Chapter 72

Devin nudged Anna’s legs apart and thrust inside her. She opened her eyes to look at him as he held her hands by her head and fucked her hard and fast. She moved her hips, feeling the build inside her, but he came before she found her release. He slapped her face when she hissed in frustration.

“They are mine to give. Don’t forget that.” He rolled off her and stood. “Your car is in the garage. Your ballet shit is in the other room. Use your family credit cards for lunch and whatever the hell else you need. You will come home immediately after rehearsal, clean up, and be ready for Kaveh when he arrives. Then you will wait for me in here as instructed previously.” He looked her up and down. “Make sure you eat properly. I don’t want you losing weight again.” He spun around and stalked away.

Anna crawled to the edge of the bed and stood on shaky legs, staring at the floor for a moment. She glanced at the clock next to the bed. She had an hour and a half before she needed to be at the studio. Inhaling deeply, she tried to get a sense of her body after being numb the night before, and then headed into the bathroom.

The glass steamed up as she stood under the hot water in the shower. Had it really only been a month since Vitaly’s funeral? She’d lost Peter and a baby, but Wilhelm and Kurt were back in her life. Kind of. She’d made Kurt let go of her so he could find someone and be happy. And now she was back where she’d begun, with Devin. No matter the events in her life, good or bad, she always ended up back with Devin. He was inevitable.

Maybe if she was good Devin would be nice again. Yes, that’s what she would do. Be perfect for him and not give him a reason to be angry.

With that resolve, she finished her shower and got ready for the day.

Anna carefully drove Alex’s car into the city in and repeated Devin’s rules in her head over and over again. Eat properly. Go home immediately after rehearsal. Behave. Let Kaveh chase me to please him. Don’t go anywhere without permission.

She sighed. She thought she could do it, but how often she had failed in the past!

Her phone beeped as she turned off the car. She pulled it out of her bag and her mouth dropped open. Thirty missed calls. Fifteen messages. Twenty texts?

She read through the texts. Most were from Wilhelm, wanting to know if she was okay. There were a few from Travis, also wanting to know if she was okay. She listened to the messages. Travis and Wilhelm again. Each message from Wilhelm’s was more urgent. She hated that she’d caused him anxiety and quickly called him.

“Anna!” he exclaimed. “It is you, right?”

“Yes, Wilhelm. It’s me. I’m sorry I didn’t call. I just checked my phone and saw all your calls. I’m so sorry.”

“It is alright, Anna. I was so worried about you.” He sighed and said something in German off the phone. “Ilsa and Kurt are glad you are alright as well. Well, as alright as you can be.”

She blinked back tears at the loss of their baby. “Yeah, I’m okay. Are you?” She’d forgotten that Devin had made Wilhelm watch as the baby was ripped from her body. How could she have forgotten? She bit her lip to keep the sobs from escaping.

“I am much better now that I have heard your voice.” The tenderness in his voice made her close her eyes and wish she was back in Germany. “What he did, Anna... It is inexcusable. Barbaric.”

She sighed. “It’s Devin.”

“Yes. It is.”

Something in his voice gave her chills. “Wilhelm, please don’t cross him. He’ll kill you. You know he will.”

Wilhelm didn’t respond, and a chill ran through her body.

“Wilhelm? Please. Promise me.”

“I cannot promise you, Anna. I am sorry.”

Her heart froze. “What did you do?”

“I cannot not tell you. Please do not ask.”

“Wilhelm...” Fear squeezed her chest and the tears escaped. “Please Wilhelm. Don’t. Whatever you did, don’t. Undo it. Please, he’ll kill you. I can’t lose someone else I love. Think of your family.”

“I am thinking of my family,” he said in a low tone.

“Please undo it,” she whispered.

“I am sorry, Anna. I cannot do that.”

Anna stared at her steering wheel. “I love you. Please be careful.”

“I love you, Liebling . So much.”

She looked at the clock on the dash. It was after eight-thirty. “I have to go. Please... whatever you did. Reconsider it.”

“I will talk to you soon.” He disconnected before she could say anything else.

Anna walked into the dance studio, trying to process what Wilhelm had told her, and suddenly the absence of Peter’s presence overwhelmed her. She looked around and then walked to the corner and sat down. She was reluctant to go to her old place in the back center, where she and Peter and Aaron had danced together. The corner she’d chosen would keep her away from any trouble, since it was far away from any friends.

But sitting there alone allowed thoughts of Wilhelm to return. She shook her head, desperate to think of anything else.

Nutcracker . Yes, she could think about that. Rehearsals began today. Who would dance the Nutcracker Prince now that Peter was gone? Travis, maybe? He’d been Snow King. Maybe Isaak would bump him up. She looked around at the other principles. They were all capable men, but they weren’t Peter. Or Aaron, for that matter. Both Peter and Aaron had that extra special something that made her wonder if Immortal blood ran through their veins.

Her eyes landed on Justin. He was a very talented dancer and had been with the company for several years, but joined after Alex had died. He seemed friendly enough, but because Peter hadn’t been friends with him, they hadn’t interacted very much.

Looking up from a stretch, Justin’s brown hair flopped into his gray eyes, and he smiled when he caught her watching him. Anna looked away. The last thing she needed was the attention of another man.

Travis arrived a few minutes later. He dropped his bag and plopped down on the floor next to her. “Anna! You’re here. Why didn’t you call me?”

“I just got your messages this morning. I’m sorry.” She didn’t look up at him, not wanting to encourage his attention.

“Are you okay?”

Anna shrugged.

“I’m so sorry.” He squeezed her hand. “Wilhelm was so worried about you. He called and asked if I could get in touch with you since he couldn’t.”

“I was... busy.” She still didn’t remember everything that had happened. The memories were so fuzzy.

Travis made a face at her. “You missing Peter, too?”

Anna grimaced. “You know the whole thing was fake, right? I mean, we were together because Devin wanted it to be that way.”

“Yeah, I know. But I also know you guys ended up falling in love. You can’t fake that.”

“Story of my life.” She shrugged. “I wish I could stop these stupid feelings and be like a real Elder-Mistress,” she said softly.

“Oh, Anna. I’m so glad you’re not like them. I would hate to see you like that. So cold and distant.”

“I’ve tried that, haven’t I?” She laughed bitterly. “Never could pull it off. Too emotional.”

“Emotions make you human.”

“But I’m not supposed to be human.”

Travis looked at her sadly. “Anna, it’ll turn out alright, okay? Just... It’ll be okay.”

Anna stared at him, not understanding how he could say that anything in her life could possibly end up “okay.” There was no hope. There was only Devin.