Three weeks ago Kate was on cloud nine at the prospect of Ana and her talking again. After all, she had told Kate she'd call her and yet three weeks later nothing. Kate's happy mood had descended into a state of melancholy. Elliot was hoping he could get Christian to talk to Ana. "Hey, Olivia." Elliot winked. Thank fuck Andrea wasn't there, the woman didn't fall for his moves to get past her into his brother's office. Olivia, on the other hand, was susceptible to a bit of flirting. "Is he in?" he asked with a panty-dropping smile.

"He is." She practically melted as he sauntered into his office and stood in the doorway the sight before him a thing of beauty. His brother had his feet on Ana's lap as he typed away while she had a manuscript on his feet scribbling away, neither had noticed him.

"Hey bro." he finally found his voice.

"Hey." Christian looked up surprised. Ana noticed Elliot's nervous demeanor and decided to give the brothers a little room.

"I'm going to take a walk around the building give you two time to catch up." She planted a quick kiss on Christian's lip. "Elliot, good to see you." She gave him a hug before leaving.

She found herself smiling when Olivia leveled a dirty look at her. Frankly, the girl didn't factor on her list of problems. "Miss Steele, Mr. Grey asked me to show you around." Perfect.

"Thank you, Taylor." She said as he called for the private elevator.

"It's been three weeks, three fucking weeks since he said he was ending things with her, and he has made no move to get rid of her." Ana seethed. "Does she have something on him?" Ana asked the moment the thought occurred to her.

"No, that is what I find perplexing. Ending their friendship would have no adverse impact on his life as far as I can tell." Taylor grumbled.

"Maybe it's psychological." She had applied little pushes when it came to his life hoping the final push she applied three weeks ago would be it, but she had obviously been wrong. She was beginning to wonder if she'd bitten off more than she could chew.

"You want me to do what?" Christian looked at him wide-eyed.

"Just talk to her. Kate isn't doing well with the silent treatment." Whose fault is that?

"She said she would call her, she didn't give her a date. If Ana says she will call she will call, my pushing her is not going to help you or Kate." He runs his fingers through his hair. "Shouldn't you be having this conversation with Ana?" He added annoyed.

"I don't want to push," Elliot answered sheepishly.

"Oh, but it's okay for me to push." He growled.

"Well, you are her boyfriend if anyone can push it's you." Elliot all but pleaded.

"Look… I've been telling Ana we'd take The Grace out for weeks now. How about we do that this weekend. That is all I can do for you."

"I'll take that," Elliot said with a smile. "So… how are things?" He added failing at his attempt at sounding nonchalance.

"Things are good, great to be honest with you. I know I haven't been coming to Sunday lunch as much…"

"Nah, we understand," Elliot smirked. "So, when did you lose your virginity?" The question caught him off guard and more importantly left him feeling uncomfortable.

"Fifteen…"

"Damn, bro even I had to wait till I was sixteen. That was also around the time you stopped acting up and spending a hell of a lot of time at the library." Elliot teased little realizing the turmoil brewing in his brother.

Christian let out the breath he didn't know he was holding when Ana walked back into the room. He had been close to revealing all to his brother though he would only realize that later. "Well, I have disturbed you enough. I have to get back to work." Christian gave his brother an awkward hug though Elliot thought it was anything but awkward. His brother had embraced him… he did not expect it and held back the emotions threatening to overwhelm him. He gave Ana a bear hug. "Thank you, thank you so much." He whispered in her ears before walking out.

"Are you alright?" Ana asked a pensive looking Christian.

"He asked me when I lost my virginity." He murmured more to himself. "And I answered." Ana curled up on his lap her fingers in his hair. He wrapped his arms around her and found himself wondering when exactly he lost his mind thinking there was ever a choice between her and Elena.

He was in love with Ana, not that he lacked the courage to tell her, but he found himself questioning and wondering if she felt the same. She was beautiful inside and out, she was warm and welcoming. She was everything he was not, why on earth she had picked him with all his problems was mind numbing. She was a wonderfully devious woman that brought him alive, and the thought of ever not been with her left him shaking with fear. For years he had been happy with the lack of love in his life, he loved his family in his own way and wasn't too concerned if they felt the same. They told him often enough that they loved him, but he always thought they were obligated to feel that way. He now knew how wrong he was, love was not an obligation, love wasn't something you forced yourself to feel, love was an all-encompassing feeling that made you feel on top of the world at the same time made you feel like your heart was being ripped apart.

"Are you okay?" Ana asked as he had been quiet.

"I love you." Consequences be damned.

Ana's breath caught in her throat as she leaned back and looked at him. "I love you… fuck that… I'm in love with you and truth be told it happened some time ago." The gnawing feeling in his gut disappeared when she beamed a face-splitting smile at him.

"I'm in love with you too." She giggled. "I love you, Christian Grey." She wrapped arms around his neck and leaned back into him. She nibbled on his neck earning a low growl from him.

As she stared at him, he found himself wondering how he had missed that loving look in her eyes. He'd seen it enough times, hell, that was the only look she almost always gave him, except when he pissed her off. He was in love, and she felt the same. He kissed her softly, she moaned into his mouth her tongue massaging his.

At that moment he realized that deep down he always believed Elena's bullshit. She always told himself love was not for a man like him, he wasn't capable of love, and no one could love him. He had believed her, after all, over a decade of having that drummed into his head, why wouldn't he buy into that bull. He did, and fuck she almost won. He had been so reluctant to end their friendship, not because of his refusal to see himself as a victim, but he feared if he got rid of her he'd have no one. He never truly believed until this moment that Ana was his and there to stay. He would not have that one person that knew all his secrets and accepted him, except Elena didn't accept him. When he showed change, she wanted to take it away from him, revert him back to the cold, isolated man he was, the man she could manipulate. He was a victim, a victim on so many levels and until she was out of his life altogether, meaning his family as well, he would continue to be a victim.

He was a twenty-eight-year-old man molded for her pleasure. If she couldn't have him under her in the playroom, she would in other ways, and she had done just that with the subs, trapped him in a lifestyle that he didn't need. She isolated him from his family made him reliant on her and somehow he was blind to it. He saw it as a good thing, keep them away from the monster she had led him to believe he was. Well, no more, never again it was time to get rid of the bitch.

"I have to get back to the office. I have finally found a candidate for the editor's position. The man's resume is odd to say the list, but Elizabeth in HR tells me it will be a coup to land him." She rattled as she packed up her manuscript.

"Okay, be careful the paparazzi are still milling around." Since their relationship became public a couple of weeks ago, they have been inundated with the media on their doorsteps. Considering they both lived in the same building, the press were fielding stories about how their relationship had been going on for months, and they were now living together.

"Always." She kissed him soundly before departing leaving him with a hard on. She walked back in as he adjusted his erection.

Ana…" was all he managed before she tackled him back onto the couch. Her mouth on his, her tongue massaging his. He pulled free trying to catch his breath.

"I love you." She moaned her lips back on his.

"I love you too." He managed despite her frenzied attack.

"We are the first to arrive," Ana said as she didn't recognize any other car in the marina.

"Yeah, I wanted to show you around before everyone else arrived." The smile he shot her left under no illusion as to what he had in mind.

"Oh, Christian she is a beauty." She gushed.

"Isn't she just." He said proudly. "She was built by GEH." He added. "Come I will show you around." He practically dragged her onto his catamaran.

"I still can't believe you had José invite Franco."

"Elena… for as long as I have had The Grace has been angling for an invite. I usually took her out with the family for the Fourth of July and every time Elena would turn up at Escala or at my parent's hoping to get an invite. Apart from family I've never had anyone else on the Grace and that was always the excuse I used to soften the blow, but now… fuck softening anything. I know Franco will do nothing but brag come Monday when he gets back to work." Ana shakes her head at him.

"And I'm the devious one." She chuckles.

"Monday evening we will hear all about how I invited Franco and not her. I will invite Elena to the penthouse on Monday. I will be ending our business partnership and our friendship. The woman is no friend, she is a leech, and it's time to pry her off." Finally.

"Do you have enough cabins for everyone?" She asks changing the subject.

"Well, I have seven, there are four couples, Mia and Ethan so yeah we have enough cabins." His idea of showing her around consisted of the deck, the master cabin. He shut the door behind them and walked her back towards the bed.

"What about the rest?" She asked with a giggle.

"We have the entire weekend." He moaned.

"I was under the impression you brought me here early to give me a tour." Whatever his response was going to be was rendered moot by Elliot's loud annoying voice.

"Never once have I cockblocked him, but here he is doing just that to me." He whined.

"I doubt it was his intention." Ana chuckled.

"I don't care." He grumbled much to her amusement. He begrudgingly made his way to the deck with Ana in tow.

"You are early." He growled.

"We had lunch at the seafood restaurant around the corner before we knew it is was almost time. We thought we'd come here and wait, and we saw your car." Elliot mumbled. "Hey, Ana." He greeted.

"Elliot Kate, how are you two?"

"Good," Kate answered.

"How have you being?" Kate asked.

"Can't complain," Ana answered. Fuck, this is awkward. "Come, we can look around." She said after a beat. "Christian's idea of a tour leaves a lot to be desired." Ana teased easing the tension.

"Come on bro, how was I supposed to know you wanted a minute with the little lady?" Elliot said salaciously.

"Yeah, I came here an hour early to twiddle my thumbs." He grumbled. "I'm beginning to think this should have just being Ana and myself." He mumbled.

"Christian, I can feel your grumpiness from here," Ana yelled from below deck earning belly laughs from Elliot and Kate. "He can be grumpier than Ray," Ana added.

"Ana, I am so sorry." Kate blurted out.

"I know… the thing is Kate… you were just as sorry the last time I ended up in a coma and in the hospital for a month. I missed my graduation. I missed José first show, but none of that stopped you from…" she sighed feeling fed up. "What do you want me to say, Kate."

"I swear it will never happen aga…" she stopped when she realized she said those same words when Ana woke up from her coma.

"Yeah," Ana whispered.

"Action speaks louder than words and from now on my actions will do the talking." Ana didn't have the heart to tell her that she will never put herself in that position again.

"I forgive you," Ana said, but she knew she would most likely never trust her again.

"Thank you," Kate said though she knew she had yet to earn back the trust she had thrown away if ever.

An hour later all the players were on board and Christian, Elliot, and Mac got ready to set off. "Mr. Grey." He stopped Franco.

"It's Christian, while you are here I'm not your boss. You are my friend's boyfriend." Christian looked over Franco's shoulder to find José and Ethan in an embrace that left little to the imagination especially when José grabbed Ethan's ass. Christian just shook his head and got back to making sure they were soon underway. "This is why you chuckled when I asked if Ethan was gay." He asked Ana. He watched as Ethan and José talked. José had a hard time keeping his hands of Ethan and the man didn't object if anything he encouraged it.

"Yep, Ethan is the guy José wants but can't have and as you can see Ethan loves nothing more than to let José cop a feel of exactly what he can't have.

"That boy is too much." He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around Ana as Mia took picture after picture.

"This picture is going to shoot my friend's requests through the roof." she squealed.

"Now, there's an idea." Jose quickly forgot Ethan wrapped his arms around Franco and snapped away. "This is so going on my Facebook page." He added.

Elena's Google alert these days never delivered good news and in all honesty, she dreaded that distinct chime that alerted her. Been a stickler for punishment, she checked her phone has it had vibrated on her desk for the ninth in just under half an hour. She was desperate to know what Christian was up to. She stared at her phone for a couple of minutes still in shock as to what she was seeing. Franco was on The Grace with his boyfriend, the little wench's best friend. She had never seen The Grace except for the odd picture Grace would show her when the family took her out on the fourth of July. He always told her it was family only, and there her employee was on The Grace with Christian's arm around him. So… this is why Franco asked for the weekend off.

Elena just about got through the weekend without taking anybody's head off. She never envisaged this day, the day Christian Grey would set her aside for another woman. It was Sunday evening and after downing a bottle and a half of wine, she was finally drifting off to sleep when that ringtone that made her heart skip a beat and her pussy quiver blared through the bedroom. "Christian." She sounded out of breath.

"Come to the penthouse tomorrow evening at seven." He barked.

"Of co…" Was all she managed before he hanged up. Gone were the days he scrambled to pick up his phone to answer my call.

"Christian, darling." She purrs. "Franco get's an invite onto The Grace, and yet I could never get you to even show her to me." She grabs the bottle of wine and pours herself a generous helping.

"Not that it's any of your business who I invite onto my catamaran, but Franco was invited by his boyfriend... you know the one you thought was my boyfriend and was cheating on me. The one you kept quiet about for days just so you could humiliate me in front of my parents."

"I wanted to talk to you face to face, just you. I wasn't about to leave that kind of message on your phone."

"Elena you are full of shit." To Christian's surprise, Gail puts a plate in front of Elena. He looks up at her, and she quickly averts her gaze. What is she up to?

"Over the last few weeks, I have been working on separating GEH from Esclava…"

"Chris…" he holds his hands up stopping her.

"Let's be honest you and I are not friends, we have nothing to talk about except for subs, and that is no longer a subject of conversation."

"We have a business together and what do you mean we are not friends. I have been nothing but a friend to you." She argued.

"As for the salons I was going to gift you my shares in Esclava, but then over the last few days my eyes have been opened, and that changed everything," Elena smiles.

"The salon makes you a lot of money… not that you need it but it's a lot of money none the less." she cooed.

"You misunderstand." Christian paused taking a bite of his steak. "I am now selling my shares in Esclava." Elena starts coughing as her chewed steak goes down the wrong pipe. He slowly chews on his steak wishing she choked on a bone instead. Gail should have served fish. "You must take me for a real fool… funny thing is I don't blame you. After all, you have had your talons in me for so long blinding me to what was in front of me."

Elena wiped the corners of her mouth and tossed the white napkin onto her plate soiling it with the red wine jus. She stood to her full height, shoulders back, chin out and stared Christian down. "Since you met that whore you have turned into an idiot. I have had nothing but your best interest at heart…"

"MY BEST INTEREST." He bellowed. "How was it in my best interest when you encouraged me to distance myself from my family? How was it in my best interest when you led me to believe I was a monster who couldn't be loved or love in return? How was it my best interest when you isolated me from everyone even at Harvard, I had no friends, you turned me into an anti-social cold bastard? How was any of that in my best interest?" He was up and baring down on her by the time he was done.

"Look where you are… what you have, that is what I did for you…"

"Bullshit, I was headed here on my own, and worse I would have done it with the love of my family and friends."

"That's what this is about? LOVE." She scoffed. "You think that whore loves you, you think that's what this is? Love is for fools, and you will soon learn that the hard way."

"Well, then Elena, consider me the world's number one fool. The Funny thing is, I'm surrounded by people in love, and they all happen to be people I respect and trust a great deal. I would not call my parents, grandparents, Taylor and Gail, Roz and Gwen, Reynolds and Andrea, Welch and Stephanie fools. This is you desperately trying to keep your talons in me… well, I have news for you. Your talons have long lost its hold and fuck if I will ever allow you back in. I am on the other side, and the other side is a thing of beauty, love and light illuminate everything, and now I see you. I finally see you for what you are and what you are, is an evil, vindictive, cold-hearted manipulative bitch of the highest order and I wouldn't piss on you if you were on fire."

"I never thought I'd say these words where you are concerned, but you are full of shit. Do you think your family would be so welcoming if they knew about…"

"They know." He lied. "Did you honestly think my mom no longer returns your phone calls because she thinks you are a homophobic bitch? No Elena, Ana encouraged me to come clean after you left Grey House, so over the weekend on The Grace I came clean to my family and guess what they still love me, as we speak my father is looking for ways to throw your ass in prison. So tell me again how my family will abandon me if they knew." As he spoke, he knew he was going to come clean to his family. He almost did when Elliot visited his office and not because of Elena, but he needed to do it for himself, he needed to feel free of this secret, or else he will never truly embrace them.

"After everything I've done for you… you little shit…" Right there and then her stomach growled. They both knew it wasn't the kind of noise that signaled hunger.

"Did someone say something about shit." He howled in laughter. "Yep, someone is indeed full of shit." Her stomach rumbled again on cue.

"Oh God." Elena paled in embarrassment and need. She started running towards Christian's bedroom only for Taylor to step in her way. Christian grabbed her bag and shoved it in her hands.

"The door is that way." He pointed towards the double doors. Elena looked at him in horror.

"I won't make it home." She pleaded as the rumbling got worse.

"No, you won't," Taylor added.

"Christian, don't do this." Her shoes scraped along the floors as Taylor pulled her towards the elevator.

"Goodbye, Elena and I pray to God I never have to see your poison filled face ever again." He chuckled as the elevator door closed.

"Thirty floors down, she is not going to make it," Taylor said as Ana and José came out of the security office howling with laughter.

"Man candy."

"Yes," Christian answered. "Did I just reply to that?" He asked looking around.

"Yes, you did." José purred. "Now is there any way to stop this elevator from here?"