Page 10 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“I would certainly consider your birthday worth celebrating, Liebling. I am very glad you are here.”

Anna pressed her lips together. I’m not. The doors closed and the elevator car whisked them up to the ninth floor.

The doors opened again, and they stepped out and headed down the hallway. “Your friends have been worried about you. We all have. Aaron has kept me posted as best he could, but even he rarely sees you.”

“Aaron?” Anna thought for a moment. “I saw him at the Spring Gathering.” She paused. “Why was he there? He’s not a Brother.” She hadn’t considered that fact when she’d seen him. She was only annoyed that he kept trying to bother her.

“He is. I brought him in six months after you disappeared.”

“Why you? He lives here. Wouldn’t it make more sense for him to be with Devin?”

“His father is German, so I could do it. Devin would not have brought him in.”

“He was hanging out with Tommy.”

“Ah, yes. Tommy Pendleton. A good young man.” Wilhelm smiled.

“You know him?”

“I have gotten to know him. He has been concerned about you as well.”

She knew about Tommy’s concern. Anna suspected he still wanted to be with her, but she would never get involved with another man. Devin wouldn’t approve and it would only end in misery, if she was lucky. More likely, it would end in pain and death. Her pain. His death.

Wilhelm unlocked the door to the hotel room and stepped aside to let her in. She walked into the enormous living room area and froze when she saw Kurt sitting on the couch. He jumped to his feet when he saw her and hurried across the room. “Hello, Anna.”

Confused at the sensations coursing through her chest, she stepped back and studied him intently. He was different. Older. Matured. Gone was his mischievous smile and glinting eyes. He gave her a genuinely affectionate smile that would have made her melt, if she’d been susceptible to such things. Which she wasn’t. He stood tall and confident, with an air not unlike his father’s. And Alex. An aura of authority and respect.

Her mouth opened, but no sound came out.

Kurt stepped forward and gently wrapped her in his arms, holding her close. She stiffened, but she couldn’t bring herself to pull away. His warmth surrounded her and, even as her mind screamed against it, she closed her eyes, slid her hands around his waist, and leaned her head against his chest. He wasn’t Alex; she knew that. But not being Alex was a good thing.

He felt... right, and for the first time in two years, she let down her guard to let him hold and comfort her. Tears came unbidden, and a moment later a great sob escaped. He guided her to the couch and pulled her into his lap, stroking her hair and speaking in soothing tones. She felt like she cried for an hour, and maybe she did. But Kurt held her and let her cry as long as she needed.

When she’d cried herself out, she relaxed against Kurt’s chest. Wilhelm handed her a tissue and she dried her eyes. She sat up and saw that the front of Kurt’s shirt was very wet.

She dabbed at it with the tissue. “I’m sorry I got your shirt wet.”

Kurt chuckled. “It is just a shirt.” He stroked her cheek. “I think you needed to cry.”

She looked into his kind gray eyes and smiled. “I do feel a little better.”

“Gut,” he said softly, his hand still on her cheek. He looked intently into her eyes. “I am glad you came, Engel. I have thought about you often.”

“You have?” His confession surprised her. Perhaps because of the playboy that he’d always been, she’d assumed he’d forgotten about her. Shame filled her heart as she realized she’d forgotten him. She’d forgotten about a lot of things during the last couple of years. Except Alex.

He nodded. “When Vati returned from his visits and told me how you were, it broke my heart. When he told me that you had moved out of the Schloss, I wanted to come with him to see you. Derek and Sofie have had a difficult time with the divorce, and I have been hesitant to leave them. But they are doing much better now.”

“Are you—I mean, is the divorce final?”

Kurt nodded. “It was finalized a few months ago. Gretchen is receiving plenty of financial support so she and Otto are well taken care of.”

Anna cringed at the sound of Alex’s son’s name. It wasn’t the boy’s fault, but it was still an unpleasant thought.

“I am sorry. I did not mean to bring up unhappy memories.”

Anna shrugged. “I don’t have many good memories.”

Kurt frowned. “I do not believe that is true. I remember how happy you were with my brother.”

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