A message to all the "Betting It All On You" readers: All I can say is WOW! 50,000+ views…to all the followers / reviewers & favorites I have received so far, I am truly humbled that you like this little story. I wish I could respond to every readers review but that would take away time I use for getting the other stories ready to be posted. Just know that I have read and LOVE every single one of them.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU – Virginia

AN: As always…I do not own these characters. All rights go to E.L. James

"Betting It All On You"

Chapter 13

Rarely was Christian struck dumb.

Ana was a preacher's daughter? How had she worked for him for three years and not shared that bit of news? Did he know her at all?

Unbidden, doubts rushed in. He'd known very little about Leila before letting his passion get the better of him, and look how that had turned out. Her supposedly pregnant. They married. Him discovering her lies and manipulation.

Now history was repeating itself with Ana. With her sexy curves and knack for shattering his restraint, she'd ignited his desire, made him lose control, and once again, he'd moved too fast.

Christian rubbed his cheek, hearing the rasp of stubble. He'd left without packing a bag, figuring he'd accompany Ana to the hospital, find out how her father was doing and then leave her in her family's care. Now he wished he'd never gotten on the plane in Las Vegas and never found out this tidbit about her origins.

"No," he said, rediscovering his voice. "She never mentioned that."

From the way she stared straight ahead, her eyes fixed on the road before them, he figured she had a pretty good idea how frustrated he was at the moment. He couldn't wait to get her alone so he could hear her reasons for keeping him in the dark.

Or did the blame lie at his feet?

How come he'd never asked about her family? Pressed her for details about growing up in Burbank, Washington. He'd taken and taken. Her free time. Her loyalty. Her expertise. He couldn't even remember her birthday. Ana deserved better.

He glanced her way. Her fixed gaze and frozen expression confirmed that she wasn't happy. He rubbed his forehead.

"I'm not surprised," John said, appearing unaware of the tension that filled the pickup's cab. "She never acted like one growing up."

"I can't wait to hear all about it," Christian said.

"Wild." John slapped the steering wheel. "That's the best way to describe my sister."

"That's just not true," Ana protested. "I didn't act any different than any of my classmates."

"Oh, I don't know. You pushed things pretty far."

"That surprises me," Christian said. "She certainly doesn't give the appearance of someone with a checkered past."

"Checkered?" Ana shot him a warning look. "I'd hardly call staying out past curfew and drinking with my friends worthy of being called a checkered past. It was all the regular stuff teenagers get into."

"No stealing cars to go joyriding?"

"No."

"There was that time you and Jamie Bailey got stopped coming back from the lake."

"That was his mom's car. He didn't steal it. Just took it without mentioning it to her and she thought it had been stolen."

"That's probably because he was grounded and so were you. Neither one of you was supposed to be out at three in the morning. And you sure weren't supposed to be doing whatever it was you two did down by the lake." John wore a wicked grin. "But you can't really stop young love, can you? Hey!" John exhaled air on a protest as his sister jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

"Shut up, John. You weren't exactly the poster child for upright behavior, either, when you were young. Michael's going to be eleven in five months. Maybe I should tell him about the time you stuck fireworks in a dead squirrel and blew it up on the back porch. I don't think you could sit down for a week after Dad found out." Ana paused for only a second before continuing. "Or, how about the time you and our trusty brother Luke…"

John's voice rose over hers. "Okay, I get your point, I'll shut up."

"Thank you." She smirked, but her pleased expression didn't last long.

Christian spoke softly in her ear. "I see we'll have lots to discuss when you get back to Seattle."

She eyed him without turning her head. "It was a long time ago."

"But it's part of who you are, so I'm interested in hearing all about it."

Like all small towns at five in the morning, the main road ways looked buttoned up tight. John blew past five blocks of storefronts before Christian had a chance to blink. What had it been like for Ana to grow up in such a place? He'd guessed her hometown was small, but he had no idea how isolated. He'd assumed as a preacher's daughter, she wouldn't have had a lot of chances to learn how the world worked. Now, however, Christian recognized signs of the teenage rebel lurking beneath the sensible, efficient exterior of the woman who'd been his assistant for the past three years.

The truck passed a sign pointing the way to the hospital and John took a right at the stoplight. Conversation suspended as John turned into the front driveway that would take them to the entrance.

"I'll drop you off here and park. Dad's probably still in recovery so everyone should be in the waiting room."

Christian slid out of the pickup and reached for Ana's hand to help her down. Despite the warm night and the sweatshirt she still wore, her hands were like ice. Shock. He recognized the signs. His mother had been like this when Carrick had collapsed. Christian knew what to do, offer a strong shoulder to lean on and keep the Kleenex coming. His mother had gone through an entire box before her husband had come out of triple bypass surgery.

Pulling Ana's arm through his, he tucked her hands between his arm and his body to warm her. She moved like a zombie at his side, her steps jerky as if her muscles had stopped functioning properly.

"It's going to be okay," he murmured as the hospital doors swung open before them.

They stepped over the threshold. Ana straightened her shoulders and pulled away. As hard as it was to let her go, Christian held back as Ana reunited with her family. Three tall men, mirror images of John, gathered her into tight hugs that left her teary and out of breath. Four women hovered behind the men, then took their turns, each returning to offer support to one of Ana's brothers.

With the greeting complete, Ana cast about for him. Christian's heart bumped against his ribs as her shell shocked gaze found him. He came to her side, needing to wrap her in his arms, but she sensed his intention and shook her head, eyes pleading.

Turning to the group, she said, "Everyone. This is my boss, Christian Grey."

As he shook hands with Ana's brothers, he couldn't help but contrast this tight group of brothers and wives with his own family. He and Mia were close in age and the best of friends growing up, but as adults they'd gone out of state to different colleges and taken different career paths. Eventually those paths had converged at Grey Enterprises Holdings, but the years of separation had taken their toll. They'd become less like family and more like coworkers.

From what he gathered, Ana's family all lived within a couple of miles of each other. In a few short minutes, he learned each brother was married and had between one and five kids ranging in ages from four months to fourteen years. He visualized boisterous family dinners every week with tons of children running around, and he understood why having another birthday had heightened Ana's longing for marriage and children.

Two hours after they arrived, Reverend Steele was released to the ICU where he would be watched and monitored. Each of his children got to visit him one at a time. Ana went first, and then sat beside Christian on a molded plastic chair, hands in her lap, distanced from him by her need to keep her family in the dark about their altered relationship.

He wasn't accustomed to seeing his ultra-efficient assistant so down and out. The sight unnerved him. Being unable to offer her support frustrated him. As she'd pointed out often these past couple of days, he wasn't the sort to sit idle. He needed to help.

But he also needed to be in Las Vegas at the conference. Leaving his father in charge for more than a day could spell trouble.

At eight o'clock, he could wait no longer to check in. Not wanting to disturb Ana's family, he stood. Ana had closed her eyes and let her head fall back against the wall behind her. When he moved, she straightened and blinked in blurry disorientation. Rubbing her eyes, she looked around. The sisters-in-law had gone home to check on their children. All who remained were Ana's brothers.

"I'm going to step out and see how the conference is going," he told her, giving her hand a squeeze.

The cell reception at the hospital had prevented him from receiving any calls. However, two messages awaited him. The first one made him curse.

Damn it. What the hell was going on?

He dialed Mia's cell and heard the frustration in his sister's voice when she answered.

"Christian, I've been trying you for hours. Where've you been?"

"In Burbank with Ana. Her father was in an accident." No need to explain more. "Eric Lincoln said he's leaving the conference. What's going on?"

"He's not selling us his company." Despite the fact that this was an overseas call, Mia's tension came through loud and clear.

Curses reverberated through Christian's head. "Why not?"

"Said he's having second thoughts."

"He was completely on board a week ago." What had their father said during a round of golf to convince Eric that selling to them was a bad idea…or was getting caught with a half-naked Ana in his suite to blame? "Did he say what he's going to do instead?"

"No. He's heading home this morning. You have to convince him to change his mind. I'm in Amsterdam at the moment. My flight won't get in for another twelve hours."

"Send Elliot."

"Elliot isn't on board with this deal."

"He's on board," Christian said.

"I'm not sure I trust him to convince Lincoln to sell to us."

Mia still had a chip on her shoulder where their half-brother was concerned. Christian suspected it had more to do with being unable to forgive their father for his infidelity than any animosity she felt toward Elliot.

Christian sighed. Early on, he'd had his doubts about being able to work with Elliot, but lately their half-brother had demonstrated that even though he might not be keen on the current business strategy for Grey Enterprises Holdings, he was open to working with it.

"I won't make it back to Vegas before he leaves." Christian's gaze traveled across the waiting room to where Ana sat beside her brother.

"Fly to North Carolina and talk to him there."

An ache formed in Christian's chest as Ana rested her head on John's shoulder. She hadn't been willing to take comfort from him.

"Fine. I'll go." Christian ended the call without waiting for his sister's response.

He banked his fury at this unwelcome turn of events and headed toward Ana.

She'd been watching him the whole time and offered a weak smile as he neared. "Usually that would be me looking for you." She checked her watch. "It's almost eight in the morning. What's the crisis?"

"I have to fly to North Carolina. Eric is backing out of our deal."

"Go," she said, nodding. "That's important."

More important than her. He read her loud and clear.

"I don't want to leave you."

She offered him a grateful smile. "I'll be okay. Dads not out of danger, but the doctors think he'll make a full recovery. Lincoln Consolidated is important." She got to her feet and tugged at his arm. "Come on. John can drive you back to the plane."

He was startled by how reluctant he was to leave her. For the first time in his life, he had no desire to return to work. Someone else should be able to take care of business, leaving him free to be with Ana a while longer. But that's not the way Grey Enterprises Holdings was structured. His need to control all aspects of the business had made it so that he was the one who stepped in when things weren't working.

"You're sure you don't need me to stay?"

She shook off the scared, lost girl she'd been for the last few hours. Her spine straightened. She firmed her lips and enfolded herself in the brisk professionalism she usually demonstrated.

The transformation caught him off guard.

How often had she hidden hurt, fear or sadness from him? He'd taken her efficiency for granted, he saw now. She wasn't made of granite. Far from it.

He cupped her face in his hands. "Tell me you need me and I won't go."

Tears brightened her eyes. Her breath caught. She blinked a few times and swallowed hard. "That's not necessary. I have my family here. I'll be fine."

"I don't doubt that. You're all wonderful support for each other. I just feel funny leaving you behind."

In truth, he'd gotten used to having her around all the time. Except for a half dozen business trips that had lasted a week, he realized that he hadn't gone without seeing her for more than three days.

"You feel funny?" she echoed, a grin ghosting through her eyes.

That was all it took. He leaned down and kissed her, not caring one single bit who saw them.

Christian registered her utter shock before the compelling warmth of her soft lips made him forget everything but the way she made him feel. He wrapped his arms around her. With her fingers threaded through his hair, he savored the texture of her lips and the sweetness of her soft body.

A throat cleared behind him. "We should probably get going," John said.

Releasing her took longer than it should have. How long until he held her again? He knew she needed to be here for her dad and family. But he'd been a selfish bastard for so long and couldn't resist hoping that she was back in Seattle within a couple of weeks.

With her cheeks a bright pink she peered at him from beneath her lashes. "If it's okay with you, I'm going to stick around for a while."

His instincts screamed that leaving her here was a bad idea, but what could he do? Her family needed her. His company needed him.

"Take as much time as you need."

Just come back to me.