"Mr. Reynolds, Mrs. Bailey will be following up with you momentarily," I said, heading towards the office door. Christian followed behind me and I felt his gaze burn my back. He was furious. I swallowed as I strolled into his office, trying to control my features as I sat down on the couch in his office.

"What do you know?" he asked, evenly standing over me.

"Well, she's a bitch, that much is obvious," I said.

"Don't get smart and stop stalling Miss Steele," he hissed.

His eyes were dark and stormy, angry and I was becoming more and more afraid. "I deduced a few things. She obviously has some kind of hold over you, considering she has an all access pass. You're afraid of her, especially so, because she abuses your haphephobia. And I think she has a reputation she wants to protect."

He sighed and poured himself a drink of whiskey from a sideboard across the office. "How do you know about my fear of being touched?"

I swallowed. This was the moment I could tell Christian the truth and let him in, or just impress him with some bullshit story about reading facial features. "When I was younger I had to deal with something similar."

His eyes narrowed. "That didn't show up in your background check."

I rolled my eyes. "I had the records of those hospital visits expunged."

He downed his drink and poured another on. "I still don't believe you when you say you don't know anything about Elena."

"I'll prove that you can trust me," I said, standing up. "If you'll excuse me, Boss, I've had a very rough 72 hours and I would like to go home a little early today. I'm sure you understand."

He nodded. The intercom on his desk buzzed, and the voice of his assistant filled the office. "Mr. Grey your four o'clock appointment is here."

He walked over to the desk and responded. "Please send them in as soon as Miss Steele leaves."

I nodded at him and exited his office.

"Ana?" I heard my name, and I turned around to the couch. Jose and his father, Jose Sr. were sitting on the couch dressed in suits.

"Jose! And Jose! What a surprise," I exclaimed, heading over to greet them. Jose Sr. kissed my cheeks.

"You're looking well," he said, giving me a small smile.

I laughed. "You mean tired, right? I'm actually on my way out for the day."

"You look good up in here, working on this floor. Much better than that bar," Jose Jr. said. "I'm glad you weren't too injured. I'll stop over later alright?"

"Thanks Jose. I know Kate will be glad to see you," I said, giving them both a small wave.

"Mr. Rodriguez!" Christian all but barked from the doorway into his office. I glanced at him, and had to bite down a retort. Christian Grey made one attractive man when he was angry. And all I wanted to do was push his buttons.

"Ana, I'm so sorry!" Gwen exclaimed as soon as I strolled into her office.

"No harm, no foul," I said. She looked relieved. "This is what you do all day?"

She nodded, and sat back down at her desk. "But most of the time it's much more dangerous."

I sat at my small glass desk and nodded. "You're welcome to head home early today. I know you're still injured and I'd like to get to work on another project pretty soon."

"Well, if you don't mind," I said, standing and gathering my stuff.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Ana," Gwen said, dismissing me. I sighed as I exited her office and strolled towards the elevators. Welch was still in the conference room and he glanced up and watched me enter the elevator. It was mildly unnerving to say in the least.

After picking up my Prius and some of my belongings from Carrick's office, I slipped Olivia my number and headed back home, and invitation to join Carrick and Grace for Sunday brunch and promises to see Olivia tomorrow for lunch. I had a feeling I wouldn't be taking lunch at usual times of the day.

"Steele! How was it?" Kate asked before I even stepped through the threshold. She was standing in the kitchen, making herself some green smoothie.

"I'm exhausted," I said, putting my stuff on the table by the door. "Can you wake me up at 5:30? I need a nap."

"Sure thing! Jose said he saw you today and that he's coming over later. Ethan is coming too," Kate said. "We can order Chinese if you don't feel like cooking."

"Thanks, Katie," I said, retreating into my room. Before I could sleep, I had to write down questions I had for Luke. He wouldn't be able to answer them, but this whole thing was making more and more suspicious of the FBI as well.

I rubbed my eyes. How screwed up was it that I was beginning to trust criminals more than the FBI? I jotted down some notes on a piece of paper and hid it in the back of my closet before flopping down on my bed and succumbing to sleep.

"Ana, it's time to wake up!" Kate's voice drifted through the layers of sleep.

"I'm up," I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed and into a sweater and leggings. I fished the paper out of the closet and quickly drafted a letter. I quirked the fact that Mia was missing from the file, as were all of the incidents from the club and the bar even though they should be a matter of public record, and asking Luke what crimes the Grey family had committed that made the FBI so suspicious in the first place.

Kate was sitting on the couch, a plate of food propped up on her knees.

"So how was your first day?" she asked, handing me my own plate.

"I started the day off as Carrick's assistant and found myself working directly for Christian by the end of it," I said. "Trust me, I don't fully understand either."

"That's a great promotion from bartending," Kate said, eyebrows raised. "What exactly happened?"

"I can't disclose that. The Grey family are huge fans of NDAs- I think I signed seven today in total," I explained.

"Can you tell me about your new job with Christian then?" she asked.

"It's human resources combined with a lot of crisis management," I said, keeping it vague. "Everything thinks I show a lot of potential."

"Damn, Steele. They must like you if they have you cleaning up they're messes," she teased, taking a sip of wine.

I snorted. "It's not what I thought I would end up doing, but the salary is keeping me interested."

"I know you want to go into publishing and become an editor one day, but those jobs are so competitive. Just think about the personal recommendation you could get from the Christian Grey after working for him for at least a year. Everyone will be dying to hire you," she said.

"You're right, it's just there's a lot of ethical shit I might have to deal with," I said, placing my empty plate on the coffee table.

"So stay a year, and then ask for a recommendation," Kate said. "And just think of this as novel material if you decide to become an author or something yourself one day."

I sighed and sank back into the couch cushions. "You're right. I'm just tired and very out of my element here."

She grinned. "Is he still just as hot?"

I laughed. "You have no idea, Kate. When he gets pissed I just want to piss him off more."

She laughed and elbowed me. "You want to be punished!"

We both dissolved into giggles at that. "Oh yeah, that's what I meant to say. My parents want Ethan and I to spend time with them in Barbados next next week. They invited you along, but I don't know what your work situation is like."

I frowned. "I'll ask, but I don't think I'll be able to. Please tell Eamon and Eleanor thank you from me."

She nodded. Before she could respond the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it!" she said, swinging the front door open. I saw Taylor, the security guy standing at our door. "Who are you?"

"My name is Jason Taylor, miss," he said to Kate. "I need to speak to Miss Steele, please."

I stood up and strolled open to the door. "How can I help you?"

"Privately, if possible," he said, his face remaining carefully stoic. I stepped out of the apartment and waved at him to follow me up to the roof garden. His eyes scanned the terrace. "Are there cameras?"

I shook my head. "What can I do for you?"

"Miss Steele, it has come to my attention that your background check had a very large red flag. Welch instructed me to talk to you first before going to Mr. Grey with the information," he explained. "I could lose my job for breaking the chain of command like this."

"What red flag?" I asked, hoping that it was something to do with my mother and not my father.

"Who is Bob Adams to you?" he asked. I knew he knew the answer and his eyes went soft at my change in demeanor. "He's the one who put you in hospital those times, correct?"

I nodded. "You can tell Mr. Grey."

He shook his head. "I think that's a conversation you should have with him personally. Again, I could get fired for saying this, but you two have a lot more in common than you think."

I nodded. "Thank you, Taylor."

"Miss Steele, a word of advice," he said. "It did not go unnoticed in the office that you are friends with Misters Rodriguez. I would advise you to keep your distance from them as much as possible."

I frowned. "Jose Jr. is one of my best friends."

"He's much more dangerous than you think, and now he knows your place of employment, I would endeavor to politely sever ties with him gradually," he said, walking away and leaving me dumbfounded on the terrace.

I shook my head and headed back inside. Kate glanced at me curiously. "What did he want?"

"He's the head of security and wanted to make sure that I understood the protocol for getting back into the building early tomorrow morning. I have a seven o'clock meeting," I lied. I was shocked at how easily the lies were flowing out of me and how I could seemingly talk myself out of any situation now. "I'm going to head to bed. Please tell Jose and Ethan I say hi."

I left the room before she could respond, heading straight for the shower to wash the day away. I did everything in my power to let all thoughts of Bob out of my head, but I knew I was in for a rough night of sleep as I climbed into bed. I hated the fact after all of these years he still had a sick, psychological hold on me.

I woke up screaming at six. I heard Kate moving around in the kitchen and I quickly dressed in some workout clothes. "I'm going to head out for a quick run."

She smiled. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Just another nightmare. I'm sorry if I woke you."

She shook her head no and I headed out the door. Setting a brisk pace, I ran towards the water front and along the path for five minutes before I felt someone following me. "Don't scream, it's me."

I followed Luke off the path and into some bushes. "What's going on? I shouldn't be seen with you."

He shook his head. "You're being tailed by a CPO, but that's not important. Mia Grey is the other informant. That's why there's so much information missing from the file."

I nodded. "What exactly do you think the Greys are guilty for?"

He swallowed. "Extortion, blackmail, weapons trafficking, drug trafficking, and money laundering."

I raised an eyebrow. "How much proof do you have?"

"Just what Mia has said," he said.

"Has she given you any concrete evidence? Evidence that could stand up in court?" I asked, getting frustrated. It seemed like Mia had some sort of vendetta against her family.

"No," he said. "But with what you've been reporting, we might get more."

"I haven't been providing you with any concrete evidence," I said. "It seems like all you want is information. That's making me suspicious."

"We need to get our bearings before we ask judges for search warrants," he explained. I stared at him evenly and ran out of the bush ending the conversation. Luke was getting information and I suddenly realized that no one but him had briefed or offered me the position to take over for Ray. And he wasn't even the senior officer on Ray's case. I was extremely angry, angry that he had been playing me.

I calmed more as I ran trying to rationalize everything. I needed to get to the bottom of Mia's mysterious behavior and figure out if Luke was telling the truth before I switched loyalties. And I needed to know if I could handle taking part in some seriously illegal activity.

I ran back home and into the shower, pulling on a navy dress and black pumps before heading out the door and back to Grey House. After parking and heading up to the office, I decided to make an appointment to see Christian.

"My name is Anastasia Steele," I said to his alone receptionist. "I'd like to take the next available appointment to see Mr. Grey please."

"He's in the office right now, you can go on in," she said, waving me through.

"Miss Steele, what a surprise," Christian said, standing from his chair.

"There were some issues with my background check," I said., refusing to beat around the bush. "And I need to know what's going on with your sister."

His brow furrowed. "What are you telling me?"

"Bob Adams," I said. "You'll find the rest in the updated background check Welch will send you. Your sister is quite the party girl."

He nodded. "What's wrong?"

"I was looking through the list of issues that need to be taken care of and Mia's public image was one of them. I'd like to work on that before working on any of the others. It seems like she is intentionally trying to sabotage your image directly," I explained, hoping he would buy it.

"Miss Steele, matters of the family are very delicate, especially where Mia is concerned. I will need to talk with her first," he explained.

"Yes, sir," I responded. His eyes darkened considerably and I nearly shivered at the intensity of his gaze.

"Is that all Miss Steele?" he asked, his voice softer, deadly.

I nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Grey. I'll see you later."

Thank you for all of the reviews and follows and favorites! This chapter is a short filler chapter and I promise we will get back to action soon. I created a Pinterest board for this story the link is on my profile or you can find it under /mosaic23/

I'm also toying with the idea of a CPOV chapter- please let me know what you think!