Chapter 150

“Hey, Anna, you want to come out to dinner with us?” Aaron stood in her bedroom doorway.

Anna sighed, assuming the “us” included Alex. She didn’t want to see him. He made her feel things she didn’t want to feel. Every relationship she’d ever been in had ended in heartbreak. Why would she want to go through that again? Yes, she’d been about ready to try to start things with Hugo, but... Hugo was different. He had nothing to do with The Brotherhood, and Devin didn’t know he existed. “Not really.”

“He’ll leave you alone, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”

Anna’s stomach growled and she clutched her stomach with her arms.

“We’re going to Rinaldi’s,” he added in a sing-song voice.

Anna huffed. Leave it to Aaron to pick her favorite restaurant.

“You have to come. There are too many guys, and I can’t handle them on my own.”

At that, Anna laughed and rolled her eyes. “Okay, fine. But only for you. And because of where we’re going.”

Anna dressed quickly, fixed her hair and makeup, then went out to the living room and was relieved to find only Cameron there, standing in the kitchen with Aaron.

Cameron’s blue eyes sparkled as he walked over to her. “I can’t believe I get to meet Mr. J tonight!”

Anna couldn’t keep herself from smiling at his enthusiasm.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “If you start flirting, I’ll be jealous.”

Cameron grinned and kissed Aaron full on the mouth. “Only as I would flirt with any celebrity.”

“Not encouraging.” He kissed Cameron back as though trying to brand him, and Anna envied their easy relationship.

They took a taxi to the small Italian restaurant across town. After they walked inside, a waiter led them to a large round table in the back where Stef, Jamie, and several other dancers, including Hugo, sat with Alex and his men.

Anna was not happy to see Jasmine had joined them. She was sitting next to, and blatantly flirting with, Alex. The woman had been behaving herself lately, and had even apologized to Anna for the Devin incident. Anna had a feeling it had more to do with fear of losing her position with the company than any remorse on her part, but the other dancers had slowly been allowing her back into the social circle.

After greeting everyone, Anna took a seat between Stef and Aaron. Alex had given her an affectionate smile that made her heart flutter, but she’d quickly pushed the feelings aside.

Aaron introduced Cameron to Alex, and Cameron greeted him wide-eyed and breathless. Aaron looked a little grumpy after that. Alex greeted Cameron with an amused but genuine smile.

“I can’t believe Jasmine!” Stef whispered behind the menu.

Anna glanced over at Alex, who was smiling politely and nodding, but there was no hint of flirting in his face. “She doesn’t know who he is.”

“She flirts with anything with a dick. Aaron, did you warn Alex about her?”

Aaron shook his head. “No, but Alex is a smart guy.”

“Does he know what she did with Kurt?” Stef asked Anna.

Anna shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve barely spoken to him.”

“Why?”

“It’s . . . uncomfortable.”

“It’s uncomfortable looking into those beautiful eyes and that gorgeous face?” Stef grinned.

Anna shrugged, knowing Stef wasn’t trying to be unkind. “Well, kinda. I’m not used to him being alive. It’s something I never imagined, and I’m not sure what to do with it.”

“Take him home and jump his bones. That’s what I’d do.”

“It’s complicated.” Alex was not only her husband, he was also her Master. He could make her do anything he wanted.

Anna watched him throughout dinner as he interacted with her friends. He was polite and friendly with the women, but didn’t flirt back when they flirted. With the guys, he was more relaxed, telling jokes and laughing a great deal. His lips were as perfect as ever, and she remembered the feel of them against her own mouth and body. His hands were large and powerful as he waved them in the air while he talked, and she remembered how those hands had made her feel.

Even after being imprisoned for all that time, he was still an easygoing, charming man who knew how to interact with people in such an admirably easy way, it awed her. He listened to each person carefully, asking questions and clearly making them feel as if he sincerely cared about what they were saying.

Alex glanced at Anna frequently, giving her gentle smiles that made her heart jump in her chest. He asked her questions along with the other dancers, but didn’t single her out. Anna wasn’t sure how she felt about that. She had a feeling he was trying to be unobtrusive, but part of her was indignant that he treated her like all the others.

“That’s a pretty ring,” Jasmine said as the dinner plates were being cleared. She grabbed his right hand and stroked his ring finger. Anna narrowed her eyes.

“ Danke . It’s my . . . wedding ring.”

“Wedding ring?” Jasmine exclaimed, and then gave a strained smile. “Your wife’s a lucky woman. Where is she?”

“We are—?” Alex glanced at Anna. “We have been separated for a long time and are trying to see where our relationship is at the moment.” He untangled his hand from Jasmine’s and twisted the ring on his finger. “I am hoping we can work things out.”

“Why did she leave you?”

“ Nein , it is I who left her.” He blinked several times. “I... made a mistake in leaving. I should not have left and have regretted it every day since.”

Anna stared at him, heart aching. He thought he’d made a mistake in leaving?

“She doesn’t want you back? Is she crazy?”

He looked at his ring. “She’s been through a lot and is a different person than she was when we were together.” He paused. “She may have decided she’s better off without me.” He winced and the pain in his eyes stabbed directly into Anna’s heart.

“Do you still love her?” Stef asked.

Anna elbowed her in the ribs.

“ Ja , I do,” he said, voice cracking. “More than anything in the world.”

The table grew quiet. Anna stared at her hands as she twisted them in her lap. If Aaron, or even Stef, had brought the original subject up, she would have thought it had been planned. But Jasmine wouldn’t do something like that. She just wanted to know how available he was.

Anna closed her eyes and concentrated. It had been a very long time since she’d read a man. She hadn’t needed to when she was under Devin’s control, and before that, she’d lost her ability when he’d drained her every night. But her long separation from Devin had allowed her powers to return to almost normal levels again, and it didn’t take but a few seconds before she could read Alex.

The force of emotion that erupted into her heart and mind from Alex shook her to the core. She exhaled sharply, half-afraid her heart would explode. How could he possibly still feel like that about her, after all these years? She felt his fierce determination to avenge her; he was taking out Devin’s supporters, not only to hurt Devin, but to avenge what they had done to her. His remorse about having to leave in a few weeks was as sharp as a dagger, but knowing he was doing it for her eased the discomfort. A little.

She stopped and opened her eyes. He was watching her with hope-filled eyes. Did he know what she had just done? She struggled to process what she was feeling about him. She was scared, but she knew how he truly felt about her.

How could he still love her like that?

She shook her head, not able to look away from him. She wanted to run. Run away and yet run into his arms at the same time. She twisted her fingers together, not knowing what to do. If he came to her now, she didn’t think she could resist...

Alex watched the conflicting emotions flit across Anna’s face. He felt her reading him and was overjoyed to see her opening up to him. Now she knew his true feelings, that his desires were for her, and her only. He wanted to run over, pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless, but held himself back.

He’d been very careful about how he interacted with her throughout the dinner. The last thing she needed was for him trying to force himself on her like he had that afternoon. No, he would continue to give her space.

The waiter approached, asking if anyone wanted dessert, and Anna’s tension dissipated.

Jasmine leaned in close. “If you want some company while you’re waiting for your wife to come around...”

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.