Friday 03 June 2011
Christian's POV
Today, the heads of agreement to purchase SIP were signed, but the terms stipulate that it will be embargoed for a full month. My main reason was to sack Hyde and keep Ana safe, but I also want security for her future career. I must admit though that as soon as I put my name on the dotted line, my nerves began to build. What if she is angry? What if she leaves?
The company was not as profitable as we first thought, there were cash flow issues and SIP had made several advances against royalties, and in quite a few instances, the amount was beyond what they had expected to get back in sales. So, the publishing house run into a loss, a big loss, whilst the authors were sitting pretty. Who had sanctioned this is yet to be known, but I will get to the bottom of it and those involved will be given their pink slip.
I have not stopped thinking about Ana the whole week. My muse has been in overdrive and I am conjuring up all sorts of scenes with her in my mind, and I cannot wait for tomorrow night. What she did, whilst asleep, has not left my thoughts and I find myself getting aroused during board meetings. I am just glad I didn't agree to the glass top table in that particular conference room.
I had been contemplating telling Cliff that he can go stick his arrangement and then tell Ana the whole story, but I need more time. I don't know how strong she feels about me, I can see there is something there, but what? She will probably hate me and walk away and I don't think I will be able to handle that.
I have wanted to see her this week, but what with work and Ana's prearranged dinner date with Kate yesterday, I haven't had a chance to. Texts and emails are all well and good, but in the flesh is always preferable, but I don't want to come across as some horny teenager that wants a lay...Ugh! That is exactly how I feel though, with the added tug on something in my chest.
I had a call from Cliff on Wednesday, apparently Elena took it upon herself to phone him. I knew she would do that, and luckily I had told him to plead ignorance, which he did. I am so fucking furious right now that I feel like contacting Elena and having it out with her, but… then she would know Cliff had contacted me to tell me and so confirming her suspicions, so I am stuck. Thankfully, she will be off to New York tomorrow for a couple of weeks, so she will be out of our lives for a short while and hopefully by the time she gets back, Ana will be mine.
I decided to get protection for Ana, I don't want her to be accosted by Elena, she would definitely freak out if she found out I was C by another person. Sawyer is already on my staff, so he will be assigned to follow Ana from tomorrow morning. It would have been today, but he had his sister's wedding and couldn't break away from it.
God, I need her more than ever. Tomorrow night cannot come soon enough.
I phone through to Andrea and ask her to get the biggest box of handmade Belgium chocolates sent to SIP. She is now curious as to what is going on, as she had helped with the flowers on Tuesday, the balloons on Wednesday and then the cute teddy yesterday. Every time I venture out into reception, she spies me through narrowed eyes.
Yes, Andrea, I do have a life outside of here.
Ana's POV
It's nearly ten and I have been at Fifty's since just after six, with a group from SIP, we are having end of week drinks. Apparently it's a Friday night ritual, but someone neglected to tell me that they usually just leave when they feel like it and not in a big group. This has left me in a shitty position of being alone with Jack, as each of my colleagues have left, one by one, without me noticing. I did not see Clare leave a few minutes ago, it must have been when I went to the toilet. Why didn't she tell me she was going, what a stupid thing to do, leaving me here with him. I'm gonna have to have words with her on Monday, leaving me with this… leach!
Even though I try to make my excuses to go, I find myself on the receiving end of Jack's insistence that I stay. Beyond pushing out of the way, I'm stuck as he has backed me into the corner of the bar.
Get out my frigging space!
I am angry, angry at everyone for leaving me, angry at Hyde as he's just a bastard and angry at myself for being such an idiot. I am even angry at Christian for being ignorant of where I am, as I didn't tell him where I was going and he should be here protecting me, but oh 'little old Miss Independent' here, saw fit to not tell him where I was going tonight.
Why didn't he ask where I was going?
I have noticed that as the evening has progressed, Jack's behaviour towards me has become more and more odd. He is certainly trying to make a move on me, but there is an underlying tension that I can feel emanating from him.
He goes to the bar for yet more drinks, and I know this is the only chance I will have to make my escape. I run out the building and into the cool air, which hits me like a wall.
Shit, I have drunk way too much.
I begin to sway in the cool air. I am alone and scared, and need to get away, so I run into an alleyway to the side of the building, where I take refuge in the shadows. I need help, I need to call Christian to come and get me, I feel vulnerable and too scared to get a cab home, I need Christian.
"Hey beautiful, what's up?" I hear him chirp.
"Christian," I whimper, trying not to cry.
He can sense my panic and his own voice is now full of anxiety. "What's the matter? Where are you?" he blurts out.
"I am outside Fifty's bar, it's opposite SIP. Jack is trying to get me drunk, everyone has gone home and I'm alone with him, I managed to run outside when he was at the bar," I sob.
"I will be right there, Ana, go back into the bar, you need a crowd around you to keep you safe," he states, I can already hear the bell of the elevator as he pushes the ground floor buttons.
As I am about to tell him to hurry, I hear Jack, "So pretty lady, there you are?" he says as he comes towards me and I drop the phone in shock, it hits the pavement with a crash.
Christian's POV
"I will be right there, Ana, go back into the bar, you need a crowd around you to keep you safe." I get into the elevator and make my way down to the garage, but as I am talking to her on the phone, I can hear Jack in the background and then the line goes dead.
NO!
I run to my car, it will only take two minutes to get to the bar in the R8, but that could be two minutes too late. I drive down the highroad at illegal speeds and screech to a halt outside of fifty's. There is no-one around, no bouncers which I find odd. Jumping out of the car, I run to where I can hear Ana screaming. As I turn the corner, I see Hyde pushing her back against the wall, he is all hands, groping, pulling at her clothes and trying to kiss her. I grab his shoulders and spin him around, he is caught off guard and nearly falls over, but I grasp the front of his shirt to keep him upright, only long enough to hit him full on in the face with my fist, I let go so that he hits the ground with a thud. "You Fucker! Hyde, you will pay for this," I scream out to him.
"She was asking for it, giving me the come on with those doe eyes of hers, she wanted it. What the fuck has it to do with you anyway, Grey. Me and Ana have a good thing going, don't we sugar," he smirked as he rubbed his jaw and gets up off of the floor.
"What!" I say as I send the man back down with a Yop-chaggi sidekick, he stumbles back and crashes into the wall, where he slides down to the ground again. I am now standing over him, he is winded and no use for anything. "She told you no, I could hear her clearly from twenty yards away that she was screaming at you to stop." I want to kick the shit out of this pathetic attempt of a human being, but I hear Ana sobbing behind me, I need to be with her.
I turn and see she is a huddled mess on the floor and I go over to her and kneel beside her, taking her into my embrace. "Baby, do you want me to call the police?" She shakes her head, she just wants to leave. Even though I wish she would agree to call the police and press charges, I have to accept her decision on this matter. He would probably get away with it anyway, the smarmy git. "I'll take you home. Hyde will pay, don't worry, I will ruin him, he will never get another job and I will make it my mission that he loses everything he has got," I whisper to her gently.
"I don't want to go home, I'm too scared," she chokes out between her sobs. I pick her up and take her back to the R8 and sit her down in the passenger seat. I look around for Hyde, but he has already disappeared, no doubt to try and cover his tracks for the night.
Don't get too comfortable, Hyde, you're not gonna get away that easily.
"Baby, shall I take you back to Escala?" She nods, still in tears, but less panicked.
I drive at a steady speed and we reach Escala in a little under five minutes. I park the car in the garage and carry Ana up to the apartment. Taylor is in the lobby, waiting for the elevator doors to open, but he is startled at the sight of us, as I am a mess due to my altercation with Hyde and Ana is asleep in my arms. She also looks a state and her cheek shows first signs of a bruise forming.
Shit! He hit her!
"Her boss attacked Ana. Go back to bed, we will deal with this in the morning," I tell him as I make my way to my bedroom. I just realised that if she hadn't called me, or I got stuck in traffic, then he could have…Fuck!
The guilt now builds in me, realising that I could have had protection on her tonight. I can feel my insides start to tremble, my throat is closing up, no! I cannot breakdown, not in front of her. With all the will I have, I bring myself under control, I am adamant now that this fucker pays for it in every way imaginable and I know the guy just to do the job.
Ana wakes up as I place her down on my bed, "Where am I?" she mumbles as she looks about the room, in confusion.
"In my bedroom," I say calmly, trying not to show my own emotions, but she starts to panic again. "Ana, baby, you wanted to come here, remember? I don't want to put you in the guest-room as it's too far removed from the rest of the house and I won't feel comfortable with you being upstairs, I'll sleep on the couch outside. I'll be close by."
I stroke her hair back off her face, god I want to kiss her, to let her know it will be alright, but I can't as I know I won't be able to stop myself. It's the last thing she needs right now, another idiot trying it on.
I kneel down beside the bed and remove her shoes and socks, she is wearing jeans and a t-shirt, so I get one of my shirts from my closet and give it to her to change into. I tell her where the bathroom is and suggest she might want to take a hot bath before she goes to bed, it will relax her.
An hour later, I hear a knock on the door to my study and Ana comes in. She does not say a word, but just comes over to me and sits on my lap, where she curls up into a ball and buries her head in the crook of my neck. This shouldn't feel good, but it does.
She wraps her arms about my neck and I hold her tight to me, rocking her in my chair, it soothes her. I can smell the Jasmin oils she has used in the bath, mixed with the unique smell of Ana. With the smell permeating my nostrils, I remember that tomorrow is Saturday, she can't go round Cliff's, not like this, I won't let her, I want her here with me. She will have to ring him in the morning, telling him she is not well, or something, make up an excuse. Hopefully the bruise will be dull enough to cover with makeup by next week, that is if she decides to go.
I carry her back to my room and place her down in the bed, as I pull the covers over her, I hear her tell me to join her. "I can't Ana," I say, the need in my voice is evident.
"Please…" she begs.
I don't know what to do, I long to, but I am worried at what I will do, I might try it on with her and that's the last thing she needs.
"I will lay on top of the bed, baby, I won't get under the cover." She looks confused, "You know how I feel, I know I won't be able to sleep if I feel you against me." I say as I lay down next to her, my head propped up on my elbow. She strokes my cheek and we just look into each other's eyes, hers are glistening with tears. I never thought in a million years that my heart would go out to someone, let alone find that one existed. I was never a hearts and flowers type of guy, but all I want to do now, is love this woman, but I can't tell her this.
We lay, her back to my front, for hours. I can feel her still awake and it's already four in the morning, but by daybreak she is asleep.
Saturday 04 June 2011
Christian's POV
I get up at around nine, but just take to sitting in the chair next to the bed, watching over her like a century guard, protecting the priceless object which has been placed under his protection. I am stirred though, when I hear voices outside and quickly realise it's Taylor and my mother.
Shit! WTF! She cannot come in here.
I get up from my seat, hoping to get to her before she comes barging in, but I am too late and she stops in the doorway as she notices Ana in my bed.
I put my finger up to my lips to gesture her to keep quiet and I move towards her and beckon her out of the room, at which point Taylor apologises and makes his way back to his apartment. When we are safely in the great room, my mother starts the tirade of questions. "Christian, who is that in your bed? What is she doing there? And more importantly, why do I not know you have a woman in your life? Is she your girlfriend?"
"Mother, please! We have had a very difficult night. Ana is not my girlfriend, just a close friend. She called me last night as she was attacked and I went to her aid. She didn't want to go back to her own place, so I brought her here. She has been up most of the night crying, and has only had a few hours sleep. I don't want her to wake yet."
"Oh darling," she gasps, as she spots my cut and bruised hand. I did not realised that I had been injured. She tries to look at it, but I pull my hand from hers. "I'm fine… please," I say, my mood now exacerbated somewhat. I don't want her here so I ask her politely to leave. She does not want to as I can see she has questions and wants to help, but realises she is also in the way and that I want to be left alone. As she leaves, she asks that I ring her at some point over the weekend, I agree just to get her out of my home.
I make my way back to my bedroom, but find Ana gone. I hear her in the bathroom, she is crying.
Oh baby, please don't.
I open the door to the bathroom and see Ana huddled on the floor, I kneel down and take her in my arms and hold her tight to me. The floor is cold, I don't want her to catch a chill, so I pick her up in my arms and carry her back to the bed. I sit down and place her on my lap, I continue to hold her close, where she cries into my shoulder. "What am I going to do? I will lose my job!" she cries out.
"You won't, Hyde will be out of a job, not you. He won't be stepping foot in that building again, Ana."
"But how do you know that? You have no control over SIP?" she asks innocently. I can do nothing but own up to my recent takeover of the company.
"There's something I have been meaning to tell you, but didn't know how to," I say as I watch her reaction. She seems to be waiting for my admission, so I continue. "I own SIP." I screw my eyes up, not wanting to see her expression, but as I don't hear or feel anything, I open one eye, gingerly, and peek out through my lashes. Her eyes are wide and she looks startled. "Say something?"
"You bought SIP, or have you been the owner all along? I don't understand?" I can see the confusion on her face, I would be if a friend just announced they owned the company that I worked for.
"I completed the deal a yesterday, but the takeover is embargoed until next month." I sit back and watch her confusion turn to I don't know what.
What is she now thinking? I'm in deep shit.
We sit in silence, her expressions changing every few moments, it would be quite entertaining to watch, if the subject was different and her anger aimed at me was not a potential reaction. She sits there in silence for about five more minutes, then the silence is broken with that dreaded question. "Christian… why did you purchase it?"
What do I tell her? The initial reason was that I wanted to make sure she was safe in her job and that I could kick Jack out at the first opportunity. "Because I can," was all I said, but she comes back telling me that she is not happy with that answer. "Fine! I wanted to make sure you were safe, you mentioned Jack and his behaviour towards you and I wanted to know I could get rid of him at a moment's notice. Looks like my hunch was right."
She startles me, when she thanks me, but all too soon she adds, "You are a frigging nut job, you know that, don't you?"
"Yep, I am totally fucked up, Ana," but as I confess this, she gets upset again. "Don't cry, I knew I was one fucked up fucker, baby. You didn't have to tell me. Now, I want you to dry your eyes and get dressed, I will have breakfast ready in half an hour, then I want you to call anyone that you are seeing today and cancel. I want you to stay here with me until at least tomorrow.
"But, I can't. I have to go out tonight!"
"Have to? I don't know if you have looked in the mirror this morning, but you have a massive black bruise on the side of your face, it was there slightly last night, but it has deepened overnight and looks like you have gone a few rounds with Mohammad Ali. You have been through a rather bad ordeal and I want you to rest and relax here, where I can look after you. If you want to go out, I can take you out on my boat, the tranquillity of being out at sea, with nothing around for miles is very calming, the silence is almost deafening."
All too soon, she runs to the bedroom and I hear her scream as she discovers the state of her face. I know what she is thinking, she doesn't want anyone to see her like this. "If you think it's best, I can have you work from home next week?"
"I can't, I don't have a computer."
"What? No computer, not even a laptop?" she shakes her head. I don't believe it, someone not having any access to the Internet in this day and age. "I will lend you one of mine, I have several floating about. I'll get IT to get you broadband at SIP's expense and link you up with their computers, so that you can work on-line and your work phone can be redirected to your own mobile."
Ana gasps, "I dropped my phone outside the bar."
"I picked it up, when I carried you back to the car. It's bust, I will get you a replacement, but in the meantime, I have this one, I have changed the Sim over so you are good to go."
She is embarrassed at what I have done, but thanks me and I leave her to sort out her phone calls, she phones Kate, and then Cliff. I hear part of her conversation with the man and cannot believe how different she sounds. Her spirit in her voice has gone and she sounds almost monotone. That is the submissive response us Doms love, but it doesn't sound right on her, hearing her like that, not outside of the playroom.
She comes into the bedroom, where I have waited for her to finish. "Can Kate come over?"
"Yeah, sure, if you want her to." I don't feel comfortable with this, but Ana needs her friend. I will have to put up with the ever so popular Miss Kavanagh, maybe I should invite Elliot over and have a party. I frown at my sarcastic thought, but it might not be such a bad idea after all. Elliot would be a good distraction for Ana, he is one big joke and if he brings a smile to her face, then it would be worth putting up with him for a couple of hours.
Whilst Ana is back on the phone with Kate, I go to the study and pull out the burner cell phone that I have had for a couple of years, not really knowing if I would ever need it. Now is the time, I dial the number…
"Rudy… CG… I have a job for you, his name is Hyde."
