Ch. 10 – Jealousy
"Dammit." That's what Christian said under his breath before regaining his composure. Then he pulled me by the hand toward Hyde and Elena. His game face was back in place and he looked more than composed. I, on the other hand, was fuming and flushed. What sort of weird game was the BT playing?
"Elena. What a surprise to see you at a student art exhibit. Here at PSU." He smiled at Jack and her with utter confidence. She didn't miss a beat at his ironic observation. Her phony smile and extended hand made her seem like the epitome of savoir faire. Elena wasn't about to go down easy.
She also looked more than elegant and sophisticated as she turned toward her date. Everything about her shouted high end hooker. Her perfectly coifed blond hair and flawless makeup took ten years off her real age. Don't get me started on the implants popping out of her stick thin figure. Her dress was so tight it left nothing to the imagination. A pair of fire engine red stilettos decorated her feet. She was out for blood. Mine.
Her eyes shot daggers at me but were warm and welcoming to my man as well as my mentor. I noticed that she'd laced her forearm through Dr. Hyde's in a clear indication of ownership. Were they both in on this collusion? I certainly hope not. My stomach filled with so much acid that I wanted to vomit.
"Yes, I've only recently made the acquaintance of Professor Hyde; just days ago in fact. I came down to campus to set up a scholarship and learn more about symbolism. He was the only expert around at this time of year. I'm so fortunate he was available to point me in just the right direction."
They smiled sweetly at one another then. He looked grateful. She looked evil. I hated her with a passion after knowing her all of five minutes.
"How in the world did you find out about Jose's art show?" I blurted out with frustration and surprise.
"After we had a luncheon meeting today, I saw his flyer. And thought it might be interesting to see what the students were creating these days. From what I can see, Mr. Rodriguez has an eye for the…natural but mundane aspects of the environment."
Her sarcastic laugh sent a chill through me. Elena's eyes zoned on the picture of me giving a speech.
If she intended to spark a response from me, she was certainly on target. Christian put a little pressure on the palm of my hand to warn me, I guessed. I was breathing in a very constricted manner because I was trying to rein myself in. After all, I was up against a seasoned pro. One who knew all about the art of use and abuse. I sputtered and fumed while Christian finessed the situation once again.
Hyde looked clueless. I breathed a sigh of relief at that. Maybe I could switch advisors. However, there was no way I'd be able to abandon my TA job. Not without losing my free tuition and good standing in the graduate program, at this point. I felt as though I was drowning.
My guy turned toward me with an adoring gaze. Then Christian formally introduced us to one another.
"Dr. Hyde and I have already met. At graduation. However, I'd like you to meet my girlfriend, Anastasia Steele, Elena. She's a graduate student in the linguistics program, under the direction of… your friend."
He gestured toward me and then turned toward her.
"Baby, this is Mrs. Lincoln."
She frowned at his endearment toward me as well as the indicator of her marital status; even if it wasn't current. The tone of his voice was icy at best. I made a perfunctory nod at the prune faced witch. She looked at me with bewilderment. My guess is that she couldn't fathom why Christian found me in the least bit attractive. Perhaps she'd soon start taking classes at PSU and wearing dark horn rimmed glasses to attract his attention.
"This meeting is quite a coincidence. I mean the two of you showing up at JR's show. Small world, I guess." That's all I managed to say as I gripped Christian's hand like a vice.
She smirked at us then. "It looks as though both of us are drawn towards intellectuals these days, Christian." There was a snarl on her lips as she struggled to use the I-word. Of course, she was only interested in using me for intimidation.
"The word I'd use is innocence," he retorted with another menacing glare at Elena.
I heard a sharp intake of breath from my mentor then. "A pleasure to see you again, Mr. Grey. Maybe we'd best get some wine," Dr. Hyde suggested at last. He seemed quite uncomfortable with the obvious tension between our two dates.
I gave him a sweet smile but he looked at me as though he was shocked. That look alone made me wonder what Elena Lincoln had been suggesting to him…about me. My world started spinning around then as though I'd just jumped from a whirling carousel. Maybe I should just get off the damn thing and let the world go its own way. For a while. Nothing about my life had been simple since Christian Grey entered it a few weeks ago.
"Sounds like a plan. We'll speak later, I'm sure." Is what Christian told them before she and her date left us for the refreshments table.
I turned to him with anger spewing from every pore of my body. "What the hell was all that about? Can't you just order her to leave me alone?"
"Your guess is as good as mine. I'm floored that Elena would manipulate our situation this way. But my philosophy is to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. I'm not going to play my hand just yet. Let me handle this."
"Do you think she engineered a relationship with Dr. Hyde once you started shutting her out of your life?"
"That's exactly what she's doing, baby. I had no idea she was so relentless about me though."
"That's because she thinks she's in control of you, Christian."
"I must have shocked the hell out of her when I cut off all direct contact."
"Her moves are desperate. Imagine coming all the way down to Portland to check me out and to invade my life."
"It's extreme behavior, there's no doubt. I'm appalled at what Elena's done to us but not about to give her the satisfaction of knowing it."
"She's really sick to start moving in on my mentor. And the way she treated me just now indicated that she sees me as some sort of lightweight. Maybe a passing fancy."
"She's deluded and using wishful thinking, if that's the case. She wouldn't take these sorts of steps if she thought you were a passing fancy, Ana. She's totally threatened by you. Just so you know: I'm in it for the long haul. If you'll have me, that is."
At that point, he pulled me into his arms and kissed my cheek. I gave him a hug and pout in turn. I felt both reassured and frightened as hell.
"You're adorable when your jealous, Ana." He chuckled and squeezed me tighter then.
"How do you think she found out about my job, school and friends?"
"That's easy; she paid someone to track you down. She introduced me to a private detective years ago. His name's Welch. He used to be among her most trusted resources. She probably had him research and tail you for the past few days. Ever since I told her that she'd be working with Ros directly from here on in. She's no dummy."
"Well, she's not about to be deterred from calling the shots with us. Do you think she's already got Hyde trained as one of her submissives?"
"I doubt that's happened so soon. She'll get him hooked on sex first. Then the woman will go in for the additional training when she thinks he's ready. That could take a while with someone his age. I'd guess Jack's about forty and divorced."
"I guess I'll find out soon enough. I just can't believe the extent to which she'd go to ruin us."
"Elena's not used to losing her footing. If you think I'm a freak in that regard, she's got me beat by a mile."
"I wonder how she'll poison Dr. Hyde against me."
"She can't do much at the moment, without implicating herself."
"Oh Christian. What are we going to do about their relationship?"
"Let's hope it doesn't work out. That Hyde's smart enough to see he's just a pawn in her game. If not, I've got a few ideas of my own."
"What are your ideas?"
"Just hold the phone, baby. All in due time. I'll have Ros contact her about a non-disclosure agreement that has some real teeth. Don't forget, I can always go public about her sexual proclivities."
"Yeah, you can expose her as a pedophile. But, then your reputation would suffer too."
"Yes. You're one step ahead of me, as always."
When I look over at where she's gone, I see that she's cornered JR. She's gushing about one of his paintings. That's all I need to see. Before I know it, I'm out of Christian's arms and rushing to where they're talking. I intend to rip her hair out.
JR's smile looks ecstatic. He must be thrilled to imagine he's got a new customer. One who's obviously older and sophisticated. She'll probably buy one of his photos just to get on the inside track with my good buddy. I hate her with a passion already.
Christian stops me in my tracks with a word or two. "No, Ana. Don't."
I turn at once to see the look of disapproval on his face. "Do not intervene. She'll know how to yank your chain in no uncertain terms, if you confront her now."
I realize that he's totally right about things. So I reluctantly retreat and return to my boyfriend's embrace.
"But she's trying to butt in on all my important relationships."
"Talk to Jose, if you must. Just do it once she's gone. She's probably just trying to find out more about how long he's known you. Trust me. I know how Elena operates."
I blow out a long breath as I realize that she's trying to influence everyone around me. She's succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. "Can we leave now?"
"Of course. Let's go to your new place and try out the entertainment area."
"I just want to get drunk."
"No you don't. You need to calm down and I know just the right way to do it."
"I'm not in the mood for making love, Christian. Not when I think about where your privates have been around her."
"I was afraid you'd start making that connection. At least let me soothe you. There's nothing like a glass of wine and a prolonged make out session to restore perspective."
"It'll take a lot of time to calm me down tonight."
"Good. I've got nothing but time for you this weekend. I've even brought the wine. A Rothschild Cabernet, 1996."
So that's what we did. Christian came over to my apartment and looked around at how I'd rearranged things in just the right way. He seemed more than pleased with my efforts.
"This is much better than what my crew did to the place. You managed to give it some life."
"It needed a woman's touch. One who isn't a neon ad for venereal disease. Now can you just pour me a large glass of Cabernet Sauvignon?"
"Coming right up, Ana."
He tells me this while laughing like a school boy. He finds a couple of wine glasses in my cupboards. And brings them from my small kitchen into the much larger living room. We settle on the couch and listen to music by the Killers. The lyrics to "Someone that I Used to Know" rattles around my brain while the alcohol makes things just a bit fuzzy. I think of Elena and her predatory schema.
"I'm going to help you calm down now. Let me handle our interloper." Christian says this while removing my shoes and then massaging my toes. We clink and drink for several minutes. We're sitting across from one another. I'm on the couch while he's sitting on my ottoman looking at me as though I'm a prize.
"What if she ruins my reputation at school?"
"Then I'll ruin her reputation in Seattle. Don't worry, I've got the ultimate control over EL. I've already left a text on her phone telling her to back off."
"You have? That makes me feel better already." I start to loosen up almost immediately.
"Good. Now, come closer while I show you how much you mean to me." He takes my hand in his and then pushes a lock of my hair behind my ear. I feel like a child being cared for by her father.
"I'm not ready to have sex with you tonight, Grey. The image of the two of you together still nauseates me. You can sleep on the couch, if you want."
"I'm not going to be sleeping on your couch, Ana. I have a room at the Heathman."
"Oh yeah. I forgot." I tell him this while getting lost in his mesmerizing gaze. He smiles at me with the most sexy look I've ever seen. The notion of his paternal care leaves my mind at once. What was I thinking just a minute earlier?
Then his lips find mine. I'm turning to jelly in another few seconds. Our contact feels so amazing. He's huffing and moaning as our kisses grow more intense and deep. Before I know it, he's got me pinned into the corner of the sectional. His shirt's open at the neck and my hands are running through his hair.
"Are you feeling better now?"
I nod. "So much better." I mumble this while falling totally under Christian's spell. He continues to run fiery kisses up and down my neck. He lavishes me with licks and nips on every inch of my exposed flesh as his hands work over my clothed curves. I want him so much it hurts.
Then he finally makes his next move. "Can I take your dress off, now? I'd like to take us to the next level."
"I'd love it but…not tonight." The wine and Elena have me on the verge of unconsciousness regardless of Christian's skills as a lover.
"Why not? I can make you forget all about that troll."
"Because once I see your naked body, I won't be able to think of anything but her and what she did to and with you years ago. It'll dull my sex drive."
He stops kissing me at once and curses.
"Damn that woman. Now I've just lost my desire. She's already poisoning our sex life."
He sits up with the most disgusted look on his face then. I notice that his pants are no longer tented. That's when I realize that her image has truly killed his erection. He's really shook up about what the BT did to me and to us. Regardless of his behavior, Christian Grey is perturbed on the most profound level possible. He just doesn't want me to know it.
I shake my head back and forth with dismay. I decide to resolve the issue in a discrete way.
"You know what? I'm really tired and exhausted after meeting her and seeing what she's capable of doing. I think I'd just like to go to sleep."
He agrees at once. "Let's put you to bed then, baby."
I stumble toward my mattress as he guides me firmly by the shoulders. Then I must have passed out because the next thing I know, it's morning. I'm snuggled up under my covers.
Christian's next to me. Both of us are undressed except for our underwear. I'm wearing my underpants and a t-shirt. So is he. We're cuddling. I don't feel sore. He must have fallen asleep soon after I did. I wiggle up against his crotch as he snoozes beside me with the most peaceful look on his face. The smile on his face assures me that this is exactly where he wants to be. Well maybe not exactly, but close.
I decide that we're going to have to talk strategy today.
AN: Elena's really bold. What should CG and Ana do to put her in her place?