Page 287 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Travis stood next to Anna with his hand on her hip, stroking the skin above her pants and making her heart pound. “Travis... your hand is... very enticing.”

He rubbed his thumb in a circle. “You like it?” he murmured near her ear.

Anna shivered and nodded. The pain disappeared at his touch.

The music for the finale started and they moved into their position, waiting for their cue. They did their short dance and were applauded loudly. Clara was sent back to home. They glided off stage with the other soloists to wait for their turn for bows. When they walked back onto the stage, the applause rose to almost deafening levels. The audience jumped to their feet, their cheers reverberating throughout the entire theater.

Anna gaped at Travis, who grinned at her. She curtsied again, and then they moved back into their line and waited with smiles on their face for the rest of the dancers to take their bows.

The curtain closed and the stage erupted into excited chatter. Aaron walked up to Anna and Travis with a grin. “I don’t think the Arabian dance has ever garnered so much attention before.” Aaron hugged Anna. “It was spectacular.”

Isaak walked up. “Excellent job, you two.”

“Thanks, Isaak,” Anna said. She asked him about tickets for Ben’s family.

“Absolutely. Just let me know what night.”

She nodded and then flinched at the return of the pain. Tears filled her eyes and her face scrunched up as she tried not to cry.

“C’mon,” Travis said. “I’ll take her back to her dressing room.”

Anna managed to keep herself under control until she stepped into her dressing room, and then she collapsed into a heap on the floor and sobbed. Travis sat behind and rocked her while she cried.

Jenna knocked on the door a few minutes later and walked inside. “Oh, Anna.” She grabbed Anna’s hand and squeezed.

Being held and hugged by her two friends comforted Anna, and her tears eventually subsided. Jenna handed her a tissue and she dabbed at her eyes. “Thank you.”

A faint ringing sounded from her bag, and she recognized Devin’s ringtone. Fear flashed through her body and she pulled the phone out and stabbed at the answer button, but caught herself before snapping something unwise at him. “Yes, Devin?”

“I hear you did an excellent job tonight,” he said. “That it was quite mesmerizing.”

She jutted out her jaw as anger overwhelmed her better senses. “Are you going to punish me for it?”

He didn’t answer right away. “Do you want to rephrase that?” His voice was low and threatening.

Anna clenched her jaw as anger and fear battled inside her body. She wanted to tear him apart and cower at his feet and beg for mercy. Neither side won. She blew out a breath, her body cooling. A little. “Who told you?”

“I know everything you do. I hope Travis doesn’t become another distraction.”

An icy chill shot through her veins. Did Devin know what they’d done after they’d finished dancing? “Please don’t hurt him.”

Devin chuckled. “Is he becoming one already?”

She swallowed and lowered her voice. “He’s just a friend. Please don’t?—‍”

“I won’t. As long as you behave properly.”

Anna slumped against the couch. “What do you want me to do?”

“I want you to do as you always have: obey me and be happy about it.”

“How can you expect me to be happy about what you did? You—‍” She glanced at Jenna and Travis, who watched her with wide surprised eyes. She couldn’t say the truth about Ben’s death aloud. Her friends knew already, but Devin didn’t know they knew. “You... wounded me.”

“You wounded yourself,” he spat. “Don’t blame me for your distraction. I only removed him for you.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. “Please don’t—please don’t do anything.”

Devin laughed cruelly. “Don’t you see how dangerous it is to have friends? You should have stayed in the Manor.”

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