The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced (12 page)

She screamed again and ground her hips into
his. She saw Devin glance at Ian and then Ian was behind her,
pushing his huge cock into her ass.

She moaned as he filled her. The feeling of
the two men inside her was overwhelming. They rammed themselves
inside her with perfect rhythm and she heard Devin groan. Would he
finally come? She was surprised at how long he’d lasted.

Another orgasm built and Anna screamed. She
heard Devin and Ian shout out as they emptied themselves into her
body.

She collapsed onto Devin’s chest and he ran
his hands over her hair. Ian kissed her shoulder before pulling
himself out and rolling onto his back. Her bed was only a queen and
it was a tight fit with the three of them. Devin lifted her off and
rolled to his side, pulling her close. Ian scooted close and put
his hand on her hip.

“Go to sleep, Baby,” Devin whispered. “You
did well.”

Anna gave them a tired smile and fell
asleep.

Anna woke with a start. The sun was up and
she was alone in her bed, but evidence of the previous night’s
sexual adventures was evident in the twisted sheets and the smell
of Devin on her pillow. She looked around; their clothes were gone.
They must have left.

Grief hit her square in the face and Anna
curled up under the covers and sobbed. She had betrayed the memory
of her love by having sex with the men who killed him.

It felt as if her body would explode with
grief. She didn’t deserve even Ben’s memory. She was weak. How
could she have enjoyed last night so much? A little voice inside
her told her that she couldn’t help it, that she’d been trained
that way. But she didn’t believe it. If she’d really loved Ben she
would have resisted…somehow.

Disgust made her stomach churn. She had no
self-control.

“Anna?” Jenna knocked on the door and Anna
heard her door open.

Anna pushed the covers away from her face,
sat up and looked at her best friend with mournful eyes.

Jenna leaned against the wall. “It sure
didn’t sound like he hurt you last night.” Her eyes were narrowed
and accusatory.

Anna looked down at her hands, shame making
her body tingle and her stomach churn. “He didn’t,” she said
softly. “He.…” She sighed. “I’m a terrible person.”

Jenna came and sat next to Anna on her bed.
“Anna,” Jenna said, putting her hand on Anna’s. “If I didn’t know
how you had been raised I would have been disgusted. But I know
what Devin did to you. Anna, he’s fucking with your head.”

Anna eyes filled with tears as she looked
despondently at her friend. “No, I’m weak.”

Jenna shook her head. “I heard him say it as
they were leaving. He’s trying to fuck with your head. I don’t know
why.”

“I don’t know why he didn’t just hurt me. He
likes to do that.” She buried her face in her hands. “I’m so
ashamed. Did Matt hear?”

Jenna winced. “Yeah. He was pissed at you
until I gave him more of your background. He doesn’t totally get
it, but he doesn’t think you were trampling on Ben’s memory.”

Anna didn’t say anything. What could she
say?

She glanced at her clock. “I need to get
ready.” They needed to leave in twenty minutes.

*****

Anna went through the day in a daze. She
preferred the numbness to the emotional roller coaster. She did her
best to keep any interactions short. She had a five minute
conversation with Katherine in the afternoon about attending a
performance. They decided on Thursday evening. The family would
head home Friday evening, taking Ben’s body to bury him in Seattle.
Anna wouldn’t go. She mumbled something about not seeing Ben in the
ground, then just ended the call. Anyone else just got a nod or a
head shake.

Anna only came out of her daze when she
danced and then went right back into numbness. She didn’t speak to
anyone, even Travis, who simply sat with her and held her hand.

Thursday passed in a similar manner. When she
returned to the theater for the performance, she stayed in her
dressing room except when she was needed on stage.

Ben’s family came backstage after the
performance was over. They said she danced beautifully and that Ben
would have been proud. She didn’t say much but was polite.
Katherine hugged her hard before they left and told her that Matt
would drive her to Ben’s memorial service in the morning.

Anna spent most of that night staring out her
window at the lights of the city. She couldn’t even feel tired.

The numbness at least felt safe.

Anna sat on her bed in her black dress,
staring at the floor as she waited for Matt to arrive. She could
hear Jenna moving around in the living room, but Anna didn’t feel
like moving. She would have to once Matt arrived, but until then,
she could be alone.

She twisted the ring on her finger. It was
the only jewelry she wore aside from Alex’s bracelet and Devin’s
necklace. She didn’t feel worthy to wear it, but Katherine had
mentioned that she liked it and Anna didn’t want to disappoint
her.

Matt knocked a few minutes later. Jenna
answered the door and when Anna walked out into the hallway she saw
Greg was there as well.

“What are you doing here?” she spat, her
anger rising to the surface.

Greg looked at her sympathetically. “He was
my friend too, Anna. I told Matt I’d drive you guys.”

She narrowed her eyes at him, then picked up
her purse and swept past him.

“Why don’t you like Greg?” Jenna whispered as
they walked together to the elevator. “You’ve been hostile to him
for months.”

“Because he’s my babysitter from Alex. I
don’t want anything to do with Alex, but still
he’s
here.”

“You like Wilhelm,” Jenna pointed out. “And
Kurt.”

Anna ground her teeth. “It’s different.”

“How?”

“It just is,” Anna snapped.

Jenna put her hands up in surrender. “All
right. It’s different.”

*****

Anna sat in the front seat of Greg’s black
Avalanche, staring blankly out the front window. She refused to
respond when he tried to engage her in casual conversation. He
seemed amused with her, which riled her to no end.

“We’ll leave for Frankfurt right after the
last show on the twenty-eighth,” Greg said, switching tactics.

Anna crossed her arms and huffed. “I’m not
going.”

Greg laughed. “What do you mean you’re not
going?”

She glared at him. “You heard me. I’m not
going.”

“And you think you get to make this
decision?”

“I’ll make a fuss at the airport and security
will arrest me.”

“We’re taking the family’s new jet. There
won’t be security to alert.”

Anna huffed again. “I’m still not going. I
don’t want to see him.”

“See who?” Matt asked. “Where are you
going?”

“I’m not going,” Anna snapped.

“Germany,” Greg answered. “Frankfurt to be
exact. To see…a friend. And someone who can help Anna.”

Anna snorted. “Like he wants to help me.”

Greg sighed. “He does Anna. He doesn’t hate
you. I don’t know where you came up with that idea.”

“Maybe because he left. Because he didn’t
even bother to call me when Ben died. Because…,” Anna didn’t finish
her sentence. So many things.

“You’re rather rebellious for someone in your
situation,” Greg commented dryly.

“I don’t care anymore.”

She turned her head and stared out the
window. She wouldn’t go to Germany and that was that. Yes, it would
be nice to see Wilhelm and Kurt, but to see them with their wives
would be uncomfortable. She adored Wilhelm and it would be hard to
be around him and not be able to curl up next to him anytime she
wanted to.

She supposed because Greg said “we,” that he
was coming with her. Sigh. Twelve hours being stuck with him. Maybe
she could get away…not go home after the performance. She could go
to Travis’ house, maybe. Then Greg wouldn’t be able to find her. He
would have to tell Alex that he’d failed. The thought brought a
smile to her lips.

“You need to make sure you get some warm
clothes. They have snow in the winter.”

Anna kept staring out the window. She didn’t
need warm clothes because she wasn’t going.

Greg sighed. “Jenna, can you take her
shopping and make sure she has a warm coat and other things you
need for snow? Alex says they’re expecting a cold winter.”

“Sure,” Jenna said.

“And she needs a formal dress, too.”

“For what?” Anna asked, curiosity getting the
best of her.

Greg looked at her out of the corner of his
eye. “For New Year’s.”

Anna grunted and turned away again. “I’m
still not going.”

They stopped at a light and Greg grabbed her
chin and turned her to face him. “Alex has ordered me to take you
to Germany, and I never fail to follow his orders,” he said in a
low voice. “You
will
be going if I have to drag you
kicking and screaming onto that plane.”

Anna narrowed her eyes. “He ordered you? Are
you his slave too?”

“What?” Matt exclaimed

“Don’t worry about it, Matt,” Jenna said
softly.

Anna continued to glare at Greg until the
light changed and he released her chin and went back to driving. He
didn’t speak again, which suited her just fine.

He pulled into a parking lot about ten
minutes later. Just as he did so, it began to rain and Anna sighed.
It fit her mood, she supposed. Greg offered her an umbrella before
she got out, but she whipped her head around and got out of the
vehicle, getting drenched in the process.

She started walking towards the entrance
quickly and suddenly the rain stopped falling on her. She looked up
and saw Greg walking next to her with the umbrella over her
head.

“I don’t need your help,” she snarled and
stepped sideways back into the rain.

“Anna, you’re being ridiculous,” he said,
stepping closer.

“I don’t care.” She stepped away again.

He grabbed her arm and held her firmly next
to him, making her walk in step with him. “Do you want to get
sick?”

“I don’t get sick,” she snapped. “I’ve never
been sick.”

Greg sighed. “I didn’t know you were so
difficult.”

“Then don’t bother with me.”

“It’s my job.”

“Fire your boss.”

“I respect Alex more than anyone else in the
world. I will bother with you because he cares about you.” He
studied her for a moment and then his face softened. “And I know
you’re going through a very difficult time right now,” he added in
a softer voice.

Tears filled her eyes unexpectedly and she
looked down at the ground. She stopped fighting and let him lead
her inside.

When they got inside Anna looked around and
saw the place was very full. “Oh, God,” she said, backing into Greg
as she spotted Jack across the room. She hadn’t seen him since the
night she and Ben had fought.

“It’s okay, Anna,” Greg said softly. “It’s
part of the reason I’m here. I’ll keep him away from you.”

Jack looked up and grinned wickedly at Anna
as he walked towards her. Greg grabbed her hand and pulled her
behind him.

“Who are you?” Jack asked in a cold
voice.

“I am here to keep Anna safe.”

“You think I would hurt her?” Jack asked
innocently.

“Yes, I do. I have no reason to think
otherwise.”

There was a pause. “Ah, you must be one of
Alex’s dogs.”

“Better Alex’s dog than Devin’s prince.”

“Why you fucking son-of-a-bitch….” Jack
growled.

“You needn’t involve my mother. She’s
actually quite a nice woman.”

Anna peeked around Greg to see Jack’s face
darken with anger as he glared at Greg.

“You can’t deny me my right to see Anna.”

“I can do whatever the hell I want to. I’m
here on Alex’s behalf. You’re here on your own. At least I assume
so.”

“Anna!” a voice called across the room.
Katherine walked towards her with her arms open.

She smiled timidly at the woman she had grown
very fond of since they’d met. Anna went to Katherine and hugged
her.

“Oh, honey. You’re all wet. You poor thing.”
Katherine looked behind Anna. “Hello, Jack. I’m so glad you were
able to come.”

“Hello, Katherine. I’m so sorry for your
loss.” Jack spoke to her with a timbre of respect she’d never heard
from him.

“Thank you, Jack. Have you met Ben’s fiancé,
Anna?”

Anna turned to face her guardian.

“Anna, this is Ben’s direct boss, Jack
Koslov. Ben worked under him since he graduated college.” Katherine
smiled warmly at Jack. “Didn’t he intern under you as well?”

Jack smiled. “Yes, he did.” He glanced at
Anna. “Fiancé?” he raised his eyebrow in subtle mockery.

Anna looked down at the ground. How could
Jack deceive so many people? Obviously, Ben hadn’t told his mother
everything. She glanced at Greg who was watching Jack like a
hawk.

“Greg, I’m so glad you could come as well.
Thank you for bringing Anna and Matt.”

“My pleasure, Katherine,” Greg said with a
gracious smile.

Katherine took Anna’s hand and led her around
the building, introducing her as Ben’s fiancé. Every time she said
that, Anna wanted to cry. She saw Aaron and Travis in the crowd and
introduced Katherine to them. By the time she sat next to Katherine
and Dave in the front row of the church, the tears were spilling
over onto her cheeks. She stared at the picture of Ben displayed at
the front of the room. His handsome smile and bright eyes made her
heart ache so unbearably.

Oh, it was so much easier to be angry.
Sadness felt so out of control. Anger seemed easier. But it was
harder to maintain. Her tears always came anyways.

Many people went to the front to talk about
Ben. Several aunts and uncles spoke of his childhood. His
colleagues spoke highly of him. His dad broke down and couldn’t
finish. It was heart wrenching to watch.