Chapter 1

A/N: Just something that got stuck in my head and wouldn't leave so I'd thought I'd write it down. Hope you like it. Let me know if you'd like more.

All disclaimers apply. I do not own the characters that privilege goes to EL James.

CPOV

I just got out of a very long tedious meeting with the William Roach. The owner of a small local publishing company based here in Seattle. Roach is looking at retiring and wants to sell but doesn't want to sell to an 'outside' company. He started the business 35 years ago with a business motto of cultivating local authors by a local company and wants it to stay that way.

The business is doing well. Not as well as it could be if it had an influx of money for upgrading systems and staff but for its size and what it does it. It has a more laid back atmosphere than what I would like to see but that could change easily if I decide to buy it.

Roach came to me because, well, in his words. I was raised local, I built my business local and I have stayed local as my company prospered and I could have gone anywhere in the world to base my business. To be honest, I couldn't care less why he came to me. The man wants out of a decent business that's making a profit, which means that I could buy it for less than if I were to try to take it over, I could put in a few million in upgrading the systems and renovating the building, and with my PR and legal departments, easily work in bestselling authors with the potential for negotiating movie rights and merchandising. The potential is there to take this small business and make it huge. That's what I find intriguing and why I am even considering this.

As I'm contemplating the benefits of adding this business to the GEH portfolio Andrea buzzes me, "Sir, Mr. Welch is here to see you."

Pushing the button to respond, I tell her to send him in. I wonder what he has found in relation to SIP. I told him that I wanted preliminary background checks on all executive and upper management staff as soon as possible. If I'm to buy this company, the staff will all be kept on per Roach's request but I also have GEH to consider – and that's my priority – no one and I mean no one will be kept on staff at SIP if they could be detrimental to GEH's reputation, i.e. to me. If anything shows up on anyone being looked into, then Roach will be informed and decisions will be made at that point. I'm giving this man a hell of a lot more leeway than I would normally but then I didn't go after SIP and Roach, he came to me.

"What can I do for you Welch?" I say when he walks in the door.

Closing the door and walking over to one of the chairs in front of my desk, Welch sits and looks at me and I swear the man is nervous. Shit, I don't think I've ever seen him nervous before.

"Sir, I need to take a leave of absence. A few months maybe more."

"WHAT!" Roaring at him. Fuck! This can't be happening. There are four people, just four that I count on every day. I can't afford to lose any of those four, and Welch just happens to be one of them.

When he doesn't respond, just sitting there looking at me with a raised eyebrow I continue, slowly, "Why?"

"Personal reasons, Sir. I'd rather not get into them. I will if you wish but I'd rather not."

Well fuck that! If I am losing one of my most valued employees there had better be a better fucking reason than 'personal reasons'.

Templing my fingers together and resting them against my lips, I think how best to tell him that he'll be required to answer me.

"Welch, I depend on you, Barney, Taylor and Roz everyday with everything that has to do with either myself, my family and my business. Anyone else would be able to give me 'personal reasons' as a reason for needing a leave of absence except you four."

His eyes never leaving mine but I see the shift in his shoulders as the square like he is getting ready to do battle. What the fuck!

"Sir, my daughter was been diagnosed with stage four Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma several months ago. She was undergoing chemo and radiation but neither seem to be working. Her mother and I have decided that it's time to just let her enjoy her life while she's still here. I want to spend that time with my family."

FUCK! Shit! I had no idea that his personal life was in such turmoil. Running my hands through my hair, I stand and walk over to the windows in my office. He's been here every day, he's answered my calls 24/7 and done everything that I've demanded of him with no thought other than accepting the assignments and doing the job. Turning from the window I see the man that has helped me build my company into the empire it is today and am amazed at his stoicism.

"Drink?" I ask as I start to pour two fingers of scotch in two separate glasses. It really wasn't a question. Fuck, it's not my kid and I need a drink, he definitely needs one. Walking back to my desk, a glass in each hand, I hand him one of the cut crystal tumblers filled with the amber liquid.

Taking it from me, "Thanks."

"Take all the time you need Welch."

"Thank you sir," he says before swallowing the contents of the glass. "I've taken the liberty of finding a replacement for me while I'm out."

His face remains impassive as he starts to tell me about this person but I know he's keenly watching me for any reaction. Actually I'm a bit pissed that he would think that he can be so easily replaced. His particular services have been indispensable to me and GEH and I don't believe would be or could be supplanted. I just raise one eyebrow at him, letting him know that I'm listening.

"I figured that you would continue to need Taylor in his capacity and since he is technically close protection, it wouldn't serve to move him into an office where you would have to then get used to another close protection officer."

Welch makes a valid point. Taylor knows absolutely everything about me. Well everything pertinent anyway. Welch however knows absolutely everything, and I do mean everything. There are no secrets where he is concerned.

"Go on."

"We served together. He was actually my C.O. He left the military a few years after his divorce when he got custody of his daughter. Something about needing to protect her and he couldn't do that being deployed. Anyway, I called him up. Asked him if he would come meet with you and if all went well, if he would take my position as soon as possible."

Sighing with resignation that this is going to happen and be a reality, "So where is this man? Knowing you he's somewhere in the building as we speak. Might as well get this over with. Though I'd rather not have to replace you, Welch."

"I know that sir. You have no skeletons hiding from me. I know it all. Ray Steele will know it all too, if you decide he's up for the job. We'll be the only two and I can guarantee Steele won't ever repeat or judge. He's just not that type of man. I'll get him. He's out in the waiting room."

Shaking my head at Welch's audacity as he stands and leaves my office, I'm surprised that I don't feel any animosity at something so big changing within my company, within my life and I can't control it. Odd.

Both men enter back into my office, Welch and this man he seems to trust, Steele, is it?

"Sir, I'd like you to meet Raymond Steele." Welch introduces.

The man is tall, easily 6'4" and in extremely good physical condition for someone his age. Well he looks to be the same age as Taylor but Welch said his daughter was graduating from college this spring so that had to put him somewhere around 42 minimum. He's wearing jeans and boots, but at least he put on a well fitted dress shirt and jacket.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Grey. Please call me Ray or Steele. Whichever." He says as he introduces himself.

After the introductions were made, Welch excused himself to start clearing up so final projects before his departure and Ray and I sit in the seating area of my office and discuss our options, backgrounds, and abilities. Well I should say we discuss my options and he gave me his background and abilities so that I could decide if he would be the man for the job or if Taylor would be moving into Welch's office instead.

From what I could ascertain in our meeting, this man could prove to be more of an asset to Grey Enterprises Holdings than even Welch. His training was more intensive and he has kept up with every contact he's ever had both in the military and in the private sector that could one day prove useful for whatever reason. He was actually Welch's 'go to' guy when he couldn't get something or if he needed help with something. Ray Steele was the one providing the answers.

I asked him why now, why leave the quiet life he had built in that sleepy town in the coast of Washington to come into the city.

That's when I found out about his daughter. Well step-daughter actually. He's raised her since she was 16 years old by himself and as she's moving to Seattle after graduating from college he needed to make himself aware of her potential surroundings, familiarize himself with the city so that he can make the best potential decisions in protecting her and keeping her safe. He spoke about her in an almost reverent tone but there was a pride in his face when he spoke about her.

When I asked him if he thought it was extreme to move to a city that his adult daughter would be living in just to, as he said, protect her. He actually had the nerve to glare at me.

"Sir. I mean no disrespect. But my daughter is my business. I was under the impression that personal matters usually take a backseat to the needs of GEH. I assure you that my sole attention will be GEH until Welch is able to return. If that's not good enough, then find someone else." He said as he stood to leave.

"Steele! First and foremost, that is the one and only time you will snap at me. I will ask any question I deem necessary to determine if you are the right man for the job. I am assuming Welch did a background check on you. If you don't want to give me information, I WILL get it one way or another. However, I wanted to give you're the opportunity and respect to ask you directly. Now as your daughter does not affect GEH then I will let this subject drop. If she ever does affect GEH, in any way, I will ask questions of you and YOU WILL answer those questions and YOU WILL provide me with the information I require."

Ray Steele just stood there looking at me, no expression completely stoic in his resolve. As he grabs the door handle to exit, he says, "I'll start tomorrow Mr. Grey."

What the fuck? I don't remember offering him the position but evidently he knew that I would. He knew I needed him. His skills and he knew I'd be a fool if I didn't hire him. SHIT. And I'm sure he's figured out that if I'd found him before Welch, Welch wouldn't be here and Steele would be. He'd be an asset to anyone's security and IT teams. Hell the man wrote the book on IT evidently.

About forty-five minutes later Andrea informed me that Elena is in the lobby at the main reception desk waiting for me. Good, I need to discuss setting up interviews for a new sub. It's been awhile since the last. Molly was good but she was starting to get too familiar with me, with Taylor and Sawyer and then I walked in on her talking to Mrs. Jones like she owned the damn place. I ended the contract on sight. I'll be damned if anyone is going to degrade my staff the way Molly seemed to think it was ok to speak to Mrs. Jones.

Exiting my private elevator I see Elena sitting talking to a beautiful brunette. The girl was young, hopefully not too young and stunning. Sitting with her ankles crossed, hands together in her lap as she looked at them while Elena was asking her something.

Usually I would get mad that Elena would have the audacity to bring a sub here to GEH but just as my ire was getting up, the girl lifted her head and looked right at me with the most gorgeous blue eyes I have ever seen. I swear my heart skipped a beat, maybe two. It was like she could look into my soul.

Then I noticed her eyes getting even larger in her beautiful heart shaped face. But she wasn't looking at me, more behind me. As she stood, I turned around to see Welch and Steele walking out of the elevator. The men were talking and hadn't noticed her walking towards them leaving Elena looking at her back with a scowl. What the fuck? Why would Elena bring a sub here that would walk away from her as she was being spoken to? Seems like this sub may not be up to par, and that's too bad.

"Daddy! Uncle Alex!"

What the fuck?! I turn when I hear that bell like voice and see that it came from the sub, or who I thought was a sub. Shit! She's releasing Steele and now hugging Welch. Well damn, can this day get any fucking worse? She looked like the perfect sub for me, but shit...she's his daughter?

"Hi baby. Hope you haven't been waiting too long?"

Smiling and still holding onto Welch's arm she shakes her head and Welch interjects, "I talked you father into lunch, care to join us?"

I'm standing looking at the three people talking amongst themselves when I feel Elena's hand on my forearm. I know it's here without looking, no one else would dare touch me.

"Christian? Ready to go. We have a few things to discuss and I don't have much time."

Scowling I turn back to Elena, "Fine. Let's go."

Elena's nothing if not observant. She knew I spotted the girl as soon as I exited the elevator and haven't been able to tear my eyes from her since. She laughing as she's pulling me towards the door.

"Sir." I hear behind me. Turning, I see my new head of security with his arm wrapped around the girl.

"I'd like you to meet my daughter," he proudly states, "Ana, this is Mr. Grey."