Page 108 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

“C’mon. We have some serious work ahead of us.” Jenna grabbed Anna’s arm and dragged her further into the upscale clothing store.

Jenna piled outfit after outfit into Anna’s arms and then sent her into the dressing room. Anna’s heart twisted in her chest as she stared at herself after pulling on a blue satin cocktail dress Jenna insisted would be perfect for Devin’s banquet. Her friend was being so kind in helping Anna out, and she had no idea Anna had just fucked her father on his desk in their house.

She closed her eyes and her shoulders slumped. Why had she done that? What would Jenna think if she found out? Jenna loved her dad more than anything in the world.

Did she know how Luke used to go to Jack’s house and have sex with Anna nearly every week? Did she know about the slaves at the Manor? The Friday night Gatherings in the Great Hall?

Burying her face in her hands, she sat down hard on the bench against the dressing room wall. Anna had done as she’d been trained to do, but she’d never had to consider the consequences before. It was one thing to sleep with the men who came to the Manor—or Jack’s house—but to go into Jenna’s house and willingly fuck her father?

Anna’s stomach twisted.

But if she hadn’t done as Luke wanted, Devin surely would have punished her for saying no.

“Anna? You okay?” Jenna called from the hallway. “I want to see you in that blue dress.”

“Yeah.” She shoved the confusing thoughts aside and stood, smoothing the dress over her hips. Best to just pretend it didn’t happen and try to avoid the situation in the future. She couldn’t lose Jenna again. She’d just gotten her back into her life.

She opened the door and held her arms to her side for Jenna’s evaluation.

Jenna grinned. “Gorgeous! Try on another one.”

Several hours, and many credit card swipes later, Anna drove her and Jenna through downtown to her apartment.

“Holy shit, Anna, you live in the Sapphire?” Jenna’s eyes were wide as Anna drove into the parking garage and found her spot. “How are you affording all this stuff? And why did Alex give you credit cards?”

Anna bit her lip as she turned off the car. “It’s a long story.”

“We have time. Tell me.”

“I—Let’s get to my apartment first.” They got out of the car and gathered her bags from the trunk, then rode the elevator up to her floor.

Jenna whistled as she turned around in the living room. “Nice place.” She turned. “Really nice.” She studied Anna’s face. “What happened, Anna? Why are you living here? Why’d you disappear?”

Anna chewed her lip, wondering what she should tell her. Or what she could tell her without getting into trouble. After a long pause, she slowly nodded. “Whatever I tell you has to stay between the two of us, or I could get into a lot of trouble.”

Jenna nodded, and Anna sat down on the couch. Slowly, she told Jenna, in broad generalizations, about what had happened the last few years, leaving out anything to do with her dad. She vaguely explained that Devin and Alex were in charge of her now, instead of Jack, and hoped her friend would accept her story without too many questions. Even she didn’t completely understand how everything worked. She only knew that she had to obey them.

Jenna listened quietly, her eyes growing wider and wider. Tears streamed down her cheeks, as they did on Anna’s. Once she had finished, Jenna lunged across the couch and tightly hugged her. “I never knew it was that bad,” she whispered. “I just thought Jack was just being an ass.”

Anna laughed bitterly. “He was.”

“Oh, Anna! Oh, you poor thing! I wish you would have told me. I could have done something. My dad?—‍”

Anna shook her head. “He couldn’t have done anything.” He’d done the only thing he could do: be nice to her and not make sex hurt.

Chapter 44

Later that evening, Anna squeezed her little car into a small space down the street from Aaron’s house. Cars lined the street for nearly two blocks in either direction. Jenna had mentioned that Aaron’s parties drew a large crowd, and after struggling to find a parking spot, Anna was convinced she was right.

She and Jenna walked up the steps to the large wooden house. As they neared the front door, they were met with the pulsating bass and booming drums of the newest dance music.

Jenna opened without knocking and Anna raised her eyebrows at Jenna. “If we knock, we’ll be waiting forever. The music’s too loud.”

Anna smoothed her short pink t-shirt dress and took a deep breath before following Jenna inside. The interior of the house was very modern looking, white and open.

Jenna greeted a couple of people sitting in the large seating area in the front living room and introduced Anna. Anna nodded her greeting, twisting her fingers together and looking around. Why had she agreed to go to a party? She didn’t know what to do in a place where sex wasn’t expected.

She reluctantly followed Jenna to the back of the house and into a large kitchen where people milled about, including Aaron, who stood near an open sliding glass door. He wore dark blue swim trunks and Anna admired his lithe upper body from across the room. The open door allowed the sounds of splashing and laughter be heard from outside.

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