All rights to the characters and story of FSoG belong to E. L. James.
Prelude
Monday, April 13th, 2015
Washington, D.C.
Luke's POV
The constant shaking of my left shoulder and a voice repeatedly saying my name has roused me awake, but I refuse to open my eyes. Luke becomes a window-shattering shriek, and I can hear the curtains opening and feel the warm, morning sunshine on my face. The shoulder shaking turns into a finger being jammed into my chest and the shouts of my name are like a ringing church bell in my skull. Rolling face down on the bed, I pull a pillow over my head.
When I have reached the point of snapping Ana's neck, I roll over, tossing the pillow and find her face inches from mine. She looks irritated as hell with her hands on her hips. She is wearing a pencil skirt and a black blouse. I wonder if she is heading to that publishing conference.
"Finally! Do you have any idea how long I have been trying to wake your ass up? It is nearly eight-thirty and we have shit to do. Get the fuck up, Luke."
If she was not so damn small and pretty I would body slam her.
"Ana, if you wanted me awake at the ass crack of dawn you wouldn't have kept me up all night working on this shit. I seem to remember your ass fell asleep around midnight and I didn't hit the sheets until three-thirty. Excuse me for telling you to kiss my ass."
She is wearing a scowl and glaring at me. I can tell she feels guilty for falling asleep on me.
"Make a girl feel guilty why don't you? Do you need more sleep? You won't be any use to me if you've only had four hours of sleep."
Already wide-awake, I get out of bed and give her a look that screams fuck you. Ana stands there looking guilty.
"Do you feel better now, Ana? ' Miss I have got to have my way."
She rolls her eyes at me and before I point it out, I remember how Grey is always on her ass for it.
"Well, now that you have made me feel guilty my enthusiasm has waned. I am just excited at what we are doing today and…"
Ana looks bemused at the finger I have pointed at her.
"Ana, we have had this discussion for nearly a week. We came to D.C. out of necessity, and only from the fortune that a prestigious publishing conference is here, and at a perfect time."
Ana's blue eyes look straight into mine as she opens and shuts her mouth a few times but I shake my head before she has the chance to argue.
"Therefore, you can head down to that conference or visit Obama. The one thing you will not be a part of is anything pertaining to why we are actually here."
She sighs loudly and wraps her arms around her body. I can tell that she knows what I am saying is the truth, but she suddenly looks vulnerable.
"I have explained the drill to you multiple times and you are smart enough to understand what I have told you." I do my best to keep an even tone that does not sound condescending; I know she is struggling with the idea of being left out and not being privy to every detail.
Ana looks everywhere but me and acknowledges me with a nod.
"I am going to take a shower. Have you already eaten?'
Fuck, now I sound like Grey and the way Ana looks at me proves it.
"Please, Luke. I have been forced fed by Christian for three fucking years. I waited for you before ordering breakfast, so what do you want to eat?"
I hear her voice waiver when she says Grey's name and the reminder of how fresh Ana's heartbreak is hitting me hard. My own anger at Grey and Taylor have blocked my view of Ana's wounds that must be wide open and bleeding profusely. I feel like a shit.
"As long as I get coffee, I do not really care what you order us and make yourself useful while I am in the shower by making sure that laptop and the burner phones are fully charged. Those are two things you can do that will make my life easier."
That comment garners another famous Ana Grey eye roll. I have always found it endearing and never understood why it pisses Grey off.
"I think my 4.0 GPA can handle that, Captain. Go wash your ass," Ana replies and bursts into a fit of giggles.
Ignoring her, I make my way into the adjoining bedroom and head to the bathroom to take a scalding shower. I stand underneath the water and think about what Ana must be going through. She has not had time to process this clusterfuck and in my opinion, we are staying in the Presidential Suite of The Hays-Adams Hotel because Ana is still in shock. I do not understand why she is putting herself through hell when she could simply walk away. Kate keeps arguing with Ana over this same idea and Kate told me that Ana's exact response was that she is adamant to inflict bottomless pain on Grey. I agreed when Kate said that Ana is sacrificing her feelings and well-being in order to accomplish this. However, we both know that once Ana Grey has a bone between her teeth, she will not let it go, even if the bone is torturing her. Kate is positive that her best friend lacks a sense of self-preservation due to her childhood abuse.
I quickly dress and make my way into the master suite where I find Ana resting against the balcony and staring blankly in the direction of the White House. Her back is to me and I am unable to see her face, but her shoulders are slumped and she looks defeated. There is no telling what is running through Ana's mind. Wondering how this woman must really feel, I make my way to her.
"Are you okay, Ana?
She spins around quickly and it is obvious she has been crying. Ana has managed to plaster a smile on her face that is as fake as her husband's love. Her expression makes me imagine all the ways I can beat Grey and Taylor into a coma. I suddenly feel less resistant about being in D.C. and helping Ana.
"Of course, I am. I was just looking at the White House and thinking how much I wish I had arms like Michelle Obama."
"There is nothing wrong with the arms you already have, Ana."
She half-heartedly laughs and I follow her into the dining room, noticing she has changed from a skirt and blouse and is wearing sweats and an oversized WSU sweatshirt.
The entire table is covered with food. Ana must have ordered the entire breakfast menu. I pour myself a cup of coffee. The food is delicious, but nowhere near as good as Gail's is.
"Do I get to ask what is on your agenda for today?"
Ana is absent-mindedly pushing a piece of cantaloupe around on her plate. I realize she is frustrated and probably feels useless, but I do not believe that Ana understands what I have to do and that I have to do it on my own. She is wearing her feelings on her sleeve and I have an overwhelming urge to hold her.
"You can ask, but cannot get an answer other than I'm going to make a few phone calls.
I know that I sound as if I am speaking to a child, but Ana does not acknowledge it. Instead, she is resting her head on her hand and is still playing with that damn cantaloupe. Ana nods in a bored and disinterested kind of way. Her mood has changed since I got in the shower.
"Ana, did something happen while I was in the shower? Your mood has changed drastically."
She still has not lifted her eyes from her plate and sighs deeply. Ana reminds me of a child and if Ray Steele would not tear Grey apart, I would tell him every sick detail in order for him to take his daughter back to Montesano.
"My loving husband sent an email full of lying bullshit. I am now consumed with prayers of an avalanche in the Swiss Alps directly over the hotel he is staying at."
I stop eating like a horse and give her my full attention.
"What did he write that has you so upset?"
"Oh, he was pretending he gave a fuck if we'd arrived safely and informed me that the jet had already arrived in Switzerland and he would soon be back in Seattle," She murmurs slowly.
"What did you write back to him?"
She may know the truth and we are in the middle of fucking him over, but Ana has to keep up the pretense of being in the dark.
"I just answered the way I would have a month ago."
The abject pain in her words are lighting the fuse to my rage.
"Ana, I realize having to behave this way is hell for you and I have to ask why you are doing this? We could easily grab a flight back to Seattle and you could file for divorce and take that fucker for half his fortune."
Ana's blue eyes tentatively rise up.
"I am throwing myself further into the hell Christian caused me so I am able to completely destroy him."
The unadulterated hatred in her voice takes me by surprise and I listen as she continues to speak.
"I do not understand why he played me for three years and just did not divorce me. I always knew I would never be enough for him and always expected us to divorce over it, but I just cannot wrap my head around the truth. Do you think I will ever find out the truth, Luke? Her question is a rushed breath.
"When you say the truth do you mean the reason Grey do this to you?"
We have got to get her to a therapist as soon as we are back in Seattle.
"Yes, I want to know why."
Tears are welling up in her eyes and I start to feel very uncomfortable. I fucking hate it when women cry because it takes me out of my comfort zone. I am an ex military sniper who is used to killing people. The only experience I have with women is finding a random one to fuck for one night. I do not know how to deal with a woman's emotions.
"If you ever find out why will it make you feel better? What would you gain if Grey told you why?"
I know I am walking on eggshells here and praying to God that she does not start to cry.
Ana shakes her head and looks despondent. The truth about her marriage has hit her square in the face.
"No. No, it would not. In addition, you are right. I would not gain anything. I only know one thing for sure," she murmurs softly and I can hear that she is fighting back tears.
I want to help Ana and I am willing to be her sounding board. Ana will forever be my friend and like my little sister, but having this deep and painful conversation is out of my depth. I am not sure what to do. I guess the best thing is to just listen.
"What do you know for sure?"
I do my best to ask her this in a voice as soft as hers, but her voice is small like a kitten and mine is the roar of a tiger.
"I know meeting Christian changed who I am. I will never know who I would have been."
Her pain-laced words enrage me and now I want to shoot Grey and Taylor.
"You would still be you, Ana. You would be successful in publishing. In addition, as far as Grey's bullshit changing you, who says this change cannot be a good thing? This might be fucking hell right now and may take a while to get over, but it will not define you and it's going to make you stronger."
Ana looks at me impassively and lays her head in her hands.
"Luke, I do not really know why we are here. I do not know if it is my instinct or my insecurity that is driving me right now. Despite utilizing every healthy way I know in order to deal with this drama, I have come up with a zero concrete conclusion."
What can I say to that? I keep my mouth shut and allow the pain to flow from her lips.
"How do I admit to myself that if I had faced my inability to be enough for Christian that I would have had enough self-respect and simply left?"
I am waiting for Ana to completely break down and do not know if I should call Kate or a psychiatrist.
"Luke, when I married Christian I entered an entirely alien life. I got so far in a new way of thinking that I eventually believed it. Christian gave me Grey Publishing and I was so proud of my accomplishments and myself. I felt confident in the person I was evolving into and appreciated the changes and where they were taking me. But I do not appreciate the cost I've discovered that I had to pay for them."
I watch as tears pour from Ana's eyes and I reach across the table and grab her hand. Any doubt that I had been harboring about helping Ana has evaporated. I am ripped between my urge to decimate Grey and a need to comfort this wonderful woman whose life he has so carelessly stomped on. Ana squeezes my hand and continues throwing out words that have been trapped in her mind. The room reverberates from them. She throws her head back as if she is in agony.
"God damn it! It is fucking pathetic when you cannot even trust your own self to do what is right for you! I need some fucking body to tell me that at one point all of this sick drama is going to go away! Luke, please, please, tell me that! Say it even if you do not believe it, Luke. Fucking lie to me! Tell me what I want to hear! Tell me what I need to hear! Please!"
Ana's screams are hysterical and I am afraid that she is going to hyperventilate like that day in Escala's parking garage. I pull her into my lap and I am rocking her back and forth. I sit holding her for a very long while and her tears abate. She slowly calms down. Eventually, Ana crawls off my lap and sinks into her chair.
"Ana, I think a good way for you to end every one of these fucked up thoughts is to see this isn't about you. It is Grey and his sick shit. Fuck. What did you do? You thought your marriage was solid with a loving husband. You fucking let him steal parts of your soul trying to give him some of that sick shit he wanted. It is your fault Grey is a sadist that ties up and beats whores? Put down the fucking bat you are beating yourself with and that will be your first step toward healing."
There is no mistaking the anger seeping through my words and I try to temper the strength of my emotion. I have shocked myself that I had let go of my usual calm demeanor.
Ana raises her head and nods. Her swollen eyes are red and she is wearing a tear stained face.
"I know. I have pretty much admitted to myself this is going to kill me and I also know I'll eventually be alright."
Her quiet strength is amazing. It is a quiet and deadly strength and combined with her intelligence, is the strength that is going to bring Grey to his knees.
"Yes, you will be alright. You will also be the one standing on Grey's back and laughing when he is caught unaware as you slam your stiletto up his ass."
She grins and this time it is genuine and it motivates me to get off my ass and get busy.
"How about we stop talking about the scum fuck and I will write down what I need and how much I will pay."
I nod at her as she grabs the hotel stationary. Ana looks at the paper thoughtfully before writing what I am expected to handle. I sit patiently while she goes over the list. She hands it to me and I go over it point by point. I know whom I will hand her list to and anticipate his laughter that he is being asked to do a job that he will consider simple.
"Can this friend of yours deliver all of this?"
Her voice has changed and she sounds like the Ana I know. Nearly laughing at her because I know what my friend, as she calls him, is capable of, I grin at her.
"I believe so, Ana. It is time for me to get started. Do me a favor, if you hear me on the phone; do not come in the room. Spooks are easily spooked.
Ana looks at me in utter confusion since she does not understand what I have said and it brings a big smile to my face.
I stand and grab both burner phones and the laptop and its charger and make my way back to the smaller suite where I am staying.
"Luke, hold up. I want to add something."
I scrunch my face up and turn back to her.
"Do not say you forgot to add murdering Grey."
Ana laughs bitterly.
"Trust me, if I did not adore my in laws that is exactly what I would be paying your friend to do."
"What more do you want him to do?"
"I do not want him doing anything else. I just decided to add another million for his services."
I am staring at the back of her head and her hair is piled on top of it.
"An additional million dollars? Jesus Christ, Ana. It is a shame you cannot use Grey's money."
Ana turns around to face me wearing an underhanded smile on her face.
"Who says that I am not?"
Ana's answer is so matter of fact and it gets the wheels in my brain moving. How would she be able to get that huge amount of money without Grey knowing? I decide not to ask her.
"I was thinking about what you found last week and I believe your friend is entitled to be compensated further."
Ana sounds angry now. Her mood swings are giving me whiplash and I am beginning to think she is Bipolar.
"Do you mean that playroom I found in that condo?"
Just saying it aloud makes me sick because I know the words must be like a dagger in Ana's heart.
"Yes. Those two disgusting rooms are going to require a lot of work and then you add the IT shit. If that offer is not sufficient, offer another million."
The amount of money Ana was offering to get this job done was staggering already and to offer more would have astounded me if I was not so willing to watch Grey broken.
"Fine, but do not leave the fucking suite while I am in the other room... That is no bullshit, Ana. As of right now, I still work for Grey and have to account for your whereabouts. Plus, once I tell Grey and Taylor to fuck off, I will still be your CPO, so keep your little ass in here and do not leave."
"I promise that I won't daddy. Now go to work while I channel surf and call Kate."
She still sounds pissed as I go in my bedroom and close the door behind me.
Over the course of the day Ana brings me lunch and junk food which eventually turns into dinner as the evening drags along, as does Ana's patience. I had explained this was a sit and wait game, but my luck was that the person I was explaining this to was the most stubborn woman on earth.
Sometime around ten o'clock that night I finally hear back from my contact who agrees to meet me at a park not far from the The Hays-Adams Hotel where we are staying. I am given fifteen minutes to be there and this tells me that after my contact received word I was looking for him, he had tracked me down. How typical of him. I throw on my leather jacket, placing one gun in my shoulder holster and another in the back of my jeans.
The minute I open the door to my suite and Ana sees that I am dressed to leave, she jumps from her bed with the speed of lightning.
"Is it time?"
"Yes, it is and like before, lock the fucking door behind me and do not open it for anyone. Do not answer if Grey happens to call you in case he asks to speak with me. Understand?"
"Yes, Luke. I am not a fucking idiot. Stand and listen by the door while I lock it behind you."
"I fucking planned on it."
I know she wants to say something else and anxiety is etched on her face as I close the door behind me. Ana actually listened to me and I hear her securely locking the door.
Seven minutes later, I am sitting on a park bench and staring ahead at nothing in particular. The overhead street lights illuminate the park. The only sound I hear is a barking dog in the distance.
Just as I expected, mere seconds after I sit down, I see him in my peripheral vision and he slides beside me on the bench. I smirk thinking that he is as silent as always and still appears out of nowhere. Neither of us says a word as we both stare into the darkness for several minutes. I finally reach into the inside pocket of my leather jacket to retrieve Ana's list and pass it to him. He takes out a small pen light that is bright enough for him to read it. He finishes and folds it in half. We fall back in our silent thoughts and he stays silent for a while longer before he finally speaks.
"How the fuck have you been, Lucas?" His voice is as gravelly and harsh as it was the first time I heard it.
"Pretty fucking good, man. No complaints. You still sit on your ass all day?"
He chuckles softly and slaps me on the back.
"If that is what you want to call it, young man. I sit on my ass all day, work a few hours for our country's one percent who can afford my services and watch my bank account grow."
It is my turn to laugh now because I know he is right.
"You fucking prick. I would love to see the bottom line of your checking account. Seriously, how is retirement treating you?"
"Like a fucking baby. Like I said, still doing the same shit that I did for thirty-five years, only now I pick and chose which day I want to work. I am also making a fuck of a lot more money and it will not be too much longer until I am long gone to my own private island. What about you? Are you still in the world of protecting rich fucks?"
If I am not mistaken, I hear the disappointment in his question.
"Yup. My current job has excellent pay and benefits. I get to live in a mansion for free and have no bills other than my Harley and my truck. I also get to randomly beat the shit out of fuck heads that get too close to my principle."
The wind has picked up and I am glad that I wore my leather jacket. He is in his usual black trench coat and his hair is a lot grayer than the last time we saw one another. He scoffs at my answer.
"Ah, yes. Your principle, Mrs. Christian Grey. I have seen her several times. She seems like a lovely young woman. Quite lovely as well."
I hear the grandfather in his voice when he speaks about Ana. The fact that he has seen Ana in person does not surprise me. He is only hired by the Richie Rich's of the world and Grey is one of those.
"Yup, Mrs. Grey is a lovely lady. It is a good assignment. The only downside to being Ana's CPO is that she is stubborn and does not enjoy having me around her 24/7."
I can sense him nodding.
"Neither would I. She is a petite and pretty young lady. I know you, Lucas, and I have no doubt she brings out the big brother protective nature of yours."
"I suppose that is an accurate description."
Several minutes go by as we fall into another comfortable silence. The only sound is from the way his finger is flicking against Ana's list.
"This job is for her."
He is making a statement instead of asking me a question.
"Yup."
He turns his entire body toward me and rests his left arm on the back of the bench.
"You know the way this works and what I need to know before I even consider a fucking thing this little lady wants me to do."
For the first time, I turn and look him in the face. He has aged quite well.
"Yes, I know."
His brown eyes are hardened from seeing shit no one should ever have to see and they are boring into mine.
"Then I will start asking the questions and you give me the fucking answers. Is Mrs. Grey in D.C.?"
As if, he does not already know the answer to his own question. I give him a curt nod that he returns.
"Alright, I will start with the small shit. Why the IT?
I sigh and exhale a long held breath.
"There are four computers. Three desktops and one laptop. One desktop is in the office of a CEO whose building is protected by security that only Ft. Knox can rival. Second desktop is in the CEO's office at his present residence. The last desktop is located in the office of the CEO's previous residence. The laptop also belongs to the CEO and is usually in his office at work unless he is traveling on business. Each location is loaded with security and he is so paranoid he has surrounded his life with CCTV's.
"Now fucking tell me what you want done with each of them."
"We need the hard drive of each computer to be copied. She also wants the capability to access every past and present email accounts on every one of the computers. We need a direct hookup from each computer to one of our own in order to monitor every sent and received email. The laptop requires a tracking device. I know what I am about to tell you will not be a problem for you, but this CEO has an IT guy that is a computer genius. I have never known anything to get past him. Like I said, there is no doubt you can run circles around him."
His laughter is coarse and throaty in the way of a cigarette smoker.
"I appreciate your confidence in my abilities, Lucas. Our CEO is Grey?"
"It is."
I cannot get any clue as to what he is thinking and I remember how that always used to drive me nuts.
"My next question is why Mrs. Grey wants an undetectable tracker on a vehicle that already has a tracker. Obviously two people want the ability to track this vehicle for very different reasons."
"Correct. Grey has them on each of his vehicles and Mrs. Grey wants the ability to track where he is."
"Let us discuss what I find the most interesting. She has requested sixteen premium viewing video recorders that are to be fitted with a camera set to take a photograph every five minutes. They also require quality sound and are to be turned on and off by a motion detector. She has written down these devices are to be set up in two separate locations."
"Exactly. Eight recorders per room. Two recorders per wall. The same set up at each location. I will not insult you by saying they need to be undetectable."
"Fuck you, Lucas. So, you have two rooms, each calling for eight cameras each, with two cameras per wall."
"Yup."
"Now, to what intrigues me. One camera on each wall is to be set exactly six feet and two inches from the floor. The second camera on each wall is to be set at the height I deem necessary once I measure the height of the bed from the floor."
I am not surprised that he is not already asking me the reason for all of this.
"Yup. That is exactly what is required."
"Let us summarize Mrs. Grey's request so we are on the same page. Four computers with hard drives that need to be copied. Locate past and present email accounts. Pull past email and enable each computer so that you have access to every email that is sent and received from each of them. A laptop requiring a tracker and an undetectable tracker on a vehicle that already has a tracker. Mrs. Grey also requests that two rooms are equipped with the very best and high-end recording devices. Yes?"
He sounds bored, as if I just asked him what time that it is.
"That sounds correct."
"I am not saying this to insult Mrs. Grey, but she did not suggest I sign an NDA, did she?
"Nope. I did not even have to tell her that you refuse to fuck with an NDA. She had no desire to ask you to sign one."
He nods and is pressing two fingers to his lips. I know that he is mentally tearing down each request that Ana has asked of him.
I lean forward with my arms resting on my knees and wait for him to say something.
"Mr. Christian Grey has been a bad boy."
I shoot him a look that says no shit.
"Alright, Lucas. You know the drill. Break it down and make it simple."
"Prior to his marriage Mr. Grey was into…"
"BDSM. Tell me something that is not well known and then explain why this young woman wants to hire me. That's all I give a fuck about."
I cannot help but stare at him because I am genuinely shocked. How in the hell would he know about Grey and his lifestyle? In addition, he said well known. As I try to figure out how he would be privy to such information, I watch as he smirks at me. The bastard knows he caught me off guard. I seem to have forgotten who I am dealing with.
"Continue and condense your story, Lucas."
"Mrs. Grey recently discovered her husband has returned to his previous lifestyle and has been cheating on her their entire marriage. So far, she has obtained detailed files Grey keeps on the women he contracts to be his submissive. Mrs. Grey also obtained graphic photographs of women during BDSM scenes. Unfortunately, Grey's face is not in any of the pictures and…"
He holds up his right hand to stop me.
"Hold up. How do these two different rooms come into the equation? I am a hundred percent sure I know the answer, but I want a definitive answer."
Leaning back on the bench, I rub my face. He damn well knows what these rooms are meant for and I do not see the point of why he wants me to confirm it. He always could be tedious.
"They are BDSM rooms. Grey refers to them as playrooms. One is located in his previous residence, a penthouse in a building called Escalva. The second is located in a downtown condominium.
"The tracker on the vehicle is obviously Grey's and his wife wants to know if he is at either location."
"That's not a question old man."
"Fuck you, Lucas."
He always could bring a smile to my face.
"Hmm. Ana Grey wants these rooms fitted with high-end surveillance in order to obtain evidence that her husband cannot dispute."
"Yup."
"Let me guess, this young woman is smart enough to request a camera placed exactly six feet and two inches from the floor because that's how tall her husband is and she wants a camera on all four walls of these rooms so she can be sure to capture his face."
"You are knocking them out of the ball park tonight. I thought that was a pretty good idea myself and yes, Ana is highly intelligent."
"Yes, it sounds like she is. Keeping along with things that are obvious, the second camera on each wall is meant to capture the face of a woman?"
"You are once again correct."
"She already has his files and photographs of these women?"
"Yes, I got her in his penthouse where she recovered them in his home office."
"Well, Lucas, maybe there is hope for you at the agency after all," He says in a joking manner.
"No. Not for now anyway."
"I must ask, if Ana Grey already possesses these files and pictures, why not cut her losses and divorce him now?"
I rub my face with both hands and shake my head.
"Fuck, if I know. I have asked her the same damn thing and so has her best friend, who also happens to be her sister in law. We keep telling her to kick rocks and leave, but she is determined to nail his balls to the wall. She said she is willing to walk through hell as long as she can destroy him. I have told her she can do that already since he didn't want them to have a pre nup."
"A billionaire like fucking Grey did not demand a pre nup?
"That would be an affirmative."
He whistles and I watch his eyebrows rise with surprise and he is stroking his chin. I am beginning to think that he is mulling over that he already thought highly of Ana. I remember the way his mind works. He respects her cleverness and that she is using her intelligence to be deceitful.
"They have no pre nup and she still is not satisfied that she will walk away with half of what is his? On top of taking his money she could start handing out those folders and photographs like candy?"
"I wish that would satisfy her."
"Are you positive that Grey has no clue that she has found out his dirty little secret?"
I shake my head vigorously.
"Fuck no. If he knew she had any inkling of this shit, we'd all know it. Especially me. Grey would be so far up my ass you would see his manicured hand coming out of my mouth. Then my ass would be on the street."
"You are still on his payroll and helping his wife fuck him over? That is my boy, Lucas. What will you do when the shit does hit the fan? Please tell this old man you are not considering to remain on Grey's payroll?"
"Not a chance in hell. I am going with Ana. She is still going to need a close protection officer. She owns Grey Publishing and do not forget once the smoke clears that she will be a billionaire in her own right."
He does not comment and we fall into another comfortable silence. I can hear the gears turning in his head and I am just waiting for his reply. If he does not take the job I will be forced back to square one. Only this time with someone that I do not trust as implicitly as I do him.
"It is a god damn pity that I cannot meet Ana Grey. I would love to get a hint of what she is planning in her clever mind. Do you know what she has in store for him?"
"Not at all and believe me when I say that I have done my best to pull it from her. I know Ana like the back of my hand and she does not do anything half-assed. Whatever her plan may be, I see Grey emerging a changed man and I will be honest to say I am looking forward to helping her take him down."
"I understand why you would feel that way. Mrs. Grey is fortunate to have you in her corner."
Still holding my breath as I await his decision, I do not reply. More fucking silence.
"Do you have the information that is required?"
I nearly fist pump the air. We have him. I pull out the flash drive from my leather jacket, pass it to him, and watch him place it in the inner pocket of his coat. He passes me a piece of paper and I know what it is.
"As soon as the money is transferred to this account I will be in touch."
"Mrs. Grey will probably do it tonight."
His gruff laughter fills the air around us.
"Then you will hear from me sooner."
"Oh, and Lucas. I noted where Mrs. Grey scratched out her initial offer and upped it a million, tell her I don't need another million."
My face is fighting against itself trying not smile. This crusty old fuck with a heart of gold.
We finally stand and shake hands. Those hardened eyes are once again boring into mine.
"I am breaking my only rule with this job. I am doing this for that lovely young woman and for my own delight when she takes the bastard down."
There is that grandfather talking again. I just nod at him and remove my hand.
He then disappears in the darkness as quietly as he emerged from it.
I shove my hands in my pockets and make my way back to Ana.
.