Chapter 23

Arms were around her when Anna woke the next morning. She was on her side with one arm across her upper chest and another around her waist. Peter . But why? They’d met over six weeks ago and he had never held her before, unless other people were around. She glanced at the clock and knew the alarm would go off in less than a minute. She slowly shifted her body, trying to untangle herself from his arms before he woke. He wouldn’t be happy if he woke up this close to her.

“Anna, what are you doing?”

Anna froze. “I didn’t want you to know you were holding me.”

“I wouldn’t be holding you if I didn’t want to.”

Anna didn’t speak for a moment. “You’ve never held me in bed before.”

“Maybe I was wrong not to.”

Anna stared at the light peeking in around the curtains across the room. A chill of fear surged through her body.

Peter’s alarm sounded, and he released her for a moment to turn it off before scooting close again. “How are you feeling?”

“Okay. I’ll be fine in a few days. You can still... I mean—we can have sex this morning. You don’t have to worry about hurting me—if you were worried, which you don’t have to be...” The thought of him taking her in the ass made her want to cry, but she wouldn’t burden him with her pain. Zach liked to do cruel things to her ass. She rolled onto her stomach, as was their morning custom, and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the pain. If only she healed as quickly as she used to.

Peter gently turned her onto her back. He cradled her cheek and kissed her. Anna held her breath, not knowing what to do, not understanding what was going on. Why was he kissing her? Why was he being nice? Was it a trick?

He continued kissing her, his lips softly caressing hers until she got hold of her wits and kissed him back . Please him, you idiot! He stroked her cheek and neck and shoulders as he kissed her. He kissed his way down her neck and to her tender breasts. She braced herself for pain, but his kisses remained gentle. He ran his hands lightly over her arms and stomach and kissed her all over. He moved back to kiss her mouth. “Are you okay if we have sex?”

She nodded and tried to roll over again. He shook his head and kissed her neck, then pushed her thighs apart.

“What are you doing?”

He smiled gently at her. “Sex?”

“Like this?”

“Is that okay?”

Anna blinked. “Y-y-yes, if you want to.” Her ass had been the primary means of pleasing men for several weeks. Even at the Gatherings, Devin had them using her ass or mouth instead of her pussy.

Peter positioned himself at her entrance, and she gasped as he pressed forward. Tears sprang to her eyes and she bit her lip to keep from crying out. She was tight from disuse and it hurt. Though Zach had only had anal with her, he’d abused her pussy plenty, inside and out.

“Are you okay?”

She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded. It would be so much easier to answer that question if she were facing away from him, as she normally did. She didn’t like being face to face with him.

“Anna, look at me.”

She obediently opened her eyes and looked at him.

“Am I hurting you?”

Since when did he start caring if he hurt her? Well, no, that wasn’t fair. He never cared if she enjoyed herself, but he never seemed to want to hurt her. She forced a smile. “I’m fine.”

He leaned down to kiss her neck as he pressed forward again. Anna held her breath and clenched her jaw as he slowly entered her body. Her breath came in short gasps and she kept her eyes closed and hands by her side, clenching the sheets against the pain.

“God, you feel good...” He kissed her cheek and started moving slowly in and out.

She didn’t dare embrace him or do anything to make it personal for fear of upsetting him. He’d made it clear many times that sex was just a physical act and he reserved the emotions for his girlfriend back home.

She moved her hips as she could to make sure he enjoyed himself, uncertain whether he would want her to climax or not. She decided against it since he liked being in control of that, and concentrated her movements on what he seemed to like. His hips quickened and he moved so that it was difficult for her to not orgasm, but she kept her mind concentrated on his pleasure. He groaned something in Russian and stiffened as he came. She winced, but smoothed her face as he relaxed so he wouldn’t know she was hurting.

He nuzzled her neck for a moment before rolling to his side, bringing her with him. She lay stiffly by his side, not knowing what to do as he stroked her hair and kissed her head.

After a few minutes, he stretched and sat up. “We should get moving.”

Anna nodded and scrambled out of bed, glad to be away from his confusing touch. She dressed in long sleeves and pants to hide her bruises, thankful she wasn’t partnering yet. That would have been difficult with how she was feeling at the moment.

When they got to the studio, Aaron approached and handed her a large envelope. “Anna, this was sent to me for some reason.” He glanced at Peter, who was standing next to her.

She glanced at Peter before reaching out to take the envelope. He nodded and she took it. The return address was in Germany. “Do you know who it’s from?”

Aaron shrugged. “I can’t read German.”

“It looks like it’s from a lawyer of some sort,” Peter said.

“A lawyer?” Had Wilhelm finally come to his senses and decide to disown her? She pulled at the flap and found a letter and several smaller envelopes inside. The letter was addressed to Herzogin Anna. In English, it explained that there had been suspected fraud in the Kunzberg finances, and that all the family members were being issued new credit cards and online account information, including her online accounts. There were five envelopes with credit cards in them with her name on them. “I don’t think Devin will want me having these.”

Aaron and Peter looked at each other. Peter shrugged. “It’s not really for Devin to decide, is it? Wilhelm is your Master and your father-in-law.”

A chill ran through her body as she stared at Peter. Was he setting her up for failure so Devin would punish her?

Peter turned to Aaron. “I wanted to thank you for speaking to me last night, Aaron. I appreciate your candor.”

Anna looked between the two men, thoroughly confused. Peter hated Aaron. Aaron hated Peter. Why had they talked?

She shoved the papers and cards back into the envelope and shoved it back into Aaron’s hands. “Send it back. Tell Wilhelm I don’t need them.” She hurried away as fast as she could and gingerly sat down in her normal spot to get ready for class.

Peter stood between Anna and his dance partner, Erin, during classes. They’d been cast as Snow King and Queen, and Erin was ecstatic. She gazed at him with wide eyes whenever he spoke to her, and he usually would flirt lightly with her, and some of the other women as well. Not enough to be thought of as cheating, but enough to keep them interested in him. Though when he was near Anna, he held her hand or put his arm around her waist.

He didn’t flirt that morning. He was friendly, but offered no sensuous smiles and backed away when she touched him. Even he and Aaron were acting like friends.

At lunch, Peter paid for her meal, which he’d never done before. He asked her several times if she was okay, to which she always responded with a “yes,” even though her body ached.

When they got home that evening, Peter handed her the envelope that Aaron had tried to give her. “You should read the letter again.” He gave her a pointed look and then went to take a shower.

She dumped everything out on the table and picked up the letter again. A line was underlined at the bottom she hadn’t noticed earlier. Purchases made on these cards will be monitored by the Herzog . What did that mean? Was it a warning not to use them? Then why did Peter give them to her? She sighed and rubbed her forehead. This was one of the most confusing days she’d had in a long while, and she was getting a headache.

She heard the water from Peter’s shower turn off and stood to take her own shower, but a knock at the door made her stop and turn back around. She went to answer it, her stomach churning, and praying it wasn’t Zach.

Jayce Corbin, one of Devin’s deacons, stood there. Jayce could be rough, but nothing compared to Zach. She sighed in relief. “Hi, Jayce. Won’t you come in?” She stepped aside and he walked in.

“Nice place.”

“Thanks.” She looked around nervously. “I, um, just got home and haven’t showered yet. Do you... mind waiting a few minutes?” She winced as she waited for his answer.

Jayce frowned, then shrugged. “Yeah. Just hurry.”

She gave him a small smile and hurried into the bedroom, where Peter was getting dressed. She glanced back at the door. “Someone’s... here to see me. He’s one of Devin’s deacons.”

Peter frowned and muttered something in Russian. “Does he hurt you too?”

Anna drew her brows together. “Sometimes.” She hurried into the bathroom and took the fastest shower she could. When she was done, she braided her hair and pulled on her robe before going out to get Jayce.

Peter was gone when she walked out to the living room and Jayce sat on the couch, playing with his phone. He raised his eyebrow at her and for a minute, she couldn’t figure out why. Then she remembered that he liked her submissive and dropped to her knees by the bedroom door.

“Robe,” Jayce said, walking past her into the bedroom.

She quickly untied her robe and dropped it to the floor.

“It hasn’t been that long, Anna. Is your memory going?”

“No, sir. I’m sorry, sir.”

He tugged on her braid, and she stood and followed him into the bedroom. “Do you still have the toys?”

“Yes, sir.” She went to the closet and pulled out a bag of the things Jayce liked to play with and handed it to him, then went back to her knees.

“Naughty girl. I think you need a spanking and a reminder of what I like.”

“Yes, sir.”