Chapter 10
Tipping Point.
Thank you all for all the amazing reviews and PM's, follows and favourites I have gotten. Again a very big thank you to my amazing beta Svart Jasmin for beta reading this chapter and supporting me you rock! Like I said in the first chapter this is a very dark story and not everybody's cup of tea. Do not read it if you do not like it.
Christian
My fingers gently trace the lines of her body, pushing down lightly on the screen of my laptop. Watching her has become my absolute favorite pastime. I press the arrow buttons on my laptop and the cameras immediately changes angle, giving a generous view of her long, long legs. I sigh, and my rock hard cock presses uncomfortably against the seams of my pants. She slowly shimmies out of her panties and I let out a small moan. It seems like she is giving a private striptease just for me. I just stare at her goddess like naked form and wonder if she tastes as good as she looks and smells. I open the button of my pajama pants and pull out my cock. I grip my dick tightly with one of her panties I took from her apartment and slowly move my hand up and down my shaft, a small pleasurable shudder runs through my body. She gets into the shower and turns on the showerhead. Warm drops of water soak her flawless skin and I want to lick every drop of her. I increase the pressure on my cock and move faster up and down my shaft. A delicious tingle hums through my body and a grunt escapes my throat. I want to be inside of her; I need to feel her tight little cunt clamped around my cock. But I have to be patient and stick to the plan. I will have her beneath me soon enough, but until then, my right hand, this video footage, and my imagination will have to do. I watch her lather herself and imagine my hands on her firm body soaping every inch of her. Squeezing and sucking her perfect tits until she comes in my hand. I fantasize of turning her around facing the shower wall while I slam my thick, long cock inside of her from behind.
My entire body tightens, and a warm humming feeling radiates in my stomach, spreading throughout the rest of my body. My hard cock pushes against my palm and I continue to stroke it. I let out a harsh grunt and start stroking it harder and faster. I imagine slamming inside her tight, hot wet cunt, gripping her pubic hair while slamming her ass hard against my pelvis, ilicinting sweet moans of pleasure from her that ring in my ear. I pump with increasing vigour and my climax begins to build. Drops of pre-cum coat the head of my dick and I smear it over my shaft while I imagine that its Anastasia wetness coating my cock . I buck and shudder over and over again, and my cock pulsates in my hand. I grunt and growl. Ana! I moan and feel hot ropes of cum leap out of me coating my fingers, pubic hair, and stomach. I sigh and wipe myself clean with her panties. I sink back in my pillow and continue to watch as she dries and dresses for bed.
"Goodnight my sweet angel. I cannot wait to officially claim you as mine." I whisper and put the laptop on the other pillow of my bed. I switch off the light and try to fall asleep. Knowing that she is safe and sound in her bed is a laudanum for my otherwise troubled nights.
I turn around and stare at the ceiling and contemplate the last few weeks. Business wise, it had been very successful. Two weeks ago, I flew to Washington DC to check up on my investments there. To put it bluntly, I checked up on the various senators and congressmen that are in my pocket and the lobbyists I am paying handsomely to get the shit I need to be done. I scoff loudly. Democracy my ass! For the right price, everything is for sale. It is just a matter of knowing the right people and financing the right campaigns. These politicians only care about their own pockets and re- elections, it is what makes them vulnerable to people like me. It is rather unpleasant if you really think about it. This country was modeled after the Roman Republic in so many ways and as irony has it, suffers from the same illnesses. It was after all corruption that destroyed the Roman Republic over two thousand years ago. I had three very fruitful meetings with the secretary of Commerce, the secretary of State and the secretary of Defense. I managed to obtain two multibillion-dollar government contracts, which will create countless of new jobs. Overall, the week was very successful. The only thing I hated was not being able to see Anastasia. I dreamed of her every night and not being able to see her when I wanted. it slowly drove me crazy. I vowed that I would never go through that again.
When I arrived back in Seattle late Saturday morning, I immediately went to her apartment and stood vigil at my usual spot, waiting to catch a glimpse of her. I knew it was pathetic and I knew I needed a smarter more reliable way of seeing her when I wanted, at least until she was officially mine. I called Welch and asked him to put her apartment under surveillance. I went with Welch's crew just to see her room, to see how and where she slept. I remember walking into her room and the first thing I noticed was her sweet lingering intoxicating scent. Her room was neat and tidy. She had a double white bed with a spiraled frame and imagined tying her to it. In her closet hung a combination of cheap and designer clothes. She must have gotten those designer outfits from Kavanagh because I know she hardly has any money. I reset the timer of her alarm clock; I wanted to catch a glimpse of her when I held my vigil the next morning. I humored myself and called in a favor at the radio station she was listing to. I asked them to play Every Breath You Take by Sting at 6:00 the next morning. She would know the significance of that song soon enough.
Elena was right. If I wanted to get what I want, I needed to take control of Anastasia's life. I needed to fundamentally change the way I was handling things with Anastasia and treat our relationship the same way I treated my businesses dealings. If Miss Steele is not open for a peaceful merger, I had to switch gears and initiate a hostile takeover. So far, my game plan had proven to be successful more or less. There had only been one minor hiccup. Helen Crawford had called me while I was in DC. She told me that Miss Steele complained about my behavior and wanted to leave GEH. The key logger I had installed on her laptop proved to be very useful. I saw all the applications she filled in, and I used my considerable influence to make sure nobody hired her. Only Puget Sound showed some resilience to my persuasions. However, a well-placed threat got them in line in no time.
I admit, I shouldn't have done what I did, but what done is done. Once she is mine completely, I will apologize, but I was not going to let her go ever.
I had already made it up to her in a way by replacing that deathtrap of a car of hers. I was shocked that she drove that thing. I tore Welch a new one for not informing me sooner. When he said she drove a beetle I assumed it was a relatively new one. But that thing she drove is not safe, let alone roadworthy. I don't think I would be able to handle it if anything were to happen to her. I need to protect her and keep her safe. I wanted to buy her a Saab but Elena suggested that I should stick to a red Audi A4, as she found it a more appropriate choice. She said that young girls like sporty flashy cars and the Saab is a car for elderly women. She has been a great friend helping and supporting me in making Miss Steele mine. Meeting Ana has made me feel again, she has brought me back to life. She is the air that I breathe, the blood in my veins, and the pulse of the black hole that is my heart. Without her, I revert to a living dead man and I cannot let that happen again, EVER. I am not a religious man but I believe with every fiber of my being that Faith or God has gifted her to me as my salvation, my soulmate and what God has brought together nothing can separate.
These upcoming weeks I will implement every element of my game plan and make Miss Steele mine. I already set all the wheels in motion it. I turn around to watch the screen of my laptop again. My sweet angel is sleeping peacefully. Knowing that she soon will be mine gives me a calmness, a sense of peace and belonging that I have not felt in years. I close my eyes and drift off into a calm slumber.
"Morning Andrea." I say rather cheerfully when I step into my office. Since Elena pointed me in the right direction and I have taken control over Anastasia's life, I have a new sense of direction and purpose. It has a calming effect on me.
"Morning Mr. Grey." Andrea replies, slightly surprised, and I do not blame her. These last few weeks my mood had been foul most of the times.
"Coffee sir?" She asks.
"Yes, black, one sugar, and ask your assistant to bring me a croissant." I reply and head into my office. Moments later she comes in carrying my coffee her IPad and three binders. She puts the coffee down and hands the binders to me.
"Welch sent these, sir. He said you requested them." She says casually.
"Thank you, Andrea." I reply knowing exactly what these binders contain.
"Do you wish to go over today's schedule now sir?"
"Yes please do." I reply already knowing that today is going to be very busy.
"You have a meeting with Sam Massey at ten to discuss GEH's new press policy. At eleven o'clock, you have a conference call with Mr. Bao Chang from Chang shipping. You have a lunch meeting with Ros at twelve thirty, then at two o'clock you have a meeting with Katherina Cosa the art dealer from Portland, and your final meeting for today is at four o'clock with Mr. Matthew Cooper in Ballard." Andrea finishes rattling of my meetings for today. It is all dull for the most part. The only thing that I look forward to is my meeting with Mr. Cooper.
Matthew Cooper is somewhat of a legend within the BDSM community; he creates customized playrooms and dungeons for those who can afford his price. Today, he will be designing and creating one especially for myself and Miss Steele at our new house on the sound. I have destroyed my playroom at Escala. I won't be taking anything from there. I want everything to be new and different for Anastasia and me.
"Thank you, Andrea." I say and dismiss her to focus my attention on the three binders Welch sent me. They contain the financial records of one Raymond Steele, one Carla Addams néé Wilks, and one Anastasia Steele. The reason why I am such a successful businessman is because I know everything there is to know about an acquisition. I know the strengths and weaknesses of the company and I know exactly how to exploit both to my advantage. I need to know all of Anastasia's strengths and weaknesses before I commence my hostile takeover, so to speak.
I open the first binder and pour over Ray Steele's financial records and it's immediately clear to me that he is in a dire financial situation. To be blunt, he is a few short months removed from bankruptcy. He has two mortgages, one on a workshop and another on his house. Both are under water meaning that the mortgage on the property is higher than its current market value. If he would sell the workshop, he would still be around 85 thousand dollars in debt with the bank. It is even worse with his house. He is also almost three months behind on both mortgage payments. If the bank were to foreclose both properties, Ray Steele would still be around 200 thousand dollars in debt with the bank. On top of his real-estate troubles, he has around 10 thousand dollars of unpaid medical bills. Yep, this guy is fucked. I sigh, close the binder, and turn my attention to Carla Addams' financial situation. The first thing I notice is that she is in much better position than her ex-husband is. She earns a decent living as manager at an art and craft store, and her deceased husband left her with the mortgage-free house and around 500 thousand dollars in savings and stocks. The trouble for her is that all these assets are frozen. The late Mr. Addams' son disputes his father's latest will, which only gives him half of his father's estate and Addams junior is playing dirty. According to these records, he filed a lawsuit against his step-mother for neglecting his father's heart condition, claiming that she is responsible for his death. These kinds of cases can drag for ages and can ruin people completely. It occurs to me that with two simple phone calls I could either escalate or make their troubles go away completely. I close the binder and grab Anastasia's. Poverty is the first word that comes to mind when I open it. A familiar yet unfamiliar pain slashes through me and I swallow. She earns a decent living here at GEH and her mother has been depositing money in her account faithfully each month, but it is still not enough to cover her own living expenses, her dad's medical bills, and his mortgage payments. She is desperately trying but failing to keep her head above water. She barely has money for gas and food. The image of a starving beautiful young woman and a little boy in a dirty Detroit apartment assaults my mind. NO! Don't go there Grey! A stabbing pain pierces through me and I feel a little nauseous.
My intercom buzzes. I press the button and Andrea's voice comes through informing me that Sam has arrived. I tell her to send him in and file the binders in my filing cabinet.
"Mr. Grey." Sam says while walking into my office. I shake his hand and tell him to sit down at one of the chairs near my desk.
"I have some great news, sir. The Vatican has asked if you are willing to be main guest speaker of a major conference about social, economic and environmental issues they are organizing next month. Pope Francis himself is very impressed with your humanitarian work and really wants to meet with you, sir. This is a huge honour." Sam says excitedly and I frown at him.
"Sam. You know how I feel about receiving publicity for my humanitarian work. Accepting the Carnegie medal was one thing but this is a whole different ballgame." I hate being laureled for something so basic of feeding the hungry and poor.
"Sir, this is an excellent chance to promote your efforts in getting aid into Sudan and the refugee camps in Turkey and Jordan . The publicity we would get from this could give us a momentum in pressuring our government and the EU to do more about the refugee crisis." Sam says earnestly.
He does make a valid point. At the moment, more than 65.3 million people are displaced uprooted from their homes and families to flee hunger, poverty, and war. The reaction to this global crisis from various governments around the world is nothing less than inept. Most governments are too spineless to put in real efforts to solve this crisis, afraid of the reaction of the populists within their borders enticing fear in parts of the electorate.
"What exactly do they expect from me?"
"They want to hear your vision on humanitarian work and the refugee crisis. Pope Francis especially wants to know how the Vatican could help our efforts." Sam answers quickly.
This could be very beneficial indeed. I could stay at Villa Montferrat, one of my overseas real-estate investments. I have only ever been there once when I was on a forced family vacation in Tivoli, a village near Rome. We stayed at the Villa and my mother fell head over heels in love with the place. I bought it so she could use it whenever she wanted it.
"Tell the Vatican that I except there invite and have Andrea lock it in my Agenda."
"Certainly sir." He says and beams at me.
The rest of the meeting we discuss the changes we made in GEH publicity and press policy until Andrea announces my next meeting. I open my laptop and sign into WebEx where Andrea already has posted the link to the conference window. Mr. Boa Chang owns one of Asia's largest shipping companies, and he is looking to expand his business to the west. He wants a joint venture with GEH to achieve that goal. My conference meeting with him lasts almost ninety minutes and was very constructive. We have a business plan ready and he will be flying to Seattle next week to discuss the finer points before we draw up a contract. Ros enters my office with large strides and smiles at me.
"Ready for lunch? I thought we could go out of the office I reserved a private room at Le Picot." She says nonchalantly.
"Sure fine, just let me grab my jacket."
Le Picot is only a block away from GEH so it's easiest to walk. Taylor and Ryan follow us closely and dutifully wait at the entrance of our private dining room.
The waitress comes over to take our order. She is all over me like a rash annoying the crap out of me but amusing Ros. Ros takes her phone out of her bag and shows me photos of little Chris. I cannot believe how big has gotten.
"Gwen wanted to know when you are free for dinner and a bonding day with the little guy. After all, you are his godfather." Ros says eyeing me closely.
"I will need to check my agenda, but tell her maybe next weekend. He has gotten so big, what the hell are you guys feeding him?" I jest.
"Tell me about it. He is getting his first mashed fruits and vegetables and he eats everything. He is like an elephant, shits like one too." Ros says proudly.
"A guy after my own heart." I reply chuckling.
The waitress comes back with our order and I frown. I ordered the ribeye salad with truffle mayonnaise but there isn't any on the plate.
"I ordered a rib eye salad with truffle mayonnaise. Where the hell is it?" I ask irritated.
"Oh, I thought you said hold the mayo." The waitress replies sheepishly and I snap. I cannot stand incompetence.
"If you would have spent less time ogling me and more time writing down the correct order like a proper waitress would, I could eat now. Get me my fucking mayonnaise or I will personally make sure you are out of a job." I hiss and she cowers away from me. Good.
"Yes, sir... I am so sorry." She mutters and almost runs out of the room.
"Jesus Christian, you can be such a dick sometimes. Give the poor girl a break! I do not know what is going on with you lately but you are wound up tighter than a nun's rectum. Has it become a habit of yours? Scaring the shit out of young girls? I heard with happened with the intern, the gorgeous brunette? You really need to chill Christian. She could have sued your ass for harassment." Ros says heatedly.
I glare at her. I have no intention of discussing my blowout with Miss Steele with Ros.
"If some women would actually do what they are paid for I don't have to blow up at them." I sneer at her and she rolls her eyes at me.
"Sometimes you can be a real sexist asshole, you know that right?" she throws in my face and it angers me. I am not a sexist and she knows this. I open my mouth to let her have it but she holds her hand up in a placating manner.
"Look let's just drop it and concentrate on business." She says while giving me a pointed stare.
"Fine." I reply sullenly.
"Good. Now tell me, how did it go with Chang?"
The next hour Ros and I discuss our latest acquisitions, investments, and liquidations. Overall, GEH is in great shape our profits are up and we have left our competitors far behind us. We walk back to GEH. I have a two o'clock meeting with Mrs. Cosa, the art dealer from Portland and representative of one Jose Rodriguez, a friend of Miss Steele and photographer for the Portland tourist guide. I asked her if Mr. Rodriguez had any more photos of Miss Steele that weren't published and it looks like she came through.
"Mrs. Cosa. How are you?" I say and give her my most charming smile, which has its usual effect.
"Fine thank you for asking Mr. Grey." She replies blushing.
"Please sit down. Have you been offered a drink?" I ask.
"Yes, your assistant was very helpful. Thank you." She replies and sits down.
"I understand that you were successful in obtaining what I asked?" I ask while cocking an eyebrow at her.
"Yes, certainly Mr. Grey. Miss Steele is Mr. Rodriguez's muse and it took quite some convincing on my part to have him part with these." She says and points at a large brown parcel leaning against the chair.
"He wanted to use them for the exposition and show them to her. But I convinced him to stick to landscapes to preserve the flow of the exposition." She says continuing briskly.
"Well, I am eager to see what I have purchased." I say and give her a tight smile.
"Certainly Mr. Grey." She says and hands me the parcel. I open it and gasp slightly. The pictures are more than I could have ever hoped for. On one of them, Anastasia is laughing broadly at the camera. On another, she stares contemplatively over the water. On the third picture, she is snuggled in a chair engrossed in a book with a light frown on her face. The last picture shows her pouting; it is both sexy and adorable at once, making my cock twitch in appreciation.
"They are exquisite. Mr. Rodriguez truly is talented. I trust my offer was adequate?" I ask.
"More than enough. He was quite shocked and flattered that someone was willing to pay so much for his work."
"Trust me it is worth every penny. Please tell him that." I say.
"Will do Mr. Grey. It was a pleasure doing business with you." She says as she gets up and shakes my hand.
"Likewise Mrs. Cosa." I reply and see her to the door.
I stare at the pictures of Anastasia, completely mesmerized by them, and I know just where I am going to hang them.
The rest of my afternoon, I spend on some due diligence work and the quarterly numbers of one of my telecommunications companies. I am so engrossed in my work that I hardly notice how much time has gone by. My intercom buzzes and Andrea's voice rings through.
"Mr. Grey it's 15:25 you need to leave now for your four o'clock at Laurelhurst."
Ah right, Mr. Cooper the most exciting meeting of today.
"Thank you, Andrea. Tell Taylor and Ryan to meet me downstairs."
"Yes, sir." She replies and I hang up.
I grab my jacket and head down to the parking garage. Ryan opens the door of the Audi Q7 and I hop in. Taylor drives quickly through the Seattle traffic and I stare out of the window, watching people go about their business on a busy Monday afternoon. Taylor drives up the I-5 and speeds up the car. I close my eyes taking a minute nap before my meeting with Mr. Cooper. When I open my eyes again, Taylor is just driving up the private road leading to my new estate.
The house looks even more magnificent without the scaffolding. Elliot and his team are as good as done, and it is up to me to have the place decorated. Elliot suggested his good friend and occasional fuck buddy Gia Matteo for the job. Taylor stops in front of the door and Ryan opens the car door for me. Matthew is already waiting in front of the house.
"Mr. Cooper. Glad you could make it at such short notice." I say and shake his hand.
"You made it worth my while Mr. Grey." He replies stoically.
"That I did. Let's get inside." I reply and he nods in acquiescence.
"Do you have an area in mind to build the room?"
"Yes, upstairs near my bedroom. I want to move from the playroom to the bedroom and bathroom quickly and I want the room to be discreet and secret. So access to it has to be restricted by some form of security." I rattle up my wish list.
"No problem." He says and studies the floorplan of the top floor.
"We could take a piece of the extra guest bathroom and the second bedroom to construct a playroom linked to your bedroom. That way we can build the access in your walk-in closet." He purposes.
"That is an excellent idea. Make it work, there is no budget, spend what you need to spend." I reply a little excited.
He looks a little surprised and gives me a cool smile.
"Of, course Mr. Grey. Now furniture. What do you wish to have in your new playroom?" He asks.
"A suspension rail, St. Andrews cross made out of cedar wood, a four poster bed, antique early 18th-century mahogany wood. A whipping bench, ash wood, with a leather top. A Berkeley horse also dark wood, some racks a dressior antique late 17th century French and, a tantric chair." I reply quickly and he writes it all down.
Cooper and his team will work on the room the moment Elliot hands over the keys. I make sure that every member of his team signs an NDA and have a contract drawn up. I will let my usual place costume-make toys and implements.
I say goodbye to Mr. Cooper and let Taylor drive me to Escala where Gail is ready to serve dinner. Linguine with lobster and herbed cream sauce. I shove my food down my throat quickly, barely tasting any of it. I cannot wait to indulge in my new favorite pastime, watching Miss Steele.
I stare at the louche fucker in the mirror and quickly wash my hands eager to get down to marketing. Today marks Anastasia's final day at the marketing department, and after our evaluation of her final presentation, I want her placed in the finance department, which is on my floor. That way I can see her every day and implement the second part of my plan. If she is desperate enough, she will take the help I am willing to offer, at a price of course. With swift strides, I enter the conference room and I immediately spot her. She is in a deep conversation with Lyndon. He smiles at her and squeezes her upper arm in a reassuring manner. This tiny gesture on his part makes me see red. I do not want anyone touching her. She is mine and nobody touches what's mine.
"Can we begin this presentation? I haven't got all day." I snap and Anastasia visibly pales and flinches a little. The sadist in me roars, but the other part of me, the human part feels hurt.
"Yes, of course, Mr. Grey." Lyndon answers politely and nods at Anastasia.
Anastasia presses a button on her laptop and the projector springs to life. She takes a sip of her water and I notice that her hands are shaking a little.
"As you all know, I looked into how we could market Coping Together to a larger demographic to gain more donations. Our efforts have concentrated on two main points. 1. We broadened the visibility of CT and its efforts to help drug-addicted parents and their children. 2. We went out and recruited more volunteers at schools, WSU and in the streets. As you can see on this infographic, our efforts have been successful. We gained 23% more donations over this last month and we also got an increase in volunteers of 18%." She says her voice is soft and she is shaking like a leaf. She doesn't dare to look in my direction, and it pisses me off. I want to look into those beautiful blue orbs.
"Impressive numbers Miss Steele. The question is, are these increases temporary or long term?" I ask crossing my legs and cocking an eyebrow at her.
She wrings her hands and skittishly looks at me. Big blue eyes wide. I am truly intimidating her and it is as gratifying as it is infuriating. I want to dominate her, own her and love her as far as I am capable of that. I want her to do the same to me, more than I have ever wanted anything in my entire life.
"It is, of course, difficult to predict the long-term effects, Sir. That is why I am suggesting that we set up a campaign team to continue our efforts." She says a little shaken.
"And is that within the allocated budget?" I ask coolly.
Suddenly a mobile phone rings and Anastasia almost leaps to the table to pick it up. I am flabbergasted; does she want to be fired? There is nothing that I find ruder and hate more than people's mobile phones going off in the middle of a meeting.
"If you want to keep your damn job you better turn off that phone." I hiss angrily. However, she bluntly ignores me, picks it up, and hurries out of the conference room. What the hell! I want to take her over my lap and spank the shit out of her for this absolute display of disrespect.
"Sorry Mr. Grey. Miss Steele asked me in advance if she could keep her phone with her. She was expecting a telephone call from the hospital. Her father has cancer and the doctors are removing the tumor today." Lyndon quickly says, and I feel like an asshole. Why didn't Welch tell me about this?
Suddenly we hear yells coming from the hallway and I rush out to see what the commotion is about. Absolute terror seizes me when I see Anastasia lying on the ground, pale and unresponsive. Images of a young boy desperately trying to wake his mother assault my mind. My heart constricts and my stomach drops I feel sick, out of control, and helpless. In a few short strides, I am next to her, pushing the person who is hovering over her away. I won't let anyone take her, I will never go through that again.
I slide my hand down her neck to feel her pulse and I breathe a sigh of relieve. Her pulse is strong and steady.
"What the fuck happened?!" I yell at the people surrounding us.
"She suddenly fainted, sir." A woman with coifed blond hair answers.
"Get Dr. Carlson to my office NOW, and get me a fucking blanket!" I snap.
I lift Anastasia up and take her to my office she feels so tiny and light but having her in my arms feels so right. I lay her down on my couch in my office and study her beautiful face. She looks restless, scared even.
Lyndon runs after me holding a white blanket in his hands. I snatch it from him and gently put it over Anastasia then dismiss Lyndon. I don't want anyone near her.
There is a knock on my door and Dr. Carlson stands in the doorway. Carlson has been GEH's in-house company doctor for years now and great at his job.
"Get in her and check on her." I order him brusquely.
"Mr. Grey sir. I would like to have some privacy with the young lady." He says in a stern manner.
"I am not going anywhere. Do your fucking job and check on her NOW!" I rage.
"She has the right to privacy sir. I will give you my conclusions after my check up if they are relevant to her job at GEH." He replies coolly. I want to scream at him and beat the shit out of him but I know that isn't going to help Ana.
I leave them alone with a backwards glance and pace down the foyer of my office. Andrea and her new assistant throw nervous looks my way but I do not give a fuck.
20 minutes later Carlson calls me back into my own damn office. Anastasia is nowhere to be seen, and fear grips me again.
"Where is she?" I snap.
"She is in your bathroom, sir. Relieving herself." He replies coolly.
"What is wrong with her?" I demand.
He sighs and looks at me quizzically for a moment clearly debating what he is going to tell me. It doesn't matter, I will find out anyway, I will let Welch hack into her medical records as soon as he is gone.
"She was dehydrated and frankly a little malnourished. This coupled with the stress of her father's operation and work made her faint."
"What you mean malnourished?" I ask appalled.
"It isn't really serious at the moment, but I have reasons to believe that Miss Steele's diet is unbalanced. To put it bluntly, she isn't getting enough nutrition in her food."
"I will make sure that she does from now on." I reply sharply and dismiss him.
I am enraged. I knew it! I knew she couldn't fend for herself. However, of course, she is too stubborn and proud to accept my help. She threw it right back in my face just like the crack whore. This kind of women think they can do it all by themselves but they are weak and naive. They need guidance and protection against the world and against themselves. I am going to save her regardless of what she wants. She is just like a child and incapable of making proper decisions. I need to intervene before it is too late and I will do anything that is needed to ensure her health and safety. I protect what is mine, even if it means I have to play dirty. After all, all is fair in love and war. I wasn't ready to play my cards just yet, but she has given me no other options.
My phone rings and Welch ID appears on the screen.
"Welch." I snap.
"Mr. Grey sir. Mr. Raymond Steele was due to have his tumor removed today. But the procedure wasn't an entire success. Parts of the tumor couldn't be removed at the hospital he is in now. They don't have the means and expertise. He needs to be moved to LA or Boston to have the procedure done but I can tell you now that his health insurance it not going to cover it all."
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I all but growl.
"My source only came through 5 minutes ago." He replies stoically.
"Thank you." I grumble sullenly and hang up.
Well, this is something I could use to convince Miss Steele to enter a... relationship with me.
I sit down on my couch and wait for Anastasia to finish her bathroom break; we have much to discuss. She startles when she sees me sitting on the couch.
"How are you feeling?" I ask coolly.
"I am fine. Thank you for asking. I should be going back now." She replies and clutches her bag closer to her chest.
"You are not going anywhere." I say sharply, stopping her in her tracks she looks at me incredulously eyes full of indignation.
"Tell me, is it a habit of yours to not eat? The good doctor just told me that you are underfed." I ask calmly and she glares at me.
"I eat just fine, and frankly, that is none of your business sir. It is a private matter." She bites back.
"But it is my business. I can't have employees drop to the ground at the first sign of stress because they do not take care of themselves." I reply pointedly.
"I can take perfect care of myself. I don't need your help or anyone else's for that matter. So, if you will excuse me. I have to get back to work. That is unless you have fired me, in that case, I need to get back home." She says and storms off to the door. I have had enough of her insolence. I swiftly jump on my feet and grab her arm, turn her around, and pin her against the wall, rendering her immobile.
"Let go of me or I'll scream." She hisses like an angry cat, and she looks truly magnificent. The adrenaline spikes in my veins. This is arousing, really arousing.
"Go ahead baby. Scream all you like. This office is soundproof." I say and give her a menacing smile. She tries to kick me in the cross but I am quicker and much stronger. I swiftly turn her around so she is pinned against the wall with her back towards me.
"Now be a good girl and listen to what I have to say." I whisper near her ear, breathing in her intoxicating scent. I feel heady drunk with the power I have over her. It takes all my self-control not to hike up her dress and slam my throbbing cock balls deep inside of her from behind. My breathing is ragged and labored, while I desperately try to control myself. Her close proximity does nothing to ease my raging desire.
"Let go of me you psycho." She demands angrily and I chuckle.
"If you calm down I will let you go. Now please, I just want to talk to you without you throwing a fit at me." I release the pressure on her arms a little to emphasize my point.
She huffs trying to break free completely.
"Do you promise me not to run? I will let you go if you do. Please, Anastasia I only want to talk to you."
"I promise." She manages petulantly.
"Good! Good girl." I reply and let go of her. She spins around and glares at me furiously. She lifts her hand to slap me on the face, but I grab it and hold it tightly.
"I thought you were going to play nice?" I ask her tauntingly.
"You think you can do whatever you want just because you are rich?! Well, screw you. You humiliated me in a room full of people and then suddenly act like you are some knight in shining armor trying to rescue me. Well, I do not need rescuing I need to work and earn my living in peace so I can take care of my responsibilities." She hisses, blue eyes narrowed in anger.
"I am sorry about humiliating you in front of everybody. I was wrong and should have confronted you in private. How is your father?" I ask knowing that this change of subject will coax a reaction from her.
"He is fine thanks for asking." She replies back coolly.
"Really now? Because I heard something else. I understood his operation did not go as planned." I throw back in her face.
"How the hell do you know that?! Are you stalking me?" she demands almost shouting at me now. Her anger resonates with me on a deeper level that I cannot understand.
I look at her contemplatively for a moment debating on telling her the truth but ultimately decide against it.
"I called the hospital and convinced them to tell me what happened. I needed to know exactly why you fainted. I know that your father needs special medical treatment only available in Boston and LA. I also to know that you have no means of paying for it. I offered you my friendship and help numerous times but you threw it back in my face. Therefore, I got the message you hate me and don't want to beholden to me.
But let's cut the crap, shall we? I want you, Anastasia. I have wanted you from the moment I first laid eyes on you. I am done playing games so I have a proposal for you. I will make all your problems go away. Your father's mortgages will be fully paid and he will get the best medical treatment there is. Your mother's legal matters will be a thing of the past with just one phone call from me. All you have to do is sign this." I say and walk over to my desk and pull out the submissive contract specially made for Miss Steele and give it to her.
Her eyes widen when she scans the contract and realization hits her.
"You want me to be your sex slave for six months?" She asks incredulously and I am offended. I want her to be so much more.
"No, I want you to give us a try, and since you aren't interested in dinner and a movie first, I thought I would do it this way. I can help your father Anastasia, please think about this." I reply pointedly.
"You know Mr. Grey, I always thought you were a heartless bastard. But I was wrong. You are one depraved son of a bitch. Why are you even doing this? You can have every woman you want. Why me? Is it because I said no and you cannot handle the fact?" She asks her voice tight with emotion.
"I am doing this because you and I belong together, I know you are just as attracted to me as I am to you. You need to stop deluding yourself because of some mistaken idea." I reply sharply.
She opens her mouth, closes again, and then throws her hands up in exasperation.
"It is you who is delusional Mr. Grey. There is no us and there will never be an us. I want you to leave my family and me alone. You are insane, and I want nothing to do with you. I swear if you don't stop I will go to the police." She is trying to sound confident but failing miserably. She grabs the contract and shreds it in half throwing it on my Bauhaus coffee table in disgust.
Pain lashes through me I thought she would finally agree to be mine but I see it clearly now. She won't ever see reason until she hits rock bottom and has nowhere else to turn to. She is drowning and I won't let her go under. She needs my help whether she likes it or not. I need to be cruel to be kind there is no other option. Right now, I need to stay in control and prevent this from escalating further. I don't want her to run or quit her job. I stare at her impassively.
"Fine. I understand if you don't want to sign. I am sorry about all of this. I sometimes go too far and get carried away and I know it's wrong. I will leave you alone, as you wish. From now on, our relationship will be strictly professional. I am sorry to have bothered you. Please report to Miss Bailey for your next assignment." I say dismissing her.
The tension seeps from her shoulders and she breathes a sigh of relief. It hurts so bad seeing her reacting to me like that. Why can't she see we belong together?
"Yes, sir." She replies softly and almost runs out of my office.
I pick up my phone buzz Andrea.
"Get me Mr. Wheeler on the phone now." I snap. Max Wheeler is my banker and regional manager of Seattle's First Bank of which I own large amounts of stock.
"Yes, sir." She replies immediately.
"Mr. Grey what can I do for you today." Wheeler asks politely.
"A Mr. Raymond Steele has two mortgages at your bank on a house and a workshop In Montesano. He is almost three months behind on his payments and I have it on good authority that he won't be able to pay for both of them for a considerable length of time. Call them and foreclose both properties to cut your losses now."
The good thing about Wheeler is that he never questions me, which is ideal in this case.
"Thank you for telling me sir. I will give the order immediately."
"Good. Goodbye." I reply and hang up.
Now let's see how long it takes for Anastasia to take me up on my offer. If you don't want to bend, you are going to break little girl, and I will be there to pick up the pieces and put her back together my way so she can finally see what I have been telling her all along. That we are made for each other.
