"Well, that was intense… something on your mind, Christian?" Elena shrugged her coat back on and lit the cigarette poised between her lips.
"Do you have to do that in here?" Christian barked, his hand tingled and his body felt a slight hint of satisfaction… He wasn't free from the darkness though; he was never free.
A cloud of smoke wafted across his face and he felt his fingers twitch.
"Don't test me, Elena!" he warned, his face titled and cool dark eyes fixed on her.
She stepped close, the echo of her heels filling his head, taking him back to a familiar time, a deeply satisfying time.
She broke the memory, her nicotine stained fingers tracing the waistband of his sweatpants "Lets do something this evening, take me out, Christian?" she batted her eyelashes, it wasn't cute, it didn't win him round and His heart didn't melt instantly. But if he took her out it would mean one less night pretending that she satisfied that deep need within him.
Elena desperately clung to the fact that she had a body to die for, curves in all the right places and outfits that offered the best of what she had to give.
Christian held back, allowing her to walked ahead and into 'Italiano' it had once been Anastasia's favourite restaurant, she had been the first and only sub that Christian took to dinner, she'd forced him to break every rule he had ever set.
Christian took comfort in knowing they'd been here together, He'd heard Ana's carefree laugh, watched her perfect lips press against her wine glass, revelled in her exposed neck, tendrils of hair escaping against her cheek as she smiled nervously and pushed them behind her ear; Her eyes sparkling beneath the soft candlelight, she was perfectly beautiful, she was perfectly wonderful… she was right there, Anastasia was there, in front of his very eyes, for the first time in 12 months, she was within his reach and it stopped him in his tracks.
He tore his gaze from her with just enough time to observe her companion, it was the photographer, the same photographer that Christian's fists had come into contact with the day that Ana had packed her belongings and walked out of his life.
Finally finding his voice and desperate to keep the anger at bay Christian acknowledged her
"Hello, Anastasia"
Her lips parted as she lifted her eyes to meet with his, that familiar feeling stirred within him once more and suddenly the rest of the World no longer mattered.
Christian noticed her companion stand, smoothing his crumpled cheap jacket he puffed out his chest (what there was of a chest) and addressed him.
"Mr. Grey, Ana doesn't want any trouble, we're out hav….." He didn't get to continue, Christian dominated the conversation instantly, holding up his right hand to silence the mumbling idiot he spoke directly to Anastasia "thanks, Photographer Boy, but Anastasia is quite capable of speaking for herself, aren't you, Baby?"
Elena hooked her arm through Christians, hugging it close, marking her territory as a dog would.
"Christian? Our table is ready, Darling" Her eyes darted towards the situation, it didn't take long to register what was going on.
"Anastasia! What a delight, you're a sight for sore eyes and don't you look just precious in that dress, I did always admire your ability to make any old rags look good"
"Elena!" Christian warned "Go and sit down, I'll be there in a second"
She wasn't giving up that easy though "Don't be silly, Christian! Let's make it a foursome! We couldn't possibly allow this moment to pass us all by! It's been… what… a Year!? We all have so much to catch up on!"
Before either Christian or Anastasia could protest further Elena had accosted a passing waiter and ordered him to push another table together with Elena and Photographer boy's, whilst Christian could only watch in horror.
Tugging against Elena's arm Christian growled against her ear "the punishment will be severe"
Christian watched as colour flushed against Ana's cheeks as He pressed his thigh against hers, and he took pleasure in watching her chest rise and fall as her breathing shallowed.
The plunging neckline to her silky dress exposed that soft, creamy skin and He longer to run his tongue across the base of her throat.
Elena busied herself interrogating Photographer boy, providing Christian with just the right amount of distraction.
"Meet me in the toilets" He whispered across to Anastasia, pulling his phone from his pocket He stood and walked away from the table, speaking loudly as he went "what do you mean there's been an issue with the South African sponsorship programme!? This is absurd"
Looking back over his shoulder He noticed Elena hadn't batted an eyelid at his sudden escape, Ana had been watching him though, he winked before disappearing in the toilet lobby.
He waited, poised as she turned the corner, reaching out he did what he'd been longing to do, He wrapped his fingers about her wrist and pushed her into the corner of the room, throwing a bundle of cash at the attendant and instructing her to leave and make sure no one else entered.
Ana struggled against him, her heart wasn't in it though, he could tell.
"Christian! Will you .go! what are you doing here? How could you bring HER here? Why here, to this place.. to our place!?"
"I could ask you the same question!" He responded, his eyes blazing with hunger… and not for food.
"You look amazing, you smell even better" his lips now inches from her neck as he pressed his thigh between her legs, his eyebrows raised as moisture absorbed through his pants "you're excited to see me, Ana?"
She wriggled free, straightening her dress and attempting to compose herself.
"stop it, Christian! Just stop it! We are done! We've been done for months! I begged you to let me go, you said you'd try! But you haven't even attempted to try! The messages, the emails, the 'chance' meetings! They have to stop, Christian! This… this has to stop!"
Rubbing his hand against the back of his neck Christian attempted to move closer to her, but she made her boundaries very clear.
"No! stay away, Christian, please just stay away"
Anastasia pushed past him and stormed across the restaurant, Christian close on her heels, anger bubbling inside of him as they approached the table once more, she didn't bother sitting back down again, instead grabbed her jacket "Jose' we need to leave, I want to go home"
Photographer boy broke conversation with Elena and observed Ana with concern.
"What's wrong? Is everything ok, Ana? Is Elizabeth ok?"
Christian watched as horror descended upon her face, a film of sweat evident across her forehead, her eyes focused on her hands, fingers lacing together nervously. Keeping his voice cool and steady Christian focused all attention on Anastasia.
"Who's Elizabeth, Anna?"
