Just breathe and remember that this us HEA. We promise to have the next chapter up soon!

*Kate's POV*

It's been three weeks since Ana and Christian had their stand-off during the game of pool and she's been acting funny ever since. She hasn't mentioned Christian and she's keeping tight lipped about anything that isn't work related. I don't know what's going on and it's pissing me off. I've tried to leave it alone and not mention it to Elliot, but I need to get to the bottom of this. Something is off.

I hear Elliot coming in the door and look up from my phone. Perfect timing. He slips his shoes off at the door and makes his way towards me, sitting next to me on the couch.

"You're the only chick I know that can make this lace and glitter shit look good."

I give him an amused grin while he snarls at my lace and glitter pillows, grabbing them and throwing them over on the opposite couch. It never fails. He always has to comment about how feminine my apartment is. Little does he know, I move the pillows so that they're in his way every time.

I smile sweetly up at him once he gets settled. "You love it."

He rolls his eyes and snorts.

"So, have you spoken to Christian lately?" I might as well just get straight to it.

His eyebrow raises and I know he's suspicious. We never talk about his brother. "Of course, I have. He's been really busy, though. I haven't seen him much. Why?"

I shrug. "I was just wondering if he's been acting strange? Ana has been since that night we played pool. I haven't seen much of her, either."

He chews his lip and I can just see the cogs in his brain working. "Christian said he's been working late."

I nod. "Ana's said the same."

"But she just started."

"I know." I give him a knowing look.

He cocks his eyebrow at me. "Shall we call them?"

A giant grin forms on my face. "I think we shall!" I pull Ana's phone number up on my cell and he does the same with Christian's.

I listen to it ring a few times, before Ana answers.

"Hello?" She sounds breathless.

"Hey, girl. What you doing?" I hear Elliot's voice speaking to Christian and I make my way to the other end of the room and sit on the chaise lounge so that Elliot's voice won't interfere.

"Just working late."

I hear faint classical music and something that sounds like water...maybe? "You are, are you?"

"Yes?" She sounds uncertain. This girl is most definitely lying.

"They certainly have you working a lot."

"Money is money, Kate. Do you have a reason for calling other than to give me the third degree?"

There's a loud noise, forcing me to yank my phone away from my ear.

"Holy shit." Elliot growls and I see him holding his phone away from his ear, too.

Jackpot. These two are so busted.

I snap my fingers at Elliot and then point to my phone, indicating I heard the same thing.

"Was that a boat horn I heard, Ana?" I ask, amused.

"Um...that was just my coworker's ringtone."

"You know you're a shit liar, Ana. Be sure to tell your boyfriend hi for me."

"I don't have a boyfriend. You've gone off the deep end, Kate."

"Fuck buddy, then? I thought that ended, by the way."

I hear a frustrated sigh. "Look, Kate. I've got a lot of work to do and I really need to get off-"

"I'm sure you do." I grin. I'm sure she can't wait to get off... I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing.

"Goodbye, Kate!"

The line goes dead and I settle back on the couch next to Elliot, who is still on the phone.

"What do you mean?" Elliot asks into the phone. His eyebrows are furrowed and he looks disappointed. "Well, have you told her?" I watch his face as he listens to Christian. "Why don't you get some balls and stop this shit? This isn't good for either one of you." He runs a hand through his hair and yanks at it. "Just physical, huh?" He shakes his head and pulls his phone off his ear, looking at it.

"He hung up on me."

"Ana did the same."

Elliot sighs and throws his phone down on the coffee table and I curl up to his side. "So, what did he say?"

"I told him that I knew Ana was with him and he said that it's just physical."

I frown. "Fuck buddies." I shake my head. "This has to be killing Ana. She gives him her virginity and-"

"WOAH! Wait. She was a virgin?"

I wince. "Yes, but please don't tell anyone. I know she's playing this off like it's no big deal, but she has feelings for him. I know she does."

He exhales slowly. "Christian does, too. They're going to fuck this up."

"We need to fix this, Elliot." Ana deserves more than this.

"Kate...I don't think sticking our noses in their business is going to help."

"Well, they're certainly not going to do it. They need us, Elliot." He shakes his head, uncertain. "Come on, babe. You're his big brother. Don't you love him?"

"Of course, I do."

"And don't you want to help him?"

He sighs. "Yes."

"Doesn't he deserve to be happy?"

Suddenly, Elliot looks sad and it breaks my heart a little. "You have no idea how much he deserves this."

I squeeze his arm. "Then let's help them."

"There is no way Christian is going to admit his feelings to Ana if he has any doubt that she might reject him."

I chew my lip, thinking. "Then, we'll just have to force it out of him."

He cocks an eyebrow at me. "How?"

A grin forms on my face. "Jealousy."

Elliot shakes his head. "Woah, no. That isn't a good idea. Didn't you see how angry he got when you mentioned that Ana had a date?"

I giggle. "Exactly. He needs to get angry enough to finally make a move."

"What are you thinking my little mastermind?"

*Christian's POV*

I really don't know what to make of Anastasia and my relationship...if you could even call it that. She's a great girl and we have so much fun together, but the only affection we seem to know how to show is in the bedroom. She still blushes even if I try to hold her hand when we aren't in the bedroom. I don't really know how to make the jump from fuck buddies to a real relationship and I honestly don't even know if she even wants that. I've fucked up my first try at having a vanilla relationship; the vanilla sex I seem to have down pat now. I'm finding myself wanting to be with her every night, even without the sex, but she seems to only want to get together every few days to let off some steam. Neither one of us stays over with the exception of our last time together, which was on The Grace. We were out in the middle of Puget Sound, so there really wasn't anywhere either one of us could go. I enjoyed waking up to Anastasia...probably a lot more than I should. When I'm not with her, she's all I think about and it's frustrating as hell. I probably don't even come to her mind until she wants a lay.

It's Sunday night and I'm at my parents house for Sunday dinner. I'm here before Elliot, which is odd. Usually, I'm the last one to traipse in. I find my parents and Mia already in the dining room with their wine and I notice that the table is fuller than normal. Counting the place settings, I count three extra.

"Are we having company?" I ask, confused.

"Oh, yes. Didn't Elliot tell you? He's bringing his new girlfriend and her brother, who is also bringing a date."

Well, isn't this fucking cozy. Anastasia hadn't mentioned that the Bieber fucker found a new girlfriend...although he rarely comes up. He's still a sour spot for me. I don't like how comfortable they are together. I don't care how many times she states they're 'just friends'.

The door alarm beeps, signalling the arrival of the others and my mother hops off her chair to greet them. My sister does the same, excited to see Kate. I sip my wine, uninterested. I'll wait until they come to me. My father stays in his seat, as well, sipping his brandy.

After a minute or so, we hear women's voices coming nearer and we both look at the entryway, waiting for them to appear. My mother and Mia come in first, followed by Elliot and Kate. I see Kate's brother behind her, looking down at his side while he speaks to whoever the fuck his date it. Elliot moves and I get a glimpse of long dark hair and alabaster skin. My body tenses as blue eyes meet mine.

Anastasia.

I see red.

Her eyes widen when she sees me and she grabs Kate's elbow.

"You said he wasn't going to be here!" She whispers harshly and my blood boils. She was going to do this behind my back. She is seeing that Bieber fucker behind my back. I fucking knew it.

"Carrick, this is Elliot's girlfriend Kate, her brother Ethan, and his date, Anastasia." My mother announces to my father.

He shakes their hands.

"Pleasure to meet you, Anastasia."

"Please, call me Ana."

"Christian, this is-"

"Anastasia." I stand, offering my hand, but leaving my gaze cold. "We've met."

"Oh." My mother's confused.

"Christian." Anastasia answers, giving me a curt nod. "You remember Ethan."

I grit my teeth and force myself to shake his hand, but only because my mother is watching. I want to reach down his throat and tear his heart out of his fucking chest.

They have a seat and Anastasia keeps her head down, concentrating on her empty plate. I watch the blonde fucker reach over and squeeze her hand and she looks up from her plate to smile at him. I notice his hand doesn't leave her lap and my fingers begin to flex and ball into fists in my lap. Control. Stay in control, Grey.

I've never felt so betrayed in my life. Gretchen brings out the food and I honestly don't feel like eating. For a second time, this girl has forced away my appetite; this has never happened in whole time I've been a Grey.

I find myself scowling at Kavanagh, and he gives me a scowl right back. Obviously the feeling is mutual. We're both fighting for the same girl, but should I fight for her? Is it worth it? She obviously has no problem parading around on Bieber wannabe's arm when I'm not looking.

He looks away from me and down to her, seeing that she's just picking at her food. He leans into her ear to say something and she turns her head and gives him a small smile, nodding. He lifts his hand from her lap and rubs her back a few times with his palm before letting it settle back in her lap. Fucker.

"Aren't you two just the cutest?" Mia states, beaming at the two across from us.

The blonde fucker chuckles and Anastasia blushes, making me grind my teeth. I should be the only one making her do that.

"How long have you two been dating?"

Anastasia wipes her mouth and shakes her head. "Oh, we're not dating. Ethan is my best friend."

Liar. Friends my ass.

"Well, you could've fooled me, Ana." Mia giggles and I find myself wanting to shove her adorable little face into her plate.

The whole dinner is a fucking disaster. Bieber wannabe and I keep throwing scowls at one another and I somehow keep finding Anastasia's eyes before she blushes and looks down at her plate. Our half of the room is so cold, I should be able to see our breaths. When dessert is brought out, Anastasia excuses herself to use the restroom and I sit for about ten whole seconds longer, before I get up, making the excuse that Ros is calling.

*Ana's POV*

Just relax, Ana. He doesn't own you. If he wanted a relationship with you, he would have already said so. Put on your big girl panties and get this night over with.

I look into the bathroom mirror while I wash my hands and give myself a pep talk. Kate promised he wouldn't be here tonight. The only reason why I came was so that Ethan wouldn't be the third wheel. It is so incredibly uncomfortable. Christian looks murderous and it might mean the end of seeing him all together. The thought of that makes my heart ache. As much as I've tried not to have feelings for him, I just can't help it. I try to stay away with him, but every time I try, I just end up back underneath him a couple days later. Why does everything have to be so fucked up? Why does he have to have intimacy issues? Why does his intimacy issues cause me to have the same? The last night we spent together was incredible. Waking up to his smiling face and tossled hair...God. I could do it every day of my life. Why can't it be that easy?

I dry my hands, unlock the door, and turn off the light before heading out. Suddenly, a hand covers my mouth and I'm picked up and pulled into a room, the door clicking shut behind me. I try to scream, but it's ineffective.

"Shh! It's me." Christian's voice is in my ear and I feel my body relax, knowing I'm not going to be kidnapped or raped. "I'm going to uncover your mouth." He warns and I nod. What does he think I'm going to do? Cry wolf?

He releases me and I spin around to give him a piece of my mind. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

"Mouth! And be quiet!" He whispers loudly.

"Don't admonish me for-" His lips are on mine and I'm pushed against one of the built-in bookshelves lined with books. I pull my mouth away from his and now I'm steaming. "What the-" He cuts me off again, his thumb and fingers holding my chin in place and I try to fight, but when I feel his tongue against my lips I know I'm a goner. I relax into the kiss and allow him to deepen it.

Suddenly, he pulls away panting, and leaves another bruising kiss to my lips. "You. Are. Mine."

I just look up at him, speechless. What is happening?

"Have you slept with that blonde fucker?"

"What?" How many times can I say it? We're just friends!

"Answer me, Anastasia!" He uses his body to keep me pinned and I find myself shaking my head. "Good." I feel his body weight shift off of me and he looks down, working on his belt. "I am the only one that fucks you. You are mine and mine only."

I'm watching him undo his pants, and my brain is telling me to push him off and make a run for it, but my body is too aroused. What is happening to me? Why am I finding this so sexy?

I watch him pull himself out of his pants and he's hard. Oh, hell. He reaches for my dress and pulls it up my thighs and for some strange reason, I can't find it in me to stop him. We're in his parents house...I came with Ethan...anyone could walk in on us at any moment and still, I'm letting him do this...and I like it!

"I like this dress." He growls, watching it slide past my thighs. He puts a knee between mine and forces my legs apart and I feel a finger slip into me.

A moan escapes my mouth and my eyesight blurs, but I can't look away from him. I see him grin as he thrusts his finger.

"So wet, Anastasia." He twirls his finger, massaging my walls and my eyes flutter closed and my head hits the back of the bookshelf. "See what I do to you, baby? Only I can make you feel this way. You are mine. Do I need to remind you?"

I whimper, knowing what's coming.

"Not going to answer, Miss Steele? My, my. It does sound as if someone needs a reminder fuck." His hands cup my bum and before I can open my eyes I'm lifted and impaled onto him, his hand covering my mouth just in time to silence my cry out. Why does he have to feel so good?

He stills, inside of me. "Shh, baby. We wouldn't want anyone to hear you, would we?"

I shake my head. That would be mortifying.

"That's right." He places his forehead against mine and I see that his iron gray eyes are dark and stormy. "Only I get that pleasure. My ears only, do you understand?" He thrusts hard into me, making his point and I whimper against his hand. "I asked you a question, Miss Steele!" He slides back out. "Do. You. Understand?" He thrusts into me with every word and I've got to close my eyes to concentrate on staying nonverbal. I nod against his forehead, unable to answer since his hand is still clamped over my mouth.

"If I uncover your mouth, will you be a good girl and be quiet?"

I nod, although I'm not sure how quiet I can be.

He grips my backside with the other hand and he slowly slides himself into the hilt; I can feel every inch in and every inch out as he moves and I feel my orgasm building quickly.

"Christian..." It's a breathless whisper, but I can barely form words right now.

"That feel good, baby?"

I nod and let out a soft moan as he pushes himself into me again.

"Harder?" He asks and I nod eagerly, tightening my arms around his neck. He smiles and presses his lips to mine before he starts to piston himself into me. The intensity forces me to hide into his neck in an effort to stifle myself from becoming loud.

"Don't stop, Christian. Please, don't stop." I chant against his neck. I am so close, I can feel it rushing to my core.

His thrusts slow and I want to cry. "You are mine, Anastasia. This body is mine. Say it."

"It's yours...please..." Let me come!

"Come." He demands, setting a punishing pace suddenly. My body obeys and I bite down on the base of his neck to keep quiet. I hear him grunt into my ear and he holds me against the bookcase as his body begins to shudder.

"Mine." He growls through his teeth, convulsing one last time.

Finally, when we've both relaxed, he places me back on my feet. We each take a moment to fix ourselves and as I stand there, instead of a post-orgasm high like usual, I find myself wanting to cry.

I'm so conflicted. Why the hell was that so hot? Why didn't I run away from the very beginning? Why did I let him have me? Way to stand your ground, Steele.

Before I can stop myself, tears start rolling down my cheeks. I hate myself for crying in front of him. It's the worst thing I can do. I don't want him to see how emotionally raw he makes me.

I'm angry. I'm angry at him, I'm angry and disappointed at myself, and I'm angry at the situation I put myself in. I try to take a deep cleansing breath to calm myself, but it comes out more as a shudder, getting Christian's attention. I try to turn away from him, but he spins me around.

"No, baby. No. Please don't cry." He reaches up to wipe my tears, but I batt him away.

"Get away from me!" He wants to try and be loving now?

"Why can that blonde fucker take care of you, but I can't?"

I snort and wipe away my tears. "Take care of me? You had no problem leaving me be every other time! Now you want to pretend to care?"

"YOU left, Anastasia! I asked you to stay!"

Asshole. "No! YOU LEFT! You took the most sacred thing I had and ran off!"

"You slammed the door in my face! Just like you did the night that fucker showed up at your doorstep! Stop lying to me about him and just tell the god-damned truth!"

"I'm not lying to you! He's just a friend, Christian!"

"You're cheating with him!"

"I am not!"

"You show him more love and compassion in ten minutes than you've shown me in the past month. You're emotionally cheating on me with him! Cheating is cheating, Anastasia!"

I can't help, but laugh as I let the tears flow down my face. "How can I cheat on someone I'm not with! All we do is fuck, Christian!"

"It was your choice, Anastasia!"

"My-my choice? You certainly didn't put up a fight about it! You enjoy that I'm just a fuck!"

He's pacing and pulling at his hair and I wish I was stronger because I want to punch him.

He exhales deeply and stops, looking at me. "If it was just a fuck, then why would you give up something so sacred?"

I don't have an answer to that.

"Exactly. It's not. It can't be. What you and I have...it's different." He comes towards me and I try to take a step back, but the shelf stops me.

"Please, don't." I just want to curl up in my bed and sob my eyes out. He doesn't mean it. He can't mean it. He showed his true colors our first night together and I don't want to end up like my mother. I can't.

He's a foot from me and I turn my head, refusing to look at him. His hands find my upper arms and he grips them.

"Anastasia, look at me."

I squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head.

He shakes me a little. "God damn it, Ana! Will you just look at me?"

"I can't do this anymore, Christian." I refuse to turn my head.

"What?" He actually sounds choked up and I have to force myself to deny him eye contact. I'm scared I'll crumble.

"You're leaving me?"

I shake my head. "I never had you."

The door creaks and my eyes fly up from the floor to see Elliot standing there, wide-eyed and mouth agape. Christian's hands drop and I take the advantage and make a run for it.

I hurry down the hall and don't stop until I get to the front door, yanking it open, and continue towards the cars. I see Ethan standing by his BMW, talking on his phone and I run as fast as I can in heels to him. I'm ten feet from him when he sees me coming and his face falls before he opens an arm to me. I collide into his chest and begin to sob...rather unlady like at that. Heavy sobs resonate through my body and he holds me to him.

"Let me call you back." I hear him say before he throws his phone on the hood of his car and holds me to him.

"What is going on, Stasia? What happened?"

I shake my head against his chest. I can't speak, I can't think, I can't function right now.

"Ana? Are you okay?" I hear Kate and turn, seeing Elliot, Kate, and Christian standing there. Oh god.

"Take me home, Ethan. Please. Take me home." I grip the front of his button down, worried I'm going to fall apart right there.

"Okay. Okay, we'll go." He walks me to the passenger's side of the car, keeping me close and opens my door. "Kate! Get her stuff!" I hear him yell before closing my door. I see Kate head back into the house and I buckle myself in.

He slides into the driver's side and turns the car on, before looking at me. "Stasia...you're scaring me."

I see movement out of the corner of my eye and I see Christian coming to my side of the door. I lock it quickly.

"Just go."

He puts it into reverse and we fly backwards down the driveway while I watch Christian pacing, with his hands pulling at his hair. Right before he's out of view, I see Elliot flailing his hands around at Christian. He's mad at him.

Good.