Hi there. I know I haven't updated in forever. I won't make excuses. Nor will I apologise; I know why I couldn't and while I would love to have updated sooner, I know I've done the best I could. Thank you for hanging in with me and staying on the story. If you'd like me to update quickly, please do review. You may not believe how much the reviews help. Tell me what you like, dislike or anticipate. I love hearing from my readers.

To Peace1000 and MrsCTGrey, thank you for your continued support.

Angela: Thank you for suggesting the name for this chapter.

CMA: OTB recognizes that the written matter published on this work, with any inference to, Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed, belongs to the true owner being E L James and such 'fan fiction' material is considered 'not for-profit' thus, constitutes fair use, and that no copyright infringement was/is intended. Anastasia, Christian and Sawyer are her characters, but I have tweaked the characterizations to suit MY story. Almost all OOCs are mine and based on friends from real life, with a few exceptions of friends from FB. I have, however, changed a few names keeping their privacy in mind. They know who they are in the story. I have their permission to use them as my muse. If anyone knowing them objects... take it up with them dude

Chapter 36.

APOV

It's been a few hours since Rita Swane has setup her gadgets and gizmos in a secluded corner of the office. Even for someone as tech-savvy as me, those devices looked complicated. I gave her an hour to set up but she told me she'd be set in less than 15 minutes.

I gave her the few basics that I knew about Bryce Clopard, not sharing anything that would disclose my lifestyle to her. I told her I need to know everything there's to know about him and more. However, she should send me an 'end-of-the-day' report on whatever she finds out. I know there will be loads that will take time to uncover and I don't have the patience to wait for a 'comprehensive' report, so I have asked her to share everything she finds out in a day by the end of that day.

She's been locked in that room since 9:30. It's lunch time now so I'm growing anxious about what she might find. I want Bryce Clopard to be dealt with before Christian comes back.

I concentrate on my business and consciously avoid thinking about Bryce or what Rita will find about him. No point peeking over her shoulder. People perform best when they have the liberty to accomplish the task in their own way. I don't care what applies so long as I have the details I need.

Ruthless much? Absolutely. Chris deserves much better than this jackass screwing around his business.

XXX

Around lunch time my phone alerts me to an incoming message.

About to step into a boring lunch meeting. Wish I were with you instead. ~ C

It brings a smile to my face to know that he's thinking of me too.

I'm about to go for a lunch meeting too. Hopefully not a boring one, though I'm certain nothing would beat a lunch with you. ~A

Hmmm…. Maybe we should just cancel the meeting and meet for lunch. ~C

You're losing your edge. From what I know, Christian Grey cancelling a meeting is unheard of. ~A

There's a lot about me that's unheard of. ~C

Ah, now you have me curious. ~A

Curiosity killed the cat. ~C

Oh, if only he knew how curious you are…

Well, for now focus on the meeting and then you can tell me about the things about you that are unheard of. ~A

Well, the thing is, you know it. ~C

Good. Then I wont die of curiosity. Either way, I'm safe. So off to your meeting you go and I'll pick you up soon. xox ~A

xox? ~C

That's hugs and kisses, you digitally illiterate man! ~A

Ah, so you've discovered another well hidden secret about me. ~C

Eh? ~A

I'm very poor in my digital skills. ~C

Which era do you belong to? ~A

Haha. ~C

I'm going to ignore all your messages for the next hour, unless you have something specific to say. You need to be sharp for your meetings. ~A

You might as well be emailing me if you want to send me long messages. They're more secure too. ~C

Ignoring. ~A

No you're not. ~C

Yes I am. ~A

Grinning ~C

You're such a baby. ~A

Look who's talking. ~C

Arrived at the meeting venue. Will miss you. See you soon. ~C

I love these little chats we have. I have this goofy grin on my face that I must wipe off if I'm to get something out of my meeting. When my assistant informs me that my next appointment is here, I pick my iPad and phone and go to the conference room next to my office. My meeting with the author is brief. I check my phone for any more messages and am disappointed to see there are no more.

The next two hours are spent discussing marketing strategies and such with my team. I'm happy with their work which I acknowledge. By 4:30, I'm restless and decide to take a break from my work. I can't resist gGoogling Bryce Clopard.

Google shows a man in his late forties to early fifties. A bit young to be Christian's guardian, I think. However, given that he was the only living relative, I can also understand how he could have been the court appointed guardian.

In my head, when I thought of Bryce, I saw someone evil looking. However, Bryce is nothing like the image in my head. He's overweight and balding, with his eyes ready to bulge out of their sockets, possibly a result of excessive drinking. There is something about him that clearly screams 'bad man'. My research is interrupted by a knock on my glass door. Rita Sawyne stands there, holding a leather folder and an ipad in her hand.

"Come in, Rita. Have a seat."

"Ma'am I have some news for you but I thought I'd show it to you rather than emailing it. Before I show you, I'd like you to be forewarned, they are gruesome pics. However, I wont be sharing my sources, so please don't ask for those. Just know that I trust the source implicitly." She looks at me to see my reaction and I nod, acknowledging my acceptance.

She passes me the folder and while some of the pictures are similar to the ones I was looking at, others are more explicit. The folder has his medical history, bank statements from multiple accounts as well as a three page write-up about his relationships. I close the folder keen on hearing what Rita has to say. I can always go through the folder later. I look up and indicate for Rita to go on.

"Bryce Clopard is a businessman from Washington. He seems to have more wealth than can be accounted for through his businesses. That's something I'm digging further." I nod for her to continue.

"He seems to travel a lot, though I think he visits Seattle and Portland more often than any other places. I'm yet to determine if it's solely business related or there's something more personal going on."

"What makes you think there's something personal going on."

"For one, his whereabouts when he's in Seattle or Portland are sketchy at best. I'll need more time to see if I can find the places he visits but for now, they are a bit ambiguous. Also, his connections are… not what you'd expect of a businessman," she squirms in her seat, clearly uncomfortable with what she has to tell me.

"Go on." I encourage her.

"Ma'am, he indulges in an alternate lifestyle, frowned upon by most people. Personally, I don't find anything wrong in a safe, sane and consensual relationship. However, something about him is off. I can't quite put my finger on it yet, but I'm certain that he's not a man to be trusted with a woman or a child."

She's definitely on to his BDSM lifestyle. Yes, no point on keeping that little part of my life secret from Rita. If it's taken her less than a day to find that part about Bryce, she won't need much more to find out about Mistress W.

"Rita, what I'm about to tell you is highly confidential. I don't think I need to remind you that you signed an NDA at the time of accepting this job." I look up and see confusion writ on her face, possibly wondering what it could be that I could tell her. "This is related to your current research. I'd rather you find out from me than 'discover' it."

"You can trust me. Not only because of the NDA which I have no intention of breaking, but also because as a person, I would never ever disclose things you don't want me to. So long as I'm not asked to testify in the court of law, my mouth is shut." She mimics zipping her lips, locking them and throwing away the key.

It brings a small smile to my face and I think I just might have found a new confidante. I tell her about me being a part of BDSM lifestyle and that I was a Dominatrix. If she's disgusted by this, it doesn't show on her face. If anything, she leans closer, showing that she's highly interested in what I'm telling her. I go on to tell her about BAND and what I've discovered about Bryce through them.

"In light of your theory that he might be visiting Seattle and Portland more, I think it could be due to his BDSM lifestyle. He probably knows people in the lifestyle who are providing him with more subs. God help the poor souls who submit to him. The fact that he got Queens' treatment tells me that he doesn't deserve to be a dom."

"Queen's treatment?" More than her two words, it's her tone that tell me there is so much I will need to share for her to do her job well.

"Mistress Queen is the empress of Queendom of Light. She's the mother of badass and a good hearted soul. If you ever have the privilege to see her, don't make the mistake of judging her. What she looks like on the outside and who she is on the inside are two different people. Her signature red and black leather outfits and her crooked grin definitely give her the edginess. But her heart is pure gold. Don't get me wrong, she feels no remorse in breaking bones and worse, breaking balls. If a Dom ever ignores a hard limit or a safeword in the Queendom, they're asking for her special treatment. The easiest of her treatment will leave a man begging for mercy. Or death. Any would be preferable once Mistress Queen is done with them. Please understand, the cock and ball torture in the BDSM field falls under play. Nothing about what Mistress Queen does as a part of her 'treatment' is play. And you wouldn't find a mark on the body to prove that the person was tortured. She's that good."

"Do I even want to know what that means?"

"No, I dont think so. The only reason I'm mentioning this is that Bryce has been a recipient of her treatment. And it wasn't easy version." I see Rita wince. Good. She gets the message.

"An important thing for you to know is that he's now plotting revenge against Mistress Queen."

"Is that why you want me to look up details about him? To help her?" she asks.

It's none of her concern why I want the research done and I'll do well to draw the line now. "She's the Queen. She doesn't need my help and what I do with the research is not of concern to you. You must however know that I want no stone unturned when it comes to finding anything that he could be hiding. I know for a fact that he was the court appointed guardian to two children. One of them being Mr. Christian Grey. Find out what you can about that period along with more information about his current businesses. Treat this as a top priority."

"Yes Ma'am." The professional crispness is back in her voice. I didn't want her stepping outside her professional boundaries and I'm glad the boundaries are now clearly marked.

"Anything else you know about him?"

"For now, that is all I can tell you about him. My sources are at work and I should have some more news for you by tomorrow evening."

I give her a dismissing nod before turning to my cell. That's when I notice it is 5:45 p.m already. Between my research on Bryce and my talks with Rita, I seem to have lost track of time. I quickly shut down my laptop and pack up while informing Sawyer that I'll be out in minute and that we're driving to Christian's office to pick him. Later, Sawyer can follow in Christian's car.

I text Christian so he knows I'm on the way.

I'm ready and waiting for you to come. ~C

I smile at his innuendoes in a statement as simple as like that.

See you soon. Driving, so no more messages. ~A

Be safe. ~C

Always want the last word, don't you? ~A

I could say the same about you. ;-) ~C

I'll give him a suitable response when I pick him. Let him have a last word for now.

I reach the GEH office in no time at all. There, standing at the main entrance is my man, looking hot as a hunk. I sit there, oggling at him while he's busy talking to someone, possibly a subordinate. As if he feels my eyes on him, he turns and I can almost feel his eyes light up with pleasure. He gives me a wink, turns to the man he was talking to and says a quick word accompanied by a handshake, before running towards my car.

Sawyer opens the door for him as Christian hands him the key. He settles in, gives me a quick kiss on my cheek and buckles up. "I'm so excited Anastasia. Let's drive away."

Throughout the drive, Christian divides his time between typing out messages and looking at me with a smile playing at his lips. Clearly, though his work is keeping him occupied, being with me is making him happy. Being a business woman myself, I know the pressures of work; so I don't question him about his texts.

Soon, I'm driving through the breathtaking driveway to Christian's home. It's lit with lamps about waist high. The weather is cool but not unusually cold as I step in to the now familiar house. "Why don't you freshen up in your room and I will join you in a few minutes?" Christian asks, his face beaming with excitement.

He definitely has something up his sleeve.

I agree with TheBitch but decide not to question Christian in the interest of keeping his bubble of excitement alive. He escorts me to 'my room' where I was, not so many hours ago. The bathroom still has all my favorite cosmetics and toiletries lined up neatly, just as I left them this morning.

As I step out of my room, I see Christian disconnecting a call and stepping towards me with a bounce in his step, a huge grin lighting his face. He has changed into comfortable linen trousers and bottle green sweatshirt. It seems to be his favorite color when he's not wearing the boring blacks and greys of office attire.

He offers me his arm, elbow bent like we were in some old English classic. I take it, unable to stop the smile that now seems to be a permanent expression when I'm in Christian's presence.

He guides me down the stairs towards a back door leading to a huge backyard. I gasp as I take in the view. The backyard has a lawn, with trees lining the edges and colorful lights fitted beneath the trees.

It's stunningly perfect. Way beyond perfect. The pebbled path that leads to the garden is illuminated with short pole lights. The brightness is enough to show the way but not so much that it would eat away from the beauty of the dusk.

A round table for two, covered with a silky satin white cloth is laid out with appropriate glassware and cutlery. A bottle of wine sits cooling in the ice bucket. What truly enthrals me are the little Christmas lights strung around the tree.

Wait. Are those tiny candles hung along with the lights? Oh my!

To the right, I see a white screen supported by a stand. Two speakers are placed right next to the screen. The two white cushy lounger laid on the grass, angled to face the screen, are wide enough for two people to snuggle on. A large white marble vase fitted with a glass top is placed between the two loungers as a side table, with gel candles on them. I notice the whole area is ambiently lit with fairy lights and candles and a select few lamps. The whole ambience is breathtaking.

Clearly a lot of planning has gone in converting a simple backyard garden into a fairytale garden. I turn to look at Christian and he's looking at me with a mixture of anxiety and excitement. I wonder how he managed all of this in the short span of time while also attending meetings, managing his work and preparing for his China trip.

Don't forget the playful texting.

"Wow, Christian. This is so beautiful." I'm rewarded by a super sexy beaming smile that is beyond panty wetting. The joy on his face reminds me of Christmas and birthday presents rolled in one. It's so pure, I feel it, right here in my heart.

"You like?"

"I love it. You've done a fantastic job. How did you manage it? I'm in awe."

"Thank you. I'm going to be away for a week and I just wanted to make these last few hours before I fly, extra special. Since I can't take you out for a typical movie date, what with the paps and all, I figured this was the next best thing."

"The next best thing? This beats a regular movie date night hands down." I jump up to hug him and kiss him on his cheek and he stiffens, immediately reminding me that he gets panic attacks. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Fuck! You idiot.

I slowly let go of my hands from behind his head and withdraw slowly putting my feet back on the ground . When I meet his eyes, they take my breath away.

A/N: Pictures on Pinterest. Have a look. Dont forget to tell me you opinion of this chapter and the story so far.