Author's Note: Alright... here we go guys. I apologize for the short chapter (again). I only did this because Chapter Eight will include a new POV from a certain father and I didn't feel like he belonged in a chapter full of love.
He is evil and I think I have to devote a chapter just to him so that you all can understand why Christian both hates and fears this man. That being said, I also think his chapter will shed some more light on Anastasia from a differing POV.
Chapter Eight and Nine will be uploaded together (in time). I just had a few days off, so I was able to really sit down and develop this story (hence all the fast updates) but, it's back to the grind stone! I hope to have an update Tuesday, so stay tuned guys!
Once again, I appreciate your support, reviews, favorites, and follows! You guys all rock!
truefeather77- Jesus! Keep that fire! I loved listening to your opinions and reviews! Although, I think we're going to have to agree to disagree about Mia ;) I'm so grateful to have you to both challenge me and keep me thinking! Please stay with me until the end, and we can have a serious discussion! Much love! :)
*I have to give credit to Three Days Grace in this chapter. I borrowed their song High Road. (Check it out.)*
Love you guys! Wherever you are, enjoy life! You never know when good things will happen.
XX:)
Chapter Seven:
ANA POV
I am pulled out of my dreams by the most beautiful sound. Where am I?! I start to panic, but then I remember. Christian…
Taylor brought me to his penthouse hotel suit last night. I don't know what came over me, but he looked so sad and lonely. I hate to be touched, but when I kissed him… I felt something in my heart give-way. I think it was a wall that I had unknowingly put up after… Well after I was raped by that creep pimp my crack whore of a mother used to bring home. I shiver at the thought. That was the first time I had actually let myself bluntly think about what had happened to me. This man is fucking things up for me. I wouldn't change it for the world.
I need Christian's warmth. His touch makes me feel whole for some reason. I don't know why, I just know that I like it. I like him. Love him.
I follow the sound of the most beautiful guitar playing I have ever heard. I find him sitting on the arm of a chair, singing softly. It is one of the most mournful songs I have ever heard. He sounds so hurt. So broken. I wonder if he has any ghosts locked away in a wooden box somewhere like I do. I stand there mesmerized, watching Christian play and sing in the early dawn light. He looks like a God.
Standing in the dark
I can see your shadow
You're the only light
That's breaking through the window
There's times I stayed alive for you
There's times I would've died for you
There's times it didn't matter at all
Will you help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
I'll take the high road out
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
We'll I'm not gonna give it away
Not gonna let it go, just to wake up someday gone! Gone!
The worst part is looking back
And knowing that I was wrong
Help me find the right way up
Or let me take the wrong way down
Will you straighten me out
Or make me take the long way around
I took the low road in
I'll take the high road out
I'll do whatever it takes
To be the mistake you can't live without
I'm glad I was able to catch the end of the song. He sounds beautiful, like an angel sent to me. He turns slowly towards me and I can see tears running down his face.
"You broke something in me Ana. I was always told that love is for fools, and you came and you broke me." He places his hands over his eyes and sobs. Oh no, Christian…
I rush to his side and wrap my arms around his torso, I lean my head on his chest and hear his fast heartbeat. His touch makes my skin tingle in a good way. I nuzzle into his chest and revel in the warmth of him.
He is shaking like a leaf and I know how he feels. So I just stay there, kneeling on the plush carpet, holding tightly onto him, trying to pull him back together.
"I don't know why Ana, but you broke me. I don't mean in a way that hurts me, but you broke my wall." He is whispering into my hair now.
"I know what you mean Christian. I feel the same way about you. I feel so much for you, it scares me." I don't know why we are whispering but it makes me giggle.
"I love that sound. I love you." He whispers and then tenses. My heart swells.
"I love you too Christian Steele." I place a kiss over his heart. He relaxes and pulls my eyes up to meet his. I see the love in the deep pools of stormy grey. He places the sweetest kiss.
The next thing I know we are on the floor making slow lazy love as the sun slowly rises over the Seattle skyline. I am in love!
CHRISTIAN POV
Damn. This woman just does not quit. It's the third, no, fourth? Fuck it. I don't know how many times Ana and I made love this morning. It doesn't matter. Every time is perfect with her and she makes me feel strong and loved. I don't know how I ever lived without her.
I know that for this to work though, I have to break our perfect little bubble. We have to tell each other about our past ghosts. This won't be easy, but I need to know if she loves me enough to stay with me even though I grew up shitty. Even though my dad is fucked in the head, and genetically it's possible that I am too. Are things like that genetic? God I hope not.
We are laying on the bed, her head is on my chest and my arms are wrapped around her. I use my finger to pull her chin up so she is looking into my eyes. We need to have this conversation before I love her too much to risk her leaving me. It already is too late moron.
"Ana…" I'm having trouble choking out the words. "We need to talk about my past. My dad isn't a very good person." I feel tears gathering in my eyes as I picture her racing out the door.
"Christian, do we have to talk about this now? I'm feeling kind of euphoric right now and I don't want to mess that up." She has this adorable frown line in between her eye brows and I decide that maybe, this conversation can wait. Today, it will just be her and I. I need this. I give in to her and we lay there, wrapped in each other. I drift off to sleep with one of the biggest smiles on my face.
A few hours later I wake to my cellphone going off on the bed-side table. The caller- ID informs me it is a man I don't necessarily ever want to talk to, but I should pick it up or he could have me killed for ignoring him. I sign loudly and take the phone into the main living space of the suit with the hope that I don't wake my sleeping angel.
"Hello father."
"Son, I see that you ordered five bottles of scotch? Rough night?" I expected him to be pissed at me for throwing away his money on pointless shit, but I hear a touch of amusement in his tone. Thank GOD.
"Yeah, the girl I went to see may or may not have ripped my heart out of my chest." I hear a smile in my voice.
"Oh really? So you needed to spend almost five thousand dollars, why?" Shit… He's getting pissed now.
"Sorry father. I only drank two bottles if that helps? I'll bring the rest home for you." My father cannot pass up a good bottle of scotch, even though he could have anything he wished delivered to his personal address at the touch of a speed dial button.
"That sounds good son. So are you going to go to this girl and try to make things work?" He's actually curious. Weird. He usually doesn't give a shit who or what I'm doing. He's too busy with his illegal activities.
"No. She um… She came to be last night." And with me. I smirk into the phone.
"Well good job son. Try not to fuck this up. You should be creating heirs for your old man's empire at this age." Here we go again.
"Dad, at my age you were in jail. I'm just trying to figure life out." Risky move. Fuck it, he pissed me off. The main purpose of my junk is not to create grandchildren for him to fuck up.
I expect him to be royally pissed, but instead he just sounds tired. "I know I messed up. But I paid the price for my mistakes. You're twenty-eight. It's time to settle down." He sighs. "Who's this woman that has ripped your heart out?"
"Her name is Anastasia Grey." I am grinning from ear to ear. I have to look down to make sure my balls are still there. I'm turning soft. I don't care. I'm in love.
"WHAT?" My father roars into the phone. Oh fuck. "You have to be fucking with me!"
I don't get to answer, because the line goes dead. Whatever just happened can't be good. There is a pit in my stomach. I wasn't saying that my father is a bad guy just because I'm an ungrateful snot nosed brat.
When he was my age, he was a pimp. He raped a little four year old girl, was caught, and spent eight years in prison. Now, he delves into illegal weapons trading, drug smuggling and anything else that you could think up.
I'm standing there shaking. What have I done? Why did he go nuclear when I mentioned Anastasia? Did I just put my savior… my angel… in danger?
I almost punch the closest wall when I feel the softest touch on my shoulder. "Christian. Baby, what happened?" She looks so concerned. For me. I pull her into my arms, running my fingers through her hair and taking in the scent of her. God she smells so good. So comforting.
"Christian, tell me what's wrong!" She sounds pissed off now, damn she's so feisty. It's making me hard. I shake my head. Not now.
What am I supposed to tell her though? Hey baby, sorry about this, but I think my father might have a problem with us being together and God only knows what he plans to do to you. I roll my eyes. No… Not appropriate.
Seriously… This woman is fucking things up. Honestly, I wouldn't trade it for the world.
