I am frozen to my seat. "So Ana, I was thinking maybe you wanna come pick up your Dad. He is looking a little worse for wear."
I am silent. I don't know what to say. He continues...
"Chicken are you? I didn't think you'd be a coward. I'd put your dad on but he's not exactly lucid at the moment. Or conscious!" He laughs.
That's it! his sick laughter is the trigger that spurs me into a response. I explode.
"I am going to track you down and tear you limb from limb Jack Hyde."
"I look forward to that! You might have money, but a tiny little girl like you doesn't frighten me." The door of the sitting room bursts open and Dexter rushes in. I raise my hand to indicate to her that she should stay quiet. I continue...
"I have laid you out twice before, next time I'll make sure you don't get up again."
"Anastasia, if you want him back you are going to have to come get him, alone, this morning. Mess me around and I will fuck him up."
"I'm not even in the country you incompetent asshole. I'm on another continent!" He is silent for a moment. I can see this latest episode has not been well planned. Hyde must be getting desperate. This frightens me.
"What do you mean? You stupid bitch... You fuck everything up. Where the Fuck are you?"
"London" He is silent for another moment
"If you wanna see the old man again you'd better get your sugar daddy to get your ass back to Seattle pronto. I will be in touch."
He hangs up before I can respond. I feel as if my world is cracking. This is my fault, and now he has my Dad. He won't stop until he has me. He wants me so he can break Christian. That is his aim, to break my darling Christian. I feel panic rising in me. Frantically I dial dad's number again but there is no answer. I feel like I an going to lose it. In my head I'm smashing the lamp against the wall, shredding clothes, drapes and linen with my bare hands, hurling chairs through windows, pounding my fists into the floor, tearing at my face with my fingernails.
In reality I am still, silent, limp. My eyes fill with tears.
"Mrs Grey? Mr Grey is on his way back here. Miss Kavanagh called him a few moments ago. There has been an incident in Seattle. He wants to brief you on the situation himself"
Why the fuck didn't Kate call me? I need to talk to Christian. I fill my lungs, pumping my body with oxygen enough to give me the energy to speak. I call him right away.
"Ana, I'm on my way back. I have some... News. We're in the car. We'll be there in a few minutes"
"I know what's happened. I spoke to Hyde. Where is Dad Christian?" I can barely get my words out
"Calm down baby please. I'm trying to find out. I've got Ryan and Welch on it. Kate and Elliott are with the police now. I'll know more by the time I get there. Try and stay calm. We have the best people. Hyde won't get far."
"I can't Christian, I can't... this is too much... what can I do? I need to do something."
"Call your mother and tell her you are okay. She's left messages all over the place. I will be there before you know it. Is Dexter with you?"
"Yes she's here."
"Please can you put her on? "
"Okay. Hurry Christian"
"I love you baby."
I pass the phone to Dexter. I can hear Christian yelling instructions at her.
"Dexter, make sure she calls her Mom on the hotel phone; we need to keep this line open. The traffic in this city is fucked... I don't know how long it'll take us to get there so keep her busy and DO NOT LET MY WIFE OUT OF YOU SIGHT!"
I go to our bathroom and run the cold water. I splash it over my face, trying to shock myself out my tears. I can't. This is too much. It's been one thing after another and I don't think I can deal with this. I sit on the floor and weep.
"Mrs Grey, Are you okay Ma'am?"
"No Irene, I'm not okay, I'm really not." Irene Dexter is no councilor. She is not the maternal type and she looks awkward to say the least.
"Mr Grey will be here soon Ma'am. From what I understand, the situation is still emerging. I know Mr Taylor and Mr Grey are doing all they can to find out what is going on. Perhaps it'd be a good idea to call your Mom?"
She hands me a Kleenex. I try to pull myself together a little before I make my way to the study and pick up the phone. I dial Moms number. She picks up straight away.
"Mom?"
"Ana Thank God."
"Mom, What do you know of what's going on? I'm half way around the world and I don't know what to do!"
"Honey, Kate called me. There was a problem with your dad at the hospital overnight. I told her to call Christian. I'm so sorry baby." Sorry? What does she mean sorry? I feel panic rising again.
"Why are you sorry he's not dead is he? IS DAD DEAD MOM?" I am pacing the room as I talk.
"Dead? No, No Ana. Haven't you spoken to him?"
"Of course not, how could I?"
"I thought he might have called. He just called me. Then I called your apartment. I just got off the phone from Mr Ryan. I didn't know you were overseas. Kate didn't mention that."
"What do you mean he called? How? Did you speak with Hyde? How was Dad? Where was he?" I'm confused.
"He's in the hospital Ana, he was there the whole time. Who is Hyde? Apparently some crazy guy broke into his room last night, stole his stuff. When they found him missing nobody knew what to think. It turns out the guy locked him in a store room on the 4th floor and a janitor found him about 30 minutes ago. Is Hyde the crazy guy? Dad wanted to call you but his cell phone was gone and his room vandalized He didn't know your number by heart so he called me. I would have called you myself but I wanted to keep your line open for him. He's okay Ana. Mad as hell but okay."
Relief floods through me like a drug.
I can hear talking outside the study, Christian must be here. Everything is happening at once... he's yelling ... "I thought I said don't let her out of your sight," The door swings open ...
I feel elated "He's Okay... Hyde hasn't got him..." I think I say this out loud but I'm not sure. Suddenly nothing feels exactly real and the walls are coming in on me. I can't feel the floor beneath my feet. The phone falls from my hand. "SHIT!" is all I hear Christian say as the floor comes up to meet me, and I am in a fog of unconsciousness.
I wake on the couch of the sitting room, Christian anxiously stoking my hair. He is kneeling in front of me. "Hi Ana, you fainted. You're okay"
After a moment of confusion, I remember "DADDY!" I shout out, sitting bolt upright. Whoa ... Head rush!
"Take it easy baby, you had a shock and you fainted, no gymnastics yet!"
"Christian, he's okay... I spoke to mom, Hyde was bluffing me. Dad's at the hospital."
"I know he's okay sweetheart, I called the hospital and he was found half an hour ago. He's pretty ticked off but physically fine. What do you mean Hyde was bluffing? Tell me exactly what he said.
I tell Christian and Taylor everything I know, my conversation with Hyde and my Mom.
Christian explains that he got a call from Kate at 11.55 telling him Dad was missing and his room had been vandalized. Apparently Dad had written Kate's number down as a second contact in case of emergency. The hospital called her when they couldn't reach me. They discovered Dad was gone at 2am and called the police. Because of Dads connection with Christian and possible press interest, a policy of complete blackout was adopted by the hospital, partly on Elliot's insistence. Christian seems usually proud of this fact and of his big brother. That's why the lady at the hospital were so unhelpful I guess. Christian stopped Kate calling me to tell me Dad was missing and promised to come straight back to the hotel and tell me in person. While he was in the car, Welch called, he has been at the hospital and had just confirmed that Ray had been found unharmed.
"What the fuck is Hyde doing Christian?"
"He's desperate. He's disorganized, probably in no state to abduct Ray, so he did the next best thing, stole his cell and tried to bluff you into meeting him. Thank God we are here."
"I want to go home."
"And we will; in the morning. Right now we are going to have some lunch, get to a gallery, than come back and call your dad. Let's let the poor guy sleep for now, he's been locked in a storeroom all night! We'll call everyone later."
"I ordered lunch already."
"I think we can do better than chicken broth." He says raising his eyebrows. I have no energy for fighting and relent without protest.
We wander around the National Gallery on Trafalgar Square for two hours. My heart isn't in it. I just want to go home and see my Dad. Christian is preoccupied. I know why. Hyde's desperation has unnerved him. A wounded animal is a dangerous animal and Jack Hyde has nothing left to lose.
We are just leaving the gallery, heading towards the stone steps at the front that lead to the fountains in the Square when my Blackberry rings.
"Anastasia, don't answer it" Christian commands, reaching for my purse. I turn my body away from him, pulling my purse out of reach, as I rummage for my phone
"I'm getting it. It could be Kate, or Mom, or even Dad." I put the phone to my ear. "Ana Grey speaking"
"Oh there's the nasty little bitch..." It is Hyde. I step away from Christian a few paces.
"Yes, I'm here and my I know where my father. He is just fine thank you for asking!" I spit sarcastically.
"You are not going to win this. I will go back for him Ana. You and Grey are not getting away with what you did to me. You and your whole family are screwed I will make sure of it. I know things about you. I got plans to fuck you up... You'd better get back here fast or..."
I don't hear any more; Christian grabs the Blackberry before I can protest. He listens to Hyde ranting for several minutes. I try to reach over and retrieve it from his grip but he pushes me back and I can't reach. His face is hard, expressionless. He remains silent. After a minute or two he switches the Blackberry off, indicates for Taylor to come over and hands him my phone.
"Deal with that Taylor" he says simply, then smiles at me, takes my hand and leads me outside. "I suggest we go back to the hotel to make some calls, have some dinner and go to bed. What do you think?"
"What did he say Christian?"
He stops and turns to me, holding my shoulder and lifting my chin so that our eyes meet, he speaks sincerely "Nothing of any importance. Ray is safe. Nobody can get near him, or Kate and Elliot, or Mia, my parents or even your Mom. Trust me. We are going to forget about him now. He will be behind bars by the time we are home. Now let's not waste another breath talking about that asshole. Agreed?" I nod and smile back at him. He's right. Christian knows how to do security! I have no doubt that he is now ramping it up to the eyeballs for everyone. It is time to enjoy our last night in London.
Back at the hotel I call Mom again. She seems very pleased with herself. It seems a very tall and hansom gentleman called Chris Patterson arrived at 9am. She squeals with delight as she describes her "bodyguard". When I call Kate, she is full of apologies but I reassure her that she did the right thing calling Christian first. I thank her. She has been in to see Ray and she confirms his bad temper, not improved any by the presence of David George, another personal protection officer. Kate has a woman called Holloway, she doesn't know her first name.
Christian and I order steak for supper. Thanks to my husband's interventions, my new regime has predictably gone to pot. I don't know why it bothers me, my life right now feels like it is in free fall and there seems to be nothing I can do to get a grip on it. I want to get home where I can take a little control back again.
After supper I'm exhausted. Christian wants to make a few calls and after running me a bath he disappears into the study with Taylor. I know that they will be discussing Hyde, with Welch, Ryan, and the police probably. Christian is more concerned than he looks. I know it. It's like I said, Hyde is a wounded animal, and he has nothing left to lose.
I wake after a restless night at 6.30. I can hear Christian in the shower. I feel an underlying tension. I'm unable to relax. There is just too much to worry about. I join him in the bathroom in the hope of feeling a little calmer. Shrugging my nightgown off my shoulders and stepping out of it; I slip into the shower behind him. "Ana, sweetheart you should be sleeping. You had a bad night."
"I can sleep on the plane. I want to get home. I need to see dad. I feel bad for putting him through all this."
"Putting him through what exactly? You've done nothing"
"I've brought this on him. I went to work for Hyde and I am the reason he lost his job at SIP. I'm the reason Dad got locked in a storeroom all night and I'm the reason he has to tolerate the constant attentions of a personal protection officer. I know Ray Steele well enough to understand how much that will tick him off."
"I hope you know me well enough to realize how much hearing you talk like that is likely to tick me off Anastasia. Let's have breakfast."
Two maids arrive to pack for us while Barrett serves us a hearty English breakfast of bacon, eggs and sausages, tomatoes, mushrooms and toast. I have no appetite for it. I can see Christian watching me as I stare blankly at my plate. "What's the problem Ana?" he asks, but not in the usual, commanding tone of voice he uses when he's annoyed about my appetite. He speaks softly, tenderly. I feel an unwelcome knot rise in my throat. I suppress it. I will not cry. "Christian, I'm not hungry."
"I know. I know how it works with you Ana. When you are stressed, you don't eat. I've seen it. There is no reason to get upset about it. We have a long day ahead. You can't skip meals, but you don't have to eat that if it's going to stress you out more. Here, have some granola, and yogurt and maybe a banana."
I'd rather just skip breakfast altogether, but I don't. I smile at Christian, and feel the knot in my throat dissipate. This is the first time Christian has made a concession to me regarding food and I'm touched by this acknowledgement. He knows I am having a hard time.
We reach Heathrow Airport at around 9am and quickly board the GEH jet. By 10 we are in the air. I occupy myself with reading. Christian works on his laptop, makes a few calls, but I am aware he is watching me closely. I can feel his concern for me. He is trying not to appear worried about me, and trying to appear unconcerned about the Hyde situation. I am trying my best to conceal how stressed I feel, how guilty, how frightened, but I am aware that Christian has always been able to read me like a book. My body language and my face conspire to reveal to him the high level of anxiety that is threatening to overwhelm me.
We arrive at Sea Tac at 8pm English time, midday in Seattle. The Grey Machine works smoothly as ever and we are unloaded and on our way to Escala quickly. It is raining. I am in a world of my own, starring out of the window. Christian takes my hand and kisses it. "Ana, when we've freshened up we're going straight over to the hospital to see your Dad. Everything is going to be fine. Please try not to worry."
We pull up outside Escala, and anxious to get inside, I open the door of the SUV and dive out into the rain before Christian comes around and open the door for me as is his usual habit. I run through the doors into the large lobby. The lobby is busy with people as usual, especially as it is raining. Once inside I brush the rain off my face and jacket and spin around to face the door I have just come through, and look up for Christian who should be right behind me. What I see is not what I expect. Christian has a look of horror on his face. Taylor and Dexter are running towards me no, past me, there is shouting, a woman screams, Christian is running at me like a freight train. He jumps through the air at me like a football player, trying to take me down. There's an ear splitting bag, and another. The next thing I know, I am on my back on the floor, winded, Christian on top of me. I try to sit up, but I'm stopped. "STAY DOWN". It's Taylor's voice. I manage to crane my neck to look behind me. There is a fierce struggle going on, and blood on the floor, I see blood! Christian pulls me towards him and towards a couch. Staying down, he shelters us behind the back of the couch, holding me tight for fear I might try to get up I guess. Then we hear the words we are longing to hear "We've got him Mr Grey. We've got Hyde".