Page 74 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

He was torn between wanting to smuggle her out of Devin’s Manor and back to Germany, and going down and pummeling Devin to death. Except that he couldn’t kill Devin; it was part of the bonding process. If either he or Devin killed one another, they’d kill Anna. Her life depended on both men living in some sort of peaceable arrangement. But taking her to Germany... that idea had merit. Was it even possible? He’d have to ask his father. But Devin had hidden her away for years. Why couldn’t he do the same? Until he found out, though, he’d have to pretend he was content staying in California with her. He would go ahead with the plans he and Vati had made before he’d met her.

But he sure as hell wasn’t going to let Devin continue abusing her. At a minimum, he’d approved of the mistreatment Jack had heaped on her. Jack wouldn’t have acted without Devin’s permission.

Unconsciously, Alex’s left hand curled up into a fist again. Anna winced and pulled away. He took a deep breath and willed his body to relax. “Anna, I will never hit you.” He put his hand on top of hers.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind so much.”

“No, Anna. It’s not okay.” Frustration heated his chest and he raked his fingers through his hair. “Those men betraying your trust like that is not okay. You weren’t raised in the Schloss. You’re not meant—‍” He clamped his lips together. He’d said too much. There was no guarantee she wouldn’t share everything he’d told her already with Devin. He couldn’t show his hand before it was time.

She shrugged. “How else would I be able to help Devin?”

He sighed. Elder-Mistresses were beautiful sexual creatures who willingly helped their Elders. Why did Devin believe he needed to abuse her in order to gain her help? What did he have planned that he needed to beat her down and control her in such a reviling way? Regardless of her true nature, what Devin had done was wrong. He’d taken her without her father’s permission. Without her own permission. “You shouldn’t be Devin’s. You should be your own person with your own life.” His words were quiet, but they reverberated in the heavy silence that filled the room. Images filled his head of a young Anna running across a grassy field, flowing dress behind her, a bright smile on her face, her hair tangled around her cheeks. Of her dancing in a white skirt across a stage, arms reaching out toward her hero. Of her skipping across the garden at his family home, giggling as she?—

“I don’t understand.”

Her beautiful green eyes consumed his heart as the image vanished. Images of what should have been—had he not failed her.

Her quiet voice filled his heart with sorrow. She was so broken, so fragile. “You weren’t born in the Manor. You weren’t raised here. Dirne who are born in the Schloss work there, not little girls born into loving homes.”

“Devin claimed me at birth. He said so.”

“He had no right to do so. I wouldn’t be surprised if—‍” He wouldn’t be surprised if Devin and Jack had some hand in her parent’s deaths, but he stopped himself before he spoke the words aloud. She didn’t need to be burdened with that idea unless it could be confirmed.

“You wouldn’t be surprised if what?”

“Nothing, it’s not important,” he snapped, and instantly regretted it when she curled away from him again.

“I’m sorry,” she whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut.

He sighed, hating how scared she was, though he understood better now. “I shouldn’t have snapped. I’m sorry.” He moved his hand back to her hair and played with it again. “You’ve grown into a beautiful woman, Schatzi.”

Her eyes opened again. “What does... shat-sey mean?”

“Schatzi?” Alex silently cursed at himself. He’d begun calling her that before he knew her name, and it came to him more naturally than Anna did. Now she would know how he felt about her. He hoped it didn’t bother her. “It means ‘little treasure.’”

She twisted her fingers in the sheet. “Why do you call me that?”

“Why shouldn’t I call you that?”

“You don’t seem to like me very much.”

His jaw dropped. She thought he didn’t like her? He could barely contain himself around her. He wanted to take her home with him and make up for all the love she’d missed out on. “Anna, I... that’s not true. I like you a lot.”

Her lips parted and she stared at him, wide-eyed. “You do?”

“Yes.” He smiled and stroked her hair.

She let out a desperate cry. “Master, why won’t you let me please you?”

Grimacing at her calling him Master, he closed his eyes. He didn’t want to be her Master. He wanted to be her friend, and lover, and someday, husband.

She shrunk away from him, and he opened his eyes. “I’m not angry at you, Anna. I’m sorry. I need to control my emotions better.” He stroked her cheek with his knuckles. “I’m angry at the situation, not at you. I don’t like the idea of you being my slave. I don’t like the idea of you being anyone’s slave.” He gave her a wry smile. “But I suppose if being my slave keeps you safe for now, then we’ll figure out a way to make it work until it can be undone.” It would have to be undone. She needed to be free.

She reached for his chest again, but he shook his head. “I don’t want you to please me out of obligation, Anna. I want you to do it because you want to.”

She blinked. “I want to please you because you are my Master.” She smiled hesitantly. “Isn’t that enough?”

“No, Anna. It’s not.”

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