Thursday 30th June 2011
Ana's POV
Christian and I drive to Grey House and my mind wanders back to last night and the spat between the brothers after we came down from the playroom.
** Flashback **
"Fuck off Elliot!" Christian isn't happy with either of them, but is intelligent enough not to tell Kate where to go. Elliot just laughs it off and now I am going a deeper shade of red than I already am. God, this is so embarrassing. Christian's outburst and my increasingly rosy glow has just proved our visitors correct, but why should I be embarrassed? It's not as if we are doing anything they aren't… Well, we are as I doubt Elliot ties Kate to the bed with leather cuffs and fucks her where she stands, whilst sticking his finger up her bum.
Kate can see my awkwardness and holds out her hand to beckon me to sit next to her, I think she is now sorry she said what she did. The men are in some sort of bicker-fest, Christian is telling his brother to shut up and Elliot is antagonising him further, saying that I took his virginity, if only he knew it was the other way around. Can't Christian see that his brother is feeding off of his reaction. "What the hell do you know about my sexual history, for all you know I could be a bigger man-whore than you!"
"Doubt it bro, everyone knows I'm just a sex god and you are a shrinking violet," he laughs, but then gets a slap from Kate, who doesn't want to be reminded of his hundreds of conquests.
As I sit and watch the two men squabbling back and forth, I begin to get annoyed at the silliness of it all and my courage begins to build. I am beginning to get frustrated at Elliot's jabs and Christian's bite of the line. "For fuck sake! Yes Elliot, you're right. We were making love as that is what people do when they are devoted to each other. Is that a crime in your book, or do you think I should go sleeping around casually with people who's name I don't know yet?" Christian gives out a full blown belly laugh, the irony is not lost on him, but is on the others in the room. I want to laugh too, but hold my blank expression.
Elliot stops in mid sentence as I say my piece, his head slowly turns from Christian's direction to mine, his eyes wide with shock. I don't think he thought I would say something, let alone admit it, at least he has shut up. "Sorry Ana, I forgot about how you would feel in my attempt to annoy my little bro, I should have thought…" he trails off.
Kate comes to the rescue as she attempts to change the subject. "So, you're moving to the big building tomorrow?"
"Yeah, in the morning we are to go straight there. I think we are all being squeezed into a tiny corner on the nineteenth floor," I say, trying to lighten the mood.
** End of flashback **
"You're deep in thought, I hope you are not worried about the move?" Christian asks, as I have been gazing out the window in my little world from most of the journey.
"Oh no, just thinking about you and your brother last night. He does wind you up Christian, I don't know why you don't just tell him, your parents know."
"Because he will nag me senseless, wanting to have a look at the playroom and I am not having him in there, it's private."
"No, I don't want him in there either and if he looks then Kate will know, as I doubt he will keep something like that from her."
We are close to Grey House and Taylor pulls into the curb. I have already asked if I could be dropped off a block away and walk the rest on my own, as Sawyer wasn't needed today and has been given the day off. Christian didn't like the idea of me being alone, but as Elena, Jed and Jack are out of the way he agreed reluctantly. "Baby, I don't want you walking the streets without protection, if I had known last night, I would have ensured Sawyer was available."
"It's broad daylight. If I weren't with you, I would be walking a lot further."
Christian accepts what I say, even if he doesn't like it. He kisses me and asks that I go up to his office at lunchtime, he will have lunch ready and I think he means lunch this time, so maybe he wants to talk.
As I enter the building, I see Christian in front but he doesn't see me. He has just walked in and everyone greets him, which he responds to accordingly, as any good boss should. I then think of how Roach is with everyone, we greet him and he grunts his answer back. I am sure that man is only there for the money and hates the work, I don't think he will last long under Christian's regime.
"Hi, I'm from SIP and have been told to report here this morning," I say to a very blond receptionist. I notice her clothes and then compare her appearance and attitude to Clare's. Christian is right, in comparison Clare doesn't look professional at all, this woman is friendly but not overly so. I wonder what the SIP clients think of Clare on first contact? How many brows has she raised with her over zealous attitude.
I am given my badge and told to go up to the nineteenth floor, where the new offices are. I get in the elevator, but Christian is in there with several other people. He stands at the rear and I make sure I am as far away from him as possible and not make eye contact. The air is electric, even now as I look at my feet, I know he is looking at me and I want to jump into his arms, but I can't.
The door opens on my floor and I get out. As the doors close behind me I let out a deep breath. "Hey you, what's with all the huffing?" Clare comes over, she's all in black, tight knee length skirt and a black blouse, which I am sure if she were to breathe out, the buttons would pop. Her pushed up cleavage is also on display and I know if Christian sees it he will reprimand her.
"I don't like elevators… Clare, don't you think your top is rather low?"
"Mmm… yes, I am hoping to catch Mr Grey's eye," she hums.
"You will catch your pink slip if you're not careful. Clare, he said smart casual, not smart/slutty." I am rather blunt in what I say, she needs to realise this is her job on the line and her idea of Christian fancying her is just ridiculous, but then I think Clare probably hasn't had any problems getting the guys she wants.
"This is my best work outfit, it's not slutty at all."
"Okay," I say holding my hands up. "You get on with it, Clare."
I go through the doors to the open plan office and see Hannah in the far corner, we have been placed into the corner where there are windows either side, it's the best spot and I am sure Christian has made sure we were both sitting together and in a good location. We have a good view out across the Sound and can see Escala in the distance from where I sit.
"Morning Ana," Hannah says, "you have something waiting for you." She points to the gift wrapped box on my desk and grins, she knows it's probably from Christian. Luckily, we have a divider on our desks, so we have some privacy to any snooping eyes.
I sit down and look at it, I hope it's nothing embarrassing. Then again, he wouldn't put me through that, knowing I'd be sitting next to Hannah. I dismantle the gift wrap with caution and I see Hannah roll her eyes at me for being too slow. I smile as I see yet another box of Belgium truffles, I am sure Christian is wanting me to put weight on, even after eating like a hog. I open the box and grab one and stuff it into my mouth, so eagerly that Hannah starts laughing. "What?"
"You… Piggy piggy oink oink." This makes me laugh and I nearly choke on the face full of confectionery.
The morning consists of us organising our files and desks, between binging on truffles. I didn't think Hannah would eat anything like this as she is such a health freak, but she has gorged on quite a few, and they are not small. I must admit, that I hope that Christian hasn't gone all out for lunch, as I don't think I can eat all that much now.
It's one o'clock and I make my way upstairs, via the stairwell, it's not worth waiting for the elevator just for one flight. I enter reception and Andrea tells me to go straight in. I enter his office quietly, but I nearly jump out of my skin when I see that Dad and Martha are here. "Surprise Annie!" Dad shouts out. I run into his arms and start to cry, I have not seen him in months.
"Why are you here?"
"They visited the Seattle branch of Esclava this morning and I met them down there, it would have been stupid not to invite them back for lunch, at the very least," Christian states as he comes and gives me a kiss. I am still a blubbering mess and I try to dry my eyes, at least they are happy tears. I go and hug Martha, I really like dad's new wife, she is quite a lot younger than him by about fifteen years, but very homely.
"Your young man here has been showing us around, it's quite a place you have here, Christian."
"Thank you sir, it's been a lot of hard work, but I can't complain," he grins.
"I couldn't complain with a fraction of what you have here, then again, I have got a fraction," he laughs as he thinks about the multi-million dollar business he bought with ten dollars.
"So how do you like the salons?" I ask Martha, she is all excitement and tells me about each one. There is little she would change, maybe the name, but that would come with time but will keep it for the time being so that Elena cannot use the name in another location, if she were to ever set up business again.
I look at the couches and notice a small buffet type lunch on the coffee table, I start to snicker at the fact that I cannot eat another thing. "What's funny Ana?" Christian asks.
"Mr Grey, after all the chocolates I have stuffed this morning, I don't think I can eat any more."
"Don't tell me you have eaten them all!" he gasps.
There were at least forty massive truffles in the box and I think there are only ten left. "Erm? Hannah ate quarter of the box and I think there are that many left," I say, scrunching my face up.
"You ate a whole layer?" he laughs.
"Yes, I told you I was a gannet. You gotta stop buying me stuff like that or I will be a two-ton Tessie from Tennessee by the end of the year," I smirk at Christian as I know I won't be, I burn too much energy in our bed for that to happen.
By the end of lunchtime, I say an emotional farewell to my dad and Martha, but understand that they will be in the area again in a couple of weeks. They will make it a Friday, so that they can stay over the weekend at Escala. As the elevator doors close, I go back into the office and close the door, so that I can have some alone time with Christian. "Thank you for arranging such a wonderful surprise."
"That's okay baby, you can thank me later tonight," he says as he wraps his arms around me and we kiss. "So did you really eat half of those chocolates?"
"Erm… yeah. You do realise that they have become a firm favourite of mine, you got to stop buying them."
"But I like to leave you little gifts, I just have to make it a smaller box next time," he laughs. "Do you have to go back downstairs, I could ring through to Elizabeth to say you have been detained on helping out up here?"
"What excuse would you give? She will know something is up."
"I don't need an excuse, I own everyone's ass here."
"You don't own mine," I laugh, "Well, maybe a cold cast version hanging on your playroom wall."
"Mm… one day, Miss Steele, one day."
It's the middle of the afternoon, when Clare comes bounding over to my desk, she doesn't look happy. "What the fuck were you doing upstairs?"
"What?" I splutter out.
Shit, did she see me with Christian?
"I saw you come out of Grey's office with an old man and a woman half his age, then go back into his office. What gives?" She isn't happy one jot, but I get annoyed that she is questioning me, who the fuck does she think she is? No-one from SIP should be on that floor, well no-one except me. She had no business being up there. I am so pissed off that I discretely speed dial Christian and leave the phone on the desk, so that he can hear the conversation. I have had enough of this woman, he can handle her from now on.
"Clare, what were you doing up there? You know that SIP have no business being up there."
"Something got delivered in the internal post to the wrong floor, I just delivered it. If SIP have no business on that floor, why were you there?" I just gaze at her, not knowing what to say and just thinking of what she's said, what a lame excuse, we all know what she was doing. "Well, cat got your tongue?"
"Nothing that concerns you."
"You know I have my eye on him, don't make it hard for me by jumping in there first. Back off!"
"Oh for god sake Clare, go away and live your fantasy away from me. Mr Grey will never look at you."
"Oh little Miss know it all, hey! I bet you are the type of woman who doesn't even bother looking at someone like Grey, because you know you are out of his league." I hear my phone click and know that Christian has hung up, that means he is on his way down.
Clare is now standing closer than ever and is in my face wagging her finger, what the hell has got into this woman. I see Christian out of the corner of my eye and he walks up and stands behind Clare. "Miss Wheeler, I would like to have a word… in my office in ten minutes." Shit, he is in his Dom persona and I know he is mad as hell. As he walks off, Clare looks at me and smirks, she thinks he is asking her upstairs to get to know her better, how thick can she be? A couple of minutes later and my phone pings, indicating that I have a text.
** Ana, are you okay? I am going to fire her for what I just heard. Sorry baby, but she will probably know by the time she leaves this office that we are together and I might have to make some sort of announcement.
I text back
** Okay, do what you have to do. xox
Christian's POV
My phone rings and notice it's Ana, I smile at how she's only been gone half an hour. As I am about to say something, I hear quarrelling in the background. Well more like a woman's rant. I listen carefully and recognise it to be Clare and Ana is responding. What the fuck! She's questioning her on being up here at lunch… To my shock, she is telling Ana to back off and I see red when I hear her insult my woman.Out of my league?
I slam the phone down and make my way downstairs, I walk into the office and see that Clare is in Ana's face. I am so angry that I am tempted to grab her and pull her out of Ana's personal space, but I won't risk a law suit. "Miss Wheeler, I would like to have a word… in my office in ten minutes." She stops, turns and looks at me, she smiles and nods. Fuck, she doesn't realise how angry I am right now.
I go back to my office and ask Andrea to get HR to sort out Clare Wheeler's pink slip, she's out of here with immediate effect.
I pace the room for nearly ten minutes, until I hear a knock on the door. Even her knock is annoying as it's got a rhythm to it. "Come in."
"You wanted to see me, Mr Grey," Clare says, as she struts over to me, but stops when she sees Andrea come in behind her.
"Yes, sit down." She sits down, but as she does she inches her skirt up to mid thigh. I ignore this and sit down at my desk. Andrea's eyes are wide, she cannot believe that this woman would have the nerve to do such a thing.
"Firstly, Miss Wheeler, can you please pull down your skirt again and fasten your buttons to your blouse to a respectable appearance." She fumbles at her blouse, but instead of fastening them, one slips undone and her breasts nearly fall out of her top.
"Oops!" she giggles.
I grab a pencil and start to tap it onto my desk, hoping that my concentration on the beat will calm me. "Fasten, not undo!" I state firmly, but the woman is oblivious to my annoyance. I continue, "When I purchased SIP, I had hopes for the business. It was running at a loss and I wanted to build the business up and make it flourish. In order to do this, I knew that there would need to be some changes, although I had hoped that this would be minimal. Now I find myself on the very first day at Grey House that I am having to sack one of its staff." I look at her, hoping that she has now realised what I have said, but to my surprise all she does is smile and plays with her hair.
"Oh, is Ana for the chop?" she asks.
What? Stupid fucking airhead.
"If you mean is she fired, no." I sit back and take a hard look at her, is she really that dense? "Your conduct so far has been unprofessional. I advised everyone to dress accordingly to that of an employee in a professional organisation, and you come dressed as though you're ready for a night out. You may have got away with all this under Roaches charge, but not under mine. I am giving you your papers and ask for your GEH ID badge. You will then leave this building immediately, your current position has been terminated."
"You cannot sack me on something so little as my outfit!" she states, shocked that I have done this and not come onto her.
"It is not only that, you have also harassed a member of my staff, advising her to 'back off' as you will 'try it on with me'. You have also gone around indicating that I have designs on you. I won't have anyone on my staff with that attitude. This isn't the playground, Miss Wheeler. Gross misconduct is very serious and I will not allow my staff to go around as you have, threatening other members in my employment."
She sits there, looking confused. "How do you know what I said, I only said it minutes ago?"
"Ana had me on her phone, I was listening in on your little discussion."
"But, how?"
"Miss Wheeler, Anastasia Steele and I are partners, we live together." There, I have said it.
She gasps and her hand shoots up to her mouth, but on thinking she still finds it difficult to believe and starts to laugh. "That's rubbish, you can't, not with her, she's just little Miss Mediocre."
Oh for heaven's sake. I grab the framed photo that is sitting on my desk of me and Ana in the convertible, and turn it around so that she can see. She squints and then anger spreads across her face. "You can't be having a relationship with an employee, it's not right!"
My brows shoot up at the hypocrisy of it all. I don't even justify that with a reply. "Andrea, please deal with Miss Wheeler and escort her from the premises please." I state as I make my way downstairs.
I go over to Ana and tell her to leave the office for about half an hour, as I speak to Roach and make an announcement to everyone. I also ask for Hannah to go with her, so that when she comes back she isn't returning to the lion's den on her own. I feel a lot better if she wasn't around when I tell everyone as she will have all eyes on her.
Ana's POV
We go to the staff restaurant on the tenth floor and grab a tea. I cannot believe what has just happened, Clare is fired and our secret will be out. "Well that didn't take long?" I think aloud. Hannah puts her hand on mine, trying to soothe me. She is a good friend, unlike Clare who just showed her true colours. I am now certain she didn't give a damn about leaving me alone with Jack at Fifties, she probably got off with that chap at the bar she was chatting up and went home with him.
Twenty five minutes later, my phone rings. "Hey, it's me. You can come back now, everyone knows and I'm going to have a brief meeting with Elizabeth."
"How did it go, was anyone asking questions."
"No, I didn't let them, I told them we were in a relationship and that no-one is to treat you any differently because of it."
"No angry faces?"
"No, actually a lot of billing and cooing and smiles. I think they are happy for us," he laughs.
"I think there will be a couple of green eyed monsters lurking amongst them, Mr Grey." He laughs and says that there may be, but that was inevitable.
I make my way back to the office and push Hannah in first, I walk behind her, hidden from view until I sit down. A couple of people look around, but most are busying with their work. Geraldine from the finance team looks over, smiles and winks, which makes me smile back. I think it will be okay.
A while later, Elizabeth comes back and pulls up a chair next to me. "So, it seems we are not to treat you any differently?" she smiles. "Don't worry Ana, I will still be giving out my orders as I always have, although I am to make one concession… If Mr Grey requires you to take extra leave and without warning, I am to not argue the matter."
"I will try and keep it to a minimum, but it's difficult," I shrug. "You cannot say no to the man, when he has your heart."
Elizabeth laughs, grabs a chocolate and goes back to her desk.
Well, that was easy enough.