The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced (42 page)

She stretched her arms and legs and sat up.
Wilhelm was still asleep, which made Anna smile. Alex always woke
up the second Anna was up, if he wasn’t already awake. One of the
many things she loved about him.

Anna scooted out from under the covers and
glanced back at Wilhelm as she walked to the bathroom to get
ready.

When she emerged a while later, Wilhelm was
sitting up in bed and looking at his phone.

“Have you heard from Alex?” she asked. Anna
had already checked her phone several times.

“
Nein
, not yet.” Wilhelm looked up
with sympathetic eyes. “Anna, it’s very possible he won’t be home
today. Things can take longer than expected sometimes and he can't
communicate that to us.”

Anna managed to smile and nod. “I know,” she
whispered. But her heart fell. She needed Alex home. Today. She
needed his arms around her. She turned around, pretending to be
busy with her dance bag, trying to control her tears.

Wilhelm came up behind her and put his hands
on her shoulders. “Anna, don’t be afraid. He’ll be home. He always
comes home.”

She squeezed a point shoe in her hand and
blinked several times. “Okay.” She turned to look up at Wilhelm. “I
should go eat breakfast.”

Wilhelm kissed her forehead. “Don’t worry.
Dance wonderfully today. He’ll be home as soon as he can. I know he
will.”

*****

At every break, Anna checked her phone, but
the screen remained unchanged.

He’s okay. It’s just taking longer than
he thought it would.

She knew he was in Russia and it would take a
while to get home as well. She just had to be patient.

When rehearsal was over, there still had been
no word from Alex. Since Wilhelm had arrived, Aaron had gone back
to his house, but told Anna to call him if she needed anything. Her
house was only a few minutes from Aaron’s. She liked being that
close to him.

*****

The next few days, Anna didn’t go anywhere
without her phone. She kept it by the barre during class and slept
next to it at night. When Saturday came around, fear began to grow
in Anna’s heart. Wilhelm tried his best to calm her nerves, but she
knew even he was getting nervous.

She sat in the on the couch in the living
room and stared out the window, willing the two black SUVs to come
driving around the corner. Devin had allowed her to stay home from
the Gathering Friday night, though Anna suspected Wilhelm had
something to do with it. Devin didn’t sound very happy when he
phoned her Thursday afternoon to tell her.

“Anna, let’s go do something. Out of the
house.” Wilhelm came and sat next to her.

Anna shook her head. “I want to be here when
he gets here.”

“
Liebling,
he’ll call when he gets
to Frankfurt. Remember, he’s stopping there on the way home. We’ll
have plenty of time to get home before he arrives.”

Wilhelm’s words were reasonable; Alex
wouldn’t just show up at the house without calling first. And he
wouldn’t arrive in Frankfurt without calling her.

*****

For Anna’s sake, Wilhelm kept himself calm,
but his stomach churned every time he thought about his son. Alex
was very good at what he did. He planned his missions down to the
tiniest detail and was rarely off on his timing. Maybe a day or
two, but he’d never been off this much. Four days late was too
long. Wilhelm began to worry.

If he got a minute away from Anna, he would
call Vitaly in St. Petersburg. He and Wilhelm had a friendly
relationship and if anything had happened, Vitaly would know.
Especially since it was Vitaly who had called Alex. He’d at least
know if the objective had been accomplished.

Wilhelm took Anna to a movie and they walked
around Fisherman’s Wharf and had dinner. She remained quiet and
worried. His heart went out to her. She needed Alex home, safe and
sound. He didn’t want to think about what would happen if Alex
didn’t come home.

But Alex always came home. He and his team
were the best of any of the special ops teams the Brotherhood
had.

*****

Anna tossed and turned as she lay in bed with
Wilhelm watching TV. She’d been trying to hold out for Alex to come
home for sex, but her body physically hurt from lack of sex at this
point. Alex had told her that if she needed comfort or release,
that she could sleep with Aaron. But what about Wilhelm?

But Wilhelm was her father-in-law. Was that
taboo now? She had come to understand that having sex with her
guardian was very socially unacceptable, aside from the whole abuse
thing. Surely her father-in-law would be in the same category. But
he was also an Elder.

“Anna, are you all right?” Wilhelm asked as
she fidgeted in the bed. He lay his hand on hers.

Anna stopped moving. “I...yeah,” she said
lamely. She didn’t want to offend him. She liked having him hold
her when she slept. It comforted her. She didn’t want him to think
badly of her.

He cupped her chin and turned her face to
his. “What’s wrong?”

She gazed into his blue eyes and fought
herself from leaning in to kiss him.

His eyes searched hers and then darkened when
he saw the desire in her eyes. “
Liebling
...,” he
whispered. “Do you need touch?” He stroked her cheek with his
finger and she leaned into his hand.

She bit her lip and nodded hesitantly. “I’m
sorry Wilhelm. I...I can call Aaron. I don’t want to make you
uncomfortable.”

He slid his hand around the back of her head
and pressed his lips to hers, his tongue demanding entry between
her lips. When they parted, his tongue stroked hers and she moaned
and pressed her body to his. His hands tangled in her hair and she
wrapped her arms around his neck.

He rolled her onto her back and lay gently on
top of her, kissing her passionately and flexing his hips against
her thigh. She could feel him, long and hard, against her leg. His
lips moved down her jaw and to her neck, where he sucked gently on
the skin. She pressed her head into the pillow and sighed as his
tongue moved down her neck and to her collarbone. He pulled the
straps of her tank top off her shoulders and kissed them, then
moved down to the tops of her breasts. Her nipples grew taut and
she arched her back, wanting him to take them into his mouth.

He pulled her tank top up over her head and
tossed it on the floor. He looked down at her breasts and trailed
his fingers around the bottom curve and up to her nipple.

“Wilhelm,” she sighed. “Please....”

His tongue trailed around her nipple before
taking her breast into his mouth, using suction and his tongue to
make her wiggle and moan beneath him. She cried out as he tugged on
the ring before moving to the other breast and giving it the same
attention.

She tugged on his t-shirt and pulled it off.
His chest hair brushed against her stomach, making her giggle.

He glanced up at her with an affectionate
smile. “Making love to you is a pleasure I would never turn
down.”

She gazed into his loving eyes. “But you’re
Alex’s father.”

He shrugged. “Do you desire me less because
of that?”

Anna shook her head.

He bent down and kissed her nipple. “My
feelings for you haven’t changed. I just keep them hidden so I
don't make you uncomfortable.” He gave her a tender smile. “I
never, ever want to come between you and Alex. But I am happy to
step in if you need me.” He chuckled and Anna giggled. “Besides, I
am technically still your Master as well.”

He kissed down her stomach and then pulled
off her sweatpants. He kissed her pubic bone and then licked her
clit gently, making her hips flex towards him. He chuckled again
and looked up into her eyes as his tongue circled her clit.

Anna’s eyes fluttered closed as Wilhelm
lavished attention on her neglected pussy.

“Oh, Wilhelm,” she sighed as he spread her
open and pressed his tongue against her slit. She tangled her hands
into his hair, pushing his mouth into her swollen folds. He lapped
and sucked on the sensitive skin.

“Oh! Oh, yes!” she cried out as sweet release
radiated up and out of her body. Wilhelm held her hips down and
sucked on her clit as she screamed out her orgasm.

She panted and gazed at Wilhelm as he stood
to remove his pants. She licked her lips when she saw his cock,
long and hard, jutting out from his hips, and sat up quickly to
take him into her mouth.

He murmured in German as he held her head
gently. Oh, she loved his cock! She licked him from the base up and
sucked on the tip, licking the pre-cum from his slit. She hummed in
delight as she took him in as far as she could, making him
groan.

He pulled himself out of her mouth and she
whimpered. He chuckled and lay her down and positioned himself
between her legs. His lips captured hers and he slowly entered her
body.

She sighed in ecstasy. He was such a gentle
lover. So different than everything she’d been through the previous
weekend. She matched his rhythm as he thrust slowly in and out of
her body. God, he felt good! Exactly what she needed. He wrapped
his arms around her and kissed her as he loved her.

Their movements increased as one and they
exploded together. Her legs held him inside and didn’t relax until
they had both returned to earth. He rolled over onto his back,
bringing her with him and she rested her head on his chest.

He stroked her hair as she listened to his
heartbeat slow, and fell asleep to its soothing rhythm.

*****

Anna’s eyes snapped open as a familiar body
slipped into bed behind her. “Alex?” she exclaimed, turning
around.

“
Nein, Liebling
. I’m sorry. It’s
Wilhelm.”

“Wilhelm!” She flung her arms around his neck
and he held her close. He was the next best thing with Alex out of
town. She savored his familiar presence and buried her face in his
shoulder. “I’m so glad you’re here,” she murmured.

“Always,
Liebling
. I will always be
here for you.” He kissed her cheek and rubbed her back.

Wilhelm didn’t get a chance to call Vitaly
until Monday morning when Anna went to class. He had stayed
positive for her sake, but he was very worried. Vitaly told him
that he had heard from Alex when they arrived, but hadn’t heard
from him since. The target was difficult to find and that could be
why it was taking so long. Wilhelm thanked him and ended the call,
then sat back on the couch in the living room, tapping the edge of
his phone on his lip.

What to do now? Calling Alex could put him in
danger and likely wouldn’t do any good even if he tried. They kept
their phones off except for emergencies to keep from being
traced.

His phone rang a few minutes later. Wilhelm
growled when he saw it was Devin. What the hell did he want? “Yes,
Devin. What can I do for you?”

“Where are you?” Devin asked cautiously. “Is
Anna with you?”

“No, Anna is at class. I am at my son’s
house. Why do you ask?”

There was a pause. “I need to speak with you.
In person.”

Wilhelm sighed. He didn’t want to deal with
Devin right now. His nerves were on edge as it was. Devin’s
presence would only agitate them more.

“Please, Wilhelm.”

Devin’s tone concerned him. “You are welcome
to come over if you would like,” Wilhelm said in an even tone. He
didn’t like Devin one iota, but Devin sounded...worried.

“I’ll be there shortly.”

*****

Anna glanced down at her phone for the
umpteenth time this morning. She was sure she would hear from Alex
today. She had to. Her last shreds of sanity were quickly
unraveling.

It was the end of class. The dancers moved
into the center for
révérence
. She began the slow steps to
cool down and stretch before break. As she turned in
arabesque
and returned to face the side of the room, a
movement near the door caught her attention.

She looked up to see Wilhelm in the doorway
looking very pale. Devin stood behind him with a concerned
expression on his face. Her leg dropped and she stared. The entire
class froze and the pianist stopped playing.

Wilhelm held his hand out. “Anna...,” he said
softly.

As if in a trance, she walked to where
Wilhelm and Devin stood. Wilhelm put his arm around her shoulders
and led her out into the hallway.

“Anna....” Wilhelm began in a broken voice.
“There has been...news of Alex.”

“Is he hurt?” she asked in a tiny voice.

Wilhelm’s eyes filled with tears as he shook
his head. “He is....” Wilhelm cleared his throat. “He is...gone,
Anna. Devin received...a letter and....” Wilhelm pulled something
out of his pocket. A small silver colored circle.

Anna held out her hand and Wilhelm put Alex’s
wedding ring in her palm.

“Some villagers found...their bodies outside
St. Petersburg,” Devin said slowly. “The letter arrived this
morning. I am so sorry, Anna.”

Anna looked back and forth between the two
men. They couldn’t be serious. No. Alex couldn’t be gone. But he
would never take off his ring. He said the only way it would ever
be removed is if he were...dead.

Anna shook her head and backed away. Tears
streamed down her cheeks. “No,” she whispered. “He can’t. He
wouldn’t. He wouldn’t do that to me.” Her voice rose with each
thought.

“
Liebling.
” Wilhelm stepped to her
and pulled her close.

“No,” she repeated emphatically.

And then she screamed.

*****

The scream chilled Aaron to the bone and
echoed through the building. He ran out of the studio to see Anna
collapsed on the floor with Wilhelm hunched over her. Her wails
made him shiver. The entire class followed behind him and heads
poked out from the other studios.

“Anna!” he exclaimed and ran over to her and
Wilhelm.