Hi everybody, when I posted this chapter, the editor in me decided the game of musical phones, was just too long, but after going back and reading it a number of times, I've decided my inner editor is just going to have to get over it. I just love Nigel too much. Hope you do too.
Ana
"Oh. My. God. These are the best things I've ever put in my mouth. These chicks rock. Saving your life, driving Christian nuts, and creating chocolate nirvana. Don't ever let them leave."
Ana just smiled, watching Kate's eyes roll back in her head as she finished off one decadent brownie, and reached for another. After news of her narrow escape from the sniper's bullet spread, the entire Gray clan, Ray, even her mom, had wanted to invade. Christian had finessed most of them into staying away for a couple of days, but there was no deterring Kate. She'd shown up a half hour ago and, catching the scent of chocolate, made a beeline for the kitchen. For the past half hour, she'd been scarfing down brownies, in between spontaneous bouts of laughter, as Ana filled her in on the last forty-eight hours.
"Oh, Mac's brownies are nothing compared to her cheesecake."
Ana watched Kate's jaw drop, as Allie glided gracefully across the kitchen on impossibly high black patten stilettos. Dressed in skinny jeans, and a slinky, black cami, her silky blond hair, surrounding her angelic face in a golden halo, she was beyond beautiful.
"Damn," Kate breathed, her eyes wide as she observed Allie nibble on one of the brownies, without even the tiniest smudge to her perfect glossy red lips. "You weren't exaggerating a bit."
Ana bit back a smile, "Allie this is my friend Kate, You look gorgeous, are you going somewhere?"
"Oh, I have a date."
"Really?" Ana questioned in what she hoped was a casual tone. The girl had been on the west coast for less than two days.
"Yes, I met the nicest man at the morgue today."
Ana's mouth fell open, beside her, Kate choked on her brownie laughing, then, seeing Allie's serious face, swallowed, "For real?"
"Yes. He was there with a co-worker, or something. Anyway, we started talking and, well..." Allie shrugged one perfect, creamy shoulder.
"You don't say..." Kate murmured
"Allie can't go anywhere without men throwing themselves at her." Christy entered the kitchen, and joined them at the breakfast bar, reaching for a brownie.
"Oh pooh, don't be silly." Allie waved a perfectly manicured hand dismissively, her cheeks flushing.
"Holy Crap, you could be twins." Kate's wide eyes got even wider, as she took in Christy from the tip of her pony-tail to her converse clad feet, as Ana's double leaned against the breakfast bar, crossed her arms, and gave her sister an assessing look.
"How long were you in the morgue today?"
"Oh, about an hour." Allie gave another careless wave, but Ana sensed tension beneath the breezy reply.
"And how many men gave you their business card, and or phone number?"
Allie's face flushed to a deep pink, "What a ridiculous question...besides no one's interested..."
"Yes, we are." Kate interrupted, her avid gaze moving back to Allie.
Ana punched her under the table.
"Ow!, So, how many?" the pain didn't deter Kavanaugh a bit, her inquisitive mind was completely engaged.
"Oh, I don't know, …."
"You don't know?" Kate sputtered around a mouth-full brownie.
It crossed Ana's mind, that Kate should stop scarfing down brownies while talking to the McGovern sisters.
"She knows, " Christy interjected, "Allie has perfect recall. How many?"
"Fine! Five." Allie huffed, obviously uncomfortable.
"Five!" Kate repeated incredulous, and as usual, oblivious to any discomfort her curiosity might cause,"In one hour?"
"Yes." Allie confirmed softly, suddenly very interested in her black patten stilettos.
"Huh," Christy, nibbled on her brownie thoughtfully, "that's kind of low. Well, I guess with it being a Morgue and all..."
"Honestly," Allie's face, when she looked up, was bright crimson, "we need to change the subject, Christy, you're boring everyone."
"No she's not...Ow!" This time Ana pinched her friend - hard, "Hey cut that..."
"So, I've been meaning to ask," Ana, interrupted, determined to change the subject, that was so obviously making Allie uncomfortable,"What exactly does 'paddle' mean?"
"Huh?" Christy blinked.
Allie just looked politely, prettily confused.
"Yesterday Mckenna pointed at me and said paddle, and Lena jumped. It's a code right, like 911?"
"Oh, yeah, Mac and Lena have been using it for years,.. you know, if you're up a creek and all that..." Christy paused thoughtfully, "I think they came up with it, that time Allie was taken by those traders."
"What?!" Ana and Kate in unison.
"Human traffickers," Allie corrected, her eyes clouding.
"Holy Shit!" Kate breathed out.
"Oh my God..." Ana murmured, horrified at the thought of sweet, beautiful Allie in the hands of monsters.
"It was fine," Allie's face cleared, her voice taking on determined lightness, "Mac and Lena got me back so fast, I hardly knew what happened."
"Wasn't fine for the guys who snatched you though." Christy whispered darkly.
That, Ana could believe. She had no doubt Lena and Mckenna wouldn't have been satisfied until the men who'd "snatched" Allie, had been broken into little pieces, sliced and diced, and scattered all over the east coast.
"And anyway," Allie continued, "it was before that, remember, they used it when we found that dead professor in the coffee shop."
"Oh yeah, that's right." Christy nodded, taking another bite of brownie,"Hey, how about some milk?"
"Dead professor?" Kate's mouth fell open..
"In a coffee shop?" Ana squeaked, watching Christy walk over to the fridge, "Glasses are in the cupboard to your right." she informed her automatically. Wondering, when exactly, she'd been dropped down the rabbit hole.
"Uh-huh, he was one of Mac's old college professors." Christy responded absently, her head in the fridge.
"No kidding?" Kate put down her brownie. She caught on quick.
"Yeah, he asked Mac to give a demonstration to his class, on how to solve cold cases. Stupid really, as he turned out to be involved; long story, he was trying to frame this other guy and yadda., yadda, yadda..." Christy waved her hand in the air dismissively, as she poured the milk, then holding the carton aloft "Anybody else?"Allie shook her head, Kate just muttered "hm-m." Ana managed a slight nod, while trying to wrap her mind around the sweet girl in front of her 'yadda yadda-ing' a dead college professor in a coffee shop. She snuk a look at Kate. Her friend's eyes had glazed over; probably going into the reporter's equivalent of a sugar coma, although with the half dozen brownies she'd inhaled, it was possibly the real thing.
"No, that's not right," Christy continued thoughtfully, "cause they used it that time you drugged the wrong guy, and that was the summer before the professor incident."
"You drugged..." Ana breathed
"The wrong..." Kate butted in.
"Guy." Lena finished, sauntering into the kitchen, "Yeah, boy that was a close one," her silky black hair swung around her face, as she shook her head, "I still can't believe you mistook that guy for an investment banker." she chuckled, breaking off a piece of brownie and popping it in her mouth.
"Well, he matched the description, Ariel gave me..." Allie protested, defensive.
"Who's Ariel?" She and Kate both asked, again, in unison.
"She's a friend. We met in my book-club. Her husband was not a nice man." Allie explained.
"She left him. She was staying with us." Lena went on.
"So when I saw this man matching his description, walk into the coffee shop, and ask about her, I thought he'd come after her." Allie picked back up.
"So she drugged his coffee." Christy finished.
Ana was starting to feel dizzy.
"Holy Crap!" Kate exclaimed.
"Yeah, that was a crazy twenty minutes." Christy mused absently.
"Then, the vile bastard did show up." Allie went on.
"Yeah, he was an ass hat. Made the mistake of grabbing Mac,..." Lena winced, "Man, Mac really doesn't like to be manhandled."
"What happened?" Kate was actually leaning forward. Ana expected her to whip out a tape recorder any minute.
"Well, she pepper sprayed him,..." Allie began
"Then tazered him..." Christy piped in, "Twice."
"Twice?" Ana squeaked again.
"Yep," Christy did another one of those dismissive hand waves, "she keeps two tazers behind the counter, you know just in case we have trouble, and she was pissed, so she used both of them."
"Then, when he was unconscious, she had him tossed into the dumpster behind the bakery, with the rest of the trash." Lena finished.
"Mac has a bit of a temper." Christy explained, around a bite of brownie.
"Uh-huh." Ana murmured dumbly, reaching for her milk.
"What happened to him?" Kate had opened her purse and was digging around. Ana had no doubt she was searching for a pen and paper.
"Well,...uh" Christy hesitated.
"That's when things really went to shit." Lena shook her head again.
"Really?" Kate whipped a pen from her purse, but no paper. Ana tried to keep a straight face as Kate's sharp gaze frantically searched the kitchen for something to write on.
"He was beaten to death with a baseball bat," It was Mckenna who answered, striding across the room to join them around the tray of brownies.
"Holy Fuck!" Kate grabbed a napkin, and began scribbling.
Ana, shocked beyond speech, just stared at the four women in front of her. What. The. Fuck.
Mckenna, completely oblivious to their shocked reaction, broke off a tiny piece of brownie and began chewing slowly, muttering to herself, "...not bad, ...mocha flavor's not strong enough, maybe some dark chocolate espresso beans...possibly some Kahlua,...He'd been laundering money for some Drug Cartel, and was skimming," she went on, jumping seamlessly from her brownie recipe to the dead investment banker in the dumpster, "Guy was an abusive ass and an idiot. Got what he deserved though," Mckenna's eyes took on a feral glow, "Karma's a woman, you know."
"Course, the real irony of the situation was - the guy Allie drugged turned out to be a DEA agent." Lena chuckled
"Holy Shit!" Ana exclaimed. Kate turned her napkin over.
"Oh yeah, he was there to meet with Ariel. Man was he pissed when he woke up." Lena's grin grew wider.
"Well, he had a knot the size of a goose egg on his head, from where he hit the pavement in the alley." Christy pointed out.
"The alley?" Kate questioned, head down and scribbling furiously.
"Yeah, you see, he got up to help, when the douche bag grabbed Mac,..." Lena began.
"but before he could get to her," Christy jumped in, "Mac had him unconscious on the floor. So he helped throw him out. Then...he kind of swayed and..."
"Mac tried to catch him," Lena took over again, "but the guy was huge and they both went down and BAM," Lena smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand, "his head hit the pavement when he fell."
"Yes, well, he was mad at first," Allie cut in, her cheeks still flushed pink, "but then I explained, and he graciously accepted my apology. He was really very understanding."
"Yeah, he was more than happy to accept Allie's apology over a romantic dinner for two." Lena clarified dryly.
Allie blew her sister another feminine little raspberry.
Ana just sat there, dumbstruck, staring at the four sisters. It was like they were from some strange upside down, wrong-side-out universe, where crazy was normal and normal had winked out of existence. She wasn't down the rabbit hole. She'd gone through the looking glass.
"You're a reporter."
Mckenna's sharp words interrupted Ana's contemplation of insane dimensions, and 'Alice In Wonderland' analogies. She looked up to see Mckenna's eyes locked on Kate, who'd grabbed another napkin and was scribbling like mad.
"Yes, I'm sorry, Mckenna, this is my friend Kate Kavanaugh. Kate this is Mckenna McGovern,..."
"It's nice to meet you," Kate smiled, then looking down at her napkin, "Is that McGovern with a little "g" or..."
"It's a capital "G." Mckenna cut her off.
Kate - still looking down, "…and what's the name of the coffee shop, or is it a bakery?"
"'Heather's Tea & Cakes', and it's both, actually." Mckenna clarified succinctly, reaching for the napkins.
Kate bravely attempted to hold on to them, "I'd love to do a story,..."
"I'm sure you would," Mac smiled, while pulling the napkins from her friend's grasping fingers, "And while I've no doubt you'd do an excellent job, I'm afraid I can't allow it."
Ana, thought she heard Kate whimper as she watched Mckenna rip the napkin into tiny pieces. Shit, in that moment the woman in front of her reminded her so much of Christian, she was surprised the eyes staring back at Kate weren't flashing icy gray.
But then that fathomless gaze settled on her, and Ana decided the strange green-black color was plenty disturbing, "Lincoln's alive and wants you dead."
"Yes, that's what I understand."
"Why?"
"I'm not sure what..."
"I mean, why not just kill your husband. Why is he going for you?'
"Well, he knows how much Ana means to him..." Kate began.
"How would he know that?" Mckenna's head tilted slightly.
"Well," Kate pointed out, as if the answer were obvious, "he married her."
"Yes, yes he did." Mckenna acknowledged, softly.
Ana watched as the strange woman closed her eyes, both hands going up to massage her temples. She was working on something, and Ana suspected the direction she was headed. Yes, Lincoln, knew about the marriage, but wealthy men married for convenience and appearances all the time. He didn't know Christian well, wasn't privy to the details of their lives, and it had always bothered her that he'd known about Jack Hyde, when they'd been so careful to keep it quiet. There was only one person who could connect those dots.
"Elena." Ana barely breathed the word, but Mckenna's head snapped up, her eyes lighting with that strange feral glow.
"Exactly." Then, Mckenna's head tilted again, her eyes focusing on a distant horizon only she could see, "I think with all the recent stress" she murmured softly, one hand absently running the locket she wore along it's gold chain,"we could all use a spa day."
Ana smiled slowly, "Oh, that sounds like a fabulous idea. I know just the place."
Suddenly, the kitchen was filled with Marilyn Monroe, and "Diamonds are a girls best friend."
"Oh, that's me," Allie pulled the phone from the tiny bag on her shoulder, "Oh, no."
"What?" the three McGovern sisters at one time.
Allie looked up her face pale, "It's Nigel."
"Oh, shit." Lena muttered
"Not Good." Christy whispered.
"Okay,..."
Ana watched, as Mckenna straightened, crossed her arms in front of her, and turned to her sisters, her face an implacable mask, "Who squealed?"
"Damn," Kate muttered, leaning close so Ana could hear her over the still serenading Marilyn,"Is it me, or did your husband just take over the scary one's body."
"Ha," Christy shouted, grinning triumphantly, "told you you were the scariest."
"I repeat, who squealed?" Mckenna was not to be distracted.
"I'm sorry Mac," Allie's beautiful face crumpled, "I think it was me. I left him a message, but I didn't say anything about Christian Grey, just that we were in Seattle..."
"It's fine." Mckenna reached for her sister's phone, "We knew he'd find out eventually. I'll try to talk him down." Then, reluctantly putting the phone to her ear, "Nigel?"
Wincing, Mckenna just as quickly pulled it away, and it was no mystery why, Ana could easily hear the wailing sobs coming from it.
"Sweetie," Mckenna yelled into the phone, "it's me Mac, I need you to take some breaths Okay?"
If possible the wails got even louder. Ana thought the strange sounds were supposed to be words, but, she couldn't be sure. Apparently, Mckenna spoke, sobbing, hysterical male.
"Now honey, you know that's not true, ...we all love you. We'd never do anything to..." she was cut off by more wailing, sobbing, and, this time Ana was pretty sure she heard the words, lonely, old, fat, and kill myself.
"Nigel Cummings, you stop that right now!" Mckenna's voice turned hard, " Or I swear, I will hang up this phone and call Auntie this very minute."
That did the trick, whoever Auntie was, this Nigel guy didn't want her called, cause the wails stopped, but she clearly heard, "You, wouldn't!"
"Hah! Try me!" Silence, then, more sobbing words, "Yes, sweetie, I promise he's very happy. I know, but he's not,...no I'm sure he's not gay sweetheart,..."
Holy Shit! Ana gasped, absently reaching over to pat Kate on the back, as her friend choked on what had to be her tenth brownie.
"Damn, if it doesn't sound like she's talking about..." Kate shut up when Mckenna started speaking again.
"Yes, I know gay men in Richmond do that a lot," Mckenna's eyes drifted to Ana, "but this is Seattle,...
"Damn, she is talking about..." Kate's eyes were wide, turning on Ana, "You."
Ana nodded, though it sounded more like they were talking about her husband.
"He loves her very much,... yes, they're very excited about the baby..."
Uh-oh, the baby news was too much for poor Nigel. It set off another series of wailing sobs.
Mckenna winced, pulling the phone from her ear, and covering it with her hand, "For fuck's sake, somebody call Thomas and tell him to get his ass to the bakery, before Nigel goes through my entire stock of Liqueurs' again."
"On it." Lena pulled her phone from her back pocket and started dialing.
Allie leaned in close, "Um,... Nigel is a friend, and Mckenna's partner in the bakery," she whispered. "He's an immigrant from Darfur. He arrived in this country four years ago. Mr. Grey's first ever food shipment to Darfur, fed him and his family."
"Wow!" Kate breathed.
"Hey Thomas," Ana listened with one ear to Lena's conversation, "Look uh,... you need to get to the bakery, Nigel's on another jag,"...
"Nigel,...Nigel honey,...how much have you had to drink,..." Ana's other ear tuned into Mckenna.
"Yeah, I know," Lena, again, "yes, ... Of course, it's really about Mark,...I know,...Happy Anniversary, by the way,...Yes,..well, you should take Ron with you, Nigel's been in the liqueur cabinet a while."
"No,... now you know that's not true,..." and back to Mckenna's weary sigh, "I care way more about you than my Grand Mariner..."
"Well, you better get over there," Lena again, "I know,... I promise we'll make it up to you."
"Who's Mark?" Kate asked.
"Mark is Nigel's ex," Allie explained, "When they broke up a little over a year ago Nigel sort of became obsessed with..."
"Christian." Ana whispered. Holy Shit!
"Shit." Mckenna muttered, her shirt pocket ringing. Pulling her phone out, she checked the number, "Fucking, fuck!" She spat under her breath, then, "Nigel sweetie, Allie wants to talk to you."
Watching Allie desperately shaking her head back and forth, Ana wasn't so sure, "Dammit, Allie, it's that bitch from the historical society, I've got to take it. Get over here and talk to Nigel." Mckenna shoved the phone in Allie's reluctant hand, then turned to Lena, "Well?"
"On their way." Lena slid her phone back in her pocket, while Mckenna brought her own phone to her ear with a not so pleasant, "What?"
"Who the fuck is that?" Lena's eyes narrowed.
"Nigel,...Nigel,...hi sweetie, it's Allie. No,..no honey, I don't think that's wise,.." Allie's eyes landed on Ana, "No of course not, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to talk to you, but..."
"What?"...What did you say?"Mckenna walked slightly away from them, "That's ridiculous. No, absolutely not.
"What are those bitches trying to pull now?" Lena demanded following her.
"What bitches?" Kate demanded
"Oh, those evil biddies on the historical society." Christy spat the words out like poison. Her normally sweet face twisted with loathing, she sprinted across the room, shoulder butting Lena to get close enough to hear Mckenna's conversation.
"Historical society?" Kate turned to her. Ana just shrugged.
"Nigel...No..No honey, please don't go anywhere," Suddenly, Allie was jumping up and down, waving her arms, one hand covering the phone,"Paddle, Paddle! He's calling a cab, what do I do?"
Lena ran back over, and pulled out her phone, "Shit, he cannot get into a cab, he'll head for the airport - Damn."
"Airport?" Kate repeated. Ana didn't even bother to shrug this time. All her attention focused on the multiple dramas playing out in her kitchen.
"What the fuck?" She jumped out of her seat at Mckenna's raised voice, "Goddammit if you bitches so much as go near my mother's portrait, You will fucking bitterly regret it!"
"Mama's portrait?" Christy screamed, then reaching in her back pocket she pulled out her phone, "I'm calling Auntie."
"Shit!" Lena tossed her phone to Ana. Thanks to her high-school softball reflexes, she caught it, "When they answer tell them Nigel's heading to the airport." Then she flew to Christy, leaping around trying to grab the phone out of her hand,"Dammit Christy, don't. We don't know what she'll do."
"They're trying to take Mama's portrait." Christy shouted, "I don't care if she poisons the lot of them."
"Holy Shit." Ana's wide eyes darted around the room, trying to take it all in.
Kate grabbed another napkin and started scribbling again, "Who the fuck is Auntie?"she asked, not bothering to look up.
"I don't know." Ana replied, eyes still bouncing between the McGovern sisters.
"Goddammit, Fucking Hell NO! You will not so much as lay a pinky on her portrait. Do you hear me?"
"No...no Nigel, please sweetie, don't get in the cab, remember what happened last time?"
"Dammit Chrsty, give me the Goddamn, phone!"
"NO! I want those evil biddies to suffer!"
"Shit!" Kate's awed whisper hit her ear.
"Lena," Ana jumped again, she'd forgotten about the phone at her ear, "Listen we're stuck on I-95, damn tractor tailor turned over."
"Oh, um, this is Ana, Lena's busy..."
"Oh, My God. The Ana? So he really is straight?"
"Huh?"
"We were all hoping that Gorgeous Bazillionaire Christian Grey would come out of the closet, but he married you. So tell me, is completely wicked nasty in bed?"
Well, yes, but Ana wasn't sharing. "Uh,...Lena said to tell you Nigel's getting into a cab."
"NO! No, he'll head for the airport."
"Yeah, that's what,..."
"You've got to talk to him."
"Me?" Oh, she didn't like that idea at all.
"Yes, he'll listen to you."
"I don't see..."
"Look, he fell apart like this when they announced your marriage. Drank every liqueur in the bakery, and tried to buy a ticket to Seattle, and well,...it was an epic disaster. Thank God, Gavin has those ties to Homeland Security."
"Homeland Security?"
"What? What about Homeland Security?" Kate, grabbed the phone and leaned in trying to hear, while simultaneously reaching for another napkin.
"Trust me on this, you're his only hope."
"I wouldn't know what to say."
"Oh sugar, you won't have to say anything, just listen and make sympathetic noises, until we can get around this tractor tailor."
"Okay," She looked over to where Allie was still pleading, with the determinedly drunk Nigel and held out her hand, "Um, they're saying I should talk to him."
Ana was pretty sure the relief that washed over Allie's face, would have been funny, if she wasn't having some strange, out of body moment.
As soon as she put the phone to her ear, wailing sobs and indecipherable words hit her, she managed to make out pathetic, old, queen, Gitmo, better off, and Grand Mariner. Knowing she wouldn't get an opening, she just jumped in.
"Uh, hello Nigel," she tried to speak over the wailing, "this is Ana."
The noises stopped instantly. Distantly Ana registered the other phone being pulled from her hand and Kate's voice, "What about Homeland Security?"
Then a tearful sniffling voice in her ear, "Ana? Christian's Ana."
"Um, yes."
This set off another series of sobs, and the words, closet, gay, happy, children, dream, and something about a picket fences, and too late.
"Oh, Nigel it's never too late." where the inspiration for that statement came from Ana wasn't sure, but the wailing stopped. She heard more sniffling, and the muttered words, old and fat.
"No, now don't talk that way. Besides love happens so quickly. Right when you least expect it, everything changes." Ana just rambled, hoping to hit on something that would get through. Vaguely she wondered if this was how Christian felt when he'd offered up the kitten.
"Hey," Kate's hissed whisper distracted Ana, "Thomas says get him out the cab."
"Uh, Nigel, are you in the cab?"
This set off more blubbering, a no, drove off, don't worry, burden , and not showing up where he wasn't wanted.
"Oh, Nigel," Ana crossed her fingers, "I don't see how you could be a burden, and we'd love to have you come visit, but now's not the best time..."
"Goddammit, I will fucking sell McGovern off piece by fucking piece, brick by goddamn brick before you'll get your hands on so much as a goddamn pebble."
Ana jumped a foot in the air. Mckenna's raging shouts blasted through the kitchen. Nigel went completely silent, Kate stopped scribbling, and Allie, Lena, and Christy froze, eyes wide, staring at their sister. And Holy Shit! She was scary. Her eyes had gone black, the lines on her face sharp with rage. Damn, whoever was on the other end of that phone was in deep, deep shit.
"Uh...Ana," Nigel's voice, timidly broke into the silence, "what's going on with Mac?"
"Um, I'm not sure, she got a call from some woman on a historical society."
"Oh, shit."
"And um, apparently they are trying to take her mother's portrait..."
"WHAT?" Ana yanked the phone from her ear, Nigel's prior wails had nothing on this,"Those vile, evil bitches! I'm calling Ron. He's her Lawyer. He'll cook those bitches like the fat geese they are.""
"Actually he's on his way to see you, but got stuck behind a tractor tailor."
"Hell."
"Hey," Kate leaned into her other ear, "Thomas says Nigel has to man up, Ron's got to handle this portrait thing. He needs to get to his computer to view the contract."
"Uh, Nigel, they're turning around, Ron's going to review the contract."
"Oh, good, that's good." Nigel very suddenly sobered up, "Listen, tell Mac I'm calling the care-taker, Edwards now. He'll hide the portraits, the silver, and fuck up the locks to keep those bitches out until Ron can take care of this."
"Right, Lena,..." Lena's head snapped back, though her body stayed frozen in place, in a semi-crouch, like she was, ready to tackle Mckenna if necessary, "Nigel says he's calling Edwards."
"Good, yeah..." Lena nodded.
"And Ron says he's on his way back to review the contract." Kate spoke up, still holding the phone to her ear, a brief pause, "He says they don't have a leg to stand on no matter what... uh, greedy... fucking... sneaky... bullshit they're trying to pull," another pause, "and uh...yeah we don't need any permanent solutions...so...don't call Auntie."
Lena nodded, then turned back to her sister, who was still spitting curses into the phone,"Mckenna," she spoke in a voice you'd use to calm a wild, rabid, foaming at the mouth beastl, "Did you get all that?"
Mckenna closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath and nodded, then into the phone, "Expect a call from Ron Davies," a pause, then, "No? Well, I could always call my Aunt." another pause, and an evil satisfied, grin, then "Fine, yes, you do that." Taking a couple more deep breaths, Mckenna disconnected and slid the phone back in her pocket.
"Ana, how's it going?" Nigel again.
"Uh, I think it's going to be alright. She told them to expect a call from Ron and hung up."
"Good that's good, now listen, she needs to calm down. Usually we do wine, cheese and really, juicy gossip.
Ana saw that Allie was already opening a bottle of Chardonnay, and Christy was pulling the ever-present cheese tray from the fridge. Fortunately, Ana was always hungry these days, so Mrs. Jones kept it stocked.
"We've got it covered."
"Good, I wish I was there, but it sounds like she's in good hands. It was nice talking to you, and Ana, tell Gavin to take care of my girl. She's more fragile than she looks."
"I will." Ana smiled to herself, "when all this is over, Christian and I will have to visit Virginia"
"And we'd love to have you, even if you did snatch up one of the most luscious, beautiful, sinfully sexy things I've ever seen." she heard a heavy sigh, then in a suddenly much brighter voice, "Ooh, maybe you can give me some tips on how to snag my own, super sexy, billionaire, luscious piece of lusciousness."
Ana laughed, "I don't know that I have any."
"Oh, honey, don't try to lie to this old queen. I know better." and with that, the phenomenon that was Nigel, disconnected.
Ana laid the phone down and turned to a cross-eyed Kate. She had a dozen napkins spread out in front of her covered with quickly scrawled notes, the hand holding her pen flicking and shaking violently. She grimaced, seeing Ana's raised brow, "Damn thing ran out of ink."
*****a little later******
"No, absolutely not. Out of the question."
"It makes sense and you know it."
Ana grinned from her vantage point on the sofa, and watched the most stubborn woman on the east coast, battle with the man currently holding the title of "Hardest Head in the West"
After seeing Kate off with the promise that she would be in on operation "make Mrs. Robinson squirm," they'd cornered Christian in his office, and Mckenna proceeded to lay out her spa day plan – predictably,... it was not well received. Fifty's reaction had been an immediate and vehement "No way in hell!" Mckenna had shot back with an impatient and disgusted - "For fuck's sake!" and they were off. They'd been standing in the middle of Christian's office, butting heads like a couple of mountain goats for the last fifteen minutes. Really, the whole thing was pointless. She'd already made her decision to take part in the effort to catch the man trying to kill her, and while she understood Christian's concerns for her safety, an afternoon spent pampering herself at a spa didn't strike her as all that dangerous and deadly. So yes, she could stop the argument, but watching Christian being challenged by someone other than herself was so entertaining she hated to call a halt. Besides, according to Mckenna, they needed his help to get Mrs. Robinson squirming on the hook properly.
"Look, this Elena woman knows something..." Mckenna insisted, yet again. Her hands planted on her hips, feet slightly apart, in a clear "I'm giving no quarter" stance.
"She would never be part of this." Christian cut her off. Crossing his arms over his chest, in an impressive "this discussion is over" move.
Mckenna, very unimpressed, just snorted and waved an arm at him, "You don't know that, and she doesn't have to be an actual accomplice, to have information we need."
"Regardless, I don't want Ana involved."
As much as she was enjoying the show, Ana decided that comment warranted an interruption, "Um, Christian, I'm about as involved as you can get. I'm the one being shot at, remember?"
Christian's silver gaze pierced her, "Believe me Ana, that moment, I will never forget."
"It's a simple spa appointment," Mckenna went on, "a Mani-pedi" and she's out of there. I just need to see Elena's reaction. I need her off balance."
"And you think Ana walking into her salon will do that?" Christian leaned against his massive desk and quirked one skeptical brow.
"A very pregnant Ana, walking into her salon, when she was expecting some new little uh...paramour, submissive, or whatever-the-fuck you call them,... yes, that will do it"
"What?" The single word came out pure ice, as Christian stiffened, his eyes shuttering over. Ana held her breath. Wow, Mckenna was wading into some deep waters.
"Don't get all twitchy..."
Christian's eyebrows shot up, and Ana couldn't help sneaking a look at his hands crossed over his chest. Perfectly still. Of course, Mckenna was probably referring to his over all demeanor, not a specific body part, and certainly not his palm.
"You were part owner in the salons." Mckenna continued. Ana thought she must be a very strong swimmer; those deep waters didn't even slow her down. "You had BDSM relationships, so it would follow that your...uh..submissives, would use those salons. So if you call and make an appointment for whatever the standard service,... thing,..." Mckenna gave another frustrated hand wave, "...package,...fuck, ..I don't know..."
"Submissive Special?" Ana supplied helpfully, grinning again.
"Yes, thank-you, that'll do," Mckenna threw a nod in her direction, before plowing ahead,"Elena will believe you have a new submissive, show up to check it out and Ana will walk in, and I'll know."
"You'll know what, exactly?" Christian quirked the one eyebrow again.
Mckenna grimaced, "That, I'm not sure." she admitted ruefully.
Though Christian's expression never changed, Ana could see the satisfaction in his eyes. He'd made a small crack in Mckenna's confidence, scoring the first point in their verbal battle. "I''m not risking it, you don't even know what you're fishing for. Besides, Elena will never believe I'm cheating on Ana."
Ana barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
Mckenna didn't show such restraint, her eyes practically rolled back in her head, "Oh, for fuck's sake, you can't be that naive?"
"He is." Ana nodded. When it came to Mrs. Robinson, Fifty had a huge blind spot, even now.
Christian looked between the two of them, his lips twitching, "Naive?"
"She'll believe it because she wants to, Christian." Ana explained patiently. Suppressing the overwhelming urge to conk him on the back of the head, and scream for him to wake up, wise up, rip off the rose colored glasses, or in this case, the black satin blindfold, and see what was right in front of him.
"She still wants you, Grey," Mckenna pointed out, bluntly, "and in her twisted mind, you cheating on Ana puts you within reach of her grasping, greedy claws."
Ana blinked. Wow, way to rip that blindfold off.
"No, even if it would lead to Lincoln,which I doubt. It's too risky." shaking his head, Christian rose from his desk and moved behind it, clearly signaling the end of the discussion. "I'll not put Ana and my child in danger. I'll handle Elena."
But Mckenna wasn't done, tilting her head, she went completely still; giving Christian one of those strange, unblinking stares. After all her frustrated gesticulating, the complete lack of movement, was almost spooky. Ana got the impression she was flipping through Christian's mind like a Rolodex. Then, in a soft, mechanical, whisper, "I think it just as likely, she'll handle you."
Holy Shit! Score one for the witch!
Ana, torn between dread and fascination, watched as Christian's entire body tightened his eyes turning to silver shards of ice. He sat back in the massive leather chair behind his desk, and considered Mckenna with the cold appraisal of the predator he was. Oh, hell! This wasn't fun anymore. Ana held her breath, as the silence in the room stretched and swelled with tension. Mckenna, though, seemed completely unfazed, she stood, motionless, her head still in that slightly cocked position, her fathomless gaze locked on Christian, like she was in some kind of self-induced trance. Ana suppressed a small shudder, that stare had shot way past 'almost spooky' and moved on to just plain creepy.
"Nevertheless, Ana is my wife," Christian's frigid voice broke the brittle silence, "and her safety is my concern."
Mckenna, blinking away her trance, nodded slightly, "I understand..."
"Do you?" Christian cut in sharply, "or are you perhaps, confusing her with someone else?" then, his voice dropped to an icy whisper, "Just who are you trying to save, Mckenna?"
Ana watched Christian's eyes narrow, and knew the words he was about to say. "Christian..." She breathed in soft protest, but she might as well have been talking to the wind. Fifty was in full attack mode and going for the throat.
There was a heartbeat of silence, then in that same cold whisper, "She's not Lara. Saving Ana won't bring your mother back."
The brutal, softly spoken words, lashed across the room with devastating effect. Mckenna actually stumbled, one arm reaching out with a shaking hand to grasp the chair beside her, the other wrapping protectively around her middle. It looked to Ana as if she were trying to keep from flying apart.
Christian, completely unmoved by her distress, his face set in that hard, implacable mask Ana knew so well, watched in stoney silence, as Mckenna's eyes turned haunted, glowing black against her suddenly stark white face. She could have been an apparition pulled straight from the pages of Bronte', and Ana knew, whatever had happened to her mother so long ago, had left terrible scars.
Mckenna McGovern was the embodiment of the tortured soul.
Deciding she couldn't just sit and watch the woman who'd flown over three thousand miles to help her suffer, Ana took a deep breath, ready to inform Christian she was going to get her nails done and freak Mrs. Robinson's already disgustingly freaky-freak, and he could just get over it. And on the way to getting over it, he could make a pit stop at 'I'm an arrogant ass alley' and apologize to Mckenna for being, among other things, an arrogant ass, but before she could do any of this, Mckenna's mouth lifted in a tiny, but unmistakeable smile, and then her harsh whisper fell, almost gently, into the chilled silence.
"Touche.'"
Christian jerked back like she'd slapped him.
Shit!,... Okay, maybe she really was a witch, because that one, barely spoken, little word had some powerful witchy-poo mojo behind it. Christian's entire demeanor changed. Remorse flashing across his face, while his eyes clouded with guilt. Ana saw his shoulders slump, as wearily, he planted both elbows on the desk and lowered his head into his hands, raking them through his hair. She heard a heavy sigh, then, raising his head, "I'm sorry, Mckenna..."
"No, don't be." the proud woman cut him off, holding up a shaking hand, a rueful smile flitting across her face, "You're right. Of course, she is your wife, " she agreed, turning to Ana, and though tears sparkled on her dark lashes, her eyes were filled with determination, "and he's your husband," Mckenna waved a frustrated hand back in Christian's direction, "You convince him."
With her own weary sigh, Mckenna ran a still trembling hand through her hair. Then, muttering about hard-headed gazillionaires suffering from delusions of omniscience, and ignoring Christian's raised eyebrow, she made her way to the door, but paused in the doorway, shooting Ana a significant look. She fiddled with the knob so the door would lock behind her, "Embrace the power of the Goddess, Ana. The divine feminine is an ancient power. It won't fail you."
And as Mckenna turned and shut the door behind her, Ana felt her inner Goddess stir for the first time in days, lifting the cucumber slices from her eyes and, rising from her chaise lounge; she turned and ran her hungry gaze over Christian, who was staring at the locked door with his mouth slightly open, then shaking his head slightly, he ran another hand through his hair, and muttered something about crazy females with know-it-all-itis.
Ana couldn't help it, a giggle popped out. Christian turned to her, one beautiful brow raised; the one with the cat scratch across it. The cat scratch,... Christian - in a chimney with a demon possessed cat - her head fell back as more giggles escaped,... Christian - brought to his knees by a tiny girls "huge tears"...she grabbed her ribs and fell over sideways, Christian - in a panic, adopting a kitten,... Christian...aka...hot stuff,...Christian,... hard headed Gazillionaire...she rolled over on her back, and gave in to the fit of giggles bubbling over.
Suddenly, Christian appeared over her, she made out his beautiful face, his lips twitching that one eyebrow still raised. "Mrs. Grey, if I didn't know better I'd say you were laughing at me?" Ana nodded, her giggles erupting into full out belly laughs, as tears slipped from her eyes, "Everyone seems to be having good laugh at my expense these days." one corner of his sinful mouth lifted, "I had no idea I was so amusing."
Ana took a deep breath, and tried to form words, "Mc...kkkennnna... sisssstterss ..dddrive ...ccccrazzzy ....yyyou... ..fffunnnnyy!" the last word exploded out of her as more laughter gripped her.
"I see." Christian murmured, and through her watery, Ana saw the amusement leave his eyes, replaced by heat, her laughter burned away under the intensity of that stare.
"So, " he leaned down, and extended one long index finger, running it feather light, over her damp cheek, "are you planning to use some of that divine feminine power, Ana?"
Her breath caught.
Christian placed his hands on either side of her ribcage, and lifted her gently back into a seated position. Ana found herself facing his crotch, as his hands came up, burying in her hair on either side of her head, holding her in a gentle but firm command, so that her face rested right in front of his straining erection, the thumb of one hand stroking over her bottom lip before slipping inside her mouth, "Suck, baby."
She closed her lips around him and sucked gently, stroking her tongue back and forth over the pad. "That's right, such a sweet mouth. " his silver eyes blazed down at her, Ana could feel the dampness flow from her,... soaking her, "Undo my pants, Ana."
With trembling hands, she complied, and then she held him, hot, hard steel in satin, - beautiful. She grasped him in one hand, the other reaching around to grasp his hip.
He groaned, pulling his thumb from her mouth, stroking over her bottom lip, "Hands behind your back, baby."
Oh, fucking my.
A flood of desire flowed from her as she complied. Grasping her hands behind her back, lowering her head to take him in her mouth, but he held her just out of reach, "Shall I fuck this pretty mouth, Ana?" he brought her head down just enough so she lapped at the small bead of moisture at the tip, moaning as the heady flavor hit her tongue. He tugged on her hair and brought her gaze up to his, "Answer me."
Feeling lost, helplessly dragged under by the liquid fire flowing through her. "Yes." a hoarse, hungry, whisper.
The hands in her hair tightened, the sharp edge of pain sending another rush of moisture flooding from her,"Yes, what?"
"Yes, sir." Ana groaned, as he brought the tip of his erection to rest against her damp bottom lip, her head filling with his intoxicating, musky scent, "Please, sir,.." she moaned a breath of sound, "fuck my mouth."
She barely got the words out before he surged inside her, a deep guttural groan rumbling up from inside him, filling her. Ana's eyes drifted shut, as her mouth closed around him.
"Open your eyes, " another command, another sharp tug, "look at me."
She raised her slumberous gaze to his hot one.
"Keep your eyes open, Ana," he pulled back and surged in again, his hands holding her still, "I want to look in those pretty eyes, while I fuck this sweet mouth," he pulled out till she was holding only the tip between her lips, one thumb, brushing the corner of her mouth, "then I'm going to watch you take all of me, baby,... everything," he surged back in again.
Ana groaned around him, the taste of him heating her blood, then he was moving, roughly taking pleasure she willingly gave, "Aah God baby, that's so fucking good,"
It was good. This beautiful powerful man and in this moment he was at her mercy. She held him captive, even as he held her motionless. Sucking him deep as he surged inside, her tongue moving over him when he pulled back, swirling around the head, she lapped at the sensitive spot right underneath. He shuddered. Her belly quivered. And he surged deeper, and she swallowed, breathing through her nose, tears streaming from her eyes, as he pulled back and shoved in again, touching the back of her throat, his hips bucking, "Fuck,...baby, ...good,...so good." his harsh whisper filled her ears, as his spicy taste filled her mouth. He was everywhere, everything. His taste, his scent, and this sweet, torturous pleasure.
Ana swallowed again, sucking him hard, as he pulled back, swallowing him deep when she felt the sweet pre-cum on the back of her throat, "Fuck,...fuck, ... "...his silver eyes were pure fire, boring into hers, "..so fucking good,...suck me dry, baby, ….AAhh God ...Ana,..." and he was coming, his head thrown back, a low guttural groan torn from him; his rich, musky, essence filling her mouth, hitting the back of her throat, and she swallowed, frantically, taking all he had for her. It filled her, like a drug, and she was addicted,...and hungry. Always so hungry for him.
9
