning upset you?”

Alex kept his face impassive as he thought about Seth and her together. God, he hated the idea of her being with someone else. Suspecting she’d spent the night with his father was killing him. But he’d rather see her with someone who would treat her well than someone that would hurt her. Considering the type of being she was, she certainly would have a strong sex drive. Better Seth than some random man off the street.

“Seth’s a good man, Anna. I trust him with my life. I would entrust your life to him.” He hoped it would never come to that. He didn’t want to think about her being in danger. “If you have needs, I don’t mind you being with him.” He spoke slowly and carefully. He’d rather she be with him, but he’d already decided he wouldn’t make love to her until she knew it was more than just sex.

She looked at him questioningly but nodded. “Yes, Alex.”

Alex located her clothes in Kurt’s room and then went into his own bathroom on the second floor. He opened his jeans and lost himself in thoughts of Anna, naked and writhing in his bed.

Chapter 42

Anna sat in the leather seat of Alex’s powerful silver sports car, staring at her fingers as she twisted them together. Alex and his girlfriend had been fighting when she had gone downstairs and Anna was pretty sure she’d heard her name before she’d stepped into the kitchen. Why had she been so disrespectful to Kirsty? Alex had needed to discipline her for it. She should have known better. She never would have treated anyone disrespectfully if Devin or Jack had been around. Why had she done it around Alex?

But after he’d spanked her, he’d held her and she’d felt so... comfortable. Cared for. Jack had never comforted her after he’d punished her. Why did Alex act so differently?

She glanced at Alex, who sat easily in the driver’s seat, one hand on the wheel, the other on his thigh, tapping his first finger occasionally. His jaw clenched and his brows twitched. He hadn’t spoken since they’d gotten in the car, and Anna didn’t dare interrupt his thoughts. She turned and looked out the window, craning her neck to find the tops of the skyscrapers in the center of downtown San Francisco.

Alex turned into a parking garage and circled around until he slid smoothly into a spot near a bank of elevators. “This is a spot for your guests.” He shoved the gearshift into park and turned off the car, the roaring engine dying into silence. He motioned out his side window. “That’s the car we picked out for you. If you don’t like it, we can go back to the dealership and find something you do like.”

He opened the car door and Anna did the same. She walked around the back of Alex’s car and gasped at the glittering white, two-door coupe. A smile spread across her face and she grinned up at Alex, who watched her, chewing his lip.

“It’s beautiful.” She slid a gentle hand across the trunk. “You didn’t have to do this, Alex. I barely know how to drive.”

“I wanted to.” His eyes bored into hers and his intense emotions slammed into her mind. But before she could process them, he looked away. He opened the car door and showed her how everything worked, and then handed Anna the key fob. “The building has a valet service, so you just call the concierge when you need your car and they’ll have it waiting for you out front.”

Anna drew her brows together. Why did she have to have someone get her car for her? “Do I have to use the service?”

“Of course not. It’s just an option.” He shook his head and then smiled, his mood having lightened since arriving at the building. “Shall we go see your apartment?”

Anna nodded and her heart jumped when he took her hand and led her to the elevator. He pushed the button with a 26 on it, and the elevator sped upwards.

When they arrived at the door at the end of the hallway, Alex handed Anna a key. “Go ahead and unlock it.”

Anna did so and walked inside a large, furnished living room with a wall of windows that overlooked the bay. A white linen sectional with dark purple pillows sat along the far wall across from a stand holding a large TV. Empty bookshelves stood on either side. On the opposite side of the room from the windows was a good-sized kitchen with a breakfast bar.

Alex followed and motioned down the hallway on the other side of the entrance. “Two bedrooms, two baths.”

Anna walked into the master bedroom and found a queen-sized bed covered in a dark purple comforter. The head and footboard were white. An adjoining bathroom had a tile shower and marble vanity. The guest bedroom had been decorated in a blue that matched Alex’s eyes.

Alex waited for her to finish exploring in the living room, and Anna hugged him around the waist. “It’s beautiful.”

He returned her hug and gently stroked her hair—she’d never been happier that she had taken the time to brush it into soft waves. She could tell something had been bothering him the entire drive, but his tender manner with her told her she could trust her intuition.

Eventually, he pulled away enough to look into her eyes, and she saw confirmation that his attitude had little to do with her. “I need your driver’s license number so I can register the car in your name.”

She stiffened. “My license?”

“I want the car in your name, not mine. But I need your information to do that.” He looked down, and she quickly looked away.

“I don’t have it.”

“You don’t carry it with you?”

“Jack rarely let me drive. It’s at his house.”

He studied her face and she closed her eyes, hoping he’d decide to let this go. “Are you alright?”

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