Chapter 22 - Executing the Plan

July 12, 2011

I am at my desk reviewing my legal team's opinion on the Elena Lincoln situation when I am interrupted by Andrea on my intercom. "Mr. Grey, I have your grandfather on the line for you."

I pretty much know what this is about. Shit. "Gramps how are you this morning?"

"Well Christian, I'm alive another day. So that is good news the way I see it. Ha. Any rate you know why I am calling don't you son? "

"Yes sir, I think I do." I am not going to spill my guts until he is a bit more specific.

"I saw the Nooz this morning. That god damn piece of crap newspaper has been getting away with printing garbage for years." He pauses. "But Christian, you know what they say, where there is smoke there is fire, right? So, I don't think most people give a damn that you were out doing what a young man does before he settles down and finds a good one like our Ana. But, I called Sam a few minutes ago to find out what your response was going to be on this and he said you directed him to go with a no comment. Is that correct?"

I sit up. If my Grandfather thinks I have mishandled this, I need to listen. His instincts are usually spot on. "Yes, that is correct. Do you feel I need to comment about my past sexual history?"

"Hell no, I don't think you need to comment about what you do in your bedroom, Christian, but you should head this off. This could be trouble for you. If the Nooz digs hard enough and offers enough money, one of these young ladies might just come forward and tell them something you don't want people to know. I am not saying that you have anything to hide, but you sure as hell look like you do when you don't comment, which makes the media hungrier."

Well I do have something to hide. Quite a bit in fact. So, I am not sure what I need to do here. "What do you suggest I do here Gramps?"

"There must be one of the young ladies in that list of hundreds, by the way pretty impressive numbers, that would be willing to say something such as: I signed an NDA, and while I am not at liberty to discuss my relationship with Mr. Grey, or what kind of relationship it was, he was a complete gentleman and I enjoyed his company. Nothing more. Can you think of anyone that might be willing to do that Christian?

Why is my past coming back to bite me in the ass, just when I finally found a way out of that dark life. I can feel the tension in my neck. Elliot and I are working out together tonight, man that can't come soon enough. Having Gramps on this call and all the awkward conversations with my parents is starting to wear on me. Fuck! So, yes maybe I can get Jenna, a former sub to do this. Jenna and I ended it civilly right before Leila. She wasn't cut out to be a sub and was hoping to settle down and have a family someday. I ran into her last year at the marina where I keep The Grace and she was happily married with a new baby. She introduced me to her husband as one of her former boyfriends. I could tell she had not shared with him anything about her previous lifestyle so I played off that I was a previous boyfriend.

I sigh loud enough for my grandfather to hear. "I can reach out to one of them, but then won't they all start coming out of the woodwork wanting to go public if they see that one of the others violated their NDA?"

"You have Sam call his contact at the Nooz. Tell them that one of your former girlfriends will talk to them, but must remain anonymous. Sam is with her when she is interviewed, she only confirms that you were a gentlemen. The Nooz quits digging into this because they see there isn't a story there and it goes away. Then arrange a sit down interview for you and Ana as soon as possible with one of the bigger rags, US or People and get Ana to say you have been honest with her and your both happy etc., You have been honest with her haven't you Christian?"

"Yes, she knows everything. Christ Gramps why do people care about this shit? I don't give a damn about what anyone else is doing in their private life."

I hear my grandfather chuckle. "I'm with you on that, but you're a good looking kid, very wealthy, self made and you have been an enigma. Some of it is curiosity and some of it is that there are people out there that would like to see you taken down a notch. That is why I think you need to shut this down before they try to find the story on their own," Gramps is right. Once again. "If you have another minute, I have one more thing to discuss with you."

"Of course. You know I respect your opinion above all others. What else is on your mind?"

"You're a stubborn young man. You need someone with bigger balls in your PR department who will stand up to you." I can't help but laugh hearing my grandfather be so candid. "Sam is a nice enough kid, but he needs to tell you what you need to do in these matters and fight you when you're wrong. I think you intimidate him and he just isn't the man for the job in my opinion. Maybe second in command, but you need someone with a bit more seasoning." I wish I could put in an office right next to mine and have Gramps sit in there all day, every day.

"Funny you should say that. I just told Ros to start discretely looking around for someone to take over that role and offer Sam a less senior role. I agree. So Gramps, are you sure I can't lure you out of retirement?"

He laughs. "Nothing I would like more than to work with my brilliant grandson. I wish I was a younger man Christian. But, I think your grandmother would think I was nuts if I left retirement, and I could never leave poor old Champ. Okay kid, you know what needs to be done right. I will let you go so you can do some damage control."

I hang up from my grandfather and there is that painful feeling I get whenever I think about my life without him. He just needs to live a hell of a long time. That's all there is too it.

I immediately execute the plan and get the wheels in motion with Sam to get this idea of Gramps in tomorrow's Nooz addition. I need to call Jenna, which will be very awkward, but maybe I can put a plea into her about wanting to be happy with Ana like she is with her husband, and see if she can help me shut this down. I think she will agree as long as she is able to comment off the record and as an unnamed source. Then I need to call Ana, tell her what I am doing as I don't want her to think I am calling ex subs behind her back. I also need to convince her to do a story with me for one of the national magazines. I am not sure how she will take that. She is pretty shy.

Taylor comes in my office to tell me that Sawyer and Ana were greeted this morning by a large number of the media wanting her comment on the Nooz story. Sawyer said she walked past the reporters and smiled and did great, but immediately started crying once she got inside the building. Fuck.

"Hi, are you okay Ana?" She hasn't called me to tell me about this, which bothers me. "I heard you were pretty upset this morning. Why didn't you call me?"

"I'm fine. I just hate it when they are screaming at me and I didn't call you because you must thing I am the biggest cry baby in the world. Sawyer has a big mouth, let's not talk about this." Ana sounds like she's in a bad mood, but otherwise okay, so I fill her in on my conversation with Gramps and ask her to consider the interview. She really doesn't want to do it, but finally agrees.

"You know baby, this is a first for me too. I have never sat down and had an interview with any reporter about my personal life. Only business. I gave Sam the list of questions that the reporter can stick to and a list of questions that they can't ask. So, hopefully this will be a one page spread, with us sitting on a couch, showing everyone how hot you are. I will try to cover my perpetual hard on that I have when I am with you and then we can tell them that we fuck 21 times a week. You know just a normal interview. How does that sound?" She laughs and I think she is out of her bad mood. We hang up and I look for Jenna's cell number.

Ana's POV

I just arrived home and I am waiting for Christian. Kate and Elliot are coming over tonight. Kate is going to help me find the wedding favors, and Elliot and Christian are having a two hour workout with Claude. They evidently like to beat the hell out of each other, I guess they consider this their bonding time. I know Kate and Elliot had a long talk the other night but I have no idea how it went, so I am sure she will fill me in.

I met with Mrs. Kavenagh during lunch and she loved the veil from Mrs. Trevelyan. She is going to take it to a friend of hers that restores old fabric to see if they can get the yellowish stain it has picked up from years in storage. She also brought me a sample of the fabric for my dress and it is very delicate and beautiful. I love it! I need to get it to the florist so they can match it to my bouquet and to take it with me when I look for my wedding shoes. Mrs. Kavenagh also recommended a hair stylist/make-up artist by the name of Jade. She called her for me and we are going to meet Thursday after work. She is located right next to the office where I see Dr. Greene and I have an appointment for my shot that afternoon as well. Finally, I will be able to report back to Kate the drill sergeant that I have addressed a few items on the list.

"Man, you are in another world." Christian bends down to kiss me. I am sitting on the couch in the living room with one leg tucked up underneath me, my shoes kicked off on the floor and holding a wedding gift one of my authors sent to me today. I didn't even hear Christian come in. He sits down next to me. "Are you okay, I said your name several times." He is smiling at me and takes my foot out from underneath me and then pulls me on his lap. He looks inside the gift box at six glass birds with holes in the middle. He scrunches up his face and I can tell he doesn't like the birds.

I cuddle up into him and put my head on his shoulder. "I am fine. I just have a lot to do and I guess I was thinking about everything. Don't you like the napkin holder's?" He says he thinks they are fairly worthless and never has understood the point of napkin holders, but if I like them, then fine. "No, they really aren't my style either. Did you call your ex- sub?" This has been on my mind all day. I didn't want to make this a big deal but I don't like him calling his former subs just like he would go crazy if I called an ex- boyfriend – if I had one.

Christian kisses my forehead. "Yes. She came over about 4:30 and Sam arranged to have the Nooz reporter interview her on the grounds she would stay anonymous. Before you even ask, I didn't see her." He knows me well. Good, that would have made me angry.

"I need to change my clothes. Elliot is going to be here in about 25 minutes. I have been looking forward to kicking his ass since he opened his big mouth the other day and told my dad all about our vows issue."

I tell Christian that Mrs. Kavenagh came to see me at work and that I got quite a lot done for a change. I remind him that we need to stop and get the marriage license soon and we agree to drive into work together on Friday and stop for our license on our way in. Wow, getting our license will really make it feel official. I can't believe in 16 days I will be married.

Christian moves my hair away from my ear and whispers, "I can't wait until your Mrs. Grey." And the way he says this so closely and softly in my ear gives me goose bumps and I scrunch my head down onto my shoulder. "Does it tickle or turn you on when I talk in your ear softly Miss Steele?" Christian is holding my face so I can't move and whispering in my ear again. I start laughing.

"Stop! It is making me all, you know," and I wiggle my butt in his lap. He looks at his watch and I look at it with him. Twenty minutes before Elliot and Kate arrive. Christian raises his eyebrow and stands up and carries me into the bedroom.

"Let's see what we can do in twenty minutes with that wiggly little butt of yours shall we?"

Elliot's POV

Fuck, and I thought I was a horny bastard. Kate and I arrived on time and the only person to be found is Gail, who is making dinner for all of us to eat, after our workout. Kate sits down and starts talking to Gail and I walk around looking for Christian. It doesn't take me long as I walk by his closed bedroom door and hear Ana crying out and then Christian yelling "Oh fuck!" At least I can tell they are finished. While I am there I check out the job one of my guys did to fix the hole in the wall then I walk down to Taylor's office quietly and see him reviewing some CCTV footage.

"Hey." I yell out. Hoping I scare him like he did me the other day. Steely bastard doesn't even move. He looks up at me and grins.

"You know we have cameras everywhere but the bathrooms and bedrooms right? So your ugly ass walking down the hallway wasn't a big surprise. What's up?"Taylor stands up and comes around to shake my hand.

"I am working out with Christian tonight. He told me you were getting too weak and he needed some real competition," I grin at him. I look down the hallway and then come back in and whisper, "Are we good to go on the arrangements this weekend?"

"Yes Elliot. But I am telling you that if I lose my job over this, you're making me a Senior Vice President at Grey Construction, you will match my current salary and give me six days a week off." I grin at him. "Elliot, you won't be fucking grinning when I show up at your work site Monday morning."

"Chill dude, I have your back on this. He won't do shit to you. Pissed probably, but it's my neck he will want to rip off." I hear Christian calling my name and see him walking down the hallway.

"What are you doing? Claude is waiting on us?" Christian acts all put out like he has been waiting on me.

"Don't give me that shit you fucking horn dog. I heard you a mile away getting your rocks off. I've been waiting on you. Do you ever give Ana a rest?" He grins like a guy that has just been laid. We leave with Taylor following us. When he isn't working out with Christian he usually stands outside of the gym to encourage other tenants in the building to come back later.

We ride down to the gym which is state of the art. Claude is on the tread mill getting some time in while we try to outdo each other with our lifts. I wait until Christian is on the bench press and can't get up to make my little announcement. My strategy is to add enough weights that he needs me to spot him and then I plan to tell him that the bachelor and bachelorette parties are this weekend. Everything is in place and there isn't a thing he can do to stop it.

"So, you want another 20 pounds? Come on you pussy." Christian grunts "bring it on" and I add another 10 pound weight to each side. With the added weights he is at an impressive 245, and considerably more than he usually lifts. I stand behind the bench making sure he is steady while he does his first set. "So this weekend we are having the bachelor and bachelorette party. We are not going to Vegas so there is no need to get pissed."

Christian is grunting. "What the fuck Elliot?" He grunts again," grab the fucking bar and no god damn party."

I help him hold the bar but I don't put it back on the bench stand. I help hold it about six inches over his chest and smile down at him. "What was that Christian?"

"Don't be a fucking dick Elliot. Lift the mother fucker."

"Watch your language little bro. Now, I will put it back but are you going to be a nice little groom to be and cooperate with me on this issue?" I hope he agrees soon, my god damn arms are getting tired.

"I am not fucking kidding Elliot, my arms are shaking here."He is grunting and his face is getting red.

"Yea mine too. So just say yes you'll cooperate, and we can put this bad boy down." I look and Claude has come over.

"You two dudes need to be careful. You need help Elliot?"

This standoff probably needs to end, but I need him to say yes.

"You know I am going to get up off this bench and break your god damn neck right?" Christian grunts.

"Say yes you stupid son of a bitch. My arms are starting to hurt too. Don't be so stubborn Christian. I promise it will all be good." I yell at him. Claude steps forward, ready to grab the bar. I shake him off.

"Yes! Okay. Grab the fucking bar." Christian says between clenched teeth. His eyes are piercing. He is so pissed off I am totally expecting him to punch me. I grab the bar and Claude helps me place it. Christian bolts up and comes at me and he knocks me right on my ass."

Christian's POV

I can't believe I just hit my brother. But he was fucking around with weights which can be dangerous and he super pissed me off. I know he wasn't going to drop the weights on me and he is a beast. He can lift more than me. But he fucked with me and that made me crazy. He set me up on this god damn party, forcing me to agree to it. He is lying on the floor mat and he is looking in the mirror that lines the entire wall. He has a pretty good bruise already coming on his chin. I am surprised I didn't knock him out cold.

"Fuck Christian, you put a dent in this pretty face." Then Elliot starts laughing hysterically. What the hell? Sometimes I think he is more fucking nuts than I am. I go over and reach down to pull him up.

"Sorry for hitting you Elliot. I shouldn't have done that." He is rubbing his jaw. I feel like such a dick. But he had it coming.

"Nice punch. But no damage. I knew it was coming so I was totally ready for it. But, see I had to take one for the team to get you to say yes for the bachelor party. It was worth it. So, let's get some kickboxing in with Claude here, so I can get some revenge for that punch and then I can tell you what you need to know about the bachelor party."

I grin at him. "Seriously Elliot, sorry about that. But I think you know I am more interested in what the girls are doing? I don't want Ana anywhere that she won't be safe."

"I'll tell you what you need to know, after we work out. Let's go so we can get this done and have dinner. Plus I need to get Kate home; we still haven't had our makeup sex." Elliot grabs his balls. "The boys are feeling a bit full."

Ana's POV

Kate has just told me that this weekend we are having the bachelor and bachelorette parties. They are all planned and there is nothing Christian will be able to do to stop them. She said Elliot has probably already told Christian. But she won't tell me any of the details, just that from early Saturday morning until late Sunday afternoon, she owns me.

"It's going to be great Ana. We didn't tell you anything because we didn't want you two to stop the plans, but everything is done and the mogul won't be able to interfere. Elliot said they wouldn't come up from their workout until Christian agreed."

"I don't know Kate. He is going to be so worried about what we are doing and this is going to cause so many fights." I am dreading this. It should be fun, but I just know this will be a disaster. "Who is going with us besides you, me and Mia?"

Kate stands up and gets another glass of wine. I hold my glass out for her to refill. "Gail, Grace, Mia, Jenny, Allison, Amanda, Ros and her partner, my mom, Grandma Trevelyan and are you ready….your mom! It will be a blast."Jenny, Allison and Amanda are good friends of ours from college and I invited them to the wedding.

"Grandma Trevelyan? Are you kidding me? I love her, but do you think she is up for a bachelorette party?"

"Aren't you even excited about your mom coming?" Kate asks. "We had to pull out the stops to make that happen. She is flying out here Friday and then back to GA and then back again five days later. This took great orchestrating on Elliot's part."

"Yes, of course, I am thrilled my mom will be here, but I can't believe Grandma Trevelyan is up to this."

"No sweat Ana, she is super excited. She's a blast. She can't wait." I must have a shocked look on my face. "Look, Elliot approached her at the July 4th party. She is our ace in the hole. Christian won't think we will be doing anything crazy if she is with us and when she is with us, we won't." I can't tell you more, but I promise, she is so excited she has called me twice to go over what she should pack."

"Pack, where are we going?" I can't believe this. Kate shakes her head and twist her lips, letting me know she isn't telling me."

We hear the elevator ping informing us that Elliot and Christian are back with Taylor. They are laughing and super sweaty. Wait, they are laughing. Elliot must not have told Christian. They both announce that they are taking quick showers, and Elliot grabs his bag and runs upstairs to the guest room with Kate running after him. What the heck is going on?

Christian comes over to me and acts like he is going to hug me. He is dripping wet and his clothes are soaked. I run to the other side of the kitchen counter. He is rubbing his side and lifts his shirt. "Christian is that a bruise?" He nods his head like it's no big deal.

"So did you find some wedding favors?" he asks. No way did Elliot tell him anything. He is acting way too normal.

"Yes. So did you and Elliot talk about anything?" I need to know what he knows.

"Yea lots of things. He and Kate are cool again. He delivered a portable trailer at the new house for an onsite office and some portable johns and he told me that we are both having our bachelor/bachelorette parties this weekend."He winks at me as he heads to the bedroom. He knows that was what I was waiting for.

"Christian, wait. Are you okay with this?"

He shrugs and pulls my lip. "Don't bite your lip baby. Yes, I am okay with it. I mean I hate bachelor parties and all that shit, and I didn't want you to have a crazy bachelorette party, but I think your pretty safe with my grandmother going along with you. And apparently my grandfather is coming with us. I have no idea what Kate and Elliot are up to, but I think it should be okay. Shit, this better be worth it. I ended up punching my brother at one point tonight, but we're cool now."

'Oh my god, you punched Elliot. Why?" I can't believe this, I feel like I am the only one that doesn't know what is going on. "Christian, seriously why did you punch Elliot?"

"I will tell you after my shower. Baby, come on I'm starving and they will be waiting. I already took shit for making him wait earlier when we were fucking."

"Oh my god, how does he know we were having sex?" Christian is naked and comes up to me to give me a quick kiss. "Ana, I think the whole building knows what we were doing, you are quite the little screamer." I blush 100 shades of red and he starts laughing. That bastard!

Elliot's POV

I am stripping my sweaty clothes off and have just turned on the shower in the guest room when Kate comes running in.

"So, what happened?" She is all excited.

I point at my chin. "Well that is what happened for starters." Kate looks at me and comes over and kisses my chin.

"Is that it? You thought it would be worse." She kisses me again. "Does it hurt?"

"Well it doesn't feel great but, he took one shot and that was it. And guess what baby? He bought it hook line and sinker. The plan has been executed and everything is a go."

"Good job baby. Kate high fives me and jumps into my arms wrapping her legs around me. She gives me a really deep kiss.

I put her down and unzip her skirt, "And what about Ana?"

She has a huge smile on her face as she pulls her shirt off. "Like feeding candy to a baby! She bought it too."

"We are a good team you hot, devious sexy woman." Kate strips out of her cloths and pushes me into the shower launching herself at me.

I am going to take my sweet time with Kate and enjoy every minute of it knowing my little bro is waiting for me this time.