Chapter 4
By the time Taylor and I return to SIP, all of the employees have left, including Ana. I hope Hyde didn't give her hard time about my lunch offering. She shouldn't have to skip lunch just to make up for some bogus accusation of being late. We begin installation of the hidden cameras and microphones, starting on the third floor. After grabbing the step ladder from the utility closet, we uses the master key to open up the first office we come to, which turns out to be Elizabeth Morgan's. We examine our options for equipment locations and decide to install the camera above her desk using the light fixture to help hide it. Taylor reaches in his back pack and takes out the first camera and microphone.
I reach for my phone to call Ros. She picks up on the first ring. "Tired of playing security guard yet?" She laughs and then continues to talk. "Actually, things are great around here without your super bossy self. How are things at SIP?" I put the phone and speaker and help Taylor with mounting the camera. "Hello to you too, Ros. I'm glad you all are getting along great without me. I'm actually enjoying myself here." I look over to Taylor and see him smiling.
"Wow, Grey. There must be someone you have your eye on then. You have never liked being away from GEH. Taylor, what do you have to say about it?" Taylor smiles and tells her he has nothing to say yet. I interrupt her laugh asking if she can has reviewed what we have found at SIP. "Yes, boss man I have reviewed your findings. I agree that we should hire a receptionist for the front desk. How long do you think it will take to find out what they are up to?"
I hand Taylor the camera as he steps up on the ladder. "We should finish installing cameras tonight, and will continue with the server room once the rooms have been partitioned off. I hope to have enough information to confront them by the end of the week. Between the use of the camera's and the access to the email, we should get enough tidbits to dig further into Jack and Elizabeth."
"Okay, that sounds good. I will let you know if/when they find someone to place there. Do you think it will be permanent?" I look to Taylor to see if he agrees with me. He nods and I tell Ros the receptionist will be permanent, as well as security staff. "So I guess that means you will be coming back here? I will have to tell Andrea that the party is over." She laughs harder and I wish I could see her face to face and tell her she's fired. So I hang up instead.
"She really knows how to push your buttons. Are you sure that we can gather what we need in a week? So far, nothing has been found on the servers." I hand the microphone over to Taylor and he attaches it to the light fixture.
"I think we can find enough info to help push us in the right direction. I am not sure how long I can stand by and watch Hyde harass Ana. It is really pissing me off. I don't want her safety to be compromised. I also want to take another look at the file that lists the previous assistants. They have to be connected in some other way."
"Hopefully, Hyde will slip up at some point. I think Ana is doing a great job holding her own. Her father is a former marine and I can guarantee he taught her everything she needs to know about how to defend herself. She is the right height to make it count, if you know what I mean." Taylor steps down off the ladder and goes to his laptop. He brings up the camera software and activates the camera we just installed. The angle looks great, so we can move on to another office.
Before we leave Elizabeth's office, I try to open the drawers in her desk. They are all locked. She left nothing on her desk and the computer is password locked. I guess with all the personal information she has in here, it's good she actually tries to protect it. We clean up everything, locking the door on our way out.
We go to Jack's office next and install the camera in similar location above his desk. Most offices appear to have the same layout. So we should not have any problems installing the rest of them. We also check his desk to see if it's unlocked and we find one drawer that isn't locked. When I open it, I find a few file folders that are full of information. I skim through them and take a picture with my cell phone. I will go back and look through them later. We check the operation of the camera and microphone, and it works properly.
We close up Jack's office and go to Jerry's. Taylor gets to work on the camera and I check the desk and computer. The desk is locked and the computer is password locked as well. There are a few filing cabinets that are unlocked, but are empty. I wonder what was in them? I check the laptop for the camera operation and we are good to go.
As we enter Ana's office, I can still smell her perfume. The assistant's offices are smaller but the camera installation should be in the same place as the other offices. The lights are above the desk in most if not all of the offices. I check to see if her desk is unlocked. All of the drawers are unlocked. In the bottom drawer, I find a few granola bars and chocolate candy. Looks like my girl likes to snack. Yes I know I called her my girl, she will be soon enough.The other drawers have pens, pencils and pads of paper. I find a framed picture of her with what must be her mother and father. She is wearing a cap and gown. Holy shit! I can't believe I didn't remember this before! My body has this crazy reaction to her at UW's graduation and again in the elevator. I bet she has an idea it's me.
"Taylor, we may have a problem." He looks down at me from the step ladder. I continue talking while he finishes up the camera install. "I handed out degrees at the University of Washington a few weeks ago. Do you remember me telling you about the woman I shook hands with and how it caused my body to tingle all over just from her touch?" He nods his head and I continue. "Well, that woman was none other than Anastasia Steele. I can't believe I didn't recognize her name and picture when I first saw it." I sit down in her chair and stare at the picture. I remember that day and how she made me feel.
"How is that a problem, Sir? The way I see it, she may not recognize you because of your change in appearance. You shook hands in the elevator but nothing else. You haven't told her anything about you, except your fake name and your fake job. We will wait and see if she approaches you and go from there. Do I need to bring someone else here to do this job? I don't want to compromise your safety as well." I put the picture back in the drawer and check her computer. It is password locked, thankfully. I check the laptop to make sure camera is working properly.
"No, I will continue to stay here. I will keep my distance from her to avoid my real identity to be revealed. I'm not sure how easy it will be but I will have to try. At least until we got some concrete information on Hyde and Elizabeth."
"I get what you're saying about staying away from her, but maybe we can actually use her. She is around Hyde all the time. Maybe she can over hear something or go into his office when he is gone. When she figures out what we are doing, you know she will want to help us. Her daddy was a marine. It's in her blood." Taylor smiles brightly when he talks about being a marine.
"I don't want her to get involved. Her safety is already in question because of Hyde and his wandering hands. Getting her to obtain more information could put her in harms way and I couldn't live with myself if something happened to her because of me. Let's see how things play out with the cameras and microphones before we go that route."
"Okay, we are done here. Let's put a camera in the hallway, at the elevators and conference room. Then we will be done with this floor. The other floors should be relatively easy. I nod my head and get up to leave her office. I don't know how I'm going to react if she confronts me about who I am. I hope she won't be pissed off.
Three hours later, we have finished installing all hidden cameras and microphones on every floor. We installed one in break room as well. You never know what kind of water cooler conversations we can pick up. We pack up the rest of our stuff and make sure all of the offices are locked.
During the ride home, I think back to seeing Ana in the elevator and the look she gave me when we look in each other's eyes. She had the look of recognition but didn't say anything. I don't know how I'm going to avoid her. I want to make sure Hyde doesn't hurt her but she's bound to figure something out the more time we spend together.
After a hot shower, I meet Taylor at the kitchen bar to discuss our next move. "We need to finish installing everything before Monday. I don't want to be distracted by installing cameras and not be able to see what is going on around us," Taylor says after taking a drink of water. I nod in agreement.
"We have the keys to the building, do you think we could finish everything tomorrow? What do we have left to do? The only thing that we will not be able to do is the upgrades to the server room. They are due to start that on Monday."
"We need to install cameras at the main entrance, elevator lobbies on each floor, and the door that will go into the server room. We will also need convert one of the empty offices on the first floor into a security office. The security office will contain monitors for the visible cameras and a computer to verify visitors. We can make changes as we go, if necessary. Barney sent over the equipment for that while we were away today." He points to the boxes that are in the living room. I didn't notice them earlier.
"Does any of the equipment have GEH labels on them? If so, I hope they are small. I'm not ready to reveal that I own the company yet."
"No, sir. We used labels from a subsidiary company. It will take a while for anyone to notice them, unless they pick up each piece of equipment and look at it. By then, the cameras will be in place and we will know who and what they are doing. Do you want to get started at 8 am tomorrow?"
"I would rather get in there before daylight. Even though I have changed my facial appearance, I don't want to risk being recognized. I can do my run on the treadmill downstairs." Taylor looks at my hair and laughs.
"You will need a root touch up. The dark red roots are coming through." I flip him off.
"Do you have the file that contains the prior assistant's names? I want to go through it again. Something isn't right. Is Gail coming to stay tonight?"
"Yes, I have the file. And yes, Gail is staying here tonight. She is bring some clean clothes and something that Elena sent over to you by courier. Gail said she has been trying to get up into the penthouse for the past couple of weeks. She is dying to know where you are and why you haven't returned her calls." I roll my eyes, thinking about how persistent Elena can be.
"Andrea is telling her I am out of the country. She is probably pissed because I haven't given her an answer on a new submissive. Ever since I laid eyes on Ana, I haven't had the urge to go to the playroom, or a club. What does that mean, anyway?"
Taylor shrugs his shoulders. "I don't know, sir. You know what I think about Elena. Time will tell I guess." He hands me the folder from Ros. I sit at the bar and flip through the folder and study each of the women. They are not the same, as far as looks. They are beautiful, but they each have different physical characteristics. As I am studying each one, Gail comes in and hands me the package from Elena.
"Good evening, Mr. Grey. This package was delivered to you at the penthouse yesterday. I have not opened it. The courier said it was from Mrs. Lincoln." I take the package from her and open it. "Thank you Gail."
As I open the envelope, a hand written letter comes out.
Christian,
I am not sure why you have neglected to get in contact with me. You have been without a submissive for too long. I have enclosed a list of potential women that fit your needs. Please get in contact with me a soon as possible. You know that I am only looking out for you, Darling.
E
I toss the letter on the counter and open the first folder. I gasp when I see the first picture. I go back to the folder of the previous assistants and search until I find her picture. Holy fuck! "Taylor, take a look at these." I hand over both files and he skims them both. "This has just added another element to the suspicious activity at SIP. Do you think Elena is somehow involved in the hiring and relocation of these girls?"
"I don't know sir. Let me get Welch on the phone." He dials the number and places the call on speaker. Welch answers after the first ring. "Welch, do you have a list of the women that previously worked at SIP? There has been a development." Taylor goes on to tell Welch about the files that Elena gave me. Two of the prospective subs are on the list of previous employees of SIP. Somehow, Elena knows Jack and is involved in what is going on at SIP. I zone out thinking about Ana and how much danger she is facing by working for Jack Hyde. I need more information on Elena.
"Welch, I need you to dig further into Elena. Audit her financials of Esclava and her personal accounts. I don't think it is a coincidence these women are under her employment and previously working for Hyde. Let Ros know, too. She handles the Esclava account as well." Welch says he will get on it and get back in contact with me. I keep pouring over the files and Taylor and Gail retire to bed.
I can't believe Elena would be involved in something criminal. I guess I shouldn't jump to conclusions, but she has had some sort of contact with these women after their employment has been terminated from SIP. I can't talk to her while I am undercover at SIP. Maybe Welch can dig something up on her. I decide I've seen enough for the evening. Hopefully, a little bit of sleep will help me see things clearer.
I wake up out of breath, looking around the dark room. I run my hands through my sweaty hair and sit up, hanging my legs off the side of the bed and rub my hands over my face. I think back to horrible nightmare I just had…I run into the building, knowing that Ana is still in there. I skip the elevator and take the stairs two at a time. I bust through the door of the third floor, searching for her. I hear her screaming my name, for me to help her. Then I hear Elena's voice, "You will never be good enough for Christian. You can't give him what he needs. Only I can. Jack will be here soon to finish you off, something he should have done a long time ago. She laughs in a menacing way, then I hear the whip crack. Ana's screams is what brought me out of the nightmare.
We have to get to the bottom of this soon. I go into the bathroom and splash my face with cold water. I glance at the clock and it reads 3:00 am. If I were at the penthouse, I would play my piano. I decide to go downstairs and run on the treadmill, maybe that will help me clear my mind of the nightmare.
I am drinking coffee when Taylor and Gail come into the kitchen. He nods his head and Gail asks if we'd like breakfast. "My usual is fine, Gail. Thank you." I continue looking over the files, comparing the information in them. "According to the file of this one, the phone number in her SIP employee file looks to have been changed. There are a few numbers that are different. Do you think they were changed after they were no longer at SIP? That would definitely reduce the chances of them being contacted."
"Let's see what Welch finds out after looking into Elena and any possible connection between her and Jack. If there is anything there, he will find it." I nod and start on the breakfast the Gail placed in front of me.
We arrive at SIP and the lights are on, with the door locked. I know we locked the door and turned off the lights when we left last night. "Sir, let me clear this floor first, then we will go to the next floor." After he clears the vacant office, I sit at the desk and pull the laptop out of the bag. I open up the camera feed for Jack's office and it shows him sitting at his desk, talking on the phone. I turn the volume up and listen to his conversation. "Taylor, hold up a minute. Jack is in his office on the phone. If we go upstairs, we may interrupt this conversation."
"I don't give a damn! I'll give you to the end of this week to find me another girl. Ana hasn't quit, and if I fire her, she has grounds for a lawsuit. Dumb bitch Liz put a copy of a harassment complaint in her file. One that is about me. I can't fire her, but I can make her disappear. So get your shit together and find me someone else! I don't care about Grey, Elena. My contact at GEH says he is out of the country working on some big merger. He obviously is in no hurry to get back to you about a new sub. Pull some strings and get it done!" He slams the phone down and runs his hand through his hair.
"Well, that definitely changes things," Taylor says while checking the other cameras to make sure they are put the laptop away and start working on first floor camera installation. As we are finishing up the last camera on the first floor, Jack comes strolling off the elevator. "I don't know if it's necessary to have these cameras in place. We have been just fine here without them." He stops in front of Taylor and looks over at me. "Maybe this is just another way for the new owner to spy on us. I have yet to meet the asshole." Oh if you only knew you were face to face with said asshole.It's taking everything in me not to knock his teeth down his throat.
Taylor's expression stays neutral and he stares at Jack. No words are spoken and Jack walks out the front doors. I walk behind him and lock the door. I turn around and go back to the elevator, trying to calm myself. "Sir, we need to call Welch and update him on this information. I also think I should notify my contact at Seattle PD of the potential for these women to be considered missing." I take a deep breath, still trying to calm myself. Between Jack talking about Ana disappearing and Elena being involved in it, I am about to reach my boiling point.
"I agree Taylor. I also think we should have covert security on Ana. Knowing he wants Ana gone, I will have a more difficult time keeping my mouth shut." We get onto the elevator to continue working on the second floor. We spend the rest of the day installing the visible cameras, and I can't help but have a bad feeling about what is going to happen next week.
Monday comes and Taylor and I get to SIP before everyone else. We made sure the cameras were up and running before we left on Saturday. We spent yesterday discussing how we will approach things here without becoming suspicious. The only two that I am concerned about is Elizabeth and Jack. The other employees seem quiet and keep to themselves. We will educate the front desk receptionist on making a copy of each visitor's ID and logging them into the system. We are using the same program the GEH uses. The program will run using the SIP name, instead of GEH.
At 8:15, I see a small younger woman, with black shoulder length hair walk through the front door and stand by the front desk. I walk over to her and introduce myself. I almost slip up and use my real name. Her name is Claire Monroe. I show her the process of checking in visitors as they come in. "Hopefully, the editor's assistant can relay to you when they are expecting a visitor or having a meeting with an author. If you have any questions, my office will be around the corner. I will be moving around the building during day, but in case of emergency, call my cell phone. Here is the number." I hand her a business card with my fake name, fake business and burner cell phone number. She smiles as she takes the card from me.
Taylor and I go back into the server area to oversee the changes being made. The changes should be completed by the end of the week, hopefully. At least we have the cameras up. "Sir, why don't you roam the building and get to know the employees. I will stay down here, out of sight, and periodically check the cameras. Call me if you need help. I nod and leave the room, heading for the stairs near the elevator. I walk up to the second floor, hoping there are a few people here already.
The lights are turned on, and I see one of the office doors open. I walk toward the door, but slow down when I hear voices. I stop outside the door and listen to the conversation. I look behind me to make sure no one is there. Don't want to get busted for being nosy. I don't hear anyone talking, but I stay still anyway. Based on the information, we have been given, this is the assistant editor Tristan Matthew's office. I stay still and listen quietly. I hear words that almost make me choke. "Yes, Mistress. I am trying my best. Mr. Hyde keeps her busy and he is constantly watching her. Please give me a few more days. I'm sorry I have disappointed you, Mistress Elena." I feel like I'm going to throw up. Based on the Hyde conversation we overheard Saturday, Tristan must be involved in helping to get rid of Ana. This situation just got a lot worse.
I pretend like I just walked off the elevator and knock on the outside of Tristan's door. "Come in," he says, trying to sound upbeat. I walk up to his desk, sticking my hand out. "Good morning, my name is Trey and I am being put in place for building security. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?" He points to the chair in front of his desk. I sit down and start asking his opinion on building security and if any changes need to be made. He tells me that he has found no issues and overall, he likes working for SIP. He has learned quite a bit from Mary and they work well together. I thank him for his time and get up to leave from his office. "Mr. Matthews, if for any reason you need building security, please press the red button on your desk phone. It rings directly into the security office. If I am somewhere in the building, it rolls over to my cell phone. He nods his head and gets back to work, dismissing me.
I leave his office and continue down the hall. No one else is in right now, so I decide to walk up to the third floor. As I enter the lobby, I hear the elevator ding. I turn around and see Ana walk off the elevator. Her head is down, looking in her purse for her office keys. I stand back, watching her walk. She is wearing a dark gray pant suit, with a pair of black heels. Her hips sway in a seductive manner when she walks, and I can't help but stare at her ass. She finds her keys and unlocks her office door. I stand still for a bit, not wanting her to see me.
I wait until she goes into her office and then continue walking down the hall, checking the rest of the floor. No one else is in, so I take a chance and walk to her office. "Good Morning, Ana. I want to let you know that building security is in place. If you need security for any reason, please press the red button on your desk phone and it will dial me directly. If I am not in the security office, it will forward to my cell phone. Here is my business card with my contact information on it." I hand her a business card, and our fingers touch briefly. I feel that tingling feeling again and I pull my hand away.
"I am also talking with employees to get their over impression of the business, and if they recommend any changes. It appears that security, or lack of it, was a big issue. That has been resolved now. Is there anything you would like to see changed or upgraded?" I look into her eyes and I wish I could just be honest right now and tell her who I am and why I am here.
"Well, there are a few things I would like to discuss, but not here. I may take you up on your offer for lunch. Would that be a possibility today?" She looks into my eyes and then down at my lips. I take a deep breath, and I know she knows who I am. Dammit!
"Sure, lunch would be great. What time do you leave for lunch, and I will meet you here when you're ready?" I try to remain calm, knowing after today, she will know what is going on. I will need to talk to Taylor about what I can tell Ana. She tells me around 1:00 would be great. She smiles genuinely, and I want to kiss her. Instead, I nod my head and tell her I will see her then.
I walk out of her office and take the stairs back to the first floor. I find Taylor discussing the plans for remodeling the server room. He sees the look on my face and excuses himself from the conversation. "Sir, what is going on?" We walk toward the security office, and we shut the door once we are inside.
"Ana wants to go to lunch with me today. I asked her if she had any questions or suggestions on how SIP is being run and she said there was some things she wanted to discuss, but not here at the office. I believe she is going to confront me on who I am. I will have to tell her something. I will have to see what she wants to know first." Taylor looks to the camera screen that shows the front door, and we see Hyde coming into the building. "She will be leaving soon to get his coffee. I will roam around the building and try to speak to the other employees about their experiences here."
"Okay, Sir. The remodel should be completed by Friday." I nod and open the door to leave the room. As I cross the lobby, Ana exits the elevator and to the front door. Guess she is fetching Jack's coffee now. We exchange glances and I continue walking to the doors to the stairs. Lunch is going to be interesting.
I spend the remainder of the morning speaking with the other editors and their assistants. In total, there are 5 writing departments in SIP. Fiction, Non-fiction, Children's literature, Fantasy, and Action/Adventure. There is also cover design, production, finance, and marketing that has their own department. The editors were aware that another business had purchased SIP, but couldn't really tell a difference in how it was run. Most wanted more freedom to work from home since a majority of their work involved reading and editing manuscripts, with the occasional author meeting. They also mentioned one editor in particular that always had something negative to say and couldn't keep an assistant on staff. They had nice things to say about Ana, and how friendly she was toward them. They all hoped she hung around longer than the others.
I check my watch and see it is 15 minutes before I need to meet Ana for lunch. I take the stairs to the third floor and walk toward her office. The door is open and I start to knock on the door and I hear her raised voice, telling Hyde to back off. I enter the doorway and see him leaning over her shoulder. I clear my throat and ask Ana if she is ready for lunch.
"Oh look, it's the security toad. What the hell are you doing here? Don't you need to make your rounds or something? We are trying to work here." If there wasn't a desk between us, I would have already punch the shit out of him.
"The way I see it, you are violating your co-workers request to get out of her personal space. I heard her ask you to back off and yet you are still too close." I look over to Ana and her face is dark red. "Ana, are you ready for lunch?"
"You won't be leaving for lunch today, Anastasia. You have too much work to do. I can order you lunch." She ignores him and continues typing on her computer. "Did you hear me, Anastasia? You are not leaving."
"I beg your pardon, Mr. Hyde. It's Ana. You will not decide if I can or can't leave for lunch. Now would you please leave my office?" Ana looks pissed, so I hang out by the door until Jack leaves. Once he leaves, I enter her office and shut the door.
"I'm sorry Trey, but I will have to cancel lunch for today. I have a lot of manuscripts to get through before the end of the day. Can we reschedule for tomorrow?" I am not happy that she is skipping lunch. She needs to eat something. I will bring her something if necessary.
"Ana, aren't you hungry? I can bring you something back or have something delivered so you can eat. I have issues with not eating." She looks thoughtful for a moment, and agrees to have something delivered in. "Tell me what you would like and I will have it delivered to your office." She gives me her order and I leave her office pissed that we can't go to lunch, but happy she agreed to let me order lunch for her. I remember she keeps snacks in her desk, but that isn't enough to sustain her.
Lunch is delivered from the sub shop around the corner, and I take it up to Ana's office. She is on the phone when I get there. She gestures for me to leave it on her desk and continues her phone conversation. I leave it on the corner of her desk, and walk quietly out of her office. I take the stairs down to the next floor to do the usual checks. Most everyone has left for lunch, so I take the stairs to the first floor. Taylor looks surprised to see me. "She is working through lunch. Guess the chat will have to wait for another day." He motions for me to go into the security office.
I follow him into the office and shut the door. "What's going on? Did you see or hear something on video?" I look to the video monitors and check on Ana while I wait for Taylor's response. She is still on the phone and picking at her lunch.
"He stormed out of Ana's office and went directly into Elizabeth's office. The audio recording was hard to hear, but he threatened her if she didn't fire Ana for insubordination. She reminded him of her written accounts of the harassment she has been receiving and how Jack hasn't been reprimanded for anything. His comment back insinuated that Ana will need to be eliminated or Elizabeth was going down with him."
This bull shit has gone on long enough. "Taylor, we need to have another security officer here because I'm about to go to his office and fire him myself!" I run my hands through my hair, and pull on it. I can't believe he has manipulated Elizabeth into this. What he has been doing to these women is criminal. We have to find out more information. "Anything more on Elena's involvement with Jack? There has to be a connection somewhere."
"He has discovered several large transfers from an account within Esclava to an off shore account. He is in the process of tracing the account, but it may take a few days. He recommended having someone audit Esclava's accounts to see where she is pulling the money from. Do you want me to have Ros look into it?"
"Yeah, have Ros get with finance. I haven't been checking her financials very often. I have been deferring any business dealings to Ros. I hope that explaining some things to Ana will not put her in any danger. What do you think?"
"She seems like a smart woman. Her father taught her how to check her surroundings for danger and to trust her instincts. So I believe we can trust her with knowing what we are doing. She may be able to help us collect information."
"I am not sure if I want to involve her in anything. I don't want her safety compromised." Taylor looks at me like I took the last cookie from the jar. "What?"
"If you believe that you can keep her out of what is going on, you are mistaken. She is smart and she will be able to tell that you are withholding something from her. Give her a little bit of information at a time, but if she asks you directly what is going on, don't lie to her or she will never trust you again."
"Okay, fine. I will see how it goes. Do you want something from the breakroom? I need some water. Too bad we aren't in my office at GEH. I could really use a glass of whiskey." Taylor chuckles and shakes his head no.
I walk into the breakroom and open the refrigerator door, in search of a cold bottle of water. I grab one from the shelf. Before I can turn back around, I hear the breakroom door shut and the lock engage. What the fuck?I turn around to find Ana leaning against the door with her arms crossed. "Something wrong, Miss Steele?" She stands there, seemingly contemplating her response.
"I don't know, Mr. Grey. You tell me." Oh shit, we are doing this here and now in the breakroom. I take a drink of water, holding her stare. She walks toward me like a tiger scoping out its prey. "Something you want to tell me or are you going to make me ask you?" I look over her shoulder toward the door, not sure if I should start this conversation here. There is a lot to talk about.
"I'm not sure what you are referring to." I answer, trying to evade her question. She continues to walk toward me, and I find myself backed up against the counter. She stops, inches away from me, and I swallow hard. She takes a deep breath through her nose, almost like she is smelling my cologne.
"Well, you and I both know your name is not Trey. So, again Mr. Grey, is there something you need to tell me?" Her eyes are laser focused to mine, and if I wasn't trying to dodge her questions, I would grab her face and kiss the hell out of her.
I raise the bottle up to my lips and take another drink. She watches lips wrap around the bottle, and then her eyes focus on my mouth and throat as I drink the water. I know I'm delaying the inevitable, but I am really enjoying her watching me. I look to the door again, making sure no one is going to walk in on our conversation. She did lock the door, right? "Miss Steele, what I have to say needs to be said in private. I don't want to get into this conversation and run the risk of someone overhearing. Would you be able to talk with me after work at my apartment?" She crosses her arms, pushing her breasts up. I look down at them and she clears her throat. "Taylor will be there if you are uncomfortable being alone with me." She smiles and moves in closer to me.
"You should be the one that isn't comfortable being alone with me, Mr. Grey. I sure hope you can handle me," she whispers the last part and I feel myself becoming aroused. I can smell her perfume and if I don't get out of here, I won't be responsible for my actions.
"I will come to your office around 5:00, is that okay with you? Will you be able to get your work done by then?" I hold my breath waiting for her answer.
"Yes, I will be ready by then. Plan on telling me everything, Mr. Grey. Especially if it involves me." She turns around and walks to the door. Before she opens it, she glances over shoulder and smiles. She opens the door and leaves, and I release the breath I was holding. I stand there for a few moments, then finish off the bottle of water. I'm definitely going to need something stronger.
I walk back to the security office, and Taylor is watching the camera in Ana's office. "Hyde was in her office snooping while she was gone. He opened her desk drawers and tried to access her computer. Luckily, she password locked it. What took you so long? I was about to come looking for you."
I sit down in the vacant chair and explain my conversation with Ana. "I will have to tell her everything. She should have been a drill sergeant. She is very intimidating." Taylor laughs at me and then questions my ability to be CEO.
"You have never had to stand your ground with a woman, or anyone else for that matter You intimidate most people and they do whatever you say, usually without question. Ana is different, and I think she would be good for you." He gets an email notification on his cell phone and opens the message. "Welch has sent over some updated information on the bank accounts. He found some connections and wants to meet with us after work."
"Are you comfortable having Ana at the small apartment or should we talk at Escala?" Taylor shakes his head when he answers. "We should not go back to the penthouse until we resolve what is going on here. Your family thinks you are out of town and Elena is still trying to get in touch with you. We can't take the risk of them showing up at there while Ana is with us. I'm sure it won't be a problem, but that would cause questions that I don't think you are ready to answer."
At least he is thinking with his brain. I am thinking with something else. "I agree. I think I will walk with her back to the apartment. It is only a few blocks. Can you let Gail know that we will have some extra people over for dinner?"
"I will text her and let her know of the changes." He starts to pack up his laptop and the contractor that is doing the renovations for the server room advises they are leaving for the day and they are ahead of schedule. "Excellent news, see you tomorrow." They leave and we finish packing up.
I take the elevator up to the third floor to meet Ana. I look inside her office to see she is packing up her things. She looks up and smiles at me. "I will be back in a few minutes. I have to take these finished manuscripts to Jack, then we can leave." She walks by me and I get a whiff of her perfume. It smells like vanilla and springtime. I feel myself getting aroused, so I try to think about something less appealing. Elliott in a speedo, grandmother in a bathing suit...yep that last one did it.
Ana returns and locks her desk and computer up for the night. I think back to what Taylor said about Jack nosing around Ana's office. As we are walking out of her office, Jack comes down the hall toward her and his face looks mad. "Where do you think you are going? Don't you have more work to do? You are to stay until you finish the manuscripts I gave you this morning."
Ana huffs and rolls her eyes. "Jack, were you daydreaming when I just came into your office? I handed you the completed manuscripts. There is nothing pending for the rest of the day. Now, if you don't mind, we have plans for the evening. See you tomorrow." Jack looks at her, stunned that she used a firm tone with him. She turns to me and asks, "are you ready Trey?"
I nod, and after she locks her office door, we head for the elevator. I can feel Jack staring daggers at our retreating backs, but neither of us turn around until we get into the elevator. Ana smirks at him as the door closes, then busts out laughing. I love hearing her laugh. I wonder what she sounds like when she comes? Get your mind out of the gutter, Grey. You don't need her to see the tent in your pants.
"Do you mind if we walk to my apartment? I don't live far from here," I say as we leave SIP. "If you don't want to walk, I can hail a cab." She tells me she is okay with walking. We walk for a few minutes and she breaks the silence. "How far are we walking? Are you going to fix me dinner or order take out?" She smiles a toothy smile and giggles.
"Actually, I live a few blocks from here. My housekeeper will be cooking our dinner. Otherwise, we will be taking a trip to the ER for food poisoning because I can't cook at all." She stares at me like she doesn't believe me.
"Are we going to your real apartment or fake apartment. And I can't believe you don't know how to cook. I would think you could at least take some cooking lessons or something. It really isn't that difficult!" She laughs as she says the last part.
"Well, I grew up with a housekeeper and never had to worry about cooking for myself. When I went to college, I usually ate out. I could try to cook, but it wouldn't be edible." I grin at her, hoping I get the chance to try to burn toast for breakfast.
"Okay, lead the way. I hope you plan on sharing some information with me, Trey." She draws out my name, trying to be smart.
We make it back to the apartment, and I can smell dinner as the door opens. I see Gail standing at the stove, stirring something in a pot. She greets us as we come inside, "good evening, dinner will be ready in about 15 minutes." I show Ana into the apartment and ask if she'd like a glass of wine.
"Whatever you're having is fine, thank you." She looks around the apartment and takes a seat at the bar in front of Gail. "Hello, I'm Ana. Thank you for fixing dinner. It smells delicious." Gail turns to look at Ana and smiles.
"Hello, Ana. I'm Gail. We are having baked chicken, macaroni and cheese and steamed broccoli. I hope that's okay." Ana looks at me smiling, with her eyes sparkling.
"Oh, that sounds heavenly! Thank you again, Gail." I hand Ana a glass of white wine and sit beside her at the bar. This whole scene seems normal. Me spending time with a woman that isn't tied to a bed or whipping post. "Earth to Trey, are you okay?" I snap out of my thoughts to see Ana waiving her hand in front of my face.
"Yeah, I'm fine. From now on, please call me Christian. We are going to make other arrangements for security at SIP, so you won't need to keep the fake name charade up. Do you want to talk now, or wait until after dinner?" I hope she wants to wait until after dinner. Once we start the conversation, she may lose her appetite, and I want her to eat.
"We can wait until after we eat. This is nice place. Our apartment is similar to this in size. I bet your real apartment puts this one to shame." She snickers as she gets up to walk to the balcony doors. I like her. She has spunk. She definitely wouldn't make a good submissive. I open the door to go out. It's a nice evening out here.
"Would you like to eat out here on the balcony? The weather is nice." She nods her head and I ask Gail to bring dinner out once it is ready. We take a seat and sit in silence for a few minutes. "Ana, what we have to talk about this evening is pretty heavy. Please hear me out before you pass judgement or leave. I want to get to know you better, and I will tell you everything I can."
"Okay, Christian. I promise I will listen to what you have to say. I may have a lot of questions and I expect you to answer them honestly. Can you do that?" She leans back in her chair and takes a drink of wine, waiting on my answer.
"Yes, I can answer you honestly. Taylor and another of our security associates Welch will be joining us as well. They have more information than I do." She nods as Gail brings out dinner. "This looks great Gail, thanks again for adjusting to accommodate our guests."
"No problem, Mr. Grey. Enjoy your dinner." She turns to go back inside, leaving Ana and I alone. She is making me nervous, and I don't know why. Maybe it's because I like her and I don't want anything to happen to her? I've never felt this way about a woman. Most of my encounters are purely sexual, with nothing else involved.
"Earth to Christian. Are you okay? You seem a bit distracted." Ana asks me as a snap out of my thoughts. She takes a bite of chicken and moans while she chews. God this dinner is going to be hard to get through. Every sound she makes and every movement her mouth makes is getting under my skin.
"I'm sorry, yes I am okay. Just lost in my thoughts for a minute. Judging by the sounds you are making, dinner is good?" I take a bite of mac and cheese, thankful I have Gail cooking for me.
"Good doesn't describe the taste. It's heavenly. I can't believe she cooks likes this for you and you are so fit. You must exercise all the time," she says in between bites. I do take pride in how I look. I eat healthy most of the time and it shows.
"I exercise everyday by either running or working out with my trainer, Claude. He is a former kickboxing champion, and is the only trainer I've worked with that can push me to my limits. Gail knows what I like to eat and keeps prepared meals ready for me if I am late getting home from work. In response to your earlier question, my actual apartment is in Escala. I have a penthouse there. With the work that Taylor and I are doing, we had to find another place away from everything. I will go further into that later." She nods, taking a sip of her wine.
"I run 3-4 days a week. Here lately, I haven't had much time outside of work to exercise. Jack is becoming quite difficult." She finishes off her plate and refills her wine glass. "I need to text my roommate to let her know I will be home later. I'll be right back." She walks back into the apartment, and I follow her, picking up our wine glasses on the way back in. Taylor and Welch are at the table deep in discussion. They look up as I approach the table. I look to Welch, waiting for him to bring up to speed on everything.
"Mr. Grey, are you sure you want to bring Ana up to date on all this? It may not involve her and I would hate to bring her unnecessary danger." Before I can respond, Ana comes out of the hallway and stands by the table.
"If any of this information involves me or my work place, I have a right to know. I will do what I can to help you, but please don't leave me in the dark. My daddy would always tell me things, whether it involved me or not." She pulls out a chair and takes a seat. Then she looks to me, silently asking me to join them. I let out a breath and sit down beside her, placing her wine glass in front of her.
"I will be needing something stronger." I get up and grab a bottle of whiskey and four glasses from the cabinet. Ana will be asking for something stronger before long. I sit back down at the table, gesturing for Welch to begin.
"Do we need to get her up to speed about why we are doing what we are doing?" I nod to Welch and he starts telling the story about the high turnover rate for Hyde's female assistants. "We discovered that when the women left SIP, they completely disappeared. The only one that we have been able to find any information on, is the one prior to you. Her mother reported her missing to the authorities and the investigation is ongoing. The conversation we are having now is open to anything. If you feel you have information about them or Hyde, please tell us. It may help save you, too." With that last comment, Ana takes a deep breath and looks to me.
"What do you mean? Is my life in danger? What the hell is Jack involved in?" Ana sits up in her chair, waiting on a response from us. Here we go…
"It was brought to my attention that Jack and Elizabeth are involved in something together. After talking things over with Taylor, Ros, and Welch, I decided that we needed to go undercover and try to figure out what was going on. We used the cover story of security consultants hired to upgrade SIP. As you know, I am CEO of GEH. What you don't know, is that I own SIP. I purchased it 6 months ago. Ros, my CFO, has been in charge of operations for SIP. I don't keep up with things there at all. Once we found out about the high turnover rate, I decided to get involved. Are you still with me?" I ask Ana before I continue. She nods her head and I continue with the story.
"Since we are not able to be in all offices all the time, we installed hidden cameras and microphones in each office, hallway and the break room. There are visual cameras installed in the common areas to make it look legitimate. We have overhead conversations between Jack and Elizabeth about you." I look directly into her eyes and I can see fear in them. This is not what I wanted.
"So, let me get this straight. You decided to go undercover at SIP to find out what Jack is up to and they only way you can monitor things is by installing spy cameras? Why don't you ask the employees about how things are? I filed a complaint for god's sake! Jack is an asshole all of the time now. When I first started out, he was very nice and accommodating. Then he started to change subtilty, and now he's just down right obnoxious." She gets up and starts pacing the small apartment, and starts mumbling to herself. She stops pacing and looks to Welch. "I surely hope there are no cameras in the women's restroom. What was Hyde saying about me? You mentioned earlier having more information that connects Hyde and someone else. Who are you talking about? Maybe I have seen them come in to visit him."
I look to Taylor and Welch, unsure if I should tell her about Elena. Then I would have to tell her about my connection to Elena and how I like to tie women up and fuck them. "Ana, can you please sit down, you are making me nervous." She looks at me incredulously.
"I'm making your nervous? I am standing in an apartment, surrounded by people I don't know, telling me that Hyde has it out for me and the women that worked before me are missing. How the fuck you think I feel?" She grabs the whiskey from the table and drinks straight from the bottle.
"Ana, there are hidden cameras in each editor and assistant editor's office, as well as the hallways of each floor. The visual cameras in the elevator lobby area, and the main entrance. Cameras will also be installed in the new server room and manuscript storage room. We would not violate anyone's privacy by placing a camera in the bathroom. Okay?" She nods her head in understanding.
"Have you heard Jack or Elizabeth talk about a woman named Elena Lincoln? Or have you seen an appointment in his schedule with her name on it?" Taylor asks her as he pulls her picture out of a file. She looks at it and tells him that since she has been there, she hasn't seen her in person or her name on Jack's schedule. She sits back down at the table and I want to reach out and take her hand. This has to be hard for her to hear.
"No wonder he was asking if I was close to my family or if I had a boyfriend. He was checking to see if anyone would miss me when I was gone. This is so fucked up. I should have kicked him in the balls when I had the chance." She stares off into space and I look to Welch.
"Anything more on the financial connection? What did Ros find?" He pulls out a file that contains spread sheets. I look it over and confirm it's a profit and loss margin for Esclava. It looks like there is one for each month going back 8 months. I look over the numbers and something seems off. I glance at Ana and she is staring at the liquor bottle. I grab it and pour me a drink.
"Something is off with these numbers. There is no way she can claim this much of a loss over the past 8 months. Every time I go by the salon, it is full." I keep looking over the numbers, trying to figure out where the money is going. I take a long pull from my glass and look at Ana. "Ana, are you alright? I know what we are telling you sounds crazy. I want you to understand that your safety is the most important thing right now. I won't let anything happen to you."
She scoffs. "What do you care about me anyway? I am just a replacement assistant that is standing up for herself to an asshole boss. Obviously, I'm a dime a dozen. Maybe I should give him his wish and quit." I cut her off before she can finish.
"No, Ana. We need you to stay at SIP. We have security in the building that will protect you." I scoot my chair closer to her and look into her eyes. "Ana, I like you. I find you fascinating because you say what is on your mind, no matter what it is. I want to get to know you better. I feel like we have a connection and I want to see where it leads." I take her hand and I feel the energy between us. "Would you be willing to help us get information on Jack and Elizabeth?" She looks down at our hands and then back up to my eyes. She doesn't say anything for a few moments, then she nods her head.
"I will help you get what you need, but you have to promise me you will let me know what is going on. I don't want to be blindsided by anything. Are you still keeping something from me?" She looks over to Taylor and Welch.
Taylor speaks up, "Ana, I know your dad is a former marine. As part of your employment at SIP, a comprehensive background check was done on you. Nothing was left out, including your religious and relationship status. I know your father taught you things and I hope you will use them. If you ever feel uncomfortable with your surroundings, please let me or Mr. Grey know as soon as possible. Tomorrow will be his last day at SIP. He is having an issue holding his temper when it comes to Hyde." She giggles and looks at me.
"The background check doesn't surprise me. I will let either of you know if I start to feel uncomfortable about anything. Daddy taught me how to protect myself and I intend on using it when necessary. I can hold my own against Hyde. Can you tell me what plans you have? Maybe I can help with them?" She sits up in her chair, pushing aside her drink.
Feeling the conversation turn, I decide to get some water. "Anyone else want some water?" Ana nods her head and looks at the spread sheets from Esclava. She reaches for her purse and grabs a pen. She starts circling numbers and columns. I peek over her shoulder and get a whiff of her hair. It smells like strawberries. I want to run my fingers through her hair while I kiss her passionately. I wonder if she thinks the same thing about me?
"Christian, how often do you invest money in Esclava? Do you have a set schedule or does she come to you when she needs financing?" I think back to the last time she asked for money. I have been avoiding her for the past few months.
"Ros usually handles anything business related with her. She comes to me frequently on a personal level. That subject will be discussed between us in private." She looks at me and I see her eye brows knitted together.
"What does that mean? How do you know her personally," she asks me. I look at the clock, seeing that it is already late. We both have to work tomorrow and I would rather start this conversation another time.
I take a deep breath before I answer her. "Ana, I would rather talk about this tomorrow. It is already late and we both have to work. I will tell you about it, but I would rather start and finish the conversation in one night. Did you find anything on the P & L?" I look down at the paper and see she has marked it all up.
"Nice diversional tactic, Mr. Grey. I will remember that. I'm fine with continuing the conversation tomorrow. Your place or mine? I can cook dinner and give Gail a break?" She grins and takes a drink of her water.
"We can meet here after work. Hopefully, we will find more of a connection in the finances. Don't worry about fixing dinner. Gail enjoys doing it, and I pay her for it. You need to relax after work anyway. Let's discuss how you will help us at SIP. Listen out for any conversations Jack has with Elizabeth. He has been meeting with her frequently whenever you leave the office. He is aware that you have complained on his advances and overall attitude. He has been trying to fire you for weeks, but Elizabeth reminds him that he would be facing a lawsuit if he terminated you. Please watch what you say since there are hidden cameras around the office." Her eyes grow large and she swallows hard.
"How long have the cameras been in place?" She looks to Taylor, then back to me.
"We installed them Friday and Saturday. I have only been looking at your office. We have listened to Jack and Elizabeth's conversations whenever you leave. Most of the time, they are talking about you. We monitor them trying to obtain information on the previous assistants. Have you seen any type of paperwork mentioning them?" She says no and puts her face in her hands, hiding herself. "What's wrong Ana?" She looks up to me and her face is red. Is she mad or embarrassed?
"Can we talk in private?" She looks at me, then out to the balcony. I stand up and guide her to the door. She faces away from me and her arms are wrapped around herself.
"Is everything okay, Ana? Did I do something to upset you?" She turns around and I can see she is embarrassed. I place my hands on her shoulders, feeling warmth spread throughout my body. I can't get over this connection we have. I don't know why it is there, but I want to explore it.
"I can't believe I am going to tell you this." She is shaking her head back and forth. "When you came into my office at lunch, I was on the phone with my roommate Kate. We were talking about you. She asked me if I had approached you yet about your identity and I told her I was afraid to. I feel the connection between us, too. Please don't laugh at me when I tell you this." She is smiling and I can't help but smile back. I pull her into a hug, hopefully giving her strength to tell me what is on her mind. I take a deep breath, smelling strawberries and vanilla. Makes me think of home.
She pulls back from the hug and looks into my eyes. "Do you want to know how I figured out who you were?" I nod my head, and rub my hands up and down her arms. She takes a deep breath and continues. "I had a dream about you. When we met again in the elevator, I knew I had seen you before, but couldn't place it. Your touch felt so familiar, and looking into your eyes hypnotized me. That night, I laid in bed thinking about you. I thought I was awake when I heard a knock on my door. It was you as Trey and you came to tell me that you couldn't stand to be away from me."
"I let you inside my apartment and you kissed me passionately. You told me that you couldn't fight your feelings for me anymore, and you asked me if I felt the same way. I told you that I did and you told me you wanted me, sexually. I wanted you, too. We went into my bedroom and ended up having the best sex of my life. Actually, the only sex of my life. I woke up realizing the similarity in your touch and Trey's touch. I also recognized your eyes. You can change your hair color, but your eyes gave you away." Her face burns with embarrassment and I am flabbergasted by her admission. She had a sexual dream about me? Maybe I should tell her that I have had the same dreams about her.
I slide my hands up her arms and neck, and gently cup her cheeks with my large hands. I look into her eyes for any doubt of what I am about to do. I lean in closer and she meets me the rest of the way. Our lips collide in a soft kiss. I run my tongue along her lips and she opens up for me. I dive my tongue in and deepen the kiss. She kisses me back, our tongues slow dancing with each other. I slowly start to pull away from the kiss, but she doesn't let me. We continue exploring each other's mouths for what seems like eternity, until we stop to catch our breath. If a kiss with her is this passionate, what is sex going to be like? Then I remember what she said about the only sex of her life. She's a virgin? No way!
With my forehead touching hers and looking into her eyes, I ask her how she is still a virgin. She is a beautiful woman. "I haven't found the right person to share it with," she tells me. "I guess romance books have ruined me, and I want to find fairytale love." She laughs softly.
Am I capable of finding and giving love? I want to try with this woman that I have in my arms. I just have to find a way to keep her safe so I can show her fairytale love does exist.
A/N
I hope the confrontation on Christian's identity was okay. I had it written two other ways and decided on this one. Ana is a virgin, but she is not shy and she knows about sex. The next chapter will be from Christian's POV, and more discovery of Elena's deceit (with Ana's help). The bitch troll will go down! Thank you again for the favorites, follows and reviews!
