Anna did a circuit of the men’s wedding rings again. This wasn’t a large store, but it had very good quality jewelry. And the owner could be trusted.
“What about that one?” She pointed to a thick platinum band with round diamonds inlaid around the entire band.
Jakob took it out of the case and handed it to Alex. It was heavy and well made. It would also compliment her ring very nicely.
“I like it,” Alex said, smiling at Anna. She had good taste.
“Really? You’re not just saying that?” Her eyes were eager as she looked at him.
“Yes, Anna. I like it. I like it a lot.”
She grinned and her eyes sparkled. “I thought it was like a guy’s version of mine.”
He cupped her cheek. “I thought the same thing.” He kissed her and then looked at Jakob. “How long would it take to come in my size?” he asked in German.
“A week, I think. Or I could adjust this one. I would need to add a diamond or two. I have some good ones in the back. I could have that done tomorrow.”
Alex nodded. “Yes, do that. I would also like the inside engraved.”
Jakob handed him a piece of paper and Alex wrote three words on it. “Anna” and “San Francisco.”
Alex looked at Anna. “You like this one? You want me to have it as my wedding ring?”
Anna nodded enthusiastically.
Alex nodded at Jakob, who wrote down some information on a sales slip. “I have your information from your other rings. Would you like to take hers with you today?”
“No. I’ll leave it here and pick it up tomorrow.” He glanced at Anna, realizing it would be unlikely that they would leave their bedroom tomorrow. “Or have someone pick it up.”
“Very good, Herzog.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Anna smoothed her dress nervously as they drove up the driveway to Alex’s family Gutshaus. It was even more impressive in the daytime. The stone walls, yellowed with age, looked majestic. A dozen chimneys stuck out of the roof, and the warmth they radiated revealed copper roofing otherwise hidden under the snow. Stone carvings framed the windows, completing the overall grandeur of the building.
She shifted in her seat. Her new piercings were beginning to ache.
The SUV pulled up to the front door where Lukas awaited them. Tony opened the vehicle door and Alex got out, then turned to help Anna out of the car. Alex swept Anna off her feet, kissed her and then carried her inside.
“What was that for?” Anna asked, giggling as he put her on her feet.
“A groom always carries his bride over the threshold. It’s bad luck not too.”
“Alex, the rest of the family is eager to meet your bride.” Wilhelm said, heading for the stairs.
Anna eyed the stairs with apprehension. Walking was rather uncomfortable at the moment. Alex noticed, swept her up into his arms again and walked quickly up the stairs behind his father.
The sitting room was even more crowded than it had been the night before. It seemed full of Alex and Wilhelm clones with a scattering of women and children. When Alex put Anna down, there were German exclamations throughout the room. Anna saw Gretchen sitting on the couch and her expression was one of surprise, as if she hadn’t expected to see Anna. Anna thought it strange, but the thought was put out of her mind as Alex began introducing her to his extended family.
Wilhelm had three brothers younger than himself, Friedrich, Albrecht and Heinrich, and Ilsa had two sisters, Lore and Hanne, who was married to Heinrich. Alex rattled off the names quickly and Anna got lost. She smiled as they nodded at her, but she couldn’t for the life of her remember all their names.
It was a huge family and Anna was glad Alex stayed by her side. They were all very nice and friendly, but it was very overwhelming. Most of them spoke English, though some better than others. Apparently, English was required in German education.
Alex guided Anna to a couch and they talked with various members of his family. A while later she saw Seth motion to Alex and he excused himself, kissing Anna and saying he’d be back shortly.
Anna sat quietly and stared at her hands. She might not be afraid of Devin anymore, but she was still shy.
At some point, Gretchen came and sat near her along with Liesl and a couple of the cousins. Anna looked at them with apprehension.
“Don’t you speak any German, Anna?” Gretchen asked in a pleasant tone, which immediately put Anna on guard, though she wasn’t sure why.
Anna smiled apologetically. “I only know a few words.”
“You came here to marry Alex and you didn’t bother to learn any of his language? That’s rather rude, don’t you think?” Gretchen looked around at the other girls, who nodded in agreement.
“I didn’t come here to marry Alex. I had no idea....” Anna looked around desperately for Alex, but he was nowhere to be seen. “I didn’t even want to come. Alex sent for me.”
“He sent for you?” Liesl said in an amazed voice. “What does that mean?”
“I....” Anna didn’t know how to answer and blushed. She didn’t think she should say that she was Alex’s slave and had to obey him. She shrugged and looked at her hands. “He wanted me to come see him.”
“Why wouldn’t you want to come see Alex?” a cousin asked, amazed. Anna didn’t remember her name. “I thought all women in America were in love with him.”
“So why did you marry him?” Gretchen asked. “There are lots of women who would love to be in your shoes. Alex never lacked for female companionship.”
The way Gretchen said that made Anna uncomfortable. Alex had said that Gretchen had a thing for him. She obviously still did. Did Alex ever have feelings for Gretchen?
“He loves me,” Anna said softly.
Gretchen looked her up and down. “You’re so young. What could he possibly see in you?”
Tears stung Anna’s eyes. She tried to remind herself that Alex loved her, but without him by her side it was easy to doubt. After all, she wasn’t sophisticated like his family. She didn’t speak German. She was a sex slave.
“I can’t believe he married an American,” Gretchen mumbled to Liesl, though loud enough for Anna to hear. “I can’t believe your father allowed it. At least Mina was German, even though he didn’t like her, though I can’t imagine why. She was so sweet. Heidi would have been four now.” Gretchen turned back to Anna. “When do you want to start having children?”
Anna stared at her for a long moment, her mind wildly trying to figure out what to do. She had to escape. “Excuse me,” she said quietly and got up and walked away. Gretchen said something in German and the other girls laughed. Were they laughing at her?
She headed for the stairs and hesitated. She didn’t know where Alex was. She didn’t even know where his bedroom was. The only place she knew was the garden, so she went downstairs and sat in a corner chair, hoping she’d be hidden from anyone who came down.
Gretchen’s words brought all of Anna’s doubts back into the forefront of her mind. Anna would never give Alex any children. But it was obviously expected. All of the Kunze women had children if they were married. Even Mina had given Alex a daughter.
Oh, why did Alex marry her? He said he loved her. But he also talked about needing to protect her. Did he marry her out of an obligation? Because his father said he needed to? Or because he felt like he needed to?
She heard male voices echoing in the entryway and leaned forward slightly to peer through the plants. Alex, Seth, Tony, Greg and Sebastian walked into the entrance hall from the opposite side of the house.
She saw Gretchen walk down the stairs and approach Alex. They spoke in German. Alex nodded to the other men and they disappeared up the stairs, leaving Alex and Gretchen behind.
Anna could tell Gretchen was flirting with Alex by the tone of her voice and the way she looked at him. Alex frowned at her and responded in short tones. Gretchen then said something and Alex laughed, not derisively but as if in delight. Gretchen looked thrilled and said somet
hing else to which Alex smiled.
Gretchen took a step forward and put her hand on Alex’s chest and Anna looked away. She didn’t want to see Alex with another woman. Anna knew it would happen eventually, but she really didn’t want to see it. Especially today of all days.
Anna leaned back on the seat and curled her legs beneath her, staring up at the blue sky visible through the glass ceiling. The warmth of the sunny day had melted enough snow to clear the glass, but the early evening shadows had already started to frost the edges.
Just like her day, she thought forlornly.
*****
Alex walked up the stairs next to Gretchen, his mind busy. Seth had determined that Devin had received some sort of tip that he and Anna had gotten married, but they hadn’t yet figured out who had been the mole. He couldn’t imagine who would have betrayed him like that.
Gretchen was still chatting about what Derek and Sophie had been doing while Alex and Anna had been at the Schloss. As much as Gretchen annoyed him, he did love his nieces and nephews and enjoyed the stories she told about them. They almost always made him laugh.
He arrived at the top of the stairs and looked around the sitting room for Anna. “Do you know where Anna is?”
Gretchen looked around. “No, maybe she went to her room?”
Alex frowned. He could imagine Anna needed somewhere quiet, but didn’t like the idea of her wandering around the house alone. He turned away from the crowded sitting area and went up to the third floor to look for Anna, vaguely aware of Gretchen following him. His body ached for Anna and wondered if they could sneak away before dinner for some alone time.
He began to walk down the hallway to the room that Anna had slept in the previous night when Gretchen grabbed his hand. “Alex, why on earth did you marry that silly little girl?”
“Excuse me?” Alex asked, irritated at Gretchen’s tone.
Gretchen stepped forward and put her hands on his chest. For the second time in a matter of minutes, Alex removed her hands from him but she grabbed the lapels of his jacket and kissed him on the mouth.
Alex pushed her away, harder than he’d meant to, but it had the desired effect. She looked at him, amazed, and his eyes hardened as he glared at her. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?”
“Oh, Alex, don’t look at me like that,” she said. “You never minded before.”
“That was quite a while ago, Gretchen. I haven’t approached you since I got home.”
Gretchen had hinted many times since he’d been home that she wanted to pick up on things where they left off when Alex came to visit a year ago. They’d had a brief affair, mostly because Alex didn’t have anything better to do and he was still angry about Mina’s death. Kurt didn’t care what Gretchen did and it saved Alex from having to go into town for a conquest for the evening.
“And she’s the reason why?” Gretchen rolled her eyes. “She said that she didn’t come here to marry you. That she didn’t even want to come.”
Alex’s eyes narrowed. “How did you get on that topic of conversation with her?”
Gretchen looked innocent. “We were just chatting.”
“Did you say something to upset her?” he asked in a low voice. He wouldn’t put it past Gretchen to try and upset Anna, and Anna was easily upset. Especially now that she was pregnant.
Gretchen maintained her innocent look. “I don’t know. We talked about speaking German and I asked when you two were going to have children.”
“You what?” Alex clenched his jaw. “Why would you ask something like that?”
“Alex, your family always has lots of kids. I figured you’d want to start sooner rather than later.”
Alex took a deep breath to keep from exploding at Gretchen. She had no idea that it would be a sensitive area for Anna. Maybe Gretchen was just trying to have a nice conversation. “Anna has been told her whole life she can’t have children, Gretchen. It’s a bit of a touchy subject with her.”
Gretchen laughed. “Her whole life? God, Alex, she’s only twenty.” Her brow raised and she looked at him closely. “How much fucking could she possibly have done?”
She was baiting him. She knew something. More than she was supposed to. “What do you know about her, Gretchen?”
“How would I know anything about her? I just met her yesterday.”
Alex glared at her. “Then why are you so hostile to her?”
It was Gretchen’s turn to glare. “Maybe because it’s obvious that my husband is completely in love with her. And Wilhelm too. Every man she comes in contact with looks at her that way. She’s a fucking whore.”
“That’s my wife you’re talking about, Gretchen. It’s not her fault that men look at her, desire her. And your jealousy is very unbecoming.”
“So you don’t mind that your wife has fucked both your brother and your father?”
“The only reason you never fucked my father is because he rejected you. I know you tried.”
Gretchen gasped. “How dare you!”
“Do you deny it? Kurt isn’t good enough for you. You want me or my father for our titles. You think by sleeping with us somehow you’ll gain some sort of privilege of rank? It doesn’t work like that.”
“Better the mistress of an heir than the wife of a second son,” she spat.
“You better consider where you are and who you are talking to,” Alex warned. “Kurt loved you. That’s why he married you. Did you marry him in order to get to me? Or my father? If Mina hadn’t died, nothing would have ever happened between us.”
“But it did, Alex. A lot happened between us.”
Alex didn’t like the look on her face. “It was sex, Gretchen. I’ve never had feelings for you.”
“Perhaps not. But I’m quite certain you would have feelings for your son.” A triumphant smile spread across her face. “Especially since you married a barren woman.”
Dread spread through Alex’s chest. “What are you talking about? I have no son.”
“You do, Alex. Otto is your son.”
Alex felt like he’d been doused with ice water and then hit in the chest. She couldn’t possibly be telling the truth. “You’re lying.”
Gretchen shook her head. “I lied about the due date. Otto wasn’t early, he was right on time. Kurt and I hadn’t had sex in months when I got pregnant. I’d only been with you. Of course, after I found out, I made sure Kurt and I were together again. ” She stepped close and took his hand. “Maybe I’m not such a bad thing, Alex. After all, I gave you a son.”
Alex was about to explode when a movement caught his eye at the far end of the hallway. He turned to look and saw a flash of white. Anna!
Without another word to Gretchen, Alex ran down the hallway toward the room where Anna had stayed the previous night.
“Anna!” he called.
When he got to the end she was nowhere in sight. He held his breath and listened. He heard footsteps on the stairs and hurried around the corner to the top of the staircase. He looked down and saw another flash of white.
“Anna!”
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Anna hurried down the stairs back to the library. She had seen the intimate moments between Gretchen and Alex and didn’t need to see anymore.
Alex had the right to do whatever he wanted, she told herself, trying to not cry. She just didn’t want to see it. But what if Alex wanted her to see it?
She stopped at the bottom of the staircase. Alex was her husband. She shouldn’t be running away from him. Devin would be furious if Anna had run away from him. Surely Alex wouldn’t like it either.
A moment later, Alex came up behind her and with gentle hands turned her to face him. “Anna...,” he began and then stopped himself. “I was looking for you.”
Anna searched his eyes. He wasn’t telling her the truth. “I was in the garden, and then went through the library to go upstairs. I....” She swallowed. “I’m sorry, Alex. I saw you and Gretchen and I...I ran away. I shouldn’t have done that.�
�� She looked down at her hands.
Alex sighed. He was troubled, she could sense it. He pulled her to him and held her against his chest, smoothing her hair.
Anna didn’t resist, but didn’t relax into his arms either. “Alex, if you want to be with Gretchen, don’t concern yourself with me. I—”
“Nein, Anna,” he growled. “I have no desire to be with Gretchen.”
“But you’ve been with her before.” It wasn’t a question. She could see it in Gretchen’s body language.
“I won’t deny it, Anna. It didn’t mean anything. She was convenient.” He spoke absently. “It was a year ago.”
“You didn’t when you came back here?”
“Nein. Anna, the last woman I had sex with was you.”
“It was only a few hours ago.”
Alex sighed. “I meant before we got married. While I was here, if I needed release, I would go to the Schloss for a blowjob, but I haven’t had sex with anyone else since I left San Francisco.”
Anna looked up at him. “You haven’t?”
He cradled her cheek. “I haven’t wanted anyone else.”
Guilt spread through Anna’s heart. “I have,” she admitted sadly.
“Schatzi, you were angry with me. I know you dated Ben. I know you had to do things for Devin. I would never hold anything like that against you. But once I met you...I just never desired anyone else.”
Anna searched his eyes. He was being truthful, but there was something wrong. She could feel the discomfort in his heart. Almost as keenly as she felt pain in her own heart.
“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, reaching up to stroke his cheek. It was rough with the beginnings of a five o’clock shadow.
Alex pressed his lips together. “Kommen Sie,” he said, taking her hand and leading her into the library. They sat on a bench next to a window and Alex seemed to be fumbling for something to do with his hands. “Anna....” He inhaled deeply. “Gretchen...told me something rather upsetting.” He looked at her with sad eyes. “I don’t want to ruin our wedding day, Anna. But I can’t hide trouble from you.” He smiled sadly at her. “You can read me too well.”
The Life of Anna, Part 3: Embraced Page 21
