Author's Note: A special thanks to my betas JillTarah and Mr Darcy Fan. They are super amazing at whipping me (and my writing) into shape. Also, how the hell did Bella, I mean Ana, get parking in front of GEH on the first go? The movie should have shown her circling the block a million times before finding a parking spot.

…

Christian's POV

The dawn had barely broken when I woke to find myself still entangled with Anastasia. Long hair pooled behind her covering the pillow and tickling my nose. I inched closer and buried my face into the fragrant strands losing myself in the novelty of sharing a bed with another person. During the night she must have turned away only to have me unconsciously follow her. Even in sleep, I wouldn't allow her to escape. I chucked at the thought causing her to stir slightly. I held my breath not wanting to disturb the moment. The curve of her ass pressed into my groin causing me to groan as soft skin brushed against my morning wood. Restraining myself from lifting her leg and slipping into her heat, I gently untangled our limbs and shuffled out of bed. The tea lights were no longer scattered throughout the room. Anastasia's dress was missing from the pile of clothing at the side of the bed. Gail must have entered and cleaned up.

I shrugged and continued on my way to the bathroom for my morning regiment. After brushing my teeth, I donned a pair of dark washed jeans and a navy button down shirt. I grabbed a dark sports jacket and left to make arrangements for breakfast. A figure stopped my journey short upon opening the bedroom door.

"Mr. Grey," Gail gasped. "I'm sorry to disturb you. I was just heading back to gather your laundry."

"You can leave it. Miss Steele needs her rest and I need breakfast."

"Of course, sir." Gail turned and walked back heading towards the kitchen. I followed her in search of an unneeded cup of coffee; I was well rested after last night.

Before I could reach the kitchen, a ping signaled the arrival of the elevator. Anger and curiosity burned in me. 'Who in God's name would be here at this hour?'

The only good excuse I could think of was a family emergency, but they knew to call first. The doors opened and I received an unwelcome shock. Elena stormed out into the foyer followed by a well-known dominant, Matthew Richards. Before I had a chance to raise my voice, Taylor charged out of the security office heading towards the new arrivals. I stepped forward to confront them.

"Mrs. Lincoln. Mr. Richards. What an unpleasant surprise." My face was twisted in a harsh sneer. The audacity of these people was amazing. Richards nodded in greeting.

"Christian, my boy. I'm here to warn you," Elena started to say before I jumped down her throat.

"I'm not your damn boy! You have nothing to warn me about, Elena. You made a huge mistake going to Grey House and an even bigger one coming here. How the fuck did you manage to get into my penthouse?" Rage boiled in me threatening to overflow.

"The how doesn't matter, Christian. It's the why! Matthew here has some news for you," Elena whimpered.

"I don't give a damn what news you have. Get the fuck out of here. Taylor!" I motioned for Taylor to physically remove them to the elevator.

"Mr. Grey, Anastasia Steele doesn't belong to you," Richards interrupted. I flicked my eyes to his challenging him to continue. "I had previous rights to her."

His words sparked a deep seated feeling of loathing in me. "How the hell do you know Anastasia?"

"I'm her dom," Richards stated.

"Bullshit. I had that pleasure last night," I gloated. Richards' eyes burned into me; his jealousy evident in them.

"You fucking touched her?" Richards screamed. Taylor moved closer readying to prevent an altercation. I had to stop this from escalating any further.

"She stated she was unattached. Let's discuss this privately in my study." I growled before I nodded to Taylor and sauntered down the hall. Richards and Elena followed without a word.

…

"So talk," I commanded as I leaned back into the leather office chair. Elena sat before me with Richards standing close by her side. She looked desperate trying to find words that would be of interest to me. "I don't have all fucking day, Elena. I have a sub to break in."

"Christian, don't be angry. What I'm doing is the best for everyone. You just have to trust me," she pleaded.

I laughed. The days of trusting her were over. She had potentially endangered my reputation and that was unacceptable. I squared my shoulders preparing for a tantrum. "Trust you? You showed up to my office with a submissive. You came to my home even after I changed the codes, which by the way, you will still need to answer for."

"If not her, trust me," Richards hissed. "You know I'm a fellow dominant and how we follow certain rules when acquiring new submissives. I had my eyes on Anastasia long before you came into the scene."

I turned to him in disbelief as the reputation he had garnered wasn't stellar. The man before me had lied and cheated other dominants out of contracts with potential subs. He ran through them like tissue paper. "Even if you had seen her before, I know for damn sure you never touched her."

"Christian, please. Stop embarrassing yourself. She is just a submissive. A play toy," Elena interjected loudly. "You are acting like a man in love and you know people like us don't do love."

This was trouble. I knew Elena would stop at nothing to drive a wedge between Anastasia and me. Until I knew what was happening between us and if I could truly give her more than just a contract, I had to throw Elena off the scent she had picked up. I raised my voice and gave it a dominant inflection. "She means nothing to me, do you understand? She is just a potential submissive that I don't give a fuck about other than if she'll arrive in my playroom on time."

"Well, you certainly haven't been acting like it." Elena started to continue, but a knock at the door drew our attention. 'Oh, fuck me in the ass! That better be Taylor.'

"Enter," I commanded. The door inched open and there stood the one person I did not wish to see at this moment. Anastasia, wearing one of my white button-down shirts and what looked to be the red briefs I wore yesterday, entered the room with a quiet strength; grace emanated from her serene posture. The submissive training she had already been through was evident in her carriage as she glided into the room to stand before us.

Elena snickered realizing that Anastasia must have heard my last statement. "Well, if it isn't the wanna be sub. I guess since you had your virginity taken, you will no longer have such a pull on our dear Christian."

"Elena, that is uncalled for," I chided. Anastasia looked at me with a pained expression before a veil of serenity drew down her face. A strange resolve reflected in her eyes.

"My business has nothing to do with someone so wholly unconnected to me, Mrs. Lincoln," Anastasia taunted. Her posture went from demure to bold at Elena's comments. "It would be in your favor to remember that."

Elena's hackles raised and she stepped forward towards Ana. "Are you threatening me, little girl?"

Ana smiled and glanced between me and Elena. "I don't have to threaten. It was a kind piece of advice. I doubt you'd like the world to know about the underage submissive you brought to the Golden Cage a year ago."

My pride at Anastasia's natural assertiveness was displaced by dread. My heart hammered against my ribs. 'Fucking Elena has been screwing around with minors?'

Elena turned to me with pleading eyes. "I don't know what she is talking about. She is obviously deranged. See what I said earlier about her not being good for you? It'd be best if she was sent off with Michael for additional training. Then you could have a crack at her when he has grown tired of her."

Thoughts of Anastasia giving another dominant her submission tore through me. I barely noticed Elena's weak argument. "Elena, do you know what could happen to the club if it gets out that there were minors involved? The entire list that is protected by NDAs would be blown out of the water by the courts. You have endangered us all to exposure."

"Age is just a number, Christian." Elena gave me a knowing look. I halted my retort and considered a plan of action. The image that was built in my mind of Elena was faltering. There were cracks I never knew existed that showed her true self. Before I could formulate an appropriate response, Richards spoke directly to Anastasia.

"Ana, I thought we had worked something out through Geoff. I'm disappointed in you for allowing Grey your first submission as well as your virginity," Richards grumbled.

Anastasia's countenance and tone were hostile. "Mr. Richards, we had nothing worked out. You got wind of a virgin submissive so you hunted me down until Geoff warned you what would happen if you contacted me."

"Geoff said that was only till you complete your training and finished college. Barely any time has passed since those events and now you are already shacked up with Grey when you were rightfully mine." Richards shifted from one leg to another looking ready to spring forth and drag Anastasia from the room. It would be a cold day in hell before I let Richards near her, mine or not.

"I belong to no man or woman but myself," Ana fumed.

"You have already tainted yourself by submitting to Grey," Richards ranted.

Anastasia rocked back onto her heels. "I submitted to no one last night. What I gave was free and clear and none of your damn business. You are not and will never be in any sort of sexual relationship with me, do you understand?"

Elena's mouth popped open at Anastasia's impertinent revelation. It was plain to see the gears turning in her head. She looked at me with questions in her eyes; I only answered with a smirk and a nod.

"Perfectly. When Grey tosses you to the gutter, don't come running," Richards said in a dangerous tone as he pushed past Ana and exited the room. Taylor passed by the open door to follow him.

"Well, Elena, don't you have some place to be?" I questioned her. "Let me show you out. I'll be right back, Ana."

Anastasia's full attention was on the window behind me. Her face was unreadable. I grabbed a hold of Elena's upper arm daring her to disobey me as I pulled her from my study towards the elevator. Reaching the foyer, I stopped suddenly before Taylor and Richards and released Elena. I smirked at Richards. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lovely young woman entertain."

I turned away heading for the study as the elevator arrived and they were shoved forward by Taylor. I opened the door only to discover Ana missing from the room. Panic filled me. I knew Ana overheard what I said to Elena earlier in an attempt unbalance her. I moved from room to room in the common area searching for Ana when Taylor appeared in the walkway to the gallery.

"Is something wrong, Mr. Grey?"

"No, everything is fine," I lied. "Wait, how did Elena manage to get up to the penthouse with the codes changed?"

Taylor almost looked ashamed. "I am currently in the process of finding that out, sir."

"Good, get it done and email me a report. I'll be occupied for the remainder of today." I grinned and dismissed Taylor with a wave of my hand. I sprung into a jog towards the bedroom where only a few short hours ago I had the most peaceful rest I could remember. Upon entering, my gaze was immediately drawn to Anastasia's figure standing near the window overlooking the Seattle skyline. The morning sun was burning the cool morning mist away. "Ana, come. I have a surprise for you."

Anastasia turned at the sound of my voice; her eyes gave no secrets away but she allowed herself to be taken by the hand and led to the upstairs sub room. A strange sense of trepidation lingered around us. I pushed it to the side in favor of her surprise. Without a word, I opened her closet and walked her into a rainbow of silks and chiffons that lined the walls. High end shoes where stacked neatly in containers waiting to adorn her tiny feet. Panties, bras, and lingerie sets folded in drawers begged to be chosen to press against her supple flesh. My cock twitched at the thought of pealing her out of several of the more daring items. Anastasia was silent as she took in her new wardrobe. I herded her to a vanity laden with cosmetics and a large wooden jewelry box. "Sit. Please."

Anastasia hesitated and gazed at me before she complied with my request. I stood behind her and reached into the box pulling out a platinum choker adorned with a single flawless heart shaped sapphire set inside a skeleton key. Brushing tangled hair from her neck, I secured the necklace around her slim throat. Even without a signed contract, I collared her. The feeling of seeing my collar around her neck was indescribable. I imagine this is what a spouse feels at the sight of their ring on the hand of their loved one. I dipped down and kissed the crown of her head; my lips lingered on the silken strands. The fragrance that surrounded her was intoxicating. It was an odd mix of sex, vanilla, and lilacs. I glanced into the mirror making contact with those startling blue eyes that bore into my very soul.

I pulled away before I lost all control and took her bent over the vanity. As much as I would like to be buried deep inside of the wetness I knew was between her legs, the finer points of the contract needed to be hashed out before I allowed myself another taste. "Go shower. I'll lay your clothes out for today. I'll be in my study when you are finished."

Without a word, Anastasia rose gracefully from her perch and strolled out the walk in closet to the bathroom. I opened a draw filled with lacy delicates choosing a light pink lace bralet and panty set. I pulled a pink floral sleeveless collared dress with a matching solid dark rose cardigan from the hanger and laid the outfit on the vanity next to the lingerie. A pair of brown wedge sandals completed the ensemble. Leaving my chosen outfit out, I pivoted on my heel and headed to the study to wait.

…

Shuffling through numerous emails, my mind wandered back to Anastasia. Since I had left her room, time cease to matter. The wait it had taken to get her in my penthouse had nearly driven me insane. A few more minutes should not have an effect on my mental capabilities. While I waited, I reviewed the plans Elliot had emailed me for the new house. I was positively brimming with excitement as I forwarded the email to a private contractor who specialized in building tasteful dungeons. My new playroom area was twice the size of the current one. New scenes and toys hovered at the edge of my subconscious. It would be only a matter of weeks before the house was in a livable condition and Anastasia was introduced to her new home. A knock on the door brought me out of my musings. I looked away from the computer in anticipation. "Enter."

Anastasia strolled through the door at my command; her floral dress floating around her thighs revealing tantalizing skin with each step. I stood at her approach and gestured for her to sit. The sapphire key dangled between her clavicles marking her as mine. "You look absolutely lovely."

She gave a shy smile at my compliment, but otherwise remained in a submissive stance. Although it pleased me to see her compliant, her demeanor screamed of an underlying issue. That sense of wrong that I couldn't shake was back in full force. My previous joy of gifting her with the collar that encased her white throat was tainted by the feeling of an oncoming storm. I knew she had heard me speaking with Elena, but I was unable to find the words to sooth her injured pride. Never had I been in the position where I cared for a submissive's thoughts and feelings. The hurt radiating off her beautiful face stung me in ways I had not known before. I was unprepared to deal with these new thoughts and sentiments; my only defense was to handle her in my usual manner. I tried to block out the torrent of emotions that raged inside while keeping an aloof mien. It would do us no good if I was unable to fulfill her expectations as her dominant.

I lowered myself into the leather chair and pulled up the contract for editing. "I have quite a surprise planned for you, Anastasia. It'll take some weeks to complete, but I'm pleased to gift you with a place of our own to enjoy our liaisons. This is a first for me too so we will have to take time to get use to our new roles. Now, let us talk about this contract. There are several things that you have felt that needed to be changed but for the most part everything on the original will work out to our mutual desires."

She sucked in a deep breath; slowly letting it out as she regained some calm. Her face remained impassive giving away none of the pleasure I expected from her at the mention of the estate I had purchased. My bated breath waited on any sign of delight from her.

"I thank you, sir, but it will be quite impossible for us to continue our acquaintance. Although I cannot regret last night, I do repine the circumstances that will prevent us from forming a lasting relationship," she whispered with eyes firmly staring at her entwined hands on her lap.

Cold seeped into my chest freezing the air from escaping my lungs. A few heartbeats later, I regained my composure and let out a shaky breath. My visage turned to stone. The dominant in me roared to life. "Look at me."

Her eyes slowly traveled from her white knuckled hands to peer into my icy grey pupils. Only a slight flinch gave away her mental state. "We may not have signed a contract, but we did have a verbal one regardless if you see it as such. You were forewarned that being my submissive did not allow you to cancel the contract without first discussing it with me and only then it could be canceled with my approval."

"The consequences you speak of have no hold over me. I owe you nothing, Mr. Grey," Anastasia spat back at me. "I thank you for the clothing you have generously given to me and I will return them upon my arrival to my apartment."

Anastasia jumped to her feet and made a move towards the door. I rushed after her following her to the elevator. Taylor ripped open door of the security suite at our noisy approach. I gestured for him to back down and returned my attention to the woman waiting for her escape. "Miss Steele, I'm assuming you overheard a conversation earlier not to your liking, but you don't know the circumstances that surround it."

The doors opened granting her a reprieve. "Those circumstances no longer matter."

"Ana." I stepped forward to stop her, but held myself back. Her unreasonable rejection wounded me. The cold filled cracks that the burn of hurt caused by her dismissal had created. I straighten my posture and faced this failure for what it was.

"Christian," she sobbed finally showing her emotions. Her voice still managed to penetrate the ice I built as a defense.

The doors closed leaving me hollow. 'How the fuck did it come to this?'

…

Sweat poured down my back as I gasped for breath in the dark; the dreams that had tormented me from my childhood morphed into a macabre slideshow of a pained Ana running from my grasp. My heart hammered in my chest from the chase I had given into in my dream. She evaded me even in my unconsciousness. Tears on her face had streaked down flushed cheeks as she turned to face me and screamed to leave her alone. She had called me a monster. Her cruel words gutted me.

I dropped my wet brow into my palms; my body folding in on itself. A sob jarred me bringing my focus back to the ridiculousness that my life was becoming. Starting tomorrow I would throw myself into work and find a new distraction to stem off the pain of losing the object of my affections. A new sub would do me a world of good.

It was all that I knew to stop the pain.

…

AN: Check out my Pinterest account under Somethingalltogether. As always, thank you for reading and please REVIEW! I do reply to reviews so bring it. Tell me how much you hate me.