Chapter 22

A few days later, the first of the promised men arrived. At the knock and Peter’s permissive gesture, Anna opened the door and her heart dropped into her stomach.

“H-hello, Zach.” She hadn’t seen him since the night she’d gone to the concert with Kurt and Wilhelm.

Zach smiled broadly. “Hello, Anna. It’s good to see you.” He walked in but stopped when he saw Peter sitting on the couch. “Who are you?”

Peter stood and greeted Zach. “I’m Peter. Anna’s keeper.”

“Lucky man.” Zach wagged his eyebrows and turned back to Anna. “Bedroom?”

Anna nodded and opened the bedroom door with shaking hands. “In here.”

Zach walked inside and Anna glanced at Peter, who had returned to watching his TV show. Zach grabbed her hand and pulled her into the bedroom.

After Zach left, Anna huddled on the floor next to the door, bloodied and bruised from his “playtime.” Peter wasn’t in the living room when she’d walked Zach to the door. Maybe he’d left because her screams had become too annoying or loud. She’d tried to stay quiet, but Zach didn’t like it when she was quiet.

She needed to change the sheets and take a shower so she could take care of Peter before they went to sleep. With trembling limbs, she pulled at the blankets and sheets, but they refused to budge. After many minutes of pulling with all the strength she had left, she finally pulled off the sheets and loaded them into the washing machine. Then she stumbled into the bathroom to take a shower.

“Anna, why are the sheets off the—?” Peter walked into the bathroom as she was drying off, and he stopped short when he saw her. He exclaimed something in Russian. “What happened?”

Anna caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Welts and scratches covered her body. Her nipples were bright red from Zach biting and pinching them. Her pussy lips were bright red as well. “I-I’m okay.” She forced a smile and gingerly patted her arm with the towel, hoping Peter wouldn’t notice how badly she was shaking as she tried to dry off.

Peter took the towel from her. Without thinking, she jumped backward and slipped on the wet porcelain. He caught her in his arms before she fell and when she was steady, put the towel on her shoulders and helped her out of the shower. She shook with fear and cold as he dabbed the towel over her body to dry her and then helped her into her robe.

“Let me put the other set of sheets on the bed.” She limped toward the linen closet.

“No, I’ve got it. Come sit down. I’ll take care of it.” Peter led her to the desk chair and then retrieved the second set of sheets.

Anna’s teeth chattered as she watched him expertly make the bed and replace the pillows and blankets. He picked her up and placed her gently in bed, and then sat next to her. “What happened?”

“Didn’t you hear?”

Peter shook his head. “I went out. I... didn’t want to listen.” He pressed his lips together. “Maybe I should have stayed.”

“To join in?”

Peter curled his lip. “I don’t get off on hurting women, Anna,” he snapped. “I’ve told you that.”

Anna shrank back on the bed and blinked back tears. “I’m sorry.”

He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. “Do you know him?”

Anna nodded.

“You’ve been with him before?”

She nodded again.

“Has he hurt you before?”

“He likes it.”

“You looked scared when you saw him. You knew he would hurt you?”

She nodded.

“Why did you let him come in?”

“What do you mean?”

“If you knew he would hurt you, why would you let him come in? Haven’t you told Devin?”

Anna frowned, confused and not sure how to answer his question. She didn’t even understand why he was asking it.

Peter’s eyes flashed. “Anna, why haven’t you told Devin that he hurts you?”

“He... he knows. Zach’s always been like this with me.”

Peter rolled out of bed and walked to the window, standing with his hands on his hips and looking out into the night. Anna didn’t move, but watched his chest expand and contract beneath his blue t-shirt. Suddenly he wheeled around and looked at her. “Let me get this straight: Devin knows what that man does to you and still allows him to come to you?”

“Of course.” She sat up on her hip. “Most of the men who have visited me are like him. It’s why I was raised the way I was. They can use me as they want and Devin gets what he wants out of them. I heal quickly.” She paused and looked at the floor. “Or at least I used to,” she added softly.

“Is this what Aaron was talking about when he said that bruise was the least of what Devin does to you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe. I don’t know what Aaron knows.”

“Has Devin always been this way?”

“What way?”

“Abusive.”

“I... not always. He was nice to me when I was little. And when Alex was alive, he treated me well. Alex made sure of that.” She twisted her wedding ring on her finger.

Peter ran his hands through his hair and looked troubled. “Go to sleep. I need to go out for a little while.”

Anna knew better than to ask him what he was doing and simply nodded and untied her robe.

“Do you want the TV on?”

A flash of fear rushed through Anna’s body. “No, thank you,” she whispered. “I’m fine.”

He kissed her on the head and then left the room. The apartment door opened and shut a few minutes later. She turned out the lights, curled up under the covers, and cried herself to sleep.