Page 304 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Alex turned sharply to look at her, not quite sure he’d heard her correctly. She gave him a seductive smile and slid her hand onto his thigh under the table. He frowned and removed her hand. The touch of a woman was something he’d severely missed the last few years, but he had no intention of jeopardizing his relationship with Anna for a fling. Especially with one of her fellow dancers.

Jasmine was a pretty woman, with smooth olive skin and long, dark hair. Her dark eyes would be more alluring if they didn’t hold a hint of desperate seduction. Such a sharp contrast to Anna’s warm, sincerely bright eyes.

“Thank you, Jasmine, but I am content to wait.”

She tilted her head and looked at him closely. “Do you know Katrina’s fiancé, Kurt?”

Alex cocked his brow. Did she? And if she did, Kurt had a lot of explaining to do. “Why do you ask?”

She smiled. “You kinda look like him.”

“Is that a good thing?” He wasn’t sure if it was wise to admit Kurt was his brother.

“It’s certainly not a bad thing.”

“Do you know him?”

Jasmine glanced toward Anna and nodded. “Katrina doesn’t treat him very well, so he visits me when he comes out.”

Alex clenched his jaw and sucked in a sharp breath to keep from lashing out. Oh, he and Kurt would have words tomorrow. “Why do you say she doesn’t treat him well?”

Jasmine rolled her eyes. “She’s not even wearing her engagement ring anymore. Maybe she thinks you’re better than Kurt. You might want to be careful around her. She, like, lures men in and then ignores them. Kurt doesn’t even bother visiting anymore.”

Kurt didn’t visit Anna because every time he did, she ended up getting more hurt.

“She’s cheating on him, too,” Jasmine said in a conspiratorial whisper. “I’ve heard her talking about Kurt setting up elaborate evenings out, but when I called Kurt, he told me he didn’t know anything about them. I don’t know who’s doing it, but it’s not Kurt.”

“How do you know it’s not Kurt who’s treating Katrina poorly?”

Jasmine huffed. “I know Kurt loves her, but she’s hurt him really bad.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed. “And you open your bed for him when he’s in love with a fellow dancer? Don’t you think it might be better if you encouraged him to work on the relationship, rather than cheating on her?”

“He said he has to marry her. He has to. I just... comfort him.”

Alex frowned. “If you’re so interested in Kurt, why are you coming on to me?”

She smiled and shrugged. “He’s not here very often.”

Alex schooled his face to keep from sneering at her. Being rude wouldn’t help anything. Jasmine was clearly no friend of Anna’s, but they still danced together. “Thank you for your offer, Jasmine, but I’m perfectly content to wait and work things out with my wife.”

Jasmine put her hand on his again. “Well, if you change your mind...” She flashed another flirtatious smile. “Let me know.”

Alex heard a whimper and then a crash, and turned to see Anna hurrying away from the table.

“Shit!” Alex shoved his chair back and ran after her.

Chapter 151

Aaron had watched the interaction between Alex and Jasmine with narrowed eyes. Did Alex know what Kurt had done with that woman? Anna wasn’t paying any attention and didn’t see Jasmine’s arm move in such a way that Aaron was pretty sure she was stroking Alex’s leg. Alex removed it quickly and shook his head. Aaron was glad, otherwise, he would have gone over and punched Alex in the face.

But when he kept talking to her, it began to bug him. Alex was a smart guy, but he’d been out of the game for a long time and Jasmine was manipulative. Anna finally noticed them talking, and when Jasmine grabbed Alex’s hand, she gave a soft, strangled cry and pushed away from the table so hard her chair fell backward.

Alex had not flirted at all, but Anna didn’t know that. All she saw was Jasmine touching him.

Alex cursed and went after her, leaving a bewildered Jasmine behind.

She caught Aaron’s eye and raised her brows. “She’s manipulated him already?”

---