Page 351 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 1

Devin sat casually in a white armchair in the entryway while he waited for the newlyweds to receive him.

Newlyweds. Devin grimaced. Fucking Alex. A surge of anger rushed through his body. The past week and a half had been challenging, and he had lost his temper multiple times. Five girls at the Manor had lost their lives as a result, but he didn’t care much as he had a ready supply of replacements.

Determined to find a solution to eliminate the Fucking German and regain control over Anna, he’d spent every free moment available searching for a way to get rid of Alex. Damn fucking Alex. He’d worked too hard for too long to let Anna go without a fight.

Light, fast footsteps caught his attention, and he saw Anna dart across the back of the room and into another room. Her hand was over her mouth and Devin wondered if she was ill. Had she figured out—or more likely, had Alex figured out—that she was pregnant? Otherwise, they would be thinking she had caught a very nasty flu bug.

Alex strode into the entryway, glancing toward where Anna had disappeared, a concerned look on his face. He stopped and turned to Devin, his eyes hardening. “Devin.”

Devin stood. “Alex.”

Alex raised his eyebrows and lifted his chin. “What brings you to our home?”

Devin gritted his teeth at the bastard’s use of “our home.” “I wanted to be sure that Anna got home safely.”

“She is very safe.” He smiled. “She’ll join us in a few minutes. Won’t you come in?” He turned and walked back through the archway he’d just come through.

Devin trailed behind Alex into a lavishly decorated living room featuring a marble fireplace at one end. Alex gestured toward a white linen chair and then took a seat on the matching sofa on the other side of a wooden coffee table. He casually leaned back, crossing one ankle over the other knee and draping his arm along the back of the sofa.

He’s trying to tell me he’s not intimidated by me. Devin sat, arms resting lightly on the arms of the chair.

The woman who had answered the door walked into the room. “Herzog, would you like something to drink?”

Alex glanced at Devin. “Would you like something?”

“Scotch on the rocks?”

Alex nodded and looked at the woman. “Bring Anna some clear soda and I’ll have a brandy.”

The woman curtsied and left the room.

“I take it you heard the news?” Alex smiled, amusement evident in his eyes.

Devin swallowed his irritation and forced a smile. “Yes, I did. Congratulations.”

“Thank you. I am very happy. I believe Anna is as well.”

“She is quite the catch. I didn’t know you felt so strongly about her. Marriage is... quite the commitment.”

“It is. I’ve been in love with her since the first time I saw her here. Of course, I’ve thought about her often throughout the years.”

Devin kept his face impassive, though he felt his jaw twitch. “Over the years?”

The woman returned with a tray of drinks. She handed Devin a short, round glass with ice and an amber liquid inside it. He took a sip and sighed at the smooth burn sliding down his throat. Alex certainly knew his liquors.

Alex took a sip of his brandy and held the glass loosely in his right hand. “Oh, yes. I first saw her when she was... oh, sixteen, I believe? I’m sure you know about that.”

Devin’s jaw clenched. “I didn’t realize you had seen her.”

“It was quite startling, seeing a teenage girl appear in my bedroom. She has a way of sticking in a man’s mind.”

“Yes, she does.” Devin took another sip of scotch to mask his irritation. “So tell me, is that why you wanted Anna to visit you? So you could manipulate her into marrying you?”

“Not manipulation. Honesty. We connected before I left, although I hurt her terribly by remaining distant afterward. But yes, it was my intention the whole time to bring her to Germany and marry her.”

Devin studied the younger man’s face. He was different. Confident against Devin’s position, even as an Elder-Son. This was bad. This was very bad. Alex had Anna’s heart and he knew it.

He felt Anna before he saw her. He turned and saw the beautiful girl he knew, but she had also changed. A smile played at her lips as she paused across the room. She gave Devin a warm smile. “Hello, Devin.”

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