Chapter Sixteen - Unannounced
As promised, Christian stayed home today. Press were everywhere, outside of GEH, the SIP building, and Escala, all wanting to see Christian appear whilst this all continues to unfold. The news had broke of Elena being a suspect after finding her finger prints and it put us further on edge. We were so close to getting her and again we are so far, she had gone back under the radar once again.
Not much else has happened since the last update we received at early hours this morning. No one had any answers for us, and so we were at a stand still. Phone calls had been coming in constantly all from the press wanting more information but they were all rejected.
We were both exhausted, I had only managed a few hours of sleep and Christian has kept himself awake, Christian has been in his office since before I woke up this morning with Taylor and I had stationed myself at the breakfast bar with my laptop and a cup of Coffee. I have been periodically refreshing Elena's name on Google for updates, and I have the news channel on on the radio.
At lunchtime I head over to Christian's office, I knock on the door and enter. He is sat at his desk, the TV is tuned into the news channel and Taylor is sitting opposite Christian with his phone glued to his hand. Christian looks at me and gives me a warm smile.
"What's up, Baby?" Christian asks me
"We should have some lunch" I tell him
"I'll be out soon, I am waiting on a call back" Christian replies, I nod my head and exit the office.
I head back to the breakfast bar and Gail is preparing baked potato and left over chilli with cheese and sour cream. I don't bother waiting for Christian, instead I tell Gail to take his to his office as it was clear he wasn't going to leave today despite him telling me different. I manage half my of lunch before I couldn't bear to eat any more.
I head over to the couch, and get myself comfortable. Christian suddenly storms out of his office with Taylor following close behind.
"Sir, it is not safe to go and meet her" Taylor says, Christian turns on the spot and faces Taylor
"If it'll get her to turn herself in I will do anything" Christian replies, I jump up on my feet and look at Christian
"You're going to meet Elena?" I ask
"Yes, Baby, I won't be long. She promised she will turn herself in after" Christian tells me, I give him a look as I make my way to him
"No. Over my dead fucking body will you go and meet her alone" I say
"I have to. This needs to end" Christian replies
"Christian if you go and meet her I will never forgive you" I tell him, his face changes.
"Please don't do this Anastasia. Just let me go and end it" Christian says, he tries to wrap his arms around me but I push him away.
Christians face turns to a look of sadness because of my rejection, but it soon changes to a stone cold face as he turns and exits the penthouse. Taylor following him closely behind. I can't believe he was stupid enough to fall for her stupid trick, I didn't have a good feeling about this at all. It just didn't feel right. I pour myself a cup of coffee in the kitchen and begin to walk around the open space. Christian was so stupid, I just wanted to slap him and make him see that.
10 minutes pass and I hear the elevator door open and then quiet footsteps into the foyer. Maybe Christian saw some sense and came back.
"Christian?" I call
"Nope, just me" my eyes widen at the voice, fuck... Elena.
Without a single thought I grab my phone and sprint up the stairs. A gunshot rings through my ears as she tries to aim for me, any part of me as I disappear upstairs, thankfully she misses completely. I hear Elena mutter something before taking off running through the open space to the stairs, I waste no time and run into our bedroom. Locking the door behind me and pulling the heavy chaise lounge to block the door.
Elena begins to bang on the door, screaming my name. Her screams were crazy, almost like banshee. I stand in the corner of the room by the windows, shaking. What the fuck do I do? Fuck I've left Gail out there, I hope she doesn't get hurt.
I dial Christians number and he picks up instantly "Christian, she's here. She's in the fucking penthouse" I tell him, I burst into tears, unable to control my emotions. I was terrified, she had shot as gun at me.
"Fuck. Fuck. FUCK! I am turning around, I will be there as soon as I can" Christian says
"No no no, please she'll hurt you too" I reply "She has a gun, she shot it at me" I reply
"Where are you?" Christian asks
"In the bedroom, I locked the door and I've got something in front of it. She's banging the door Christian, can't you hear her? She's screaming at me" I go quiet and let him hear Elena as she continues to bang and kick at the door.
"Shit, Baby, I will be there soon. Just hold on" Christian ends the call.
Fuck, what am I going to do? What if she manages to get through? I flinch every time she bangs the door, her screams getting louder and louder. I just knew this was never going to go as Christian had hoped, she didn't want to see him, she wanted to kill me. She never planned to turn herself in. It was all a lie.
I try to stay quiet as she continues to bang at the door, it looks like it's going to give way, like she was actually strong enough to break through the bedroom door. I slide down the window, and curl up into a ball. Wishing for all this to go away.
"I will fucking get you, Anastasia!" Elena shouts "Mark my fucking words"
Suddenly it's quiet, Elena has stopped banging, she's stopped shouting. I look up and the door gives way as she shoots at it. She pushes the door open with force and my eyes widen. Seeing her in the flesh when she was this manic terrified me. I was intimidated by her. She walks towards me, the gun tight in her hand. She grabs my hair and forces me to my feet, forcing the gun under my chin so that I look at her.
"Not so tough now are you?" Elena says, a smirk on her face. "Move" she orders moving the gun from my chin and pushing me towards the bedroom door, the gun is placed firmly on my back as we now exit the bedroom and walk down the stairs.
This was it, she was going to end my life right here. We walk to the foyer and stand a couple of feet away from the elevator door. With her hand in my hair she forces me on to my knees, the gun now placed at my head. I close my eyes, waiting for her to do it. This was what she wanted, right?
We are in front of the elevator door for what feels like hours before the doors open. I open my eyes and Christian is right there, with Taylor. He takes one look at me and a look of worry washes over his face, he is as pale as a ghost. Taylor and Christian both step out of the elevator and stand still. Both looking at Elena.
"Let her go" Christian says, "This isn't what you want, is it Elena"
"Yes it fucking is, I'm going to kill her right in front of you" Elena says, her hand begins to shake, I can feel the gun wavering slightly as the back of my head.
"Put the gun away" Christian pleads, I could see in his face that he was terrified. So am I Christian, so am I
"NO!" Elena shouts, suddenly shooting the gun into the ceiling. "YOU DO AS I SAY" She places the gun back on the back of my head.
"Okay... We'll do as you say" Christian says, "What do you want?"
"I want you, Christian. YOU" Elena replies, "I have only ever wanted you"
"Well here I am, you've got me" Christian tells her
"No. I want you to love me, love me like you love this bitch. What does she have that I don't?" Elena asks Christian, her hand continues to shake
"I do love you Elena, just not in the way you want me to" Christian admits
"Not fucking good enough. I gave you this life, everything you have because of me. You'd be nothing without me" Elena replies
Suddenly the gun moves from my head and I hear it hit the floor. I look behind me to see Elena on the floor out cold and Sawyer stood behind her with his own gun in his hand. He had hit her around the head, I immediately stand and Christian wraps his arms around me, I never wanted to be in that position again. The ordeal was finally over, we had her, right now it didn't matter how we got her, it just mattered that she was finally apprehended. Taylor and Sawyer secure her and begin making calls to arrange her collection. She needed to be punished for her crimes, she would never have the easy way out of this.
I hold Christian tight, tears falling down my face. I didn't want to let go, I couldn't let go. Our home had been compromised by a crazy person, I wasn't sure if I would ever feel safe here again. Without a word, Christian and I leave Escala and leave the chaos behind.
We drive around for a while, before Christian drives us towards Bellevue. We arrive outside a hotel named The Woodmark, Christian tosses his keys to the valet and we enter the hotel. It was gorgeous inside, the floors were marble and the walls painted a gorgeous Navy blue. We head to the reception desk where we are greeted by a young red headed woman, she gives us a smile.
"Welcome to the Woodmark, do you have a reservation?" The lady asks, looking right at Christian
"No, do you have a room available? For a couple nights?" Christian questions, the lady looks at her computer, checking for a reservation
"We certainly do, we have a few available actually. A suite, a Kingsize cosy, and a double cosy" The lady explains.
"I'll take the suite" Christian hands the lady his card and his details and she begins securing the room.
"All done, Mr Grey. Do you have any bags you'd like us to bring up?" She asks
"No, that will be all" The receptionist hands Christian a single key card and basic directions to our suite.
We make our way up to the suite. It was on the fourth floor, of the hotel, the top floor. We walk inside and are met with a beautiful lounge area, the Navy blue walls feature in the room with a plush gray carpet. I explore the room, walking down the small hall to the bedroom that had the same plush carpets, and navy blue walls the Super king bed centres the room, the wood frame is a walnut finish. I head for the bathroom, the room is tiled from floor to ceiling in a light grey colour, and Navy accessories complete the room. There is a huge bathtub and a shower which was a little smaller than we were used to but would definitely do the job.
I eventually join Christian who is standing on the balcony, he is leaning on the barrier, looking out at the view. The view was beautiful, we were right by the water. He turns and looks at me, taking me into his arms. I felt safe in Christian's arms, he was all I ever needed.
"I've arranged for Taylor to bring us some things, Gail is packing them as I speak" Christian informs me.
"Will we be returning to Escala?" I ask
"Yes, but don't worry, I am going to have everything repaired before we return. It will be like nothing ever happened" Christian tries to reassure me
"Christian, I'm not sure I want to return to Escala" I tell him
"Where would we go?" Christian questions
"I don't know, I just don't feel safe there any more" I admit
"Anastasia, I apologise for going against both of our better judgement and ever trusting Elena, I was just desperate to end the madness that I wanted to believe she would do that one thing for me. I'm sorry I left you alone, I'm sorry I put you in that situation, I'm just sorry, okay?" Christian runs his hand up and down my back
"I am changing the codes, and I am putting more security in place and I am having every upgraded. Her getting in was an oversight on my part, she knew the code, I should have changed it when everything started going bad but I've been so wrapped in in getting you better, in trying to track down Hyde, in everything I just forgot" Christian says
"She knew the code?" I look up at him
"Yes, like I said previously, we were once friends, Elena dropping by in the evenings was normal, she would just let herself in" Christian tells me, I sigh
"God will this ever end?" I ask, feeling emotional once again "Jack Hyde is still out there, Christian. I just want to live a normal life" I say
"We will get him, hopefully before anything like that happens. Now that Elena is in custody I am going to have my team focus on Hyde, we will find him" Christian replies "I promise you, Anastasia"
We spend some time out on the balcony, the weather was cool but not too cold, it was so nice to just stand in the fresh air, in the peace and quiet and feel free. Elena was gone, she was locked up and in the hands of the authorities, Christian would see that she is punished, and receives everything she deserves. She not only ended a life, but she tried to take another, mine.
I decide to run a bath and a bath whilst Christian meets Taylor who has brought some of our belongings and discusses the next steps. I lay in the hot bubbly water and lean my head back on the edge of the tub, closing my eyes. The water is so soothing, I instantly felt relaxed the moment I stepped into the tub. For a moment, the cloud that had formed over during the chaos went away.
"Anastasia" Christian calls
"In here" I reply, after a moment Christian appears at the foot of the door.
"The police need to speak with you, you don't need to do it today but they would like your statement as soon as possible" Christian tells me
"I can do it tomorrow, I would just like to relax tonight, get some rest and forget it happened for a while" I reply
"I will tell Taylor. I'm going to order room service, what would you like?" Christian asks
"I'll have whatever you're having, and wine" I say smiling at him
"Coming right up, I'll see you on the balcony" Christian walks away and I go back to relaxing for a while.
Once I am out of the bath I wrap a towel around my body and towel dry my hair, I put my hair up in a bun on the top of my head and head to the lounge where are bags are sitting on the couch. I rummage through the bags and finally find my stuff, I grab underwear and a cosy knitted oversized jumper and a pair of leggings that sat above my ankle. I join Christian out on the balcony who is sitting at the table.
"Couldn't wait for me could you?" I ask pointing to the opened bottle of wine
"No, I could not, here" Christian says as he pours me a glass and places it in front on the table.
I take a seat and sip on the wine "mmm, thank you" I say "Just what I needed"
After some silence I decide to break it "It's so peaceful out here, I'd like to settle down somewhere like this" I tell Christian
"Me too, lets build a house some place" Christian suggests
"Let's get married first" I reply with a smile
"Of course, Anastasia, Mom really wants us to have it in her backyard" Christian says
"I know, she asked me too" I tell him
"Would you like to?" Christian asks
"I think so, yes. When she asked I was hesitant but I think it would be really nice to get married there, I mean the view is gorgeous" I say
"Then it's settled, I will tell Mom, I'm sure she will be thrilled" Christian replies.
Our food arrives, Christian has ordered us burgers and fries. Perfect. We sit on the balcony and eat our dinner, I was so hungry and I didn't even realise it, I scoff my fries and my burger is gone in record time. Christian had also ordered a platter of desserts which showcased the hotels signature sweet treats in smaller form. I was already eyeing up the black forest cheesecake and the chocolate torte, but I was patient enough to wait for Christian who was still working on his main.
It was a little later and we were in bed, I was in Christian's arms and close to falling asleep. He seemed to have relaxed a lot more since being at the hotel which made me feel so much better, I hated seeing him stressed. We are listening to the sound of rainfall from the open window, the rain had began pouring in Seattle which was nice for a change. I quite liked the rain and how peaceful it was.
"Good night, Anastasia, I love you" Christian says as he kisses the top of my head
"I love you too" I whisper
We wake up mid morning, I felt so refreshed and Christian definitely looked it. The bags that had found home on his face were gone. We lay in bed for a while, Christian has ordered us a brunch smoked salmon with cubed potatoes and poached eggs. I get myself dressed whilst Christian showers and take myself to the balcony with a cup of tea, I finally see Christian walking towards me, his laptop under his arm and his phone to his ear, he is talking to Taylor.
Once he reaches the balcony he ends his phone call and takes a seat placing his laptop on the table. "Good morning, Anastasia"
"Good morning" I reply
"Food shouldn't be much longer" Christian tells me
A knock sounds at the door, Christian goes and answers it, the attendant brings in our brunch. Placing the plates on the table. Once he leaves we enjoy our brunch in the cool but sunny weather. Once we're finished I leave Christian on the balcony and head inside to the bedroom. I could tell that he was itching to do some work so it was best I leave him alone for a while.
I dial Kate's number on my phone and let it ring. "Steele! Work is going crazy, so many things are coming in about Elena and the whole situation, we're not running anything, but is it true? Did she break in to Christian's place?" Kate asks
"Well she didn't really break in, she had the code but she came here unannounced, yes" I tell her
"Oh, Ana, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how that was" Kate replies
"She had me at gunpoint, Kate. I thought she was going to kill me" I say
"That fucking bitch. I'm so glad you're ok. Hey, what are you doing tonight?" Kate asks
"We're actually staying at the Woodmark, I couldn't bear to be at Escala" I reply
"Oh! I was wondering if you wanted to take your mind off of it, go for drinks maybe" Kate suggests, I won't lie, the offer was very tempting
"I'm not sure that's a good idea, but maybe you can come here and we can have dinner? It's beautiful here, right on Lake Washington" I tell Kate
"That could work, yeah we can definitely do that actually. I'll try to get away from work a little earlier, I'll call you when I'm at the lobby" Kate says, I smile, happy that Kate was willing to come to the hotel.
"Great, I can't wait to see you"
"Me too, Steele. See you later" I end the call and head straight for Christian who was typing away on his laptop.
Christian looks up at me, and smiles "So... Kate is going to come to the hotel for dinner" I say
"Do I have to join?" Christian asks
"No, you don't, actually I prefer you didn't" I reply
"Fine by me. Taylor called, someone will be here within the hour, I've booked the hotels meeting room so that you can give your statement" Christian says
"Okay, that's fine" I tell Christian before heading back inside, I relax on the couch and turn on the TV, opting for some trash TV.
Dinner time soon rolls around, my meeting with the leading officer on the case took longer than I expected, it wore me out to go into detail about the whole Elena ordeal, but I was glad to put it behind me. The office assured that Elena would be kept inside as they had enough evidence to do so which took a weight off my shoulders. I felt like we could return to normal life soon, and put all of this behind us.
Kate calls and tells me she is in the lobby, I leave Christian who is now sitting inside to finish his work. "Put dinner on my tab, have a good time baby" Christian says before kissing my lips.
I leave the suite, and make my way to the elevator, pressing the button for the lobby. Kate is standing right by the elevator doors waiting for me. I tap her on the shoulder and she turns around startled. We hug briefly before making our way to the restaurant that was just off of the lobby. The restaurant was fairly casual, this restaurant was one of three, I took some time to study the menu's and chose this one because of it's casual setting.
We take our seats and order our drinks, both opting for sparkling water.
"I don't want to press you too much, but I have to ask how you are" Kate says kicking off the Elena subject again
"I'm better, definitely less stressed now that she's locked up" I reply
"That's good, I'm glad. Have you discussed your impending nuptials with Christian amongst all of this?" Kate asks
"Actually, yes. Last night we decided that we will have the wedding at Bellevue. We're still yet to discuss a date" I say, Kate is wearing a huge grin on her face.
"Oh yay, that's so exciting. Judging by the Gala, Grace has an amazing attention to detail, I'm sure she will make it so special for you both" Kate replies, I couldn't agree more
"Definitely, I actually wanted to ask you a question" Kate knew exactly what was coming, I was about to make her a very happy woman.
"Go on..." Kate says
"I want you to be my maid of honour, I'm going to ask Mia to be a bridesmaid too" I tell Kate, she begins quietly jumping up and down in her seat and clapping
"Oh Steele, of course I will, and Mia will be thrilled too" Kate replies
We finally order our food, I opt for a simple spaghetti and meatballs whilst Kate orders the lasagne. we decide to share a garlic bread. We spend the next 30 minutes or so talking, catching up on each others lives. It still felt strange only seeing Kate every so often, I missed seeing her every day, spending our evenings on the couch with a glass of wine and telling each other about our day, we would never get to do that again, I was now an engaged woman and Kate was well onto being that herself, Kate and Elliot were inseparable, if Elliot wasn't at Kate's apartment, she was at his, they were planning their first vacation together and always going on cute dates.
Elliot and Kate's relationship seemed to be worlds away from mine and Christian's, they were definitely doing things the more conventional way, meanwhile Christian and I were only a few months down the line, engaged and moved in, but for us it felt right which was all that matters.
Kate and I enjoy each others company for a while more before she has to leave, she had to drive back to the city and it was getting late. I understood completely and walked her outside where valet drove her car to the front. We hugged, holding each other for a long time before she eventually pulls away and drives away. I couldn't help but feel tearful when she left, I just missed our old friendship so much.
I return to Christian who is in the tub, soaking. He tells me to join him, I do as I'm told and strip off my clothes. I step into the tub sitting with my back to his chest, I lean back into him as he leans and rests his head on the edge of the tub. This felt like heaven, I loved sharing a bath with Christian, we did it a lot, it was definitely our favourite way of relaxing besides you know...
"Nice dinner?" Christian asks
"Yes actually, Kate and I talked a lot. I asked her to be my maid of honour" I reply
"I bet she was thrilled" Christian comments
"Yeah she was, I miss her sometimes, we don't see each other enough" I say sighing
"What did you have for dinner?" I ask looking back at him
"Oh I ordered some entrée's, I had Chorizo stuffed mushrooms, bruschetta, caprese salad, and I ordered a steak too" Christian says, I gasp
"You must have been hungry" I comment
"Very, still am, but not for food" I giggle at Christian as he slides his hands over my breasts.
"Oh Mr Grey, what ever will I do with you?" I say, smirking at him.
"A lot of things I hope" Christian replies smirking back at me.
We exit the tub and Christian picks me up, I wrap my arms and legs around him as he takes us to the bedroom. "I'm going to devour you, future Mrs Grey" Christian says before dropping me onto the bed.
"I hope you do, Mr Grey" I reply as Christian runs his hands all down my freshly washed body.
Boy I was in for some fun tonight...