Hope you enjoy this new chapter! New chapter will be up soon and who will they bump into at the ball?...xxx


"How many women have you slept with?" I ask Christian the next morning.

We're both in bed having a lay in after a long night. After our bubble bath, we were both craving the intimacy and were making love until the early hours.

"How many men have you slept with?" Christian counters, raising his brows.

"Three," I reply automatically. "Including you."

"Who were the other two?" He asks, his interest piqued.

"Well I told you about Brett," I say, and he nods in understanding.

"And the second?"

I bite my lip. I've never actually told Christian about Jose. I know how mad he'll be, but I can't preach no more secrets to him if I'm doing exactly the same. I don't want anything between us anymore.

"Uh, he was called Jose," I say. "We met at college."

"Was he your boyfriend?" He asks, turning to look at me.

I shake my head. "More like friends with benefits. He always wanted more though."

He waits, expecting more.

"Before I went to therapy, before I met you...I was in a bad place. We used to smoke weed together and get drunk."

"What happened?" He asked, his voice serious.

"One night he came over and I didn't want him to," my voice is small. I haven't talked about this night to anyone and it's bringing back the memories in full force. "He was on drugs, hard drugs. Pills," I continue.

Christian waits. I feel him tense beside me.

"I didn't want to have sex but he kept insisting. It all happened really quickly. Kate came home and called the police when she saw me and put two and two together. They found the drugs and arrested him. He's in jail for a few years." It all comes out in a rush and I find I'm feeling anxious even thinking about it.

"He raped you?" Christian asks quietly. His voice is deathly quiet and I know he's trying his hardest to stay calm.

"I didn't want to think so at first, but I eventually came to terms with the fact that yes, he did."

His breathing is heavy as he sits up.

"When were you going to tell me this?"

"I don't know," I say truthfully, sitting up with him. "I would have eventually, I just...I hate thinking about it. About him."

I look down into my lap and Christian pulls me gently, lifting me on top of him and wrapping his arms around me fiercely.

"No man will ever lay his hands on you in that way again Ana. They'll be dead before they get the chance."

I lean into him, feeling the hardened contours of his chest. With him I feel so safe and loved. So protected. I truly believe his words. He'd never allow anybody to hurt me.

"I want to kill him," he says. "It's a good job he's in jail. Did you press charges or is he in there for the drugs?"

"The drugs. I didn't want to relive it in court. They'd say I was lying and I didn't have any evidence and..."

"It's okay," he says, pressing his lips against my hair. "Don't worry. The world will know he's a druggie and a rapist Ana. I'll make sure he never finds work or friends a day in his life again."

The conviction in his words is intense and I pity any man who ever gets on the wrong side of Christian Grey. With his money and power, he can reduce a person to absolutely nothing and I know that Jose will suffer.

I turn in his lap. He strokes my face.

"I'm sorry," he says and to my surprise, there are tears in his eyes. Seeing them makes my own form.

"It's not your fault," I say, stroking his face.

He kisses my hand there. And then my eyelids and then my nose and finally, my lips. We make out softly for a while until Christian's phone buzzes. It's his mother to tell him she's bringing Violetta back. I stiffen. I've never met his parents before and we haven't even discussed it. Once he hangs up, he looks at me.

"She'll love you don't worry," he chuckles, sensing my unease. "You're perfect."

I roll my eyes and he tickles me.

"I was actually going to bring it up," he says after. "Next week my parents are having their annual charity ball. They raise money for children's hospitals. I want to take you."

My eyes widen. "Another ball?"

"Yeah," he grins. "What do you think? I want to introduce you to my family and friends. I hope I can meet yours soon too."

Despite my nerves I nod. "Of course I'll go with you," I assure him.

He grins and kisses me.

"But only if I can get a new dress," I whisper playfully against his lips.

He laughs. "It's a deal."


I'm all freshly showered and dressed when Violetta comes bounding through the door straight toward Christian followed by an immaculate blonde woman whose eyes are on me. She's dressed in a lilac blouse and jeans and her amethyst necklace glistens in the morning light.

"You must be Anastasia," she says, making a beeline toward me. She envelopes me in a warm hug that smells like lavender and vanilla. "My granddaughter has told me all about the beautiful ballerina that has stolen my sons heart."

I blush as she pulls back. "It's lovely to meet you," I say.

"You too darling." She moves to hug her son. "Oh Christian she's gorgeous," she coos making me blush again.

"Hi Ana," Violetta says looking up at me. She's holding out a pink beaded bracelet. "We made bracelets and I made it for you," she says, holding it out for me. I bend down and put it straight on.

"Oh honey this is beautiful," I say, bringing her to me for a hug. I breathe in the scent of her strawberry curls. "Thank you so much, I love it."

She pulls back with a grin. "Are you friends with daddy now?" She asks innocently.

I stand up and look toward Christian awkwardly.

"Of course I am," I say.

"He was really sad when you weren't here," she continues. "He was looking at pictures of you on his phone and..."

"Okay, that's quite enough of that," Christian says, taking her hand and cutting her off. "Let's go and put your stuff upstairs."

He leads her away and both Grace and I chuckle.

"Can't trust children," Grace chuckles, heading toward the kitchen.

We both sit at the bar whilst Gail makes us tea.

"Breakfast Ana?" She asks kindly.

"I'll just have some toast please Gail," I say.

Grace takes a sip of tea and raises her eyebrows. "Late breakfast. Have a lie in?"

Warmth heats my cheeks as I think about our morning together and she laughs.

"To be young and in love," she exclaims. "So Ana, tell me what you're studying?"

My morning chat with Grace is pleasant enough. She's a charming woman with a confidence and ease to her that I long to possess. I can see where Christian gets many of his qualities from. Christian joins us with Violetta after a while and Gail makes him eggs whilst Violetta eats a giant fruit bowl. The simplicity of it all makes me smile. I feel as though I'm truly part of the family in this moment.

Before Grace leaves, she invites me to the charity ball and I assure her I'll be there. Christian turns to me once she's gone.

"So? What do you think? She wasn't too bad was she?"

I wrap my arms around his waist, feeling all warm and fuzzy.

"She's great Christian."

He kisses the top of my head. "Ready to play barbie dreamhouse for the next three hours?" He sighs.

I nod with a giggle.


The week goes by quickly. Kate comes back on Monday and we go out for dinner whilst she bitches about all her family members. Tuesday is lectures all day and on the evening, I catch a movie and have dinner with Jon. On Wednesday I surprise Christian with lunch in his office at work. After he's eaten, I fulfil a lifetime wish of hot office sex and leave him well fed and fully sated. Thursday is Violetta's ballet lesson and I spend the night at Christian's and Friday is spent studying and fretting about tomorrow's charity ball. Christian gets off work mid-day so that he can take me shopping for a dress and I smile as we walk hand in hand around the stores.

"I love being with you like this. Like an actual couple," I say, looking up at him adoringly.

"We are an actual couple," he chuckles, kissing my hand.

We enter Chanel at Christian's insistence and the department clerk shows us to the boutique at the back where the rarer dresses are. We thumb through the racks and my fingers glide over a deep navy blue dress with subtle glitter on the bodice which almost looks like little stars.

"Ooo," Christian says, holding it up against me. "Try this on."

"Yes sir," I giggle.

He watched as I slowly undress in the changing room. I throw my bra at him since it has a built in bustier and he helps me zip it up. Looking at my reflection in the mirror, I feel like a new woman. The dress is corset like at the top and hugs me in all the right places. The strapless bustier lifts my chest up high so my cleavage is prominent and it floats out at the waste in a full length gown. Christian stands behind me, pulling my hair to the side and kissing my neck.

"We're getting this one," he says. One hand reaches down to skim my breast.

I feel myself getting turned on as I watch us. I start to bring his hand down further but then -

"Is everything okay?" The clerk asks, breaking us out of our trance.

I sigh in frustration but Christian just laughs.


We leave the store half an hour later with the dress and a navy-blue quilted purse to match. When we get home, he presents me with another surprise. Handing me a blue Tiffany box, I start to complain but he silences me with his finger.

"I can spend my money however I choose, and I choose to spend it on you. You're the most beautiful woman in the world and you deserve the jewels to match."

He opens up the box revealing two diamond studs. I gasp as I run a finger over them slowly. He takes one out of its quilted turquoise cushion and puts it in for me.

"Christian, they are stunning," I whisper, admiring them.

I've never owned something so luxurious in my entire life.

"You like them then?" He asks, making sure.

I kiss him enthusiastically. "I adore them."

He puts the other in for me and then we relax together for a while before Christian takes me with him to pick Violetta up from school.

Violetta attends a private school just outside of Bellevue. She wears a little uniform of burgundy and grey. Her hair has come loose from her ponytails and she's ecstatic as she spots me and starts running.

"Ana you came to get me!" She squeals, throwing her arms around me.

"I did," I grin. "So this is your school? It's super nice isn't it."

She nods enthusiastically. "Look, that's my best friend Poppy!" She points over to a small brown haired girl who waves back.

Poppy's mother I assume makes her way over with the little girl in tow.

"Good afternoon Christian," she purrs and the flirtatious evidence is written all over her smug face.

I roll my eyes and take his hand.

"Good afternoon," I reply instead. "I'm Christian's girlfriend, it's lovely to meet you."

She goes red and offers me a small smile before hurrying off to her car.

Christian smirks at me as I grab Violetta's hand with my spare. Hand in hand with my beautiful little family, we make our way home.


IMPORTANT A/N

I have a new ORIGINAL story coming soon which I'll be publishing on Wattpad. Please check out the link on my blog to get full access and follow me on there. I'll also be making a face-book page. This doesn't interfere with my fanfiction in anyway. It's for you guys who like and support my work and want to read something new from me. All the info will be over on my blog but I thought I'd put the summary for it here in case you're not following me over on the blog yet.

'Alistair Evan had it all. Money, power, dazzling good looks and charm. Now he's facing life without parole for the subsequent murders of young brunette woman in the city of London. Fresh out of training, twenty-one-year-old police constable Cari Honey has been tasked with the job of getting Alistair to confess. As a dead ringer for the murdered girls, Cari is sent in as a decoy to distract Mr Evan and get him to speak. What happens when Cari starts to slowly uncover the truth? When his words don't match up to the facts? If Alistair didn't murder these women, then who did? Are they still out there? There's way too much to think about and if that wasn't enough – Alistair's green eyes are doing something to Cari. But if Alistair is guilty, how can she possibly fall in love with a serial killer?'