The Life of Anna, Part 5: Emerged (43 page)

She took a deep breath and began to slowly
eat, trying to ignore the pain in her heart.

Anna ate and socialized and danced throughout
the evening, all with a dull ache in her heart. She quickly got
tired of answering the “Where’s Alex?” question. She even tried to
call Alex a few times, but he didn’t answer, making her feel even
worse.

She and Alex had never fought like this
before. Were they fighting? That’s what made it worse. She had no
idea what was going on. She didn’t know what had upset Alex. She
tried getting angry at him, but couldn’t. All she could do was push
away horrible images of him leaving her to be with another woman,
or him leaving her period.

By two o’clock Anna was exhausted and her
head was hurting. She just wanted to crawl into bed and curl up
next to Alex. Would he even be there when she got home? Should she
go home? Was that still her home? She’d only lived there a few
days. Should she go back to the apartment?

She looked around for Seth and found him
flirting with one of the corps dancers. He saw her looking at him
and said something to the girl, then walked over to Anna.

“You okay?”

“I think I’m going to go home.” She gave him
a questioning look. “Or should I go back to my apartment?”

Seth shook his head. “No, hang on a minute
and I’ll take you home.”

Anna shook her head. “You seemed to be having
a good thing going with Crystal. It’s only a few blocks.”

Seth frowned. “It’s the middle of the night
and I told Alex I’d get you home safe.”

“Then just walk me to the building and come
back. There’s no reason you can’t have some...company, like Tony
and Greg.”

Seth thought for a moment and then nodded.
“Alex is probably asleep and will wake up in the morning regretting
leaving you here.”

Seth walked her the two blocks to their
building and made sure she got in okay, then headed back to the
party.

Anna greeted the doorman and then went to the
elevators. She fidgeted in the elevator and then hesitated at the
door to the condo. After taking a deep breath, she opened the door
and walked inside.

The lights were off except in the library, at
the far side of the living room. She kept her shoes on, wanting to
alert Alex to her presence with her steps on the hardwood floor.
She didn’t want to startle him. Was he in there?

She peeked inside and saw him slouching on
the brown leather couch, wearing black sweatpants and holding a
drink in his hand. He stared blankly at the lit fireplace, unmoving
except for the slow rise and fall of his bare chest.

“Alex?” She was careful to keep her voice
soft.

“I didn’t think you’d come home,” he said in
a low voice.

Anna inhaled sharply. “Did you not want me to
come home?” Tears burned her eyes again.

“I didn’t think you’d want to.” The
hopelessness in his voice made Anna want to cry.

She walked over quickly and sat next to him,
taking his hand. “Why would you think that, Alex? Why did you
leave?” Her voice squeaked on her last word.

Alex gripped the glass in his hand tighter.
“I thought you’d prefer it if I wasn’t there.”

Anna stared at him. “Why on earth would you
think that, Alex? I was crushed when you left.”

Alex finally looked at her with bloodshot,
sad eyes. “I saw you, when you were dancing with Hugo...you love
him.”

Anna was taken aback. She’d barely been
thinking about Hugo while she danced. No, she hadn’t completely
gotten over Hugo yet, but she was certain of her love for Alex.
“Alex...I know I’m still working out my feelings with Hugo, but I
love you.
This
is where I want to be. With you.” She held
his big hand with her two much smaller hands as her eyes filled
with tears. “Is that why you left? Because you thought I’d rather
be with Hugo?”

Alex nodded slowly and the tears spilled over
onto Anna’s cheeks. “Why, Alex? Why would you think that?”

She saw the tears in his own eyes and he
blinked rapidly. “I saw how you looked at him...how he looked at
you. You...I could feel your emotions.”

Anna’s heart broke. Never in her wildest
dreams would she ever imagine Alex being so insecure. The tears in
his eyes made her own flow harder.
Devin
had done this to
him.
Devin
had made the most confident man she’d ever met
insecure.

Suddenly, Anna was hit full force with what
Devin had done to them both and she felt her rage rising to the
surface. She knew what Devin had done to her, but she hadn’t
realized the full extent of what Devin had done to Alex. Until
now.

Alex wasn’t exactly drunk, but not exactly
sober either. He’d been sitting here for hours, imagining Anna
dancing and having a good time at the Gala, all while being
thankful that he’d left. Images of her in Hugo’s arms broke his
heart. But if she’d rather be with Hugo, Alex didn’t want to stop
her.

He was very surprised, then, when he heard
the door open and her light footsteps in the hall. His heart had
pounded, fearing what he would see in her face: Disdain? Disgust?
Hatred? He didn’t even want to look at her.

She hadn’t responded to his accusation that
she’d rather be with Hugo and he felt even more defeated.

Her hands suddenly clenched into fists and
she began to shake. He looked up and saw a frightening sight; not
disgust, but anger. No, not anger. Rage. Pure, unadulterated rage
in her eyes.

“Anna?” he whispered. He exhaled sharply when
her pupils began to disappear. “Anna!” he exclaimed, dropping his
glass on the floor and grabbing hold of her shoulders.

“Devin...,” she growled. “Devin...destroyed
you....” She let out an inhuman scream and Alex leapt back.

She was going into a rage, like she had the
night she'd killed Jack. Yet he was pretty sure she wasn’t angry at
him.

Fuck.
What had the tomes said about
this? He...he needed to get control of her. Theoretically, it would
be easier if he caught her before it completely took hold.

He sat back down and took her head in his
hands, turning her face toward his. “Anna. Anna, look at me.”

She shook and jerked, trying to get free.

“Anna,
Schatzi
, look at me. Devin
will pay. Devin will pay, I promise. Don’t lose control, my love.
Please.”

She grabbed hold of his wrists, growling and
digging her fingernails into the tender flesh. He winced, but
thought he’d seen a glimmer of humanity in her eyes.

“Anna, look at me.” He hesitated. He had to
command her. It was the only way. “Anna! Look at me.” He spoke in a
firm, commanding tone, praying it would get her attention.

It did! Her eyes locked onto his. “Anna,
Devin will pay for what he did. Please, please come back to
me.”

She growled, but her pupils were starting to
show again. He held her head firmly, keeping his eyes locked on
hers and watched as she slowly, oh-so-slowly began to relax.

Her jaw trembled and she let out a sob and
collapsed into his arms, tears drenching his chest and
heart-wrenching wails breaking his heart. He leaned back in his
seat and pulled her into his lap, holding her as tight as he could
without hurting her.

She cried and cried and Alex held her. His
chest was as wet as if she were showering him with her hot tears,
but he didn’t care. He stroked her silky hair and whispered to her
in German as the sobs wracked her body.

Grief overwhelmed Anna, making her wail
unlike she had in a very long time. She thought she had passed out
for a few minutes, because she remembered getting angry and then
the next thing she knew, she was in Alex’s lap, crying. She tried
to stop, not wanting to impose on Alex while he was upset, but she
couldn’t.

Devin!
Devin had destroyed her
handsome, confident husband. The anger wasn’t there anymore, just
grief. Intense grief.

An eternity later, when her tears ran dry,
she looked up at Alex. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I made you feel like
that, Alex.”

He wiped away her black-mascaraed tears with
his thumbs. “I’m sorry I got jealous.”

“I was dancing for you,” she whispered. “I
was barely thinking about Hugo as I danced. It was all for
you....”

Alex’s eyes widened and she saw tears forming
again.
“Oh, Anna. Oh,
mein
Schatzi
.”
He
grimaced. “I am a fool.”

“Devin...he hurt you so badly.” She cradled
his smooth cheek. “Alex....” She leaned forward and kissed him,
dragging her hands through his hair and thrusting her tongue into
his mouth.

He groaned loudly and kissed her back with a
passion. His hand tangled in her hair and met her tongue’s
thrusts.

“Make love to me, Alex,” she murmured against
his mouth. She felt him grin against her mouth and suddenly she was
in the air.

Alex stumbled slightly and she opened her
eyes to see him giving her a sheepish smile. “I’ve had a bit to
drink.”

Anna giggled and wiggled out of his arms and
onto the floor. “Are you up for lovemaking?” she teased.

He grinned. “Always.”

Feeling playful suddenly, she gave Alex a
mischievous smile before running out of the room. She heard Alex
laugh and his heavy footsteps followed behind her. She figured this
would be the only time she might be able to outrun him.

He laughed and said something in German as he
chased her down the hall and she screamed in delight and ran to
their bedroom. His legs being so long, he easily caught up with her
and grabbed her around the waist as she reached the door. She
screeched and laughed, trying to get away, loving the light in his
eyes. He tossed her onto the bed and jumped on after her, making
the bed squeak.

“Little minx,” he murmured as he crawled over
her and kissed her.

“I love you,” she said, wrapping her arms
around his neck.

Alex’s gaze softened. “I love you, too.”

Alex lay on his back with Anna lying on top
of him, her green eyes full of love as she gazed at him. He’d been
so unbelievably stupid the night before, it was a wonder Anna had
forgiven him. But he was very thankful. So thankful.

She ran her fingers across his chest, giving
him goose bumps and he shivered. The delight in her eyes made him
want her to do it again. He couldn’t imagine a better morning than
this: waking up, making love, and then gazing at his beautiful wife
for as long as he wanted. Technically, she should be in class right
now, but he was glad she’d stayed home. She wasn’t dancing until
Tuesday so missing today wasn’t too big of a deal.

It was late morning and neither of them were
inclined to get out of bed. He reached out to twirl a lock of
sable-silk hair around his finger.

“I missed you,” he whispered, trying to
maintain control of his emotions. “I didn’t mind being imprisoned
so much, but it was torture being away from you.”

Regret filled her eyes. “I’m so sorry, Alex.
I should have listened to you. I should have—”

He pressed his finger gently to her lips.
“Anna, I understand why you were troubled. Yes, things might have
been different, but what matters is we’re here. Now. I don’t hold
it against you. None of my men do.” He felt a flash of pain as he
remembered his fallen men.

She stroked his cheek, sorrow in her eyes.
“How is Erich doing?” she asked after a moment.

“Adjusting. He’s looking forward to coming
out in November to confront that son-of-a-bitch.”

“November?”

Alex closed his eyes. “First Monday in
November. The day I will kill Devin’s son. Friday will be the
funeral. He’ll be expecting a bullet to the head. It won’t come.
Saturday at the Funeral Gathering, I will confront him.” He opened
his eyes to see Anna staring at him, eyes wide. He grimaced. “I
don’t mean to upset you,
Schatzi
.”

She shook her head. “No, it’s....” She bit
her lip. “Can I come?”

Alex didn’t want Anna anywhere near Devin. He
wanted her here, safe and far away from that monster. He must have
frowned because she narrowed her eyes. “I’m not letting you go
anywhere without me.”

He carefully kept his face impassive as his
heart swelled with affection for his stubborn wife. He must have
not kept his face as impassive as he thought, though, because her
eyes narrowed even more.

“I mean it, Alex. The last time you went out
of town, you disappeared for almost five years. If you disappear,
I’m disappearing with you.”

“Anna, you can’t come with me. I’ll be on a
job.”

“Then tell the Elders that your wife won’t
let you go.”

“Anna!”

Her brow raised. “I know who the Elders are
who are sending you.”

“I have to go to Boston in three weeks.”

“Boston?”

“Oscar.”

Anna looked thoughtful for a few minutes.
“That’s my last week of performances.”

Alex nodded. “I was going to come to you that
Saturday after your last performance.” He grinned. “Bring you a
bunch of pink roses.”

She grinned. “You still could.”

“I might.”

She gave him an affectionate smile and pushed
forward to kiss him, her soft lips caressing his. Her leg brushed
his cock and he felt it come to life. She smiled, letting him know
she knew it too.

“I want to come with you,” she murmured
against his lips. She nipped his bottom lip and he inhaled sharply,
wrapping his arms around her and rolling her to her back.

“Come with me where?” He was feeling very
relaxed.

“To San Francisco.”

He chuckled and kissed her again. “You should
stay here, where it’s safe.” Why was he feeling dizzy?

“You want to leave me?” she pouted.

“Of course not,
Schatzi
. I—” Alex
stiffened and pulled away from her. Suddenly, he realized what she
was doing. “You’re manipulating me.”