“Thank you,” Anna said sincerely. She was glad she had been wrong about him.
Peter helped her to her feet and the three of them went back out into the bedroom and sat on the bed.
“When I tracked you, I got to the gate and couldn’t figure out how to get in here,” Peter said. “I drove around for a half hour trying to figure out how to get in. So I called Aaron, hoping he might know.”
“Alex gave me all the information to get in before he left,” Aaron said. “Even a remote to open the gate. I’m glad nothing had been changed.”
“What time is it?” Anna asked, yawning suddenly.
“A little after three in the—” Aaron’s phone interrupted him. “Who the hell is calling?” He pulled his phone out of his pocket. “Oh.” He stood and walked out of the room.
Anna glanced at Peter, confused.
“My guess would be Wilhelm. I believe he gets notified if the house codes are used.” Peter looked pointedly at her. “He gets notifications about a lot of things around here.”
Anna thought for a minute. “So, he knows I’m here?”
Peter shrugged. “I would guess so. I would also guess that he likes it when he sees receipts from credit cards and knows what his family members are purchasing. I think he would be able to see what they are doing by the things that they buy.”
Anna stared at Peter. “You mean by using the cards, I can tell Wilhelm that I’m okay and what I’m doing?”
Peter shrugged again, but his expression said yes.
“You’re not allowed to tell me?”
“No.”
So she could send coded messages to Wilhelm through her purchases? And Devin wouldn’t know? “Maybe I should buy more ribbons for my pointe shoes.” Since she was a “Ribbon Dancer” for Nutcracker, he might understand the code.
Peter grinned. “I think it would be a good idea.”
“Thank you,” she said, reaching for his hand.
“It wasn’t my idea,” he responded, looking up as Aaron walked back in. “Everything okay?”
Aaron nodded. “Yeah, there was a call from the alarm company about unusual activity here at the house.”
“Anna thinks she needs to buy new ribbons for her pointe shoes.”
Aaron grinned. “Appropriate.”
Anna yawned again and Peter stood and pulled the covers back from the bed. “We’ll stay here tonight, if that’s okay?”
She nodded, and was pleased when the two men got on either side of her in bed. Snuggled between their comforting presence, she was asleep within minutes.
*****
“This is a really nice house, Anna. Are you sure you don’t want to live here?” Peter asked the next morning.
Anna shook her head. “No,” she said softly. “Not without Alex.”
While Peter took Aaron home, Anna gathered up some things that she wanted, including some clothes, her memory box and a picture of her and Alex on their wedding day.
Peter had remarked that he hardly recognized her as the same person in the picture.
“It was almost three years ago,” she’d pointed out. But he was right. She had been a different person with Alex and it showed in her face.
“That’s really sad, Anna,” was all that he said, but he looked even more troubled.
Anna had asked Aaron if he wanted Alex’s car, but he declined. “I couldn’t afford the insurance,” Aaron had laughed. “Nah. Maybe you’ll want it for something.”
Anna frowned and told him she wouldn’t, but he still didn’t want the car.
Peter returned a while later. “Ready?”
She looked around the entryway again and then nodded. “I’m ready.”
They walked outside and Anna locked the door.
“Anna, if you want to come back at any time, just ask me, okay?” Peter said, holding out his hand towards her. “Don’t feel like you need to sneak out.”
Anna took his outstretched hand and nodded. “I will.”
Chapter Nineteen
The Company only had rehearsals through Wednesday morning. Peter and Anna flew down to LA that afternoon and drove the rental car down to his family’s home in Laguna Beach.
He drove into a very nice neighborhood and parked in front of a wide, pink house with two garages and a gated courtyard. Behind the house, the sky was pink and gold with the setting sun and the air was salty. She could hear the ocean in the distance. As she stepped out of the car, she held Peter’s hand and closed her eyes, absorbing her surroundings.
Peter stepped closer and slid his hands around her back. “You look like you like it here,” he murmured and pressed his lips to hers. They had been getting along very well this week and Anna had begun to feel close to him.
“It’s so warm,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck. “It’s so different from home.” She went up on tiptoe and kissed him passionately.
“I hope my parents let you stay in my room, otherwise I’ll be visiting you in the middle of the night.”
Anna giggled and leaned her head on his chest. “I just hope they don't hate me.”
“There’s nothing to hate about you, Anna,” Peter protested, though he couldn’t hide the concern in his eyes. He had told her that his father and uncle could be very stubborn and once they got a notion in their head, it was difficult to dislodge. “Let’s get our bags and face the music.”
He closed the car door and popped the trunk. Once he retrieved both suitcases, he led her through the gate and to the front door. He smiled at her and then opened the door.
The door opened into the top of a two-story high white room with windows on the opposite wall that exhibited the magnificent golden sunset over the ocean. Anna stopped and stared. She’d never seen anything so beautiful as that sunset.
“Oh, Peter,” she sighed. “It’s amazing.”
Peter chuckled. “It is. Just look where you’re going and don’t fall down the stairs. Isaak will kill me if you get hurt.”
She glanced at him and smiled, and saw in front of her a curved staircase leading down into a long living room full of people.
Peter said something loudly in Russian and the people downstairs looked up and shouted in excitement. He and Anna made their way down the stairs and a girl ran up to Peter and hugged him hard.
“Peter!” she exclaimed. She was beautiful, about fourteen or fifteen, with long, almost-black hair and blue eyes. She was tall and thin and had dimples in her cheeks. It was clear by the way she looked at Peter that she adored him.
“Natalya,” Peter said with a grin and put his arm around Anna’s waist. “This is Anna. Anna, this is my little sister Natalya.”
“Hi,” Anna said shyly.
“Hi, Anna,” Natalya said with a warm smile. “Welcome to our home.”
The other people walked up to them and Peter greeted them all with hugs and kisses and affectionate greetings.
“I thought I heard you, Dorogoy.” A woman in her late forties with shiny black hair pulled back into a low bun walked in from another room. She was about Anna’s height and smiled broadly at Peter.
“Hello, Mama,” Peter said hugging her tightly.
She beamed at him and tapped his cheek. “I like the beard. You look like your father.”
“Everyone, this is Anna,” Peter said loudly. “Anna, this is...everyone.” He laughed. “My mother, Jackie. My brothers Sergei, Pavel and Yuri.” The three younger guys nodded as Peter said their names. Anna guessed Sergei to be about her age, Pavel was a few years younger and Yuri looked to be about sixteen. “You’ve already met Natalya. This is my Uncle Vlad and Aunt Nina and my father, Mikhail.”
Anna smiled shyly at everyone as they were introduced. Nina and Jackie both smiled at her, but Vlad and Mikhail looked at her suspiciously.
“Dinner is ready,” Jackie said with a smile. “I was hoping you’d make it in time. Let’s eat.”
Peter took her hand and the whole crowd moved into the next room where a large table was set. Steaming dishe
s sat in the middle of the table and smelled delicious. Anna sat between Peter and Sergei. Peter sat near the end next to his father.
Dinner was a noisy affair. Everyone wanted to hear stories of living in San Francisco and Peter’s dancing. He apparently hadn’t been to visit for several years, though they had gone out to visit him.
“You couldn’t come visit us?” Natalya pouted prettily.
“I’ve been busy, Nati. You know how it is.”
Once Peter finished telling them his stories, the conversations drifted here and there around the table. Anna kept silent. Peter’s father and uncle spoke softly in Russian and looked at her every once in a while. Vlad seemed especially unfriendly and Anna wondered what she had done to offend him. She’d only met him once, at Alex’s funeral, and he’d seemed cordial, though Anna had been less than that. Maybe that’s why he didn’t like her.
“Dariya called me,” Sergei said, looking past Anna to Peter.
Peter’s face went slightly pale. “Why did she call you?”
“You weren’t answering your phone, so she called me to find out what happened to you.” Sergei looked at Anna. “I guess I know now.”
Anna was dying to ask who Dariya was, but she had a feeling she already knew: Peter’s girlfriend.
“Can we talk about this later, Sergei?” Peter asked calmly, though she could tell he was upset.
Sergei shrugged and went back to eating.
Anna took a few more small bites of food and then was done. Since she and Peter had been getting along, she’d forgotten about “the girlfriend.” Did he call Dariya at all? Did he miss her? Anna was glad she wasn’t further along in her pregnancy or she might have gotten sick. As it was, her stomach was churning with the reminder that Peter wasn’t really her boyfriend. They were still only together because Devin wanted them to be. How long would Devin make him stay with her?
Peter put his arm around Anna’s shoulders. “Anna, are you all right?” he whispered into her ear. “Sergei...I’m sorry. He shouldn’t have said that in front of you.”
Anna shook her head. “It’s okay,” she said, smiling weakly. “I...just forgot about her.”
He gave her a look filled with such affection she had to turn away. She didn’t want him to look at her like that. She liked him, there was no denying that. The reminder of his real life was necessary, she decided. A dose of reality that would keep her from getting hurt...maybe. They spent so much time together it was already hard to imagine life without him.
After dinner, Jackie showed Anna to the room she would be sleeping in. She would not be staying with Peter. Instead, she would be sharing a room with Natalya, who had two twin beds in her room. Anna heard Peter arguing with his father in Russian, but Peter didn’t seem to be winning.
*****
Peter stood behind Anna with his hands on the deck railing on either side of her as she gazed out onto the dark ocean in front of her. The house sat on a cliff above the ocean with an amazing view of the beach below. Peter said it was even better during the day.
The air was a little chilly, but Peter kept her warm. “It’s so peaceful here,” she sighed.
“Until my dad and uncle start arguing,” he chuckled. He leaned down and sucked on the side of Anna’s neck, making her sigh again. “You like that, don't you?”
“Mmm.” She liked it when he touched her, period. She was learning he was an excellent lover.
His hands slid up her arms to her shoulders and he pulled at the fabric of her top so he could kiss her bare shoulder. She leaned her head back onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. When his thumbs brushed the bottom curve of her breasts, her nipples hardened and pressed against the thin fabric of her bra.
“I don't know if I can go four days without being with you,” he murmured against her neck and pressed his erection against her ass. “My cock will get lonely without you.”
Anna giggled. “I would miss you too,” she whispered, pressing her hips back against him and making him groan. He cursed softly in Russian and moved his hands to cup her breasts. “Oh, Peter...,” she sighed.
“There’s a reason I didn’t want you sharing a room, Peter.” Vlad came and stood next to Anna and Peter, leaning against the railing. “They can be rather....” Vlad looked at Anna with a lustful glance. “...addicting. You need some time away from her.”
“She’s not a ‘they’, Vlad,” Peter corrected. “She’s a person.”
“She’s an Elder-Mistress. Their job is to seduce men.”
Vlad’s words pierced Anna’s peaceful bubble. He clearly didn’t like her. Why did he allow Peter to come be with her in San Francisco? Maybe he had to obey Devin because he was an Elder.
“Let’s walk, shall we?” Vlad said, indicating a gap in the railing on the side of the deck.
Anna looked up at Peter, who looked at his uncle with narrowed eyes. “Why?” he asked.
“I told you, I want to get to know Anna. I can’t very well do that in front of the family, can I?”
So that’s what he wanted. He wanted to use her. Anna’s shoulders slumped and she walked in the direction Vlad had indicated.
“Anna, you don't have to—”
“Yes, she does, Peter,” Vlad corrected.
The three of them walked to the side of the house where there was a small, dimly lit flower garden.
“Keep watch,” Vlad told Peter, then pulled Anna further into the garden and to a bench where he pushed her until she bent over with her hands on the back of it. He pushed her skirt up over her hips and pulled her panties aside to delve his fingers inside her.
She glanced back at Peter, who watched with a helpless look on his face. Vlad smacked her hip. “You are to please me. Don't worry about him.”
Anna’s jaw trembled. “Yes, my lord,” she said softly, glad he couldn’t see the tears in her eyes. She hung her head and let him touch her as he pleased. She heard a zipper, he pulled her panties down and a moment later he was inside her. His fingers dug into her hips as he thrust into her hard. She clung to the back of the bench and braced herself against his movements.
“Devin said you could come on command,” he said with a gruff voice. “Do it. But softly.”
Anna bit her lip and concentrated on the sensations in her body. It had been a while since she’d done it, especially in this position.
Vlad’s movements quickened and he growled at her. “Do it.”
She closed her eyes and felt relieved when her body responded as he wanted it to. She gasped and covered her mouth as she came, breathing heavily and trying to remain silent. Vlad came with a groan a moment later and dug his fingernails into her skin.
He pulled out, but Anna didn’t dare move until he told her to. She kept her eyes down so he wouldn’t see she was upset, but he grabbed her chin and looked into her face. “Why are you upset? This is what you are for.”
Anna blinked several times. “Y-yes, my lord,” she whispered over the lump in her throat. Would the whole weekend be like this?
He looked at her with narrowed eyes for a long minute and then turned on his heel and left. Peter moved to go to Anna, but Vlad snapped at him in Russian and he turned and followed his uncle out of the garden.
As soon as they were out of sight, Anna fell to the ground and cried. She was apparently due to have many doses of reality while she was here. She cried for a long time, and no one came to the garden. Should she stay here? Vlad hadn’t given her further instructions and she didn’t know what to do. It started to get even cooler and Anna shivered, paralyzed with indecision.
She heard footsteps and saw Peter a moment later. Her heart leapt at the sight of him, and then she pushed the happiness aside.
He walked over to her and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry, Anna.” He helped her to her feet and led her back inside, keeping a distance between them.
“What do you want to do?” Peter asked in a gentle tone.
“Can I go to bed?”
Peter nodded and led her up the staircas
e to Natalya’s room. He pointed out the bathroom again. “If you want to shower, go ahead.”
“Is it okay if I do?”
Peter nodded. “Anna, I don’t know why Vlad’s acting this way. He’s usually a really nice guy.”
“He didn’t hurt me,” she said softly.
“Physically, maybe,” he growled.
Anna tried to give him a brave smile. “I’m okay.”
“No, Anna. It’s not okay that he did that. I’m going to—”
She put her hand on his chest. “Please don’t get into trouble for my sake, Peter. I’m okay. I’ve been through much worse.”
“That’s not comforting.”
Anna shrugged. “It’s true.”
“I know. That’s why it’s not comforting.” He sighed. “Go shower. I’ll stay with you until you fall asleep.”
“Peter, you don't have to do that. You’ll get in trouble.”
“I don’t care. You don't deserve to be treated this way. I was hoping he’d see that if he got to know you.” He rubbed his face. “Go,” he said in a gentler voice. “I’ll be up in a little while.”
Anna nodded and he headed back down the hallway. She went into the bedroom and opened her suitcase to pull out her toiletries and pajamas and then went to the bathroom and showered. When she went back to the bedroom later, Peter was sitting on her bed.
“Feeling better?” he asked, opening his arms.
She nodded and gladly went into his embrace. His arms were so comforting. She knew she shouldn’t let herself get lost in her emotions for him, but right now she couldn’t help it. She needed comfort. After a while he pulled back the covers and tucked her into bed, then lay down next to her with his arms around her.
“I’ll let my family know you weren’t feeling well and went to bed early. You remember where my room is?”
Anna nodded.
“Come get me if you need anything.”
“Okay.”
Anna closed her eyes and relaxed, letting his warm embrace lull her into the peaceful oblivion of sleep.
The Life of Anna, Part 4: Ensnared Page 12