Chap 21. Pictures.
APOV.
My phone rings and I sit on the bench. It's Ray. "Hi, dad!" Christian looks at me with curiosity.
+Annie, I need to go to Seattle tomorrow, a work meeting. Would you like to have lunch with your old man after that? You said you wanted to visit, but…
-Of course dad. I know a nice place, you'll like it.
+Then see you tomorrow Annie.
-See you dad, love you.
My dad, like Christian, can't tell me he loves me, even though he had made it clear numerous occasions. Maybe the common believe that a woman looks for the father in men is true.
"Your father?"
"Mhm. He's having lunch with me tomorrow."
He drags his hand through his hair nervously and I can't contain my chuckle. "Don't get nervous, you are not invited. I want to be alone with him." Now he looks hurt, who understand human beings? "Please Christian, don't misunderstand me, I haven't seen my father in three months. I need to catch up with him. You can meet him next time, if you're interested of course. Are you, Christian?"
"Well, I'm not sure. I'm curious and I'd like to know more about you. Do you think we'll get along?"
"Mm, you are from different planets. He's a carpenter, ex-army, he says a man must use his hands or will lose his brain. If you want to meet him start thinking what to say to that."
He grabs me and takes me back to his lap. "You know my hands are pretty skilled."
I blush smiling. "Mhm. Tell him that with your running shoes on."
"Tough guy who raced a tough girl."
That thought is bittersweet. "Yeah, he taught me well. That didn't save me, though, but he doesn't know. He can't know, Christian."
Frowning, Christian studies my face. Why are there always people studying my face? Because you can be read. I need to close the book my face is.
"You never mentioned that something happened to you at the University."
I couldn't help but bite the bottom of my lip. "Nothing happened. It was a handsy professor that crossed the line, but he deserved to be reported and fired." I smile devilishly remembering. "Kate took care of him when that student reported the incident, and she was treated as some crazy girl by the authorities. The student newspaper can be very useful if you have Kate's brain."
Okay, we are getting serious. "Don't you ever shout at me again. I needed you and you were on the other side of the table, not just physically." I earn a cold look.
"Anastasia, it's not the first time you assure me everything is fine, and then I discover you were in danger. You have no idea how that makes me feel." The bar! I can't see his point.
"You're an adult Christian, you can't get carried away by the first emotion that crosses your mind. I needed you, and you were on the other side."
A menacingly soft voice answers me. "I could say the exact same thing to you and believe me, I didn't get carried away." Christian closes his eyes as if counting and gathering patience. "I apologized, you didn't."
"Why should I apologize?"
Lowering even more his voice he stares at me. "Anastasia, my security team informed me, you didn't. Where am I in your universe that you didn't think of me? Nor Monday neither today."
Now I see his point, he cares about me and I didn't take him into account. I lower my head. "I didn't want to worry you."
"It worries me more to know that you won't call me, that you won't let me be there for you." He pushes me to the bench and shakes his head. "How am I supposed to keep you safe if you don't trust me?"
"Keep me safe? That's not your responsibility, Christian."
He grabs my face with both hands. "That's inevitable, I need to know you are safe, I need to know I can keep you safe. You have to accept it, that's just part of being with me."
He is talking from the depths of his soul, I can see it in his eyes. He couldn't protect someone; he lost someone violently. His birth mother, shit.
My hands over his hands soften the expression on his face. "I get it, Christian. I'm sorry, you will be the first one to know something is wrong next time." Let's hope next time is very far in the future.
My phone rings again, it's Kate. "Kate, hi."
+Steele, I'm texting you an address, you need to come here immediately.
-What is it Kate?
+It's José. Did you authorize him to sell pictures of you?
-What? No, of course not.
+Then come here as fast as you can. Bring that super powerful boyfriend with you.
Come on! Give me a break, please, life. I need to explain to the Gods that far in the future doesn't mean two minutes later. Jeez.
My phone buzzes, must be the message. "Christian, I need to get going." He frowns, I have a promise to fulfill. "José is selling pictures of me and I didn't authorize that."
His eyes wide wildly. "Pictures? What kind of pictures?"
"No, no, we never did that, not that I know." I frown, I've heard some stories. No, José wouldn't dare, and he's an artist. He did take pictures of me but the 'normal' ones, and they were for his screensaver, that's what he said. Screensaver my ass!
…
…
CPOV.
The gallery looks expensive and important, this José must be well represented if he got a place like this. We turn the corner and then I see my girl's pictures hanging on the far wall of the gallery, seven huge portraits: pouting, laughing, scowling... All in super close up, all in black and white except for her blue eyes. So beautiful. But so wrong this boy is selling them without her permission, she wasn't even aware these pictures existed, her face makes it clear.
The Kavanaghs are with us in a second. They greet us and the boy starts analyzing me; what is his fucking problem? I know he's not a boy, he must be my age.
"Ana, what do you want to do, will you agree with this or not?"
"No Kate, I can't see why someone would pay for those pictures, but if it happens, I don't want some stranger ogling me in the privacy of his home."
"Okay. Let's go, my father's lawyer is here, we have a meeting with José at the owner's office."
"Christian, please, wait here with Ethan." Ethan smirks at me. I don't want to give him the satisfaction of a discussion with Miss Stubborn, so I agree and watch her while living. Well, she's not in danger here, she is with Kavanagh and her lawyer. And the asshole!
"Don't worry, Ana has a strong personality."
"I know."
"She's been through a lot." Mm, he's weighing me.
"I know, four years ago." Now he looks surprised.
"She told you?"
I nod slowly. Where is he going with this?
He sighs and a trace of sadness flashes across his face. "You must be very important for her. I still remember the day Kate brought her home, she was so scared, so skinny, so pale. Yet, she never missed a class, not even one, and three weeks later she got a job."
So, it was her friend who helped her to escape from his claws. A good friend after all.
"He came for her a couple of times, you know? I had to go to his apartment with my father's lawyers to scare him. She doesn't know, of course, we never told her he was stalking her. Apparently, that was enough and he forgot about Ana, left her alone."
That worries me. He could be out there, still stalking her.
"Do you think she could be in danger?"
He frowns with concern. "I don't think so, he disappeared from her life more than three years ago. If you notice something strange let me know, I love Ana and shudder to think something bad happens to her."
I still, all my body tensing. What the hell? But he smirks and takes a step backward. "Yeah Grey, you're not the only one. Don't worry, we love her as part of the family. I'll be watching, though."
Nor an untrusting father neither a jealous brother, I got her friend's warning. "I appreciate your concern, but now she's gotten me."
"It's not your call, Grey."
Suddenly a couple of men start taking the pictures down. Anastasia and her friend walk toward us smiling, an indication that all went well. I pass my arm over her shoulders and kiss her hair, it's been a tough day and she looks tired. I hope she doesn't have a nightmare tonight. Katherine narrows her eyes, "I'll go back to work Ana, I'm covering this Art Gallery opening. What about a drink later? I haven't seen you in days, I miss you."
Anastasia steps out of my embrace and hugs her friend. "Kate, it's been a long day, I'm too tired. And tomorrow Ray is coming to Seattle. What about next week?"
"I'm covering a hotel inauguration in Barbados next week."
"Wow!"
"Yes, wow. As soon as I come back I'll call you. Say hi from me to Ray."
"Wait Kate, can I ask you a huge favor?" Anastasia looks nervously at me. Mm, what does she have in mind? She whispers something in her friend's ear.
"Of course Ana, I'll finish her." They both exchange a malicious expression. Oh yes, vindictive Anastasia, someone is going down tonight. I finally understand why these two are best friends.
"Christian, can you take me to my apartment? It's getting cold and I need a shower." Her apartment? I want her in my penthouse, with me.
"Christian Grey?" A photographer from the Seattle Times startles us. "Can I have a picture, sir?"
A picture with Anastasia? In all my pictures I'm alone, I've always been very careful to avoid speculations. Anastasia takes a step back and that's all I need to make the decision, I want to be immortalized with my sweet girl.
"Sure." I grab her hand and pull her to my side. The photographer looks at both of us and can't hide his surprise. He snaps a couple of photos. "Mr. Grey and Miss . . . ?"
"Steele," I reply. "Miss Steele."
"Thank you sir."
She seems in shock. "Christian, what did you do?"
I circle her in my arms and whisper softly in her ear. "I wanted a picture with Miss Steele, she is such a good girl." She blushes and I can't contain my smile. Then I see her, a girl looking at us with so much disdain, like she's eaten something nasty and bitter.
"Anastasia, there is a girl staring at us, short black hair, brown eyes, red dress."
"That bitch!"
"Anastasia, calm down!" I can't stop smiling, I've never seen her like this. "Do you want her to turn green?"
Anastasia hugs me around my waist, a wicked grin on her face. "Please, Christian, green and orange."
"We aim to please, baby."
I sweep her off her feet, dipping her in a dramatic hold so that her hair touches the ground as I kiss her hard. Her mouth, her tongue, her scent, her fingers in my hair. Anastasia drives me crazy, it feels like a hurricane destroying every single barrier inside me.
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APOV.
He breaks off the kiss panting, eyes luminous, firing the already heated blood that is pounding through my body. My mouth is slack as I try to drag precious air into my lungs.
"I need you, Anastasia," he whispers, his forehead pressed against mine.
"I need you, too." And as I say the words, I am struck by how true they are. I cannot imagine being without Christian, ever. From the corner of my eye I can see Carmen's face, bright yellow. But I don't care anymore, all I can think of is what I want to do to Christian. I know Kate will 'finish' her mercilessly.
I whisper in his ear. "I want you... now."
He beams at me, then get serious all of a sudden, his eyes darkening with desire. "I want you too, let's go or I will fuck you right here in this gallery."
Oh God, right here, please. Before I know it, Christian is dragging me out of the building. "There is a hotel, lets go."
The Ballard Hotel is conveniently in front of the Art Gallery. As I stand beside him at the reception desk, I feel utterly, utterly ridiculous. Here I am, in one prestigious hotel without luggage, so everybody knows what we are here for. Christian hasn't stop caressing my hand with his thumb. He pays and signs the form without breaking our connection.
"You're in the Courtyard Suite, Mr. Grey, fifth floor." The girl looks at me with envy and condescension, I smirk. This Asgardian-vampire God will be mine tonight sweetheart, so you can give me all the nasty looks you want, he'll suck my blood and I will eat him alive. I blush at my inappropriate thoughts, who is this inside my head?
In the elevator he tugs my hand unexpectedly and I am in his arms. He grabs the hair at the nape of my neck, pulling gently so my head tips back. "You own me, Anastasia, I can't think clearly when you are next to me, my fate is in your hands."
Oh my!
His words are intoxicating and make me remember what I said to the butterfly in my dream. "Your fate is my fate, Christian." And in one nanosecond we are all hands and mouths and moans. "Fuck, Anastasia, I don't have a condom." "I do, I have two in my bag." He looks amused. Yes, Christian, now I go to work with condoms in my bag, guilty.
The elevator door opens. Christian lifts me in his arms taking me to the suite, but we can't make it to the bed, everything happens next to the door, fortunately on the right side of the wall.
I'm lost in Christian and I can feel he's lost in me. We are all Christian, and Anastasia, and yes, and fuck, and aah, and you're mine, and yes I'm yours, and move in with me, and... WHAT? I stare at him in disbelieve, but he gives me his shy smile and I can't help it. "Okay."
His gray eyes burn into mine while he recovers the rhythm, I stare back at him. Pulling his hair with both hands I follow his rhythm until I'm the one leading; his breathing becomes more erratic. "That's right, baby." I don't know if it is the episode with Hyde, the discussion with Christian, the lawyers, the police, or José's disrespect, but I need this. I need to see him surrendering to my intense yearning, my longing, my hunger for him, surrendering to the urgency of my desire. We come apart together, eyes open, mouths open, the world a blurry place that doesn't matter anymore. I'm moving in with Christian Grey.