Chapter 35 - Freedom
Christian's POV
"How are you holding up, baby?" She snaps her head in my direction, narrows her eyes and scowls at me as if I am the plague. It's been almost two hours since Ana and I re-emerged from upstairs and it's been two hours since she's gone panty less.
"I hate you." Her teeth grit together and her eyes glint with malice but I know that she doesn't mean it, if she didn't look so adorable right now I would fuck her right here on this couch not giving a shit who the hell was around to see it. Her legs are crossed so tightly I'm surprised she doesn't have cramp and her face is taught with trying to remain still. She looks pissed off and horny.
"No you don't." I graze my lips against her temple and press a kiss to the top of her cheekbone wishing that I was kissing her somewhere lower, a lot lower.
My plan of taunting my girlfriend until she couldn't take any more has back fired on me completely. Just the thought of her naked, pretty little pussy only inches away from me is driving me wild with need, when ever she demurely crosses her legs to avoid her dress inching up all I want to do is spread her legs and bury my face in between her thighs. I'm still fired up from earlier and it's all I can think about. The sex we had in the hallway was out of this fucking world, I didn't actually plan on fucking her but when she walked away from me and refused to talk something stirred inside of me. Nothing, and I mean nothing has ever turned me on as much as Anastasia Steele's smart ass mouth did, she was relentless. When I caught up with her, I was prepared to start the fight of all fights just so that she would know to never cross me like that again, but when I spun her around all I could feel - and smell was her, warm breath on my face. Her chest was heaving profusely and her lips were parted, she screamed sex and passion and fuck if I wasn't going to take her right there and then.
I don't know what the fuck had gotten into her in my bedroom and I haven't forgotten about it either. Where did all that Macy bullshit come from? Granted, Ana has never made her hatred for Macy a secret but I thought we were past all of that? She must know that the woman never meant anything to me surely? I don't think Ana would have such an issue with her if she hadn't walked in on us having dinner that time, the look on her face was murderous. I actually thought she was going to rip Macy out of her seat and drag her outside for a catfight, at the time it turned me the fuck on because I knew that she was jealous which meant that she had feelings for me, and as messed up as that sounds it made me so fucking happy.
"If you're thinking that this will make me want to have sex with you again, Grey you can think again. All this is doing is pissing me off." She folds her arms against her chest and huffs out a breath. I glance around the room and note that we are now alone. I shift closer towards her and place my hand on her knee, she immediately tenses and closes her legs tighter but my strength over rides hers and I manage to spread her legs a fraction. "Christian, stop it. We are in your parent's living room for gods sake!"
"Shhh." My fingers creep further up her dress but her hand halts me as soon as I reach her sex.
"I said. Stop. It." She spits through a clenched jaw as she curls her dainty little hand around my wrist and yanks me away dropping my hand in my lap. What the fuck just happened? I watch stupefied as she closes her legs and scoots further up the couch, I don't say anything I just look at her with wide and shocked eyes. "And don't look at me like that, Christian. What the hell do you expect? If you think that I am doing that on your parent's couch then you have another thing coming."
"You weren't saying that when we were upstairs?" She scowls at me again but I don't care because it's true. Why is she acting so respectful now? I had to practically hold my hand over her mouth to stop her from screaming out not even two hours ago.
"That was different. I have been sat here without any panties on for longer than I care to imagine and you have had the biggest shit eating grin on your face the whole time."
"What's the big deal, Ana? Why are you acting like some sort of fucking prude all of a sudden? You've never been bothered about it before so why now?"
"Don't talk to me like that, Christian and keep your voice down! I just don't relish the thought of bending over and flashing my vagina for everyone to see, okay!" I roll my eyes and cross my ankle over my knee. I don't understand why she feels the need to make this into something it's not, does she really think that I would allow her to bend over when my dad and brother are in the room? I think that she's forgetting who she is dating here.
"It's only a bit of fun, Anastasia. Jeez." She turns her head and mutters something inaudible under her breath. "I'm sorry, what was that?"
" I said, how many others have you said that too?" I squint my eyes and glare at her, not liking where this is going.
"Excuse me? What the hell does that mean?"
"It means, who else have you had this 'fun' with? How many of the others did you make parade around without any underwear on?" I blink several times and try to comprehend what the fuck she just said to me. Does she seriously think that I have done this before?
"I'm not even going to justify that question with an answer, do you know how ridiculous that sounds, Anastasia?"
"Don't Anastasia me! I think that I make a fair enough point, Christian. Because I don't believe for a minute that I am the only woman you have asked to do this."
"Don't raise your voice at me, Ana. I thought that you didn't want my parents to hear us?" I mock her as I sit up straighter, squaring my shoulders.
"I see that you have evaded the question once again. How very predictable." I am this close to picking her sweet ass up and tossing her over my shoulder, is she really going to go there now?
"Don't even start this shit again, Ana. I thought that we had thrashed all that out upstairs?" She scoffs and shakes her head.
"Yeah, thrash being the operative word. I doubt I'm even the first woman that you -" I don't even give her the chance to finish that sentence before I am pulling at her hand and dragging her out of her chair. "Christian, what are you doing?"
"We're going home. Now." I reply in a gruff, clipped tone. She stumbles slightly as she bends to pick up her purse but I don't stop walking until I reach the kitchen.
"Ana and I are leaving." My Mom spins around on the spot, abandoning her half made strawberry daiquiris and frowns .
"You're leaving? But it's still early?"
"I know but it's, Ana's first day back at work tomorrow and she's tired."
"Oh honey, I'm sorry I didn't even think about that." She cups Ana's cheeks and kisses her forehead, I love that my Mom has bonded with Ana this quickly but right now, I can't even look at the two of them together I am that angry.
"It's fine, Grace honestly. Dinner was lovely."
"Are we playing golf this week, Christian?" Oh fuck not now, Dad.
"Yeah sure, I'll have Andrea email you my schedule." I wrap my hand around Ana's again and squeeze.
"Hey, you're not leaving are you!" Mia walks through the door with her phone attached to her ear, pouting.
"Yes. Come on let's go."
"Call me next week, Ana we'll do shopping!" Ana shouts back her reply just as I open the door and drag her through it.
"Christian! That was so rude, why the hell did you tell your Mother that I'm tired, that made me look so stupid." I point the fob at the Spyder and unlock it.
"Just get in the car, Anastasia."
"Why are you being such a dick, you've just dragged me out of there like a caveman."
"I was not staying there for a minute longer while we were having that conversation. Which by the way is fucking ridiculous."
"Why is it ridiculous?" I skid out of my parent's driveway and speed towards the gate.
"It just is. This whole jealousy thing is just ridiculous, especially when you haven't got anything or anyone to be jealous of." I glance at her through the corner of my eye and see her pursing her lips.
"I will tell you what's ridiculous shall I, your complete lack of honesty and disregard for my feelings, Christian that's what's ridiculous. And you won't give me my damn panties back!" She yells and sits forward in her seat until her seatbelt clicks and halts her from moving any further.
"Will you stop whining about your panties."
"No, I won't. I want you to give them back to me right now."
"Ana, I'm driving."
"Well, pull over then." My hand clenches around the wheel so tightly that my knuckles turn white.
"Stop being petulant, just wait until we get home."
"I want them back now!" She glares at me while I focus on the road. "Fine, I will just get them myself." Reaching over, she fists her hands in my jacket pockets and rummages through them.
"Ana, stop it." She doesn't listen to me, when she is done with my jacket she moves onto my jeans. Her hands travel around the back of my ass and I can't help but shift slightly making her panty hunting that little bit easier.
"Aha!" She pulls out the scrap of lace and holds it in the air like she has just won a victory before hiking her dress up and slipping her stiletto clad feet through. I try not to look, I really try not to look but when she shuffles in the seat so she can get them past her knees and lifts her ass, my eyes are wandering over her body at their own accord. "Stop, looking at me you perve."
"I'm hardly a perve when it's my own girlfriend that I am looking at, Ana. You know, you don't make a hot load of sense sometimes."
"You are such a smart ass. Not to mention a dick."
"So you have already told me. Change the record."
I hear her huff but other than that we don't speak for the entire ride back to Escala, I train my eyes on the road while Ana stares at the window. Why are we even fighting? Well I know why we are fighting but I want to know why. She has dragged up a whole bucket load of shit tonight and for what reason, one minute she was walking around my old bedroom smiling and the next she was acting like the devil reincarnated. I don't know what has gotten in to her but it needs to stop, she can't continue to rake up my past when ever she feels like it, I know that sounds rich coming from me but she can't. We have both agreed to never allow ourselves to fall back to that awful place we were once at before Ana was attacked, so I can't understand why she has decided to question me on my past relationships?
We're silent as I park the car and we are still silent as we ride the elevator to the penthouse. She mutters that she's going to change but she still doesn't look at me. Okay I will say it again, what the fuck has happened here tonight?
"What, Elliot?" I bark into the phone as I pour myself a tumbler of bourbon.
"Whoa, who pissed on your shoes?"
"Nothing, I'm fine. What do you want?"
"Me and Kate just got back to the party and found that you and Ana left."
"We'd had enough. I would have told you but I didn't think you would want disturbing." I can practically see his cat that got the fucking cream grin on his face. He dragged Kate away after the final round of the game to 'show her the back yard' when I knew that he was actually taking her to the boathouse for a fuck. Not that I can talk, I had sex with my girlfriend in the middle of the hallway with my parents only two floors below.
"Yeah, you would have been right. It's safe to say that I feel much better." On a normal night I would find this hilarious. My brother and I knocking one off with our women in secret like teenagers, but I don't think I could force a laugh even if I tried.
"Look, I'm heading to bed. Talk later, yeah."
"Since when did you start going to bed before 1am?"
"Let's just say it's been one fucking, long ass day and I'm beat."
We hang up and I toss the rest of my bourbon back. I contemplate pouring another but then think against it, drinking will only fire me up and I don't want to say things that I might come to regret in the morning. Why would she have sex with me if she was still mad? And it wasn't even just sex it was something completely different, we fucked like wild animals that couldn't get enough of each other. I can still feel the sharp sting on my shoulder blades from where she was digging her nails through my shirt. I know that she is still confused and emotional but this was on a whole other level entirely, is this how she plans on dealing with her issues every time something triggers her? Am I going to be her scapegoat or is there something else on her mind?
I find her in the bathroom, sitting in the tub and staring into space. Her hair is clipped to the top of her head and she's resting her arm on the ledge, chewing on her thumb nail as she focuses her gaze on something in front of her.
"Can we talk?" She drops her hand but she doesn't look at me.
"About?"
"You know what about, Ana. What the fuck happened tonight? Because I'm struggling to even understand here." I walk further into the bathroom and stand at the foot of the bath so that I can look at her properly. I have removed my jacket and un-tucked my shirt from my pants.
"I can't be bothered to discuss this now, Christian. I'm tired and I want to go to sleep."
"Tough because we're talking about this now, I'm not going to sleep on yet another argument, Ana." She leans her head back and closes her eyes.
"Give me five minutes." I want to tell her that I'll wait here but I get the impression that she doesn't want me to watch her bathe and get changed. I'm a smart man, I know when to take the hint.
"Okay, I'll be outside. Would you like some wine?" She nods gently but doesn't say anything else, I take that as my cue to leave.
I change into sweats quickly and head out to the kitchen. It's so quiet, too quiet in fact. Was it always like this? Before Ana I would rarely ever spend time here, I merely used it as a place to sleep and sometimes I didn't even do that. I never once entertained, my family have only ever been here a handful of times over the past few years and now that I think about it I realise how disgusting that sounds. Elliot is the only person that spent a lot of time here and that's the way that I liked it. I would leave every morning for 7am and I would return home no earlier than 8pm if not later, even when I came home all I would do is shower, eat and then lock myself away in my office for the rest of the night. This apartment was empty, it was dull and lifeless and I can't believe that I lived that way for all of these years without batting so much as an eyelid.
The only company that I surrounded myself with on the very rare occasion were women. Countless, nameless, faceless women that meant jack shit to me, as awful and as cold as that sounds it's true. They were there to fill a void and nothing else, there have been a lot. There have been a hell of a lot but not one of them do I remember, not one of them made the impression on me that Ana made and not one of them meant anything to me. I have told her this time and time again so why does she feel the need to bring the same old shit up time and time again. I love her so much and I want to spend the rest of my life with her, she means everything to me and I don't know what more I can do to prove that to her. What else can I possibly do? She ambles into the great room dressed in nothing but my white tee-shirt, the one that she says smells of me and helps her to sleep. I hand her a glass of wine as she tucks one foot under her ass and sits down beside me on the couch, she looks pensive.
"What's going on, Ana? You have been so up and down tonight it's unreal, tell me what you're thinking." She shrugs her shoulders and takes a sip of wine.
"Nothings going on, I don't know why you are making such a big deal out of it, Christian."
"Why did you bring Macy up? You haven't mentioned her at all before now."
"I don't know why, I just thought about her that was all. For some reason walking into your bedroom made me think about her and I don't know why." She settles further into the couch while I remain hunched over my knees, resting my weight on my elbows.
"Is that why you asked me how many women I had taken up there? You were thinking about Macy?" I glance at her just in time to see her nod slowly, she focuses her attention on the wine in front of her as she swirls her glass round and round repeatedly.
"I guess. She just…Bothers me. I can't explain it she just does, maybe it's because she's the only woman that I have ever seen you with and it's messing with my head. Not to mention that she's beautiful." I can't hold in the scoff that escapes me.
"Ana, baby you have nothing and I mean nothing to be jealous about when it comes to Macy believe me."
"I'm not jealous!" She snaps. "It's not like I compare myself to her or anything, Christian. I personally think that she is a vile excuse for a human being and there is not one single ounce of me that wishes I were more like her. But you, slept with her." She uncurls one finger from around her wine glass and points it at me. "Not only did you sleep with her, you dated her. Repeatedly." I exhale frustrated and lean back into the back rest of the couch.
"I did not date her, we went out to dinner once, I didn't make a habit of being seen in public with her trust me."
"But you slept with her?" I nod.
"More than once?" Another nod. "Did you have feelings for her?"
"Fuck, no! Jesus, Ana I didn't even like her! I know that sounds terrible but it's the truth." I reach out to touch her but she shrinks away from me, I cant deny the pang of hurt that lances through me when she rejects my touch.
"You didn't like her but you had frequent sex with her? That doesn't exactly make me feel better, Christian." She tries to laugh but it comes out as more of a sob.
"I don't even know what to say to that, Ana. I'm a man. She was there and I was single so what harm was I doing exactly?" Her head snaps to the right and she glares at me with ire burning in her eyes.
"She was there? Seriously, that's your excuse?"
"What else do you want me to say exactly? Would you rather that I had feelings for her?" Her face scrunches up.
"No, of course not."
"Then what is it?" She looks away and takes a long drink of wine before continuing.
"Why did you take her out? That night when I saw you?"
"What?"
"You heard me, please don't brush me off again tonight, Christian. I want the honest truth." I know that she is referring to the impromptu sex when she talks about me brushing her off but that was not what I was doing at all , I fucked her because I wanted to. Because I needed to.
"It was what it was, it was just dinner."
"But.." She pauses and searches my face. "We kissed. We kissed and you took another woman out on a date. Why?" Her voice is so soft and quiet and all I want to do is pick her up and hold her to my chest. All this boils down to her insecurities and nothing else, she's not jealous of Macy she's confused.
"Baby," I twist so that I am facing her. "You have to understand that the last thing I wanted was to take her out, the only reason that I called her was because I wanted to forget you."
"Forget me?"
"Yes, but not in the way that you're thinking. We kissed and it was…Incredible, fuck you have no idea how much I had wanted to kiss you every time I saw you. You bewitched me, Ana and all I could think about was you." I stroke her cheek gently and I'm relieved when she doesn't push me away. "But at the same time it fucked with my head and you know why, you were my best friends girlfriend and I had ultimately betrayed him, I felt like shit and I didn't know what the hell to do for the best."
"You never called me."
"I didn't know what to say. What do you say after kissing someone you shouldn't? I couldn't get you out of my head and it was seriously starting to mess with me, so I called her. I called her on an impulse and even though the mere thought of spending time with her repulsed me it was all I could do not to smash my head up against the wall. It was fucking horrendous if that makes you feel any better?" I see a hint of a smile appear on her face but she shakes her head to rid herself of it.
"No, not really."
"I definitely wasn't expecting you to turn up at the table." I put my hand on her knee and gently stroke her soft skin with my thumb.
"I was pissed off, like really fucking pissed."
"Really?"
"I was leaving with Kate and Olivia and I saw you both, she looked like she was about ready to suck you off at the table." I stifle a laugh as I know that this really isn't funny. "I spoke to Brody earlier in the day and he told me that you were going out with an ex. So it wasn't a complete shock when I saw you."
"She wasn't an ex though. She wasn't anything to me."
"It didn't come across that way, I was already thinking the worst before I even set foot inside the restaurant." She takes another sip of wine before placing the glass on the table in front on us.
"You looked so hot." She scoffs and smirks.
"Oh yeah?"
"Fuck, yes. Not to mention the attitude that you brought out to play, shit you turned me on so much all I wanted to do was drag you to the car and fuck you senseless." I breathe into her ear and she noticeably shivers. "You have no idea how hard it was to let you walk away from me that night."
"That was your idea, you said that it was for the best."
"I thought it was at the time. I thought that I was doing the honourable thing by staying away from you." I tuck a damp curl behind her ear and tap the end of her nose, her face is flushed from the bath and she is clean of make up. This is when I find her the sexiest, although I fucking love it when she gets dressed up she looks unbelievably beautiful when she is bare faced and natural.
"So you didn't want her?" I shake my head slowly and look her straight in the eye so that she knows I am telling the truth. "What about the Coping Together benefit? There was no need to invite her to that, Christian yet you did." I close my eyes and take a breath. I don't even know how to answer that, I knew that it was a mistake inviting her to the after party as my date but I didn't know what else to do.
"I needed a distraction, and before you ask I wasn't planning on sleeping with her, I just needed to surround myself with someone that wasn't you and Brody."
"Well, that backfired on you seeing as Brody didn't even end up being there."
"I didn't know you were going to punch him did I?" I chuckle as she smirks slightly. If I'm honest I'm not at all comfortable even breathing that sick son of a bitches name but he was the main reason behind my feeling guilty at the time. "If I knew what was going to happen I wouldn't have even called her. You know that right?" She shrugs one shoulder and lowers her gaze to her lap, I hate that she is thinking about this so much, and I now realise that she has no doubt had this hanging around her neck ever since we started dating, I was a complete asshole dangling another woman under her nose and even though everything that night worked out in my favour, it has sparked a whole load of insecurities for Ana to deal with on a daily basis.
"I guess so. I just don't think I could handle the thought of you wanting another woman, because despite our situation I stopped wanting Brody the minute that I met you." I pull her closer to me and hold the back of her head with my hand, softly stroking her hair.
"Baby, I never wanted her or anyone else for that matter, I only wanted you and I couldn't have you. I broke things off with Macy before I even met you so what does that tell you? I was just an insensitive prick that used her so that I would stop thinking about you."
"Did you want to make me jealous?" Her big, blue eyes look up at me and she tilts her head to the side.
"Yes. Part of me wanted you to be jealous I can't deny that." She sighs and lays her head on my arm that is resting on the back of the couch.
"Well, it worked."
"It did?"
"Christian, I stormed into your hotel room thinking that I would find the whore in your bed, I wouldn't have done that if I wasn't jealous." Hearing those words coming out of her mouth makes me so fucking happy it's unreal. But I hate that this has been secretly bothering her to this extent.
"Do you believe me when I say that not one part of me wanted her, Ana?" My hands slide to her jaw and I cradle her beautiful face, I need her to understand that she means everything to me and I would never do anything to jeopardise our life together. "I need you to understand that, baby." She nods her head softly.
"I do. I'm sorry." I pull her face towards mine and I press our foreheads together. "I know that you would never be unfaithful to me."
"I hope you do, because there is nothing in this world that could tempt me away from you. Nothing."
"I know." She raises her head and we slowly lean into each other until our lips touch. She's so soft and warm underneath my hands. I tilt her face to the side so that I can love her with my mouth and that's exactly what I do, I kiss, nip and suck her lips until I can't take the straining in my pants any longer. "What are you doing?" She pants as I lean up on my knees, lift her and wrap her legs around my waist.
"I'm taking you to bed so that I can make love to you."
Anastasia's POV
"Are you feeling okay, you know that you don't have to go back today don't you?" I glance over my shoulder and see Christian emerging from his closet adjusting his cufflinks. Holy shit he looks so hot, he's dressed in a sharp, black suit with a white dress shirt, his jacket is buttoned up and his tie is in a tight knot at the base of his throat. Just like that, my sweet attentive boyfriend has been replaced with the hot shot, doesn't take any shit CEO and it couldn't turn me on any more.
"I'm fine stop worrying, Christian. Sawyer will be with me and besides, I think I can handle a day at work without any issues."
I turn my head back around and carry on applying my mascara. I can see him standing behind me in the mirror on the dresser watching me. He's nervous, I can sense that he's worried about me but there isn't anything to be worried about, I'm a big girl and I can handle anything that will come my way today. He rests his hands on my shoulders and bends down to kiss the top of my forehead as I scoop my hair up into a high pony tail.
"And stop looking at me like that, I'm not made of glass, Christian." I stand and slip my feet into my grey, peep toe heels and straighten my skirt out. "How do I look?"
"Beautiful, baby. So beautiful." He cups my cheek with one hand and bends down to kiss me chastely. "You know that I'm only a phone call away don't you. No matter what happens today." I nod and wrap my arms around his neck."
"Are we okay?" He locks his hands behind the small of my back. "After last night I mean, are we good?"
"Of course we are. As long as you're okay now?" I nod and rest my forehead against his chin.
"I am I promise, I do trust you, you know. I don't want you to think that I doubt your loyalty to me I was just…Being silly I guess."
"Ana, this was all my fault for planting this seed in your head in the first place, you have to know that I don't see anyone but you, baby." I do know that, this man is besotted with me and I would be a fool to let my pathetic insecurities get the better of me. Macy's gone and he is with me now. Me.
"I just want to forget about it all, I love you and I want us to move forward. Starting with today."
"Now that I can do." He lifts me off of the floor slightly and latches his lips onto mine.
I am about ready to lose my shit. If one more person asks me how I am I will seriously become unglued. What part of, 'I'm fine." Don't they grasp? It's like working with a group of imbeciles that don't understand a straight forward answer. Now I understand why Christian gets so irritated. I've locked myself away in the copy room so that I can scan these prints in peace, I've been here for over three hours and I'm already wishing that I had listened to Christian and stayed home, even my boss is treating me like I will break at any given second. He is forever poking his head around his office door asking if I need to take a break. The stupid thing is that they don't even know what really happened to me. I've stuck with the whole food poisoning story as I didn't know what else to say, what other reason warrants me having two weeks away from work? No, this way is for the best. I never want anyone to find out what really happened, that I have decided on for sure.
"Everything okay, Ana?" Breathe. Breathe. Breathe. Do not rip your boss' head off and spit in the hole on your first day back.
"Everything's fine, Logan. Is there anything you need?"
"Nothing that can't wait. I have a meeting in thirty and I need the conference room ready, can you reach Fran and confirm that it's free?"
"Sure. I'm about done with these now, do you need anything in particular setting up?" I place the final sheet on the tray and press scan before turning around.
"Just the usual. Water will be fine, he's a big coffee drinker so be quick to offer him one when he arrives."
Logan Chalmers is the editor for the non fiction division. He's in his late thirties and I cant deny that he's a good looking guy. Perfect if you like the tall, dark and handsome type. He's well built with striking features, large hands and feet, sparkling green eyes and a smattering of stubble around his chin and cheeks. He actually reminds me of Christian in many eyes; efficient, smartly dressed and handsome. Except that Christian is worlds apart from Logan, while he is undeniably good looking - Christian just has more sex appeal that makes women want to kneel at his feet and beg for attention, something that I have become extremely aware of. But Logan does have the women around the office running around after him like love sick puppies, hell he has the whole building running around after him! Unfortunately for them he's married, I spotted the wedding band on my very first day and I couldn't help but feel relieved. Not that he would try anything, but it just makes the whole working together thing a whole lot easier. He's married and I am in a happy, committed relationship. No need for any wires to get crossed along the way.
"No problem." He nods and leaves the copy room and at the same time the machine beeps to let me know that my scans are complete, I stack them together and head back out.
I love the energy that this place produces. There are three offices for the editors and separate cubicles for the editorial assistants such as myself. The whole department is alive with activity and that's what I love the most, this is what I craved the whole time I worked at Nordstrom, I needed the hustle and bustle of somewhere like this to make me feel useful and needed. The fact that this job allows me to do something that I have loved ever since I was a child makes me feel so happy that I could jump on the spot and do a jig. I spot Fran walking across the office floor with a bouquet of flowers tucked under the crook of her arm and I wave my hand to flag her down.
"I was headed to find you in the first place, these just arrived for you." She beams with a grin and a wink as she places the flowers on my desk. I don't need to even think twice about who sent these, the sheer size of the arrangement gives it away more than anything else. "Secret admirer?"
"Boyfriend. A very over the top boyfriend." I pluck the card out and open the envelope, a smile planted on my face the whole time.
My beautiful, Anastasia.
Have a wonderful first day back at work.
I love you.
C x
I practically melt on the spot. How is it even possible for me to fall in love with this man any more than I already do?
"What does it say?" I flip the card around and she cocks her head to the side smiling. "They're beautiful."
"Christian doesn't do anything by half that's for sure." And he doesn't. Most boyfriends send lilies or hydrangeas but not my man, he sends bouquets of red and white roses that almost cover the surface of my desk.
"One day, I'm going to grill you on how you managed to snap up Seattle's hottest bachelor, I would ask now but we've only just met and I don't want to come across as a pushy bitch." I laugh. I already love this woman, she's like another Kate, just less loud.
"Fair enough. I promise I will tell you everything when you ask. I was just on my way to look for you actually, is the conference room free? Logan has a meeting this afternoon."
"Room three is available. Just a heads up about the complete scrotum that he's meeting with." She steps forward and leans into my ear, glancing around the office for any prying eyes and ears no doubt. "He's an absolute perve, he might be young and hot but he gives me the heebie-jeebies and I'm not the only one, walk behind him because he'll check your ass out any chance he gets and he wont pretend that he's not either. Some of these authors are absolute assholes and this one isn't any better."
"Why?" She shrugs and tosses her long, red hair over her shoulder.
"Status I guess. I just want to bitch slap and tell them that they're really not that important, so you've written a book so what!" She catches my eye and laughs. "And that is why I only work on reception. I don't think the big guys would let me converse with the pricks that make them the money for more than five minutes."
"Is he that bad?"
"Honey, he's tame compared to some of the rats I have dealt with over the years. But once you've seen one you've seen them all. It's just part of the deal I guess."
"Right okay, thanks for the warning. Anything in particular I can do to throw him off?" Her eyes rake me up and down and she smirks.
"Yeah, refrain from looking like a complete babe when you come to work. Seriously, Ana you have the hottest legs I have ever seen in my life, he will sure enough cream his pants when he sees you."
"Oh please! No I don't."
"I beg to differ, how does your man ever let you leave the house?!" I want to tell her with great difficulty but I decide to keep my mouth shut. He may be an overprotective brute but he's my overprotective brute. "And talking of hot. G.I Joe out there is distracting me, I'm struggling to even get anything done." She fans her face dramatically with her hand.
"Sawyer?"
"Is that his name? I prefer G.I Joe, he's a quiet one isn't he?"
"You have no idea, what's he doing?"
"Just sitting and watching, he gets his phone out every so often but that's about it. What's the deal with him anyway? Like I know you're dating a celebrity but does he really need to escort you to work?" I don't know what to say. I know to other people it looks and sounds ridiculous, even I thought it was but no one could ever begin to understand just how paramount my safety to Christian is. We've both expressed how strongly we feel about security over the two months that we have been together, and I have now done a complete 180 and changed my opinion entirely, Sawyer is there to protect me and I know that if I had allowed him to be that little bit closer to me the night Brody attacked me, things would have been a lot different.
"Its just a precaution, the media hound me every day and this way it gives Christian peace of mind. He worries about me."
"I can tell, it would bug the shit out of me but I can see just how much he loves you and wants to take care of you. I don't do the whole, sweet and mushy thing but it looks good on you." She smiles and bumps my shoulder with hers before strolling back to the desk.
Fran was right. James Bryce is a complete sleaze ball. He doesn't even try to hide his leering he actually looks proud of it, I have only just met the guy and already I feel like I need to take a shower.
"Mr. Bryce. Anastasia Steele, Mr. Chalmers' assistant, pleasure to meet you." I hold my hand out and I almost vomit when he kisses it instead of shaking it. I see Sawyer taking a step forward in the corner of my eye and I can already tell that this is going to be an issue.
"Miss. Steele, the pleasure is all mine." Creepy fucker.
"Mr. Chalmers is ready for you, would you like to step this way." I smile and gesture for him to walk ahead of me, it's not like he doesn't know his way around. I catch Fran's eye and she sticks two fingers in her mouth pretending to bork.
Once inside, I offer him a beverage and breathe a sigh of relief when I step back out, not at all surprised to see Sawyer stationed outside the door.
"Is everything okay, Sawyer?"
"Will you be sitting in on the meeting, Ma'am?"
"No. I'm just on my way to fix him a drink, why is there a problem?" I motion for him to follow me.
"Mr. Grey has informed me that he isn't comfortable with Bryce interacting with you, Miss. Steele." Wait a hot minute.
"Excuse me? Have you spoken with him?"
"Five minutes ago, Ma'am."
"And what did he say?"
"We have performed an extensive background check on Bryce and he isn't deemed suitable for you to be in contact with, Miss. Steele. Mr. Grey requests that you keep interaction with him as limited as possible." Un-fucking-believable. I have known about this guy for less than an hour so how the hell does Christian know about him, let alone found the time to dig into his personal records?
"I don't understand?" I shake my head and blink. We are now standing in the middle of the corridor facing each other.
"We vetted all of the staff and clients here at SIP before you started here." He says like it's no big deal.
"All of them?" He nods. "How is that even possible? In fact don't even answer that I don't have time, I want to know what it is you have against Bryce later okay?" He looks reluctant but he eventually nods.
How can my boyfriend woo me and irritate me all in the space of an hour? And who the hell does he think he is telling me what I can and can't do at work, he doesn't own this company and he certainly doesn't own me. Bryce is a creep but I can handle him more than fine, I dealt with sleazes like him ever day while I worked at Nordstrom so this is no challenge for me.
"Thank you, Miss. Steele." I can feel the fuckers eyes on me as I lay the coffee tray on the table but I don't acknowledge him.
"Is there anything else I can get for you, Sir?"
"Actually, I was just telling Chalmers here how much I would like for you to sit in on this meeting, Would that be okay?" Shit. Bryce is looking at me with a salacious smirk, subtle definitely isn't his thing is it. "You're new to the company? Think of me offering my services for your experience." My stomach wretches. The double meaning of that sentence didn't go un-noticed by me and when I glance at Chalmers I can tell he is thinking the same as me.
"It's your call, Ana. You're more than welcome to stay." I mull over my options. Christian will go ape shit if I sit in on this meeting after he gave specific instructions for me not to, but on the other hand this is my career. I need to learn and this is the only way how, If I ever plan on working my way up the ladder I need to do this and take notes. I will just have to deal with my over bearing man later.
"Of course." Bryce practically fist pumps the air as I take a seat beside Logan.
I don't doubt for a second his intentions towards me are less than honourable, I know what he's thinking but I choose to ignore it. Fifteen minutes into the meeting I'm feeling more than uncomfortable, I block out Bryce as best I can and focus my attention solely on the conversation taking place in front of me, I can feel his eyes burning into the side of my skull and I am growing more and more irritable. Not to mention pissed off.
"If all goes ahead with the release date, the launch can be scheduled for the end of June. We've already arranged the press coverage and the first book signing will take place for July 2nd. Anything else you want to discuss?"
"No. It sounds like you have it all covered, Chalmers." He leans back in his chair, crosses his ankle over his knee and runs his finger across his lips as he looks at me. "Have you read my book, Ana? May I call you Ana?"
"Certainly. And no I haven't as of yet, Sir."
"Don't worry, Bryce she will become very familiar with it. Ana will be assisting me from now on with the book, editing the final manuscript and so on." I sit up straighter as the excitement surges through me. As much as I hate this prick, the fact that I will be seeing this project right through until it goes to print gives me a real thrill.
"I don't doubt your capability for a single second. Either of you." He says this but his eyes are trained on me the entire team, does this guy ever stop? As the meeting draws to a close I go to gather all of the appropriate paperwork and stack them together. I can feel his presence lingering behind me and panic starts to set in once I realise that Logan has already left the room.
"I'm looking forward to working more closely with you, Ana." I turn on the spot and stifle the gasp when I realise that he is only inches away from me. Talk about invading my personal space, asshole.
"Likewise, Mr. Bryce."
"Oh, please call me James. We're all friends here right?" He tilts his head to the side and smiles a smile that makes me shiver in disgust. "I gather that you will be attending all meetings from now on in?"
"I expect so, Mr. Chalmers will take me through the schedule no doubt." He nods as I scream inside. I just want to get out of this room and away from this creep. Thankfully he takes a step back and adjusts the buttons on his jacket.
"Excellent. Till next time, Ana." He breezes past me and as soon as I hear the door click closed I exhale the breath I was holding in and grasp my stomach.
I can't even contemplate being in the same room as the guy let alone anything else, I just have to remain professional and keep my distance the best I can. I know that's pretty much impossible but I cant let him believe that I am at all interested in him for a single second. I tuck the file in the crook of my arm and head back out to my desk, I don't even get out of the door before Sawyer barges through with the speed of lightening, his face is red and he breathes a heavy sigh of relief when he sees me standing in front of him.
"She's here, Sir. No she's fine…She's alone. Yes, Sir." He pulls his cell away from his ear and hands it to me, I look at him in confusion and he glares at me looking more than pissed off. "Mr. Grey wishes to speak with you. Now."
Something tells me that he isn't calling to say, hello.
A/N - And because I love jealous, Ana and Christian….
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