Chapter 7:
"I don't fucking understand how you can still be a virgin!" He exclaims walking about my living room. He is pushing his hands through his copper colored curls, another little hint about my fiancé. When upset he does this. "I mean, you are beautiful, built, intelligent, and did I say, beautiful?"
"I never had the time to deal with men and their games. I had one chance to make good on my full scholarship and I wasn't going to waste that chance. Men were off the table, then when I started at 3P…well you know how busy I have been."
He stands in front of me for a few seconds then goes to his knees before me. I see tenderness in his eyes for the very first time. Who knew Christian Grey could be tender and caring? "I am honored that you are giving me this gift."
"I'm not exactly giving you this gift, am I?" I said harshly taking my hands away from him when he tried to hold them. "I am only telling you this because this is information you need to know… so when the time comes…well you know."
"I will be gentle, I promise." He leans forward and kisses my forehead. "I won't hurt you. Remember, you are my beloved." He acts as if he has more he wants to say but he does not. His lips are pressed against my forehead once again.
His words do not soften my heart towards him any. He is still forcing me into this marriage. He is heartless. "I need to get ready for the lunch with your mother." I push him away from me. I don't want him touching me. I am struggling inside whether to kick him in the balls or just shoot him.
"She will be asking you a lot of questions about how we met, fell in love and the such. We better get our stories straight."
"We met at work, decided there was an attraction and began to date discreetly. Say, we dated for six months?" He smiles at me. Sometimes, he looks and acts like a schoolboy with that smirk on his face. Again…should I kick him in the nuts or shoot him? Ahhh….the decisions I must make!
"Sounds good to me. We started to date right before Christmas." He adds as I stop my leg from striking out. Damn, my good manners!
By the time we finish our story of dating with the entire where, when, and how I have done my hair, put on makeup and a bit of perfume. We are in my bedroom and he has taken a perch on my bed. I come out of the en suite to find him smiling at me. I need to redress because I am not going to meet Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey in blue jeans and a t-shirt. "Can you step out of the room?"
"Why?"
I look at him as if he has lost his mind. "Because, I need to get dressed."
"Be my guest." He says as he reclines. He places his hands behind his head and prepares to watch me. "I've seen naked women before."
"You have not seen me naked." I can tell that he is not going to leave. I could throttle him if I had the time. I just walk to my closet and look through my wardrobe. I am so thankful to Kate for teaching me how to dress, shop, and put together a classic look for business, but this is a meeting with my future mother-in-law. I want to look nice but approachable. I really admire Grace Trevelyan-Grey and I want her to like me. If I take anything away from this life being forced upon me, it's the friendship of this woman. She is going to be the grandmother of my child. I decide against slacks and a blouse and decide to go with a light blue shift dress. It is made of linen and is light, airy but so very beautiful. I grab my black four-inch Jimmy Choos. I look over my shoulder to see Christian smiling at me and I know he is daring me to undress in front of him. Fine, watch you sick bastard, but you are not claiming this body until the wedding night! I pull the t-shirt off, unhook my utility cotton bra and throw it in the dirty clothes hamper. I have my back to him, but I know he can see me in my full glory through the reflection in my mirror. I hear his gasp when I unbutton my jeans and shimmy them down over my hips taking the cotton panties that I wore with the jeans. I see his eyes grow in delight as he skims over my naked bottom. I walk to my dresser and pull out a blue lace and silk bra and panty set. His eyes never leave my body as I dress. When I put on my garter belt, his eyes really grow. I have to laugh softly as his breathing becomes rapid when I sit on my bench and pull on my silk stockings very slowly. I take my time and extend one leg after the other smoothing the silk. I hear him gasp. Yeah, take that" Mr. I am so Fucking Powerful"!
"I can help you attach the clips." He says lowly as he stands. Why does his voice sound so sexy and sultry? I shake my head and pull the dress over my head then slide my feet into shoes.
"You can zip up my dress." I offer him my back. I feel him trace the outline of my spine with one finger and my heart jumpstarts with a rocket of excitement. He moves my hair and it falls over my right front shoulder. I stiffen when I feel his lips on the back of my neck as he zips up my dress. "Thank you." I move away from him so he can't hear my heart thumping wildly in my chest.
"You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in my life." He confesses. I can tell he longs to touch me again, but he refrains. Why? I don't know. Maybe he is afraid of losing his control. He clears his voice. "Luke Sawyer, your security detail has arrived and is waiting to drive you to your lunch then wherever else you need to go."
"I can drive myself. I have been driving since I was a little girl and I have never had a speeding ticket."
"Yes, but you are now my fiancé. I need you to stay safe." I see his eyes turn a quicksilver. Does he see me as a possession or do I mean something more to him. I can't read him completely yet, but I will. I will make it one of my most important missions in my life.
"I suppose you have obtained a car for my use."
"You know me so well." He smiled down at me. "You have your own Audi Sedan and of course, if you wish, I will get you a convertible for your driving pleasures."
"No need. I like my car." I stress. I frown as he begins to laugh. "What?"
"I've seen your car and it needs to go to the junkyard. It's not safe enough for my beloved."
I want so much to slap his handsome face off his head. So he hates my little Ford Focus. Sure, it's not as regal as an Audi, but it is mine, all mine. "I will let Sawyer drive me around for business but on my free time, I drive myself."
"Fine, but not in the Focus. It's not safe enough for my wife."
"Stay away from my car." I stress. "I bought that car and I am keeping it."
He can tell that I am not backing down from this. "Fine, then." He gave up to easily. I narrow at my eyes at him wondering what evil he has planned for my little Ford.
"And, if something happens to my car and I mean anything happens to it…a flat…a headlight goes out…I mean anything, you are the first one I am going to accuse."
He just smiles at me and leads me out of my bedroom.
I am shocked when I walk out of my apartment building to find reporters and photographers waiting for me. They are yelling questions to Christian and me as he guides me through the mayhem. Besides the ever-faithful Taylor, another man who is even taller than Taylor joins us. He is blonde and full of brawn. Good lord, is he handsome in that California beach boy way. I learn later that this is Luke Sawyer, ex-Navy Seal and now my babysitter. We are herded into what I know is now my car.
"Sawyer, this is my fiancé, Anastasia Steele. Keep her safe at all costs." I nod at the man who looks at me through the rearview mirror. He nods back. No smile. Christian turns to me. "I will be dropped off at GEH and Sawyer will take you safely to The Mile High Club. Sawyer will escort you into the restaurant and will keep you safe. I hope you will enjoy your time with my mother."
"I'm sure I will. Your mother is quite charming."
"Yeah, she is that." He says in awe of her mother.
"I want you to take the rest of the week off to prepare for our wedding. I will take care of 3P."
"No can do. I have three author's meetings this week that cannot be rescheduled." I find my IPad in my purse and flip to my schedule app. "I also have a meeting with legal this afternoon about the Bunson buyout. If those assholes think they can keep 3P out of the Canadian market, they have another thing coming."
"Wow, vicious little thing aren't you?"
"Don't forget that, Grey. You may have me over the barrel with this so-called merger of ours, but don't ever think you can interfere in my business."
"It's my business also." I see how his shoulders square. He is marking his territory. "I still own 3P."
"It's mine, now. I want no interference from you or anyone from GEH about how I run 3P."
"I will give you a free hand…for now." I can tell that this discussion is over. We pull up to GEH and he turns and gives me a kiss on the lips. "I'll call you later."
"Have a good day, dear." I said with a sneer.
All of a sudden, his large hand in grasping my chin. "Be very careful, Anastasia. I have a very good sense of humor but don't ever patronize me. Understand?"
"Yes, Christian, I understand." My hand covers his trying to soothe whatever pride I bruised with my snide comment. He is so mercurial. "It was only a joke. I do hope you have a good day."
"Much better." He kisses me once more with his eyes closed. I finally close my eyes and let my lips soften under his. "Much, much better." With that, Christian was out of the car evading reporters and photographers with Taylor at his side. I settle back into the seat.
"Mile High, Ma'm?" Sawyer asks knowing that is where I need to go. He is just being polite.
"Yes, Mr. Sawyer."
"Just Sawyer, M'am." He replies as he pulls out into traffic.
"No Ma'ms, please…I'm not that old." I give him a smile when I see a small grin race across his face. "I am sure that Mr. Grey has told you to address me as such or as Miss Steele. Can we compromise?"
"And your suggestion is?"
"Ana."
"Miss Ana." He suggests. It was formal but less so than Miss Steele or Ma'm. I can live with that. I nod my agreement.
"How does an ex-Navy Seal become my protector?"
"I have good contacts. I've known Taylor for many years. He got me into the Navy."
I only nod. I realize that there is no need to try to win this man over to my side. I can tell he is loyal to a fault, just like a good soldier. He will take his marching orders from Christian and Taylor. "I know that Mr. Grey pays your salary and I appreciate your loyalty to him, however, what is said or done in your presence is my business. If I want Christian to know something, I will tell him. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Miss Ana." His voice is low. I know I am putting him in a difficult position, but I need to have some freedom, especially when doing business.
I have to say that Luke Sawyer is very good at his job. I am taken to The Mile High Club without any incidents with reporters and photographs. He is silent as we ride alone in the elevator to the restaurant. He gets off the elevator first, and then motions me to follow since he sees that the coast is clear and safe.
After I am delivered safely to my soon-to-be mother-in-law, Sawyer disappears, but I know he is close by. I sit smiling at this lovely woman. I would have killed to have her as my mother growing up, but I was born under an unlucky star and got the mother from hell. Thank God, for Raymond Steele.
"Oh, Ana, you are such a lovely young lady." She says taking my hand. "I am so glad that Christian found you. I talked with him this morning, and he was so full of happiness. I've never seen him like this."
"Neither have I." I whisper.
"I don't know if he has told you, but Christian had a hard start in life and no matter what Carrick and I did we could never get him to understand how much we love him. Then, you come along and he is different. I've seen it these last couple of months. He is much softer…not so fierce or cranky."
Couple of months? I am confused. How did I make a difference in him? We just made this arrangement in the last day. She sees how confused I am.
"Christian was a troubled soul. Oh, lord, the trouble he got into. He was expelled out of many schools for fighting. He started to drink, smoke, and run with some very dangerous people. Carrick and I were so concerned and we took him to every child psychologist we could find. Nothing seemed to help." She wiped away a tear and it touches my soul. She does love her son so much and to see her so distraught breaks my heart. "Then, something happened. He was fifteen and all of a sudden, he changed. It was like a miracle. He settled down, the fighting stopped as did the drinking and smoking. He stopped running with those thugs and his grades improved. By the time he graduated High School he was at the top of his class." The pride in her son was very evident. "He went to Harvard, you know. He's really intelligent."
"Yes, I know, that he attended Harvard." I say softly. I also know that he quit and went into business. I read his dossier. I just don't know how he afforded to bankroll his first business deal. "Did you and Mr. Grey help Christian with his first business deal?"
"Oh, heavens no. Carrick was furious with Christian for dropping out of Harvard. He wouldn't lift a finger to help Christian and it did cause problems between them for a few years."
"So, who gave him the money?"
Grace sighed heavily. "My friend Elena Lincoln. She said she did it because Carrick and I were such good friends to her and she wanted to give Christian a chance to prove himself."
That name still burns in my crawl. For some reason I do not see her as a humanitarian sort of person. She doesn't do anything unless she can reap the profits from her actions. "I've met Mrs. Lincoln twice. The first time at her salon and the second time last night."
"She is so happy to hear of Christian's engagement." Grace says brightly. I realize that this dear, sweet woman is clueless about her so-called dear friend.
"Really? That is funny, I got the impression last night when she approached me in the restroom that she did not approve of me. If I remember correctly, she said Christian would break my heart and that I should run away. She even suggested that I leave the country."
Grace almost chokes on her water. "That doesn't sound at all like Elena. She is so very kind and generous."
"Dr. Grey, I understand that she is your friend, but she is no friend of mine. May I ask you not to tell her anything about Christian and our relationship? It's really none of her business."
"But, she is a family friend."
"That she may be, but she does not need to know anything about us unless we want her to know." I can see that this could become a problem between us, but I have to set my foot down. Being married to Christian is going to be hard enough without an interfering old bag of bones hanging about trying to glean information from this delightful woman. "I wish I could feel differently about your friend, Dr. Grey, but she makes me uncomfortable and I don't want to be around her. She is not invited to the wedding."
Grace thinks for a while. "She can be very intense. I will do as you ask. No speaking to Mrs. Lincoln about you and Christian and she will be taken off the guest list." She then smiles at me and I know that all is well between us. "Alright, let's talk wedding plans. Have you set the date?"
I bite the inside of my cheek. This will blow her away. "This weekend."
She took it well. At least she didn't faint. She just moved her chair closer to me and we started to plan.