"Christian." Elena smiled, her pearly whites on show as Christian leaned in to kiss her cheek.
"Hello Elena." He muttered before taking the seat opposite her.
He was meeting her for lunch today because he had things he needed to discuss with her. He ordered them both some wine and food and then relaxed back in his chair, it had been a long morning at GEH and he didn't have long because he had a lot to go back to.
Work had kept him very busy since Ana had been well enough to return to SIP. He had fallen behind with so much when he'd been taking care of her and it was now catching up with him. Truth was though he didn't care, he and Ros would get through everything that needed to be got through and he was just happy that Ana was getting stronger and happier every day.
"So come on, what's this about? I don't hear a word from you in weeks and suddenly you want to do lunch?" Elena smirked, she knew something was going down even if she didn't know what.
"Well, I thought you deserved an explanation as to why I've been ignoring all your calls, texts and emails especially seeing as the majority of them were about potential subs." Christian replied taking a hearty sip of his wine, he needed it for this conversation.
"Oh have you already found someone and not consulted with me?" Elena purred, Christian never took on a sub without her approval. She liked to vet them at her salon, spoil them with treatment to make sure they took care of Christian while they were his play things.
"No Elena." Christian said shifting uncomfortably under her gaze. She may not have been his Domme anymore but she could still make him squirm with a look. "I'm leaving the lifestyle."
Elena choked on her wine and quickly reached for a napkin, she couldn't believe what she'd just heard.
"Christian, my boy, you can't live without it." She said composing herself.
"I've lived without it for a while now Elena, since Tory in fact and I don't miss it." Christian replied looking at his wine rather than at her.
"It's not been that long." She smirked.
"Long enough." Christian replied. "I've had the playroom torn down."
Elena's mouth popped open and Christian looked up to see the horror registered on her face. It was his turn to smirk.
"What? Why would you do that Christian? You won't cope without a sub not forever." She patronised him as she spoke.
"I've got something else now Elena, something more important than a sub." Christian said and Elena saw the flicker of light in his eyes. She seethed.
"What that little one that gave Luke Sawyer her virginity at twenty two? Puh-lease Christian, she won't keep you satisfied." Elena scoffed, her eyes rolling a she spoke.
"But that's the thing Elena, she already does and we haven't even had sex." Christian replied. "She makes me want to be a better man."
"Christian without a sub to keep that frustration and anger in check how on earth are you going to keep looking after vulnerable little… what was her name again?"
"Anastasia." Christian replied, his voice now showing how much Elena was winding him up.
"Anastasia. She's been a victim, you don't want to deal with that kind of heavy crap. You're a fuck em till your bored and leave them kinda guy." Elena replied arrogantly, she really thought she knew Christian more than he knew himself.
"What Anastasia has survived makes me want to be a better man." Christian replied coldly. "Every day when she wakes up and she comes looking for me I see that little spark return into her eyes. Every day her laugh gets stronger and louder and I know piece by piece she's putting herself back together again. I love seeing it Elena, I love being a part of that journey with her as she finds herself again." Christian explained firmly. He didn't like to be open with anyone about his emotions but Elena knew exactly which buttons to press to get him to open up.
"Christian Grey do you claim to be in love with her?" She asked, an eyebrow cocked and a smirk playing on her lips once again.
"Oh I don't claim to be." Christian replied a smirk of his own gracing his lips. "That girl has my heart in her hands."
"What your cold and callous, empty heart?" Elena asked turning the phrase he used on his subs when they declared they'd fallen for him on him.
"Jesus Elena, can't you just pretend to be happy for me?" Christian asked his anger now so palpable a vein in his forehead pulsated.
"No Christian I can't because I knew you when you were just a boy. I know how far you've come, how you've fought to be the best, to keep yourself in line, to be disciplined and I cannot sit back and pretend to be happy when I see you're about to throw it all away over some girl who couldn't even stop herself from being sexually assaulted."
Christian jumped to his feet just as the waiter came with their food.
"You need to have a good re-think about everything you have just said Elena, or that financial backing disappears." Christian said gruffly.
"What you'd throw away nearly fifteen years worth of friendship and loyalty over some girl who will never be able to satisfy you?" Elena sneered.
"Try me." Christian replied throwing some cash onto the table before turning on his heels and marching out of there. That hadn't gone according to plan but he was ready to teach Elena a lesson she wouldn't forget.
Across town Ana also had lunch plans. She was meeting Kate for food having been the worst friend in the world avoiding her until she felt strong enough to deal with her. Kate was already seated when Ana arrived and as she nervously walked to the table Kate jumped to her feet and wrapped her friend in a hug.
"Oh Ana I've missed you." She sobbed and Ana held her friend tight, her own tears threatening to fall.
"I've missed you too Kate, I'm so sorry." Ana replied.
"No, don't you dare. Ana I can't even imagine." Kate said gently. "Come on, sit down, lets have a cocktail."
"Kate I'm working…" Ana started but it was too late, two pina coladas had already been ordered.
"How are you?" Kate asked wanting to know everything that had gone on with her friend, she'd not been in touch since Luke had died and Kate had only had glimpses of Ana at the funeral.
"I'm ok." Ana smiled. "Now anyway." She chuckled nervously.
"Long road eh?" Kate asked understanding her friend had been to hell and back.
"Oh yeah." Ana replied, she didn't want to talk about what had happened right now.
"Oh Ana, I've missed you." She said again.
"I've missed you too Kate, I'm sorry that I was the worst friend in the world." Ana replied trying to make light of it and failing miserably.
"Come on Ana, you had to take care of you I get that." She said reassuringly as their drinks arrived. "So come on, how are things going right now?"
"Good. I've finished therapy now and I'm back at work. All good things." Ana said gently. "And I think I'm in a relationship."
"With Christian Grey?" Kate asked her hand which had been mixing her drink with the straw freezing in mid-air.
"Mh-hmm." Ana nodded with a timid smile.
"Wow… Ana…" Kate said awkwardly. "You sure you're ready? He's not taking advantage of you?"
"Well if anything it's me that's taking advantage of him Kate I mean I'm living at his apartment." Ana joked but Kate didn't see it like that.
"You don't think you're like obligated to be with him no?" Kate asked, she was genuinely concerned for her friend. She knew Christian, had met him more than once and the man was an enigma and wasn't really capable of human emotions.
"No, God no." Ana chuckled. "It's just sort of happened." Ana explained a little twinkle in her eye and a smile playing on her lips.
"Ana I think you should come home for a bit." Kate said taking Ana by complete surprise.
"What? Why?" Ana asked horrified at the mere thought, she didn't want to leave Christian's yet. She wasn't ready and if anything she hadn't really thought about it much because Christian didn't want her to leave.
"I think you need a break from him, make sure he is really what you want…" Ana's hand flew up to stop her friend from carrying on.
"No, Kate." Ana said firmly. "I don't need a break from him."
"I just think you've been cooped up with him for weeks, he's been your knight in a suit and I just worry you're doing this so soon after Luke…"
"Kae this has nothing to do with Luke." Ana replied. "Do you think I've jumped into bed with him and tried to dull the pain or something?" Ana questioned and the look on Kate's face answered for her. "Oh my god you do!" Ana was mortified. "Jesus, Kate, I have my own room. The only times Christian has been in my bed is when he hears me having a nightmare and I can promise you that's all it's been. We've kissed, a handful of times since court but that is as far as it has gone."
"I'm sorry…" Kate sighed. "I just worry about you. Ana you're so vulnerable right now."
"No, no I'm not." Ana replied angrily. "I've come a long way Kate and I'm stronger now than I've ever been in my life."
"Ana… just take a break from him, see if being apart makes you want him more. If it does then maybe you have something worth trying but I'm concerned that you're mistaking the care he's given you for love."
"Jesus Christ!" Ana shouted jumping to her feet and bringing a lot of attention over to them. She placed her hands on the table and leaned into Kate. "Listen to me right now. As your best friend, drop this, let it go. Let me discover what this is on my own. If it doesn't work and you're right feel free to tell me that but right now I want to be with Christian and he wants to be with me. So lets leave it at that."
Ana turned on her heels and marched out, swiping angrily at the tears that fell to her cheeks. She couldn't believe Kate. They hadn't seen each other in weeks and all of a sudden she felt capable of making a judgement call on what was going on in Ana's life and tried to make decisions for her. Well there was no way she was going to let that happen. She needed to be with Christian and he wanted her to be with him. That was the bottom line and that made her happy. She deserved some happiness after the hell she'd been through.