Page 79 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

“No.”

Alex frowned but didn’t press him.

Peter tilted his head. “If you ever got free, I hope you know that Anna would accept you back into her life in a heartbeat.”

“Ever got free?” Alex snorted. “Not as long as your grandfather is alive.”

“He is an old man, Alex. Old men die.”

Chapter 44

Before Anna knew it, Summer was almost gone. August arrived and she flew to Washington, D.C. with Devin and Tyler for the Summer Gathering. She had asked, humbly, if Devin would allow her to skip it this year because Giselle opened so close to her return and was rewarded with an entire Saturday of nerve juice.

“Whatever happens, I will have Kaveh heal you so you can dance properly next week,” Devin said as he stood over where she lay, nearly unconscious, on the floor of her room at the Manor. “I won’t let you embarrass me.”

When they arrived at the hotel in D.C. Thursday morning, Tom and Tommy were waiting in the lobby. Tommy greeted Tyler stiffly. Their relationship had been strained for several years.

Tommy hurried over to her as soon as he saw her and pulled her into his arms. She gazed up at him in awe. He had matured into one of the most handsome men she’d ever met. She cupped his cheek and gazed into his kind eyes. He reminded her so much of Alex.

Pain clenched her heart as she accepted that this was her life now. A few fleeting moments of happiness with Tommy twice a year, a relationship with Peter that would end sooner than later, and the rest of her life spent with Devin as his slave.

The Elders met that evening to discuss the events of the weekend and issues in the country. They spoke a lot about the upcoming election, but Devin assured them that the president would be reelected.

Devin brought girls for the Elders to use that evening, so he told Anna she could spend time with Tommy. She hurried down the hallway to Tommy’s room, fearful Devin would change his mind before she got there. Tommy wasn’t sharing a room with Tyler anymore. Instead, he was staying with his father.

“Anna!” He grinned when he saw her standing at his door. “What are you doing here?”

“Devin said I could stay with you. They have... other girls for the evening.”

Tommy pulled her inside and kissed her soundly. She ran her hands down his sculpted arms as she kissed him back, then up to his shoulders and down his muscular chest. A thrill shot through her body as he held her close.

“These last weeks have gone by so slowly,” he murmured. “I couldn’t wait to see you.”

Anna smiled shyly as he took her hand and led her to his bedroom. “How’s married life?”

He grinned. “I like it.”

“Kim seems very nice.” A twinge of jealousy ran through her body.

“She is.” He turned to look at her. “She’s not you, but she’s a good wife.” He caressed her cheek. “I wish...” He sighed. “I wish I could have married you and taken you away from Devin.”

Anna’s eyes filled with tears and she nodded, but didn’t dare try to speak.

He opened his mouth as if he were going to say something else, but closed it and shook his head. He leaned forward to kiss her again and led her to the bed.

“At least we have tonight,” she said softly.

Chapter 45

The Monday morning after Anna returned from the Summer Gathering marked the beginning of dress rehearsal week leading up to the opening night of Giselle on Thursday. Peter had been surprised she’d come home uninjured, but Devin had kept his promise to have Kaveh heal her before she returned. She wouldn’t have been able to travel otherwise. At the Gathering, Devin had allowed the men to do as they pleased with her, and she still didn’t heal as quickly as she used to.

Thursday night, she paced en pointe backstage as she waited for her cue. She couldn’t concentrate on anything for more than a few minutes, and she worried her lack of focus would come across in her dancing. But when she stepped onto the stage, she forgot everything except the dance. She didn’t even think about the steps. She was just... Giselle. Happily dancing around the stage in love and then tragically dying because of Duke Albrecht’s betrayal.

In the second act, she was ethereal, gliding across the stage amid the fog, gracefully dancing with Duke Albrecht until the break of dawn to save his life. As she retreated into the wings and the curtain descended, an explosion of applause erupted from the audience, so thunderous it was deafening. Isaak beamed proudly, while Peter scooped her up and spun her around in dizzying circles. Stepping out for their bows, the audience sprang to their feet and Anna’s heart swelled nearly to bursting with overwhelming joy.

And in that amazing moment, a wave of loneliness hit her hard, drowning out the shouts and applause from the audience. She curtsied low in the blinding stage lights, clutching the roses Peter had handed her to her chest, but she heard nothing but her own heart pounding in her ears.

She could almost see Alex standing in the front row, the biggest smile on his face, clapping harder and shouting louder than anyone in the theater. But no. Alex wasn’t here to see her dance. He was the reason she had made it, and he would never know.

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