The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced

by Marissa Honeycutt

  He’d come into town hoping to be with Anna at least a few times, but when she told them about Ben, he realized he couldn’t do that to her. He had a right to her. He was technically her Master, and he desired her, absolutely. But he also cared about her as a person. She needed a friend and father, not a lover. And certainly not now.

  He had been tempted to go to the Manor and use one of the girls there, but didn’t want Devin thinking Anna wasn’t doing her “duties” by attending to him sexually. He was almost fifty years old. He could control himself for a few days.

  But when Anna buried her face in his neck and then pressed her hips against him, his body responded. He heard her breath quicken and felt her press against him more. He knew she was becoming aroused. She moved in that certain way and he swore he could smell her arousal.

  He mustered all his strength and pushed her gently away. “Anna, no. We cannot do this. You are grieving. I will not take advantage of you.”

  She looked at him with her sad green eyes. “Please, Wilhelm,” she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. “It’s all I know. It’s the only thing that will take away the pain.” She swallowed and a tear rolled down her cheek. “Devin made me this way.”

  Wilhelm sighed and wiped her tear away with his thumb. He knew that the first thing Devin had done to her after her parents were buried was arouse her and bring her to orgasm. Wilhelm was sure that it had been a relief. Sex was everything to her; Devin and Jack had ensured that. Sex brought physical pain and pleasure. Emotional pain and relief. How she felt cared for and how she felt used. It was her emotional language.

  Wilhelm searched her eyes. She was hurting; more than she had in a long time. Devin had been truly evil in what he had done to her and Ben. He couldn’t understand how Devin could do such a thing to such a sweet girl.

  She really did want to please those around her. Devin was breaking her. But why? She wasn’t a rebellious person. At least not until this happened.

  If someone had told him a week ago that Anna had hit someone, especially Devin, he would have laughed and told them they were insane. But Anna had freely admitted to attacking Devin. Surely Devin realized what he was doing to her.

  It didn’t make any sense. Devin was treading on dangerous ground. An Elder-Mistress out of control was a dangerous thing. Especially to her Master. She could turn on him and destroy him.

  Wilhelm had to admit that last thought was rather appealing. But she would likely take it out on Alex as well, and Alex meant only good for her. Her fury towards Alex and her rebellion against his wishes was not a good sign, but Alex would have to deal with that when she got to Germany. Relieving her current pain would help, as long as Devin didn’t do anything else to upset her.

  Wilhelm looked back at Anna and cupped her cheek. Maybe his love would help soften her again. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. His cock throbbed at the light touch and he slid his hand around the back of her head to deepen the kiss. He probed at her lips with his tongue and she opened her mouth to him. He groaned as he explored her mouth with his tongue. His tongue danced around hers, tasting and teasing her. It was everything he’d imagined it would be and more.

  Her hands moved into his hair as she kissed him back with desperation. He tugged at her robe and it came loose, falling slowly to the floor. He ran his hands gently all over her soft skin as he kissed her mouth. Her nipples were hard as he caressed her firm, youthful breasts. He moved to kiss her neck and she sighed as he bit her neck gently.

  He slid his hands down to her backside and kneaded her firm ass cheeks, moving his fingers lower and tracing the cleft of her ass down until he found the hot, wet slit of her pussy. She moaned and arched her back as he dipped his fingers inside her. So tight. So wet.

  “Oh, Wilhelm,” she whispered as he slowly thrust his fingers in and out of her.

  His pants felt tight and very uncomfortable. When she caressed him over the fabric he groaned in pain and pleasure. He rarely went this long without sex and was eager to bury himself deep inside her. But he would be patient and not hurry her. He would give her what comfort he could.

  *****

  Anna moaned against Wilhelm’s neck as he pushed his fingers deep inside her. God, it felt so good. This is what she needed. This is what would take the pain away. Sex had made her feel better when her parents died; it would help this time, too. It had to. She didn’t know how else she would be able to cope.

  He spread her outer lips apart and flicked her clit with his fingers, and the pain in her heart settled into a dull ache. She reached for his shirt, quickly unbuttoned it and pushed it off his shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She kissed his shoulder then neck as she undid his belt and pants. He was so hard his cock practically exploded out of his pants and throbbed against her hand.

  He gritted his teeth and breathed heavily as she stroked his length. It was a beautiful cock. So long and thick. She could feel herself almost dripping at the thought of him inside her. She refused to acknowledge that he reminded her of Alex.

  He picked her up and laid her on the bed. He kicked his pants off, then lay next to her on the bed, caressing her body and making her moan. His cock brushed against her hip.

  “Please, Wilhelm. I need you.”

  “Anna, I don’t want to rush you.”

  “I need you, Wilhelm,” she begged. “I need you inside me.”

  He looked at her tenderly as he positioned himself on top of her. She opened her legs for him and felt him rubbing against her slit. He pressed forward slowly and she closed her eyes, feeling him fill her so completely. His piercings rubbed against the top of her channel and made her shiver with pleasure. More and more he filled her until he hit her cervix and made her hiss in pain.

  “Anna, are you all right?” he asked in a husky voice.

  She nodded. “Just…hurts if you go in too far.”

  *****

  Wilhelm frowned, confused. Why would it hurt her? Alex had told him that she had enjoyed and even begged for Alex to push in as far as he could. Something was wrong, Wilhelm could feel it. She felt…different, but couldn’t pinpoint what it was. Maybe it was just the stress of the last few days.

  “I’m sorry, Wilhelm.”

  He smiled tenderly at her and kissed her. “Don’t apologize. Women’s bodies do strange things sometimes.” He masked his concern and moved gently inside trying to erase the pain he’d caused her.

  She closed her eyes as the pleasure enveloped her. He would have to be careful with her. She needed the pleasure, not the pain.

  *****

  Anna sighed as Wilhelm thrust gently inside her. She wanted more, but it hurt. She’d never hurt like this before and it troubled her…for a minute, and then Wilhelm’s movements made her forget.

  They moved together in rhythm and soon Anna felt her climax approaching. She wrapped her legs around Wilhelm’s hips and tightened herself around him until her world exploded in bright colors. She heard Wilhelm groan and stiffen as he came. He pressed in a little too much, making her hurt, but she didn’t want to tell him. She knew he didn’t mean to. She knew the last thing on earth Wilhelm would want to do was hurt her.

  He rolled off a moment later and held her close. She felt safe. Cared for. Loved. She closed her eyes and let herself relax in his care, quickly falling into pain-dulled sleep.

  Chapter Twelve

  Anna heard a phone ring and opened her eyes.

  “Do not worry, Anna,” Wilhelm said softly. “It is my phone.” He got out of bed and picked up his phone out of his pants. “Hallo….” He spoke in German and his face quickly changed from confused to concerned. He sat on the bed next to her and held her hand as he spoke.

  Anna glanced at the clock. It was three in the morning. She had fallen asleep when the sun was still in the sky, yet she still felt sleepy. She watched Wilhelm’s face as he continued to talk, then he ended the call and stared at the floor.

  “Gretchen is in labor,” he said. “The baby is not due for another month.�
�

  “Is that bad?”

  Wilhelm looked at her in surprise, then with incredible tenderness. “Ja. With all the complications she has had….” He sighed. “Ilsa and Alex took her to the hospital. Kurt needs to get home.”

  “You need to go too, don’t you?” she asked in a soft voice, trying to ignore the sudden return of pain in her heart.

  Wilhelm didn’t say anything at first. “I will stay if you need me, Anna. I do not want to leave you alone.”

  Anna pushed aside her own hurt, sat up and caressed his cheek. “You’ve been so good to me, Wilhelm. But you should be with your family.” Anna had come to realize how important parents were to their children over the last few months. Ben had been very close to his dad. Even Travis talked to his dad at least once a week. Families needed to be together in bad times.

  “Anna, you are family, too.”

  She shook her head. “I’m your slave, Wilhelm.”

  He frowned. “I have never thought of you that way, Anna,” he said in a firm voice. “None of us have.”

  Anna didn’t say anything. She was pretty sure Alex thought of her that way. She gave him a small smile. “I have Jenna and Matt and Aaron. I’ll be okay. Kurt needs you and if you stay here, you’re too far away if something bad happens.” She squeezed his hand. “You need to go home.”

  “Anna, I do not want you to feel that I have abandoned you.”

  She looked at him for a long moment. “You wouldn’t abandon me, Wilhelm.”

  “Then why do you think that of Alex?” he asked softly.

  She was quiet for several minutes trying to come up with an answer. “Because he acted like he loved me.”

  “He does love you, Anna. I know this to be a fact.”

  “You’re mistaken. He hardly talked to me at all when he was in town the last time. And he supported Devin’s decision about me not going to New York. He—”

  “Anna, being in New York without Alex or Devin would be dangerous,” Wilhelm interrupted. “Alex was right.”

  “Being here with Devin isn’t that safe either,” she retorted.

  Wilhelm sighed. “I know.”

  They were quiet for a few minutes.

  “You should get dressed, Wilhelm. I’m sure Kurt wants to be going soon.”

  “Anna, I will stay if you need me.”

  She shook her head. “I’ll be okay. Really.”

  Wilhelm stood reluctantly and began dressing. When he was finished, he sat back down next to Anna. “Call me. Anytime, if you need me, all right? And I will see you in a few weeks.”

  Anna frowned. “I don't want to go to Germany.”

  “Not even to see myself and Kurt?” he smiled at her, eyes twinkling.

  “You’ll be with your wives. I like it better when you visit me here.”

  “Alex wants you to come, Anna. You need to obey him.”

  Anna narrowed her eyes at him, then realized what he had said. She was a slave and he knew it. She felt the chastisement and looked at her hands.

  “Yes, Wilhelm.”

  *****

  “Anna, I didn’t mean.…” Wilhelm looked at her changed posture and realized his mistake. He had just treated her as a slave when he promised her he hadn’t thought of her like that. And he didn’t think of her like that...did he? He cursed at himself silently.

  “I am sorry, Anna,” he said quietly, pulling her into his lap. “I should not have said that.”

  She sat stiffly in his arms. “It’s all right, Wilhelm.”

  Wilhelm sighed. “Anna, I-” The phone interrupted him. He looked at his phone and saw it was Kurt. “Hello, Kurt,” he answered in German.

  “Are you here yet? I called and spoke to the pilot. They’ll be ready by the time we get there.”

  Wilhelm could hear the anxiety in son’s voice. “I’ll be leaving in a few minutes.”

  “Is Anna all right?”

  “Not really.”

  “Gretchen always has terrible timing.”

  “She does, but you do need to be there for her. For the sake of your son. I’ll be there soon.”

  Wilhelm put his phone back in his pocket and looked at Anna.

  *****

  Anna held herself still in Wilhelm’s arms, waiting for him to hang up.

  He hugged her to him after he put his phone away. “Anna, do you want me to stay?”

  She shook her head. “You should go.” He didn’t need to stay for a slave. He needed to attend to his family. She crawled off his lap and stood next to the bed, staring at the floor. “I’ll be okay. Really.”

  “Jenna said she would bring her things over tomorrow. Or I suppose that is today?”

  Anna glanced up and saw a small smile on his face. She nodded.

  Wilhelm stood. “Call me, Anna. Promise me you will if you need anything.”

  “I will.”

  She put her robe on and walked him to the door. He kissed her soundly, hugged her tightly, and then left. She watched him walk down the hallway and then get into the elevator, waving at her before he did.

  Anna closed the door and went back to her bed. She stared at the ceiling and pushed away the pain in her heart from Wilhelm’s leaving. She tried to push away the pain of Ben’s death, as well, but couldn’t. The pain lingered and tears rolled silently down her cheeks.

  “Oh, Ben...,” she whispered to the empty room.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Anna.”

  Anna groaned at her interrupted sleep. She opened her eyes to see Jenna standing over her.

  “What?” she asked, irritated.

  “We need to get going if you’re going to the theater this morning.”

  Anna glanced at her clock. It was eight-thirty. She sat up and rubbed her eyes.

  “You can stay here, Anna. Isaak will understand if you’re not up for performing.”

  “No, I’m fine,” she snapped. “Just give me a minute.”

  “Okay.” Jenna looked at her with concern in her eyes. “I’ll wait for you out in the other room.”

  Anna sighed and stood. She dressed quickly and went out into the living room.

  “Okay, let’s go,” she said, holding her keys and dance bag. “I’ll drive.”

  “Don’t you want to eat?” Jenna asked cautiously.

  “I’m not hungry.”

  The two girls walked down to the garage and got into Anna’s car. Tears started to fill her eyes. No, she told herself, I won’t cry. She was tired of being weak. Weakness is what got her hurt and she was tired of getting hurt. She would be strong and not let anyone get to her. If she didn’t care about anyone then there would be no weakness to exploit.

  “Where’s Wilhelm?” Jenna asked. “I thought he would have stayed with you in the apartment last night.”

  “He went home. Kurt’s wife went into labor and they had to leave.”

  “Oh.”

  Anna drove to the theater garage and parked, all without speaking.

  “I’ll get my things this afternoon and take them to your place, if that’s all right,” Jenna said as they walked across the street to the theater.

  Anna shrugged. “Sure.”

  “Anna, if you don't want me to move in with you, just say so.”

  She shook her head. “No. Wilhelm thought it would be a good idea. I should do as he says.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Anna didn’t respond. She walked with her jaw clenched and her chin held high. She would not show weakness. She would not care; about anyone or anything.

  They walked onto the stage where classes were held on performance days. Several dancers ran up to Anna, including Travis and Aaron, to ask how she was doing. She barked that she was fine and pushed them out of the way to get to her position at the barre.

  *****

  Aaron stared in shock after Anna snapped at him. He’d never seen her so cold and distant. Her eyes were hard and her jaw was clenched. He and Travis stared at each other as she brushed past them to get to her place. They’d ex
pected Anna to run to them for comfort, not glare at them for showing concern.

  “This isn’t good,” Travis said in a quiet voice.

  “That fucking bastard,” Aaron muttered.

  “Who? Anna?” Travis asked.

  Aaron shook his head. “Devin.”

  Aaron had told Travis what Anna had told him. Devin was destroying her. He hoped Alex would finish whatever he felt he needed to soon and return. Something was seriously wrong with Anna and only Alex would be able to fix it. Of this he was certain.

  “She wasn’t this cold yesterday when I called. She was crying.”

  Aaron heard people muttering about her coldness and wondering why she was here instead of home grieving.

  “You guys, give her a break,” Aaron said to the dancers around him. “This isn’t her. This is the most recent in a series of tragedies in her life. She’s coping the only way she knows how.”

  “By being a bitch?” Lucy, his dance partner, asked coldly.

  “She’s not trying to be a bitch. It’s not like her at all. She’s…hurting. Really bad. I mean, c’mon her boyfriend just died. Give her a break.”

  Lucy looked over at Anna, who was staring at the ground and blinking rapidly. Her tears sparkled in the stage lights. “She’s trying not to cry,” Lucy remarked softly.

  “You have no idea the life she’s had, Lucy. She’s only twenty. Please,” Aaron implored. “Don’t judge her. Just be a friend. No matter how she is.”

  He could see Lucy’s eyes watering in sympathy as she nodded. “Okay.”

  Lucy walked over to Anna and hugged her. Anna reacted coldly, but Lucy squeezed her hand and spoke gently to her

  Aaron looked around for Jenna and found her watching Anna with concern in her eyes.

  He walked over. “How’s she doing?”

  “She snapped at me this morning.” Jenna gave him a wry smile. “Wilhelm asked me to move in with her and keep an eye on her.”

  “Are you gonna?”

  She nodded. “Wilhelm’s right. She shouldn’t be alone.”

  “How’s Matt doing?”

  “He’s…okay. Do you…Anna told him something that was rather disturbing.”

  Aaron hadn’t talked to Jenna since Sunday’s performance except for a few texts to ask about Anna’s whereabouts. “That Ben wasn’t killed in a car accident?”