Page 63 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Devin only needed her to attend a formal New Year’s Eve party. Tyler and several of the Deacons were there as well, including Jayce and Trenton. When she wasn’t busy captivating the men Devin asked her to, she spent the evening by his side.

He praised her as they danced together at midnight, remarking how much more useful she was to him when she was in a stable relationship. Words that once would have eased her fear and given her hope. But even as he spun her around and kissed her bare shoulder, telling her how her behavior that evening pleased him “despite Peter being gone,” she felt the implicit threat.

She somehow managed to hold it together when he mused aloud about moving her into his house once Peter had to go home.

Anna stared at his chest. Live with Devin? In his house? In his bed every night? She blinked very slowly before looking up into his face with what she hoped was believable acceptance, all the while praying Vitaly would never die.

Friday morning, Anna drove to the airport to pick up Peter. She saw him picking out his luggage from the carousel and ran to hug him. “Peter!” He hugged her tightly and kissed her temple. She handed him the keys to his car and they walked to the parking garage. “Did you have a good trip?”

“I did. How was your week?”

“Good. Not very interesting, but that’s okay.” She smiled up at him. He looked preoccupied. “Are you okay?”

Peter nodded. “Tired. It’s a long flight.”

He wasn’t very talkative as he drove back to the apartment, though he did say that he appreciated the warmer weather here. Anna wanted to ask about Dariya, but hesitated. He wasn’t very forthcoming with information about her in general, and now that he was home from seeing her, seemed even less inclined to talk about her.

Anna studied his face as he drove along the freeway. “You’re growing your goatee out again?” He had shaved it off for Nutcracker. It was very thick already.

Peter shrugged. “Dariya likes it.”

“Oh.”

Anna looked down and noticed a ring on his right ring finger he hadn’t had before. Three colored gold bands were put together as one ring. Anna stared at it for a moment. “Did Dariya give that to you as a Christmas present?” Her stomach churned with the premonition that it wasn’t just a Christmas present.

Peter tightened his hand on the steering wheel. “Something like that.”

Something like that? What did that mean? Unless... “Peter, did you get married?”

His knuckles turned white. “Why do you have to be so observant, Anna?”

Anna took that as a yes and her heart plummeted into her stomach. She turned to look out the window and rubbed the back of her hand, determined to keep silent the rest of the way home. She didn’t want to upset him any further.

She harshly scolded herself for letting it bother her. It wasn’t like Peter was ever going to marry her. Sooner or later, he would go back to Russia and get married. He just did the marriage thing sooner than expected. It wouldn’t make any difference in how they related to one another. After all, their relationship wasn’t real.

Neither of them spoke for the remainder of the drive. Anna was proud of herself for not crying. After all, what good would it do? It’s not as if it should have been a surprise... really.

Peter parked the car in their stall and they walked to their apartment together in silence. He reached for her hand and held it while they walked, but didn’t speak. When they got to the apartment door, he unlocked it and they both went inside. Anna sat on the couch in the living room while Peter unpacked in the bedroom.

Anna didn’t know what to do. What would happen now? Why hadn’t he told her he was going to get married? Should she move out? No, Devin probably wouldn’t like it.

She sighed and stared out the window. Why did she need to be loved so much? Why couldn’t she be like the other Elder-Mistresses and not care about silly things like love and affection?

Anna felt Peter watching her from the doorway. She forced a smile and turned back to him. “Hi.”

“Can we talk?”

“Of course.”

Peter walked across the room and sat next to her. He played with his ring in silence for several minutes. “She accused me of falling in love with you.” He paused. “And she didn’t believe that I would come back and marry her.”

Anna furrowed her brows. “Why would she think that? All this is just to keep me... sane.” She waved her hand in the air, motioning around the room.

“Because I did fall in love with you.”

The words fell heavy into her heart and she stared at him, her mouth gaping open. “You... you can’t. Dariya?—‍”

“I couldn’t help it. I tried not to, but the more I got to know you...” He sighed. “You’re a difficult woman to not love.”

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