Chapter 16 –Ex-Communicate

That motherfucker set me up!

Two days after Les handed Elliot what turned out to be a sex tape starring no other than Christian and Ana, the highly-paid sleuth came back with more of the same. There were incredibly sexy email exchanges between the engaged couple. Then, there's the recorded audio retrieved from Ana's phone. On it was plenty of screams, moans, and a barrage of filthy sex talk.

"Faster!"

*grunts* "Baby, I just love fucking this exquisite cunt. Mine…"

"Oh my God… Pleeeease…choke meeeee!"

*pants* "Shit! *growls* Fuck!"

*gasps* "Ahhhhh! Fuck me, Christian! Fuck me hard! Oh, my God!"

Jesus Christ! Do these two ever quit?!

Elliot's rage after listening to that was boundless.

Then, there was a second sex video that began with what appeared to be Ana's back once more. Like before, the videographer was very meticulous—extra careful not to expose any more of their muse than what they wanted to show. There were traces of the curvature of her magnificent ass and breasts without a single glimpse of crack or nipples. She was careful not to turn herself one way or the other, lest she'd expose her face or a particular part of her anatomy. One thing that stood out more than anything: Her naked porcelain skin was dripping with diamond jewels. Even a sexually adventurous Elliot couldn't stomach what happened next.

When the male, Christian, began fucking the female, Ana, hard against the wall like a slab of raw meat, all while clenching her throat and making her come at the drop of a hat, it was all that Elliot could stand. Elliot surmised the point his brother was making. In reality, Christian was letting the viewer know that it's about pleasing her first. But that's not what Elliot took away. If Christian dropped trou and pissed all over Ana, it would've had the same effect. In Elliot's eyes, his younger brother was outright goading. To Elliot, it was as if the six-year-old little boy told his ten-year-old big brother, 'I took your favorite Hot Wheels collection, and you can never have it back!'

Elliot is now more determined than ever to reclaim what he believes is rightfully his. Either that or he will utterly destroy that very thing so that neither he nor Christian can have it.

Les and company continue to one brick wall after the other following the latest data retrieval. He explained this to Elliot in person yesterday at their usual meet-up spot.

"This guy's cybersecurity is ten thousand times tighter than The Pentagon. Even WikiLeaks couldn't crack it."

It would be one of the last things Les would say to Elliot before getting fired earlier this afternoon.

Elliot is confident that his brother planted all those files. Christian has remained one step ahead at every turn. Everything Les' cyber-stalkers got their hands on featured Christian and Elliot's former fiancée exclusively. Elliot guesses that the metadata attached to the videos was forged to make the files appear much older than what they were. In reality, nothing that Les lifted was older than this past summer. Either Christian had done an extensive data scrub, or all his earlier, more incriminating data was neatly tucked away and sealed tight.

I wonder if Ana has any idea this dude is putting her out there like a slut.

She'd be pissed if she knew.

Maybe I should send all this shit to her with a note.

Or…what if I gave all this content to the highest bidder? The Nooz would go apeshit over two Christian Grey sex tapes, regardless of who or what is visible. Any digital forensics expert could deduce that Christian Grey is the guy in these videos.

Elliot knew he'd have to brace himself for the plethora of media coverage on how well his brother sexually pleased his former fiancée. It would more than likely become an annoying social media love-fest for the one and only Christian Grey, having the total opposite effect of what Elliot intended.

There's no way in hell I'm giving this asshole any positive media coverage.

In the here and now, Elliot works on his laptop, dragging files from one USB drive to his hard drive, and then transferring it to a brand-new USB drive. During the process, he thinks about what he wants to say in his note to Ana. He knows that his words will have to reach her core and make her feel that Christian Grey is the worst thing ever for someone as kind and innocent as her.

At this stage of the game, the only thing that will cut Christian down to the bone is losing Ana. That had been the end-goal for Elliot anyway, but he needed a new plan to get there.

Ana will never take my word for it. She needs to hear it from someone else's mouth…

A strong, reputable source.

That's when it hits him.

Mrs. Lincoln.

As a teenager, Christian spent more time working in the Lincoln's yard than he did anything else. Many years later, it would come out that Elena Lincoln, who used to be very good friends with Elliot's mother, was being inappropriate with under-aged boys. The longtime-divorced desperate housewife is now hiding away somewhere in Europe.

Back when the scandalous news about Elena first broke, Grace grilled her two sons over Sunday dinner.

"I never knew she was capable of doing such horrendous things. It seems so uncharacteristic of her. I would've given her the benefit of the doubt any day of the week. But her escaping charges by hiding out overseas makes her look very suspect. An innocent person would never flee to another country and go disappear from the radar. Instead, they would stay and fight the false allegations. I'm going to ask you a tough question, but please be open and honest with me. Did Mrs. Lincoln ever do anything inappropriate with you when you were young boys?"

Grace would focus most of her attention on Christian being that he spent the most time with Elena. He would deny that anything ever happened. But now, Elliot suspects that Christian was remaining tight-lipped. The two were always close, even as adults. When their parents were against Christian dropping out of Harvard, Elena was his first investor. And when he made his first half-million, he paid his mentor back by investing in her chain of hair salons. Christian ended up selling them to the highest bidder once Mrs. Lincoln skipped town.

Elena Lincoln knows something about my little brother, Elliot contemplates.

Perhaps I do have use for Les after all.


(The next day)

Dear Ana,

Please open the contents of the enclosed drive.
Your 'man' is using you as his sick and perverted fuck toy.
He's recording you for his filthy use.
Lovemaking should be personal and not for all to see.

If these videos were to ever get into the wrong hands…

Sitting on the sofa by the fireplace, Ana places the note on her lap. She turns to her left to look at Christian. The two of them remain dressed in their office attire. Christian is sans jacket and tie, while Ana is barefoot in a cream silk blouse and navy pencil skirt.

"Those videos seemed like a good idea at the time. I wasn't so sure that he'd move over to cyber-criminal territory. Now that he has, I'm worried about what he'll do next."

"There's nothing he can do to hurt us," Christian says in his usual steady, authoritative voice. He snatches the unguarded note from Ana's lap and stands. Soon, he's ripping it up into several pieces and tossing it into the fireplace. The embers immediately dissolve the strips of paper into ash. "If anything, he'll be the one looking like a creep in the public eye for stealing his brother's and future sister-in-law's most intimate moments."

Before the videos were uploaded to the server by Christian's data security team, Ana watched them from start to finish. It was the sexiest thing she'd ever seen. Nothing on Pornhub could ever compare. Even though Ana was there, she found it difficult to believe that the woman in the video was her.

Elliot had seen her naked before, but Christian was especially careful not to give his older adoptive brother any reminders. Her body belonged to Christian now. Even the small bit of skin Christian allowed was deemed too much by the overly-jealous billionaire.

Christian had been extremely transparent with his fiancée as of late. When he first got a tip from his IT folks that someone was trying hard to crack into his network, he had a hunch who it was. There was no way this person was looking for GEH trade secrets. Someone was looking to damage his reputation.

Anyone with a fucking brain would know that I'd never have very personal files in a place where some two-bit hacker could access them. We've seen the stories of countless celebrities having their most intimate moments stolen from the cloud and exposed for all the world to see.

Christian thought he'd let his brother know first-hand how happy his ex-girlfriend has been these days. He only needed Ana's buy-in. It was quite the task trying to convince her, but what reassured her the most was the nature of her overprotective fiancé. His jealous ways would ensure that none of her private parts were exposed, even her face.

The result was a work of art. The videos were filthy and beautiful all at once, exemplifying the couple's true relationship in the bedroom. Christian had edited the videos himself. He would never trust another soul seeing Ana, his pride and joy, at her most vulnerable. He had to make certain to show nothing while revealing everything at the same time. It was just enough to show Elliot what he was dealing with.

He thought he knew Ana, but he never really knew her at all.

And now, she's all mine.

I've made it my sole purpose to know every nook and cranny of my future wife—
Mind, body, and soul.


"Baby."

"What?"

A shirtless, pajama-bottomed Christian teases his black-nightie-clad fiancée. He lords his solid body over hers, pinning her wrists firmly to their bed.

"Let's wrassle."

Ana rolls her eyes as she recalls being humiliated. The children at the hospital had the gumption to ask about her and Mr. Grey's sex life the last time she was there.

"Oh, God. I'm irritated that you left me hanging with the kids last time. I had to fend for myself. Thankfully, Grace came in and saved the day."

Christian chuckles. "I like that Tyler kid."

"Just wait until you have a Tyler of your own."

Ana meant it as a joke. The moment Christian's playful grin morphs into molten lava, she shivers.

"Let's make a baby."

"You're kidding."

She didn't think he could be any more smoldering, but as always, he exceeds her expectations.

"Does it look like I'm playing?"

Ana gapes like a deer in high beams. "Well, that could be difficult being that I have an IUD. I also need to be able to fit into my wedding dress in eight months."

"We'll get you another dress just like it and sew the two together."

If Ana's hand were free, she would slap him across the head. He chuckles at the frustrated look etched on her face.

"Nothing would be more beautiful than seeing you waddle down the aisle with our baby growing inside of you."

Ana's expression lightens. "Are you trying to go out of order, Grey? Didn't you learn the old nursery rhyme as a little boy? 'First comes love… Then comes marriage…'"

"I've loved you for nearly two-and-a-half years, Anastasia. We've already wasted so much time."

With both pain and adoration cascading out of him, he lowers his face down and steals a passionate kiss from his future wife's lips. When their lips part, Ana is breathless.

"We have forever," she whispers. "Can't it just be us—at least for our first year or two of marriage? I'm only twenty-six. I have plenty of time to bear children."

Christian kisses her again, for longer this time. When he rises and stares down at her, his expression hardens. Ana's face twists in confusion. He genuinely looks perturbed, and it alarms her.

"I can't believe that asshole made you implant a foreign object into your body. Why you? If anything, he should've made Katherine or Gretchen do it. They were the ones who ended up pregnant…that we know of, anyway."

To his surprise, Ana fights a smile.

"You should be glad he made me do it. Or else, I might have been the mother of your nieces or nephews as opposed to your children."

He groans in agony. "Jesus. Don't put that image in my head. I still can't believe you let him…" Christian shakes his head as if the nauseating thought would slam down to the floor.

"I met him first," Ana kindly reminds him. "We were together for two years. We were engaged."

"You must want me to vomit all over you." His eyes are as narrow as they can be as he battles a mixture of anguish and red hot anger. "We were destined to be together, no matter how it happened. Even if that fucker managed to get you down the aisle, it wouldn't have lasted. I'd still end up taking what's rightfully mine."

Irritated, Ana tries to yank her wrists from Christian's hold. He presses down tighter and suppresses her entire body with his, making it difficult for her to move even a little bit. He was a solid mass, a brick house to her delicate flower. When his lips press firmly against her throat, she works hard to keep herself from hyperventilating. She wiggles, and he rocks his erection against her thigh. She shudders with desire.

"I believe we were destined to be together, too," she murmurs. "But what if…"

He stills and locks fiery gray eyes with conflicted blue ones.

"Fuck 'what ifs.' We won, Ana. We navigated through all the bullshit and finally found each other. Don't take us back into the dark ages. Unless Elliot has a time machine to unfuck himself, we don't have to go there. We never have to go there."

We won.

Ana lets her true love's words echo through the chambers of her mind. Usually, peace accompanies a victory. Although the man of her dreams lies on top of her, she feels a dark cloud hovering over them. She wonders if the impending storm will shift, or if it will remain and end up destroying them. No doubt, a storm is looming.

Not giving her a chance to speak, he shoves his tongue down her throat and devours her with an obscene kiss. He feels her body quiver underneath him and wants nothing more than to crawl inside of her so that they are physically one. He pivots his hips, positioning his erection between her thighs. After a minute of crashing his restrained angry cock against her weeping sex, he feels her wetness through his pajama pants.

"Fuck, you're drenched," Christian rasps.

He releases his hands from hers and swiftly lifts her nightie up to her breasts. Ana's hands raise and dig into his messy copper mane. When his hands reach her thong, she anticipates that he will lower them. Instead, he rips her crotch in two.

"Dammit, Christian… Another pair ruined."

Her words were meant to scold, but her tone was laced with yearning. He growls in response.

"You know better than to wear panties to bed. If you like them, stop making that error. In fact, anything you wear to bed is subject to ruin."

But you paid for them, she argued with him in her head. In reality, she had no time to gripe. His hands immediately clasp the lacy fabric at her neckline. She groans as he rips her expensive nightie, which he also paid for, right down the middle. Her breasts spring free, and Christian's mouth swoops down to suck on one.

Ana is on fire as he undulates his hips against her while sucking hard on both breasts. Lately, they'd been taking their time with foreplay. Tonight, a switch had flipped in Christian. There was a greater sense of urgency. It was as if he would die if he couldn't get to the center of Ana fast enough. She moans, and he swiftly removes his PJ pants and boxer briefs. Before she has a chance to exhale, her thighs push back, and Christian plunges deep into her. The mewl she releases is capable of luring every male feline within a five-mile radius.

"Home," he hums. "My home."

He starts thrusting, fast and hard. Ana screams his name as his gray eyes bore into her, mesmerized by what he was seeing. She looks just as desperate as he was feeling. With that, he raises one hand over her and takes her throat, squeezing it. Her insides pulsate around him, letting him know that it won't be long before she comes.

"Yeah—that's it. Take your dick like a good girl."

He squeezes her neck harder as he watches her lose herself in what they are doing. His other hand cups one of her breasts.

"I love watching your pretty tits bounce around while I fuck you hard."

Ana couldn't form words due to losing her breath, literally. He swoops down and gives her free nipple a quick suck before rising back up and digging his knees further into the mattress. He gives her body two earth-shattering pumps before Ana explodes. She comes like the sound of an angel's trumpet.

After three more thrusts, he releases her throat. She wheezes, and he pulls out of her. He hovers over her like a lord, and frantically jerks his cock over her breasts. Ana feels weightless but opens her mouth in hopes of him sharing some of his sweet-and-salty essence with her tongue.

It boggles Christian's mind how insatiable this woman is. How unguarded she is when it comes to sex. She wasn't like this in the beginning. It didn't take her long to come barreling out of her shell. The very thought of that, coupled with relishing in her tight and wet channel, and the beautiful way in which she came was enough to do him in. Ropes of warm seed shoot out all over her breasts, her clavicle, her chin, and her mouth.

"Fuck!" Christian punches the oak headboard with force, startling Ana.

"Wha—"

Christian growls like a grizzly bear, ignoring the throb taking place in his hand. Before Ana can ask what's wrong, he is gliding his length back inside of her. She whimpers in both pain and blissful satisfaction as she massages his cum into her skin like a salve.

"You feel so goddamn good," he grits. "Better than life. I don't know how I lived a single day without fucking you. Just the thought of me being without you makes me want to tear this whole world apart. I want to crawl inside of you and live there. I'm fucking you again; then I'm falling asleep while still inside of you."

Ana wants to laugh, but she's too tired and sore. She is also famished for everything this man is so desperate to give her.


"Get back up here."

Swaddled in the duvet, Ana stares at the beautiful man looking down from the edge of the bed. She blinks several times, realizing that she must've passed out for several minutes of sleep after falling to the floor. The last orgasm had literally thrown her on her ass. She answers Christian with a lazy smile.

"I'm staying here, where it's safe," she murmurs.

"No part of you is ever safe from me. Those breasts. That sweet cunt. That gorgeous mouth. That tight a…"

"Christian," Ana giggles. "I just want to sleep." She eyes the dim clock on the nightstand before looking back at him. "It's after two, and I have to go to work in the morning."

"No, you don't."

"Yeah. I do. I have my final panel interview at ten. I'm already going to have dark circles around my eyes as it is. I'd at least like to have the capacity to think when the interviewers ask me a question."

"You'll do fine," he assures her.

"Shit…speaking of marks." Ana's hands emerge from the duvet and smooth over the skin of her neck. "Marks?"

Christian responds by narrowing his gaze.

"Hell," she whispers. "I guess I'll have to wear a dark-colored blouse if I want to add concealer. Either that or pull a Steve Jobs. Yeah…a turtleneck will do."

"The interview is just a formality."

Her mouth and eyes gape, no longer minding her fatigue. She is wide awake now.

"What are you talking about?"

Dread fills her brain. If her fiancé took away the opportunity for her to earn a director position on her own merit, she wouldn't know what to do. Before she'd met anyone named Grey, Ana had been the hardest working claims agent at Mylegent. Her dependability and top-notch customer service had the management team sending VIP clients her way, even though it was beyond her pay grade. It was how she ended up meeting Elliot, which was both a curse and a beautiful blessing.

Ana's solid work ethic propelled her career faster than any other young Mylegent employee in recent history. She had the opportunity to reach senior- management-level sooner. However, she ended up placing her rapid career growth on hold for a relationship that was doomed from the start.

When Ana decided to leave Elliot for good, she made a promise to herself. She would never put herself in last place ever again. Doing that had set a negative precedent. How could a man ever put her first if she didn't put herself first? The second Elliot's smoke cloud cleared, Ana was left feeling bare. The sacrifices she made were all for naught.

She wasn't going to make the same mistake twice.

And she wasn't going to let the man she loves, or anyone else, steal her dignity ever again.

Her shock morphs into righteous anger, causing Christian to wince.

"If you're going to tell me that you used your power and name to give me the advantage over the other two applicants…"

Christian cut her off. "I didn't."

Ana's face twists in confusion. He clarifies his statement.

"I just know how corporate politics work. I'll be the majority shareholder of the company real soon. The SafeDriver beta is testing extremely well, and the company's stock value is on the rise. They'd be stupid not to hire the fiancée of the guy who will soon be the head of the board."

Ana turns away from the man looming over her and curls up on her side. She's exhausted in every way—physically, mentally. Emotionally. She hears the rumple of the mattress above her before feet drop to the floor. Christian curls his body with hers from behind. He holds her tighter than the duvet enveloping her before pulling her hair to the side and planting two soft kisses on her neck.

"Don't ever doubt yourself or your ability," he whispers in her ear. "People will talk shit and think whatever they want to think. But only you and I know the truth."

"Should I leave Mylegent?"

His body stiffens. "Ana…"

"I mean, I can easily go somewhere else where you're not running the show. Another insurance agency, like Pro-Lyfic."

Christian's sigh sounds more like a laugh. He kisses her neck again. "They're going to want SafeDriver after the exclusive contract with Mylegent runs out. I'll have influence at Pro-Lyfic, too."

She groans in frustration. "Maybe this is a sign that I need to be doing what I went to school for. I hadn't planned on staying at Mylegent for this long. I had hoped to be working in publishing by now."

His lips graze the warm lobe of the contemplative woman in his arms.

"Is that what you truly want? I thought you were happy where you are."

"I am," she breathily replies. "I'm really good at my job, and I love that we are helping people."

"Then you should stay where you are. If you're happy, why leave?"

Without warning, Christian mounts her, bringing the two of them face to face. Her heart skips a beat at the sight of him. His arresting gray eyes have the power to pierce through anyone's bullshit. His chiseled face and wild copper sex hair couldn't be replicated. It was all him, and he was all hers. Still, being the future wife of the sexiest billionaire alive wasn't as easy it as seemed. Included in the package is a severe case of megalomania that was impossible for Ana to contend with. How could she own her individuality with this man of hers always pulling strings—both wittingly and unwittingly? It had been so easy for her to stand on her own two feet back when she was single.

Christian was larger than life. There would be no 'me' in her vocabulary. It would be Christian and Ana, or Mrs. Grey. No matter what endeavor she decided to embark on in terms of a career, she would forever be Christian Grey's wife. The thought of permanently losing her own identity frightened her.

Christian could tell that the wheels of her mind were in overdrive. Doubt was creeping into her, and he saw it. He pleads with her with his eyes and words.

"I want you to be happy."

"I know," she breathes.

"I have my own selfish desires," he smirks. "It would be a dream come true if you decided to stay home and not work at all—but that isn't you. You also have no desire to work for my company, which I completely understand. I want you to be happy, no matter where you decide to work. You are very fortunate we didn't meet four years ago."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I would have bought every single company that hired you."

Ana laughs. "But you did do that."

"SafeDriver had been in the works for many years. I had no idea which insurance firm we would partner with to launch it."

Ana gives him a skeptical look. "Until…"

"Until," he picks up, "I met you. It was the only way I could get closer to you. You were with..."

He can't bring himself to say it. Ana feels his agony. She groans at the reminder of being a heartbeat away from marrying his brother. Christian's painful expression reflects exactly how she feels on the inside. Her time with Elliot seemed to be a lifetime ago. It was a bitter memory with nothing sweet about it. What kept her from going insane was knowing that her storm with Elliot had yielded a harvest of indescribable love. Christian loves her as no other human had before. His love snuffed out all the pain like a hand smothering a candle's flame. It was why those broken-hearted days became a haze. The dull ache she once felt was long gone.

The smile in her eyes chases away Christian's sorrow. She is here. She is never going to leave. Wherever she went in this world, he would follow. They were finally together like he'd dreamt of. They would soon be husband and wife—but not soon enough, he thought. He believed they were so strong together that nothing the universe lobbed their way would ever rip them apart.

"Just so you know, I have nothing to do with your panel interview," he assures. "It's all you. I have nothing to do with any success that comes your way at Mylegent."

Ana sighs. "I just hope I don't screw up. If I land the job…"

"When," he corrects her.

"…I will more than likely be involved in all the SafeDriver management meetings."

Christian beams down at her. "And nothing would be better than seeing your beautiful face in the middle of the day on a regular basis. I wish I could see it twenty-four seven."

"You have pictures of me on your desk," she teases.

"Several," he grins proudly. "And it still doesn't beat the real thing."

Ana blushes at his praise, and he steals a kiss from her lips.

"One last go to put you to sleep," he says with a seductive smirk. "We can fuck here on the floor, or I can toss you into bed. Your choice."

Ana smiles and pretends to ponder with a forefinger pressed to her chin.

"Throw me in bed and put me to sleep quickly, Mr. Grey. The future of my career depends on it."


Ana exits the boardroom, walking tall in a royal blue St. John skirt and blazer ensemble. With a leather portfolio in her arm and a confident grin on her face, she gives a whole new meaning to the term power suit. Her GM Bill Marsden wasn't traditionally a smiler, but he was all teeth in that room with Ana. His expression could be mistaken for pride. In the end, he promised Ana that she'd have her answer by Tuesday. The next three days were shaping up to be a nail-biter for her.

Tammy startles Ana the moment she turns the corner.

"Jesus, Tam. You scared me."

"How did it go?" Ana's good friend appears to be more excited about the prospect of Ana landing the director job than she is.

"I think it went well. I was nervous going in, but I got a sudden boost of energy and didn't hesitate once when the panel grilled me. I played my answers back in my head and decided that I didn't sound like a complete idiot."

Tammy laughs. "You are always too hard on yourself. I'm sure you kicked ass in there."

Ana flashes a skeptical grin and shrugs. "Is it time for lunch yet? I pretended to eat this morning, so Christian would leave me alone. In reality, I was too nervous to eat breakfast."

Tammy checks her watch. "It's just after eleven. I don't mind taking an early lunch. You want to go now?"

"Sure," Ana nods.

"Hey—wanna know who your competition is?"

Ana nips the topic right in the bud. "Nope."

"Doesn't matter anyway. The job is yours to lose. By the way, I heard they are interviewing external candidates this afternoon for the second director position."

"I heard that as well," Ana confirms. "Apparently, they need someone on the executive team capable of offering a broader perspective with the launch of SafeDriver on the horizon."

"Makes sense."

As the two ladies proceed towards the elevator, a receptionist leads a man in a suit towards the boardroom. Ana is preoccupied with thoughts of lunch to give the man a second glance. However, Tammy proceeds to ogle him. As soon as the two walk past, Tammy whispers to her friend.

"Holy crap. I hope he gets that other spot. We definitely need more eye candy in here."

Ana frowns at her friend just as she turns to steal another look. Tammy suddenly stiffens.

"Shit—he stopped walking. He saw me looking," Tammy murmurs through her teeth, thoroughly embarrassed.

Ana shakes her head. "Come on." Just as she starts to walk away, a male voice calls out her name.

"Ana?"

"God…another hot guy who knows you?" Tammy tries hard to restrain a squeal.

Ana spins on her heel to look at the man standing several feet behind her. He is quite the looker. Standing tall, he wears a pristine black suit and carries a black leather portfolio similar to Ana's. His brown hair and closely shaved beard are neatly trimmed. Ana is puzzled for a beat. Where do I know this guy? The moment his smile finally registers, her jaw nearly falls to the floor.

"Doug?"

"Ana!"

The man happily takes long strides towards her and embraces her with a hearty hug. Ana quickly steps back to check if her eyes were deceiving her.

"You look amazing. Wow."

There is a spark in his eye as he assesses her from head to toe. Ana is too frazzled to thank him for the compliment. She jumps right into the question that sits on her tongue.

"Wha…what are you doing here? I thought you lived in California?"

"I moved back to Washington in February. I'm here to interview for a director position. You work for Mylegent?"

A stunned Ana nods her response.

"How long have you been here?"

"Since six months after graduation."

"Man," he gasps. "That is so cool. I'm actually here a few minutes early. Are you on your way to a meeting?"

Ana shakes her head. "I just got out of the boardroom. I interviewed for the other director position."

The attractive man's broad smile overtakes his face. "That's awesome! I hope you get it. And I really hope I get this one. It would be so amazing to work with you."

She remains in a state of shock but tries her hardest to push through it by answering with an enthusiastic nod. "Yeah…that would be—so great."

"Mr. Dorsey—the panel will be ready to see you in just a minute," the receptionist says as she steps away from the door closing behind her.

"Thank you," Doug says.

"Good luck." Ana says the words, uncertain if she means them. Her confused emotions have practically cemented her to the floor.

"Same to you. Man, this is exciting. Can we talk more when I'm done? Will you be in around in an hour?"

Ana desperately wants to tell him no but thinks better of it. If Doug does get the job, it won't serve her well to blow him off. She might as well make nice with a potential colleague while she can.

"Yep. My office is right down the hall. Ask any of the receptionists, and they'll direct you to it."

"Great. See you in an hour."

Before she can move, Doug holds her elbow, keeping her in place. Ana is startled as he blatantly stares at her neck. He spies a hint of purple underneath layers of makeup. He gently glides a finger across the mark, and Ana immediately shakes away from him.

"What's that?"

When Ana blushes, his concern shifts over to stunned amusement.

"See you in an hour, Doug."

Ana finally makes her way towards the elevator. It's not until her arm is pulled again that she remembers Tammy.

"Excuse me, ma'am… Who was that? And how rude. You didn't introduce us. You definitely have some explaining to do."

"That's Doug."

Tammy throws a hand on her hip and shifts her stance to once side.

"I heard as much. But who is he? How do you know him?"

"Doug, Tammy," Ana says, staring a hole into her friend's forehead. "It's Doug."

The petite blonde tests the name in her head. When realization finally hits, she nearly stumbles.

"That's Doug?! The ex from college?!"

Ana shushes her. "Keep it down."

"Holy crap! You didn't tell me he looked like that!"

"I've never seen him with a beard," Ana whispers. "He looks so different."

Tammy's excited expression suddenly fades.

"For Doug's sake, he better hope he doesn't get that job."

Ana frowns. "What are you talking about? I mean…I don't want to say that I hope he doesn't get it. You know—bad karma and all that. Being that I just got out of an interview myself. But it would be extremely awkward working alongside someone whom I dated for a couple of years while in college."

"You're getting that job, without a doubt," Tammy vows. "But if he gets the other spot, your fiancé is gonna be pissed," Tammy drawls.

Ana laughs. "No way. He is ancient history. Christian won't even care. And I'm certain the guy is in a relationship, just as I am."

Tammy tugs Ana's wrists and forces her to look her in the eye.

"Listen to me. From one married woman to a soon-to-be-married woman. Your man isn't going to like you working alongside your ex."


Elliot sat in a metal chair outside of a quaint pink brick café. The mild fifty-degree Fahrenheit weather still warranted him wearing his dark brown fall trench. His coffee guest was running twenty minutes behind. Had he known she'd keep him waiting, he would've gotten an extra hour of sleep.

Less than twenty-four hours ago, he had taken the next non-stop flight to Paris. Nearly ten hours in the air had taken its toll. Being left alone with his racing thoughts was taxing. Thankfully, he had a distraction during the last two hours of the flight. That distraction came in the form of a French blonde who took a liking to him. She'd lit up when he informed her that his Airbnb was located in Montmartre. They exchanged email addresses with the hope of linking up sometime tomorrow. His return flight to Seattle wasn't until late Sunday.

Looking beyond a group of passersby, he saw a familiar figure approaching. A smile inched across his face as she drew nearer. He reflexively stood, keeping his sights on her. This beautiful older blonde did stuck-up better than anyone else. Personifying sophistication and elegance, she wore a lilac mohair tweed Chanel suit, and her grace required her not to mind the stones underneath her feet. The spiked heel of her fancy Louboutins wouldn't dare get stuck, or the cobbled pavement would have hell to pay.

As soon as his face registered, her perma-scowl turns into gaping shock.

"Elliot? What are you doing here?"

"Well, hello there, Mrs. Lincoln," he smiles. "Café au lait?"

She gasps. "You're PI Les McKay's client?"

"In the flesh."

Elliot embraces her with a cheek-to-cheek kiss on both sides before pulling out a chair for her. A server steps out, and he requests two regular coffees with cream and a chocolate croissant in broken French. Mrs. Lincoln corrects him, speaking the language of the natives with ease. The server bows and steps back inside.

"I thought you spoke French?" the older woman purred. "Grace made certain all her children learned a second language."

"My brother and sister studied French," he sighs. "I studied Spanish. I thought it made perfect sense being that more people spoke that language all over the world. If we were in Barcelona right now instead of Paris, I would've ordered the shit out of a café con leche."

Unamused, Mrs. Lincoln cuts straight to the chase.

"First of all, how did you find me? And second, why did you feel the need to lie about who you were? Who sent you?"

The eldest Grey son chuckles at the rapid-fire questioning. The woman's overt paranoia wasn't lost on him. He decides to put her mind at ease.

"Let me start at the end and move my way up. I am here on my own volition. Don't worry. No one else back home knows you're here. I didn't want you to be alarmed, so I had to give you a fake name. I wanted to meet with you face to face. As far as how I found you, I have my ways."

"It doesn't take much to ask your brother."

Elliot's eyes grow wide. "Christian knows where you are?"

Mrs. Lincoln's eyes shut, and she shakes her head in pity. "You really don't know your brother, do you?"

Elliot scoffs. "I guess the fuck not. Does he keep in touch with you?"

She shakes her head. "Indirectly. He and I haven't spoken since his thirtieth birthday over two years ago. He's been ignoring my calls and emails ever since."

Four days after that was Christian's surprise thirtieth birthday party. Elliot had no idea that the night he met Ana changed his brother's entire world. Christian would move heaven and earth to make himself just an iota worthy of her love. That movement included cutting all communication with his exes.

"I have a question for you," Elliot prefaces. "Paris? For fuck's sake, you really aren't trying to hide from anyone. I mean—your entire former inner-circle travels here on a regular basis. My parents vacation here all the time."

Mrs. Lincoln's expression turns somber. "Well, I'm certain Grace isn't all that eager to find me anytime soon. She believes I'm the scum of the earth."

"My mom thinks you fucked the same kids she patches up at Northwest. Do you honestly blame her for not wanting to be your friend?"

The woman is at the brink of walking out before the coffee and croissants arrive.

"Did you come all this way just to bash me, Elliot? You needn't bother. You could have saved the trip. Christian would have given you my number."

Elliot eases up on the woman. "Look, Mrs. Lincoln—I didn't come here to condemn you. I'm here because I could really use your help. If there is anything I can do for you in return, I'll do my damnedest to make it so."

She softens her stance as the server delivers their order. Once the coast is clear, the mature woman speaks out.

"Call me Elena—you're old enough. What is it you need from me?"

Elliot clears his throat. "You and my brother were very close over the years. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that there was more between you than just a friendship. As a teen, he hung out at your place all the time."

Elena immediately turns cold. "What are you implying, Elliot? Have you spoken to Christian? Does he know you're here?"

"Cut the crap," Elliot growls. "Don't pretend you live off the grid. You know exactly what's been going on back in high-society Seattle. Everyone and their mom knows Christian is currently engaged to my ex. We're not chatting it up like a couple of bros these days."

Elliot studies her for a beat, taking in her look of extreme displeasure. Instead of pressing on, he waits for her to spill her guts.

"He is about to make a grave mistake. Your brother isn't the marrying kind."

A spark of hope ignites in him. If his eyes and ears didn't deceive him, he'd assume Elena Lincoln was taking his brother's impending nuptials much worse than he was. At that moment, she made Elliot's last-minute trip to Paris worthwhile.

"I already know about him being a Dom."

Elena's brows raise toward her hairline before a pleasing smirk inches across her face.

"I ran into a former submissive of his," Elliot reveals. "She revealed a few things, but quickly shut her mouth when she found out that I didn't necessarily share my brother's…um…tastes."

As Elliot brings the mug to his mouth, Elena proceeds to take in her surroundings. She's especially paranoid all of a sudden. Confused, Elliot watches as she pulls a pen from her clutch and scribbles something on a napkin. She slides it across the table.

"I have to run. Meet me there at nine o'clock." She stands to leave.

"Wait…"

A stunned Elliot calls out to her, but she doesn't look back once she walks away. He studies the napkin before taking out his phone to map out the location.

This is going to be a long night.


"Hey, honey."

In the great room, Ana grips Christian's bulging biceps and stands on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. He places a palm loosely on her back. Normally, he'd reel her body into his and steal a long passionate kiss from her mouth. Instead, his eyes search for something in hers.

"What's for dinner tonight?" he asks.

"Gail made veal parmigiana."

Christian inhales before removing his suit jacket. "Smells good. How did your interview go this morning?"

Barefoot, but still in her skirt and blouse from this morning, Ana chuckles in delight. "I think I aced it. I'm surprised, really. I thought I'd bomb. It's not like I got enough sleep. By the way, sorry to cancel our date tonight. I'm pretty sure I'll crash once we eat. I'm exhausted."

He flashes her a wolfish grin. "Tonight, I'll let you rest up. Maybe we can do our Friday night ritual tomorrow instead."

Ana nods in agreement. "Sure."

After tossing his jacket on the sofa, he takes Ana by the hand and the two head into the kitchen. They are greeted by Mrs. Jones. The couple takes a seat at the breakfast bar, and Christian reaches inward for the wine bottle. Once two glasses are poured, he holds out his to her for a toast.

"Congratulations to the most beautiful director in the history of directors."

She laughs as they clink glasses. "Not so fast, I don't have the job yet. I'll find out on Tuesday."

"It's in the bag, baby," Christian beams proudly.

"Let's hope so," she exhales.

"Do you know who else competed for the job?"

Ana shook her head. "Tammy heard rumors, but I told her not to tell me."

Christian frowned. "Why not? Nothing wrong with knowing your competition. I bet you'd feel much more confident knowing how inept the other interviewees were."

"That's not true," Ana frowns. "Whoever made it to this round of panels is more than capable of doing that job. The interviewing process at Mylegent is extensive."

"We only do one interview at GEH. We don't need two to separate the duds from the shining stars."

Ana laughs. "That's because you background-check the shit out of them."

Christian purses his lips then shrugs. "As every employer should. Each employee represents you. Why not invest in an infallible background check."

She shakes her head, disagreeing. "It's intrusive, and it has no implication on how an individual will end up being as an employee."

"How so?"

Mrs. Jones places two steaming plates in front of the two, and they each thank her. When she walks away, Ana delivers her response.

"You need to give your new hires the benefit of the doubt. How can you do that when you already have preconceived notions based on some impersonal background check? Someone may have a felony on their record, and all they did was steal a candy bar as a teenager. Why should something like that have a bearing on someone's work ethic as a mature adult?"

"First of all, if it's a stolen candy bar, they wouldn't be charged with a felony. It wouldn't even be classified as a misdemeanor."

"You know what I mean," Ana smirks. "Maybe it was a PlayStation and a few games or something…I don't know. But they were a kid when it happened."

Christian frowns. "I still wouldn't want a klepto working for my company. I don't care when they stole it. Once a thief, always a thief."

Ana can't fight back her grin. "So, are you telling me that I shouldn't ignore the things you've done in the past? You of all people don't believe one has the capacity to change?"

She got me there, he thought.

"Touche." He reaches in for Ana's closest hand and presses it to his lips. "I'm so lucky you are a much better human than I am."

The two proceed to discuss how the other's day went over a delicious hot meal. For dessert, Mrs. Jones brought out tiramisu. Ana was so stuffed that she let down the zipper on her skirt.

"God," she groans. "I could pass out right here on the table."

Christian studies her intently without saying a word, causing Ana to straighten up from slouching.

"What?" she utters. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I'm trying to figure out when you were planning on telling me about Douglas Dorsey's interview at Mylegent."

Ana just sits there, taken aback.


A/N: Hey there, good people! I'm so grateful that you are still here reading this. I apologize for the long delay. I had the nerve to set up these lofty publishing ambitions in 2020, haha!

A quick plug: "California Love," which used to be a short fanfic (California Dreamin'), became a published novel at the very end of 2019. It's available on Amazon Prime, so I hope you had a chance to see what happens after Carmel, California! I also have a romantic suspense coming out next month called "Bernadette." It's different than anything I've ever written. You can preorder that on Amazon.

Alright…plugs all done. Now back to AMT. What's next? Let me just say I had a blast writing a scene that takes place in chapter 18. I know, I know…I am such a tease, haha! And to be honest, I have no idea when the next update is coming since I have a deadline approaching for my fifth book. But trust me, as soon as I type 'The End' on that story, I'll be back at it with AMT. I need to close this out as soon as possible. You guys have been waiting a long time to see the end, and I'm anxious to deliver it. We only have three chapters and an epilogue to go.

So, in chapter 17, an interesting exchange takes place between Elliot and Elena. Then Doug tries to atone for his sins from college. Needless to say, Christian is NOT a fan. I repeat—is NOT. Haha!

Until next time! – TK (aka storietella2)