Page 27 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“Anna... wait.” Tommy followed her. “I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.”

Anna forced a smile before turning to look at Tommy. “It’s okay. There’s nothing to be sorry for. I... should have realized you’d be in a relationship by now. I’ve been out of it for a while.” She picked up her clothes and started dressing.

Tommy sat on the bed. “Anna, you were the first girl I fell in love with. God, if things were different...” He ran his hands through his scraggly hair.

“If things were different...” She gave a weak smile. “A lot of things would be different.” Her heart ached for Alex so suddenly she gasped and clutch her chest.

“You still miss him?”

“Yes.” She closed her eyes. “So much I can hardly stand it sometimes.”

Tommy stood and hugged Anna, holding her for a long time.

“Your girlfriend’s a lucky girl, Tommy.” She pulled away. “You’re a good guy.”

He looked down at her. “Maybe. Although she’ll never have all of my heart.” Tommy brushed Anna’s cheek with the back of his fingers, then leaned down to kiss her again.

Anna pulled away from him. “I have to go. Devin will be angry.”

Tommy let her go. “Find me if you have any free time.”

Anna nodded, even though she knew she wouldn’t, and followed Tyler to Devin’s hotel suite.

Chapter 15

The Gathering was like the ones she’d been at in the past, but there was one notable change: Devin’s demeanor toward her. He no longer had to put on a façade of kindness. Now, he treated her just like any other Red Girl, passing her around to the cruelest men. The only kind gesture he offered was allowing her to return home with Ian on Sunday night instead of accompanying him to drop off Tommy and Tyler in Massachusetts. Parting from Tommy without more time together was bittersweet, but necessary. He needed to get back to his girlfriend, and she needed to return home for rehearsals.

After she returned from the Gathering, she did her best to distance herself even more from those around her, but they insisted on trying to be nice and friendly. The last thing she needed was someone getting in her way of keeping Devin happy. Especially Aaron.

More than once, Devin mentioned her friend by name and she was terrified to even speak to Aaron after the third time. She found the only way to keep people from being nice to her was to be cold and rude. She snapped at anyone who tried to talk to her. Before the first dress rehearsal in the theater, Isaak pulled her aside and warned her to fix her attitude.

“Or what? You’ll kick me out? Devin won’t allow it.”

Isaak sighed. “Anna, this isn’t you. You’re not an ice queen.”

“How do you know? Maybe this is exactly who I am.” She stalked off and left him staring after her in the hallway.

Devin was waiting for her at her apartment when she got home that evening. He grabbed her around her throat and slammed her up against the wall. “I don’t like having to come down here and talk to you about your attitude.”

She clawed against his grip, gasping for breath as he held her there. Just before she passed out, he released her and she fell to the floor. Her hand instinctively went to her neck, caressing the tender skin Devin had squeezed. She would have bruises in the morning. How would she cover those?

She coughed and hung her head. “You told me you didn’t care what I did, as long as I took care of myself and danced well.”

“Well, your attitude caused Isaak to call me and ask if he could pull you from the company. I told him I would speak to you and that it would no longer be an issue.” He pulled her to her feet by her hair. “So I’m talking to you,” he snarled. “Fix your attitude or we will have another attitude adjustment session.”

Anna burst into tears. In her desperation, she found the courage to speak her mind. “I don’t know what you want from me, Master. I’m trying to keep people away from me so they don’t interfere with my devotion to you. If I’m nice to them, they try to be my friend. I just want to go there and dance and they won’t leave me alone.”

Devin caged her chin and studied her eyes. She could feel him reading her thoughts.

“Fine. I will take care of things. For now, be polite and cold, but not rude. Opening night is this Friday, correct?”

“Yes, Master.” She paused. “Are you going to come?”

“I will be there. Did you get your dress?” He released her chin.

Anna shrunk away and nodded. A few weeks earlier, Ian had taken her shopping to try on the dress Devin had chosen for her. It was red, slinky, strapless, and provocatively low-cut, with a high slit up her right leg.

“If you behave between now and then, I will help you out.” He didn’t need to give the rest of the threat. She would behave. “Now go clean up. I want to fuck you before I leave.”

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