Chapter 25: Happy Birthday To You- PT 2

Disclaimer: FSOG belongs to EL James

A/N: Thank you for reading, reviewing and following - Please Enjoy

Bereft of speech, I have no words for his simple, beautiful, impassioned prose and in this case, it doesn't even matter; they'd be no match for his. I was moved and at the same time aroused. He'd touched something inside of me, I didn't realize existed. Twisting my entire body, my arms fly up going to his neck.

"Thank you, I love it. I love you," I whisper in his ear. Breathing in his fresh, clean manly scent I bury my head in the crook of his neck. He then nudges me, and tilting my head back I stare up at him. Blues eyes to blue eyes we get lost in each other as the sultry voice of Luther Vandross reverberates in the apartment. Hooking his arm around me Luke secures my body to his and keeping his eyes focused on me he reaches back with his free hand grabbing hold of the chair. Bracing against it, he starts to come to his feet with me in his lap. He stands, with me dangling from his neck and instinctively I draw my legs up locking them in place around his waist.

His laser-like stare is so intense, it feels like he's scrutinizing my every wanton line on my face, committing my expression to memory. Smirking at me lasciviously, leaning Luke reaches over to the table gathering my birthday cards holding them up. "We'll, need these," he says, a devilish grin on his face. Moving his hands to under the circle of my butt, over the fabric of my dress he cups me there nudging me upward until our lips are touching.

With me entwined around him like Ivy, Luke stalks to my bedroom, pushing the door open with his feet. Bursting inside, he drops the cards on the bed, and then with "You're so amazing", playing on repeat he steps to the dresser setting me on my feet facing the mirror.

Positioning himself at my back Luke grabs a handful of my hair, bringing it to his nose. "Mmm," he purrs, sniffing the strands as they sift through his fingers, "your hair always smell so good," he says. "You always smell so good," he says, huskily as his nose grazes my neck when he sweeps my hair to over one shoulder.

His nimble fingers find the zipper at the back of my dress and slowly bringing it down, they lightly skim the exposed skin as he goes. "Ah," I moan, his touch sending shivers over my heated skin.

Angling his head slightly to the side, Luke grins coyly, when he sees that my chest is bare under the dress. "No bra," he growls, dragging it titillatingly slow across my naked back to my shoulder, "Is this my present?"

"Yes," I say, panting. Heat pooling between my legs. He is fire and I am the moth to his flame.

"Happy birthday to me, then," he says, pushing the dress off my shoulders and down my arms. My head rolls downward, as my eyes follow it sinking to the floor pooling at my feet leaving me only in my lace thong and high heel shoes. "Hold your head up," Luke urges, "Look in the mirror," he orders, gently.

Bringing my head forward, I stare in the mirror salivating as he undresses. It's all very, Eyes Wide Shut, and sultry as all get out; me watching him watching me watching him. Luke makes quick work of his clothing and soon his perfect physique is on display for me to savor. And I can't resist it no more so stepping from under the pink cloud at my feet, I swivel abandoning my post in front of the mirror to come face to face with his chiseled body. The sweat glistening on every inch of it, is creating a devilish playground and I can't wait for my chance to play.

Tilting my head up, I stare longingly in his eyes dark with need as my palms hover inches from his chest, teasing him. When I finally touch him, I feel his body jerk beneath my fingers and I hear his soft intake of breath. Except the smattering of hair at the center, his chest is smooth. The sweat making it easy for my hands to glide over the plain of it appreciating his every muscle; exploring his body in ways I'd never had. Sure I've buried my face between his legs and curled my lips around his length, but never this.

My hands landing on his nipples, I decide turnaround is fair play; so giving him a playful grin I tweak them. Hard. A low moan escapes his mouth. Upping the pleasure quotient, I bend my head down grazing my teeth over one nipple, before sucking and taking it between my teeth biting down hard. Then I do the same to the other.

"Yesss," he says, moaning weaving his hands through my hair tugging on it so he can stay upright.

Shaking my head to loosen his grip on my hair, I start making my way down his torso, peppering kisses on every peak and valley as I go. Peeking up at him through my lashes, Luke is looking down at me in awe. Bringing my head back down, I pause at the patch of hair that leads to the place that brings me unbelievable joy. And then breathing in his spicy, musky, manly essence, I plant feather kisses all the way down his happy trail stopping at his erection. Popping the hard member in my mouth, I take him to the back of my throat.

"Oh fuck," Luke cries out.

When he returns from his mind altering orgasm, Luke reaches down and putting his hands on both sides of my face he brings me up to his face. Tilting his head down, Luke sucks my lips teasing them apart and his tongue easily slides in probing my mouth and swirling around my tongue. Deepening the kiss, he bites on my lower lip until there is the faint taste of blood and sucking on my tongue feverishly he mixes the tastes. It's dark and very erotic. Releasing me, Luke licks the remaining spec of blood from my lip.

"You're amazing," he says and his eyes are carnal," and I want to be inside you now." Spinning me so I'm again facing the mirror, Luke shoves me against the dresser and hitching his finger in the small lace triangle he rips it from my body.

Positioning himself between my legs, Luke then takes his feet nudging my feet further apart as he rubs his semi-hard length against my buttocks until he's again fully erect. But it is when he comes close to the entrance of my rosebud, I flinch. I'm concerned that I won't be able to take him without the proper pre-planning; the condoms, the lube, and not to mention the mental preparation.

Twisting my hair around his hand Luke bends his head and he nibbles on my earlobe. "Relax," he whispers in my ear, "not tonight," he says and my body visibly sags. "I can't wait anymore," he says, breathing hard he releases my hair and he hooks his arm around my waist forcing my behind to jut outward. Then removing his arm, he brings it forward resting his forearm on my spine holding me in place and he penetrates me in one deep thrust. The shock of it making me cry out, and the force propelling me forward.

"So, so, good," Luke says, grunting. It's a guttural sound he makes. "You feel…," he says, hoarsely as he slams into me again. "It's heaven," he growls out. Then he stills, gearing up for more. "Keep your eyes open," he says, "I want you to see what I see. How beautiful you are when you're being fucked."

Fixing my eyes on the scene playing out in the mirror, I don't see the same woman he'd described. She's not beautiful, she's not unattractive…she's me. Plain Anastasia, skin glowing with perspiration and flushed with a heat that can only be extinguished by the gorgeously handsome man taking her unapologetically hard. Luke's got it all wrong, he's the beautiful one in this scenario. I'd never noticed the way his full lips curl up into a perfect O when he's at the precipice. Or the way his pectoral muscles flex when he thrusts into me, or the way his biceps bulge when he really goes deep. And now that he's coming undone, I'm mesmerized by the full range of emotion his face is able to convey when he orgasms. Then feeling my walls clenching around him, I succumb to the pleasure of darkness.

I didn't know when it happened when I'd lost consciousness, but I did. For a moment anyway. It wasn't a loss of consciousness in the true sense of the word, more like a moment of sublime ecstasy, with all the clichés; fireworks, stars, yadda, yadda, yadda. I experienced it all and it was great. I feel so in love I'm stupefied.

"Hopefully, I put that smile on your face," Luke says, when he approaches the bed, holding the damp washcloth he'd gone to retrieve. Putting his hand down, he causes the bed to dip slightly before he rests a knee on the edge.

A megawatt smile on my face, I sit up and throw myself at him wrapping my arms around his neck almost knocking him backward. "You most certainly did," I say, emphatically as I tug on his neck pulling him closer to me. I need him. I need him inside me. Abruptly, I untangle my arms from his neck and gaze into his kind beautiful face. "Make love to me," I tell him. It's a quiet plea rather than a desperate call to action. "I want to feel you in me again."

Tucking my sweat-drenched hair, behind my ears, his loving eyes look deep into mine.

"You're insatiable," he says, smirking.

"It's your fault, you opened my small mind up to the myriad of possibilities."

"What, sexy?" he asks, choking back his laughter.

"Yes. You've enlightened me sexually. Awakening me in ways I never could've imagined. Most importantly it's the way you love me when you make love to me." Crushing his lips to mine, Luke pushes me backward taking me into a passionate kiss.

Hovering over me, he rubs the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip. "I've gotta a lot to live up to," he murmurs. "Then I better get you clean so I can dirty you up again." He smirks, and reaching out to the bedside table, he selects "You're beautiful" meanwhile I get in a better positioned.

Picking up the washcloth, the bed dips further as he crawls between my legs and standing on his knees, Luke presses down on my inner thighs forcing them wider apart. And without preamble, he starts dragging the warm cloth along my folds grazing the nub before bringing it to my thighs. Trimmers cover my body and I whimper murmuring my pleasure.

"Stay still," Luke says and he lays his body out flat between my legs. Parting my folds he stretches me to my limit, so I'm open wide to him.

As he inspects my wetness, with his eyes and his fingers, I don't feel any of the shame or vulnerability I did early on in our relationship. Now that we've progressed and I've matured in my sexuality, I'm finding this very arousing. I feel like an exhibitionist on display for his pleasure. And nothing gives me more pleasure than giving him pleasure.

"Oh Luke," I say, purring.

"Yes baby," he says, gently squeezing my folds until the lips meet. Rubbing them together against the nub he creates a friction that makes my body lift from the bed. Arching my back, sounds come from my mouth I don't recognize.

"Tell me what you want, baby," Luke says, blowing over my nub.

"You know," I say, squirming.

"Maybe so," he chuckles, "but I still want to hear you say it," he says, blowing on me again.

"You inside me," I say, moaning.

"Your wish is my command," he croaks. Then he inserts a finger inside me slowly moving it in and out.

"Oh yes," I say, whimpering. Arching my head, I bury the back of it into my pillow.

Luke then starts alternating between his finger and his tongue as he pleasures my core. Probing my walls, he hits me at that soft spot he knows will send me spiraling into a mind-blowing climax. As my body shakes and I scream his name, Luke sucks on my nub, until my orgasm courses through me.

Coming down from my high, I feel Luke crawling up my body and I open my eyes to him hovering over me with a satisfied grin playing on his face.

"Hey you," he says.

"Hey," I say, barely lucid.

Running the tip of his tongue along the seam of my lips, he rams it inside my mouth so I can suck my arousal off of it. Then he thrusts it taking the kiss deeper devouring my mouth. Pulling his tongue back, he breaks the kiss giving me a chance to catch my breath, and him the opportunity to give my swollen mounds some attention.

"Your breasts are perfect," he says popping one in his mouth sucking it before releasing it to flick the nipple with his tongue. "Luckily I had a good teacher so now I know what to do with these," he says, mockingly looking up at me through lashes any woman would envy.

"Good, then practice what you preach," I say sarcastically, taunting him with the title of a popular Barry White song.

"Game on," he says. Lifting his face up, I see his wry smile. Tilting his head back down, Luke mirrors the ways I'd manipulated his nipples; sucking, biting, and tweaking eliciting soft moans from me.

"Is that practice enough for you," he says, bringing his head forward.

"You don't have to be so smug you know?"

"No," he says, nodding his head. "Smug is when I have you screaming my name in pleasure and begging me to fuck you harder." My eyes glued to his mouth, I swallow the lump at the base of my throat. I'm wet again and I'd just come. Damn him.

"Just take me, will ya?" I cry out.

Chuckling, he gives me a chaste kiss on the nose. "In due time," he says, and lovingly he runs the back of his knuckles up and down the sides of my face. Hovering over me he stares into my eyes like he's seeing into my soul and begging for entry.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he says. Struck by the vulnerability in his voice, I bite my bottom lip for the first time since Christian's idle threat as I try to discern if he's making a simple declaration of love or something more.

"Luke, what are you saying, I'm not good at reading between lines," I say, and a smile is lurking on his face. "Yeah, yeah I know. It's an ironic statement coming from me, seeing that I'm the queen of ambiguity," I say, sardonically.

"Ironic, it is," he says and he rolls to his side, coming up on his elbow. "As for the meaning, it's no more than a statement of fact. You know this already, I've never lied to you about my feelings," he says.

"Do you think I've lied?" I whisper and he eyes me speculatively.

"That's for you to know. I only know my heart," he says.

"At first I was tentative and a little unsure, but I've never lied," I say, softly. "I was expecting straightforward and clean, but I'm learning that love is messy. But no longer held hostage by my own fear, I'm ready to embrace it with you," I say.

"Is that your not subtle way of saying, you were hoping for a proposal?"

"No, I like what we have. I'm way too young to think about marriage, despite my predicament," I say grimacing, as I tilt my head down gesturing to my stomach. "Besides, I want you to propose to me when you don't have to ask me that question," I say. Climbing back on top of me, Luke reaches to the bedside table fumbling with turning off "You're beautiful and starting "A thousand years".

"Finally," he says, snickering.

"Ever, heard of iTunes?"

"Cute, smarty pants," he says. Lowering his face to my stomach, Luke places a soft kiss on the barely visible bulge and talks to it. Saying I love you too. An audible gasp escapes me and my eyes water up.

"You slay me, Luke Sawyer," I say, whimpering and crawling back up my body, he positions his elbows on either side of my head.

"Baby, bring your knees up," he says, hoarsely. His erection is dangling close to my entrance so when I bring my knees up, all Luke has to do is flex his hip to drive his cock into me, penetrating my core. Deep

"Ah," I moan.

"Feel it" he whispers in my ear, grunting as he keeps drilling into me going deeper and deeper."Sex jist git betta and betta wit you," he says, grunting as he slamming in and out of me.

Burying his face in my hair, Luke bears down on his elbows stroking me harder and deeper until I'm screaming his name and begging.

Lifting up on his elbows Luke gazes at me. "I want to see you come," he says, driving into me taking me to the precipice and falling over the edge with me into an earth-shattering orgasm. Still inside of me Luke murmurs his pleasure as we start to come down from our orgasm my phone rings cutting through our conjoined heavy breathing.

This can't be happening.

My body, twitches. "You're not seriously thinking about answering that," Luke says panting, and his now soft cock shifts as his body move slightly. He'd accurately voiced my internal debate.

There's no need to answer, my body language is giving me away. Keeping his head buried in my pillow, and his soften length lodged inside of me he waits for me to tell him something other than what he already knows. Finally surrendering to the inevitable, Luke slides out of me falling on his back next to me muttering"Goddamnit!"

Bolting upright, "I whisper," I'm sorry to him in my sincerest voice, as I snatch the ringing phone from the bedside table knocking something to the floor in the process. Giving him a sideways glance I put the phone to my ear hurriedly answering the call before it goes to voice mail.

Luke's forearm is covering his eyes, so I can't tell what he's thinking, but his lips are in a firm line.

"You," I shout to the caller throwing my legs over the edge of the bed leaping to the floor. "Don't hang up," I say, racing to get to the trench coat conveniently draped over the back of the chair. My fingers trembling, I hit mute and switching the phone from one hand to the other I slip on the coat. Ignoring Luke's cum seeping out of me and running down one thigh, I shove my feet into the chucks nearby.

I'd not bothered confirming the caller, it wasn't necessary. A soon as, I'd heard the first ring I'd known it was him, it is why my body reacted so viscerally. I should've known I would have known, so I don't why I fell all over myself answering those other rings.

With the precision of a race car pit crew, I'm ready within seconds and barreling towards the door the only thing stopping my perpetual motion, Luke calling to me.

"Catch," he yells out and I see a small white mass heading towards me. The phone ensconced in my hand I catch the projectile. It's the washcloth he'd used on me moments earlier. Stuffing it in my pocket, in a flash I disappear out the door.

Filled with guilt, I press the mute button reestablishing communication between me and the caller. I'm gutted seeing Luke, so pained but the means justifies the end. This is for my child. He has to understand, I will do my darndest to make sure he does.

"Okay," I say, scrambling to get to the kitchen where I can go outside. Back there my voice won't carry, I can talk more freely. It's a crisp, clear night, the stars are peppering the sky, the romantic kind of night I should be enjoying with Luke, as it is, I'm wiping his juices from my thighs. Overlooking the ridiculousness of it I pull the belt of the trench coat tighter around my waist trying to shield my body from the slight chill in the air, and the chill from the guilt that is swarming over me.

"Anastasia, what the fuck is going on?" Christian, yells pulling me from my thoughts.

"Never mind, it's not important," I say, dryly. "I don't know if Christian has heard something or if he's fishing. I'm not taking any chances and I'm taking control steering this conversation to where I want it to go. "What's important is how you dare set up a Dr.'s appointment for me without first consulting me," I say, angrily. Seething at his audacity, seeing that I'd called him asking for a truce.

"Excuse me," he barks, "what have I missed?" His tone is dripping with sarcasm and I brace myself for his response to his rhetorical question. "When did any of this get to be up for discussion? Let me remind you-" Is all he gets out before I break in.

"Let me save you the trouble, if you're about to throw that bogus contract in my face, you can forget it. I'm no longer stuck on stupid. I know it's not worth the paper it's written on. Or it wasn't because I destroyed it. Sorry to foil your trumped up plan to force me into giving up my baby," I say, my voice steady and strong.

"What? You thought that was the only copy," he says, cockily. "Oh, Anastasia you foolish young girl. You surprise me, I thought you were smarter. You've seriously underestimated me. You're not stupid, you're stuck on naïve." Condescending prick. I interrupt him anxious to knock him down a peg or two.

"It could be argued that I'm naïve and stupid. Stupid, for naively thinking you were a good guy, but that's beside the point. The fact that the contract is bogus is the point. So it doesn't matter how many copies you have locked away in your safe. I'm no longer threatened by it," I say, letting it sink in that he no longer has anything to hold over me. Aside from the fire he's breathing through the phone he's quiet.

And I don't know if it's because he's taking me away from Luke or because I feel like I've nothing to lose, my confidence is through the roof and it's so freeing. Despite preparing myself for this call, I thought I would crumble at the mere sound of his voice. Under the weight of his celebrity, but I'm holding my own. Admittedly having the conversation over the phone is a big part of my discovery of a backbone.

"Fuck it. Fuck the useless paperwork, as you've so eloquently put it. I don't need it. I can still crush you. You are delusional if you think you can take me on in any arena and win. My money and my power aside, you have a credibility issue, Miss Steele," he says, his smugness oozing through the phone.

"And you don't?" I say and I'm just as smug. "The way I see it, Mr. Grey, you have more of a credibility problem than me. After all, you're the powerful businessman that got me a naïve virginal 17-year-old girl pregnant. It may not be a crime, but most people will find it morally reprehensible. A man in your position taking advantage of such an innocent young woman. What do you think the good citizens of Seattle; not to mention, the rest of the world will think about your questionable behavior?" I say turning my perceived weakness into a strength. It's a strategy I'd picked up from The Art of War, The Art of the Deal, or some other book favored by powerful businessmen.

"You have some fucking nerve," he snarls, "taking the moral high ground when you put me in this untenable position by lying."

"I'm sorry, but I think that argument has been ligated to death," I say, deadpan and I can tell by his breathing, he's flustered. He wasn't expecting this, me standing up to him.

"Fuck you and your righteous indignation, you lie to me and now you want to make me out to be the villain-"

"Excuse me, I don't have too, you're doing a fine enough job of that on your on," I snip, cutting him off. I couldn't resist it was too easy.

"So you think it's funny? Lying is but a game to you, huh Anastasia?"

"No, lying is not funny, but your behavior is, it's over the top. I've apologized to you over and over again for misleading you. But instead of being reasonable, you've remained steadfast in your stubbornness. Hell bent on crucifying me. Punishing me," I say, sighing. "It has hurt me deeply, but I've accepted that you'd regret sleeping with me. It's your prerogative," I say and he's silent so I continue. "Despite your regrets, you created a baby with me so now we need to find a way to co-parent or at the least get along.

"Co- parent," he snickers. "That's laughable, it will never happen," he says and he take a long dramatic pause before he speaks again. "Nice speech, but I'm not ready to offer you absolution. Clear your conscious by declaring lying as petty and insignificant. The way I see it, it's the best indicator of a person's character we have," he says and I try to stifle a sigh. "I'm sorry, am I boring you, Anastasia?"

"No, you're not Christian," I say, pacing nervously. "I never said lying was petty or insignificant nor do I believe it's an automatic disqualifier. To hold that as self-evident, it would mean you've never lied," I say. Holding the phone away from my ear, I gaze up at the stars counting them. Calmer, I pick up where I left off. "And I know that's not true because despite your God complex…you're not God, Christian. And I'm not one of your flock you can bring to heel." Instead of some snappy retort, he chuckles.

"Of course you're not. To be part of a flock would indicate that you're holy and despite your holy than thou attitude you're no angel," he says, paraphrasing me. Mocking me. "To be considered part of the holy, you'd have to repent of your whoring ways," he says. His words are callous, but not surprising. It's a rehashing of his same tired tagline.

"I'd wondered how long it would take you to get there. I guess I should commend you for not making it the first word out of your mouth," I say, sarcastically. "This is what I'm curious to know, where is your proof? The reality is, I've only slept with two men in my life. You and the man whose bed I'd just left," I say and there's dead silence. I can't even hear him breathing. And I'm angry with myself for letting him get to me and veering from the script. Playing into his hands and opening myself up to his ridicule. Squeezing my eyes closed, I wait for his scathing comeback.

"There's all the fucking proof I need. Fucking one man and getting out his bed for another one. Sounds like a whore move to me," he says, calmly, but there's a cold fury to his tone, chilling me to the bone and freezing me in place. But I have no one to blame, I stepped in it. I made it too easy for him. "What, he couldn't get it up? You need me to get you off, Anastasia?" His arrogance knows no bounds and I feel violent towards him. I wish I could crawl through this phone and slap his conceited face.

"Are you asking or begging?" I say, coquettishly going right back at him. "If you think I'm a whore, Christian? You slept with me what does that make you?" I ask and let the question hang out there for a moment. "My pimp?"

"No. It makes you my whore," he responds immediately. "Give up Anastasia. You won't win the battle of wills and you sure as hell won't win in the courts."

"Tell me, Christian, what does me giving up look like to you?" I ask and answer. "Let me guess, handing my baby over to you to be raised by your parents and never seeing it again. If that remains the expectation, you can go to hell. I will never give up this baby," I say, shouting at him and it takes everything I have not to hurl the phone in frustration.

"Funny, listening to you one would think I was the ruler over hell," he says, and I think I hear him chuckle.

"The devil you mean?" I snap back before he can continue.

"Ha, ha" he chortles, "Normally, I'd find your quick wit charming but not today. Your wasting my time. Tell me Anastasia is this your final position?"

"Yes, it is Christian. I will fight for this child the way your mother should've fought for you and mine for me. Now if you want to sign away your parental rights to this beautiful, smart child growing inside of me, again it's your prerogative. Misguided, but your prerogative. For me, I'll choose to be this baby's mother over and over again. Even if that means going up against you and your minions."

"Choice," he screams. "When did I get a choice in any of this? You manipulated the whole situation, from the moment you chose to lie to me about your age, trick me into believing you were on the pill, and even down to choosing to have this baby. There was no consideration for what I wanted. Shouldn't I been able to choose when I wanted to have a baby and with whom. There are reasons, I 'm not ready to be a father, none of which I'm willing to get into," he says. For the first time, he's giving me a glimpse inside his head and I have a better appreciation for his point of view. He's twisting the facts, but at least he's being forthcoming. Going beyond the raw emotions and name calling it feel like we're getting somewhere.

"Again let me apologize for any of the wrong I've done to you. But let me repeat I had no intentions of getting pregnant and I sure as heck never envisioned you being the father. How could I, when you were so far out of my reach even when I could touch you. Unfortunately, we can't go back in time and change our reality," I say. "View this through a positive lens, in a strange twist of fate your right to choose has been restored. In your hands is the power to make the right choice for your child and stop the madness."

"I am, that's why I'm not taking this likely. You've done nothing to persuade me that this child would better off in your custody," he says. "Your situation is too similar to my birthmother's and I can't in good conscious let a child grow up in the way that I did. She too boasted of fighting for me, so those words don't move me in the least," he says, his voice trails. In the way, it does when he talks about his mother in any meaningful way. He's showing vulnerability, even if it was not his intention. So I soften too.

"Did her eyes light when you entered the room?"

"What?" he asks.

I repeat for him, something I heard Maya Angelou say on the Oprah Winfrey show and it has stuck with me ever since. Sadly, it was because I so identified with it. My mother's eyes never lit up for me, heck, she barely acknowledged me when I was in a room.

"No." His one-word answer speaks volume. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything. To me, it shows that a child is the center of their parents' universe. And this I promise to you, my eyes will sparkle every time our child walks into a room. That's at least one fundamental difference between your birth mother and me.

"I have a question for you and I need an honest answer."

"Certainly."

"What role will the man you're currently fucking play in your life when this baby is born?"

"If you mean the man I'm currently dating, it's too early to say and frankly it's none of your business."

"I beg to differ, and if that's your stance, it further bolsters my claim that you're too immature to care for a child. As the father, I'd have every right to know the caliber of the men my child is being exposed too. If for no other reason, then security. I'm a very wealthy man so proper security would be paramount. The fact that you'd be so careless as to so easily dismiss my concerns shows that you'll be a more inept mother than I'd first thought."

"You've twisted my words to create your own narrative. If you were honest with yourself, you'd admit that the question had nothing to do with security concerns for this baby. It was your way of delving into my personal life, more specifically my sex life. It was misogynistic," I say and I flip the question turning it on him. "What about the women in your life, would they be subjected to the same scrutiny?"

"It's not a relevant question for me, I'm not seeking custody. I've freely admitted that this child would be better off with Grace and Carrick," he says.

"Again, you need to do some soul searching. If you're going to be so cruel and heartless at least be honest about why. This whole thing is more about crime and punishment than child welfare. You're seeking retribution for the wrong you think I've done to you.

"I'd advise you to think along and hard about the path you're about to embark upon. If our conversations have been uncomfortable, wait until I unleash my bevy of attorneys on you.

"Three words for you. David and Goliath."

"We're not living in biblical time, and that's lucky for," he says, condescendingly.

"Why Christian, because I have sex? Silly me," I say, scoffing. "I thought we were getting somewhere, but we always end up here, you labeling me a whore. And in your warped way of thinking you want it to be true, then you'd be able to justify everything you're doing and resolve yourself of any culpability. The truth is I'm a young woman in a committed relationship who enjoys having sex with her partner, and if that makes me a whore in your distorted world, so be it. I'm no longer going to wear your shame, the scarlet letter you've tried to force feed down my throat. Yes, I've tested my sexual limits in all the ways you've thrown in my face to make me feel dirty and unworthy. But thankfully in my healthy relationship I've been enlightened. These things are not taboo, but the natural extension of the trust shared between two consenting adults-"

"Adult, you're not a fucking adult," he screams at the top of his lung interrupting me. "You're a petulant child trying to play grown up games. That speech was self-indulgent serving no other purpose than to let me know you can fuck and take it up the ass. If you think that makes you an adult, you're sorely mistaken. You've just proven to be another man's whore."

"Gah! You just don't get it. You're so frustrating. You can't see that your fixation on my sex-life is clouding your judgment. I don't why you're so obsessed, but I'm done having the discussion with you. To put your troubled mind to rest, let me give you something you can sink your teeth into," I say. I may regret it, but I'm going all in and giving him a taste of his own medicine so we can finally put this whore thing to rest. "When I hang up from you, I'm going to walk back inside and I'm going to let him bend me over the back of the sofa and take me from behind. And because I'm officially an adult tonight, and oh yeah his whore, I'm going to suck his dick." There's a loud intake of breath on his end. "Good night, Christian," I say innocuously and then there's a loud thud before the phone goes dead. Darn, I was trying to hang up on him before he hung on me, but I guess he beat me to the punch. Oh well, I got my point across.

"Stick that in your pipe and smoke it," I mumble to the phone, sticking my tongue out at, as I make my way back into the apartment.

Stuffing the phone into my pocket, I get acclimated to the warmth of the apartment. It was colder outside than I'd thought, the adrenaline had me misjudging the temperature. Hugging myself, I run my hands up and down my arms in an attempt to warm up, as I look around for the garbage can. Lifting it I toss the dirty washcloth inside.

Then needing to see Luke and feel his arms around me I head to the living room.

I enter the room feeling full of myself because of how I stood up to Christian, but when I see Luke sitting down looking circumspect, my attitude changes. Any win with Christian is beginning to feel like a loss.

Luke has already dressed, going as far as to put on his suit jacket and sitting he's leaning forward his head slightly bowed supported by his elbows balancing on his thighs. His steeple fingers worrying his bottom lip as he stares aimlessly at the floor.

"Luke," I say, calmly but firmly and his head snaps up pinning me with his glare. "You're dressed," I say taking a step further into the room but not venturing too far from where I am. I'm reluctant to get too close despite my desire to run to him and beg him for his forgiveness.

"What you expected, that I'd still be naked waiting in your bed for you like your lap dog," he says, tersely. "What, he didn't get you off?" he says, abruptly standing causing the chair to crash to the floor creating a loud bang. I jump though I saw it happening. His biting words cut like a knife, but I guess I deserve as much.

"That's not fair," I say whining, "but I guess I deserve it," I admit to him.

He turns to me and his disdain is evident. Crushing me. He'd never looked at me with such accusatory eyes. "How big of you," he says sarcasm coloring every word. "It's not about what you deserve, it's about what you don't deserve...Me," he says shouting the last word and holding my gaze to punctuate his point.

"What are you saying?" I ask. My voice is shaky as I stifle a sob. My heart won't let my ears hear what he's trying to tell me. Resolve is etched on his beautifully handsome face. Even in his disheveled state the camera would love him, he could be in an ad campaign for something brooding and mysterious.

"I'm done," he says, his eyes still focused on me.

"Luke please don't say that. Please let me explain. I'll tell you everything."

"Too late, the time for that was before you answered a call from your ex in the middle of us having sex."

"We weren't in the middle of sex," I murmur.

"Symantec Ana. My cum was still wet between your legs," he says, crudely but it's the jolt I needed to under the magnitude of what I've done.

"Luke it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with my baby. I love you," I say.

"Those are just words Ana," he booms his hands animated at his head. "Without substance they're just words. Where's the action?" he asks, running his hand through his hair. "You were given a prime opportunity to put actions behind words that you throw out like you're doing me some kind of favor," he says, shrugging. "You chose him, and the way I see it you always will," he says, and he sinks his teeth into his bottom lip. "Your roommate was right." Is all he says without elaborating?

What did Kate tell him? I'll deal with her later.

"I don't know what you and Kate discussed, but I felt like we'd turned a corner tonight. That our relationship was fortified," I whimper stepping closer to him, but he backpedals.

"Don't," he snarls and I stop. "I warned you not to take me for granted."

"We're not over, you love me," I say, defiantly. "You told me. The cards. This," I say, gesturing with my head around the room. "All of it, you did it all because you love me," I repeat, this time my tone is softer and more conciliatory.

"Yes. And in the end none of it mattered," he says, staring at me intently and my shoulders starts shaking as my sobs overtake me.

I hear his footsteps, and when he closes the distance between us he cups my chin. Ignoring the tears streaking down my cheeks, Luke rubs his thumb over my bottom lip and I close my eyes relishing his touch. When I open them, Luke has resolve written all over his face "Yes, I do," he says, softly. "But you don't." His voice is faint and he lets his hand fall away as he steps backward keeping his eyes trained on me.

"Yes, I do," I say, whimpering. My voice trembling.

Pausing, he stuffs his hand in his pants pocket pulling out his car keys tossing and catching them before pivoting and heading to the front door.

"Luke, please don't go," I plead.

Pivoting, he makes sure he has my attention before he opens his mouth. "Ana, you're the one who left," he says and he looks so disappointed. This devastates me more than anything, that I've disappointed him. "You're wrong," he says and he hesitates. "True love isn't messy. You know where I stand. Call me, when you know where you do."

When he puts his hand on the doorknob, I go for broke. I can't lose him now, we've come too far. "You've ruined me for any other man…for him," I blurt out, loudly. Pausing at the door Luke keeps his back to me and his hand on the knob and for a moment I think it might have worked. He says nothing. Until the sounds of his footsteps fade behind the door, I'd remained hopeful.

Pulling the phone out of my pocket I call Kate.

"Steele," Kate says, surprise I think.

"Hi, are you in bed?"

"No, but I thought you'd be," she says, giggling. "What's up?"

"I need you to tell me how badly I messed up."

"Where's Luke?"

"Gone."

"Does this have anything to do with Christian?

"Yep."

"Putting those two things together, I'd guess royally."

"Yeah, I thought so. Instead of enjoying my birthday with my boyfriend, I'm standing here alone dressed like Chester the Molester," I tell Kate. Mainly because the catchy description had been rattling around in my head and I wanted to hear it out loud. However, the attempt at levity did nothing to banish the growing pit at the bottom of my stomach.

"What?"

"Never mind, I'll explain later."

"I'm coming home. You're talking crazy talk."

"You sound too drunk to drive so call a car service and we'll get your car tomorrow."

"Okay," she says and I end the call.

Walking in the bedroom, I flip the light on then off, before I drag myself to the bed. Tripping over something, I bend picking up the stationary with the poem Luke had written for me. It was what had fallen in my rush to get to the phone. Slowly rising, I plop down on the edge of the bed reliving the moment he'd given it to me.

CPOV

Even as I watched the phone crash into the door shattering into pieces, I knew it wouldn't be enough to get the image out of my mind. She took too much pleasure in giving me a color commentary on what she's going to let that fucker do her, better yet what she was going to do to him.

It took everything in me not to reach through the phone, dragging her pregnant skinny ass, across the pacific putting her over my knee giving her the spanking of her life. And it would have nothing to do with my pleasure.

Still wheeling, I'm not exactly sure what just happened. Did little Ms. Steele just handled me? I've never had anyone talk to me like that, man or woman, definitely not a smart mouth teenage girl. Get it together Grey, you're losing control, you need to shut her down.

Her birthday. it's her birthday, in the US anyways. How could I've forgotten, the date had been seared into my brain. Eighteen, she's eighteen, it's only a year difference yet eighteen sounds so wrong. "Fuck me." I can't get her voice out of my head. The image of her lips on his cock. "Suck his dick my ass," I seethe as I look around for something to throw.

Running my hand through my hair, I stare at the hotel phone. I need to work out this frustration before I destroy this hotel room

"Taylor," I bark.

"Sir."

"I need you to find me an Olympic caliber kick boxer and get him here in the next hour and I don't give a fuck about the cost." I say, and for the first time since working for me I think I hear Taylor hesitate about something I'm requesting.

What the fuck? Had the world gone mad while I slept?

"Sir, you have a meeting in about 30 minutes."

"I don't give a fuck cancel it," I shout, running my hand through my hair.

"But sir, the meeting is why GEH came to Taiwan."

Fuck.

"Call Roz and tell her to handle it. Better yet have her call me," I say exasperated that I've allowed her to get me so fazed, I can't even function. "And Taylor, order me a new iPhone."