Page 27 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

“Ride me, sweetheart.”

Anna obliged and then moved onto the next man. She sucked cocks. She rode cocks. One man wanted her on her knees on the chair in front of him. She climaxed over and over again and pleased Devin’s Brothers, just as he wanted her to do.

When the night finally ended, Ian escorted her back to her room, where she collapsed onto her bed. A wave of satisfaction washed over her, remembering Devin’s final words to her, “Good girl.”

Chapter 12

The next morning Anna awoke, not having moved since she’d fallen into bed. She glanced at the clock and sat up. She needed to get ready for Kurt and Wilhelm’s arrival. It was nearly noon.

She peeled herself from her bed covers—she hadn’t even gotten under the blankets—and waddled into the bathroom. Her thighs and hips were sticky, but aside from being a little stiff, she wasn’t in pain. Devin had been right. The men at the Gathering hadn’t hurt her.

As the hot water massaged her skin, she closed her eyes. The muscles in her back and legs relaxed in the heat as she washed.

When she felt clean, she leaned her forehead against the marble wall. Tears mingled with the water on her face as she thought back to the previous night, but she didn’t understand why. An unfamiliar emotion squeezed her heart and she struggled to name it.

Then it hit her: Shame. Shame and humiliation over what Kurt and Wilhelm had seen her do last night.

But why? What could she possibly be ashamed about? She was meant to be used that way. She was, as Devin said, created for it. So why did the idea of two strangers seeing her have sex with multiple men make her heart heavy? Why did it make her want to avoid their upcoming time together?

She slid down the warm tile and sat on the floor, staring at the drops of water that made their way down the glass, leaving streaks in the steam.

When she’d first moved in with Master Jack, shame had been her constant companion. Shame for being caught daydreaming in school about how Master Jack—back then he was Uncle Jack to her—had made her feel before he’d driven her to school. Shame for enjoying sex with her best friend’s dad after sneaking conversations with her in the bathroom earlier in the day. Shame when one of her former schoolteachers walked into Master Jack’s house and told her—as he did terrible things to her—that he’d always known what a whore she was.

She clenched her teeth and shook her head. Shame was a useless emotion that only made life harder. Accepting her place in the world made life simpler. My purpose in life is to please men sexually.

She was going to the ballet with Kurt. They’d have sex and then he’d bring her back to the Manor and go on with his life. Devin wanted her to please him and report back any conversations she overheard. Did it really matter what he thought about her, aside from whether or not she sexually pleased him?

Anna blew out a long breath. She would do as Devin commanded. At least Kurt seemed kind. But many men who appeared nice were really monsters when alone.

She climbed to her feet and finished her shower, pushing aside the emotions that kept trying to bubble up and complicate things.

Maggie brought her lunch as she was drying off in the bathroom.

She smiled. “I will bring you clothes to wear for when the duke arrives.”

“The duke?”

“Wilhelm Kunzberg Herzog von Hessen. Herzog apparently means ‘duke’ in German. He is coming to pick you up this afternoon, correct?”

Anna stared at Maggie. “I didn’t know he was a duke.”

“That is what Master told me.” She smiled and then left the room.

A duke? Was Kurt a duke, too?

As Anna finished her lunch, Maggie returned and placed a khaki skirt and pink sweater on the bed, along with a pink silk bra and matching underwear.

Anna told her she could dress on her own, but once Maggie left, she struggled for many minutes with the bra clasps. She’d never worn one before, but eventually figured out how it worked. After she finished dressing, she braided her hair and sat down to read while she waited for the duke to arrive.

Devin walked in about an hour later and she followed him through the Manor to the entrance hall, carrying the white sandals Maggie had left with her clothing.

“You did well last night, Anna,” Devin said.

She smiled, thankful for his approval. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Treat them well, Anna. Make them want more of you.”

“Yes, my lord. I will do my best.”

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