Page 6 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Her knees collapsed, but he caught her before she fell, gently guiding her to the ground. He sat on the grass and pulled her into his lap. Her breaths came in short gasps. What was he doing to her?

Her mind screamed, scolding her free-falling emotions, but her body refused to listen. Master Jack and Master Devin hated crying women—they’d said so many times. Unless they were the ones making her cry. But nothing would stop the torrential storm raging through her body.

Stop crying, Anna! He hates it when you cry. Stop before things get worse!

But Master Devin didn’t shove her off his lap or strike her. He held her tightly, rocking her back and forth while stroking her hair and whispering to her. “Shh, Baby. It’s okay. It’s alright. Shh, Baby, I’ve got you. You’re okay.”

She sobbed for what felt like an eternity, but Master Devin’s soothing tones and gentle touch gradually eased the ache in her soul, until the tears subsided. She sucked in a deep breath and blew it out with a shudder.

Did she dare move? Master Devin held her hard against his chest, her cheek pressed against his soft—and now soaking—dress shirt. She tried to pull away, to assume the appropriate submissive pose and accept her punishment, but he tightened his arms around her. Her heart pounded, terrified of what he would do to her once he let her go.

Silence descended upon the courtyard, broken moments later by the joyful melody of a songbird perched in the hedges. After a few more minutes, Master Devin kissed the top of her head, and then stood, pulling up Anna to her feet with him.

She hung her head. Now I will be punished.

Master Devin took her hand and led her back inside. Her shoulders slumped, accepting that she would never again see the beautiful room. He would take her to the dungeon and she’d never again feel the sunlight on her skin.

But he didn’t lead her to the door. Anna bit her lip as he led her to the oversized chair next to the window. Taking a seat on the ottoman, he gestured for her to sit opposite him in the chair. Anna obeyed, clasping her hands in her lap. She bent her head and stared at them, trying to appear as submissive as possible. Perhaps he will lessen my punishment if I show myself contrite.

“Anna, look at me.” His voice was gentle.

She lifted her gaze, fearful of what she would see, but his eyes were soft and filled with tenderness.

“When we’re in here alone, you don’t have to sit on your knees or avert your eyes.” He smiled. “I like looking into your pretty green eyes.”

Adrenaline pulsed through Anna’s body. What was going on? Why was he being nice?

“When we’re alone in here—in your room—I want you to be comfortable with me, and not think of me as your Master.”

She kept her face schooled in a neutral expression, but her mind raced. He wanted her to do what? Not think of him as her Master? That’s not possible. He is my Master.

“Let’s go over the rules for my Manor, and then you can ask me any questions you have, okay?” He paused, his eyes filled with amusement.

“Yes, Master.” She answered automatically and lowered her gaze back to her lap.

“First of all, you no longer need to call me Master, unless I specifically tell you to.”

Her brows twitched the tiniest amount.

“In the Manor, you will call me ‘my lord,’ as you have learned to do with the men who visited you at Jack’s place. In here—in your room—you may call me Devin.” He chuckled. “I think you’re too old to call me ‘Uncle Devin’, don’t you?”

Thinking his question was rhetorical, Anna didn’t respond. However, when he remained silent, she subtly lifted her head to look at him.

He smiled. “Don’t you think?” he repeated.

“I—Y-yes, Ma—Devin.”

Master Devin frowned. “Don’t lie to pacify me, Anna.”

She shrunk away and dropped her gaze back to her hands again, a chill running through her body. “I’m sorry, Mast—Devin. I don’t know if I’m too old to call you Uncle Devin.”

“I think the general population would frown upon my mistress calling me ‘Uncle.’”

“Mistress?”

“Yes. You are now my mistress. You’re still technically a slave, but to the general populace of San Francisco, you will be known as my mistress.”

She furrowed her brows but didn’t look up. Why would Master Devin need a mistress? He was happily married to a beautiful wife with three wonderful children.

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