Hi everyone!
I hope you enjoy this next chapter, it has a little bit of everything.
more answers to come next chapter!

Thank you for reading and for the reviews,
it keeps me going when I sometimes was to give up.

-A xoxo

I wake to the sound of water lightly crashing against the outside of the boat. Christian is passed out beside me, his arm draped heavily over my stomach. I slowly slide out from under him. I tiptoe out of the room and make my way up to the deck. He needs sleep more than I do. I walk around and examine the craftsmanship of the boat, touching the carvings in the woodwork. I find a lounge chair in the sun and lay down and close my e yes, enjoying the feel of the sun on my skin. I have been cooped up in the apartment for two weeks and I have been craving the sun on my skin like this. I listen to water against the boat. The breeze is refreshing and cools my skin from the humid air.

I sit there for some time before I feel my skin turning red and decide I need to find somewhere to cool down. When I stand up I almost fall backward, bumping into Christian. He catches me by my elbow with his left hand.

"Whoa!" I gasp.

"How long have you been out here? You look like you caught some sun." He runs the back of his fingers along my cheek. His fingers feel cool against my warm skin. I squint up at him. He pulls me into the shade. After a few seconds, my vision adjusts to the light change.

"Not long, I don't think. I lost track of time. I didn't want to wake you. You need the sleep," I say. He smirks at me.

"I guess that is true. How are you feeling?"

"Better, actually." It wasn't until he said something that I forgot all about getting sick earlier.

"Good. Let's eat." He grabs my hand and leads me to two seats in the shade. He motions for me to sit down and I realize he has a small basket in his hand. I giggle.

"Did you make it?" I smile at him. He arches an eyebrow at me.

"Why is that so funny, Ms. Steele?"

"The thought of you making food just makes me smile." I look up at him.

"You are the only person I will ever make food for," he laughs back. He sits down and opens the basket. Inside are two sandwiches and some salad. The food feels good in my empty stomach. We eat in silence, occasionally glancing at each other but, halfway through my salad, a question bubbles to the surface that I just can't ignore.

"Why didn't we come out here two weeks ago?" His eyes dart to mine. He swallows what is in his mouth and puts his food down. He looks away from me for a second and runs his hand through his hair.

"I thought it better to stay where we were; to guarantee that nothing would happen to you. Even just bringing you here was risky. I needed to know it was safe first. I had planned to take you here as soon as everything was taken care of but... things didn't go as planned. Taylor and I didn't see eye to eye on a few things," His phone starts ringing. He pulls his phone out of his pocket in a swift move. Not taking his eyes off mine, he answers it.

"Is it done?" he asks. Whoever is on the other end gives him an answer he is pleased with. He smiles at me and ends his call.

"We can go home anytime now." He reaches forward and grabs my hand.

"I would like to stay out here for a bit, if you don't mind. Until we run out of food or something. I think I need a break from..." I sigh, "all that."

He smirks at me.

"We have about three days worth of stuff."

"All I wanted was you to myself these last two weeks. I don't know if three days is enough."

He takes a deep breath. He puts his food on a nearby table and takes what I had left of mine and moves it. He pulls his chair closer to mine and sits down. His face is now inches from mine, his knees touching the front of my chair. He is so close it's intimidating.

"A lifetime with you wouldn't be enough." His eyes dart down to my lips. He quickly looks back up, his eyes gazing into mine. I feel my cheeks redden as I blush. I want to push my chair away but, at the same time, I want to throw myself at him. I hear myself panting, my body yearning for his. I want him to touch me but, instead, his hands are on either side of my chair. My hands are in my lap, rubbing together as I feel them getting clammy now.

"How about we go downstairs and you show me a preview of what a lifetime of being with Christian Grey is going to be like?" I giggle. His face lights up.

"Oh, I can do that." His one hand reaches out and touches my leg. His thumb starts rubbing circles up my inner thigh.

I am just about to reach out and touch him when his phone rings again. He rolls his eyes and pulls it out of his pocket, his hand still on my leg.

"It's my father."

"Dad," he answers. His eyes stay focused on mine until Carrick says something that catches him off guard. His hand on my leg thigh tightens causing me to flinch. He instantly lets go and stands up.

"That's a misunderstanding," he says firmly to Carrick. He looks sternly at me then walks away, but I can still hear him talking. "I know she told you... I know we do... I know but she had a gun to Ana's face... I wasn't going to let that happen... I... Wait... Yes." He hangs up the phone. He turns around slowly and looks at me. His eyes scan my face for a second. "We have to go back. I need to speak with my parents."

"We have to leave right now?" My heart is racing with disappointment. He fiddles with the phone for a second and then puts it in his pocket. He walks over and sits in front of me again. I look down at my hands and I feel the sudden urge to cry with disappointment that we don't get to be alone out here. I hold back my pain from being shown on the outside. Christian lifts my chin up with his finger and makes me look at him.

"We can spare an hour." He smiles. I fill with butterflies and I can't help but smile back. I could live with an hour alone if that's the alternative to none.

"When will I get some answers?" I pout. "I feel like I missed a lot of information. Where were your men? Why was no one watching the elevator?"

"The less you know the better. For now anyways." He tips his head to the side and squints his eyes at me. "Do you want to spend the next hour talking or..." he leans forward slowly and starts kissing my neck. I close my eyes and let out a breath I was holding in. He stops and pulls away from my neck. His hot breath lingers on my throat for a second before he pulls back enough so I can see his eyes.

"I choose that," I say, panting. He smiles and stands. He pulls me up with him and then throwing me over his shoulder. I squeal like a little girl. "Put me down!" I giggle as he swings around and walks toward the back of the boat where the door to the downstairs is.

"For the next hour my hands are not leaving this body," he says. I gasp. "Another hour wouldn't hurt." He mumbles as we descend down the stairs.

Taylor is picking us up from the dock. He's waiting anxiously at the end. I can tell he is nervous as his body is more tense than usual and his eyes are down.

"Are you going to fire him? I don't want you to." I look up at Christian as we continue to walk down the dock. He doesn't look at me but answers.

"I haven't decided."

"Oh," I whisper. He glances at me from the corner of his eye. The idea of not having Taylor around would actually sadden me. I have grown accustomed to having him around and I feel safe. Not as safe as when Christian is by my side but I know that Taylor would also lay his life down for me. The idea both saddens and comforts me. I greet Taylor with a smile. He doesn't look up at me but opens the door. His quiet tone is alarming. I give Christian a look but he nods toward the car, ushering me to get in. I get in just as he is handing Taylor the bags. The door shuts.

I can hear them talking but it's muffled. I catch words like "job" and "from now on". I play with the hem of my summer dress. I'm exhausted from our afternoon.

He was so gentle with me, making love as if it were the first time. Every time with him feels just as exciting and new as the last. I never know which Christian I am going to get in bed but the thought excites me. He never stops amazing me with how he can make me feel.

I turn a little in the seat and rest my head against the soft leather. I'm thankful for the tinted windows as it blocks out the glaring sun. I feel sad I'm not lying back in the sun on the boat, listening to the boat rock in the waves. The door opens and I watch as he slides in and looks over to me. He studies how I'm sitting and how my knees are up on the seat and almost touching his. He smiles at me.

"I really just want to take you home and finish our afternoon the same way it started." His flashes his teeth at me. Taylor slides into the driver's seat and we pull away. I look out the back window at the dock.

"I really want to be back on the boat right now." I pout. I glance over at him. He lowers his eyes to my exposed legs.

"You act as though I don't want that to. Things are complicated right now. I need to speak with my father immediately." He looks back up at me.

"Maybe we can come back out here for a weekend sometime soon. Just the two of us." He nods. I look back out the window but the dock is far in the distance now. I spin around and cross my arms. Looking out the side window and angling my body away from him. I feel his eyes on me. We sit in silence for a few minutes.

"Can you please talk to me, Anastasia?" he asks. He reaches out and strokes my arm lightly. I look down at his hand and then up at him over my shoulder.

"I am just confused, that's all" I sigh. I set my chin on my shoulder and look down at his other hand. Not wanting to make eye contact with him, I decide to study the lines in his hands but it only leads to me thinking about his hands on my body and I get flustered. I look away.

"Are you confused about wanting to be with me? Are you regretting accepting my proposal?" he asks. I snap my head in his direction. My mouth falls slightly open.

"I'm appalled you think I would leave. No." I shake my head. "I'm confused about everything and I'm worried you're going to get arrested, Christian." I look nervously at Taylor and then back to Christian. I whisper, "you had a man killed, for Gads sake." I sniffle and shake my head. "I am not upset Jack's dead." I shake my head slowly with my eyes closed to stop myself from losing my mind. "I am upset that you could go to prison." I slowly open my watery eyes and look at him. His eyes narrow. His hand on my shoulder flexes.

"Would it be so bad if I tell you not to worry about these things? Everything was carefully done." He leans forward and gets close. "Ana, I will never go to jail – ever. Don't worry about something that will never be."

"But if she got the tape, can't others?" I ask. He studies my face for a second.

"She got the tape from the same person who used to hack your email at SIP and plant the evidence. That person has been heavily paid off and papers have been signed that it will never lead back to me. Jack had an accident and that's how it will remain to the world. There are a handful of people who know and none who will talk." He takes a breath. "The only thing that matters is your safety. No one will ever harm you, my sweet Ana..." He reaches up and strokes my face. "I would kill a thousand people if it meant keeping you safe." His words send a sharp chill through my whole body. He eyes me curiously. He sits back as rubs his chin. I'm unable to answer him, my head swirling around his words of committing mass murder to protect me. I turn and look back out the window. His words feel wrong.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, his words cutting through the silence. I slowly turn and look at him.

"Better, I suppose. My body is really tired though. More than usual." I look back out the window. "I told you it was motion sickness; all the rocking and such. I just need my land legs back." I feel like I'm talking to my reflection. I hear him shuffle and change position.

"Taylor." He barks loudly.

"Sir."

"Head to Escala," he says.

"Sir," Taylor nods.

I snap my head towards Christian. "I thought we were going to your parents?" I ask, confused.

"I am," he answers back. I know that means he is going to leave me at Escala, alone. Right now, that is the last thing I want. I turn and look out the window the rest of the way, my arms tightly crossed in front of me.

When Christian leaves, I pace Escala for over an hour. Images of that night flash through my head and make it hard to concentrate. He said he won't be back till late so I decide I won't stay cooped up here any longer. If the threat is gone then I see no harm in going to the market down at the pier.

At least I can enjoy the sunshine in some way. I grab a pair of sunglasses, my purse, and head towards the elevator.

I look around for Sawyer. I hear him on the phone in the small office off the foyer. I tiptoe to the elevator and press the button. I hope I can slide in and shut the doors before Sawyer sees or hears. The doors shoot open. I hear Sawyer stop talking and I know I only have seconds. I dash in and press the button to close the door. The last thing I see is Sawyer's surprised face. I shrug my shoulders at him and give him an apologetic smile.

I fumble with my keys and drop them twice before I reach my car, afraid to look over my shoulder and see Sawyer. I manage to get out of the garage and once my tires hit the road, I feel a sense of release and freedom. I know Sawyer called Christian right away anyway.

I get to the market and the birds are chirping under the shining sun. It feels so good. I walk around the bustling people till the sky starts to dim with the colors of a sunset. I smile at an adorable little girl I see holding her mother's hand. She waves to me and I give her a wave back. I can't help but stare at her copper hair and bright blue eyes.

Suddenly a teen in a short yellow dress bumps into my arm causing me to lose balance and fall over and onto the ground. I quickly get up and compose myself. I look over at her. She's with a tall, dark-skinned girl who is very pretty. Her hair falls to her shoulders in tight black curls. The girl who bumped into me was a shorter blonde girl with average features. She scowls at me.

"I'm sorry, I just got distracted looking at..." I look back towards the little girl but she is gone now. This saddens me for some reason.

"Watch where you're going, bitch!" She snaps at me. I am taken aback by this girl's attitude; she bumped into me to begin with. I don't even have a second to respond before she throws her long, blond hair over her shoulder like we're in a shampoo commercial. I roll my eyes as the girls walk in front of me and continue on with their day. I brush my dress flat and walk slowly down the market strip. I barely look up from the ground, only to gaze at what people are selling.

I'm looking down when I notice the familiar feet of the girl in the yellow dress. Her matching yellow shoes make her hard to miss. She is stopped dead in the middle of the market. Her friend frozen in place too. I stare at them for a second from the side. I follow their eyes and they lead me to him.

Christian is standing not too far from us in his v-neck, white t-shirt and dark blue jeans. He stands out in the crowd. His eyes are coldly staring at me, his head tilted to the side. People passing by glance at him but the girls next to me are gawking. It's highly annoying. I hear the word "Grey" in her conversation with her friends.

He's angry. Angry probably doesn't cover how he feels. The girls notice he isn't looking at them and start whispering to each other again. They turn their heads to their left and the blonde's eyes narrow on me.

"What are you starting at?" she grunts at me.

"You drooling over my future husband," I say with a smile on my face. She twists her face up in a disgusted manner.

"You wish," she spits.

My eyes flicker back to Christian. He is now slowly walking towards me. His one hand tucked into his pocket. His other freely hanging by his side. The girls next to me do a double take to make sure they see he is walking right towards me and not them.

"Hi," I say. His demeanor almost makes me cower. He doesn't even pay attention to the two girls who were so nasty to me previously. He places one hand on my lower back and pulls me to him. He bends down and whispers in my ear, to passersbys it looks like he is kissing my cheek.

"Do you have any idea what I had to go through to find you?" He growls. His fingers flex on my back. He pulls away and looks down on me.

"There isn't a threat anymore, Christian. Please. You're making a scene." I look around us. We have gathered some attention; it's not everyday that Christian Grey is seen out in a public place with a girl. The two teens continue to stare at us in disbelief. I know I'm already in trouble, so why not push it a little further?

I pull Christian's face to mine and give him a hard kiss, probably a little more hot than what would normally be considered acceptable in a public setting. When we pull back I can practically hear the girls crying but my eyes are glued to Christian.

"Let's get you home, Ms. Steele," Christian says in an authoritative voice but his smile gives him away. We link hands and head back out through the market, leaving the girls, the onlookers, and my sour mood in the past.

Huge shout out to my beta for her help with this chapter!- dontcare89