Chapter 147

Alex smoothed his maroon dress shirt and khaki dress slacks as he walked into the theater Monday morning. He was going to watch the ballet rehearsals again, but not in the dark balcony. No, today he was sitting in the lower orchestra section with Vincent. He would be seen.

Seth chuckled behind him. “Nervous?” his friend murmured.

“Do you blame me?” Alex asked. “You would be too.” He’d told Aaron he was coming, but he still hadn’t talked to Anna. Wilhelm had called and told him that Anna had taken his call and that she seemed to have softened.

Alex sensed Anna as he walked down the aisle, but didn’t see her at first. His eyes searched the dancers on the stage, and he finally spotted her talking to the tall, dark-skinned man he knew to be Hugo. She gave Hugo an adoring smile and Alex felt like he’d been punched in the stomach. Maybe watching rehearsal wasn’t such a good idea. But he was already here and he couldn’t leave. In fact, he planned on being there a lot. She would get used to him being alive one way or another, though he would respect her wishes on revealing whether or not he was her husband.

Alex, Seth, Greg, and Tony made their way down the aisle toward the front row. He knew when he became visible to those on stage because whispers erupted from all corners. The women squinted in the lights and giggled. He sighed. Maintaining his distance from other women was crucial, or Anna would never trust him. But at the same time, he wasn’t supposed to know Anna. What had he gotten himself into?

Vincent noticed the whispers and grinned as he turned to greet Alex. “I should have realized the whispers could only be about you.” Vincent didn’t seem to remember him from Anna’s Summer Intensives performance years ago. He only knew that he had some sort of familial relationship with Kurt.

Alex chuckled. “Sorry.”

“Don’t be. They dance exceptionally well when you are here. Do you mind if I introduce you? If I don’t, they won’t pay attention to anything I say all morning.”

Alex nodded, glancing to where Anna stood, still talking to Hugo. She apparently hadn’t noticed the whispers. Hugo caressed her cheek and Alex growled.

Seth elbowed Alex in the ribs.

Alex sighed. “I know,” he muttered.

Vincent led them up onto the stage, clapping his hands to get the dancers’ attention. Anna turned to look at Vincent, and her eyes widened as she made eye contact with Alex. His heart pounded as he gazed into her beautiful green eyes for just a moment before dragging them away. Was this really such a good idea? Could he keep himself from walking over to her and kissing her until she couldn’t stand straight?

Anna had debated all night whether or not she should tell Hugo what was going on. She’d almost called him after she finished her call with Wilhelm, but decided against it. Knowing that she was allowed to be with him thrilled her, but should she really jump back into bed with him, not knowing how she felt about Alex?

As she walked into the theater that morning, determination filled her heart. She could go to Hugo. She could go to him and kiss him and go out with him and anything else she wanted to do. Her heart both swelled and ached as she watched him speaking with Vincent from the shadows of the wings. Maybe she could finally admit that she loved him.

But what about Alex? His presence loomed in her heart, right next to her affection for Hugo. Could she ever not love Alex? Maybe. But did she want to? Not at the moment.

Taking a deep breath, Anna walked out on stage as casually as she could. She and Hugo had barely spoken since the night they’d made love, and only when they had to. It hurt to gaze into his eyes.

Hugo glanced up as she walked to him and raised his brows. He said something to Vincent, and the other man walked away.

Her feelings must have been showing on her face, because he tilted his head as she stopped in front of him. “Katrina?” Hugo’s large body blocked out the stage lights behind him. “Are you okay?”

“Why do you ask?”

“You look... troubled. Did something happen over the weekend?”

She gazed up into his topaz eyes, trying to contain her emotions. “I...” She was so torn, so conflicted.

“Kittycat . . .” he murmured. “What’s wrong?”

“Wilhelm lifted his ban on us being together,” she blurted out.

Hugo blinked several times, looking at her as if he wasn’t quite sure he’d heard correctly.

She held up her empty left hand. “I’m not engaged anymore.” Just married. But only if she wanted to be.

His eyes widened. “You mean . . . we can . . .”

She gave him a shy smile and nodded, pushing thoughts of Alex out of her mind. She didn’t want to be thinking about Alex right now. Who knew the next time she would even see him?

“Why are you not engaged anymore?” he asked softly.

“Wilhelm decided not to force me into something I didn’t want to do.”

“I’m glad he changed his mind.”

Anna heard people beginning to whisper around them and hoped she and Hugo weren’t being too obvious. She continued to gaze up at Hugo. Oh, how wonderful to be able to look at him without fearing disobedience to Wilhelm!

He reached out and caressed her cheek. “Have dinner with me tonight.”

She leaned into his caress. “Okay.”

His gaze intensified, and she thought he might lean down and kiss her, but Vincent clapped his hands and the moment was broken. She glanced over to see Vincent walking onto the stage with several men behind him. Tall men. Men that?—

“Oh, no!”

Alex had shaved off his beard and cut his hair, making him look exactly like the handsome man she’d fallen in love with so many years ago. He wasn’t as broad as he’d been, but obviously was still very muscular, as she’d felt on Saturday night. The corners of his eyes crinkled when he smiled, but a sadness loomed around him. He was older now, in his mid-thirties, and his long imprisonment had taken its toll on his spirit.

But when his gaze locked onto her, all the old feelings rushed forth. Was he really here? Alive?

He turned away from her and said something to Vincent next to him. She stared as he followed Vincent to the center of the stage.

Anna realized all the female dancers were staring at him, star struck. Is this why he’d come? So he could attract the attention of the other dancers since she was avoiding him?

Aaron walked on stage at that moment and stopped short when he saw Alex. They made eye contact, and Alex gave a small shake of his head.

“Everyone!” Vincent clapped his hands again.

The whispers stopped, and everyone was free to gape at her husband as if he were a piece of meat. A very handsome piece of meat. Anna was having a hard time keeping her heart beating at a normal pace.

Alex smiled and she, along with every other woman on stage, melted. Hugo stiffened beside her, and Anna closed her eyes. This was not good. Not good at all.

“Everyone,” Vincent repeated. “I’d like to introduce you to Alex Kunzberg. A new and—?” Vincent smiled. “... very generous donor. I believe you all gave him the name Euroman?”

The stage instantly filled with the sound of a hundred people whispering and giggling to each other. Alex smiled politely, but didn’t give flirtatious smiles to any of the women. He simply nodded his head in greeting.

Stef walked over to Anna and grabbed her hand. “Omigosh! He is so hot!” She giggled and then glanced at Anna. “Doesn’t he look a little like Kurt?”

Anna shrugged and glanced up to see Hugo pressing his lips together.

“So, he will be watching rehearsal today and spending time around the theater. Please be polite.” Vincent nodded. “And let’s begin our warm-up.”

Hugo turned on his heel and walked off the stage. Anna hurried after him.

“Hugo? Hugo, what’s wrong?”

He stopped in the wings and turned around, hurt in his eyes. “I never thought you could be so shallow, Katrina,” he said in a harsh whisper.

“What?”

“I saw how you reacted to... him... when he walked up. I thought you were different from the other women.”

It took Anna a moment to understand why he was so upset. She’d tried to mask her reaction to Alex’s appearance, but had apparently failed to do so. And now she’d hurt Hugo. Before she realized it, Hugo had spun around and walked away. “Hugo!” She ran after him into the dressing room area. “Hugo, wait. Please?”

He stopped, hands on his hips, but didn’t turn around. “That hurts, Katrina.”

Anna put her hand on his arm and walked around in front of him. “Hugo, please... I can explain...” But did she want to? No, but Hugo deserved the truth. “Hugo... I—?” She took a deep breath. “That is Alex. My Alex. My... husband, who was dead—or so we were told.”

Hugo frowned and stared at her. “You expect me to believe that’s your dead husband out there? Why the hell didn’t you tell me?”

“I just found out on Saturday. Wilhelm called yesterday, telling me that I was free to do as I wanted.” She told him about Mr. J and how she discovered it was really Alex, and her conversations with Aaron and Wilhelm. By the time she was done, she was in tears. “I don’t know what to do, Hugo. I love you. I want to be with you. But... Alex... I don’t know what to do about him.” She looked up into his eyes. “Please believe me.”

He was still frowning, but let out a sigh. “I don’t think anyone could make up a story like that.” He closed his eyes and pulled her to him, stroking her hair. “I don’t want to keep you from him, Kittycat.”

“I don’t know what I want. I’m so confused.”

“It doesn’t feel right, going out with another man’s wife.”

“But I don’t have to be... that... if I don’t want to be.” She looked up and caressed his cheek.

“You said you . . . loved me?”

Anna inhaled sharply. Had she really said it out loud? “I do,” she whispered.

He gazed down at her for a long moment before bending his head and gently kissing her. “I love you, too.”