Page 187 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Several cars were parked outside Alex’s house when he pulled up. He walked into the lower living room and his hand-picked special ops team greeted him with a variety of amused expressions and vulgar comments. Maps were spread all over the large coffee and kitchen tables, along with laptops, notepads, and markers.

“Where have you been all night, my cousin?” came a bold question in German from a man that looked remarkably like Alex himself.

Alex stopped in the doorway and grinned stupidly at his cousin, Erich. Erich and the other men in the room burst into laughter.

“You finally let yourself have her?” Seth grinned at him from the couch. “I don’t know how you held out so long, man.”

Alex frowned at his friend. “It’s not like that, and you know it.” It irked him a little that Seth had been with Anna several times before he had. But the cold reality was that a lot of men had been with her before he had. He hoped, somehow, there wouldn’t be too many after him.

Seth laughed. “I know. But I still admire your willpower. What changed?”

Alex dropped onto the leather couch, which creaked in protest. “She did. She wanted me.”

“I didn’t realize women wanting you had become a problem,” Jason, one of his weapons guys, said with an arched brow. “Is this a recent development? Because if you’re having problems, there’s no hope for the rest of us.” He chuckled.

Alex shook his head and rolled his eyes. “No. She’s... special.” Only Sebastian knew everything about Anna. Seth and Tony knew most of it. Speaking of... “Where’s Sebastian?”

Erich shrugged. “I talked to him yesterday before I left. He said he’d be here, but had something to do first.”

“Let me shower and then we can get started.” Alex stood.

“We already did.” Erich laughed. “We’ll fill you in when you get back.”

Alex muttered in German about impertinent subordinates, then laughed and left the room. He trusted his men implicitly and knew they were more than capable of starting without him. Yes, he had been irresponsible by staying out all night. But only to them. Had he left Anna, it would have been equally irresponsible, and more difficult to make right.

No, he’d done the right thing with her. For once.

Anna arrived at the studio practically floating.

Jenna spotted her as she walked inside. “Anna!”

Anna grinned at her friend as she walked up. “Hi.”

Jenna tilted her head and narrowed her eyes. “What happened?”

Anna looked away and pressed her lips together, her cheeks growing hot.

“Your date with Alex?” Jenna grabbed her hand and pulled her to the side of the room. “Tell me!”

Anna couldn’t stop smiling as she told Jenna about what had happened and by the end, her friend was beaming as much as she was. “It was just...” Anna shook her head. “Unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.”

Jenna laughed. “I bet. You’re glowing. You weren’t even this happy when you were with Aaron.”

Anna’s face fell and she glanced around the room, but Aaron was nowhere to be seen. “I love Aaron.”

Jenna gave a sympathetic smile. “I know. But...” She shook her head. “There’s something special about Alex.” She laughed. “All the girls know it.”

“Do you think Aaron will be mad?”

Jenna shrugged. “He cares about you and Alex. I think, ultimately, he’d just want you to be happy.”

Anna glanced at her watch. “I have to get to class.”

Her friend nodded. “Lunch?”

“Sounds good.” Anna hurried up the stairs and into the dance studio.

At lunch break, Patty beamed at her as she changed shoes. “I didn’t think it was possible, but you’re doing even better than you were yesterday.”

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