Authors Note: I am sorry for the delay in update and please ignore any mistakes as I have written it in a hurry, as I did not want to keep all you guys waiting for long. I will try to update the next chapter till next Monday. And also Happy Holidays to all of you guys!
Chapter 7:
Ana POV:
So at last the moment has arrived, Leila is right in front of me. Well, truth to be told I wasn't exactly waiting for this moment. But at least now all this drama will come to an end. And even Christian's constant nagging about my safety will come to an end. Some moments pass in silence while we stare at each other, she is looking at me with a blank expression on her face, she has the same trench coat on that she had when I last saw her, and by the looks of her she is probably in need of a bath. Her hair is another thing, all greasy and dirty, probably not washed for a long time and even she has bandages tied to her wrist which have blood on them. Her eyes are dull brown and rather lifeless. Other than that she looks like a carbon copy of me. Mr. Grey certainly has a type, my subconscious reminds me. Oh, just stop it Steele, and focus on the issue at hand.
And all the military training started to kick in. I started to look for one slight error in her movements so I could disarm her. And then something clicked in my mind, well she was shaking as a leaf, and that means she is scared. And I think, she has never used a revolver before, by the way she is holding it. Well, her weakness is my benefit. And I think of a plan to attack back. And finally, attack.
I start walking in the apartment and say to her, "Hey, Leila right? What can I do for you", I distract her with my conversation, okay try to distract as she stares back at me with a confused look on her face but still with those scary emotionless eyes.
Everything happened fast then. I lurch forward and kick the gun in her hands with my legs. Leila's eyes widen, while I immediately run and take the revolver in my hands from the ground where it has fallen.
She stares at me in shock and then says, "No. You can't do this to me, that revolver is the only thing left which I can call mine". She is pleading me with her eyes, God is she insane. Or do I look insane to her, to return her the revolver.
And of course I could do this, actually it was a cake walk for me. It would be a shame if I couldn't actually disarm her, with all the military training. I have played with guns since I was a child, Ray would be so proud, but I can't really call him and say 'Hi daddy, I just disarmed my boyfriend's crazy ex-submissive'. That would definitely lead Christian to his grave early, so not a good idea. This girl really thought that she could hold a candle against me.
"Sit", I say to her sternly. She immediately follows my orders and sits on the couch bowing her head down, I can say a bit scared. I think she is getting into the sub space, oh no missy, this is time to talk and talk you will.
But before talking there is one thing to do, "Would you like some tea or coffee and would you like some cookies too", before starting I think she should eat something, she really looks too thin, and me being me couldn't see someone in such a condition.
"Not hungry", it's barely a whisper but I hear it anyway. Oh lord, why me? Why can't my life be simple, like before, all these problems make me suddenly feel grown up. I don't want to grow up so fast, college life was so simple, only study, eat and sleep, no tensions. I want that back, but I know I can't.
"Listen, I do not have time for this, I am not asking whether you are hungry or not, you have to eat whether you want to or not, so again I am asking you tea or coffee", I ask her patiently, ok as much patience as one can have at such moment.
"Coffee would be nice", she says with still her head bowed. Ok this is starting to piss me off, why can't she just look at me directly and speak.
I quickly prepare coffee for her and tea for me as I think I will need that while talking to her. While doing this I simultaneously take my phone and message Christian that I have got Leila and she is safe. There, one thing done, now moving on to other. I get the cookies and set the tray. She is sitting quietly the whole time, her eyes still glued to the floor, while my eyes following her every move.
I set the tray on the table and put the coffee mug in front of her. "Drink", I say softly while looking at her.
She immediately leaps for the coffee and cookies. I think she must be hungry, while picking up my own tea cup. I immediately feel pity, looking at her condition. She needs some severe help. "Leila I think you should take a bath after this, I will give you some of my clothes and also we should changes your bandages before they get infected", she snapped her head up while I was speaking. She is looking at me curiously.
"Why are you helping me, did you forget I was just about to kill you. So rather than throwing me out of here or calling the police, why all this?" hearing this I smile towards her, a genuine one. "I know you were not in your right mind that time, what you need right now is help and I am just doing that. Christian told me all you have gone through, I wouldn't want it for my worst enemy. So tell one good reason why I should not help you".
Hearing this she gives me a teary smile and says, "No one has spoken with such kindness for a long time, at least since my boyfriend died. Thank you", she says with gratitude in her voice.
"But it does not change the fact. What you did was wrong, and not justifiable. You may have suffered, but that does not mean you make others life miserable. Do you even know how much worried Christian was, what were you even thinking?" I really did not want to sound angry but I just couldn't help it.
"I am really sorry", she says while tears are flowing down her face.
"Sorry doesn't change anything, Leila. I mean what were you even thinking? Had you even thought through the repercussions of this act you had just pulled. If you had shoot me, I would have been in the hospital right now, and you would have been in jail", I say this slowly letting all this sink into her brain.
At last I see realization dawn on her and I know I have hit target. "I am really sorry Miss Steele but I just really didn't think properly before doing all this. I….. My all life came to a standstill when my boyfriend died. I didn't have anyone to go to. I met my boyfriend while I was with my husband. Don't get me wrong I was not cheating on him. My husband was very abusive, he was from the lifestyle, and that is how we meet. He said he was in love with me and wanted to marry me. It was like a fairy tale for me until…", here she stops and lets out a sob. I immediately sit beside her and hug her showing her that she is not alone. She calms down after some time, tears still pouring out of her eyes, taking a huge breath she continues.
"After some months of marriage he started getting angry for small things. He wouldn't allow me to go out of the house, always tie me in the bedpost, and punish me for just taking out his frustration. I mean I was familiar with pain from being in the lifestyle, but he had pushed past all my limits. It was seeing a whole different person. And I couldn't even call my parents as they had not supported my marriage, they thought he was not good for me and told me they would cut all ties with me if I married him. But I was too blinded in love at that time. He had made me give up my job, making me completely depended on him. But I was slowly reaching my breaking, and so one day I decided to run. Seeing the right opportunity I ran, but there was no place to actually go, I was literally on the line of becoming a prostitute. But like a knight in shining armour, he came into my life and saved me. He helped me get a divorce from my husband, even let me stay with him. It took time to heal, but he made me again fall in love. At last I was happy again, but God had other plans for us, one day while I was making dinner, the bell rang. There was a police officer standing there telling me that my boyfriend died in a car accident. For some moments I felt that all of this was a cruel joke, but it was reality. I just didn't know what to do after that, I couldn't go back to my husband or my parents. This is how I landed in Seattle, as there was no other place I could go", she says this while looking out of the window seeing the rain dripping down the window, while I sit beside her silently urging her to continue.
Still looking out of the window, she continues in a pensive tone, "Now that I think of it, after listening to you, I know what a big mistake coming here was. I am really sorry, for all the trouble I have created in your lives. I should have never listened to Mrs. Lincoln."
"Wait, what?", this last statement has peaked my curiosity, of course Elena had something to do with this, that woman is really digging her grave deep. "What did she do?", I ask her with a raised eyebrow.
"When I came to Seattle there was no place for me to go, so I went to her. She had previously helped me find my dominants. I had lost all the control of my life, I just wanted someone to take all the decisions for me, to again stabilize my life. And when I meet her instead of showing me file of any dominants, she showed me the photograph of both of you in the newspaper, and I could see the genuine happiness and love in Sir's eyes, which I had not once seen in all those two years I was with him. But she told me that you were a gold digger and only trying to trap him. That you were not even a submissive, so you could not even fulfill his needs. I am not going to lie to you Anastasia, I had feelings for him and that was the reason I had actually ended the contract. As he had already made it clear that he did not have normal relationships, so I had left before he himself would reject me. Actually that time too, Mistress Elena had advised me to do it, before he would know of my feelings. I wanted more, he did not", she has a sad smile on her face, while I shudder thinking that this could have been me if Christian did not love me back.
"From what you have said, I can understand how you felt. But you can't just make anyone love you. And about taking control, BDSM is only about sexual desires, you cannot include it in daily life decisions, as it would rather become an unhealthy habit. And in a busy world like this, no one has time for taking all of other people's decision. No matter what life has thrown at you, you should never give up like this. And I know your life had been terrible these past few months but that does not give you a right to go and destroy others life. And trying to kill yourself, will also never help to gain someone's love", I say looking at her bandages, I hope she gets what I am trying to convey here.
"You are probably right, I actually never loved him. I think, it was just a moment of infatuation, which comes and goes. I mean what is there to not like in him, you know what I mean right? Anyway, when I meet my boyfriend I understood the true meaning of love. As they say true love happens only once, so for me that was my boyfriend, and I think for you it is Mr. Grey, I could see the way both of your eyes lit up when together, even from far away. Again, sorry for stalking. So, back to the story, she told me that I was prefect for him, that I could fulfill his needs, rather than you. That for me to get him I should first finish you. She even got me the permit to carry a weapon. And I was just in daze, my eyes were seeing the obvious love between you both, but my brain was giving other signals. I just wanted someone to just control my life and I thought I would be happy again like before. He was the perfect dominant, and I thought I had a chance with him But now that I think of it, she just brain-washed me. And like an idiot I fell for it. Oh God, how could I be this stupid, this all could have landed me directly in jail. It was like I had stopped seeing reason. I just did what she said, without realizing the consequences of it. I always knew that woman was up to no good, even when I was with Sir, she would always make him punish me for even a smallest of error. But he said that she was his mentor, so I thought if he could have so much faith in her then she must be good. But now I get her plan, killing two birds with one stone. You dead and I in jail, and Sir would be all hers. But don't worry Anastasia, I have realized my mistake, I promise you I would never be a problem in your life after this", I see the sincerity in her eyes. I knew after some explaining see could understand. Only if Christian would stop over-reacting, and think things through, he would even had seen that.
I contemplate all the words she has said, and think she is probably right. This would all have been in Elena's favor if this plan had actually worked out, and that too without her being involved. I have to admit, that woman is really smart. But just using it for wrong reasons.
"Hmm, this is seems a reasonable explanation. But Leila, you were lucky it was us, others would not have been so forgiving, so think before doing anything, and mostly because of other's influence. You better keep that in mind, and do not repeat your mistake. If you want help, ask for it, I am sure you would had received it. And now that our talk has finished I think you should take your bath, I'll get you a yoga pant and tank top, and don't worry stay here tonight, we'll deal with all the problems tomorrow morning, today just rest", hearing this she leaps toward me and hugs me. I have to smile at that, poor thing had to go through so much.
"Thank you, thank you, so much Anastasia, I really do not have enough words to thank you", she says while giving me a teary smile.
"First of all there is really no need to thank me, and secondly call me Ana, only my parents call me Anastasia, and that too when they are scolding me, so I don't like it usually", I wink towards us to lighten the mood and it seems to work as she lets out a small giggle. I continue, "And I had one more thing to say, stop calling Christian sir as he is no more your dominant. If you don't feel comfortable with Christian then call him Mr. Grey", I hope she gets the message, I may be helping her but does not mean I don't feel jealous, after all at some point she did sleep with him.
She nods her head knowingly, message clearly received. We are about to get up when the door suddenly bursts open. Oh fuck, I had completely forgotten about Ed, where was he anyway. He starts to speak without even looking up, "Sorry Annie, had to receive an important call", besides me Leila freezes, maybe afraid.
Edward finally looks up from his phone and a shocked expression takes over his features. And I am really getting confused right now. Do they know each other?
"Oh my God, Leila I have been searching you for so long. You just disappeared into thin air", he exclaims while she just stands there looking at him like a statue. Okay, now it's confirm he knows her, but the question is how?
Authors Note: Hmm, so Ed knows Leila. But how, what do you guys think? Please review and let me know what you all think. So, until next time. Bye.
