Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story are those from the Fifty Shades Trilogy. They remain the rightful property of E L James. Recognisable brands, places, music or films remain the property of their owners. No copyright infringement is intended.

Ali Bain - Thank you! I'm really glad you liked it. Oh yes, I imagine there will be a little drama at Carrick's birthday party. Maybe even a surprise guest? I hope you like this chapter. Much Love x

Pippa - Thank you! It's wonderful to hear that you really enjoyed the last chapter. I hope you like this one too! Much Love x

SuzB - Thank you, lovely! As always, so glad to hear you enjoyed it. Really hope you like this one! Much Love x

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Labella - Thank you! I'm so glad you're enjoying it. Sorry for the delay between the last update and this one, I've been sick with tonsillitis and the flu for the past two weeks, but now feeling much better. I hope you like this chapter. Much Love x

Hello Lovelies,

I hope you're all having a great weekend so far. Big love and thanks to everyone who read and left comments on the last chapter.

As always, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm already working on the next chapter for you, which I hope to upload very soon.

Much Love,

Chelsea x

I left the bedroom and padded the length of the suite, heading straight for Christian. He was sitting at the dining table, engrossed in a broadsheet newspaper. His back was to the room and me, the paper open at the financial pages. I could already see that he was dressed in his preferred white shirt and grey slacks, ready to head into the office.

I came to a stop behind him and draped my arms over his shoulders.

"Good morning," I hummed, nuzzling my face into his neck. He smelled of my vanilla body wash, the scent mixing perfectly with his natural aroma.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." He folded his paper and cast it onto the table, flinging it over his breakfast dishes. He turned his face to me and kissed my lips, a smile breaking over his mouth. "You should be in bed. It's still early."

I glanced out of the window ahead of us and noted the gloomy skies. The sun was out there somewhere, hiding behind a thick cover of grey clouds.

"I think I'm adjusting to London time," I smiled. I kissed him back before moving to the seat next to him, dropping onto it. I pulled my robe together, aware that I was nude underneath it, tugging the belt around my waist. "Besides, I slept really well last night."

"You must have been tired," he smirked.

My nerves tingled with the memories of last night. It was the best night I have ever had... and I thought the night I lost my virginity was pretty spectacular.

He took a gulp of his coffee and checked his watch. He pursed his lips.

"I have to leave soon," he said, a hint of an apology in his tone. "I have just two meetings this morning. It shouldn't take too long."

"It's fine," I smiled, reassuring him. I reached across and picked up a leftover rasher of bacon from his plate. "I'll make sure I'm dressed and ready, for whenever you get back. Are we going out as soon as you return?"

I couldn't hide my eagerness to explore and pound the pavements, to follow in the footsteps of my literary heroes.

"I'll need to change first, but we'll leave straight after," he promised. He flashed me a grin and began fiddling with his black tie, perfecting its position without needing to check it in the mirror. "So, Miss Steele, in the meantime, you should order yourself some room service and then go back to bed. I doubt I'll be back here before 11."

"I'm too excited to sleep," I admitted, a small laugh escaping me. "I'm still reeling from last night."

"Me too," he whispered. He licked his lips slowly, a familiar glint transforming his eyes. It made the hairs on the back of neck stand up on end. "It was an incredible night."

"You don't regret it?" I asked quietly.

"Not for one second," he shook his head, no hesitancy in his answer. He reached across and stroked my cheek. "I meant what I said. Every word of it."

My heart quivered.

"I love you," he told me. He lifted off his chair and moved closer, stooping as he held me by the jaw. His kisses were warm and sweet, tinged with coffee and spearmint. "I never thought I would be able to say those words, I didn't think I had it in me to love someone. But I can't hide what I feel for you, Ana. It's love. I know it is."

"You've seriously never said it before?"

"Never," he shook his head.

"Not even to your family?"

"No. You're the first person to ever hear those words from me," he smiled again. "But now I am quite literally going to love you and leave you. I really have to go."

I heard his phone buzzing in his pocket. I accepted another kiss and let him peel back and compose himself. I smiled as I caught sight of his erection bulging in his pants.

"You have an extraordinary effect on me," he winked. He flattened it with his hand and turned back to the table, gathering his phone and briefcase. "I'll be as quick as I can. Believe me, I would much rather spend my Saturday morning with you and not a boardroom full of pompous assholes."

I walked with him to the door, taking a moment to gawk at his ass in his tailored pants. It was like he was hand-carved by a Greek sculptor.

I stared as he moved through the hallway and headed for the elevator. Tarrick was already waiting for him, donning a three-piece suit and a straight face.

"See you later," I waved to Christian. "I love you."

"I love you, too," he smirked and blew me a kiss before disappearing into the elevator.

I lingered in the hallway for a moment before I shut the door and fell back against it. I don't think I will ever tire of hearing him say those words to me. I know some people will think it's too early for us to say the L word to each other, that we have only been together for five minutes. But screw them and their prescriptive attitudes. Our relationship isn't moulded on experience. We're learning from each other and as long as we're still happy and making progress, that's all that really matters.

Right?

I spent the next hour or so pottering around the suite, examining its finer details, the many sculptures and the abundance of books on display. I was impressed with the selection on offer, though disappointed to find some key literary figures missing. Not even a thought had been given to the Brontë's, which was sacrilege in my eyes. Seeing all of the unbroken spines lined up neatly did made me homesick for my own books. I didn't pack any in my suitcase, thinking that I wouldn't have a free moment to sit down and read. But now, all alone, I wish I had my battered Brontë's with me.

Feeling the urge to break free, I quickly changed into some jeans and a sweater and pulled on my ankle boots. The sky was awash with greys and black and there was a drizzle of rain against the windows, reminding me to grab my jacket before I leave. It had just turned 9:30am and I knew Christian would have only just finished with his first meeting, but I felt like a restless bird.

Picking up the phone, I dialled the number on the card Christian had given me. It was answered after a few seconds by a rather startled female voice.

"Miss Steele –" Jakobs breathed into the phone. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I just popped downstairs for a moment. Is everything okay?"

"Yes," I muttered. "I was just wondering… Well, I would like to go out. Christian said I had to ask you first."

"You don't need my permission, Miss Steele," she replied. "I will be happy to escort you. Do you know where exactly you would like to go?"

"Erm, not really," I confessed. I sat down on the edge of the bed and reached into the top drawer of the cabinet. I found the payment card with my name on it. "I think I'd like to do some shopping."

"No problem. I will come up to your suite now, ma'am."

She ended the call and promptly arrived at our door a minute later, knocking and waiting for me to invite her inside. I greeted her with a smile, somewhat relieved to find her dressed down in skinny jeans, an oversized button-down shirt and a leather jacket. She was wearing white converse too. I liked her style.

"Will you need me to hire us another car or would you like to walk?" Jakobs asked. I noticed that she was carrying two black umbrellas. "The hotel is close to all of the leading retailers. It's only a short walk, if you feel up to it?"

"I'd like to stretch my legs," I nodded.

"It will be quite busy," she warned, walking at least a step ahead of me as we made our way to the elevators. I slipped my wallet into my shoulder bag and replaced it with my iPhone. "Weekends can be incredibly busy. Good for traders, stressful for shoppers and tourists."

"I can handle it," I assured her.

I stepped to the back of the elevator and leaned against the railing. I unlocked my phone and opened my messages, quickly typing a note to Christian.

I decided to head out and go shopping. Sorry I couldn't wait for you to come back, I was getting bored being cooped up x

(P.S – Don't worry, Jakobs is with me! x)

He replied instantly, a fact which made me smile. Is he ever not on his phone?

Thanks for letting me know. :) Stay close to Jakobs. I'll meet you when I've finished here. I'll text you when I'm done. C x

Looking forward to it! x

I love you. Have fun shopping. C x

I love you too. Have fun whipping everyone into shape! x

I felt my phone buzz again as we stepped out of the elevator. I waited until we were outside before I read it, Jakobs and I blending into a steady stream of bustling pedestrians. I took an umbrella from her and popped it open.

I actually laughed out loud then. I almost gave my MD a heart attack. C x

No pun intended… But, come to think about it, I'm the one you should be whipping ;) x

Stop it. You're making me hard. C x

You're always hard ;) x

Your fault, not mine. Now leave me alone, I have important work to do. C x

I laughed and pushed my phone into my pocket. I caught up with Jakobs, who was moving at a quick pace. Peeking out from under the sea of umbrellas moving around us, I took the opportunity to take in my surroundings in daylight. When we arrived and drove to the hotel, I was too overwhelmed to really notice it. The green and pink of the park, the red phone boxes and the traditional black cabs. It was almost too much for my senses.

Jakobs was an excellent tour guide and an friend of the city. It was obviously in the way she navigated us from street to street, knowing the quickest way between stores, the shortcuts that only a true Londoner would know. She even provided me with nuggets of information as we walked, telling me about the different buildings and what they used to it many years ago. She wasn't like Taylor, didn't stand to attention or appear rigid, constantly looking over her shoulder. She put me at ease and it felt like I was shopping with a friend, not someone who was there to chaperone me. Most importantly, she understood my fascination with the city and didn't judge me for taking a million photographs with my phone. I wanted to record everything for prosperity. The mix of the Gothic and the modern. Past and present living harmoniously, side by side, merging together but never outshining each other. It was like they were always meant to be married on these streets.

We went from store to store, beginning with a small boutique just a few streets away from the hotel. I needed to make a start on replenishing my closet, the jeans and sweater I was wearing pretty much the only thing I had suitable for casual outings in cooler weather. In the store, I found a few items I liked, the price tags a little higher than I would have liked to pay, but I bought them anyway. Christian doesn't care about prices and, I reminded myself, neither should I.

I didn't have to worry about carrying the many bags around, each store more than happy to deliver my purchases to our suite. Jakobs passed each cashier one of Christian's business cards, the mere sight of Grey Enterprises enough to snap them into action. I had never realised just how wellknown Christian is. I finished clothes shopping with a variety of pieces that I hoped Christian would approve of – I wanted him to look at me with passion in his eyes, find me sophisticated and sexy. I wanted to make him proud to stand next to me.

I spent the rest of my time seeking out gifts for everyone back home. I also picked up a few gifts for myself. Books, mainly. Jakobs was happy to pamper to my bibliophilic tendencies, taking me to all of the good book stores, from mainstream to independent. Each place tugged on my heart and brought a grin to my lips.

I have always felt at home surrounded by books, that first whiff of paper and ink as you walked into a book store like a drug to me. I bought a few things in each store - notebooks, paperbacks, bookmarks… Our final stop was a beautiful, grey-fronted place called South Kensington Books. It was a short walk from the V&A museum, where Christian agreed to take me first. He had already messaged me to say that he was done for the day and would come find me.

I knew he had entered the store before I'd even heard his voice or caught sight of him. His energy was palpable and enveloped me in an instant.

"Hey," he whispered as he came up to me, his hand brushing my arm. As I glanced up from the book I was holding, his lips slid over my own. "You look happy."

"I do?" I smiled. I leaned into his side, happy to be reunited with him. He had changed into jeans and a grey t-shirt, a navy sweatshirt zipped over the top. "How was your morning?"

"Productive," he nodded. He draped his arm around me, his palm splaying against my lower back. His mouth curled into a smirk. "I don't need to ask how your morning has been, I've seen all of the bags in our room."

"I think I may have overdone it with some of the purchases," I explained with a giggle. "Jakobs took me to pretty much every store in this part of the city!"

"Did you get some clothes?"

"Yes," I hummed. " I didn't buy any underwear, though... I need to stock up on panties."

"Hm, that can most certainly be arranged," he hummed and granted me another kiss. "If you're buying lingerie, I want to be there… There's just something about the idea of you in a thong…"

"I would have thought you'd prefer me commando," I pursed my lips and returned my eyes to my book. I could feel a pink blush trickling over my body. I shook off the headiness overcoming me. "So, anyway, I bought some gifts for people. Just a little something for Kate and Ray... Oh and I got Mia something to say thank you for the dresses she got me."

"She will love that," he smiled.

"You don't know what I bought her yet."

"I don't need to. I know Mia will be grateful for whatever you have bought her. She appreciates small gestures like that." His eyes twinkled as he thought of his sister. "Mia is good like that. You could buy her a doughnut and she'd be over the moon that you even thought of her."

That was a relief. I wasn't sure what to buy her and settled on a vintage style necklace, a teardrop emerald pendant hanging from a gold chain. It wasn't expensive and quite simple in design.

"I also got some treats for Mrs Jones, Taylor and Sophie," I added. "We went to a traditional sweet shop. I got a lot of candy. I think Taylor might hate me for plying his kid with sugar!"

"I'll let you into a secret –" Christian leaned into my ear, his smirk spreading higher over his lips. "If Taylor didn't work out as often as he does, he would be the size of a house. That man can pack away more candy and chips that anyone I've ever met. He's a gannet."

"Seriously?"

"I think he only takes Sophie trick or treating at Halloween so he can steal half of her hoard for himself," he nodded. "Don't worry. Taylor will be ecstatic. Sophie will be lucky if she can get her hands on a lollipop."

I chuckled at that.

"So…" he hummed. He arched his brow. "Was I as lucky as the others?"

"Maybe," I smiled. "I might have bought you a gift, too."

He broke into a wild grin.

"You went snooping through the bags, didn't you?" I shook my head.

"Me?" he gasped, feigning shock. He kept up the act for just a second. "Sorry. I couldn't resist. It's a beautiful tie, thank you."

"You're welcome," I smiled. I gazed up into his round eyes and almost lost myself in them, my book slipping out of my grip. Christian quickly grabbed it, examining the cover for himself. "Oh, I was just about to buy that."

"Haven't you read it before?" he asked. It was a pristine, fabric covered edition of Shirley.

"Yes, but I don't have a copy of it," I nodded. "I think I borrowed it from the library or something."

"Well, let me pay for this and then we'll head to the museum," he said. "I've booked a guided tour, just for us."

My stomach fluttered with excitement. He laughed at my innate reaction.

"You're such a geek," he winked. "I love it."

I wasn't the only geek in London that day.

Christian Grey was, quite possibly, a bigger geek than I was as we walked around the V&A. From the second we entered the museum and were matched up with our tour guide, he was fawning over displays, asking a million and one questions, dragging me through exhibits because he was too eager to pace himself. It was certainly a sight to behold.

After finishing in the V&A we went onto the Houses of Parliament, admiring Big Ben and the palaces of Westminster. Christian insisted that we take the car for our excursions, despite my protests to walk now that the rain had passed. He won the debate and I was actually grateful for this when I realised just how far we'd need to walk between the different landmarks. My toes might have fallen off if I had gotten my way. We did leave the car in order to walk along the Thames, however, giving me a chance to see The Globe theatre up close and personal, as well to take some pictures. I even persuaded Christian to take a few selfies with me. Though, in each one he was busy kissing my cheek and neck or suckling on my ear lobe.

We topped the afternoon off at the British Library. I had mentioned that I wanted to pay a visit to the building - it was one of the first buildings I circled on our map last night - but I didn't expect Christian to arrange a private viewing of the original manuscripts and journals of my favourite authors. Austen, Dickens, Hardy, Woolf… They were all laid out for me. I was given a pair of cotton gloves and allowed free reign to hold and scour through the items, the librarian looking settled once he realised I wasn't going to damage the archaic papers.

"Is there anything else you would like to see?" the librarian asked as I returned a stack of folios to him.

"Do you have anything by the Brontë's?" Christian asked, clearing his voice. I glanced across the long table and looked at him. He had been relatively quiet since we came into the archives, the small room framed with bookcases and smelling of crisp parchment. "Ana is a huge fan."

"Right!" The librarian clapped his hands together. "We do have a good selection of Brontë memorabilia, but the vast majority of their works and effects are held at Haworth, at the Parsonage museum. I'm more than happy to dig out the items we hold here, if you'd like to see them?"

"Yes, please," I nodded eagerly.

"If you have time whilst you're here, I would recommend visiting Haworth," he added. "It's a long journey to Yorkshire but well worth the trip."

"Oh, we haven't got time," I shook my head, somewhat apologetic. "We're only here for a week and we have a lot of things to see here… Besides, Christian's here on business so -"

"We'll save Yorkshire for the next trip," Christian cut across me. He gave me a gentle smile. "Next time we'll come here for longer, have a tour-de-force around the country."

I mouthed him a thank you and returned to the mammoth collection on the table between us. I was near to tears, my gratitude and excitement bubbling to the surface. He continues to shock me every day, each of his gestures grander than the previous. He has a lot of love in his heart and I was so lucky to be the sole recipient.

"So, did you enjoy yourself today?" Christian asked as he settled in beside me, clicking his seatbelt into place. Tarrick was in front of him, behind the wheel, waiting to pull the rental car away from the pavement. "We managed to tick off quite a few things from your list."

"We did," I grinned. "I've had the best day."

I leaned across the car and kissed him, circling my hand around his neck to prevent him from moving. I smothered him with kisses.

"I can't thank you enough for today," I told him. "It was everything I could have asked for and more. I've loved every minute of it."

"That's all I was hoping for," he smiled beneath my lips. "Although, we might need to get you a bigger suitcase. You appear to have collected even more shopping bags."

I giggled as I looked down at the well between our seats. There were at least five bags lined up. I did go a little crazy in the gift shop at the library.

I cast my eyes over the bags and frowned as I counted them.

"Wait," I held out my hand and picked up a large white paper bag. In the rear-view mirror I saw Tarrick's dark eyes shoot back at me. I looked inside the bag and saw a gold gift box inside it. "This isn't mine."

"Are you sure?" Christian asked, his expression blank.

"I'm sure," I nodded. "I must have picked it up at the library… I didn't have it before then. At least I don't think I did."

"That's strange…"

"How could I have picked up someone else's bag?" I wondered aloud, chastising myself for being so careless."Shit, we'll have to go back and return it."

"Is there a name on the package?" Christian pressed me. "Anything to say who it belongs to?"

Reluctantly I took the gold box out of the bag and examined the lid. It was immaculately presented, a thick white ribbon wrapped around it, sealed off in a large bow across the middle of the box.

There was a tag looped around the bow.

Ana,

Thank you for being all of my important firsts. Lover, Girlfriend, Friend.

Here is a first for you.

With all my love,

Christian x

My frown deepened.

I looked across to him.

"I don't understand," I whispered. "What is this?"

"Open it and find out," he smirked.

I tentatively pulled at the ribbon, my fingers trembling. The streams of satin fell apart and draped over my thighs. The box was surprisingly heavy.

"I was going to have it shipped to Seattle," Christian explained. "But when I booked our flights here, I called ahead and asked if I could collect it in person. I went there before I came to find you."

But I didn't remember him carrying a paper bag...

I stared ahead and caught a trace of a smile on Tarrick's mouth as he shared a look with Jakobs.

Lifting the lid, I peeled away several layers of tissue paper and found a stack of leather bound books, each in a majestic sapphire colour. They were small hardbacks, three in total, seemingly identical. I examined the first book, tracing my fingers over the deckled edges.

I slowly opened it and flicked through the first few pages.

"You didn't…" I gasped. Blood rushed to my ears, pumping hard and fast. "Oh my god."

The title page confirmed my wildest dreams.

JANE EYRE.

An Autobiography.

EDITED BY CURRER BELL.

In Three Volumes.

Vol. I.

1847.

"Christian…"

"I saw the way you looked at Grace's books," he said. "You were in awe of them. I loved seeing that look in your eyes."

He lifted his hand and feathered his fingers across my cheek, drawing my eyes to his. He was blurry through the tears starting to streak down my face.

"I hope you'll accept them," he whispered, deepening his tone.

"Accept them?" I gulped. I frantically wiped my cheeks with my sleeve. "You'll have to prise them away from me! Christian… I don't know what to say. I can't believe you did this."

His face lit up with a mix of relief, pride and happiness. It was a boyish expression, making him look younger than his 28 years.

"Thank you," I breathed. I delicately placed the book back into the box and leaned across to him again. I planted a tearstained kiss to his mouth. "God, I love you."

"As long as you're happy, that's all that matters," he promised me.

I lowered my voice, trying to block out Tarrick and Jakobs.

"As soon as we get back to our room, you're mine, Grey," I told him.

He didn't say anything, but the bulge straining in his pants told me everything I needed to know.

I was sat on the bed, dressed in the hotel's white fluffy robe, still fawning over Jane Eyre. I spread the volumes out and almost felt too scared to touch them, in case they might fall apart or that my fingerprints would destroy the aged pages.

"Are you going to sit there all night?"

I jerked my head up and found Christian staring at me. He was fixing his cufflinks, having just emerged from the bathroom. The blue tie I bought him earlier hung proudly around his neck, perfectly coordinated with his navy suit. Oddly, it even matched my books...

"I'm still in shock," I grinned. I shifted and blushed as I felt a twinge in my behind. "And a little sore."

He smirked back at me.

"I was rough with you," he said. "But it's nice to know that you can handle it harder than we've experimented before. I've been gentle on you until now."

"I really enjoyed it," I nodded.

When we came back to the hotel, our hands were all over each other, ripping off our clothes. He took me against the wall and then over the back of the couch, before we sank to the floor and I straddled him, not caring about my already scuffed knees... We somehow ended up in the bedroom and our passion led us to far kinkier avenues. He bound my hands together and dominated me. I loved every second of it, even if my ass is a little sore now.

I lifted off the bed and walked over to him. I looped my arms around his waist and gazed up at him.

"I'd definitely let you do that again. I'm glad you brought the, um… what did you call it?"

"Singapore stinger. It's just a wooden paddle," he smiled, rubbing the tip of his nose against mine. His hands slid down to my buttocks, cupping them. "The redness won't last long, I promise."

"I kind of like it," I whispered. "You know, I never thought I'd be into that sort of thing… When I first discovered that's what you liked, I didn't think that I would grow to like it too."

"You were intrigued though," he said. "That's normally a good sign. You didn't run for the hills."

"You're turning me into a fiend," I giggled.

"My very own sex fiend," he hummed. He pulled me into him, his crotch pressing into my abdomen. "I can think of worse things."

He hovered his lips over mine, allowing his breath to tease me. He waited a few seconds and then pulled back. I pouted and huffed a sound, earning myself a slap across my behind.

"You need to get dressed," he ordered me. "We can't keep Lord Carrington waiting, can we?"

He only told me that we had dinner plans about an hour before, casually telling me that we were going to spend the evening with a real-life Lord and Lady. I know, you just can't make this shit up. Christian explained that he always meets with Lord James Carrington when he travels to London, the pair as close to being friends as you can get. Carrington, by all accounts, likes to shower Christian with food and drink as thanks for his generous patronage to the Lord's environmental charity, Our Future. Christian assured me that the night wouldn't be all about pomp and ceremony. Carrington and his wife are, by all accounts, commoners at heart.

I had managed to work the curling irons I found in the bathroom and successfully tamed my hair into an impressive up-style. My dark ringlets were swept away from my face, which I had framed with a little blusher, mascara, and the concealer I got from the beauty therapist to help cover my bruise. It was hardly visible, much to my relief. It was nice not having to worry about people staring at it.

"I just need to change into my dress and shoes," I assured him. "I was thinking maybe the blue dress Mia bought me? It matches your tie."

"Perfect choice," he nodded. "You get changed and I'll call Tarrick and ask him to bring the car round."

I grabbed the dress from the closet and carried it into the bathroom, leaving the door open behind me. I hung the dress bag off the corner of the free-standing mirror.

As I began shedding my robe, I heard a loud ping from the bedroom. It sounded like a text message, the bell chime piercing the air.

"Ana?" Christian called out.

I shuffled to the doorway and peeked into the bedroom.

He was standing in the corner of the room, his iPhone in his hand. It was still connected to the charger, the long black cord dangling. Our phones were both on charge, mine still lying on the table where his was. My battery was near empty after a day spent taking pictures.

"Something wrong?" I asked.

His brows were heavy with confusion.

He lifted his head and narrowed his eyes at me. He held up the phone, as if to show me the screen. It was lit up but locked, only the small notification box visible. I couldn't read it from where I was standing so I moved over to him.

It was only then that I realised he was holding my phone, not his. My background hiding behind the text message, a picture of us outside The Globe.

"What does this mean?" he asked, passing me the phone. The phone that is identical to his. I had to take the protective case off mine in order to charge it, the port not quite wide enough. "Why is Taylor messaging you about José?"

I gulped as I unlocked the screen and opened the message.

There's a chance it was José Rodriguez who attacked you.

I've traced his movements after he left your building. He was two streets away from Maîtrise approx. 25 mins before the attack, didn't return to his car until 1:30am. He was wearing a similar outfit to your attacker.

I'm sorry but I have to take this to the police.