Chapter 10

After a bottle of wine, Tara talked Ana into going out to a few clubs. Within a fit of giggles, they dressed for their night out on the town. A cab was called since they already tipped a bottle and neither wanted to drive.

Heartbroken was a new club in town that catered to the young and single of Seattle, Washington. It was strictly a bar and dance hall with wild lights, speakers on every wall, and a long, curved bar made of the dark wood. The floors were concrete but painted a dark gray. All the tables were dark wood with red padded chairs. Ana sat looking around the and taking in the pale gray walls with photographs of famous people from all eras of Hollywood who were true stars and more recent people who were more starlets than stars. Tara placed a bottle of beer in front of her friend.

"I thought we should keep it light." She yelled over the pounding club music. She sat next to Ana so they both could watch the patrons of the club writhe and moan up against each other as they danced and tried to make a connection even if it was just for the night. "Not a bad place. The pickings are more substantial here."

"It's a meat market, Tara." Ana declared laughing. She took a long drink of the ice-cold brew. "It's just a hub of sex and broken promises."

"That's why it's called Heartbroken." Tara joked back. She watched people dance trying to make that special connection with someone. She felt what Ana was feeling, a quiet desperation that filtered through the venue. These people were looking for love and commitment in the wrong place. So many people looking for something to make their lives meaningful and yet they would go home with the same broken heart they arrived with. Those who understood the unspoken unofficial rules of hooking up would be the only people satisfied this evening. They would get their rocks off and leave whosever bed they end up in before the sun awoke for the new day. "You know it is really sad in here." Tara declared with a frown. "Let's blow this place. It's not for us."

"I feel the same way. There's nothing here for me."

Tara studied her friend quietly and intensely. "If he got rid of the bleached bitch and the room, maybe he is changing. Maybe, Ana…and I say maybe you should give him a chance."

"I am. He has to show me not tell me. The ball is in his court now." Ana raised the beer bottle to her soft lips. It was her turn to study her friend. Tara's heart was conflicted. She was still in love with her Dom, but her mind and her own self-protection would not let her act on those feelings. She had to protect her body, mind, and soul. Ana understood and could not fault her friend for that. Men like Hamilton and Grey got under your skin and they were almost impossible to forget. "Let's go get some breakfast."

Tara grinned. "IHOP?"

"Yup."

Every day for two weeks, a single red rose in a simple crystal bud vase was left on Ana's desk. At first she thought Christian just had the flowers delivered, but one of the receptionists let it slip that Christian delivered the rose every morning himself. Ana stared at the red bud that sat off to the side of her desk wondering if he understood what a single red rose meant. She impulsively dialed his cell phone number using the office phone. As usual, he answered on the second ring.

"Christian?" Her voice was breathy and husky.

"Ana!" He sounded very shocked to hear her voice. He had grown accustomed to her "radio silence". "Baby, are you alright?" His shock turned to panic.

Ana felt her heart race. "Do you know what a single red rose means?"

"Yes, I do."

She closed her eyes and bit her lip. She had to stay strong. He needed to earn her love, to prove that he was worthy to hold her heart forever. She was not a woman to fall in love with every handsome face that came her way. "I just wanted to know."

"Do you like the red rose?" She could hear the hope in his voice.

"Yes, I do." Her blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears. She, too, had a conflicted heart. Should she reach for the stars and try once again with him or chose self-preservation? Would loving Christian Grey be too hard for even a hardnosed romantic as she? Would loving Christian always be painful and was that pain worth it? "I have to go. I have a meeting in five minutes."

"Don't let Dad work you to death. I hear that he is a slave-driver." His joke made Ana giggle that made Christian smile for the first time in days. Her delightful sound soothed his heart and soul. "Ana, if you ever need me or…anything…don't hesitate to call. I will move heaven and earth for you."

Ana swallowed the desire to yell that she forgave him and that she loved him, but she controlled her impulses. "Thank you, Christian. You have a good day at work."

"You, too, sweetheart." He breathed. "I love you."

Ana's mouth fell open. She didn't expect the endearment or the effortless way he said those three little words. He didn't stumble over them, but said them with confidence. Could it be…? She shook the question. "Bye."

"Bye, baby."

Ana sat at her desk cradling the phone receiver in her hands as a single tear to match the single rose trailed slowly down her cheek. She regained her thoughts and went back to her professional mode. She had a meeting and she had to be on her toes.

The meeting was mind numbing slow and Ana was glad when the workday was over. She made her way toward her vehicle, her eyes darting around the parking garage keeping aware of her surroundings. She stopped when she saw that familiar dark head of hair climbing out of an Aston Martin.

"Miss Steele, I wish you no harm." Ryder Hamilton began. "I only want to talk to you about Tara."

"I have nothing to say to you, Mr. Hamilton." She stepped back with her hand working into her blazer to lift the safety off her holstered gun. She was within her legal rights to carry a personal firearm since she had her conceal and carry permit.

"I want Tara back." He declared forthright.

"No."

"Miss Steele, you don't understand…I need her back."

"Oh, I understand all too well, Mr. Hamilton. You need her back so you can continue to abuse and humiliate her. It's not going to happen. Tara is happy and safe here in Seattle. She has a good job, friends that adore her, and she is healing from your abuse."

"It went too far." His shoulders slumped in defeat. He, a Dom extraordinaire, lost his favorite Sub to another Dom, a female Dom at that. "She is…everything."

"I know. Tara is a rare gift. She is a person to be loved, cared for, and to admire. You never appreciated the love she had for you."

"Had? She no longer loves me?"

"Would you love you?" Ana stared boldly at the man. "I adore Tara. She is my friend and I will protect her from people like you who only want her to satisfy some sick twisted need to hurt others."

His large had swiped through his raven hair. "So, I've lost her for good." His statement rung through the garage as he shook his head in disbelief.

"You lost her when you pissed on her." Ana's anger clipped her words. She fought her primal urge to draw the gun. This man was worse than Christian could ever think to be and she thought Christian pretty fucked up! "I suggest you return to wherever you belong and leave us alone."

"She loves you, doesn't she?" He didn't wait for an answer but turned and stumbled back to his car. Ana watched him as he sat for the longest time before turning over the engine and squealing his tires out of the parking garage. With a sigh of relief, Ana made her way to her vehicle. She gripped the steering wheel and let her raging heart calm down. How she kept her cool was beyond her. Ryder Hamilton was as big as Christian was but even darker in his soul. She knew if he truly wanted, Ryder could have hurt her. She began to tear up but did not understand why. Adrenalin! She was just coming down off her flight or fight coping mechanism. She sat in her car for a while letting herself gather her wits before driving home.

Tara was waiting for Ana outside in the parking lot. She smiled at her friend. "I saw you pulling in and thought we could walk up together."

Ana nodded and gave a weak smile. This day had been too long and all she wanted was a long hot soak with a cold class of wine. "You have a good day?"

"The usual. You?"

"A long boring meeting." Ana replied as she remote locked her door. "I also had a visit from Mr. Hamilton." Tara's face went pale and she stumbled over her toe. "He wasn't threatening or anything. He was asking for you."

"Asking for me?"

"Yes, he told me that he wanted you back." The girls walked together with their arms entwined. "He said it went too far." Tara only nodded. "He left looking like I took his last Twinkie or something." This made Tara laugh aloud. "He still thinks we are lovers and that you belong to me."

"He never did see past the end of his dick." The Brit harrumphed. "Maybe he will go back to Portland."

Ana only shrugged her shoulders but she didn't think that Ryder was done trying yet, after all, he was used to getting what he wants. "You know what, I've had a tiring day…let's order Chinese and relax for the night."

"My place or yours?" Tara asked with a chuckle. "Come little fly…walk into my web."

Ana had to laugh. "Girl, you are wrong in the head, but I love ya."

Ryder found himself sitting at the bar at the Fairmont drowning his sorrows in a double whiskey on the rocks. All he could think about was Tara and that brunette fireball together. Were they laying on a bed somewhere caressing and kissing each other? Was Tara really in love with someone else? He motioned for the bartender for another round. A part of him would love to see that scene that played in his imagination in real time and of course, he would join the fun, but another part of him, that territorial primal caveman that was in every man wanted to snatch Tara away for himself. He didn't want to share her with anyone. He realized he had been wrong in so many ways in their relationship. He should have never taken her to clubs and let other Doms touch her or use her. He should have never forced her to do things she didn't want to do. He should have never used her love for him against her. No wonder she left him. It wasn't just the humiliation scene that drove her away…it was his lack of regard for her needs. He fucked up the first rule of being a Dom, the care and well-being of his Sub. Through the haze of pain and whiskey, he saw that he was a bad Dom. One more whiskey and he would head up to his room. He would sleep and he hoped his dreams would be vacant. He couldn't stand another night of dreaming about their last scene. "Sick bastard." He mumbled to himself as the bartender sat another double whiskey in front of him. He drained his drink in one shot. He looked into the bar mirror and saw his reflection. He did look like the very devil with his black hair and red-rimmed eyes. He was hard and uncompromising. Fuck, he frightened himself. "What am I going to do? I fucking need that woman…I want her…shit…I fucking love her!" He turned to leave when he felt something slice through his chest and the pain exploded down his right side. He fell to his knees grabbing his chest as the patrons of the bar began screaming. He lifted his hand when he felt something warm and sticky between his fingers. It was his blood! He looked up to see her…it was her…that fucking bitch cunt…the last Sub. She stood over him with her blonde hair spiked and a snarl on her pierced lip. He barely recognized her. She had changed. "Felicia? Why?" Ryder fell over and the shooter watched with a gleeful sick smile on her face as a puddle of blood formed under her former Dom.