Page 27 of The Life of Anna, Tenth Anniversary Edition, Act 2

Distant shouting dragged Anna out of her peaceful sleep. She opened her eyes in the dark room and once again inhaled Alex. His clothes were so soft and warm and big. She never wanted to leave.

But her name was being shouted and footsteps pounded nearby. Light suddenly invaded her eyes.

“She’s in here!” someone shouted and flipped on the light.

Anna held her hand in front of her eyes and blinked several times before she could focus on Aaron’s face as he squatted next to her. “What are you doing?”

“How did you find me?”

Aaron held up her arm with the gold bracelet. “GPS tracker. Peter tracked you on his phone.”

“Peter’s here?” Anna’s lungs squeezed in her chest. Oh, he would be so angry! He would take her to Devin. She would get the injections again. She buried herself back into the pile of fabric, hoping that somehow Alex’s ghostly presence would protect her from Peter and Devin’s wrath.

A few moments later, Anna heard more footsteps and buried herself deeper, knowing it was Peter. She could feel him looking at her and trembled. He didn’t move and finally, she dared to look up, her entire body shaking with terror. She whimpered and backed away on her hands and feet to huddle next to the wall, still cradling the picture of Alex to her chest.

“Anna, why didn’t you ask me to bring you here?” Peter kneeled in front of her. “Why did you sneak out?” He pulled her into his arms.

Anna trembled, trying to come up with an answer that wouldn’t upset him. “I thought I was a bother. I’m sorry I snuck out. Please don’t take me to the Manor.”

“You’re not a bother. Why on earth would you think that?”

“Because of what you said to Devin this afternoon.”

Peter’s brows furrowed, and then he sighed and shook his head. “Are you talking about when Devin was telling me about your morning sickness and such?”

She nodded.

He closed his eyes and sighed. “I was hoping you were still asleep. I-I couldn’t let Devin know I was disgusted by what he did to you.” He took her hand in his. “That night, after that guy came and tore you up, I went to see Aaron and he told me your story.” He nodded to Aaron. “It was very, very different from what Devin had told me. And, honestly, a better explanation of your entire demeanor. Devin had told me you were a pain in the ass and needed watching at all times, and that he didn’t have the time to do it. That you were a bitchy Elder-Mistress that had gotten too arrogant and needed to be brought down a notch. I could do what I liked to you and just needed to accommodate his need for you.” He frowned. “I’m sorry I believed him.”

“I wasn’t very nice when you came.”

Peter smiled. “No, but there was still something sad about you. And Aaron defended you to the teeth. He didn’t seem like the type of guy that would have been beguiled by you. At least not that much.” He paused and glanced at Aaron. “I heard you tell him backstage that you wouldn’t date him because you were afraid that something would happen to him. I’ve never seen an Elder-Mistress feel as deep emotions as I’ve seen you show, Anna, and I’ve met them all.”

He stroked her cheek. When he spoke again, it was in a soft and gentle voice. “I said those things to Devin so he wouldn’t think that I disbelieved him about you. I hate to imagine what he would do if he didn’t trust me anymore. You’re not a bother, Anna. I’ve become quite fond of you.” He slid his hand around the back of her head and leaned in to kiss her tenderly his thumb stroking her cheek. “Very fond...”

They gazed at each other, and Anna saw he was telling the truth. She gave him a timid smile. “I’m sorry I snuck out.”

“I was scared to death when I woke up and found you gone. Fortunately, Devin told me about your bracelet when I first got here, so I didn’t have to call him. I don’t want to imagine what Devin would have done if I’d had to do that.”

Anna swallowed nervously. “You’re not going to tell him?”

“Absolutely not. I have no desire to see you punished.” He shuddered as if he knew what all it entailed.

“Thank you.” She was glad she’d been wrong about him.

Peter helped her to her feet and the three of them went back out into the bedroom and sat on the bed.

“When I tracked you, I got to the gate and couldn’t get in,” Peter said. “I drove around for half an hour, trying to figure out how to get in. So I called Aaron, hoping he might know.”

“Alex gave me all the information to get in before he left,” Aaron said. “Even a remote to open the gate. I’m glad nothing’s been changed.”

Anna yawned suddenly. “What time is it?”

“A little after three in the—?” Aaron’s phone interrupted him. “Who the hell is calling?” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Oh.” He stood and walked out of the room.

Anna glanced at Peter, confused.

“My guess would be Wilhelm. I believe he gets notified if someone uses the house codes.” Peter looked pointedly at her. “He gets notifications about a lot of things around here.”

“So, he knows I’m here?”

Peter shrugged. “I would guess so. I would also guess that he likes to see receipts from credit cards to know what his family members are purchasing. I think he would be able to know what they are doing by the things that they buy.”

Anna stared at Peter. “You mean by using the cards, I can tell Wilhelm what I’m doing and that I’m okay?”

Peter shrugged again, but his expression said yes.

“You’re not allowed to tell me?”

“No.”

So she could send coded messages to Wilhelm through her purchases? And Devin wouldn’t know? “Maybe I should buy more ribbons for my pointe shoes.” Since she was one of the Ribbon Dancers for Nutcracker , he might understand.

Peter grinned. “I think it would be a good idea.”

She reached for his hand and squeezed it. “Thank you.”

“It wasn’t my idea.” He looked up as Aaron walked back in. “Everything okay?”

Aaron nodded. “Yeah, there was a call from the alarm company about unusual activity here at the house.”

“Anna thinks she needs to buy new ribbons for her pointe shoes.”

Aaron grinned. “Appropriate.”

Anna yawned again and Peter stood and pulled the covers back from the bed. “We’ll stay here tonight, if that’s okay?”

She nodded and was pleased when the two men got on either side of her in bed. Snuggled between their comforting presence, she was asleep within minutes.

The next morning, Anna gave Peter a tour of the house. Surprisingly, she was no longer depressed. Visiting the house had been an unexpected healing balm to her raw emotions, and she could smile and be thankful instead of just feeling her heart ache.

They ended up in the living room, and Peter studied the pictures on the wall. “This is a really nice house, Anna. Are you sure you don’t want to live here?”

Anna shook her head. “No, not without Alex.”

Peter nodded. “I hardly recognize that it’s you in those pictures.”

Anna grimaced. “It was a different time. Nearly three years ago.”

Peter turned to her and took her hand. “I hope I can see you that happy again someday.”

Anna shook her head. “I don’t think it’s possible for me to be that happy without Alex. But I do think it might be possible to find some semblance of peace.”

While Peter took Aaron home in his two-seater car, Anna gathered up some things that she wanted to take back to the apartment, including some clothes, her memory box, and a picture of her and Alex on their wedding day.

Peter returned a while later. “Ready?”

She looked around the entryway again and then nodded. “I’m ready.”

They walked outside and Anna locked the door.

“If you want to come back at any time, just ask me, okay?” Peter held his hand out to her. “You don’t need to sneak out.”

Anna took his outstretched hand and nodded. “I will.”