Hi everyone! So I actually updated fairly quickly... Which I don't usually update within a few days. It's usually about a week in between updates. But you guys got lucky!
So I know right now that it's very similar to the original book, but I think starting next chapter, it'll veer off into the idea I'm trying to form in my head right now.
I'll start replying to individual reviews once they start getting more specific, but until then, thank you for everyone who follows/favorite/reviewed this story already! You guys are awesome. I was out of service for 2 days and came back and had so many notifications from FanFiction.
I felt extremely happy.
Anyway, enjoy this chapter, and review at the end please! :)
Chapter Song:
La La La by Sam Smith Feat. Naughty Boy
(I liked this song because the lyrics kind of portray irritation to the other party. Also because the lyrics say he doesn't mean to judge, but curiosity and agitation show through. At least, that's what I gather from it.)
Chapter 2
Ana
I squirmed under the intense stare of Christian Grey. I felt extremely uncomfortable around him, yet I found that I had trouble looking away from him. He really was incredibly handsome, and so young to own such a large business!
Once he had helped me up and introduced himself, he guided me to modern white couches in his office. I was distracted by the size of his office, how large it was, and the breathtaking view of Seattle before me. The far side of the room was all glass, providing a panoramic view of the city.
From the couches, before the interview started, I admired the artwork hanging on the walls. Classic, simple, and familiar. I recognized a few of them immediately. One had a green bridge with thin supporting beams, with a pond and lily pads underneath it, and the other had circles in a sky—obviously representing stars—and rolling hills.
"Van Gogh and Claude Monet," I murmured without realizing I spoke aloud at first.
Mr. Grey glanced at me in surprise. He stood by the window beside his large, masculine desk. "You know of these paintings?" he wondered.
I smiled faintly. "I took Art History my sophomore year at WSU. One of my favorite subjects," I admitted. Then I frowned. "Though I must admit, judging by the modern architecture of both the interior and exterior of your business, I would've pegged you as a man who preferred abstract artwork."
He raised an eyebrow.
I flushed, glancing away from him. Caught staring. "I took Psychology as well."
He walked toward me, sitting across from me. As he did, he unbuttoned his dark gray suit jacket. "Then you must know how to read people, judging by your earlier comment." It wasn't a question.
More blood rushed to my face. Thinking he was offended, I immediately felt the need to explain myself. "I apologize immensely if I offended you, Mr. Grey. It was just this stupid thing that came to mind that I remembered studying about. Sometimes I say things without fully thinking them through," I babbled. Shit. Babbling is bad.
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees, cleverly attempting to hide his smirk by running his thumb across his lower lip. "I was just joking, Miss Steele."
"Oh," was all I managed. I looked down at my lap, feeling embarrassed once again. How was I supposed to know he was messing around? Christian Grey hardly seems like a man to joke with.
"Now, shall we get on with this interview, Miss Steele?" he asked.
I nodded.
"So, tell me, why are you interested in being an intern at Grey Holdings?"
I blanched. Damn it, Kate. I hardly knew anything about his business, aside from what I had researched… That's what I had to do. Bullshit some answer based on what I'd researched. Or use my English major skills to come up with a good answer.
"Well, Mr. Grey," I began, already feeling an answer coming to me. "I think what interests me most about Grey Holdings is the man behind the curtain," I said, immediately realizing what I'd said. His lips twitched. My eyes widened, and I scrambled to fix my answer.
"I mean that in the least creepy way possible, I swear. What I meant was how someone of such a young age was able to achieve such success, especially in such a society that we live in, where you have to have a college degree to do just about anything. I admire your determination and work ethic, and I believe that an internship here would be a positive influence and provide me a good role model as I begin my life in the real world." I exhaled sharply when I finished, impressed with myself for such a good save.
Mr. Grey leaned back in his chair, rubbing his perfectly shaved chin. "Well, Miss Steele, it appears that you've done your homework. Would you consider yourself a hard worker?"
I flushed. I hated having to talk about myself like this. I always felt pompous. "Um, I think so," I mumbled. He raised his perfect eyebrows again, looking at me curiously. "I-I mean yes. Yes, I consider myself a hard worker. I maintained a 4.0 GPA in both high school and through college. I've been at the same job for all four years of college."
He nods and meets my gaze, smoldering gray to bashful blue. I fought the urge to flush again. Right, eye contact is important in an interview. Smile. Good posture.
As discreetly as possible, I sat up straighter, if that was even possible for me.
He tilted his head to the side, a gesture I found oddly attractive. I forced down the sudden lump in my throat as he spoke. "If you were to receive this internship, and follow through with it, what are you interested in doing after?"
Oh. An easy question. Thank God.
"I'd like to go into publishing. Seattle has some really great opportunities for that."
"English major?" he asked, no surprise in his tone.
"Yes. And I'll take publishing however I can get it; whether I'm working there, or getting a book published, I'll be fine and dandy."
Fine and dandy? What the hell?
As he pondered this for a moment, I took the chance to ask him a question. Isn't there a rule somewhere that people like to talk about themselves? They don't mind when people ask questions about them? I wasn't sure, and Mr. Grey seemed like a very reserved person…
"What I'm curious about, Mr. Grey, is how young you are to have obtained such an… empire, if you will. To what do you owe your success?" I wondered almost innocently, though there was a challenging undercurrent to my voice.
Mr. Grey caught the tone, his eyes flashing with some unnamed emotion. He rambled off some answer that sounded almost rehearsed, but I only caught some of it. He was telling me how it was all about the people you knew and the people who worked for you. He said he knew how to read people, knew exactly how people worked.
I would've known more specifically what he was saying if I wasn't so distracted by his lips while they moved, how perfectly sculpted they were, or how perfectly disheveled his copper colored hair looked. How can someone look so perfect? I frowned, because it just wasn't fair.
He was staring at me. Shit. Why was he staring me?
And then I realized he was saying something to me, and I snapped back to the present.
"I beg your pardon?" I said.
He smirked, as if he were enjoying some private joke. "I asked you if you had any more questions."
I smiled shyly, thinking about what he'd said. What had I gathered from all that information? Oh, right. Control. He sounded like he had control over a lot of things. Before I could contain myself, I blurted aloud, "Do you consider yourself a control freak?"
Oh my God. I didn't just ask him that, did I?
Mr. Grey's jaw clenched. "I practice control in every aspect of my life, Miss Steele. Now, must I remind you who is being interviewed here?" he wondered, leaning forward again, almost as if he were about to pounce.
I gulped. Shit, he's mad.
Christian
I was already dreading the day before it even really started. I had to give several college graduates—well, almost graduates—interviews today for that damned position. Whose fucking idea was it to have an internship open to such young, inexperienced people?
I frowned. It certainly wasn't mine. Actually, now that I think about it, I think it was Andrea who had suggested it. Something about my publicity…
Hell if I know.
As soon as I got to work, I checked over my schedule with Andrew, making sure we were both on the same page about it. We went down the list of students and their interview times.
"Mike Newton is your nine o'clock," she was telling me. "And then your next one is Angela Weber, at eleven. Then you have Anastasia Steele at one, and after that is Eric Yorkie at three. I scheduled them a couple hours apart so you could get work done in between. And also I didn't think that you wanted to deal with them all at once."
I nodded brusquely at her. "Thank you, Andrea." And then I stopped, glancing at my list again, catching an unfamiliar name. "Who is Miss Anastasia Steele?"
Andrea smiled apologetically at me. "Katherine Kavanagh called yesterday and told us Anastasia would be her replacement."
I scowled. I hated surprises, or anything unexpected for that matter. That's why my life was planned out completely. I thanked Andrea again and went into my office to prepare for this dreadful day.
I don't know how I did it, but I managed to make it through the first two interviews without dying of boredom. Miss Weber and Mr. Newton didn't stand out to me; just more do-gooders who over exaggerated their achievements to make themselves seem better.
How did I know that?
Because I background checked everyone all the students before inviting them for an interview. I also did that before I hired anyone.
But now I had the mysterious Anastasia Steele to prepare for, and I was agitated that I had no idea who she was and had no information on her. I didn't have quite enough time to get a full background check on her, so I settled on knowing nothing.
"I have Miss Steele, Mr. Grey," Andrea said.
I nodded. "Escort her to the door, please," I replied, sighing.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, rising from my desk. I didn't normally do interviews, so this was a rather tedious process for me.
There was a sudden scuffle at the door that made me turn and look. A young woman with long, brown hair, now splayed out on the tile floor, was on her front in the threshold of my office door. Her hands were braced beneath her, and I realized she'd tripped and fallen. I suppressed an annoyed sigh and went to help the poor girl up. She was scrambling to her hands and knees when I got to her, offering her my hands, which she took gratefully.
When she glanced up, I found myself staring into the most beguiling pair of blue eyes. They were light blue, without a single trace of gray in them. There was no green in them either, they were just a pure, powdery blue, and absolutely fascinating. I noticed her wondrous gaze as she stared at me, and my fascination dissipated. I hated attention.
"Miss Steele? Are you alright?" I wondered, somewhat feigning sympathy. I may as well enjoy this interview as best I can.
She cleared her throat and nodded. "Yes, thank you, Mr.—," she paused, her brow furrowing.
Did she really not know who I was?
I smiled with amusement, but I could tell it wasn't friendly. I was not in an affable mood today. "Grey. Christian Grey."
Her small, pretty face paled, making her big blue eyes more profound. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail, with some stray pieces falling out around front. I wondered how it would like braided…
Fuck. No. I couldn't afford to think this way. This woman looked way too young, and frankly much too innocent, for my lifestyle. Or maybe she was just quiet and obedient, just how I liked my submissives…
What the hell? Where is this coming from?
I guided Miss Steele over to the couches in my office, hoping to make her feel a little less flustered so I could get this interview over with. While she settled herself, I wandered over to my desk, thinking of the best way to approach her. I tried to read her demeanor as well, try and figure out the kind of person she was, but the way she held herself was…
And for once, I didn't know. And it was slightly frustrating.
I caught her staring distractedly at the paintings hanging on one of my walls, her eyes lighting up with familiarity, as if they were old friends in a place full of strangers.
"Van Gogh and Claude Monet," she said offhandedly, almost as an echo to her thoughts.
She knew the artists? Impressive. Most people didn't know…
"You know of these paintings?" I wondered, looking at her with over exaggerated surprise. Perhaps if I give her a little bit of confidence, she'll relax…
I bet I could make her relax in other ways…
Dammit. I needed to get my shit together. Just because her cheeks were a nice, flushed color, and her brown hair—
I stopped myself right there, choosing instead to focus on Miss Steele. She smiled slightly and bit down on her lower lip. My eyes were instantly drawn to her lips, a small, pouty mouth, pink and soft-looking…
"I took Art History my sophomore year at WSU," she was saying, and then she mentioned something about her thinking I would be one to prefer abstract artwork. Which she was right, because my apartment did contain plenty of abstract artwork—and not just in the canvas-painting style.
Miss Steele's cheeks turned even darker when I raised an eyebrow at her. "I took Psychology as well," she explained.
And I wanted to laugh, which was strange. Why did she feel the need to explain herself to me? We knew nothing about each other.
I took a seat in front of her, conjuring up a witty comment just to be a little shit. "Then you must know how to read people, judging by your earlier comment." There. Maybe that'll make her squirm.
It brought more of that delicious flush across her cheeks, and she stammered an apology, rambling a little too much about how she doesn't think before she acts.
Cute.
"I was just joking, Miss Steele," I admitted coolly. "Now, shall we get on with this interview, Miss Steele?"
She bit down on her lip again, stirring something deep inside me that caused me to shift slightly. She nodded.
I asked her the most basic question: why was she interested in Grey Holdings? She didn't exactly have her shit together, so I was curious as to what her answer would be. And let me say, I was not disappointed in the slightest. Actually, I found I was quite entertained.
"Well, Mr. Grey, I think what interests me most about Grey Holdings is the man behind the curtain," she admitted. Her eyes widened when I fought to suppress a grin. "I mean that in the least creepy way possible, I swear. What I meant was how someone of such a young age was able to achieve such success, especially in such a society that we live in, where you have to have a college degree to do just about anything. I admire your determination and work ethic, and I believe that an internship here would be a positive influence and provide me a good role model as I begin my life in the real world."
Oh, baby, I'd hardly say I was either of those things, but you can keep dreaming… as long as it's about me.
Okay, I seriously needed to reign it in. Anastasia Steele was clearly not going to cut it, though she was quite alluring. She seemed smart, resourceful, and pretty… beautiful, even. She was dressed in cheap black slacks, a white button down, and a black blazer, with black flats. Classy enough, though I'm sure I could dress her better.
Trying to control my wayward thoughts, I asked her if she considered herself a hard worker. After stumbling through an uncertain response, I decided that she would be a good fit for this internship. I hadn't exactly planned out what the internship would be like, as I expected Andrea to do that for me, but now I had a lingering sense that I should be the one in charge of her, and not just in the office.
Jesus, how long had it been since I'd had a submissive?
Okay, next topic. What was this woman planning on doing? Did she say what her major was? I didn't think so…
"I'd like to go into publishing. Seattle has some really great opportunities for that," she said.
I blinked. Had I asked her that question? I guess that's Karma for imagining her handcuffed to the cross in my playroom… Dammit, that annoyed me. I needed to focus, and it was hard to with her in here. This was exactly why I didn't employ brunette women.
"English major?" I asked, because it seemed most fitting.
"Yes. And I'll take publishing however I can get it; whether I'm working there, or getting a book published, I'll be fine and dandy."
Fine and dandy? When was the last time I heard someone use that?
"What I'm curious about, Mr. Grey, is how young you are to have obtained such an… empire, if you will. To what do you owe your success?" she asked me out of the blue, pulling me from my revere.
I was tempted to narrow my eyes at her, but then I figured she could try and humor me by asking questions. As unoriginal as the question, so was my answer. I had this one practically memorized. How many times had I answered this? Too many. It's all about the people. The people you know, the people you associate with, the people you work with, for, and who work for you. Blah, blah, blah.
I caught her staring at me with longing. The thought was appealing. So it wasn't just me who was attracted to her, but she was also attracted to me…
Good. She'll do nicely.
"Will that be all your questions, Miss Steele?" I wondered when she didn't say anything when I finished speaking.
She shook her head, as if to clear it of cobwebs. "I beg your pardon?"
Is that all you're going to beg me for?
Fuck.
She smiled shyly. It was adorable. "Do you consider yourself a control freak?"
She did not just ask me that. As my temper flared, I kept my face stoic. What I'd do to bend her over and spank the living shit out of her right here and now. Would her ass turn that fine, rosy color her cheeks are right now? Oh, what I'd do to find out…
"I practice control in every aspect of my life, Miss Steele," I snapped, though I wanted to control her right in that moment. "Now, must I remind you who is being interviewed here?" I leaned forward. I got the satisfying result of her gulping, obviously frightened.
She shook her head in mute silence. "No, sir," she responded politely, halting my thoughts. I stared at her for a moment, a dozen images of different positions and toys I could use on her came to mind. She knew how to press all these buttons on me… I wondered what kind of pleasure she would bring me…
I blinked to clear my head, and then stood. She rose immediately after me, looking embarrassed. "Well, Miss Steele, it was a pleasure to have you. Shall I walk you to the door?"
She nodded, still silent, and followed me to the door. I opened it for her, and she strolled out, gracefully this time. Andrea and Olivia stared bewilderedly at me, and I just rolled my eyes.
"Did you bring a jacket, Miss Steele?"
She shook her head, her brown hair bobbing. "No, it was nice when I left this morning."
"Do you plan on driving back to Vancouver today?" I asked, frowning when I saw that it was raining outside now. I didn't approve of her not wearing a jacket, or of her driving so far, but I couldn't do anything about that.
Yet…
I would find a way for Anastasia Steele to be my submissive.
I pressed the button for the elevators, and we stood side by side. There was a small charge between us, though whether it was from chemistry or the awkwardness of not quite knowing each other, I wasn't sure. But one thing I was sure of, when she stepped onto that elevator, it sure as hell wouldn't be the last time I saw her. I knew in that moment that she would get that internship, and then I'd have a reason to see her all the time. But didn't I make it a rule to not fuck in the business place?
The elevator arrive, and Anastasia turned to face me when she stepped on.
I nodded at her. "Anastasia."
"Christian," she responded.
And then she was gone.
Yeah, yeah...
Cliche cliff hanger! I know! But I'll start working on the next chapter soon, I swear. :)
So, what did you guys think? Please let me know if you think I should continue writing this... I'm unsure right now, so as much encouragement and positive feedback as possible would be great!
Please review! The more reviews I get, the quicker I'll be to update!
Until next time!
Xoxo,
Caitlyn
