I wake up, suddenly aware that the bed next to me is empty. I grab one of Christian's T-shirts from the drawer and go out of the bedroom. I hear a voice from down the hall so I tiptoe along to find out where it's coming from.
"What the fuck!" he shouts down the phone, I pity the person on the other end.
"When was it taken?" he asks, "fuck! It's in the paper already. Fuck!"
"Oh great, I suppose it was to be expected, get the team together at the office for 11am sharp. We need to discuss strategy" he barks before slamming the phone down.
He sees me peeking around the door and motions me to come in.
"Is everything alright?" I ask tentatively
"The press have found out about you and Kate, someone photographed us coming here last night. There is speculation surrounding Kate and Elliot but not as much interest as you and I" he tells me.
"Damn" as he runs his fingers through his hair.
"What do we do now?" I almost whisper.
"The press are outside Escala right now so doing anything is going to cause a chaos" he frowns.
"I have to go to the hospital this morning to have x-rays and my cast off" hoping he doesn't flip his lid.
"Fuck, another complication" he snaps.
"I can't help it and I can't wait to have this thing taken off!" I say haughtily.
"You're right Ana; we will sort this out" spoken calmly "I will speak to Elliot when he awakes"
"Go and get some breakfast, I have a couple of calls to make and maybe Elliot will be up by then" he tries a reassuring smile at me.
I walk to the kitchen and Mrs. Jones is already making food, it smells delicious.
"Good morning Mrs. Jones" I say.
"Good morning Miss Steele" she replies.
"Please call me Ana. Breakfast smells wonderful" I say as I take a seat at the breakfast bar.
Waffles, muesli, scrambled egg, bacon, everything is wonderful.
Kate joins me a short while later and tucks into scrambled egg on toast and orange juice while I fill her in on the early morning predicament. Elliot joins soon after followed by a glum looking Christian.
"The shit has really hit the fan bro." Christian tells Elliot "The press is outside so I need you to take Kate and Ana out of here back to the apartment. Tell the press their apartment was flooded and whilst being sorted they stayed here overnight and that's it, nothing else. Stay at the apartment and make sure Taylor gets Ana to her appointment at the hospital and back again and I will be in contact" and he disappears back to the office.
Ok so best go pack again and get ready for a press scrum at the entrance. Elliot is going to drive us and Taylor is following behind. The elevator bell rings, doors open and the number of camera flashes temporarily blinds me, I hear Kate mumble something about stupid press. Elliot seems unaffected but I guess he is a little more used to it than us. The volume of noise that hits us as the doorman opens the front door is extraordinary, they are all just shouting at us trying to get any statement. Elliot does his part and tells them what Christian advised and we get into the car with minimal jostling. Elliot whisks us away with Taylor hot on our tail, we safely exit Escala.
Kate and I glance at each other, we both have a 'rabbit in the headlight' look but we are relieved to be on the way home. The apartment building is a welcome sight; we park and hurry inside just in case any press has followed. Fortunately it appears we have avoided being chased.
I literally throw my overnight bag on the bed and flop down on the sofa, exhaling at the same time. Kate and Elliot join me. It has all been a little surreal really. A small glimpse in to Christian's life in the media and I can appreciate why he deplores it.
A knock at the door makes me jump; Elliot gets up and opens the door to Taylor who has come to take me to the hospital. I pick up my bag, check to see if my purse and phone are there and say goodbye to Kate and Elliot.
Luckily no press have found us yet so the journey to the hospital was a little more relaxed. The x-ray showed a good bone callus has formed so the doctor is happy for the cast to come off much to my relief. The technician takes the cast off and I see my arm for the first time in weeks. I have to chuckle when I see my right arm has tanned a little and my left below the elbow hasn't.
The physiotherapist checks my range of movement and starts off with some exercises to build up muscle strength in my forearm, wrist and fingers. My whole lower arm feels weak and looks a little thinner than the right but I will diligently do what the physio tells me and to return in a further 6 weeks to be signed off then if all is well. It feels great to have my arm back but I have to be careful although the physio said a little driving was ok. Excellent! My new car has power steering and is automatic, Bonus!
Taylor is waiting and ushers me to the car quickly. He tells me that Christian wants me at the office and I am not to say anything to the waiting press. I don't feel dressed for work but off we go anyways. Oh goodness, more press have congregated here than at Escala but I battle my way through with Taylors help without saying a word to anyone and up to my office.
Christian is waiting for me in my office; he beams as I walk in and kisses me lightly on the lips.
"What did the doctor and physio say baby?" there is that sexy voice that causes instant wetness. I brief him on what they have told me to do as he gently inspects the now free from cast arm.
"Makes sure you do everything they have told you" he commands.
"Yes sir" I reply with a salute. He playfully tickles me for being cheeky. A knock at the door stops him abruptly and Christian the businessman is back.
"Come" he shouts and Taylor, Sawyer, Kate, Elliot and many other people I don't know come into my office. He tells us that a statement has been drawn up by his PR team and approved by his legal team. It basically says we have had a friendship for a while through Kate and Elliot as well as a working connection. Our friendship has nothing to do with the breakdown of his marriage etc. etc.
No comments are to be made to the press in any form by anyone unless cleared by Christian himself and if anyone is approached by the press independently and questioned, the answer is always no comment and to contact his PR team with what they wanted to know. Oh boy this just got a whole lot more complicated. Everyone is then dismissed except Elliot, Kate and me. Obviously Christian has something else to say to us so we remain in the room.
"Elliot, I want you to go brief Mom, Dad and Mia, take Kate and get away from the intrusion for a day or two if your schedule will allow it Kate?" he continues "Ana will you come and stay with me at Escala for a few days until things have settle down hopefully?"
"Sure bro, Mom and dad will be fine and you know Mia wouldn't spill anything" he reassures.
"Yes I can stay for a few days Christian" I tell him. I think I would feel safer there than at the apartment when Kate is not with me.
"Good, we will just have to see how the next few days pan out for the moment" he says "keep in touch Elliot" and with that I hug Kate and Elliot, Christian pecks me on the cheek and they are gone. I sit down at my desk and exhale. I am not sure how I feel about all this, I feel under pressure, why oh why couldn't this man be a nobody, an ordinary person instead I find a billionaire, uber businessman and all round sex god who can drive me to the brink of orgasm by just saying a few words. I sigh and open a manuscript to read.
My phone bleeping with a text message enables me to take a break from reading. It's Kate telling me that they have arrived ok without too much hassle from the press and they have briefed the family on what's happening.
I stretch in my seat and chastise myself for not having done my lunch time exercises so I pull out the sheet of paper the physio gave me and begin.
Christian knocks and enters, I can see the look of approval on his face when he sees me stretching and flexing my arm.
"Are you ready to go home yet? "He asks.
"Sure, just let me finish these last few stretches and I am done" I reply. I pack a few documents in my briefcase to take to Christian's for a look over tonight and my exercise sheet, switch off my computer and set the office phone to message. I pick up my jacket and Christian swiftly takes my case to carry for me and we head for the elevator.
"Ana, I will go out first and divert hopefully most of the attention from you; Taylor will escort you to your car and follow you to Escala. Remember don't say anything, the press release is going out tomorrow morning first thing and we will gauge the response before any further comments, ok?" he says.
"Ok, be careful and see you in a bit" I hope anyways, as long as I don't get followed it should be a fifteen minute drive to Escala.
He walks through the elevator doors, turns, presses the button for ground floor and winks at me.
I smile as I press the button and wait for the elevator to return, it seems to take forever and then the familiar ding of the bell. I get in and press ground floor and as I am nearing, I take a deep breath and try to look as nonchalant as possible in case the press are still waiting.
The volume and flashing that occurs as the doors open is tremendous. Taylor is waiting for me thank goodness and we begin the press gauntlet to the car. I am jostled and pushed, shouted at and questioned. I don't know how they would expect anyone to hear what they are saying let alone answer with each reporter trying to be the one that elicits a response from me. As I reach the car as surge of people push me up against the car, squashing my left arm. I cry out in pain.
"Taylor I am being crushed, my arm!" I shout.
Taylor is being jostled too but does his best to push back the crowd to free me. He half bundles me into my car, gets in the driver's seat and we roar out of SIP.
"I think we ought to get that checked out at the hospital Miss Steele" his voice sounds more forceful that I have heard before.
"No, it will be fine Taylor, I just want to get home" I say as his cell rings.
"Mr. Grey, we had a few problems, I am just escorting Miss Steele to the hospital to have her arm checked out." he says meekly. I hear a raised voice the other end although I can't make out what is being said.
"They did sir, but more turned up and caused a crush" I can see Taylor's face is glum looking.
"Yes sir, with hindsight a few more security would have been prudent" he swallows
"Yes sir, yes sir, I will" and he switches the phone off.
"Really Taylor I will be fine to go home" I plead.
"Mr Grey said that if you said that, I am to tell you to go, otherwise he will just put you in the car at Escala and take you himself. I see a small grin flicker in the corner of his mouth.
My arm is throbbing and a nice bruise has already begun to form where the door handle dug in. The emergency room staff sent me to x-ray where fortunately no further damage was done by being crushed but it will be bruised and sore for a few days. Take anti-inflammatories if I need to. Well that's a relief and we head on back to Escala.
Christian is waiting in the foyer of his apartment, pacing in front of the elevator. Taylor and I exit, he rushes over and examines my arm which I turning rainbow colored in places.
"I am so sorry baby, let's go get some ice from Mrs. Jones to put on that bruise and have something to eat. We have chicken escalope with baby new potato's and vegetables. I didn't think you would want anything to heavy tonight" he rushes.
"Hello Mrs. Jones" I say as I walk into the kitchen.
"Good Evening Miss Steele, here is some ice for your arm" she proffers a bag of something wrapped in a towel and feels very soothing on my bruise.
"Ah that feels good, thank you Mrs. Jones" I feel myself relax again.
"Dinner in ten minutes Mr. Grey" she informs Christian.
My appetite has abandoned me and I feel so tired.
A/N: Hope you all are enjoying the story. Let me know your thoughts.