Chpt. 31 CPOV:

"Do you have everything you need in the apartment Taylor?" I ask on the way to the hotel where Ana had been staying until last night when she agreed to move in with me. This morning we're picking up her clothes and belongings from there before heading to get my truck at work.

"Yes sir, the apartment is more than I expected. Thank you again."

"No problem; Mrs. Jones orders her groceries with mine each week so please let her know if there's anything specific you would like."

"Ga- Mrs. Jones and I spoke last night and she explained the same thing."

"How long has Mrs. Jones been working for you?" Ana asks.

"About a year or so now," I have to think about it. "At first I didn't think I needed someone; I had lived in the condo for years without someone cooking for me. Granted I ate take out most nights, but I survived."

"But when you bought the house?"

"It was like…I suddenly realized there was a hell of lot more space to worry about keeping clean," I chuckle. "I lasted six months or so and then gave up trying to keep up with everything. Considering I work a shitload of hours you would expect the house to be clean since I'm rarely there right? Nope...it was a mess. I had no time to dust or vacuum regularly, clean up from myself or even shop for groceries especially once some of the larger contracts came in. So I started with someone one or two days a week which was fine. She kept the house clean and ordered my groceries for me when she was there. But after awhile it wasn't enough. I grew tired of eating take out for every meal; I started wanting home cooked meals at least on occasion."

"How did you find Mrs. Jones?"

"I contracted with an agency who would find someone for me and then I had my team vet them to ensure that there was no risk. I went through a few different staff that just weren't a good fit, especially when it came to my schedule. Then they sent Mrs. Jones to me; she immediately came in and started changing a bunch of things that worried me but in the end she kept the house running smoothly so I didn't care. After a couple of months, I offered to buy out her contract with the agency and offered her a full time live in position. She collects a salary and benefits but I take care of all the bills associated with the apartment. The apartment is her space, I've told her from day one I won't go in there uninvited. It was important to me that she understood the space was hers and that her privacy wouldn't be invaded."

Given the shit that was my childhood after my mother died, I'd never tell someone they could live in the apartment but that I would walk in whenever I wanted. People need privacy; they need a space to call their own even if it's just a bedroom…

"We're here," Taylor thankfully cuts me off from the memories that I don't need to be remembering again.

"What's the plan?" Ana asks.

"We'll go up together," Taylor explains. "I'll clear the room first and then you two can enter. I'll wait outside the door when you gather what you need. I want to be in and out in less than 10 minutes; I'd rather not drawn unwanted attention to us. You're both carrying?"

"Yes," Ana and I both answer at the same time.

"Let's do this," he takes one final look around the parking lot before opening his car door. He opens the door for Ana, she slides out before I immediately follow her. I could easily exit the car from the other side, but I'd rather stay as close to her as possible right now.

Silently we enter the hotel lobby and take the elevator to the third floor. Taylor quickly clears the room before allowing Ana and I to enter. The hotel itself is nothing out of the ordinary, but the room is at least high enough off the ground that someone can't easily break into the room. Ana quickly throws a few things into her suitcase and a few more into another bag before declaring that she's ready to go. I alert Taylor that we're finished; he calls for the elevator just as we leave the room. Once we reach the car and pull out of the parking lot we all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Even though the FBI arranged for the hotel room, it doesn't mean that Ana's former location has been compromised. With Hyde on the loose, I trust no one especially when it comes to Ana.

"We can go back to the house Taylor," I decide. "I'll have Sawyer or Mark bring my car by."

"You're sure sir?" he asks.

"Yes, security is top notch at the office but I'd rather not take a chance especially if anyone has linked me to the case as well as Ana."

"Understood," he quickly takes the next exit which will turn us towards the house. "Just so you're aware, from what I've been told your name is not associated anywhere with this case. You're considered a confidential contractor with the case and referred to as just that. I'm sure some higher ups have to know your true identity as it's rare to get approval for a civilian to go undercover on an operation like this but beyond that I'm told there is no paper trail with your name on it."

"Glad to hear that, but I also have my own guys looking into things. They haven't found my name or Ana's on anything associated with the case yet."

"They shouldn't, as far as I know no one except those immediately assigned to the case knew Ana was going to be undercover."

"Where do they think you've been?" I ask Ana.

"Family emergency," she shrugs.

"No one seems suspicious that you haven't returned yet," Taylor confirms.

"I'm sure in time they will; they can only use that excuse for so long."

"Hopefully Hyde will be captured long before we need to worry about that," I reply.

"Let's hope so," she sighs.

"Any update on Hyde's disappearance?" I ask.

"Nothing," Taylor mutters. "It's as if he's disappeared completely; his name is on every list so public transportation of any kind is out unless he has another identity he travels under."

"What about Elena? Is she talking yet?"

"Yes and no. They've gotten some information but nearly what they've hoped for is what I understand. She's claiming she has no idea where Hyde is or where he would run to."

We're back at the house a short time later and immediately I feel at ease; not knowing how far Hyde's reach goes scares the shit out of me. There's one thing I've learned working with so many people in DC, it's all about who you know. If the FBI suspects he has people in his pocket I have no doubt its true. I have Barney and Welch at Grey Software Development treating this as if it's their only priority. While the FBI is good, my guys are the best. Both can hack into any system they've ever come across; Welch was even offered a job by the FBI at one time but he quickly realized he'd make far more money in the public sector. So now they help me develop software that people like themselves can't easily hack into. Right now, I've never been more grateful that I hired them. Little does Taylor know, I have a complete background check on him already. Once I learned what the hell was going on, I had Barney and Welch checking everyone. No way was someone getting close to Ana that could have possible ties back to Hyde. Over the next several days they will be running checks on everyone that was involved in the case that I'm aware of.

"Do you have any other plans today that I need to be aware of?" Taylor asks.

"I don't," I look to Ana.

"Nope, seeing that I can't work currently I have nothing going on," she giggles.

"I have a few calls with the bureau today but if you need me let me know. I can rearrange my schedule to accompany you whenever and wherever you need to go," he reminds us.

"We'll be here. Sawyer or Mark will be stopping by with my car at some point today but otherwise I'm not expecting any guests either."

Taylor nods before heading off to the apartment; Ana sits down on the couch in the great room and I immediately take the seat next to her. It still feels surreal to have her sitting here, next to me, in the house that I we practically designed 10 years ago. I never thought she would be here, but when I saw this house on the market I knew I had to have. I knew this was the house we both pictured all those years ago. It's out in the middle of nowhere with no close by neighbors, which is exactly how we both wanted it.

"You okay?" She pulls me from my thoughts.

"I should be asking you that question," I chuckle.

"I'm good," she shrugs. "I mean, right now I'm safe so that's all that matters. I hate that I can't work at all right now but the bureau is afraid that if I start working from home during my family emergency that it will raise suspicion. I get it; I'm sure I'll be bored in the next couple of days but if they think keeping me hidden will keep me safe I'm not going to complain."

"I have my team looking into things as well-"

"Your team?"

"Let's just say I have access to things that the FBI doesn't," I'm purposely vague. "I have some very talented guys working for me; ones who specialize in finding information that others don't want found."

"Really?"

"My largest contracts are with different branches of the government; they trust me to keep their software and programs free from hackers. I do that by employing the best people in the field; those who happen to know how to hack into the most secure servers."

"You think you can find where Hyde is?"

"I'm hoping to find him and who is in his pocket."

"Wow."

"I'm not taking any chances; keeping you safe is my only priority right now."

"I'm safe here Christian; it's like fort knox."

"Not quite, though now I wish I had a perimeter fence going around-"

"What? No! Then it would really look like a fortress!"

"Yeah, I suppose it would," I chuckle in agreement.

"If you need to go anywhere, don't feel like you need to sit and baby sit me."

"I don't have anything going on today; if something comes up at work I have everything I need here."

"You don't need to go to….Time Out?"

"Time Out? No…." I look at her trying to figure out why she thinks I need to go there.

"I didn't know what your schedule was there…"

"Oh, I don't work like that there. In fact, I don't work there anymore at all."

"You don't?"

"Hell no," I pull her onto my lap. "Baby, even though my job didn't involve sex-"

"Ummmm what? You trained submissives…"

"I did, but there was no sex involved at all. Orgasms were not provided; it was a training session. We focused on the equipment, the proper techniques, expectations that sort of things. More often than not I worked with couples-"

"Couples?"

"Ones who were new to the lifestyle or wanted to explore new things together. I guided them, instructed them, but that was it. Sex wasn't involved."

"Oh….I just thought…"

"What?"

"That you trained them the way you…trained me."

"Fuck no baby," I pull her against me. "What happened with you was completely different. I wasn't training you to go off with a dom that had been screened by Time Out to have some kinky fun. I was preparing you to have to pass as a sub in front of people who were kidnapping and selling sex slaves. You had to pass every test-"

"I know that," she hisses.

"I'm just saying…your training was different because of what you were having to go do. And well because you were different."

"So you quit?"

"Yes, I notified Mark and Sawyer this morning that I was done training anyone. They understood my reasoning-"

"Which was?"

"You," doesn't she fucking know this? "Baby, I love you and you're it for me. There's no way I'm walking into a playroom with anyone other than you. When I walk into a room the only woman who should be kneeling, naked and waiting for me when she wants to play is you."

"Oh."

"I still have a membership with Time Out," I pause not sure how to ask her about this. "I know you said you enjoyed submission and didn't want either of us stop…"

"I don't," she answers quickly and sits up so we can look at each other. "I…I don't know that I want to do a scene with people watching though…especially not at Time Out."

"I have no desire to share you beautiful body with anyone else again," I kiss her deeply. "It was hard enough at the resort to have people seeing you like that; trust me it's going to be a long time, if ever, before I want to have anyone see you like that again. But…tell me why you said especially not at Time Out."

"Because," she pauses. "Sawyer and Mark…you guys seem close right?"

"Yes, we knew each other in the service and have gotten closer over the years since we got out."

"Right…so you see each other outside of Time Out."

"Yes sometimes."

"I just can't….say we were in a scene there and they watched. So they see me naked, you making me come or me begging you to let me come….and then what we all go for drinks the next night?"

"Fuck no," the thought of either of them seeing Ana like that has me fucking livid. She's mine and now that we're home no one else is going to fucking see her like that again.

"Right…that's why I said especially not there," she smirks likely knowing exactly what's going through my head right now. "I hate the thought of the cameras being in the private rooms there, but I feel a little better knowing that they don't watch them unless there's an issue."

"Hell no."

"Hell no what?"

"I'm not taking that chance, fuck no."

"So what are you saying? We're not going back to Time Out at all?"

"Maybe once in awhile; maybe we could go and watch a scene if you wanted to. You seemed to enjoy watching when we were there before?"

"I did," her cheeks turn an adorable shade of pink at her admission.

"At least in the main room the cameras aren't as focused on you as they are in the private rooms; we can watch, maybe even have a little fun without everyone seeing what's mine."

"What's yours?"

"You… .Mine."

"Am I?" she teases.

"You are," I growl and bring her lips to mine kissing her so completely that she's left with no doubt that she's mine.

"So no time out private rooms then?" I'm pretty sure I hear the disappointment in her voice.

"No."

"So where…..?"

"Here."

"Here?"

"How do you feel about having a playroom here?"

"Here? Really?"

"I have a few spare bedrooms," I point out. "I could easily turn one into a playroom."

"You could do that?"

"Sure, Mark and Sawyer have all the contacts for the equipment that they ordered for their club. I can have it delivered to Time Out and then have a couple contractors that my team has vetted to set up everything up here."

"Yeah?"

"You like that idea," not only have her cheeks pinked up but her pulse as increased and whether or not she realizes it she's squeezing her thighs.

"I do," she whispers. "I like that it would be just…us."

"Me too."

"You would do that? I mean…I know before you said that you didn't have scenes here, so I thought-"

"I didn't have scenes here because I didn't want it to be personal. I didn't want an attachment; I didn't want anything beyond a way to relieve stress. Having someone come here, made things…personal. But now, all I can think about is you in one of the bedrooms, kneeling naked on the floor waiting for me. The room filled with items we've picked out together…"

"I like that idea too."

"We'll need to go over your limits again of course before we start ordering everything-"

"No."

"No what? We need to talk about your limits; a lot has changed since when we originally came up your hard and soft limits. Hell, sex was a soft limit before…"

"We don't need to talk about them again; I trust you. Your limits are enough for me."

"Ana," I hiss. "You need your limits; there is still so much you haven't, we haven't tried…"

"Things I would be dead set against, are the same ones you are. No permanent markings, no blood play, no weapons, no breath play and definitely no sharing of any kind."

"Yes…but what about all the others?"

"Christian," she sighs. "I learned a lot of things at the resort; some I wish I never learned, but that's besides the point. What you taught me there was that things weren't always as bad as I thought they would be. You did…things to me there that were on my limit list yet you found a way to make sure I enjoyed them. Even the ones we didn't do, like suspension and the chains, the way you described them…made both seem like I would enjoy them even though before we left I was dead set against them."

"Ana I don't know what to say."

"I know you Christian," she takes my face in her hands. "I know that if you want to try something really new that I might have reservations about that we're going to talk about it ahead of time. I also know that I have my safewords so I'll be able to stop the scene at any time."

"Yes you will."

"So you're limits are enough for me; I trust you with everything else."

"I…I've never…had a scene with someone with no limits before Ana."

"Christian, if it were anyone else I wouldn't say I have no limits. Hell, right now I'm not saying I have none; I'm saying that you and I have the same limits and beyond that I trust you."

"We're going to go slow; I'm not going introduce you to a bunch of crazy new things. I want to play together how we want, without having to worry about someone else's agenda."

"Me too."

"Fuck baby, you're making me hard just thinking about this," I groan and flex my hips against her jean covered pussy.

"Yes…." She moans.

"You have me thinking of all the things I want to do to you, of all the pieces I want to order, all the toys I want at my disposal to make you come with."

"Christian."

"Are you getting wet baby? Are you picturing yourself upstairs, in one of the bedrooms at the end of the hall, kneeling naked on the floor for me? Or restrained to the spanking bench, with the ben wa balls moving inside of your throbbing pussy as I hit your beautiful ass over and over again with the flogger, turning it a beautiful shade of pink-"

"Christian!"

"Let's go upstairs, until we can get everything we're going to have to make do with the toys you brought over."

"Yes please," she practically pants in my ear and fuck if it doesn't go straight to my dick.

"Come," I slide her off my lap and stand up, readjusting myself in the process. I take her hand and am about to lead her upstairs when I hear a door close behind us.

"Sir, ma'am," Taylor's voice stops us right there.

"Everything okay Taylor?" Ana asks.

"There's been a development," he says and just like that it's as if a bucket of ice cold water is dumped on us.