Hello, everyone! Here is #21. All principal characters created by E.L. James. The rest of the mess is mine. Review more than once, if you like, through private messaging.

Due to computer trouble, I lost all the messages that I'd received…almost 300. If looking for my account…try bluesky5678 or bluesky5679. So my first 20 stories will be under my original account name 5678 and #21, etc.(?) will be found under 5679. Hope this isn't confusing. Bit of advice…should you have a problem with your 'puter, take it to the shop. Do not call a help line. Most important, should you be told to temporarily switch browsers...DO NOT DO SO. That is how I lost the email account I'd had for 20+ years. The ensuing complications…oy vey.

There are 138 chapters and 2 epilogues. There is usually a complaint or two that the epilogues did cover all the unanswered questions of some readers. I am hoping that I haven't missed anything this time. If I have, please PM me.

This is a story about two people, lonely and disappointed in life, who might have a chance at happiness if they open their hearts to each other…something not so easily done.

A THOUSAND YEARS

CHAPTER 1

Harry's diner was quiet tonight and he was thinking of closing up early. It was the same thought he had most every evening around 9 o'clock but once in a while there was a customer and besides, his waitresses needed the hours. They were a nice couple of girls and it wasn't easy to find good workers in this backwater town.

The bell hanging over the door tinkled, alerting Harry and the girls to the entry of a customer. Looking out from behind the counter, they saw a tall man enter, dressed in a rain-splattered trench coat, his head covered with a hood. His pant legs were drenched as well as soggy with mud. It appeared that he'd walked a distance.

He sat in a booth, Ana's station, but Henny had two mouths to feed at home so often Ana feigned exhaustion so that Henny could serve the customer and, hopefully, get a decent tip. So, as Henny headed off to booth #1 with a tray of silverware and a glass of water, Ana sat back to continue reading her favorite Jane Austen.

The sound of the tray crashing to the floor snapped Ana out of her reverie. She looked up to see Henny all aflutter, picking up the tray and utensils. At least the glass of water had made it to the table top. The man seemed undisturbed. He'd removed his coat and was calmly drinking the water. Henny was stuttering out apologies. Then she got to her feet and hurried back to the kitchen, leaving behind a fork.

"Ana," Henny gasped out, "I can't serve that man. Please, Ana, will you please do it? Please?"

Ana steered Henny to a chair and had her sit. She and Harry both noted that Henny was shivering with fear. Henny could usually handle the toughest trucker trade without flinching. Harry petted her and said that he'd go kick the guy out.

"Wait, Harry. Henny, what did he do? Did he have a gun?" Ana didn't want Harry getting his face blown off playing hero.

"He's…he's…he looks," was all Henny could get out. Ana picked up her order pad, patted Henny's back and assured her that, if there was a tip, she'd see that Henny got it. Then she stiffened her back and shoulders and, despite Harry's objections, went out to her station to have a word with this man who so frightened her friend.

As she approached him from behind, she was struck by his posture and his thick dark hair. As she grew closer, she could see that his hair was a most unusual color…not red, not orange. No, it was more a rich copper…like nothing she'd ever seen. Then, standing almost over his shoulder, she could see his hands...long slender fingers, strong hands. She felt a strange flutter in her stomach.

As she came around to stand in front of the man, she smiled and said hello, welcoming him to Harry's diner. He raised his head with a look of surprise. He had the most beautiful eyes she'd ever seen…gray eyes, like warm silver ice…startled and bewildered.

She saw something else, too. Perhaps this was what had frightened Henny. It certainly upset Ana. She set the tray down, handed the man a menu and then did a strange thing.

She firmly warned the man to stay put….do not leave. She would return in a few moments.

CHAPTER 2

"Harry, I need a large bowl of warm water, a wash cloth and a towel. Where did we put the first aid kit?"

"Ana, what are you doing?" Henny asked. What she had seen had not inspired her to do a charitable act. It had scared her, badly.

"Henny, the man is hurt. He may need stitches and he certainly needs to be checked for a concussion. We can't just feed him and send him back out into the night. It's obvious that he walked here from…well, who knows where from? Could be a long way. Think how we'd feel if his body was found on the road in the morning?"

Henny shuddered. "I'm so useless."

"No, Henny," Ana replied. "You were just startled. I had fair warning," Ana gently reminded Henny. Henny was twice Ana's age and twice burdened with children and aging parents. Her nerves were always shot. Harry returned with the bowl and then told Henny to go on home.

Ana returned to the man's booth. Again, he seemed surprised as if he didn't honestly expect her to come back. Generally, people rid themselves of his company at first opportunity. His head hurt badly. Maybe he was just imagining all of this. He tried to stand up but Ana gently pushed him down and ordered him to turn to face her. She pulled a chair over to sit in front of him and then, as carefully as possible, began to dab the warm cloth on his face.

Harry came over then and handed the man another glass of water and a couple of Tylenol.

"Looks like you're going to have some headache. Maybe this will ease it a bit. Ana, I called the clinic."

"Thank you, Harry. Why don't you go on home, too. I'm okay here, really."

"I know you are. It's this fella here that I'm worried about," he chuckled. "If you have to toss him across the room, aim for the unbreakables."

For the first time, the man spoke. "I wouldn't hurt her, sir," he said sincerely. Harry smiled. "If I thought you might, son, I wouldn't be leaving her alone with you. You're in good hands. Just do what she tells you to do. She gets a little feisty when she's crossed."

While she continued to clean his wounds, the man explained that his helicopter's engines had cut out a few miles back and he'd had to crash land in a field. He was concerned that he'd possibly destroyed some of a farmer's crop. He needed to learn the name of the owner so that he could pay for the damage.

As she continued to clean his injuries, she listened and felt so soothed by his deep voice. It was like flowing caramel, she thought. "Flowing caramel?" What the heck? she thought.

"I need to call Taylor to arrange for Charlie Tango to be picked up. I hope she isn't too badly hurt."

Ana giggled. Usually he hated giggling. His sister and her friends giggled constantly and it grated on his nerves. Why was she laughing? Was it because…..his thought was stopped in its tracks when Ana spoke.

Ana had noticed the slight change when she laughed. "Oh, you misunderstand. I'm not laughing about your helicopter being damaged. I just thought her name was cute…Charlie Tango. I love my car, too. Her name is Wanda. She's a VW beetle."

Her voice was light and sweet, he thought. And while she cleaned the blood off of his face, he was able to look into her eyes. Blue. But not just any blue…many blues. Ocean blue, sky blue, sapphire blue, ice blue. They were mesmerizing.

"Okay, now hold this towel against this spot, firmly. The wound is continuing to bleed and I have to get these bandages on. We've never had much use for these big ones, fortunately."

Carefully, Ana moved the towel just enough to attach a bandage and then another and another. Then she left the towel. Blood was already beginning to seep through the thick material. Ana began wrapping gauze around the man's head to apply pressure. It seemed to be holding.

"Are you hungry?" she asked. "How about a grilled cheese?"

The man nodded and Ana headed for the kitchen. As she made the sandwich, she hollered to the man to drink both glasses of water. He was feeling dizzy now but he forced the water down. The girl seemed to know what she was doing…which was a good thing. She would be getting in a lot of practice with pressure bandages.

She returned to the booth with the sandwich wrapped in paper. "You can eat this if the doc approves."

"Doc?" Then he saw that she was wearing a raincoat and wellies. She'd killed all the lights and she was holding his coat over her arm. He automatically reached for it but she said that it was too wet for him to wear. He tried to stand and fell backwards. Ana reached an arm around him and pulled his arm over her shoulder, helping him to his feet. She walked him out the door and turned to lock it. Then they slowly walked to Wanda.

Wanda was quite old and rusty with faded paint and she backfired as they left the parking lot. The man was not truly aware of any of this as his head swirled. Had he been alert, he would have been horrified. But as it was, he slumped against the door and tried to stay awake.

Odd that she hadn't reacted as the other girl had…especially as she wiped the blood and the makeup off of his face. Maybe she had once known someone with damaged skin.

CHAPTER 3

"Sir? Where are you?" A concerned voice queried, with respect in his tone.

"Hello. My name is Ana Steele. Am I speaking to Mr. Taylor?"

"What are you doing with Mr. Grey's phone? If any harm comes to him, I warn you…"

"Well, I'm afraid that he's already been harmed, Mr. Taylor. Charlie Tango crashed."

"That's impossible. Mr. Grey is an excellent pilot."

"Well, even an excellent pilot needs engines that work. His didn't. May I continue?"

"Yes," Taylor answered reluctantly.

"The sheriff found Charlie in Ed Simpson's corn field near the 25 mile marker outside of Wilson's Corner. You can google the directions. The man was very concerned about his helicopter so he'd like you to make arrangements asap to move it to wherever people get their helicopters fixed. Can you do that?"

"Both engines?"

"Yes. The man…I mean, Mr. Grey…walked a few miles in the rain with a head injury. He's currently at the Wilson's Corner Clinic which is around six miles north from the crash site. He has several bad lacerations and a concussion which I'd say is getting off easy from a plane crash. He's going to be kept at least overnight and it would be good if someone he knows is with him when he wakes. He muttered your name a lot so I looked it up in his phone. Can you come right away? He was really worried about Charlie Tango."

"How bad is the concussion?" Taylor tone was now not that of an employee but of a close friend.

"Doc said moderate to severe. As the evening wore on, while I cleaned him up and applied bandages, he grew more confused and I felt it best to take him to the clinic. He'll need someone to keep a close eye on him for a few days. The Doc didn't feel that there is anything major to worry about."

"Mr. Grey's mother is a doctor so he'll be in good hands."

"That's perfect. Something else seemed to be on his mind but I didn't probe."

"How is it that you not only have his phone but all his medical information?"

"Well, the phone was in his pants. They had to hand his clothes over to someone. They're in bad shape but I kept them because they're bespoke. Perhaps they can be cleaned. As to his medical condition, I asked. I used to be a nurse so they understand that I know and abide by protocol. Now, I am very tired. It's been a long night. Do send someone asap. Thank you, Mr. Taylor."

With that she rang off…wondering who this Mr. Grey was and being concerned for him.

Ana was indeed quite weary. She'd been working since 7 a.m. and it was now nearly midnight. In addition, the excitement of the evening had been exhausting. She dragged herself out to Wanda and drove home carefully. She lived on the second floor of a Victorian mansion. It was a lovely old place but something was always going awry with it. Tonight's issue was the plumbing. Fortunately, her need for sleep overrode the banging of the pipes. Unfortunately, 2 hours into a deep sleep, she found herself awakened by gray eyes looking into hers.

Yes, the color was unusual but was that enough to be so distracting? No. No, maybe it was the sadness she saw in his eyes or the intensity of his gaze into hers. Whatever it was, she had to be awake in three hours for her next shift at Harry's. She forced herself to close her eyes until suddenly dawn shone through her windows.

It was another beautiful day but what did it matter? The days were all the same to her now. Her mother had died last year…almost to the day after her father's death. She'd no family left so she'd sold her parents' farm and moved into town. Her apartment was spacious and charming but this of itself meant little to her. She'd thought about taking up nursing again, a skill she'd devoted to her sickly parents for the past few years, but she knew the sadness of it all might be too much just yet. Her savings and her inheritance supported her nicely so she took a job she thought would be emotionally easy.

She liked working for Harry. He was kind, the customers were all regulars and Henny was a cheerful co-worker. Thus, even though the hours were long, the work wasn't too demanding and she had every Sunday off to sit at the window and read. She had no silly notions of finding true love, marriage and children. She had little in the way of expectations. She'd learned that from her quite practical mother who never failed to let it be known that her life had not risen to her expectations. Her life on a farm, her taciturn husband, her plain daughter…none of it had given her the excitement and joy she wanted from life. She'd been disappointed at every turn when she'd felt that she deserved so much more.

CHAPTER 4

Dr. Trevelyan was a long-time professional. No matter the emergency, she was unflappable. However, this emergency involved her baby, her youngest son. She'd already conferred with the doctor in the Wilson's Corner clinic so she was well-apprised as to Christian's condition but still, she needed to get to him quickly. His father was across the country serving as the keynote speaker at a law conference so Grace decided to wait to see her son before she called Carrick with a report.

Taylor had just touched down on the massive back lawn in a GEH helicopter. He raced across to the patio, grabbed up Mrs. Grey's luggage and they took off. Mr. Simpson had granted permission for them to land at the crash site where the sheriff would be waiting to drive them into town. Charlie Tango had already been airlifted to its hangar at the private GEH field.

"Taylor, again, please."

"Both engines. Both helicopters and jets are thoroughly inspected before takeoff. They are guarded 24/7 by men who've been vetted by Welch. The same security have been with GEH since, well, since it was realized that it is necessary. Nonetheless, the men are vetted again once a year. They are all clean."

"Well, I certainly hope that that isn't the end of it, Jason," Mrs. Grey spoke rather sharply but Taylor understood. He was in agreement.

"We'll get to the bottom of this, Mrs. Grey. Meanwhile, all the other aircraft are grounded until further notice. We should be at the clinic in two hours."

"It's going to be a long 2 hours," Mrs. Grey sighed.

"Yes, it is," Taylor responded.

The rest of the flight was in silence as both pondered how they had once again almost lost Grey.

As the crash site came into view, Mrs. Grey gasped at the sight of how much the field had been torn up by her son's helicopter. How had he survived that? She caught her tears in her throat.

"Stay in the helicopter, Mrs. Grey," Taylor ordered. The field was pure mud as a result of the crash and the rain. Taylor lifted Mrs. Grey out of the aircraft and carried her over to the road to a dry section near the sheriff's car. Introductions were made and the sheriff made for the clinic.

"Sheriff, was it like this last night when my son crashed?" Grace asked.

"Yes, ma'am. Your boy walked almost six miles in a downpour with his shoes covered in mud until he reached Harry's. They were 'bout to close when he walked in. He got lucky that Ana was workin'. She used to be a nurse and she took real good care of him. She recognized the signs of concussion and drove him to the clinic. Doc said that he talked to you. Did he tell you that if Harry's had been closed, they might have found your son by the side of the road this morning? Not tryin' to scare you. Just lettin' you know how lucky he got."

Then, as the car drove by, the sheriff pointed out Harry's Diner. "There's a café in town and then there's Harry's place. The clinic doesn't have a cafeteria like big city hospitals."

That didn't matter to Grace. She just wanted to get her son out of Podunk, USA and into a decent medical facility in Seattle.

CHAPTER 5

The pain was intense. His head felt like it was going to explode and he wished it would to end this torment. Every time he tried to open his eyes, the bright lights overhead would seem to set off bombs inside his brain. There were sounds around him…voices? He was ready to scream when he heard a name…his. He understood. He was with people he knew. He tried to make them understand that his head was shattering but he didn't even know if he was making sense.

"Please sedate him. He's in too much pain," Grace pleaded with the doctor. After a night and morning with Dr. Trevelyan, the doctor decided to forego any further battles with the man's mother. She was formidable and he was wiped out. Wilson's Corner's Clinic rarely saw more than colds, flu and the occasional farmer who tore an arm off in a piece of machinery.

"I'll order enough sedation to get him back to Seattle but you have to keep a close eye on him. I do not recommend flying with a head injury," he told Grace. She was insistent that they get him back to her hospital in Seattle and if she wanted to take that chance with her son's health, the doc was more than happy to see the back end of her and the big fella she'd brought along.

Grace and Taylor had kept watch all night while Christian was unconscious but in the morning, when he began coming back to life, it was clear that he was wracked with pain and it was difficult to watch. Grace consulted via phone with a neurologist in Seattle and was assured that with proper care, the risk of Christian being badly affected by flight was minimal.

Thus, as soon as he was again unconscious, he was prepped for flying home. Carrick was on his way to Washington…skipping the last two days of the conference. Mia and Elliot would meet them at Seattle General in a couple of hours.

Lacking a proper ambulance, the sheriff once again ferried Grace and Taylor back to the chopper while the doctor followed in his station wagon with Christian lying down in the back.

"Taylor, there's that diner where Christian was bandaged by that nurse. I'm going to tell the doctor to continue to the helicopter while we stop for a few minutes to thank that woman. What was her name again?"

"Steele, ma'am. Ana Steele."

Ana was cutting up a breakfast steak for an elderly woman when Grace and Taylor walked in. The two were a sight not seen in Wilson's Corner…richly dressed, suit and tie. Grace was the very picture of a grand lady and all eyes turned to stare. Grace noticed the looks and seemed a bit uncomfortable.

A smiling young waitress greeted them. "Hello. Welcome to Harry's Diner. Don't mind the stares. Folks around here are more accustomed to flannel and shit-kickers."

Grace looked slightly put off by the description of mud and manure covered boots. Ana giggled at Grace's discomfiture and offered a table or booth. Grace said that she'd just wanted to meet the heroine who saved her son's life.

"She'll be in later."

"Oh, dear, I'm afraid that we're leaving right now." Grace fished a checkbook out of her Birkin handbag. "I'd like to leave a reward for her."

"She wouldn't accept it but you might contact Ed Simpson, the owner of the crops that got damaged in the crash. I'm certain that he would appreciate compensation. The sheriff can give you an idea of the amount. How's your son doing?"

"He's in terrible pain but we're keeping him sedated for now. Otherwise, he'll be fine." At this, Grace lost her composure and her shoulders shook with crying. Ana did what came naturally. She pulled Grace into her arms and comforted her until she felt better. Grace smiled and then left with Taylor.

"Hey, Ana, why didn't you tell the lady who you were?" Harry was confused. Ana laughed. "We're busy, Harry. We don't have time for a long speech of gratitude. I just wanted to spare her the effort anyway. Now, Mrs. Lennon, how's that streak?"

CHAPTER 6

The next few days were difficult for Christian in more ways than one. The pain was bad enough but the stares from the nurses were harder to take. They would come in the door, beaming at the breathtakingly handsome billionaire and then visibly blanch when they saw the other side of his face. At one point, when he was feigning sleep, he heard them remark that all his billions couldn't make them spend the rest of their lives looking at that.

Finally, against his doctor's advice, Christian removed the lines from his veins, dressed and began the long walk down the corridor to the exit. Taylor held an umbrella over his head, more to disguise him than to protect him from the rain. The paparazzi never tired of getting new pictures of "the phantom of the opera" as he'd been dubbed since the accident.

On his way out, Grace was coming in with Carrick. They both knew better than to try convincing their stubborn son to get back into bed. They did insist that he recuperate at Grey Manor, however. His concussion had been quite serious and someone had to keep a constant eye on him.

His mood fluctuated between hostile and morbid…muttering that he should have died in the crash. Sometimes, however, he grew quite somber, quietly staring off into space.

"Hey, bro. What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing. Leave me alone."

"Fat chance, Chris. I've been hearing that all my life. Never works, does it?" Elliot chuckled.

Christian almost smiled. His older brother was tenacious. He knew Elliot wouldn't stop harassing him until he talked. What the hell…didn't matter anyway.

"I was thinking about Ana Steele, the waitress at the diner who, well, saved my life, I guess. El, the first waitress who came over to the booth got a look at this face and dropped her tray and ran off, horrified. Then this Ana came over and acted like my face was normal. She cleaned up all the blood and even when she wiped off the makeup, she didn't flinch."

"That doesn't happen often, does it?" Elliot shrugged.

"That doesn't happen ever. I even have employees who see me every day and still recoil at the sight of me. She looked right at me. She smiled. I even felt sort of normal for a while. She wasn't afraid of me either. The boss left and she was fine being alone with me."

"She sounds pretty special. Maybe you should go back for a visit to thank her. I'm sure that you were too dazed to think of it at the time. I'll go with you."

Christian didn't seem to hear Elliot right then. "Her eyes, El. Blue…like I've never seen. I could have stared into those eyes forever."

"Okay. We're definitely going back to that diner. I'm certain that she'll be happy to see you, to see that you're okay. The doctor at the clinic said that she did a professional job dressing your wounds and that if she hadn't brought you to the clinic, you might have died."

"I don't know, El. You know, she might have just been distracted by my injuries. When she sees me now, she might….you know."

"Might what? Suddenly scream and run the other direction? Chris, she's already been as close to your face as anyone. She knows exactly what you look like and she doesn't care. Besides, you owe her a face to face show of gratitude for literally saving your life. That isn't something you can do on the phone or in a letter. You need to take her hand, look her in her beautiful blue eyes and tell her what she did means to you."

"If she hadn't been so kind and if I hadn't been so disoriented, I'd have cursed her for saving this life I don't want," Christian grimaced.

"Don't let me hear you say that again, Chris," Elliot growled. "And really don't let Mom hear it. We spent days at your bedside, shaking with fear that we were going to lose you any minute and then waiting for you to come out of the coma. Fighting every day to get you back on your feet and able to deal with what had happened to you. Begging you to come out of your room. This family has put all our strength together to get you through this.

"We're tired, Chris. You're back to work, thank god, and you come to dinner and go to the occasional business dinner. It's hard but you face people finally. That's on us as much as it's on you. You know that. Mia and Mom took turns sitting by your bed for months to make sure that you didn't try to throw yourself out the third story window in the middle of the night. Taylor still hasn't taken a day off…he won't let anyone else take care of you. I make sure that I see you every single day. You owe us big time, Chris, and payback is to go on living."

CHAPTER 7

Elliot's face was red and he was shaking. "Payback is to stay with us, Chris. We love you. Your scars mean nothing to us. You just have to stay and be my brother."

Christian was staring at Elliot. Then he did something unexpected…he stood and grabbed his brother into a fierce hug. They stayed like that for several minutes, Christian occasionally murmuring, "I love you, too."

Carrick came into the room in time to witness this, watched for a few moments, and then turned to go to the kitchen to find Grace. He swept her up in his arms and held on tightly. It took him a bit to tell her what he'd seen and then she cried.

"Let's not tell Mia just yet. You know she'd be jealous," Grace warned between dabbing her eyes and blowing her nose.

"I don't see why. She hugs Christian all the time."

"That's just it. She hugs him. He never initiates." Carrick nodded. He sighed and inquired about dinner. Pot roast. Good. Christian likes pot roast. The family had been solely focused on Christian for so long that they didn't notice anymore.

Pot roast happened to be the special at Harry's Diner that night and that usually brought in a bigger crowd. His pot roast was legendary and people were always trying to bribe him for his recipe but he had promised it to Ana. It was in his will. Ana would inherit the diner and his recipe.

The place was filled…every table and every booth. Henny loved the rush. It kept her from thinking about the rest of her life. It also meant good tips. Ana loved the rush because it meant that Harry and Henny were happy. All the customers were happy, too. The place hummed, with the occasional loud laughter breaking through.

Ana didn't get a break all day. Once in a while she noticed her weariness but then some child would have a tantrum and throw his milk across the room or Mrs. Lennon would need assistance and then Ana would be distracted from her own needs.

At the moment, Mrs. Lennon was struggling with her coat. Ana helped her to her feet and into her puffy jacket.

"Let's get that hat on snuggly. It's cold out there tonight," Ana prodded as Mrs. Lennon pulled on her gloves. Then Ana had her sit back down while she checked to see if her ride had arrived. Mrs. Lennon had a kind neighbor who often chauffeured her around. He was waiting in the parking lot, keeping the car warm, as Ana lead Mrs. Lennon out.

"I wish I could leave you a better tip, Ana," Mrs. Lennon said sheepishly.

"Tip! Mrs. Lennon, your visits are all the tip I need. Don't you ever dare to not come because you can't leave a tip. You understand me? I'll come get you myself, old woman!"

Mrs. Lennon roared with laughter as did her driver. Ana stood in the cold parking lot, waving goodbye as the sedan drove off. The rush was long over and there were only a few people sitting around chatting while Henny bussed tables. Ana didn't hurry to help. Henny felt better doing some of Ana's work because Ana gave Henny all the tips. She didn't need the money. Henny did. Ana felt that she was just being practical.

It was quite cold but Ana didn't feel it. She was lost in the stars. Out here in the country, the stars covered the black of night. It was a stunning sight and Ana never tired of watching. Sometimes there would be a shooting star and every time it took her breath away. So lost was she that she didn't hear the crunch of footsteps on gravel behind her.

A coat was wrapped around her shoulders. She supposed it was Harry so she didn't look.

"It always seems like the first time, doesn't it? It just never gets old."

"It is stunning. Living in the city, we don't see sights like this." That voice, that smooth deep voice.

Christian walked in front of her so that he could look into those blue eyes. She stared back into his gray eyes. Neither seemed capable of looking away. The incredible show overhead suddenly could not compete. Then Ana smiled.

CHAPTER 8

"Mr. Grey, isn't it? I'm afraid you've missed pot roast night."

"My mother made pot roast for dinner."

"Ah, but there is no pot roast like Harry's pot roast," Ana protested. "Come inside, Mr. Grey. Who is this with you?"

"Ms. Steele, this is my brother, Elliot, and this is my security chief, Taylor. He flew us in. I'm not allowed to pilot as yet."

Ana greeted each man and then led the way into the diner. She seated the men at booth #1 and left for coffee.

"Wow, bro. You were right about the eyes. Even in the dim light from the diner, I could see them sparkling. You forgot to mention that cute little figure."

"Settle, El. Don't start drooling now."

Taylor offered his handkerchief to Elliot who swatted it away as Taylor chortled. Ana returned with a tray of mugs and a pitcher of coffee. Then she pulled a chair over to sit in front of Christian. She told him to turn his face and she reached up and gently held his cheek as she assessed the condition of his wounds.

"You've healed quite well, rather quickly, too. The doc told me that your concussion was serious. Are you still having headaches?" Ana said as she brushed his copper locks away from his wounds.

"Yes, but they're more tolerable than initially. I had to be sedated for a time because of the pain."

"Did the cat scan show any pressure on your brain? I was concerned that they would have to drill to relieve the pressure." Ana put her hands back in her lap. Christian wished she would continue to examine him. Her small, soft hands felt so good.

"No, he got real lucky all round," Elliot interrupted. "He survived the crash, he found you and this diner and his injuries were mild compared to what he could have suffered. His recovery has been rough, tho."

"Ana, I came here tonight so that I could thank you in person for saving my life. No. Don't try to deny it. The doctor here told my mother that if you had let me go back out into the rain and the night, I would have probably been found dead by the side of the road in the morning."

Taylor and Elliot nodded vigorously. Ana smiled. "You have a lot of people caring about you. That's good to see."

Then she giggled. "Your mother scared Doc Whalen."

Christian stared at her until Elliot nudged him. "Oh, yes. I want to repay you in some way for your help."

Ana shook her head firmly. Then she excused herself for a moment. "I've insulted her," Christian fretted.

She soon returned with a bag and handed to him. "Some of Harry's pot roast was left. You can repay me by taking it home and enjoying a snack."

Her blue eyes, her shining smile…he didn't want to go home but he'd no excuse for staying. It was late and Harry probably wanted to close. Ana needed to rest after what had most likely been a long day. Taylor needed rest as well.

"I'll look forward to the battle of the pot roast," Christian grinned, earning a laugh from Ana. He knew what his smile must look like now but Ana only saw the humor he'd expressed. He could also see that Elliot and Taylor were charmed by Ana and he liked that. To some she might seem an ordinary girl but to anyone who spent a few minutes with her, her inner beauty shone through.

Ana did, indeed, have mesmerizing eyes. She also had glossy mahogany brunette hair in a casual bun atop her head. She had a creamy complexion with a slight rosy glow on her cheeks. Across the bridge of her nose was a sprinkling of freckles. This is what Christian saw. Others saw a plain young woman with nice hair and pretty eyes.

Ana saw Christian's otherworldly eyes and his rare copper burnished curls. His brilliant smile and his sensuous lips. His broad shoulders and his slim hips. She heard his strong yet gentle voice. Others saw a face so damaged as to be ruinous. They rarely looked straight at him. It was too difficult.

Elliot and Taylor made way to the helicopter so as to leave Ana and Christian alone to say goodnight, neither man believing that this moment was really to be a permanent farewell.

CHAPTER 9

"I concede! Christian, you must get me the recipe for this pot roast," Grace exclaimed. There had been enough in the package for everyone in the household to have a taste and all were delighted. Margaret was glad that she wasn't in charge of making pot roast as Grace had always believed her son's favorite dish was solely her bailiwick.

"I'll ask, Mom, but you yourself know how cooks are about their recipes. You won't share with your own daughter!"

Mia concurred forcefully. "Yes, Mom. How many times have I begged for some of your recipes and you refuse me…me, your daughter!"

"I've told you. You get everything when I die," Grace said in her defense.

"Is that what you tell your interns, Mom?" Elliot asked, to everyone's amusement. "I'll teach you how to save lives when I no longer need the information."

"Well, I know I'll never share my royal red velvet cake recipe with you," Mia growled.

"Good. Then I'll never be expected to bake," Grace snarled back.

"So, tell us about this woman who saved your life, Christian," Carrick asked.

"Well, she's a waitress in this diner and she's very kind, the kindest person I think I've ever met…outside the family, that is. She doesn't seem to notice my scars. She actually touched me last night…put her little hand over my cheek so that she could check my injury. It was as if she wasn't touching…all that. And she's quite the beauty, too."

Carrick noticed that Elliot raised his eyebrows in surprise at this last description. Christian continued.

"She has the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen…blue, all kinds of blue depending on the light. Sometimes it's like looking into an ocean and other times like the sky. Her hair gleams in the light and her skin is like cream. She isn't tall. Her head comes only to my chest, I'd say, and she is rather slight. She has freckles on her nose."

"Whoa," teased Mia. "You really took a good look at her, didn't you?"

"Well, we were face to face while she cleaned me up and bandaged me. While she did that, I guess I had nothing to do but stare at her. Elliot saw her. Of course, being Elliot, the first thing he noticed was her figure. She was really pretty, right, El?"

"I thought she was okay but it sounds to me like you were viewing her through the eyes of loooove," Elliot teased.

"Is that true, son? Grace asked.

"Oh, com'on, I've met her twice and, of course, I'm grateful to her for saving my life but love? You know I've never been one for love…except for you guys."

"Son," Carrick began.

"Don't start, Dad. No woman is ever going to look at me and see more than dollar signs. Hell, I knew that before the accident and now, well, I don't think even my money would make a woman put up with this," he said as he waved a hand over his face. "Ana is just a very kind woman. She probably has a boyfriend anyway."

The family could see that Christian's blood pressure was rising so they changed the subject. When he argued that he was not loveable, it was useless to try to convince him otherwise.

CHAPTER 10

As Christian lay in his bed, gazing at the ceiling…Ana sat in her window seat, with her knees tucked up, gazing out at the stars. It was a cloudless night and without the lights from the diner, the star-lit sky was even more breathtaking. Usually just looking out at the night sky was enough to fill her mind but tonight the sky dueled with thoughts of gray eyes and a heart-stopping smile.

Ana had never been particularly interested in boys. There had been boys interested in her but she'd simply put their interest down to Wilson's Corner being short on females. All the men in the area were farmers looking for farming wives and Ana had no intention of spending her life collecting eggs and milking cows. Nor had she ever contemplated wringing the necks of chickens or butchering pigs.

She had always adored her father and they were close. While her mother fought her choices, he understood that she wanted to go to school, to become a nurse and live in a city. He made no demands on her to follow in his footsteps or to find a young man to marry and inherit the farm.

Her mother put pressure on her to invite men to dinner. She felt that if a fellow knew that he'd get a farm in the bargain, that maybe it would be worth having Ana as well. She made it clear to Ana often that the farm belonged to Momma and it would be best if Ana cooperated if she wanted to continue her occupancy.

Ana made it just as clear that she would be happy to leave for town and take a job at the clinic instead of staying home and nursing Momma. Threats and counter-threats were made the whole last year of her life and Momma's death came only as a relief. At the gravesite, everyone praised Ana's strength, her refusal to come undone with tears. They didn't know that Ana had no tears in her for her mother.

The entire town felt badly for Ana…a spinster, orphaned, without siblings or family of any kind. Ana never let on that while she missed her father sometimes, she was otherwise content to be on her own. She had plenty of money and could have gone to Portland or Seattle. She couldn't have explained why she didn't leave tiny Wilson's Corner. Something inside of her was dead. She only came alive at Harry's and she wondered if that woman was real.

Now she sat in the window seat and felt something inside of her stirring. It was unfamiliar and even a little frightening. She didn't understand it and could only identify it as something to do with the man and his eyes. She tried to puzzle it out but felt helpless to comprehend.

As the dawn rose over the hills in the distance, it found Ana still on the window seat...her eyes closed, her breathing even, her dreams of gray eyes.

CHAPTER 11

In the weeks to come, Ana often heard Charlie Tango's rotors, and then the bell at the door ring late, when customers were few, and her heart would begin racing. She would take her tray, put on a glass of water and a napkin with utensils and head for booth #1, feeling her face flush as she saw his gray eyes and his smile. He would order a grilled cheese and she would sit with him as he ate.

They were shy at first but slowly began to open up to each other. First, they talked about their day and then their week. Gradually, they told each other about their families.

Harry would bid them goodnight, flip the sign to CLOSED and lock the door behind him.

"You haven't told me yet about the biggest challenge in your life, Christian. Do you trust me enough?"

Christian looked down at his plate as Ana reached over to hold his cheek. He put his hand over hers and looked up. He took a deep breath and began.

"My business was only beginning to take off. I wasn't well known and I didn't have security of any kind. Charlie Tango was my first aircraft and more an amusement than a necessity. I kept her in an ordinary hangar at Sea-Tac where other people also kept their planes and such. There was a lock but no surveillance.

"I had a meeting in Portland so my COO, Ros Bailey, and I took Charlie Tango. An alarm went on and I saw smoke behind me, coming from one of the engines, so I shut it down. We continued on to Seattle. The alarm then alerted me to a fire in the other engine."

"Oh, my gosh, what did you do?" Ana put her hands to her cheeks.

"All I could do was land…somewhere. Ros spotted a small clearing in the trees and I maneuvered Charlie toward it. It was a real rough landing but the helicopter was intact. Even though I'd switched off the engines, one was on fire. Ros had hit her head and was unconscious. In hindsight, I should have put out the fire but at the time I was afraid that the whole thing would blow so I had to get Ros out fast. Just as I was carrying her, the engine exploded.

"Next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital and half my face was bandaged. Ros was okay. My body had blocked hers. Over the next few days, I gradually learned that my face was badly damaged.

"This," he said, pointing at his scars, "is the result of half a dozen reconstructive surgeries. The doctors tell me that they've done as much as they could. That was five years ago. People stare at me. I make them uncomfortable…even people who see me every day at work. You're the only person besides my family who didn't gasp on seeing me."

"You forgot about Harry. He's seen a lot of war injuries from his time in Viet Nam, men who have been reduced to mere torsos, men who've had to have their whole faces rebuilt. Your face doesn't impress him."

"And you? Henny dropped the tray and ran. Not the first time I've seen that reaction…but you? You were as cool as a cucumber. Why weren't you even startled?"

"I might have been, to be honest, but I don't know. Henny's reaction alerted me to something so I guess I was prepared. When I did see your scars, I didn't think much about them. Henny is kind of nervous all the time. She's raising two kids alone and caring for her elderly parents on the salary of a waitress in an out of the way diner. She frightens easily."

"So, your first look at this mess didn't jar you?"

"No, all I saw was your eyes." She stopped, blushing.

"I saw yours, too. I was spellbound."

They ceased talking then. They just looked at each other, the heat rising between them.

CHAPTER 12

Christian cleared his throat and remarked that it was late and Ana should probably get her rest. She nodded and rounded the counter to the back room to get her coat. When she returned, Christian was waiting. He reached for her coat and helped her into it. Then he began doing up the buttons. After he'd done her top button, he turned her collar up. They stood, close, looking into each other's eyes.

Ana tilted her face up and Christian leaned down. He pressed his mouth to hers…softly at first, then with more urgency. They stood there for several minutes, exploring each other's lips. Pulling back, Christian touched his forehead to Ana's. Then he wrapped his arms around her. She could feel him trembling.

"Don't leave me tonight, Ana," his voice anxious and pleading. She wasn't sure what he meant. She acted on instinct, leading him out to her car and taking him home with her. He followed her as they climbed the stairs to her apartment. Neither said a word.

He unbuttoned her coat…then reached up to remove the pins from her hair. It was the first time he'd seen her hair down. It flowed down her back and over her shoulders…a shiny dark brown.

Then he followed her again, this time into a cozy bedroom lit only by a small lamp casting a yellow glow. Ana turned to him. He was shivering again but the room was warm. They held each other for a moment until Ana began to slowly undo the buttons on his shirt. She stood on tiptoe to slide the shirt off his shoulders. She found more scars on his chest. She didn't ask. She lightly kissed each mark.

She unbuckled his belt and his zipper and slipped his jeans down his legs. He lifted his legs and kicked the jeans aside. She looked up at him, as if asking permission, and then removed his boxer briefs. He stood naked and magnificent before her. She thought his body perfect. Having been a nurse, she'd seen many a naked male patient but she never knew a man's body could be so beautiful.

Christian drew her to her feet, his hands shaking as he undressed her. As he knelt before her, helping her step out of her panties, he began to kiss and suck her skin as he moved up her body.

Ana took his quivering body in her arms. She'd never been with a man or even thought much about it but this moment felt both natural and unearthly. Christian continued his ministrations…his hands, his mouth were everywhere. His need to touch her was desperate and her need was growing as well.

She'd never been naked with a man. She'd never had a man's mouth sucking her breast. She'd never had a man's tongue between her legs. Yet it was all easy and thrilling. There was no fear. She was comfortable, at ease with everything he was doing to her.

Well, perhaps "at ease" was inaccurate. She felt things she'd never felt and the feelings were growing. They were overpowering, a tsunami rushing through her. She heard herself screaming from a place she didn't know existed. An incredible wave of pleasure seemed to go on and on.

As she began to come down, she felt something else…a thick penis trying to push its way into her. Christian called her baby and marveled that she was so tight and she felt so good hugging his cock. Suddenly he burst through her hymen and she cried out but he thought it was from the pleasure of connection. Once the pain subsided, it was pure pleasure. She could feel him thrusting and every push and pull felt divine. She wanted it to go on and on but Christian was too ready and he soon exploded inside her.

He enveloped her completely, his arms all around her and his cock still inside her. He found that he couldn't leave her. Being inside her was the first safe place he'd ever known. The connection eased his pain, his sadness…every terrible feeling he'd carried around for so long.

He gently rolled them onto their sides…his legs and arms around her. She curled into his chest. It was hard and strong and she, too, felt a sense of security that had long eluded her. Sleep, he whispered. He wasn't trembling anymore. He felt strong and certain.

He stayed awake until Ana's breathing grew even and then, assured that she was all right, he let himself go into the peace of darkness.

CHAPTER 13

Ana was cold. She hadn't drawn the curtains last night and so the room was bright. She glanced at the little clock on her bedside table…after 8 a.m. She never slept so late but then, she'd never had a night like the last. Why was she cold?

She turned to find the bed beside her empty. She sat up and saw that Christian's clothes were gone. She also saw the bright red signs of her lost virginity on the sheets. She got out of the bed and went to the bathroom to shower. Mechanically, she removed the sheets and took them down to the laundry room in the basement…put on the kettle for tea, bread in the toaster, an egg to fry in the skillet. Sitting in her kitchen, she ate her breakfast and then washed the dishes.

It was Sunday. She picked up her copy of Pride and Prejudice and took her seat at the window, surveying the countryside for a few moments, and then broke down…sobs wracking her body.

When Christian had awakened at dawn as usual, he first felt an overwhelming sense of contentment, Ana still tight in his arms. The second thing he felt was the usual wet spot but it was too much. He looked down and realized that when Ana had cried out as he pushed into her, it was a cry of pain. He'd never had sex with a virgin and the sight of the blood terrified him. What had he done? He had hurt Ana. He had selfishly taken her and hurt her. She had given herself to him and he had repaid her with pain.

He carefully untangled himself and slipped out of the bed. In the bathroom, he washed off the blood he'd slept in and then looked at himself in the mirror. What had he been thinking? he asked himself. Ana was an innocent and look at him. He was the phantom of the opera except that the phantom had the decency to wear a mask to hide the horror of his face.

Christian thought that he had no right to expect anything of a kind and lovely woman like Ana. She deserved so much better. She deserved someone who was whole…in body and soul. He was an ugly wreck. How had she even tolerated his face between her legs? What revulsion she must have felt to look down at that face sucking on her breasts.

He quickly dressed. She wouldn't want to wake up to him still there in the light of day. She would probably be angry and embarrassed. She would certainly want him gone. And so he was. He jogged down the road to Charlie Tango and flew away from what he'd only imagined was lasting happiness. He wouldn't bother her again. He didn't know how he'd stay away but he would. He hoped, in time, Ana could forgive him.

CHAPTER 14

"Mia? Why don't you see if you can get your brother to come to dinner tomorrow? He's been moping again. For a while there, he seemed a bit more cheerful but he's back to hiding in that castle in the sky," Grace said.

"I try all the time, Mom, but it's like he hates himself even more than he did. I wish we knew what changed. You know, after he crashed…again…he actually seemed to get better for a couple of months and then overnight he switched back. I just don't get it.

"I'll bet Taylor knows," Elliot said as he walked into the room. "Of course, he'll never tell. He could resist even you, Mia," he laughed. Mia just stuck her tongue out but she had to agree with her brother. Taylor was loyal to a fault. He would never share her brother's secrets.

For a couple of months, Taylor had enjoyed relaxing out in Charlie Tango, listening to audio books and waiting for his boss to return from his chats with the waitress. Then one night, Grey hadn't returned. Taylor watched him drive away with Ana. He sat in Charlie Tango and cheered. His happiness lasted about as long as Mr. Grey's had. Taylor was jolted awake by Grey jumping into the helicopter. He tried to strap himself into the pilot's seat but Taylor stopped him. He could see that his boss was almost frantic and in no condition to fly so he forced him to move into the passenger seat while Taylor took control.

Since that morning, the mood in Escala's penthouse dove deeper than it had been before Grey met Ana. Taylor was never told what had happened but it definitely meant the end of the relationship it seemed that Grey and Ana had been building.

Grey rarely spoke and Gail was back to coaxing him to eat. He spent his evenings in his study, slept a few hours, was up at dawn to run and in the office by 7 a.m. Andrea sighed and gave Taylor a weak smile. Grey's mood affected everyone. He conducted business under a gray cloud, too defeated to even bark at people as was his usual communication. He let Ros handle most meetings while he sat in his office…staring out the windows.

He thought about his actions, rethinking them over and over. Ana, he told himself sometimes, was feisty so she would probably be furious to awaken and find him gone. She'd never want to see him again.

Other times, he told himself that he'd broken her gentle heart and shattered her spirit. He'd left her in a world of pain, wondering what she'd done wrong.

He bounced back and forth…certain that he'd done the right…certain that he had not. He sat frozen, unable to determine what course of action he should be taking or if he should do anything at all but spare her his presence.

The weeks dragged on and became months of despair. Rather than time dulling the ache in his chest, it made it sharper. Sometimes, he wondered if he was having a heart attack.

Mostly he wished that he was. If life had been unbearable before meeting Ana, living every day now without her became his penance for what he'd done to her.

"Mr. Grey, you have a visitor. He says that his name is Harry and he's brought pot roast. Should I let him up?"

CHAPTER 15

"Mr. Grey? What should I do? Sir?" Buddy, the lobby guard, was perplexed at the sight of this beefy man. He was wearing flannel and a worn cap with a flag decal. He was carrying a beat-up cooler. No one like this had ever been associated with the wealthy and elegant Christian Grey but his size was intimidating so Buddy was loathe to outright reject him.

"Show him to the executive elevator, Buddy, and send him straight up," Grey answered. Buddy was surprised but if Mr. Grey ordered him sent up in his private elevator then this strange fellow must be someone of importance.

Andrea greeted Harry warmly and showed him into Grey's office. For a moment the two men just stared awkwardly at each other. Grey wondered if Harry was going to sock him. He'd let him. Instead, Harry broke into a big grin and stuck out a huge hand. Grey grabbed it and grinned back.

"Harry, what a great surprise! Did you really bring your pot roast?"

"Well, of course, I did, Christian. Figured if nothing else, it'd get me in the door of this fortress. Geez, man, this is some building. How many stories you got here?"

"Thirty…and a few thousand employees filling up the place," Grey laughed.

"Yee, gods. My entire diner would fit in this office. I did a little reading up on you. You built all this on your own with a small loan. You got branches all over the world. The only thing you don't got is my pot roast," Harry let loose with a hearty laugh.

"I better eat this at the office. If my mother or my cook get ahold of it, they'll send it off to a lab for analysis so they can duplicate the recipe."

"Well, the recipe is in my will and it goes to Ana. 'Course, she's made it so often that she has it memorized anyway."

Harry couldn't help seeing the sudden flash of pain cross Christian's face at the mention of Ana's name. It puzzled him. Even though Christian didn't come around anymore, Ana was still as bright and cheerful as always. Harry figured that their little romance had just fizzled out. Now it appeared that Ana didn't miss Christian but Christian was feeling poorly about it.

Christian paused just a second and collected himself. Then he smiled again and offered Harry a seat. Harry repeated that Grey House was a knockout.

"Thanks, Harry. So, how have you been? How is everyone back at the diner and what brings you to the big city?" Keep it casual, Grey, he said to himself.

"Well, business is real good. Henny is fine but I had to get a couple new waitresses to replace Ana. That's kind of why I ain't so good and why I'm in Seattle." Now the concern on Grey's face was obvious to Harry. He'd go so far as to guess that Grey was scared.

CHAPTER 16

"Something wrong with Ana, Harry? Did she leave Wilson's Corner?"

"No. A few months back she came down with a real bad case of stomach flu. I told her to stay home and rest up but she insisted that after vomiting a few times she'd feel better. I suspect that she was sick more often than she let on. She wasn't eating much and when she thought that no one was looking, she'd drop the happy mask.

"Anyway, one day about a week ago, she didn't show up to work which was really not like her. Ana's as reliable as the sunrise. One of her customers went by her place but she wasn't home and Wanda was gone. Henny asked around but nobody knew nothin'. Then we heard a rumor that Doc Whalen had had to fly someone to Portland…medevac, they call it. 'Course, we couldn't get anything out of the doc…patient confidentiality, ya know."

Christian began to feel like vomiting himself. He got up and paced the room while Harry watched, worried.

"But I got ways around that. I found out that Ana had come into the clinic so I figured that it was her who got medevacked to Portland. By the time I got to Portland, she'd been sent on to Seattle General. I don't know what's wrong but I'm heading over there next. Hell, she ain't got nobody in the whole world. I figured that they can't refuse me a visit. She's kinda like my daughter and she's got to have somebody to speak up for her."

Grey picked up his phone and asked someone to check the patient registry at the hospital. He asked the person to find out what they could. Then he motioned to Harry to follow him out, telling Andrea that he'd be gone for the day.

Harry followed a mute Grey to the elevator and down to a garage under the building. They got into the fanciest automobile Harry had ever seen and they even had a chauffeur. He wanted to say something but Grey's demeanor made him nervous. When they reached the hospital, Grey finally spoke.

"You tell the receptionist that you're Ana's father. My family practically built the place and both my parents and myself are on the board. I'll back you up. You got that, Harry?"

"Yeah, I got it," Harry couldn't think of anything else to say. He was in "following orders" mode. As the driver pulled up to the entrance, Grey was out of the car the instant it stopped. It took a man of Harry's bulk a bit longer to haul himself up and out. When he entered the lobby, Grey was already at the admission's desk. He waved Harry over.

"You have a patient here named Ana Steele. This is her father, Harry. We need to see Ms. Steele and her physician immediately. And send all her bills to GEH. Understood?"

The woman behind the counter was speechless…both because of Grey's face and because of his confidence. She knew that she'd better obey. She made a call and then referred Grey and Harry to the room where Ana had been admitted.

The ride up to the sixth floor was slow and agonizing for Christian. He didn't know what he was going to find and he was scared to death that Ana was seriously ill. If she died, it was all over for him.

CHAPTER 17

"Jim, this girl is all alone in the world. My son is willing to pay her medical bills."

Dr. Trevelyan was a formidable woman and Dr. Hunter did not want to argue with her but without the patient's permission, how could he allow people to see her or be told of her condition?"

"Grace, what if Ms. Steele doesn't want to see anyone? What if she doesn't want anyone to know her private business? Suppose she awakens and freaks out at the sight of strange people staring at her?"

"She does know these people. The heavy-set man is her boss. My son dated her for a couple of months. And she certainly needs to know that people care about her."

Grace's voice was rising and Dr. Hunter was growing increasingly intimidated. Finally he caved. He could only hope that everything went well and he didn't get his ass sued. He nodded reluctantly at the two men pacing anxiously outside Ana's room.

"Harry, you go first. I want to talk with the doctor…alone. Mom, would you please give us a moment?" Grace nodded and went back to her office. Grey pulled the doctor aside and whispered to him.

"All right. What is wrong with Ana?"

As the doctor hesitated, Grey growled a reminder that he was basically the man's boss and he wanted answers now. The doctor gulped. He kept his voice low.

"The young woman suffered a miscarriage." Grey turned ashen. He asked how far along she had been. Five months, the doctor answered. It was a rough miscarriage…substantial blood loss. If Dr. Whalen hadn't flown her quickly to a hospital, she would have stroked out from extremely low blood pressure. She was better but not out of the woods.

"Has she been conscious yet?"

"No. The hospital in Portland managed to slow the blood loss but her clotting factor isn't good so they sent her on to here. She also has a rare blood type which Portland didn't have but we have enough. It wasn't easy but with transfusions, we managed to save her life. It'll be another 48 hours before we can relax.

"Mr. Grey, what I'm doing in telling you all this is highly unethical. I could lose my license. You and your mother have put me in a very bad position."

"No one will hear anything from me, Dr., and thank you…thank you for saving her life. I won't forget it."

Dr. Hunter nodded and walked away. Christian fell back against the wall and slid to the floor, his head on his knees. He hadn't given a thought to protection for Ana. He'd just taken her, needing her so badly. Then he'd deserted her. He couldn't face her. He'd only upset her more. Five months. She'd apparently wanted the baby. His baby.

CHAPTER 18

Harry convinced the nurses and the doctor that he was indeed her father. He didn't have written proof but his clothes and his folksy grammar, not to mention his dedication to her, assured them that he was just a simple man who didn't think to carry around birth certificates or see a lawyer about power of attorney. He was just her father.

God bless Harry, Grey thought. He'd given him a phone and shown him how to use it to call Grey whenever he wanted or thought necessary. Knowing that Ana could awaken at any moment, Harry refused to leave her side and the nurses didn't bother him about visiting hours. Grey had a rollaway bed moved into Ana's room. Harry hadn't packed…not expecting to stay for days…so Grey sent Taylor out for clothes and other needs. He did everything he could to help Harry.

Both men were riven with anxiety. Grey hadn't looked in on Ana, explaining to Harry that he'd hurt her and didn't want her to have to see his face as she emerged from the fog of her coma. Harry had a good yell at Grey and then calmed down. He said that he was just upset seeing Ana so deathly quiet, so gray.

"I've been in three wars, Christian. I've see things I have nightmares about. I watched my brothers-in-arms, men I loved, die gruesome deaths. I visit the vet's home every chance I get but, Christian, this little girl…." Harry stopped, unable to fully express his fear.

"I understand, Harry. I can only beg your forgiveness over and over and never expect it to be granted. I know that I was wrong. Ana gave me everything and I hurt her terribly."

"No, son, I've forgiven you. I was never really angry with you, anyway. I was just scared and you were the best target. I know your judgement is all screwed up because of your scars. I should take you over to the vet's someday and show you what real disfigurement means…mind and body.

"I think you were just too good-lookin' to begin with and so messing up one side of that movie star face got you to thinkin' that you are a real horror show. Anyway, it doesn't matter right now. As soon as Ana wakes up, I'm gonna talk to her about seeing you. She understands scars and what they can do to a person. She's got her own. Everyone does, Christian. You just can't let them take you over, ya know?"

"You'll call me again, soon, Harry? Ana should be waking and she's really going to need you."

"I'll keep callin', son. The doc tells me that she's getting' better…stronger vitals and all. She'll be back with us before you know it."

Each time Harry said goodbye, Christian's heart hurt a little. Harry was his only connection to Ana right now and saying goodbye to Harry felt like leaving Ana. And every time the phone rang, Christian held his breath, fearful of what Harry would tell him.

With the doctor's approval, Christian had had Ana moved to a private room, the best. Harry was relieved. The elderly woman in the other bed had not stopped bothering him with conversation since he first walked into the room. It was she who told Harry that Ana had nearly died from a miscarriage. She seemed to know everything. The nurses, she cackled, figured that she was too old to hear or understand their conversation.

The word "miscarriage" was what alerted Harry to Christian's involvement.

CHAPTER 19

"I'm not goin' back to the diner, Christian. This hospital room is too nice," Harry announced with great cheer.

"It comes complete with a fine and healthy waitress as well."

Christian's pulse jumped. "Ana is awake?"

"Yep. And she has color in her cheeks. Her eyes are bright. And she wants to see you! She doesn't understand why she's here and no one, including her doctor, has told her. We figure that you ought to tell her."

"She's going to hate me, Harry," Christian moaned.

"Maybe…at first…but this situation is yours to share and it's up to you to talk with her about it. She's goin' ta have questions no one else can answer. I already told her that you'd be by shortly. I'm goin' out for lunch. Good luck, son."

"But Harry..." It was too late for consolation or questions. Harry wanted to check out the local diners so he was off with Sawyer to explore Seattle. Sawyer was something of a connoisseur of hole-in-the-wall eateries so he'd been looking forward to this outing with Harry.

Christian was both thrilled and terrified to see Ana again. At the least, she'd throw a bedpan at him.

He arrived at her room 30 minutes later and simply stood outside, shifting from one foot to the other. Taylor stood patiently…waiting. Finally, he put a firm hand on Grey's back and slowly pushed him forward until he was up against the door and it was opening. Peeking in, they saw that Ana's eyes were closed so Christian's sat down in the chair that Harry had recently occupied while Taylor closed the door and stood in the hallway.

Despite Harry's claim that Ana looked so much better, Christian was bothered by her wan countenance. She also seemed so much thinner. She'd always been petite but now she was so delicate. Still, she was alive and here. He hadn't seen her in months and he just didn't want to take his eyes off of her. He hesitantly picked up her hand. It was so cold and pale. He held it within both of his large, warm hands and hers just disappeared.

Her eyes opened, haltingly, before they stayed open and she looked at him.

"Where have you been, Christian? I've been waiting for you for so long," she spoke, in a voice barely audible.

Christian felt a tear fall unto his hands. "I've waited for you all my life, Ana."

CHAPTER 20

Ana smiled sweetly at him. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Ana. Can you ever forgive me? I wouldn't blame you if you couldn't."

"Why are you crying? What's made you sad? And why do you need forgiveness?"

Did she have amnesia? She didn't remember being left and being pregnant? Oh, lord. This was worse than he'd feared.

"Ana, what is the last thing you remember? Christian held his breath. Ana looked bewildered. A tiny 'v' formed between her eyes as she tried to think. Then she smiled happily.

"You made love to me. You held me all night. I think that you were more afraid than I was. It was wonderful…being held like that. I was very sad in the morning when you were gone but I don't regret anything. I wanted to thank you. Also, I found out something important much later.

"Christian, we made a baby together," her eyes lit up.

Christian smiled at her because she seemed so happy. How was he going to tell her?

"I knew that you'd be surprised but I knew that you wouldn't be angry with me because you're such a sweet man. If you don't want to be a father to the child, it's okay. I won't ask it of you. I can handle it alone. Still, I know that you'd be a good father. I just know it."

Christian reached out and pulled Ana into his arms, embracing her tightly. She was the dearest person in the world to him. How could he hurt her?

At that moment, Dr. Hunter entered the room. He was relieved to see the two together and assumed that Christian was comforting Ana.

"I gather that you're coming to terms. That's good. I know it's hard but the good news is that you'll be ready to leave here in a day or two."

Christian cast the doctor a look that could kill. Ana looked confused. Dr. Hunter realized that he'd really stepped in it. He turned swiftly around and left the room.

Ana stared after him and then peered into Christian's eyes questioningly. Christian eased her back against her pillow.

"Christian, that was strange. What did he mean?"

Christian tried to hold back his tears. "Sweetheart, you were doing so well…taking care of our baby…but nature sometimes knows something's wrong. It was nothing you did or could have done differently. You must believe that. If anything, it was my fault for not being with you…to take care of you."

Ana's eyes grew bigger and alarmed. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"The baby is gone, Ana. You had a miscarriage."

For a beat, Ana did not react. Then she let out a howl, the cry of a wounded animal. It was like nothing Christian had ever heard. He moved to the bed and sat with Ana in his arms as she wailed. He wrapped her head in one hand and rocked her back and forth.

A nurse rushed in...horrified by both his face and the sounds coming out of Ana. Christian silently snarled at her, warning her to leave them alone. She, too, rushed out of the room. All Christian could do was hold Ana. There was nothing to say that could make things better or even bearable. She was in agony.

CHAPTER 21

Exhausted from crying, Ana fell asleep. Still in Christian's arms, he gazed down at her tear-stained face, knowing his probably looked the same. The baby was more real to him now, understanding that it had been growing inside Ana for five months…with Ana feeling the changes in her every day. At five months, she would have been able to feel the child moving.

Knowing Ana, she would have cradled her belly, sung lullabies to it, caressed her bump and talked to the baby. She probably had already made plans…the nursery, the paint colors, a bureau filled with clothes. Then a upsetting thought hit Christian. What if Ana already knew the baby's gender?

Christ. She probably knew everything and was anxious for the four months of waiting to be over. This child was as real to her as if she were able to hold it in her arms.

Again, he let his self-loathing wash over him. She'd needed him and he'd deserted her and their child. His flight response would have had him running again except that he was holding Ana and didn't want to let her go. Somehow he had to help her through this…even if she hated him.

The door opened and the doctor cautiously walked into the room. He looked at the monitors beeping over the bed. He nodded his approval. Ana's blood pressure was good. Her pulse was in safe territory.

"How are you doing, Mr. Grey?" The doctor kindly asked.

"Better and worse. Can you tell me if the monitor says that Ana is okay?"

"She's doing quite well, physically. I heard about her reaction to the news that her baby was gone. I'm told that you handled it well. It must have been a very difficult moment for you to go through."

"I'm worried about how she'll be when she wakes. She'll have to face it all again. Do you know, typically, how long it takes for a woman to recover from this?"

"I'm afraid there's no average recovery, Mr. Grey. Much depends on the woman, her circumstances and her support system. She has a devoted father figure in Harry. She has also a devoted boyfriend in you. If you are strong for her, she'll be all right."

"Doc, what caused the miscarriage? She's going to blame herself. I want to reassure her that this wasn't her fault."

"The fetus was well developed but he suffered from a congenital heart defect. Perhaps if she had lived in an area with a more sophisticated health care system, the defect would have been discovered in time. Surgeries are done now on children still in the womb. It would be better, of course, if this last point was not revealed. I think if Ana knew that it was an anomaly, it might keep her from blaming herself."

"Definitely, Doctor. You said congenital. Is this something that could happen with another pregnancy?"

"I'm afraid so…although it isn't a certainty, of course. Every pregnancy has its risks for both the mother and the child. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you." With that, the doctor left Christian still holding Ana and with much to think about.

CHAPTER 22

When Ana awoke, she found Christian's head resting on her now flat belly. She was calmer but remembering still brought tears flowing down her face. She lightly ran her fingers through Christian's copper curls and wondered if her son would have looked like his father. She herself was quite plain and so she'd hoped that her son would look like Christian…so handsome…so beautiful.

Of course, her son was gone now.

Christian felt her fingers in his hair and this woke him as well. He lifted his head and saw the tears on Ana's face. He took his handkerchief and dabbed at them.

"I'm so sorry, Ana," he said. "I should have been with you. I would understand if you couldn't forgive me."

"I did something wrong, Christian, but I don't know what it was. Maybe the doctor can tell me how I killed my son."

"No. It was a defect in our son's heart. You didn't do anything. It couldn't be helped."

"A defect? In his heart?" Ana's face was wide-eyed and pale. "How did I cause the defect?"

"You didn't, Ana. It had nothing to do with you. It was just rotten luck and the doc says that miscarriages are nature's way of ending pregnancies that can't go on."

"You look so sad, Christian. Why do you look so sad?" Ana seemed genuinely puzzled.

"Because my son died, Ana. Our son. Ana, I'd like to bury our son, have a proper funeral for him. Would that be okay with you?" Ana slowly nodded.

"Christian, he needs a name. I only just found out that I was having a boy so I didn't have time to think of a name. Do you have any names that are special to you?" Christian shook his head.

"You choose, Ana." Ana looked down for a long time and then brightened for a moment.

"My daddy's name was Raymond James. I loved him very much. Would that name be okay?"

"Yes, baby, that's a great idea. My family has a piece of land in a cemetery in Seattle where all the Grey's are buried or we could bury Raymond next to your father. Whatever you want, that's what we'll do."

"I want to pick out a nice handmade wooden box for him. There's a carpenter in Wilson's Corner who makes them. It will be special. And I would like him to be with the other Greys because that's who he was."

"I'll arrange everything, Ana. It will be a lovely goodbye for Raymond. I'll see that he gets a nice headstone as well. If you like, we can go to the family cemetery and pick out the plot you want."

Ana nodded her acquiescence to this suggestion as well. Making all these plans would help her deal with her grief…Christian hoped.

CHAPTER 23

Elliot blew through the front door like boulder in a hurricane as Carrick cringed.

"Dad, you should lock the door. What if someone else just barged in here?"

"Son. First, you're the only one who ever barges through that door and secondly, your brother has at least four coverts lurking in the bushes watching for bad guys."

"Carrick," Grace called from the kitchen, "gather the children in the living room."

"Oh, oh," Mia groaned. "The last time Mom "gathered" us, was the time we accidentally set fire to the boat house."

"It's nothing like that," Grace reassured her daughter. "It's just something concerning Christian that your father and I need to share with you."

Elliot sat up straight, looking worried. "What now? Chris didn't try to harm himself, did he?"

"No, Elliot. Christian is physically fine. You remember that period of time when he was rather happy? Well, he was flying his helicopter to Wilson's Corner to visit with that waitress that you met once. They met frequently over a couple of months and then he stopped going. We don't know why.

"However, apparently at some point, Ana became pregnant although she didn't realize it until sometime after they stopped seeing each other," Grace sighed.

Mia burst into a big grin. "I'm gonna be an aunt!"

"No. No, I'm sorry, darling. No. About a week ago, Ana had a pretty serious miscarriage. The baby was a little boy with a heart defect. Ana had severe blood loss and was transferred to Seattle General to save her life. Christian has been at the hospital with her since she woke from a coma. He had to tell her. She took it really hard, as you can imagine."

"Crap. Mom, is there anything we can do?" Elliot asked.

"Yes, there is. They've named the child Raymond James, after Ana's father, and they've arranged for a funeral. We are Raymond's family so Christian would like all of us to attend the service. This was our first grandchild."

At this point, the weight of it all hit Grace and she began to weep. Carrick put his arms around her and Elliot wrapped Mia up in his as she started to cry. Raymond James may have only been 5 months old but he was theirs and it hurt to lose him.

"Mom," Mia sniffled, "what does a baby look like at five months pregnant?"

"He would have looked like a baby, with fingers and toes and even a bit of hair on his head. His head would have been bigger than his body but otherwise, he would be just a little baby…sucking his thumb, waking and sleeping and moving. Ana would have been able to feel him.

"Miscarriages at five months are unusual unless the child has a genetic anomaly or in Raymond's case, a heart defect."

"Mom, have you seen Ana and Christian?" Elliot inquired.

"Yes," Grace replied, her face so sad. "Ana is still quite ill and Christian is, of course, blaming himself for not being with her these last five months. They broke up. He didn't know. Ana didn't inform him."

"Why didn't she tell him? Women have been trying to nail down our billionaire for years. If he'd gotten one knocked up, she would have jumped at the chance to get at his piggy bank," Elliot said.

"Elliot," Carrick warned, "this is not an occasion for crudeness."

"Ana isn't like most women, Elliot. From the little I've learned of her, she is just a kind, uncomplicated girl from the country…raised on a farm, no siblings, took care of her parents. She's never accepted anything more from Christian than his attention. He told me that she's never paid much mind to his facial scars, either."

"Well, now, if she wants, she'll have two siblings," Mia vowed.

CHAPTER 24

Grace rummaged around in the boxes in which she'd been storing the children's baby clothes until she found Mia's christening gown. Mia had been a tiny baby…her birth mother having been a heavy smoker. This gown might be perfect for Raymond…if Ana approved.

Grace held the gown like she would a child and felt her heart ache. Oh, to have been able to hold Raymond James. She pictured his big eyes looking up at her…his little rosebud mouth blowing bubbles…his laugh as she counted his fingers and toes.

She and Carrick had been to see Ana who warmly welcomed them. They, like Christian, were entranced with her stunning blue eyes. They also noted the beautiful dark hair framing her face. She was not a great beauty like so many of the women in Christian's life. His office was filled with them and, at every charity gala, mothers brought their lovely daughters and tried to push them on Christian…even after the accident.

Christian wasn't interested in any of them. He knew what they wanted. When he was an Adonis, it was his body and his money. After he was disfigured, it was his money.

No, Ana was rather plain…just a simple, sweet face. Still, before they met her, Christian had described her as beautiful. That is how he saw her and so, upon meeting her the first time, Grace and Carrick were a bit taken aback. However, she had something that no other girl they'd ever met had…just an open heart, a warm acceptance of everyone.

The nurses and doctors had immediately grown fond of her. She would request a wheelchair so that she could visit other patients. One time they found her holding the hand of a shriveled old man, singing softly to him. She was the only person with him when he died.

Only with Christian did she talk about their loss. With everyone else, she wanted to know about their lives. She was endlessly patient with the nurse who'd just had her heart broken. Ana made her laugh.

The more time one spent with Ana, the more one realized that she was, indeed, a beauty like none other.

CHAPTER 25

Ana and Christian had been sitting in silence, lost in their thoughts. Then Ana asked the question that Christian had been dreading.

"Christian, why did you leave me?"

As much as he'd thought about it, Christian had never been able to form sentences that made sense to him. Perhaps it was because leaving Ana had made no sense.

"What did I do wrong? I know that I don't know how to please a man. I'm sure that all the other women in your life were experienced and skilled. Was that it? Was I just boring, disappointing?"

This question was easy for Christian to answer. He smiled at Ana. "I've never had a better lover than you, honey. I've had a lot of sex…satisfying yet mechanical. The women were experienced, yes…but what they gave me was nothing like you gave me."

"You mean my virginity?"

"No. I didn't know I was your first time until the next morning when I saw the blood on the sheets." The memory pained Christian.

"No, no other woman had ever given me the love you gave me that night. You were the first woman I was with since the accident and I wanted you more than I'd ever wanted a woman in my life."

"You were shaking. Why were you afraid?"

"I wasn't afraid. I don't know quite how to describe what I was feeling. Being with you was so overwhelming. I was so desperate for you. It was as if I'd never before been with a woman. And I wanted to make it good for you."

Ana beamed at him and Christian felt an incredible sense of well-being wash over him.

"I don't know how to explain why I ran that morning. Leaving you warm and sweet in that bed was the hardest thing I've ever done. I was just terrified when I saw the blood and realized...I felt wrong. I felt that I'd done wrong to you. I was afraid to face you. I thought that you'd hate me for my selfishness."

Ana looked confused. "How were you being selfish?"

"You," Christian said softly, his hands caressing her face, "were an innocent. I had been out in the world, ruthlessly building my empire, ruining men and using women. I felt that I had no right to sully you with the ugliness of my soul."

"But, Christian, all those nights we talked in the diner for hours, you told me about building your business and what it took to do so. You told me about all the meaningless sex you'd had. I knew that you had an awful opinion of yourself and I didn't agree."

"Confessing my sins to you did not give me the right to bring you into my life. I didn't want you to actually see the kind of man I am. You deserve a good man…not one as debased as me."

To his shock, Ana burst into laughter and then, taking his face in her hands, kissed him fervently.

"Oh, Christian."

CHAPTER 26

Harry heard the tinkle of the bell and looked up to see Taylor settling into booth #1. He walked out of the kitchen and leaned over the counter.

"What's it like to be so rich that you can fly a helicopter 2 hours to pick up pot roast at a roadside diner?" Harry teased.

Taylor smiled and shrugged. "My wife and Mrs. Grey are now colluding to figure out your recipe. I'm under a lot of pressure."

Harry hooted with laughter. "You know, I never told you that my recipe is actually my grandmother's and probably her mother's. I don't have kids so I'm leaving it to Ana. Don't tell your wife that Ana already knows how to make it. She's three times the cook I am."

"Really. Huh. How come Ana mostly waitresses then?"

"She likes to spend time with the customers…'specially the seniors. They like the attention and sometimes they need help. Ya know, I'd bet my diner that Ana is in half the wills in town."

Now Taylor laughed loudly…something quite unusual for the stern professional. At the moment, however, he didn't have to guard anyone's life so he was more relaxed.

"Well, I'm not telling the boss. I like flying Charlie Tango and stopping by here for dinner and take-out pot roast."

"Comin' right up. Say, did you ever find out what happened…why Charlie crashed?" Harry probed as he put together a plate for Taylor. The place was quiet at this hour and Henny had just one customer so Harry served Taylor and took a seat opposite him.

A dark cloud settled over Taylor's visage. He ate some pot roast, drank some water, and then shook his head.

"We've covered every angle we can think of but come up with nothing. The first crash…the one in the mountains…we figured was maybe some disgruntled ex-employee or someone Grey had outfoxed in a business deal. This second crash, however, is more disturbing."

"How so?" Harry loved a mystery, as anyone who'd ever been in his house would testify. The place was buried in books.

"After the first crash, Grey understood that he needed security. He hired me as chief and I hired the rest of the team. He built his own hangar and we outfitted it with the very latest tech…all the bells and whistles. Charlie Tango is guarded 24/7 by men who've been thoroughly vetted and who are under constant video surveillance. Before every time that Grey takes her up, she is checked head to tail by top and again, thoroughly vetted mechanics. Then Grey goes over her himself."

"Wow. Man, how could anyone possibly get near it to mess with the engines?"

"That, Harry, is what we can't figure and it scares the hell out of me. What also scares me is that we've concluded that it's the same perp." Taylor stopped talking to attend to more important things of the moment…like the cherry pie Henny delivered.

Harry let Taylor eat in peace while he thought about all he'd said. If it was the same person coming after Grey, he'd been carrying a fierce grudge for several years.

"Don't mean to tell you how to do your job, Taylor. I mean, you're the pro…but this person is someone who feels Christian wronged him five years ago."

"Good thinking, Harry, and great pie. I normally don't eat sugar. Have to stay in top shape for the job. You're right. We've gone through everything five years back. We had a lot of suspects, too. Grey was a real son of a bitch back then and he made a lot of business enemies. None panned out, however."

"What about non-business? Maybe just someone eaten up with jealousy. Maybe he took someone's girl?"

"Those people are harder to find. A complete stranger who's just read about Grey in Forbes and hates him for being so successful? An old boyfriend of some woman who's infatuated with Grey? One of hundreds of employees who lost his job when Grey took over the company he'd worked for?

"And now…there's Ana. The perfect target if you want to hurt Grey."

CHAPTER 27

"I want to see him, Christian. Where is he? Can you take me to him, please?"

Ana's pleas tore at Christian's heart. He tried to persuade her that Raymond was just a fetus and seeing him could be very upsetting but Ana was adamant. The doctor told them that the baby would, indeed, look like a baby with arms and legs. The head would be large, out of proportion to the rest of the body, but the parents could see the child if they wished and could handle the sight of their dead child.

Christian had no choice so he lifted Ana out of the bed and into a wheelchair. He dreaded seeing something odd looking…a vision of his son that he would have to carry the rest of his life. Ana, however, was not afraid. She only needed so much to see and hold the child she'd carried for five months and yet, in the end, could not protect.

At Grey's request, the doctor arranged for Raymond to be put into a bassinet and wheeled into a nice room. He did not want Ana to have to watch a technician open a drawer in the morgue to view her son.

The nurses had wrapped Raymond up in a regular baby blanket with a little cap on his head. To Christian's surprise, his son looked just like a baby…a very tiny baby. Ana asked for Raymond to be handed to her and the nurse complied, lifting Raymond out of the bassinet and settling him in Ana's arms.

Ana did what any mother would do with her newborn. She pulled the blanket back, counted his fingers and toes and kissed his forehead. He had a tiny bit of fuzz on his head…reddish fuzz.

"I'll bet his eyes are gray," Ana smiled up at Christian. He was amazed by her. She was not horrified, looking at this strange creature. He was her baby. She loved him as he was.

"Nurse," Ana asked, "my son died from a defect in his heart. Do you know…was he in pain?"

"No, ma'am. He was still too young. Babies don't have the capacity to feel pain until at least the third trimester. Your son's heart simply stopped and he went to sleep. No pain, I promise."

"Thank you," Ana smiled. "That's good to know, isn't it, Christian?"

Christian nodded as he fought to keep in his tears. He couldn't take his eyes off his son. It was all so real now…so heartbreakingly real. He had been thinking of this miscarriage as Ana's tragedy primarily but now, seeing the baby, it was his as well.

He sat in a chair next to Ana and she shifted the baby into his arms. He gulped hard as he held the little bundle in his arms and stared down into his son's face. He'd never conceived of having children, never wanted them, never knew he could feel such overpowering love. Yet, he knew without question, that he loved this child.

He let the tears fall.

CHAPTER 28

Soon after seeing Raymond, Christian had excused himself to hide in the bathroom for a minute to collect himself. His emotions were intense and he needed to calm down. When he emerged from the bathroom, he found Ana pale and struggling to breathe. A young man in a white coat stood over her, brandishing a clipboard.

"You see, ma'am, by donating your fetus to our research department, you'll be contributing to our knowledge base regarding miscarriages. You could actually help a child make it to term. If you just sign here, the fetus will become the property of the hospital. When we no longer need the remains, they will be cremated and, if you like, we will send the ashes to you in a lovely container. Ma'am?"

The kid was now holding the clipboard right in Ana's face along with a pen…urging her to sign by the X.

Christian grabbed his arm back from Ana's face and quietly ordered him to go and not return. Although his voice was low, the man could see the fury in Christian's eyes. They were almost black. The kid ran for it.

Christian turned to Ana and picked up her up from the chair. He held her against his chest like a child and rocked her as he walked about the room. She was shaking badly and her breathing was uneven. It was some time before she breathed easily.

He laid her down on the bed and noted that her face was paler than ever. He pressed the button for the nurse. The staff had already learned that the patient in room 600 would not tolerate the slightest delay. Rather, the man with the patient. He was frightening to look at and much more so if he was angered. Thus, a nurse appeared immediately. She took Ana's vitals and assured Christian that all was well.

He told her about the incident that had precipitated Ana's collapse and the nurse promised to look into it. No one, she said, should be approaching mothers like Ana to ask for their fetuses. Most of the time, the parents simply expected the hospital to handle matters but five month miscarriages were unusual. Yes, she agreed, Raymond was a real baby.

The nurse's concern and understanding calmed Christian. He thanked her for her help and suddenly she found that he wasn't such a scary guy. She smiled and left him with Ana…remarking that he should call again if Ana needed sedation.

Two days later, Ana was still having nightmares of her baby being dissected in a lab.

Grace and Carrick had invited Ana to come stay with them. Christian accepted on Ana's behalf. She was so traumatized by the research doctor that she had stopped speaking much. She simply stared into space. One of the nurses had taken a picture of Raymond with her phone. Christian would mention this to Ana when she was better and see if she wanted it. He knew that he did. Raymond looked very sweet in the photo.

Ana did 'rouse herself when Grace presented her with Mia's christening gown.

"Mrs. Grey, would it be wrong to christen Raymond even though he died inside of me?"

"No, dear. Raymond is a much loved child. He didn't make it all the way. He was, in effect, stillborn. Twenty weeks or 39…doesn't matter. He was real." The realness of Raymond was a constant theme of those days before his burial. No one dared be so crass as to suggest that he wasn't a real baby. No one, that is, except Grace's friend and neighbor, Elena Lincoln…who was promptly uninvited from the funeral.

Grace and Carrick had made hasty arrangements for a christening in their backyard, using their antique birdbath as a stand-in for a baptismal fount. Reverend Locke agreed that holding the ceremony at the chapel would draw too many paparazzi. Naturally, Christian held his tongue about Elena attending…later wishing he'd objected.

CHAPTER 29

The small backyard ceremony was held the day before the funeral. Mia, skillful at décor, took charge of making the area around the fount look religious. She wrapped a white lacy skirt around the birdbath and set flower-filled pots around with tiny white crosses in them. She put out an intimate lunch…which no one wanted to eat.

Reverend Locke was careful to do no more than briefly and gently touch holy water drops on Raymond's head. Henny and Harry stood in as godparents. Although Raymond had no future to be guided through, Henny and Harry were honored.

After the baptism, Raymond was carefully and lovingly placed in his coffin by Harry. Ana and Christian kissed their son one more time and then held each other tightly as the lid was closed and locked. It was probably the toughest part of saying goodbye. Then the coffin was taken to a discreet funeral home long favored by the Grey's.

As the hearse pulled away from the house, Elena could be heard remarking that it seemed a lot of fuss for a blob of cells that never amounted to anything. Someone alerted Grace who took her friend aside and sternly enlightened her as to Raymond's condition and then kicked her out of the house. Naturally, Elena did not go gracefully.

"Christian," Ana asked, "who is that lady Grace is so mad at? What did she do?"

Christian was grateful that Ana had not heard Elena's crass opinion. "Someone who had no business being here. No one important." He sat on the couch with his arm around Ana's shoulder. He could see that she was overtired. She rested her head against him. Tomorrow the funeral and then…then what?

It was a rare day in Seattle, sunny and balmy. If it had been raining…well, Christian didn't know if he could have handled any more gray in his day. He stood behind Ana's chair at the gravesite, his hands on her shoulders and one of her hands on his.

The whole family was present as well as dozens of people from Wilson's Corner. Harry stood next to Ana, reaching down to hold her other hand. Several people from the Wilson's Corner church choir sang a lullaby before the reverend delivered a kind message of hope. He assured Raymond's family that one day they would be reunited.

Christian wasn't a believer and Ana was agnostic but it was a comforting message for Grace as she stared at the wee wooden casket made by Herbie from Wilson's Corner. It was a beautiful box, polished to a high shine with a cherub painted on the top.

Ana was having a tough time that morning so Christian decided it was best to leave before Raymond was lowered into the ground. It would do Ana no good to watch that.

CHAPTER 30

As they drove away from the Grey family plot, Ana began to talk…rapidly and profusely…thanking Grace for the gown again, for the christening. She thanked Mia several times and Elliot for his kindness. She spoke about what wonderful relatives her son had. She thanked Christian for being so strong for her. She thanked Carrick, Taylor, Sawyer and on and on. She was hyperventilating so much that Grace feared that she would faint. Still, Ana couldn't be persuaded to calm herself.

Gasping for breath, she went on about all her wonderful friends from Wilson's Corner and how Christian must remind her to thank everyone for coming before they left for home.

Christian promised that he would see to it that everyone understood how much their presence meant to him and Ana. He clasped her close to him, shushing her urgently until she ran out of words. Grace reached from the seat in front and took Ana's pulse. After a few minutes, she said that it was coming down. She was clearly relieved. Ana's body and mind had been through such an ordeal that she couldn't afford to stress it any further.

Ana was still in need of recovery and Grace had already decided that she should do her recovering surrounded by family. Christian would discuss this plan with Ana after Raymond was laid to rest. If she refused, if she insisted on returning to her apartment, he would go with her. She needed looking after. She shouldn't be alone.

When they arrived home, Christian carried Ana to the guestroom and laid her on the bed, covering her with the duvet. He hoped that she would sleep for a long time. He settled himself in a chair to watch over her. She might have another nightmare.

He took out his phone and looked at the picture of his son.

Christian had fallen asleep in the chair by Ana's bed, not realizing that he, too, was stressed and worn out. When he awoke, he saw Ana's bed empty.

"Ana? Are you in the bathroom? Ana?" When he received no reply, he leapt up to search for her. He found her in Carrick's study, sitting at his desk with paper and pen. Carrick was sitting in a chair, watching. Before Christian could speak, Carrick gestured…indicating that his son should follow him out to the kitchen.

"Dad, what's going on? Is Ana all right?"

"Son, I watched your mother go through three miscarriages. They weren't like Ana's, of course. They were much earlier in her pregnancy and, to quote that harridan up the road, they really were just bloody blobs. Still, we were both crushed but especially your mother. I don't think that Grace is "all right" about it to this day. So, no, Ana is not all right.

"You'll have to be patient…with yourself as well. Right now Ana is writing thank-you notes to everyone who attended the christening and funeral. She wandered in while I was going over some papers and asked if I had some paper and a pen that she could use. I sat her down in my chair so I could keep an eye on her. I honestly don't think that she was aware of me after she started writing."

"Who writes anymore? She could have emailed from my laptop."

"She's had a small, simple life in a country town. I don't suppose technology is a big deal in Wilson's Corner. I peeked. She's even writing cursive. If it helps her, let her be."

CHAPTER 31

The "harridan down the road" was steaming…furious with the injustice of it all. She hadn't said anything untoward. Grace had told her that a five-month-old fetus looks like a baby, not a blob of cells. Well, Elena didn't know that. Besides, she snuck a peek at the creature and it still didn't look real to her…more like a doll.

And then to be told to leave…immediately…well. It was embarrassing, even if most of the audience was a bunch of hillbillies. She wasn't allowed to attend the funeral either. For that occasion, there might be paparazzi and pictures in the tabloids. Photos that would not show Elena. All the people important to the Greys would be there so her absence would be noted. She would have to start a rumor that she was ill that day. She couldn't have people thinking that she was no longer part of the Grey's inner circle.

A few days after the funeral, she would have to grovel and apologize to Grace and that country bumpkin. Elena was a good actress and she actually enjoyed manipulating Grace so getting down on her knees would not be the humiliation that Grace thought it was. Grace would forgive her and Elena would again be photographed having her Tuesday lunches with the doyen of Seattle society. Grace didn't read the tabloids, Elena smirked, what with being such a "lady" so she was unaware that their lunches appeared in the Wednesday tabloids every week.

Because of her connection with Grace, Elena's salons drew only the elite of Seattle. Heck, only the elite could afford Elena's inflated prices.

The day after the blob of cells was buried…how ridiculous…Elena would scan the photos for someone she knew and then call…her voice rough from coughing…and ask about the sad occasion, referring to her great disappointment that she was too ill to attend, to be at her best friend's side in her time of need.

It broke my heart to refuse Grace's pleas, she'd say, but I just felt that I couldn't chance infecting anyone else. That poor family has more than enough to deal with without my giving them all…all… Hmm, thought Elena, what should I be suffering from? She googled infections…short term but bad. She came up with Norovirus. That would do. She would say that she had been diagnosed with a virus…Noro something.

Elena smiled to herself. She was, she believed, an exceptionally intelligent person…equal to Christian Grey himself.

Christian Grey, she huffed. Without her tutelage he would be flipping burgers at McDonald's but he'd conveniently forgotten all she'd done for him. Whenever she saw him at galas, she remembered teaching him how to do a bowtie and how to dance…not that he did any dancing at those events. He sat like a lump at his table.

He'd dismissed her from his life years ago without a backward glance …after all they'd meant to each other…after all she'd done for him. Unforgiveable.

CHAPTER 31

Mia felt such affection for Ana even though they'd barely spoken. There was just something about Ana that touched Mia's heart and she felt quite protective of her. She walked into her father's office to find Ana writing and her father reading on the couch.

"Dinnertime, Dad. Ana, are you hungry?" When Ana didn't appear to hear Mia, she walked around the back of the chair and wrapped her arms around Ana. For a moment, Ana didn't react. Then she said a startling thing…"Mama?"

Mia instinctively hugged Ana closer. "No, Ana. It's Mia."

Ana leaned back against Mia and smiled. "My mother hugged me like this one time."

"One time?" Mia asked. Ana sighed. "Yes, mother wasn't a warm sort of person. She believed that expressing affection to a child would make them weak. At least, that's what she said. I always thought it was because she just didn't like me all that much. She'd wanted a son so badly. A strong boy who could take over the farm. Ironically, if she'd had a son, he would have been so busy working the farm that he wouldn't have had time to take care of his mother and mama would have lived out her life in a nursing home."

"You took care of her?" Mia inquired.

"My father encouraged me to follow my dreams so I went to nursing school in Portland. When he became ill, I went home and nursed him until his death. I rented out the land to a neighboring farmer and then took care of my mother until she died."

"Was she grateful?" Carrick asked.

Ana laughed. "No. My mother was never happy with anything in her life. I don't know why. I never met my grandparents and I don't know what happened with my mother except that she married a wonderful man."

Ana grew silent. "I am kind of tired, Mia. I think I'd like something to eat. What's for dinner?"

It was Mia's turn to laugh. "Pot roast. Mom is hoping to wheedle the diner recipe out of you. So, dinner is a big hint. She and Gail have had no luck figuring it out."

"I'm sworn to secrecy until Harry is gone. Even asking him to share would be a violation of my oath."

"Tell Mom that. Maybe she'll concede defeat…again," Mia giggled.

CHAPTER 32

As they left the study, Carrick put an arm around Mia and lingered back a bit to have a quiet word with his daughter.

"You're a snake charmer, darlin'. That is the most Ana has spoken to anyone besides Christian since she arrived here. I also think that that's the first physical affection she's gotten from anyone besides Christian. You have a gift."

"I really like her, Dad. There's just something about her…and not just because she brings out a different side of Christian. I hope he marries her. I really want her to stick around and be my sister."

"Me, too," Carrick admitted.

As Ana approached the dining table, she grew shy and looked for Christian. He was at her side in a moment and guiding her to a chair. Once he'd seated her, he took the chair next to her. He smiled at her and asked her if she'd gotten a lot of her letters written.

"Letters?" She appeared confused. Christian disguised his fear.

"You were writing thank-you letters to all the people who came to Raymond's funeral." Ana simply stared at him for too long a moment before a light came on in her eyes.

"Oh, yes. Yes, I wrote to almost everyone but I'll finish tomorrow. My hand was hurting." She smiled at him and touched his cheek. "Don't worry about me so much, Christian. I'll get better. I will."

Christian didn't notice or care that everyone at the table was watching them. He needed to kiss Ana and so he did. He needed to calm his fears. Kissing Ana soothed him. The others at the table just grinned. Elliot even managed to keep his smart mouth shut.

"Well," Grace announced, "I hope that everyone loves pot roast enough to eat it for the second time this week. It isn't Harry's pot roast but it's edible."

The entire family rolled their eyes at Grace's transparency.

Although Ana was quiet, she did eat which made Christian feel better. He was afraid that she wouldn't have any appetite following Raymond's burial. Their son was truly gone now. Closure didn't feel comforting as Christian had thought it would. In fact, it was the opposite. Now he had to begin really missing his son. He looked at Ana and felt compelled to kiss her temple. She studied him for a moment and seemed to read him so well. She kissed his cheek and told him to eat.

"Ana writes long-hand and in cursive," Carrick informed the family. "Beautiful handwriting, too. I don't think cursive is even being taught in schools anymore. It's becoming a lost art thanks to computers."

For the first time, Ana spoke. "It is still taught in Wilson's Corner. We're too isolated to receive decent internet so people still write letters. My customers will often write little notes to me on their bills and you would be astonished at how well even the elderly still write. Their hands are gnarled with arthritis and they have tremors yet a lifetime of writing long-hand helps them to write just lovely notes to me."

"What do they write to you, Ana?" Elliot actually put down his fork to listen.

"Oh, just sweet little bits to thank me for being a good waitress. Mrs. Lennon always reminds me that she loves me. Just like you buttoned up my coat that night, Christian…I always see that she's buttoned up and her hat is on snugly. It would be great if you could all come to pot roast Thursdays and meet some people. They're quite wonderful."

As everyone else at the table cheered this idea, Christian stayed silent. Ana loved her job and her town. She wouldn't want to move to Seattle.

CHAPTER 34

Although they had been intimate, created a child together and buried that child…together…Christian did not feel that he had any claim on Ana. They were affectionate with each but what if that feeling came from different places? Perhaps Ana was just being the good friend he'd come to know while his emotions were more romantic.

Ana, on the other hand, believed that Christian was just concerned for her health and felt it to be his responsibility to care for her because he'd gotten her pregnant. She didn't know that he was in just as much pain as she was owing to this misunderstanding. And, like Christian, she didn't know how to handle the situation.

Oh, she knew the best way was to sit down for a talk but so soon after the emotional turmoil of losing her son, she doubted she could handle Christian kindly telling her that he did not share her feelings.

And why would he? He was so handsome, so smart and rich as Croesus, she thought to herself. Women must throw themselves at him for one or all of those reasons while she wasn't much to look at and just a dull girl from a small town barely on the map.

She missed their talks at the diner. They were comfortable with each other and made each other laugh. Christian, she'd noticed, was different with other people, even with his family. He didn't say much and always seemed aloof…while with her, he was relaxed and attentive. She assumed that, of late, his attentions were all to do with his feelings of responsibility because he had gotten her pregnant. She imagined him agonizing over his failure to be with her as she miscarried their son.

About that she wasn't wrong, of course, but all that had happened lately had really only drawn him closer to her. He was unsure of the future…only certain that he wanted to be a part of hers. Perhaps, he wondered, they could return to their former friendship? No, that wouldn't do. He didn't want to just sit in their booth and talk. He wanted to lie in bed with her after making love and then talk…preferably that bed would be in his penthouse.

Of one thing he was certain, she was very important to him and he needed her in his life. He would have to bite the bullet and ask her to be his lover.

CHAPTER 35

"Mom, how is Ana physically? She isn't well enough to go home yet, is she?"

Grace smiled. She knew that her son was in love but unable to admit it to himself. She could also tell that Ana had feelings for Christian but she wasn't certain that those feelings were love.

"Well, we'll have to talk to Dr. Hunt but I don't think that she is strong enough as yet to be on her own. She's still quite weak and certainly couldn't handle waitress work. She sleeps a lot which indicates that her body is still healing. Losing the amount of blood that she did will knock the sauce right out of a person. So, we'll see what Dr. Hunt has to say next week at her appointment."

Christian nodded and began to walk away.

"Son, you can talk to me, you know. I can see, everyone can see, that Ana is important to you." Christian looked sheepish.

"I'd like her to stay in Seattle, Mom, but her life is in Wilson's Corner. I spoke with Harry and some of her friends and they all clearly expect her to return when she's well. I suppose that that is what she'll want as well."

"However, you don't know for sure, do you?"

Christian shook his head. "I'm kind of confused, Mom. I don't know what I have to offer her and I can't ask her to stay to wait and see what I want. Mom, she means a lot to me but I know that she can do so much better. My money means nothing to her. She could give a hang that I have a 30 story building, in the middle of downtown, with my name on it. But Ana…Ana is so beautiful and kind and sweet. Harry tells me that guys are hitting on her all the time. If she stuck with me, she'd be settling for less."

"Christian, Ana doesn't see your scars. She sees you and your beautiful heart. True, your money means nothing to her. She's always been independent. But clearly, she wasn't attracted to any man before you. If you want a relationship with Ana, you have to start by being honest with her. Show her your heart."

In the guestroom, Ana was just waking. She looked beside her but, of course, Christian wasn't there. She felt her belly, expecting a bump, but there wasn't anything. She was empty. It had been more than a week since the miscarriage and Ana wondered if she would ever stop touching her stomach, expecting a bump.

This room was beginning to feel familiar and this house as well. It was so different from how she was used to living. A mansion, staff, luxury all around. She hadn't washed a dish even though she offered. Mrs. Grey fussed over her as did Mia. She watched the interplay between mother and daughter…the little kisses, the hugs, the laughter. She couldn't help but envy them. And Christian, never far away from her.

Soon, she would be well enough to return to Wilson's Corner and that should be welcome news…but also unwelcome. Of course, in Wilson's Corner she had friends but they were used to her being strong, to taking care of everyone. At Grey Manor, she was the one being cared for and, to her surprise, she liked it. She liked Carrick fathering her. She liked having a sister in Mia and a brother in Elliot. Grace mothered her and Christian…well, what if he said goodbye and never came to Wilson's Corner again?

He was so lovely to her now but that was just Christian being kind and feeling guilty about Raymond James. As soon as she was completely well, she'd be expected to return to her old life.

When Christian walked into the room, he found Ana curled into her pillow, weeping.

CHAPTER 36

When the doorbell rang, Grace automatically looked out the window for a car that might be familiar. No car. Huh. The location of Grey Manor didn't lend itself to walking up to the house. She knew of only one neighbor close enough…oh, dear.

Sighing, Grace opened the door to gaze upon the face of Elena Lincoln…eyes red from crying, face pale. Grace closed the door behind her as she stepped out onto the porch.

She signaled to Elena to take a seat on the chair next to her. Clutching a handkerchief, Elena lowered herself into the wicker rocker, eyes looking down.

"Elena, you look like you've not slept well." Elena smiled to herself. She was a genius with makeup.

"I haven't slept since the christening…since I was so thoughtless and cruel. I've tried to think why I could have said what I did. I certainly know better from my own experience and yours. I can only think that with my efforts to deal with my pain that I buried my feelings, minimized the importance of what I'd been through. After you ordered me away, I did a lot of thinking and much of the agony of losing my child came back to me."

Elena, of course, had not lost her child. She aborted it as soon as she understood herself to be pregnant. She told her husband, Eric, that she'd had a miscarriage and she put on quite a show of grief. Eric was crushed. He'd long wanted a son and had been pushing Elena to go off her birth control, but watching his wife suffer made him feel protective of her and so prolonged their marriage. He'd been planning to leave her but now he would stay. They could try again, Elena urged. He was pleased that she actually wanted a child and believed her when she said that losing this one made her realize how badly she needed to be a mother.

Elena enjoyed the challenge of manipulating her husband into giving her what she wanted. Eric, as selfish and greedy as his wife, had married her because she was beautiful. He thought himself handsome and believed that together they could produce a strong, good-looking boy to someday inherit his father's timber company. A few years of living with Elena had disabused him of the belief that she was enamored with him and wanted his children. He was tired of waiting for her to agree to having a family and had planned to divorce her. He had a prenup in place and Elena would leave with little besides the contents of her closet and the jewelry she'd often purchased behind his back, arguing that she only wanted to build up his image by being his breathtaking arm candy at all the events they attended.

It was true that he was using her to impress the other attendees, his colleagues and rivals, so he would back down. Now, however, he had a new mistress who ably soothed his anxious ego and Elena's company was grating on him. She understood this and had planned a new scenario to keep her marriage intact. She made a show of throwing her pills down the toilet and seducing Eric. It was fun.

CHAPTER 37

It was also fun sitting on the Grey's front porch, seducing Grace. She was much easier than Eric had been but still, Elena gave it her all…subtly referencing her own heart-wrenching loss all those years ago.

"Maybe if I'd been able to get pregnant again, Eric would have stayed with me," she said with a quavering voice before she dabbed at her eyes. She'd soaked the handkerchief in an irritant before drying it. Now she could induce tears even as she appeared to be drying them. Her own brilliance still impressed her.

"Your handkerchief is too wet to work anymore, Elena," Grace said as she leaned over and gently dried Elena's face with her apron. Elena had once mentioned her miscarriage in passing but, at that time, refused to discuss it further…wanting, she said, to listen to Grace's problem instead. Thus, Grace was touched that Elena would now break down like this…trusting Grace with her story.

Helpfully, Eric had been scornful and verbally abusive toward Elena in public, so Grace felt protective with Elena and impressed with her determination to keep her troubles to herself while encouraging Grace to bare her soul.

"Well, I must say that I was shocked at your comments. It was so unlike you. Now that we've talked, it is completely understandable, my dear. I blame myself," Grace said…as Elena inwardly cackled with glee. "I should have understood that Raymond's christening would bring up ghosts from our past. I, too, was thinking about the babies I lost. I'm sorry, Elena. Please forgive me for my lack of understanding."

Elena had to exert great control to avoid bursting out with laughter. OMG…this was going better than she'd even imagined. Now for the coup de grâce.

"Grace, is the young woman still here? I need to ask for her forgiveness as well," Elena sniffled.

"She is. However, she didn't hear you and I certainly wouldn't tell her so speaking with her would be unnecessary and hurtful. She's in her room, sleeping. Christian went in to check on her. Why don't you come inside for a few minutes and have a glass of water? You're probably dehydrated. You could stumble walking back home."

"You're so kind, Grace. Just let me get myself together. I don't want anyone else to see me like this."

After a moment or two, Elena took a deep breath, smiled brightly and followed Grace into the house. Grace thought her brave and sweet.

CHAPTER 38

Christian laid down behind Ana and wrapped his arms around her, murmuring into her shoulder. After a few minutes, she ceased crying and rolled around to bury her face into his chest. He kissed her forehead.

"Maybe you shouldn't do things like that anymore, Christian," she whispered to him.

"What things?" he asked, seemingly innocent.

"Hugging me, kissing me," Ana answered. Christian pulled back from her a bit.

"You'd rather I didn't touch you, Ana?" he said, trying to hide the disappointment in his voice.

"Aren't you afraid that I'll misunderstand?" Ana wondered. "I might misinterpret your feelings…you know? Think that you have feelings for me that you don't. You've been so kind to me but I don't want to take advantage."

Christian was quiet. He thought about what Ana was saying and wondered if he was misinterpreting what she was saying. It kind of sounded like she had feelings for him but maybe he was just hearing what he wanted to hear.

So, the two of them lay there together, too scared of rejection to speak truthfully. Neither had any experience with love and it showed. Ana loved being held in his arms but he'd pulled away from her…just a bit. Did that mean that she was right? He wanted to pull her closer again but…but? Oh, gosh, did she feel good lying there with him. The words flew out of his mouth before he knew what he was doing.

"Ana, I love you." His chest flooded with fear. He couldn't take it back now.

Ana heard him all right but maybe she was hearing him say that he cared for her. Summoning every bit of courage she could manage, she raised her head and looked up at Christian. He, in turn, summoned all he had in the way of bravery and looked down into her face. They lay frozen in this way until Christian lowered his head just an inch. Then Ana lifted her mouth until they were just a breath apart. Both were still terrified but lust and love won out.

Their lips came together and neither cared if the other was just being kind. Ana moved her arms to grasp Christian. If she was never able to kiss him again, she was going to make this moment count. He felt the same way, using his tongue to push her lips apart. She gladly accepted his tongue in her mouth and they tangled madly together. They began to roll about on the bed…Christian bringing one of his hands around to Ana's breasts.

He hadn't forgotten how soft they were, how desperately he needed to take one in his mouth, to suck on her tender nipples. Ana released her grip on his back to move her arm out of his way. He pushed his tongue deeper into her mouth as he popped the buttons on her shirt and then took hold of one of her bra straps to pull the cup down.

He moved his mouth to her breast and suckled like a starving newborn, nibbling on her hard pebble. Ana ran her hands through his hair, panting hard. Christian managed to unbuckle his belt and unzip his pants. He reached up for one of her hands and freed his mouth to beg Ana to touch him as he pushed his hand down through her panties.

Neither any longer questioned the other's intentions.

CHAPTER 39

Ana delighted in feeling Christian's cock grow larger because of her strokes and he thrilled to the wetness covering his fingers as he drew his hand through her folds. They were so close…so close…

"Christian, is Ana okay?" Grace softly asked through the door.

They frantically pulled their hands back and pulled the duvet up over their bodies…just as Grace stepped into the room.

"Hmm…she's sleeping," Christian whispered, hoping his voice didn't sound as raw as he suspected it did. Ana was trying to hold her breath but she could hear herself still panting.

Grace flipped the switch, turning off the lamp. "Well," she said, "I'll leave you be then. Come out if you get hungry. We're just having dinner."

As Grace shut the door behind her, she muttered to herself, "And next time lock the damn door."

Carrick approached her to ask how Ana was feeling but looking at Grace, he was concerned.

"Are you okay, honey? My gosh, your face is bright red!" Grace put her finger to her lips and shushed him. Then she dragged him into the powder room. Cary caught on and started to roar with laughter before Grace slammed her hand over his mouth.

"Quiet, you doofus!" she whisper yelled at him. Then they fell into each other's arms, trying to laugh without being heard by the rest of the house. Mia and Elliot were in the dining room and Margaret was in the kitchen. Grace and Carrick fell on the floor. "Thank god, I didn't send Mia to get the kids. You know Mia. She would have run into that room and jumped on the bed, hollering that dinner is ready," Grace giggled.

"How bad was it?" Carrick had to know.

"Well, in addition to leaving the door unlocked, they left the light on so…bad. It was quite evident what they were about to do but I think I covered pretty well. Omg."

"Remember that time I caught Elliot in his shower with a girl, their clothes a trail from the door to the bathroom? Geez, if they hadn't been too preoccupied and the water too loud… Oh, Gracie, aren't we too old for this?" Carrick struggled to catch his breath.

"What? Sex in the powder room?" Grace started to climb unto Carrick's lap when Mia and Elliot yelled out that they were hungry so they were going to start eating.

Grace and a very aroused Carrick figured they would just retire early tonight. Carrick helped his wife to her feet and they straightened out their clothing. After checking their faces in the mirror, they emerged and walked into the dining room to have dinner with their two children who didn't suspect a thing because surely people of their parent's years didn't get carried away anymore.

Meanwhile, Christian had deflated and Ana was quickly drying up.

"I suppose that we ought to clean up and have dinner with the 'rents," Christian allowed.

"We could just lock the door," Ana said hopefully.

"You haven't known my sister long, sweetie. She'll be pounding on the door any second, demanding that I share you. She really likes you."

"Christian, I love you, too." Christian reached over her body and turned on the lamp again. He looked into her eyes and knew that she meant it the same way he did. He kissed her tenderly.

"I, unfortunately, don't have to clean up so I'll go out and cut off my sister. You can have the bathroom. I'll tell everyone that you're trying to wake up."

"Okay. Thank goodness, your mother didn't see anything," Ana said, returning his kiss.

CHAPTER 40

Elliot caught on the second he looked up at his brother but Mia was chittering away and oblivious to what was obvious to the rest of her family.

"Where's Ana, Chris? Does she need help? Should I go in?" Mia made to rise from her chair.

"No!" Christian said a little too quickly. "Ana will be joining us in a few minutes. She told us to go ahead without her. Sit down, Mia. Give the poor girl some breathing room."

Mia began to pout. "I didn't know that I was being pushy. I'm sorry."

"No, sis. I'm sorry. Ana likes your company but she was just waking and doesn't want anyone to see her all disheveled. Don't worry. She'll get used to us and won't worry so much about having her hair combed just so. For now, let her take her time."

Mia lightened up and went back to monopolizing the conversation as usual. She had a new crush and wanted to bring him to dinner on Sunday. Grace and Carrick nodded enthusiastically. Mia brought new crushes to dinner every other week and Elliot would bring his latest bed buddy once a month. Their parents had learned to not get attached even though some of these people were quite nice and, especially in the case of Elliot, they really hoped to see the girl again. They never did.

Now, Christian. This was a whole new ballgame…as Elliot would surely put it.

"Cary," Grace said softly to her husband, "I think that my little chat with Christian earlier must have made an impression."

Carrick chuckled. "Oh, my dear, your "little chats" have always made an impression on the children."

Grace playfully nudged his leg under the table. It wasn't true, really. Her talks with Elliot had never penetrated his thick skull. He was just turned 30 and his parents were despairing of him ever finding a wife. However, now that Christian was making progress, maybe the one child they never figured for producing grandchildren would be the one to do so.

"I'm sorry to be so late," Ana said as she came into the room. Christian jumped up to pull out her chair. Ana blushed and Christian put her napkin on her lap. Mia hadn't stopped talking so everyone was able to eat without interruption. Christian noticed that Ana's appetite had improved somewhat.

"Ana, how are you feeling?" Mia kindly asked. It was rare for Mia to be aware of others. She was a sweet but spoiled girl…spoiled by both her parents and her brothers.

"I had a good nap, Mia. I'm feeling stronger, rested. Thank you for asking. Did I hear something about your having a new fella?"

Mia giggled. "I love the way you talk. It's so folksy. Yes, I'm going to ask him to dinner this coming Sunday. You're going to be here still, aren't you?"

Grace answered for Ana. "Ana has a checkup scheduled for next week. We'll have to see what Dr. Hunt has to say."

"I don't want to keep bothering your family, Grace."

"Bothering! Don't be ridiculous. Besides, you birthed my very first grandchild. You're now a part of this family no matter what happens in the future." Grace dabbed at her eyes.

Ana reached over for Grace's hand. "I'd like to visit Raymond's grave soon…to plant flowers. Christian told me that because your plots are private that you don't have to uproot the flowers so that the cemetery workers can mow around the graves easily."

"Yes, we have a company come in to keep the graves tidy. I could show you some of the other family members and tell you some of Raymond's family history. Would you like to see some photo albums?"

"Geez, Mom," Christian moaned. Ana shot him a look. "Yes, Grace. I want to learn as much as possible about Raymond's ancestors."

"Good. And we want to learn about everything on his mother's side as well. Do you have photos at home that we could see?"

And thus, the conversation continued. Christian decided to send Taylor to pick up anything that Ana wanted when he made his next pot roast run.

CHAPTER 41

As planned, Grace and Carrick feigned exhaustion and retired early. It didn't occur to any of their children that their parents had a love life. The two had learned upon adopting Elliot that they could no longer be as loud as they wanted to be. The children often heard them laughing but they never heard them calling out each other's names. They didn't know that their parents were looking forward to an empty nest so they could chase each other around the house again.

After dinner, the "kids" sat in the living room talking. Mia had worn herself out keeping the conversation going before, during and after dinner so she told Ana that she'd see her in the morning for a talk about "Danny". Then it was just the three. Elliot knew that he was torturing Chris by hanging around but he was having too much fun. Finally Ana yawned and excused herself.

"So, Chris. You staying here tonight?"

"Uh, yeah. I want to keep an eye on Ana."

"She seems real comfortable with the rest of the family now. You could probably get back to your penthouse. I'd guess that you'd be more comfortable in your own place."

It didn't take Christian long to catch on to Elliot. "What are you hanging around for, bro? Don't you have early hours? I know you construction guys are up at dawn."

"Yeah, just enjoying my little brother's company. So, what's new, Chris? We haven't talked in a long time. Say, maybe you and Ana could double with me some night?"

Christian guffawed. "You mean that the two of us could help you pick up a new skank. With Ana along, the girl might feel she's safe, eh?"

Elliot leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Well, I figure that since my little bro's got a girl now, he might help me to find one. With Ana along, I could be steered away from skanks…maybe find a nice girl."

"What makes you think that Ana and I are together now? For gosh sakes, El, she just had a terrible miscarriage and we buried our son. Even if we wanted to, we couldn't have sex for a while until Ana heals. Get your mind out of the gutter," he said sourly.

Elliot eyed his brother carefully but didn't argue. "Okay, well, let me walk you out to your car. Isn't Taylor waiting for you?"

"No, I told you I'm staying. I drove myself."

"I'm surprised he let you. He doesn't like his little bird leaving the nest without him."

"He's just being professional. You know I have you covered, too, don't you? My men are spending the night at your construction site as usual to be sure that no one tries to sabotage anything and they'll be there to watch out tomorrow, too. That last billion really brought out the loons."

"I know, Chris. I also know that coverts have been watching our vehicles since we arrived. I just try to not think about why we need them. Did you have to get so disgustingly rich?"

"I work. I work hard and it just keeps coming. I'm as stunned as you are whenever I'm updated as to my fortune. It happens when you grow a company and if you don't keep growing it, it stagnates and people start to lose jobs. You'll see. Now, go home. I'm staying here."

CHAPTER 41

Elena knocked back her third whiskey-neat. A bit in her cups, she wasn't too annoyed when her ex rang her up.

"Hello, Eric, whassup?"

"Did you have to get drunk to apologize to Grace?" Eric snarled.

"No…and since you're curious, my apology tour was a brilliant success."

"Good, best to stay on good terms with the fancy society ladies. And how is your prize pet…still look like a monster?"

"Oh, my, yes. Grace told me that he could have more reconstructive surgery but he's sick of it."

"Delighted to hear it."

"The paps have gotten some good shots," Elena snickered.

"Yes, I know. I'm saving them up. Thinking of framing each one and doing a whole wall as a tribute. Must kill him to look in the mirror."

"Well, since you and your henchmen haven't succeeded, I guess you'll have to hope something else works. Any plans, by the way?" Elena not-so-subtly probed.

"Nothing I'd tell you about, my dear. Now go poison yourself with that alcohol." With that, Eric hung up.

Elena shrugged and then, in a sudden fit of temper, threw her glass across the room and watched it smash against the wall.

Yes, Grace had accepted her apology…believing every sorry word. Yet, she's also "suggested" that Elena not drop by any longer without an invitation. Ana was still fragile and needed as little disturbance as possible.

Elena mused on this "connection" between Christian and the waitress. Men were usually drawn to beautiful women, especially men like Christian. Wealth made men feel entitled to the best in female companionship…certainly men like the once devastatingly handsome Christian Grey. Even though half of his face was now a horror show, wouldn't he still expect the company of stunning women?

But this Ana person…she was nothing special…her face ordinary. Her figure was petite, her eyes plain blue and her hair just brown. Christian had always squired dazzling blondes.

Did he now feel that she was the best he could manage? What a shame, Elena cackled.

CHAPTER 42

Christian lay in Ana's bed, resting his head so that he could stare at her. Careful not to wake her, he traced her face with his fingers. Her eyebrows, down the bridge of her pert nose…smiling at the line of freckles crossing the bridge. The long, thick lashes flowing out from her eyelids…the light rose shade on her cheekbones…her soft pink lips.

His heart swelled with yearning and a feeling he was still too afraid to recognize. He laid back, an arm lying lightly over her and his face buried in her neck. He sighed with contentment.

He did know that he wanted to keep her…how, in what way, he hadn't defined. He knew only that she belonged with him. He needed Ana. He needed her to help him go on without Raymond James…a loss that hung onto his heart. He frequently looked at the picture on his phone and felt an ache like lead weighing on his chest.

He needed her to talk with…like he could talk with no one else. And he needed to touch her and have her touch him. Even before the accident, he hadn't wanted anyone's touch as he did Ana's.

He thought back to that first night with her. He'd been terrified but more than that…there was something more that he couldn't place. Never before had he trembled at a woman's touch. He hadn't been able to stop shivering even after Ana had fallen asleep and he was more satisfied than he'd ever been with a woman. He'd pulled the covers up and held tightly onto the warmest body he'd ever known.

And now, Ana was getting better, physically. She was a strong woman and would soon feel emotionally well enough to be on her own again.

But, Christian? He knew that he couldn't be on his own again, be without Ana again.

CHAPTER 43

"MOM!"

"Elliot!, keep your voice down. I'm the only one up," Grace scolded her eldest. Gosh, he was so loveable, such a sweet boy but oblivious to the size of his voice and his body. In many ways, Elliot was still the six-year old boy they'd adopted 24 years ago.

Oh, in some ways, he'd grown up. He had finished his masters in architecture and begun his own business immediately. He'd worked so hard to build Grey Design and Construction into the multi-million dollar concern it now was. He headed three different charities and donated millions every year. He still lived simply in a small condo and still drove the same F250 he'd had for five years. He was a loving and concerned big brother.

Yet he still arrived early every morning for breakfast with his mother, expected to pick up a lunch packed in a brown bag and turned up for dinner most nights. Grace hinted often that he was a grown man who ought to be married but Elliot was only interested in playing around. It wasn't difficult for a 6' 4" blonde with sparkling green eyes to garner the attention of women, especially when they realized that he was a Grey.

He would tell his parents that marriage wasn't in the cards for him. He was afraid, indeed, that it wasn't in the cards for any of the Grey siblings.

"People want us for the wrong reasons, Mom. Our name, our money…first of all. You've seen the kind of guys that try to latch onto Mia. She's an absolute knockout and then they hear her name and suddenly they're in love. How many times has she been hurt?"

It was true. Mia had grown cynical. She, too, felt that love was out of reach. Grace and Carrick hoped every year that their children would meet someone good at the annual Coping Together Gala but it never happened. And they, too, could see that the boys approaching Mia were shallow. It saddened them to see their children having to lower their expectations.

They had never expected Christian to find love. First, they suspected that he was gay but then came to believe that he was simply asexual. So, to now see him with Ana, a plain waitress from the country…it was rather mind-boggling.

Ana struck Grace and Carrick as quietly intelligent with a kind of special grace about her. She seemed unimpressed by the luxury of Grey Manor and she knew nothing of the prominence of the Grey family. She came from a town where no one was considered prominent…not even the town doctor.

She took no note of Elliot's and Mia's physical beauty but she blushed when she looked at Christian.

Grace and Carrick wondered if their son had actually found true love.

"Chris in Ana's room…again?" Elliot smirked. Grace swatted him with a towel.

"Yes. He worries about her."

"Sure he does, Mom. "Worry", that's what he's feeling," Elliot chuckled as he was swatted again.

"Again, keep your voice down. I think he's confused about his feelings. They're new to him. He hasn't had your…hmmm…experience."

"Don't get me wrong, Mom. I hope that this is it for him. God knows, he deserves a break. These last few years have been really rough. I'd like to stop worrying that he's going to drive his car off a cliff. I just don't want him to, to settle, ya know?"

CHAPTER 44

Grace looked at her son with puzzlement. "What do you mean…settle?" she asked.

Elliot sat on a stool to watch his mother make pancakes. He requested that she put a few of those in his lunch.

Grace stopped her work and studied Elliot. "Answer my question, son."

Reluctantly, because he knew how superficial he sounded, Elliot tried to respond. Grace was not going to let go and his pancakes were burning.

"Well, compare Ana to the women Chris used to bring to the gala. Tall, elegant, drop-dead gorgeous blondes. Look at all the women in his building…the same. Next to those women, Ana is…well…ordinary. A guy wouldn't look at her twice if they passed on the street. Now, don't get me wrong. I really like her but she is nothing special physically. And she's a waitress while Chris is a genius and the sole owner of a multi-billion dollar business that he built from scratch. I mean, what do they talk about anyway?

"I'm sorry to sound so petty, Mom, but it's true. Chris, before the accident, wouldn't have resigned himself to a small town, rather plain waitress. I don't want him to think that he has no right to beautiful, accomplished women anymore because his face is scarred.

"And Ana deserves better, too, than someone who thinks she'll have to do."

Elliot stopped. He felt like crap but it was the truth. A hand gripped his shoulder and he looked up into his father's face.

"I hate to say it, Gracie, but I rather agree with Elliot. We all like Ana quite a lot and we can see that Christian has real feelings for her but I wonder, too, on what those feelings are based."

Grace turned back to her pancakes. She was thinking…her son and husband decided not to interrupt. She was usually the smartest person in the house and so they waited. Both were uncertain and bothered by their thinking and needed guidance.

Grace turned and dished up their breakfast. She was the top ob/gyn in Seattle and revered in her field. Yet she always insisted on making her family's first meal of the day. It was a time to touch base and she needed that connection.

Just then Christian wandered out, half-asleep. He kissed his mother's cheek and smiled happily before snatching a pancake off of Elliot's plate and heading back to Ana's room.

Grace watched him go and then addressed Elliot and Carrick.

"Our boy isn't settling. He's in love…with a wonderful girl," she assured her other boys. Elliot and Carrick looked at each other. They smiled and shrugged.

CHAPTER 45

Taylor had been up for hours. He was used to rising early to accompany Mr. Grey on his run. Lately, Grey had been skipping his morning exercise so Taylor was using the extra time to confer with the security team, which included Welch and Barney. It had been more than five years since Charlie Tango had been sabotaged and a year since the second "accident". Still, they knew little more than they'd learned originally.

The first time someone had broken into the hangar was understandable. The security at that time was a padlock and an elderly guard who slept through the night. However, the second time Charlie Tango had been heavily guarded, video-surveilled and locked down in its very own hangar. Someone had carefully plotted to find a way in…in order to attach a small device that could be remotely triggered to blow the engines. Someone knew exactly when Grey would be using Charlie Tango and his route. They were watching as well to be sure to bring him down in rough terrain.

Taylor and his team had gone over a suspect list a hundred times. All they were sure of is that his assailant's grudge went back at least five years…maybe more. They also knew that this person would not quit trying to kill Grey.

There was something they didn't know…someone they hadn't suspected as yet. Grey had been preoccupied for some time now with Ana Steele but Taylor was going to have to pin him down soon for a long talk. Grey, Taylor was convinced, knew his attacker…maybe even knew him or her quite well.

Perhaps understanding that Ana could now be in great danger would spur Grey on to apply his giant brain to helping Taylor.

As Taylor was thinking about killers, Grey was thinking about how Ana was killing him. She had rolled over in her sleep and cuddled into him. She was so close and Christian was trying to avoid poking her with his erection. He was still unsure about her possible reaction to his obvious need.

He lay, forehead to forehead, with her. Her eyes slowly opened and she sleepily smiled at him. Then she giggled softly. He knew that his face was turning red. Ana reached down through the covers. She was naked. He was naked. She grasped hold of his cock and firmly stroked it, lightly rolling a finger around the tip.

"Would you like me to take you into my mouth, Christian?" she asked.

He gulped and nodded, banging into her forehead. She seemed to take no notice as she pushed back the covers and lowered herself to his abs and then the V below. She loved that V and didn't know that most men didn't have one. Grey had worked hard for that "love line". Ana ran her fingers up and down the V and kissed its point as she gently cupped his scrotum. She would have tried to take it into her mouth but there was too much hair in the way. As he panted, Grey decided that some manscaping was in order. He would love to feel his balls in Ana's mouth.

Ana kissed his little cap and licked off the precum. It didn't taste as good as, say, ice cream but it wasn't bad. Then she drew his cock into her mouth as far as she was able. Christian groaned so she withdrew. She didn't want this to be over too soon. When he'd calmed, she began again…swirling her tongue up and down his cock, sucking as hard as she could…taking him as far back as possible. She gagged but it was all a matter of practice, she knew and she was eager to practice.

Finally, he could hold out no longer…exploding down her throat and biting back a howl of pure joy. He reached down for Ana and pulled her up to his lips.

CHAPTER 46

For several minutes, Christian couldn't get enough of Ana's lips, her tongue, her mouth. He was memorizing all of it and letting Ana do the same with his mouth. Still, gasping for breath, he had to let go, nuzzling her breasts, sucking on her nipples. He couldn't believe how much he wanted her…every part of her. Never had he craved someone as he did this woman. He tried to speak but all that came out was "Ana, Ana".

He wrapped his hand around her head, kissing her hair, her ears, her neck, her cheeks, everything. He began working his way down her body, taking in mouthfuls of her skin as his erection grew harder. Reaching her folds, he felt her hands in his hair, massaging his head as he blew and sucked her clitoris. She began to make noises as his tongue entered her vagina so he reached up with one hand to cover her mouth. She understood. She moved his hand and bit into her pillow.

She came again and again until he could no longer hold back. He pushed into her, reveling in her tightness and her warm cushioning walls hugging his cock. He tried to be gentle but he was too far gone. He pounded into her, biting his own mouth again to silence his grunts and groans. Oh, god, she felt too wonderful to be real.

He'd never felt joy like this, safe and at home inside this woman. He'd never known that it was even possible to feel like this. He'd never before heard any man, even Elliot who'd been inside most of the women in Seattle, express what he was experiencing with Ana. He didn't want to cum. He didn't want this to end…but it did. His world came down to a wondrous, an all-encompassing bliss.

For the first time in his life, Christian Grey felt safe and completely cherished.

He and Ana lay cuddling together late into the morning. Neither could bear to let the other go…but for different reasons. After all the love they'd made, each still feared that it was a one-off.

Ana feared that Christian was just being good to her and he, in his turn, still feared that she felt sorry for him and would be leaving. Both were afraid to speak up and truly reveal themselves.

Even though each had confessed their love, they were still two insecure people who thought the other too good for them and, by love, only meant that the other cared for them.

And so they held on.

There was a soft knock at the door. "Ana, it's Wednesday. You have an appointment with Dr. Hunt in an hour."

"Oh, thank you, Dr. Trevelyan. I'll be out soon," Ana replied. She looked at Christian sadly. "I guess I'll have to get up now."

"May I come with you? I'd like to hear what the doctor has to say."

"Your mother will remember everything if I forget something," Ana reminded him.

"So, you'd rather I didn't come with you?" Christian was obviously disappointed.

"Will you come to the waiting room with me…please? I'd like it if you were there," Ana said hopefully. Christian was very pleased. He kissed her soundly and then hoped out of the bed, leaving Ana to shower and dress.

Unseen by his mother, Christian raced up the stairs to his old room to clean up and change. He looked in the mirror, wondering if he looked different. He'd had a lot of sex in his life but he felt like his time with Ana was a first. The scars were still there, of course, but they seemed paler, less horrific.

Downstairs, Ana was studying herself in the mirror as well. This was the second time they'd made love and Ana thought that she looked different as well. Her face shone. Her eyes were bright. Was she pretty? No. She was imagining it. Still, she wished she was pretty…for Christian.

She'd borrowed clothes from Mia who seemed to have an endless wardrobe. Mia had kindly spent time with Ana choosing outfits that would fit her. Mia had a curvy figure and Ana was smaller so Mia found dresses and pants and shirts that were better for Ana.

Ana walked into the living area in a pale yellow dress that made Christian's eyes light up.

CHAPTER 47

"Sir, perhaps while you're waiting for Ms. Steele, you and I could talk. We have a lot of ground to cover," Taylor pulled Grey aside before he got into the car.

As Grey hesitated, Taylor advised him that they couldn't continue to ignore two assassination attempts.

"Sir, word will soon get out that Ms. Steele is in your life. I suspect that you are being watched and even though the paparazzi weren't present at your son's burial, it is highly likely that others took note."

"You think that they'll come after Ana?" Grey's brow furrowed. It wasn't really a question.

"If they want to hurt you…" Taylor trailed off. Grey gathered his meaning. He nodded his agreement to speak further with Taylor.

In the backseat, Ana sat between Grace and Christian. Christian looked worried…no. Scared. Ana took his hand and he held it, caressing her fingers. For five years, Grey had not cared much about the attempts on his life…a life he felt was basically over. Now, the situation had changed. It wasn't his life. It was Ana's as well. If he didn't concern himself with going on, he certainly did worry about Ana's safety.

The second "accident" was the best thing to ever happen to him as it led him to a country café and a beautiful woman who had become all his happiness. Unfortunately, it had also exposed that woman to murderous saboteurs. Even if he had the strength to send her away from him, she wouldn't be safe. Even if Taylor could shut down this threat, there would always be another.

Christian instantly felt swept up in self-loathing. His striving for success had exposed his family to danger and now the woman he loved faced that same danger. He wasn't worth it. Again, he couldn't help but think that he ought to disappear, fake his death. It seemed the only way to protect everyone.

Taylor glanced in the rearview mirror at his boss's face. After five years, he could read Grey's every expression. He knew that dread on his face. He knew how his mind worked. One of the first things that Taylor had learned about Grey was that although he was arrogant and confident in his work, his ability to earn billions and to wreak ruin on his business enemies…he was paradoxically filled with self-hatred…regarding himself as someone who deserved nothing…certainly not love.

Ana was a lovely person who, Taylor could see, was bringing Grey back to life. Ironically, she could be the death of him as well.

CHAPTER 48

The usual small crowd of paparazzi had gathered around the hospital entrance, hoping to pick up a bit of gossip. Taylor pulled round to the emergency entrance, instead. There were fewer paps there, even though it seemed logical that the more interesting patients…the ones in desperate need… would enter in front. Taylor still didn't get the way the paps thinking went…but then, he supposed that if one were trying to make a living snooping on other people's lives, their thinking wasn't so straight anyway.

For the thousandth time, he had to warn Dr. Trevelyan to stay in the car until he made a visual sweep. For the thousandth time, she huffed and complained. He ignored her and did his check, expecting nothing as usual. Except. He caught a glint out of the corner of his eye. Why would a photographer be hiding in the bushes? Instinct made him drop to the ground beside Mrs. Grey's door as the glass of the hospital door shattered next to him. Two more pops. Then silence. In a matter of seconds, it was over.

Taylor looked into the car. The three occupants were fine but appeared baffled. Mrs. Grey rolled down her window to ask Taylor if he was okay. He gruffly ordered her to close her window! Sirens in the distance. Grey would have understood and immediately called police.

Taylor looked toward the glint and then made a dash for those bushes. Three shell casings lay on the ground. Taylor stepped back, not wanting to contaminate the area. He waved a cop car over, introduced himself and asked that they be very careful with the area. The cop nodded. Taylor had such a stern, military way about him that the rookie automatically believed him to be a superior in some way. He called for a forensic team to come to the hospital and told his partner to stay back…wait for the experts. The perp seemed to have fled.

Taylor trotted back to the SUV. Now a large crowd had gathered. The paps were shouting questions…mostly inane.

Hey, Taylor, who's the shooter? Hey, Taylor, who's in the car? Taylor just shook his head in exasperation. He slipped behind the wheel and addressed the stunned passengers.

"Deep breaths, everyone."

"Taylor," Grey began, "anything we can use?" Ana was ashen, in shock. Mrs. Grey was frightened but calm. She'd been through plenty over her years in the various departments of the hospital. Grey was concerned but cool.

"Amateur, sir. Left the shell casings. Forensics will find more, I think. Mrs. Grey?"

"I'm fine, Jason. I'm…sorry that I violated protocol. I didn't mean to make your job harder," she smiled weakly at him.

"Well," Jason smiled, "you do hate protocol. I don't blame you. Heart rate?"

"Okay, but I'm concerned about Ana. Can we get her inside now?"

"Yes, ma'am." Grey had wrapped himself around Ana at the first breaking of the glass. Now he removed his jacket and covered Ana with it as they made a dash for the ER. Grace led them down a hallway and into a windowless room.

Ana still had not spoken and was clinging to Christian. Grace immediately got a cuff on her.

"Ana, dear," she said gently, "your pressure is too high for my comfort. You'll have to lie back and I want you to breathe deeply in and out. Christian, I want to check you as well."

"Mom, I'm fine," Grey protested…all his attention on Ana.

"Ordinarily I would agree but there's an extra element to this misadventure that might cause you more than the usual distress. Arm, please."

Soon satisfied that her son was all right, Dr. Trevelyan turned back to Ana and rewrapped the cuff.

"We're just going to keep this on until your pressure comes down, Ana. Keep breathing." With that, Grace left the room. Dr. Hunt would have to meet them here. She didn't want her patient moving around just now.

Christian held fast to Ana's hand and stroked her forehead, smiling reassuringly down at her as she looked back. His eyes were soothing.

"I'm sorry about all that, Ana. You shouldn't have to deal with that ugly part of my life."

Ana finally spoke. "I take it the car is armored?"

Christian sighed. "Very, very armored. If only I could armor all my loved ones as well."

CHAPTER 49

While Ana was being examined, Taylor and Grey sequestered themselves in another room to speak first with the police and then with each other alone.

"Sir, I have studied this situation as deeply as possible. I am convinced that these assaults are intensely personal. That is to say, I don't believe that this is merely a business grudge. That may be a component but it goes beyond that. I also believe that it goes back further than five years. I have to ask you to be completely honest with me, to go back to the first enemy you ever made. Sir, I must also tell you that I am aware of your personal life before the first attempt."

"What do you mean?" Grey responded nervously.

"Christian," Taylor said, seeking to put Grey at ease. "BDSM is legal and moral and increasingly recognized by society as a legitimate and consensual sexual practice. I have held conversations with a few of your subs who were keen to impress upon me that you were an excellent and fair dominant. They enjoyed their time with you. You have no reason to hide from me and it is possible that your enemy is from that period in your life.

"I'm beseeching you to trust me with the truth. Do you understand, sir? I live with the burden of protecting not only yours but all the lives in the crossfire. I need your help."

For some moments the two men simply stared at each other. It was true that Taylor knew Grey better than anyone but Grey had lived with the shame of BDSM much of his life and habits die hard. He'd also learned to compartmentalize, burying some things inside while letting others out into the light. He'd abandoned sex in all forms five years before this day. And he thought that he could pretend that his past never existed.

"How did you find out?" he glared at Taylor.

"In the process of investigating these crimes, of course. I needed to know everything about you, your business dealings, your family…all in my efforts to find this maniac. Now, sir, your first known enemy."

Grey knew that Taylor was right and, as reluctant as he was to look back, it was necessary to protect Ana. For her, there was no limit to what he'd do.

"I was an insanely angry kid. Half Elliot's size and yet he'd run the other way if I was mad. He could have easily beaten me but he was sweet tempered and I was like a wild boar. Put bullets in me and I'd still eat you alive.

"I beat up a lot of guys at the schools I attended which was why I was expelled so much. I never hit anyone who didn't deserve it. Usually someone who tried to bully me or someone else. I don't remember any of their names but I also don't remember any of them being enraged at me or ever coming after me."

"School records should get me their names. Welch can find those. I assume that you got control of yourself at some point. When was that and why?"

Grey grimaced. "I can tell you precisely when and why but I'd prefer we meet at Escala tonight to continue this discussion. It'll be a long one and now I want to check on Ana. And Taylor, thank you…for everything you do." Taylor merely nodded.

CHAPTER 49

Grace held Ana's hand as Dr. Hunt proceeded with his examination. He gave nothing away as he did a thorough check. Then he removed a pen from his pocket and wrote some notes before looking up with a smile.

"Well, Ana, when you arrived at this hospital three weeks ago, I didn't expect you to live. You surprised me that night and you still surprise me today. You're a strong woman with a determined spirit. I wish I had more patients like you. It's discouraging when they just give up. You had every reason to give up. You lost so much blood you were going into hemorrhagic shock and the transfusions were barely helping. At one point, we really thought we'd lost you. Then, it was as if you just turned on a dime, decided somewhere in your soul that you were going to live. It was amazing."

"I wanted to see my baby," Ana said.

"Wanted to see…hmmm. Well, Harry told us that you were a fighter. He said that you'd come out of the coma and…you did!"

"I've been given a lot of support as well. I've been surrounded by people who care about me. Half of Wilson's Corner came to Raymond's funeral and the Grey family have treated me as their own. Of course, I also have Christian," Ana beamed.

It was at this point that Christian knocked on the door and was granted entrance. Grace graciously noted that she had a couple of patients to see so she left Dr. Hunt alone with Christian and Ana.

"Doctor, how is Ana doing?"

"I'd like to see her again in a month but today she is doing wonderfully. Her red blood cells are replenishing at a decent rate. I think that I'll find at her next exam that she is back to normal. Ana, do you have any questions for me before I go?

Without looking at Christians, Ana spoke forthrightly with the doctor…no hint of embarrassment.

"Yes, I do, Dr. Hunt. I want to have sex with Christian…well, more sex, I mean. I couldn't find a definitive answer online and besides, everyone's body is different. Is it okay if Christian and I have sex?"

While Christian stood, turning red, Dr. Hunt tried to withhold his laughter. When it came to discussing sex, most of his patients were not so at ease.

"I see no reason why you cannot have a healthy sex life, Ana. However, we had better arrange contraception if you do not wish to become pregnant again immediately. We have a couple of options."

"My period starts today, usually in the evening. I'm quite regular and I'm already cramping a bit."

"Excellent. Okay then, how about the shot?"

"Yes, I'd prefer that to the mini-pill. I know that I'd screw up the timing on that."

Christian stood like a stone statue as this exchange took place. He wasn't squeamish about having sex during a woman's period but he'd never before been privy to such a conversation. He'd unconsciously retreated several steps toward the door.

"Just to be on the safe side, it would be good to use a condom for a couple of days. Then you'll be good to go. It's been a pleasure to see you again, Ana, Christian. Good luck to you both and see you in a month."

As Dr. Hunt left the room, Ana looked at Christian's face and burst into laughter.

CHAPTER 50

"Will you be all right for a few minutes? I want to check with Taylor about leaving." Ana nodded and touched her finger to her lips. Christian kissed her sweetly and gazed at her for a moment before closing the door.

"Taylor, is it safe to leave?"

"Yes, sir. Ryan was here to switch vehicles. As per your standing instructions, I've told the dealers to arrange for a new SUV asap. We still have two available."

"Maybe we should have more if people keep shooting at us," Christian scowled. "Let's take Ana back to Grey Manor and then we'll go over to Escala. I assume that you've assigned more coverts to Grey Manor?"

"Yes, sir, and two CPOs to Ms. Steele. Have you discussed this with her as yet?"

"No. I don't know how that's going to go over. Also make discreet inquiries in Wilson's Corner, especially Harry's diner. I want to be sure that they're okay. Someone will have to come back later for my mother. She's staying for a couple of hours."

"Ana, honey, are you ready to go home?" Christian loved calling her "honey". Ana smiled lovingly at him and took his arm. "Yes, I best get into Mia's tampon supply before I ruin your car's upholstery."

Christian just shook his head. He secretly loved this intimacy. He had questions but he knew that Taylor wouldn't appreciate conversations about sex and periods.

"We're going to drop you off and then Taylor and I have some business over at Escala."

"Can't I come? I want to see where you live."

"Soon. Not tonight. Besides, you had quite the day and you need to rest…please? I'll be home as soon as possible because….I'll miss you." Christian confessed. He took her hand as they walked out.

Taylor met them at the doors where workmen were installing new glass. Ana stopped short and looked down and then out and then took a step back. She was clearly frightened. Outside, a large crowd had gathered…some just looky-loos but most paparazzi. Ana was suddenly unsteady on her feet. Christian put an arm around her waist.

"It's funny, Christian." "What is, dear?" The men with the cameras…they all look like bodies with cameras for heads." Christian chuckled. "Yes, yes they do. I never noticed before. I'm going to put my jacket over your head now."

As soon as they were behind tinted glass, Ana asked Christian why he wanted to hide her face from people. There was a hint of hurt in her voice. "Is it because I'm not pretty? I've seen pictures of you in your housekeeper's newspapers. The women are always so beautiful."

"Yes, they were but it was an empty beauty. Nothing in them stirred me. They were just arm-candy for an evening out. For them, it was a chance to get their pictures in the paper with the rich Christian Grey. You and I have shared more over a plate of pancakes.

"As for the jacket, I'm trying to keep your face out of the papers as long as possible…to protect you. Believe me, flashes going off in your face gets old real fast. As it is, this horde will be surrounding the manor gates every day now that they've gotten wind of someone new in my life. Most of this town has always believed that I'm gay. They know now that you're special.

"And by the way, you are so pretty," he said firmly. "You are beautiful, Ana…the most beautiful woman I've ever known."

CHAPTER 51

"Sir, I've given the shooting earlier some thought. I don't think that the perp intended to put a bullet in any of us. I believe that he/she was rather calling attention to us…specifically, Ms. Steele."

Christian paled. "Ana was the target?"

"Not to kill but to draw paparazzi, to highlight her existence. I thought of leaking word that the woman with you was your sister but it wouldn't be believed. The physical difference is too great. No, this person wants everyone to know about Ana. I picked up a copy of the Seattle Nooz from Charley down in the lobby. It was a special edition, extra, hot off the presses…still sticky with ink."

Taylor handed it to Grey. The entire front page was a color picture of Grey protectively escorting a small woman into the emergency entrance. Under his jacket, one could see a yellow dress and a woman's legs in ballet flats. The headlines were predictable and tawdry. The article suggested that Grey had gotten a woman pregnant and was bringing her in for a termination. Or, perhaps, he'd lost his famous temper and gotten rough with a girl.

Grey crushed the paper in one hand while he buried his head in the other. Margaret brought these slimy tabloids into the house every morning. She and Grace sat in the kitchen reading and laughing at all the ridiculousness that the Nooz considered…well, news. It was fun for them. Grey wondered how Ana would feel.

"So, our shooter was just trying to bring more misery into my life. Maybe destroy my relationship with Ana," Grey surmised.

"Yes, sir. I'm sure, also, that he hopes to rattle you into making mistakes. Keep that in mind and stay cool. Now, back to your days as a school yard rabble-rouser. Was there a point where this changed and why?"

Grey sighed and went on to relate his first meeting with his mother's best friend and how they developed a relationship based on BDSM. Taylor took notes but his face remained impassive. He probed for details…learning that Elena cut Grey off from his family and pushed him to plan a grand future that they could share. She clearly saw major potential in the young Grey. She made herself into his closest confidante and encouraged him in his dreams of establishing his own business. She so embedded herself in his life that he double-checked with her every move he made. She'd even chosen his home, the penthouse at a luxurious new building…Escala. He knew that it was too much for one person but she told him that he needed to present a certain persona to the public.

Part of that persona was his public devotion to a woman more than twice his age. Between her friendship with Grace and Christian on her arm at the dining club she'd insisted he buy, Elena had finagled her way into Seattle's high society. It was implied, ever so delicately, that he was her lover. Of course, there were still the gay rumors to confuse matters but Elena had all the cache she needed for a grand reputation.

"I knew that I didn't like that woman," Taylor snarled.

"Neither did I," Christian grimaced, "but by the time I started Grey Enterprises Holdings, she had so much dirt on me that it was just simpler to go along with her. Besides, it was Elena who supplied me with submissives. She had me well and truly by the balls."

CHAPTER 52

"So, what changed? Since you hired me, you'd become a recluse. Mrs. Lincoln rarely came around and when she did, she stayed only a few minutes. What went on in your study?"

"Blackmail," Grey frowned. "Elena dropped by to tell me the same story every month. Her salon chain required an influx of capital. I'd write a check for $100,000 and she left without a thank you. She didn't look directly at me ever. After every operation she'd remark that "they aren't doing much good, are they?"

Taylor sighed. "If you are her piggy-bank, she'd have no motive to kill you." He hated to let Elena go as a suspect.

"Not necessarily. After the fire and half my face melting, I'd no longer any interest in my reputation, in anything. My family gathered round and propped me up. I told Elena that if she wanted to expose me, I would, in turn, expose her. Without me and my mother, she would be ruined. After several surgeries, I gave up and stopped ordering subs from Elena. I later found out that she was referring subs for a substantial fee so my self-imposed exile ended that flow of revenue for her as well."

"And Mrs. Lincoln is back on the list," Taylor said, almost gleefully. "Mrs. Lincoln. Is there a mister? Was that title just part of her image?"

"Oh, there was a mister all right. He caught us fucking in their bed one afternoon when he was supposed to be out-of-town. He threw me across the room and then tossed me out into the driveway. He went back inside and beat the livin' shit out of Elena…really messed her up. At the time I thought that I loved her and I vowed to pay him back."

"And did you?" Taylor's ears perked up.

"Oh, yeah. Eric was a big timber baron. I had no interest in lumber so he didn't see me coming. I bought his company in a hostile takeover. Lincoln lumber was in trouble at the time so I got it for pennies on the dollar. Ruined him. Fucked his wife in his bed and then stole his company and his livelihood. By then, they'd divorced and Eric had taken to the bottle…hard. Last I heard he was dissolute and destitute, living in a cabin up in the woods." Grey grinned at the memory.

Taylor stared at his boss in disbelief. He'd always admired Grey, the kid genius. But, really, how dumb could he be?

Taylor's voice rose as he glared at Grey. "And it never occurred to you that this man might one day seek revenge?!"

Grey's expression was blank for a moment. Then he looked sheepish. "Well, he'd be in his 70's by now. I figured that he was probably dead."

CHAPTER 52

"Youth," Taylor muttered in disgust as he got up to pace the room. "You always think that anyone over 30 is old. Anyone past 60 must be dead or dying.

"Our president is 78, Paul McCartney is 79, the friggin' POPE is 85, running a world-wide church! General George Patton led our troops during WWII…he was 60 and it took an accident and probable poisoning to take him out."

Taylor loomed over Grey, debating whether to smack some sense into the pup.

"Sir, you are no doubt a business genius but sometimes…" Taylor took out his phone. "Welch, I need you to find Eric Lincoln. He owned a lumber company in Seattle some years back. Grey thinks he might be living in a cabin. Yeah…always asap."

Taylor sat down across from Grey, rubbing his hands together. "Did Mrs. Lincoln choose the décor in this place as well?"

"Hmmm…yeah. I needed a bed and a desk. Otherwise I didn't care."

"It shows. This place is butt-ugly. Maybe Ana can give it some warmth. What are your plans regarding her, by the way?"

"I'm hoping that she'll stay in Seattle but I know that everyone she considers family lives in Wilson's Corner. I haven't asked her yet. She does have some healing to do and she has another appointment with Dr. Hunt in a month's time, so… I'd like to take her back next Thursday to visit the diner and get pot roast."

"Right. Well, I'll see to Charlie Tango although it's possible that our guy might switch it up…try to get to you some other way. We can't dismiss any possibility. I've assigned guards to the garage here and we have two men on your parent's roof at all times."

"The roof!?"

"Drones, sir. It doesn't take much expertise to arm a drone."

"You think this guy could drop a bomb on Grey Manor!?"

"He wants you dead, sir. He'll do whatever it takes. We have to be proactive, a step ahead. I have people on your brother's construction sites 24/7 as well. Those workmen installing new glass at the hospital? Tinted and bullet proof. Luckily, no one was in the lobby area when that bullet came through. We're also doing the front entrance. Oh, and the workmen have been vetted. Please get your parents to agree to new windows as well. That waterfront is a danger.

"That sniper today was using a high caliber, the kind of bullet that shreds whatever it hits. We don't want that coming through your parent's patio glass. Sir?"

"My head is buzzing, Jason. I've put so many people in danger. I didn't think. I always felt invincible."

"Christian, don't start with the self-loathing now. I know that it's your go-to when you get overwhelmed but if this Eric guy is our perp, well, you were just a kid, a puppet for a pedophile. Hell, I weren't be surprised if Mrs. Lincoln were in on this, too. If ever a person carried a grudge, it would be Elena Lincoln.

"I think I have enough for now…until Welch gets back to me. Don't despair, Mr. Grey. I won't let anything happen to you or to your…hmm…loved ones. And I'm not the only person who has your back. The whole team is taking this personally. If Eric Lincoln is still alive, he won't make another move without being watched. As of tonight, Mrs. Lincoln is on our watch list, too."

"What a mess," Grey groaned, his head buried in his hands.

"Christian," Taylor said, kneeling down to his boss's level, "nothing you've done has caused this, any of this. You're a victim of people with nefarious intentions. If they hadn't leveled those intentions toward you, they would have found someone else. Ditto the pedophile. It's just the way they are wired. And people are jealous and full of self-pity and blame for everyone else. I've got cabinet drawers filled with letters from whack-jobs. They hate you because of your good-looks, your money…because you showed up at a charity gala with a gorgeous blonde on your arm while they're still living in their parent's basement. Every time there's a picture of you in the Nooz, more letters stream in…angry because you get to be in the paper. There's no end to it and the only way you could have avoided it all is to have been a nobody, working as a clerk.

"And you, Christian, were never meant to be a nobody. You were meant to be a great man who gives jobs to thousands of people and huge sums of money to charity. You've always known this, only you've never thought that you could love someone but you do and it's done you both a world of good.

"Now, let's get you to back to Grey Manor. Ana is probably looking for you."

CHAPTER 53

Grey ruminated on Taylor's speech as he stared out at the darkness outside the car. He'd never heard Taylor talk like that…or certainly that much. Taylor was more a man of the world than Grey could ever be. He'd been through wars, diplomatic missions for the CIA and secret service for the White House. He had earned medals! Grey, in fact, looked up to Taylor and had been flummoxed when the man arrived for an interview for the simple position of bodyguard. He'd been even more amazed when he took the job. His last position had been head of security for the secretary of state!

Grey was 22, a simple millionaire with half his face gone and a dread of leaving his penthouse. He'd been getting threatening letters for a couple of years but, being a kid, he thought that he was invincible. After all, he was brilliant. He'd built a major business from scratch in just three years. He'd learned to bring businessmen three times his age to their knees when they'd dare think they could treat him with disdain. Despite the horrific set-back that was his face, he still knew that the sky was the limit. He was already meeting with architects about building Grey House. And he was also a master dominant in the BDSM world. He'd been beating willing women for almost four years.

"Taylor, I've never heard you say so much. Have you been saving up?" Grey teased.

"Just felt that it was necessary in the moment, sir. You have someone to live for now and it's time."

"Time?" Grey didn't understand.

"You have a lot of fine qualities, sir, but many of them have been lying dormant for, I suspect, all your life. One is your gift for deep love for another person, sir."

"Have you ever been in love, Jason?" Jason with the buzz cut, the black suit and ties, the rigid military posture, and few words…until just recently.

"Yes, sir. Even though it was highly inconvenient during my years traveling the world, I met women who could throw me off my game. I was in love with my ex-wife right up until the moment she moved her grungy boyfriend into the house I'd bought her and tried to have my parental rights taken away on the grounds that my job brought danger into my daughter's life. If it hadn't been for my boss's influence, I would have lost Sophie. He was the one who told me about you…steady job chauffeuring a rich kid around."

"The secretary of state put you onto me?" Grey marveled. Despite his arrogance, Grey had been wowed that Jason had a letter of recommendation from a man in such a position.

"Yes, sir. Your youth and success had been noticed…even in Washington. He didn't realize that working for you would involve me in something that I'd never before known in a job."

"What was that? Helicopter crashes?"

"No, sir. Emotion. I saw your face, your fear. You were just a kid and had just realized that you were vulnerable. We didn't know then that the crash was engineered. I thought that you just couldn't fly very well. You really needed someone to look out for you. Feeling paternal toward you was infuriating but, well, there it was. I couldn't turn away.

"I turned down offers from sheiks and CEOs of conglomerates and a whole pile of rich men who wanted their children driven to school. I've never regretted coming to work for the "boy" as you were then referred to in higher circles. Since then I've tried to keep our relationship purely professional so we will pretend that tonight's revelations are forgotten."

"Understood, sir." Grey replied, with more respect than he'd ever had for anyone.

CHAPTER 55

Carrick watched as Ana made her third round through his study. Grace looked up from her book to see Ana walking through the living room…again. Mia and Elliot stopped their ping pong game as Ana wore a path in the rec-room carpet. Mia opened her mouth and then immediately shut it with a look from Elliot.

Grey Manor was massive and, in her pacing, Ana was covering every inch of the main level's square footage. Everyone, especially Grace, kept an observant eye on her. Ana was pale, the way she got when her blood pressure was climbing. Grace stopped her on her fourth trip through to cuff her and reassure herself that her pressure was within acceptable limits.

Carrick told himself that he was going to call Christian and order him home. As Ana entered his study again, he got up and closed the door, taking her arm and sitting her down on the couch. She looked up at him, a little breathless and slightly teary.

"Ana, dear. I'm going to call Christian, okay?" Carrick asked kindly.

"No! I mean, his meeting is important, he said, and he promised to come home as soon as possible. I believe him and I don't want to interrupt. I don't want to be a bother."

Carrick sat down next to Ana and put a comforting arm around her slender shoulders. She didn't hesitate to rest her head against him.

"Darling girl, the last thing you are to Christian is a bother. I believe that he has finally found his soulmate. You make him happy. As much as we've tried, we've never been able to give him happiness. He's always been so troubled and confused. His first four years with his birth mother left their mark on him…something we could never erase no matter how much we loved him. You broke through. When he was first flying to Wilson's Corner to just have a meal with you and a chat, we could see the difference in him. For days after, he'd be lighter. Heck, he come to dinner just to talk about you. Right up until that last trip when he returned and began isolating himself in the penthouse. We never knew what happened but we knew it had to do with you. All he would say was that he was no good for you."

"But he was. He was wonderful, Carrick. He was my first love and I knew that he'd be my last. I was so thrilled when I realized that I was carrying our child. I didn't want to tell him because he'd left without a word. I knew that he was troubled and I didn't want to add to it. I had faith that one day he'd return…when he was ready."

"But he didn't return…until Harry told him that you were in hospital. Surely, that doesn't sit well with you."

Ana was quiet for a moment. "Another couple of weeks and Raymond might have lived…that's what I told myself until the doctor explained that he had a heart defect. At first I thought I'd miscarried because of the stress…being alone and all, I mean. Still, I couldn't feel anger toward Christian. How can you be angry with someone you love?"

Carrick chuckled. "I've been married to the most wonderful woman for almost 40 years and we piss each other off at least once a week. We make up quickly but we're well aware of each other's faults and triggers. Don't be worried when it first happens with you. It's only natural. Marriage is the most intimate of relationships and you're bound to get on each other's nerves now and again."

"Marriage?" Ana seemed bewildered by the idea.

"Yes. Haven't you thought about it?"

"No. I have an appointment with Dr. Hunt in one month and then I'll be cleared to return to my job at the diner."

Carrick seemed distressed. "Is that what you want, Ana? To leave Christian and Seattle? To live out your life in Wilson's Corner?"

"It's my home. Harry, Henny and Wanda are there."

"Who is Wanda?

"My car."

"Well, uh, Ana. Are you sure that you wouldn't rather stay with the man you love? You do love Christian, don't you?"

"Yes," she replied in a small voice, "but I cannot continue to burden him. He, all of you, have come to feel like family but I can't continue to impose on your kindness. Christian has been so so

good to me. He's treated me with such love but I don't think that he thinks of me as his soulmate, Carrick. He just feels beholden and I don't want that. He's done more than enough to help me through this time.

"I have to set him free now." Ana looked sad. Carrick tried to say something but he was lost.

"I'm home! Ana!" Ana kissed Carrick's cheek and ran for the door. She threw herself into Christian's arms and they kissed fiercely…then grinned madly at each other. He was hungry so Ana pulled him into the kitchen, sat him on a stool at the island and began to make him her famous grilled cheese.

The family was curious about his meeting with Jason but they decided to back off for now. He needed to be with Ana.

She piled a plate with the sandwich, several green vegetables and a fruit cup. While he tried to eat, she peppered him with questions. He tried to answer between bites.

"I'm fine. Life is wonderful. You are wonderful. This is a great sandwich. You look beautiful tonight. Tell me what you did for the past several hours."

"Nothing. Waited for you. Your mother took my blood pressure. It was good. Your dad sat me down for a talk. He's a swell guy. Both of your parents are swell. How's Taylor?"

"Working on our little problem…you know…getting shot at."

"Any progress?"

"Yes. We have a good suspect…maybe. He'd be a little old but Taylor informed me that 70 isn't too old to attempt murder."

"Harry is 74! He has a shotgun. Once, some rough trade came in and frightened the customers. When Harry came out of the back with his gun, they decided to eat elsewhere," Ana giggled.

Christian stabbed unenthusiastically at his greens but the look he got from Ana pushed him into swallowing his broccoli. It was tasty, to his surprise. Ana giggled again at his expression and told him that she smothered the greens in a butter sauce. Real butter, she asserted. They never served the fake stuff at Harry's.

When he finished, he insisted on carrying his plate and utensils to the sink. Ana washed. Christian dried. Grace sat in the living room…smiling at the thought of Christian drying a dish.

As he and Ana walked into the living room and sat closely on the sofa, they were joined by the rest of the family. The group talked of everything except the assaults. There was a lot of laughter, a bit of squabbling between the siblings and a lot of cuddling between Christian and Ana.

CHAPTER 56

"Welch, that was quick…as always. What do you have?"

"Well, Grey is partially right about Lincoln. He is living in a cabin up north. It's pretty rustic up there but he drives his old truck into town fairly often. According to the owner of a local café, he meets up with a group of buddies who are younger than him…say, around 40-50. The owner doesn't like this bunch. Thinks they're up to no good. It appears to him that Lincoln is their boss. They do a lot of nodding while he does a lot of talking."

"What kind of shape is he in?"

"About what you'd expect of a guy in his early 70's who drinks, lives on steak and Doritos and mostly just sits in a recliner all day. He isn't friendly with anyone other than his crew but he gets groceries and occasionally hires a local to do fix-up work…so they've seen how he lives. If he's our guy, he obviously isn't doing the dirty work on his own.

"I've got a couple of men doing infiltration to get info on his buddies. They're a tough crowd so getting in might take some time."

"We're don't have a lot of time, Welch. I've got an itch that's telling me that Lincoln is revving up his efforts to get Grey and now there is Ana to consider. We need to know what these guys are capable of. We do know that at least one of them is good with mechanics and somebody is a dead-eye sniper."

"Well, we have eyes on them. We vetted the owner of the café and he's a good guy. He'd like to see this bunch gone. We got his permission to set up audio-video surveillance at the café and we've set up the same at the cabin. State of the art stuff. He'd have to be military class to detect it.

"Say, what is this girl like, this Ana?"

"Real sweet. Adores Grey. I've got my fingers crossed that this relationship works out. He'd be happy and my job would get easier. Right now, of course, he's kind of terrified for her."

"It's all his fault and he hates himself. That about right?"

"Yep. Ros has been at him to come to the office more and chew up some competitors. That always puts some spirit into him. Well, get back to me with anything."

After he rang off with Welch, he felt a bit more relaxed. No one did surveillance like Welch's buddy, Barney. They should have some answers pretty soon. Meanwhile, he wanted to move back to Escala. It was home. He missed his own bed…and Mrs. Jones.

Getting busy with Ana, Grey didn't think to ask Taylor for updates. With Ana, he forgot about the world outside their bedroom walls. And he marveled again at sex with Ana. She was only lately a virgin but she had no inhibitions and her sex drive matched his. What were the odds? He heard Elliot complain all the time that whatever girl he was seeing was full of energy for the first couple of weeks and then the sex slowed down to once or twice a week. Elliot was a very sexual man, just like Christian, and Christian…during his BDSM days…felt bad for Elliot. He even tried to convince him to give BDSM a try but Elliot didn't understand the dominance thing. He couldn't imagine hitting a woman…no matter how badly she wanted it.

Christian, who back then never considered a vanilla life, was relieved that he didn't have to settle. He could let his freak flag fly whenever he wanted and however many times he wanted it. That Ana enjoyed being with him so much and as much as possible blew his mind. How long, he wondered, could this last? Yet, when he thought about it, he knew without a doubt that he would take whatever, however little, he could get with Ana…if it came to that.

CHAPTER 57

They were exhausted after hours of "playing sex" as Ana put it. Lying close and talking, Ana was giggling about something she saw in the backyard that day….squirrels who were chasing each up and down a tree.

"Then one of the squirrels must have gotten tired of being chased so he ran up to me! Sat next to me on the bench and the other squirrel was afraid to come closer so he ran off to do something else."

"Did the squirrel with you stick around?" Christian smiled.

"I talked to him for a bit but then he left. Then I started to worry about you so I went inside and began pacing. I'm sorry, Christian. I've never been the clingy sort but I seem to get nervous when you're gone.

"Did your meeting with Jason help you with your fear?" Ana looked at him with those eyes and for a moment, Christian forgot about everything else. "Christian? You don't mind my asking, do you? Do I talk too much? It's a habit because of my job."

"No. No, you don't talk too much," he grinned. "I was just lost in your ocean blues for a moment. I love your eyes, Ana."

Ana blushed and pushed him to tell her about his meeting with Jason. She saw a cloud pass over his eyes.

"Ana, there are things about me that I've never shared with you…ugly things. I've known that I'd have to reveal everything someday…if I wanted to be truly close to you. All my life I've found it hard to trust that people could love the real me."

"I don't know what these secrets are about, Christian, but I'm certain that nothing you tell me could change my respect for you."

Grey took a deep breath and dove in. He had to trust her, needed to trust her. It would break his heart if he found that he couldn't. He started at the beginning and haltingly moved onto his schoolyard brawls and then, shortly after his 15th birthday, his fatal encounter with Elena Lincoln. The aftermath of that meeting was so very difficult for Christian to confess. How could he expect someone like Ana to begin to grasp BDSM? How could he expect her to forgive him for treating young women the same way that Elena had treated him?

As he rounded the last deadly curve to the crash that ended his practice as a dominant, he realized that Ana had been quiet for some time. She hadn't moved. He suspected that she wanted to push him away but was too kind. He stopped talking, drops of sweat forming on his brow.

After several minutes, Ana looked up at him. "Is that all? You didn't tell me if Mr. Taylor found Eric Lincoln. He sounds like an evil man, a perfect suspect. I'll bet that his ex-wife hates you, too, and probably me if she thinks that I'm after the money she thinks is hers by rights. I don't remember her from Raymond's christening but I'll bet she remembers me all right. Let's set a trap. I know lots of good traps from all the mysteries I've read."

Christian stared at her. Where was the outrage, the disgust? Ana was babbling on about the tapes of Eric's and Elena's and how they should go to the security office at Escala and see if the team had anything yet.

"Ana? Did you hear everything I just said?" Christian asked with wide eyes.

"Yes, of course. I paid close attention. Did you forget something?"

"I had sex with a married woman when I was just 15. I myself was a dominant for several years. Aren't you….I mean, don't you think…?"

"You were the victim of a pedophile but you never victimized anyone. I know who the bad guys are here, Christian. That Lincoln woman has to be brought down and soon. Pedophiles don't quit. Their compulsions overrule every decent feeling they might have ever had. We don't know yet what makes them into such monsters, probably a vicious family cycle, but that doesn't excuse what they do and all the children they damage. Somehow you escaped with your lovely soul intact but who knows how many children Lincoln has harmed since?

"And where there is pedophilia, you have human trafficking.

"Oh, my sweet Christian. You survived so much horror and became such a good man. I don't know how but your soul must be made of angel dust. I'm so proud of you."

Christian was in shock. This woman had amazed him time and time again. He pressed his lips to hers and made love to her with a passionate devotion…a devotion he knew would never change.

CHAPTER 58

Ana awoke, feeling something holding her down. Christian's arm, lying over her chest, his hand tightly griping her. She was surprise to find herself lying on her back, gazing up at the ceiling. Then she remembered her last orgasm and grinned. Gosh, she got lucky. Her first lover and he was gangbusters. Why wouldn't she love playing sex with him? She looked over and studied his face…the scarred half. It didn't bother her in the slightest and never had. Maybe her nursing background had prepared her for physical imperfection. Christian's scars were just part of him, that's all…and to Ana he wasn't damaged. He was perfection in every way.

She wished that she could somehow bring him around to her way of thinking…to just accept himself as he is and not fear "frightening small children" as he put it. Today was a good day for taking a walk in the park. 'Course, Taylor would have something to say about that.

Taylor. That's why she fell asleep on her back. She was thinking…thinking about Elena Lincoln, in particular. Ana had thought back on the hundreds of mysteries she'd read. Surely there was a good story that could help her plot Elena's comeuppance. That woman! What she had done to Ana's man. Ana had held back on her fury while Christian told his story. She didn't want him to see how horrified she was because he'd take it all on him. But his first description of that bewigged bottled blonde bearing down on him with her evil intentions as he stood in her backyard…a 15 year old child who she would go on to abuse and hurt in every possible way…including distancing him from his family…Ana's blood had boiled.

This was her business, her man, her adopted family. If this had happened in Wilson's Corner, she would have gotten her daddy's shotgun out of the basement and gone a'hunting. But this was Seattle. The Greys were anti-gun and a civilized city like this would probably send her to jail for blowing someone's head off. Unless she could think of a way to do it legally. Like self-defense. Ana was certain that a creature like the Lincoln woman had a gun and she would love to shot the woman who'd stolen her prize pet.

While Ana was musing on ways to arrange the self-defense killing of Elena Lincoln, she didn't realize that Christian was awake and watching her. She was thinking…hard. His insecurities were full on this morning, following the awful reveal of last night. Ana was planning how to leave him without hurting him…an impossibility. He wanted to give her an out…to spare her…but all that popped out of his mouth was the opposite.

"Ana, don't leave me," his voice breaking.

"Now why would I leave a gorgeous man with money? I may be a hick but I got some common sense, Grey. Go back to sleep. After how hard you worked on me last night, you need your rest…so you can do it again."

With that, she leaned over and kissed him.

He was tired and he did want to make love to Ana again and again so he closed his eyes and dreamt of holding her.

It was still early but Ana wanted to have a conversation with Taylor. He struck her as the kind of guy who'd have no compulsion about disposing of someone evil in illegal ways, if necessary. Ana, too, was a practical woman, accustomed to doing what needed to be done. She didn't like her nasty-mouthed mother but when that woman needed caretaking, it didn't occur to Ana to abandon her. She just did what needed doing. Many's the time when she would have liked to slam the back of her mother's head with a cast iron skillet but she refrained. At least, Ana was grown then and strong enough to fend off her mother's physical abuse but, boy, that woman still had a mouth on her. Ana took to laughing at all the garbage her mother spewed at her which sent the woman into a forming-at-the-mouth tizzy. She was now helpless and totally dependent on the daughter she despised. A fitting end for the person who tormented both Ana and Ray for so many years.

Ana had always believed in Karma. And Karma was coming for Elena Lincoln.

CHAPTER 59

Something was nuzzling her neck and a hand was kneading her breast which would explain why her genitalia were tingling and feeling wet. Nice wakeup call. She wanted to reciprocate but it would be rude to interrupt a man at his work. So, she lay there, moaning encouragement…like he needed any.

"I love your belly button," he murmured as he rolled the tip of his tongue around and around in it. Ana was giggling madly. Pretty much every part of her was ticklish and Christian knew this. He was merciless. He loved making her giggle. He loved making her laugh. Both of them were serious laughers while they made love. It was never squeeze this, lick that, pump, grunt and go to sleep.

They played until they screamed each other's names. This was no secret to the Grey household. Elliot had planned to stay over one night when he'd had too much of his father's bourbon but he gave up trying to sleep through the love fest in the guest room. His floor was their ceiling and even if he blocked the vents, he could hear every squeal.

Carrick and Grace laughed and offered him ear plugs. No, he said. He'd need at least noise-canceling headphones.

"Well, the guy who mows the lawn has a pair of those out in the shed," Grace offered but Elliot shook his head. He couldn't sleep on a pair of those. He called for an Uber.

"I'd drive you myself, son, but I was keeping up with you…bourbon for bourbon," Carrick explained.

"No. That's okay, Dad. How the hell do you and Mom and Mia get any peace with all that racket going on? Geez, just when it drops down to some groaning and moaning, they start laughing like hyenas. I don't get it. What the hell is so funny?"

"Haven't you ever laughed while…you know?" Grace asked.

"Do you?" Elliot stared at his parents who were, of course, old and probably had sex once a year.

Carrick and Grace looked at each other. Talking about their sex life with their son for whom it was just a hobby…one to which he'd devoted himself since he was 16….was a little embarrassing.

"Yes," Carrick answered simply.

Elliot gaped at him. "What the hell is so damn funny!?"

His parents were blushing now…an especially odd look for his father. "Oh, I don't know, dear," Grace began stumbling over her words. "We're just having a good time and some things seem funny although saying them out loud and out of context, I'm sure that it wouldn't make sense. Cary, remember that time, at the gala, when we met up in the powder room and just could not stop laughing!"

"People were standing outside, knocking on the door, needing the facilities and we were trying to finish and then get cleaned up? God, it was hysterical. The way that line of people looked at us!" Carrick was red in the face, laughing at the memory of fucking his wife in the lavatory. Elliot was more and more appalled.

"How long ago was this?"

Grace pondered a moment, trying to catch her breath. "Let's see, you'd just had a birthday. Yes. Your 25th. So it was five years ago. After that we began renting those posh lavatory trailers to keep people out of our house."

"Five years. That means that you'd been married at least 30 years and you were having sex in the restroom! Oh, I can't listen to any more of this…of you…of them!" he almost shouted pointing down the hall.

"Great. My ride is here. I'll pick up my truck in the morning. Good night. Thanks for dinner." Elliot kissed his mother and hurriedly left for his Uber.

"My parents have rowdy sex," he muttered to the driver who responded in a foreign language and pointed to the GPS for Elliot to enter his address.

Despite listening to his brother and Ana and hearing about his parent's trysts, Elliot had never felt less interested in sex…which would be a disappointment for the pretty blonde waiting for him in his bed.

CHAPTER 60

Ryan was bored. He'd thought that watching Elena Lincoln on the monitor would be a hoot...but she never did anything. She yelled at her housekeeper…who ignored her. She wore a robe and slippers all day. She called her salons and yelled at her employees…who ignored her. She flopped down on that hideous Baroque sofa with whiskey she'd drink straight from the bottle. Eventually, she'd pass out. Sleep the rest of the day. Wake up bellowing at no one and then stumble into her bedroom, turn on the television, lay down and surf the channels for a few hours. Then she'd make a sandwich after which she'd treat Ryan to the sight of her naked body when she removed her robe and crawled until the covers.

Ryan would complain about all this but he'd get no sympathy from Baxter who was tasked with monitoring Eric Lincoln who sat, watched television, drank, pissed in a jar and rarely left his recliner. Occasionally, he would walk with his jar out onto the cabin porch and toss the urine over the railing. Then he'd go into the kitchen, open a jar of cold baked beans and return to his chair.

Both men envied Taylor who assigned Eric Lincoln's outings to himself. In the few days since all the surveillance equipment had been installed in the café, Taylor had listened in on Eric's henchmen although it was often hard to make out what they were saying because they were constantly chewing on something. What he could understand were mostly crude discussions of the waitress, disappointment in their various losing teams…since they'd discovered sports in the bar… and, rarely, complaints about "the boss". Nothing Taylor could use.

He needed one of his two suspects to make a move. All he really had right now was a lead but it seemed to be going nowhere. Then he got a phone call that he didn't need.

"Hi, Mr. Taylor? This is Ana Steele."

"Hello, Ms. Steele. It's just Taylor, ma'am. Is there a problem?"

"No. I want to go for a walk in the park with Christian but he says that you won't allow it. Please, Taylor?" And then she said, "And later, I'd like to find some time alone to discuss ways to eliminate the Elena Lincoln threat. I have some ideas."

Taylor inwardly groaned. He wasn't really surprised to find that Ana had "some ideas". He was surprised that it had taken her so long to turn into Nancy Drew. This was not a woman who sat back and watched. So, now the problem was how to get her to do just that.

"Ms. Steele, I will allow the walk in the park if you can get Mr. Grey to do it. The threat is currently on hold from our observations so as long as you take all your CPOs, you should be fine."

"CPOs?" Ana queried.

"Hasn't Mr. Grey spoken to you yet about close protection officers? The house and all its occupants are surrounded by both CPOs and covert protection officers. You personally have 2…one of whom will go with you whenever you venture out of Grey Manor. Normally, I'm with Mr. Grey but he didn't inform me of any plans to leave the house today."

Silence. Long silence. "Ms. Steele, are you still there?"

"Taylor, are you telling me that whenever I walk out a door, people are watching me?"

Taylor gulped. This was not going well. Grey should have handled this by now. He'd hear about it later for sure.

"Yes, ma'am. Watching all around you mostly for any sign of danger to your person. You are aware that Mr. Grey is in danger from an ongoing threat, right?"

"Yes, but I'm not in danger. Taylor?"

"Your importance to Mr. Grey makes you a target as well. He also has people on his family members and Ros Bailey. Anyone who means a lot to Grey is a target because an injury to you is an injury to him. Understand? You, most of all. If anything should happen to you, I don't think Christian could survive it."

"Do you have an eye on Wilson's Corner, Taylor? I would like that, please." Taylor heard Ana's voice, now small and trembling. It was all too much for her. She'd known that Christian was in danger and even understood that Elena might try to hurt her but somehow it all became so much more real. She felt her courage failing.

"Yes, Ms. Steele. We have two men in Wilson's Corner watching for strange activity, new people moving in, anything suspicious. We even have equipment to spot drones."

The second the word "drone" was out of his mouth, Taylor regretted it. He could hear Ana sniffling.

"I have to go now, Taylor. Thank you for letting us go to the park."

CHAPTER 61

Ana's beautiful blue eyes pleading with him to take her hand and go for a walk in the park was too much for Christian to deny. Taylor assured him that nothing seemed to be going on today so he should go…have something called fun. Christian generally thought of fun as playing sex with Ana. Even his forays out into the Sound on his boat and flying Charlie Tango he thought of more as accomplishments than fun. He hadn't thought of "fun" since he was a child playing in his grandfather's orchard.

Although Ana was insistent on visiting the park, she was rather subdued. Christian wondered about this but decided to let it go for now. Maybe she'd perk up out in the sunshine. The park was a distance from Grey Manor so one of the security team drove them…Ana reflecting on the last time she was in one of Christian's bullet-proof, tinted window SUVs. Christian held her hand as she looked out the window. It was nice to see a bit of Seattle…maybe spot a sniper in the next car, Ana thought ruefully.

It was a wonderful park…a lot of green lawn, foliage, benches, water views with ducks and sail boats…and people. Ana glanced surreptitiously at Christian as they strolled along. Yes, people stared. He kept his eyes looking straight ahead. Ana wanted to yell rude things but that, of course, was not the right thing to do.

A small boy was loudly questioning his father about "that man's face". His embarrassed father was desperately trying to quiet him. One of the security guys was about to make his way over to the man when Ana stopped him.

Gripping Christian's hand firmly, Ana knelt down and beaconed the boy over to her. His father looked bewildered but he lost his hold on his son's hand and the little fellow rushed over to Ana. Christian stood stiffly, still grasping Ana's hand, while she squatted down to the kid's height. He couldn't have been more than 4 years old. Ana knew how to talk to children. She asked him his name and introduced herself and Christian. She asked him what he most liked to do in the park and he replied that he loved to feed the ducks. He then waved his father over.

"My daddy has a whole bag of bread. We're gonna go down to the water and throw out the bread. It's really neat," he enthused.

"The second the ducks and the gulls get the scent of the bread, they attack," the father laughed.

"I'm Ed, by the way, and I gather that Will has already introduced himself. It's quite an honor to meet you, Mr. Grey. I hope that we're not disturbing you. My son's comments were impolite."

There was no sign of disgust on Ed's face…just a big smile.

"Nonsense, Ed…and call me Christian, please…Will is just a little guy. Will, do you want to know why my face is different?"

"Yeah!" Will piped up, eyes shining. "It looks like your skin melted. Is that what happened?"

Christian didn't flinch. He smiled and nodded. "Yes, I was burned when my helicopter crashed."

His question satisfied, Will now wanted to know all about Charlie Tango. Ed invited Christian and Ana down to the water to feed the ducks. Christian had never done something like that so he agreed. Ed warned him and Ana to watch where they put their feet because the area was heavily littered with feces.

"Yeah, the birds poop a lot," Will advised as everyone laughed.

As Ana and Will fed the ducks and gulls, Ed asked Christian to sit with him.

"There's a reason that I can't stand or walk long and there's a reason that I can walk at all. You. You're the reason I can walk in the park with my boy." Will smiled at Christian.

Christian looked at Ed puzzled. Ed continued. "You're a philanthropist but you probably don't ever see how much good you've done. You're a real busy guy, partly from raising all the money you give away. I was in Afghanistan, two tours. The first tour was mandatory but once you're in the situation, you develop such a bond with your fellow soldiers and such a love of the people you're trying to protect that…well, it's hard to leave. So, I volunteered for a second tour. I would have done a third, I'm sure, but during the second tour, I was injured when my vehicle ran over an IED. It was bad."

Christian had not interrupted nor had he taken his eyes off of Ed.

"Anyway, the VA did their best, I guess, but the diagnosis was that I was going to be a paraplegic for the rest of my life. I was having a hard time being brave. My wife and I had Will who was born during my second tour and I wondered what kind of father I could be. Then Cheryl got a job here at GEH. Word got around as she got to know her colleagues and one day a boss name of Ros Bailey approached Cheryl and asked to see her in her office.

"Geez," Ed chuckled, " Cheryl was shaking in her boots. She figured that she was getting fired. Ros explained that she knew about me and she'd discussed my issues with her boss. They'd found a doctor doing experimental work on the spine and this doctor asked to see my medical records…x-rays and such. Cheryl called the VA right then and there and asked them to send over everything.

"Three days later I found myself in a hospital, in a surgery, in rehab and two months later, I was walking on my own with just a walker. The first time I walked across the room to my wife, I broke down. It was the first time I just let go of all the heartache and pain.

"Cheryl thanked Ms. Bailey and sent a letter to you but I'm sure that you receive a lot of letters like that. You went above and beyond for me, Christian. You have a champion for life now. I'm always available to you for whatever you need."

CHAPTER 62

Christian was quiet on the way back to Grey Manor while Ana chattered away about Ed and Will and all the other people they'd met.

"You had no idea, did you, that so many people know you and admire you and all the good you do? I'll bet you've never met any of the people you've helped."

"Well, I've gotten awards but that was at big banquets with a lot of society pricks who wanted to "network". Speaking of banquets, did my mother and sister mention our annual gala?"

"Some. Grace told me that your family hosts a big to-do once a year to raise money for charity and Mia was going on about dresses. That girl sure does love fashion," Ana giggled.

"You don't, though, do you?"

"Well, there were no high society events in Wilson's Corner. There was, in fact, no high society. I wore a waitress uniform or a pair of jeans and a sweater. Never had any call for fancier clothes."

"The gala is coming up and I want you to come with me. I haven't gone since the crash. My mother tells me that when word gets out that I'm going to be there, attendance doubles. I think I could go this year as long as you're on my arm. I'd like to invite Ed and Cheryl."

Ana beamed. "Brilliant! Of course, I'd like to come. I'll even know people to talk with and I know, after today, that you can handle any idiots who stare at a few inches of skin. That's all it is, you know. You are a beautiful man. You've always taken my breath away."

Christian felt his heart swell. "I have? Even that first night?"

"Yep. I expected something awful after Henny's reaction but one look at your face and those eyes and that hair and I had to control myself before I went all fan-girl on you."

"I thought that you were just being discreet. Even after we made love the first time, I wondered how you kept yourself from shivering when you looked down at the phantom of the opera between your legs."

Ana laughed. "I wasn't thinking anything when you were down there. It was all feeling…feelings like I'd never had and feelings that were taking me to a place I'd never been. It was the first best night of my life."

"The first?" Christian asked.

"Well, there've been so many since, I've lost count but I'll never forget that night. I've listened to so many women customers complain about their husbands being selfish and boring in bed that I never missed having a sex life. Since that night, however, I've been…hmmm…"

"Insatiable?" Christian offered. "Yes! Absolutely insatiable," Ana beamed up at Christian. Both couldn't wait to get back to their room.

CHAPTER 63

"The gala will be a busy, crowded place. It will be difficult to keep an eye on someone."

"Doesn't matter. Grey will have a covert on every guest and half a dozen on himself."

"All right. Have it your way but for goodness sake, Eric, get. it. done. This has dragged on long enough and I'm getting impatient. He and that bumpkin he brought home are getting closer. Yesterday they went walking in the park! She's got him out in the world with that face and soon he isn't going to care about it anymore or he'll get more surgeries. He owes me! He tossed me away like a used tissue and I want my payback!" Elena screeched in Eric's ear.

"So…release some of those videos and photos to the press. The blowup from that could conceivably ruin him."

Eric had been listening to this rant since he and Elena reconnected after the crash. At first, she was furious with him for sullying her pretty boy's face but then subs still wanted him so she cooled down. She hadn't anticipated that Christian would no longer want the subs. She'd been charging the girls $5000 for a referral and she always advised them that Grey was looking for a long term partner so they should let him know if they developed feelings for him. Of course, they did and of course, he dismissed them. Thus, Elena could sell him again. It was a nice little side gig and it kept Christian in his place…beside Elena. For a short time after he left BDSM, she could still visit him for a $100,000 check but the surgeries wore him out and made him ever more surly until he no longer wanted anything to do with Elena Lincoln.

Depending on the income from her salon chain was a decent living. The mansion that she'd made Eric buy her was paid off as was the Bentley. She had no financial worries but she wanted more. A villa overlooking the ocean somewhere in Europe, society friends, extravagant parties, a chauffeur, jewels…the list was endless. She had skimmed the profits from her salons for years and had a nice little nest egg in the Caymans but it would never be enough for Elena. She was, she knew, an exceptional lady of elegance and distinction. This hick town wasn't suitable for her and she needed to move on while she was still young and beautiful.

"I can't release that material. It's blurry and inconclusive and besides, it incriminates me as well."

"Well, looks like you're stuck until we find the right time and place and method."

"Method?"

"Sure. There are a lot of ways to kill people. A crowded ball room, people brushing by, one of them has a knife or a syringe of poison…"

"The syringe of poison! Eric, that is a great idea. Maybe a slowing moving poison so the guy can get away before Christian realizes that he's not feeling well. Let's do that, yea."

"Still thinking here, Elena. I'd have to find the right person, someone who looks like they belong at a fancy gala. Plus, there'll be coverts everywhere. It won't be as easy as you think to slip in and out again without being caught."

"Stop dragging your sorry ass, get out of that recliner and get this done!" Eric hung up on her and she tossed yet another glass against the wall. Soon, she'd have to use the jelly glasses.

CHAPTER 64

Christian and Ana arrived home to visitors….Elliot, Mia and the new special friends of each. Introductions were made. Mia's boyfriend, Ian, and Elliot's new thing, Kate, had never seen Christian in person…only in pictures, so they were aware of his face. They were prepared, they thought, for the sight they were about to see. They were wrong.

"Darlings, you're home. How was the park?" Grace smiled as she greeted them in the foyer.

"It was great, Mom. We fed ducks and talked to people…a father and his son," Christian grinned.

"Yes, but you have to watch where you walk because ducks poop a lot," Ana related while Christian laughed. "Now, we're hungry. What are you hungry for Christian?" Ana asked, kissing his cheek.

"You know what I'm hungry for, you little minx," he whispered in her hear to set her to giggling.

"Well, you'll have to wait a bit. I'm working on dinner right now. Go on into the living room. Elliot and Mia brought their latest," Grace said and then hesitated. "Will you be all right, son?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'll be fine. Come on, Ana. Let's go scare some people," he chuckled as Ana swatted his arm.

As they stepped into the living room, Elliot stood and embraced his brother, whispering in his ear, "Are you okay with this, bro?" His green eyes were warm and concerned.

"Yeah, Elliot, I am. I had an epiphany today. I'm okay. So, introduce us to your latest victim."

Elliot mock-scowled at Christian and scolded Ana for not teaching him better manners..

"Christian, Ana, this is my girlfriend, Kate Kavanaugh." Kate reached out a hand to both and smiled warmly.

"Kavanaugh? Of Kavanaugh Media, by chance?" Christian asked.

"Yes," Kate laughed, "you and my dad have had a few go-arounds over the years. He both admires you and hates you. And you are wrong about me being Elliot's "latest victim". Actually, he is mine. He is also the last…just doesn't know it yet." Elliot blinked several times.

Kate seemed oblivious to Christian's appearance but Ian was outright gaping at him. Christian reached out his hand again while Ian stood like a statue…staring. Mia nudged him and he came to enough to lock hands with Christian. He said nothing. In fact, for the rest of the evening through dinner and drinks, he did no more than stare while Christian ignored him. Mia both glowered and seemed embarrassed. She wanted to just walk Ian to the door.

Grace served pot roast to everyone's delight. She'd been experimenting with Margaret and the results were getting better all the time. Ana said that she'd have to take a portion "home" with her when she returned to Wilson's Corner. Kate and Ian didn't notice the cloud that passed over the Greys. Christian was quiet the rest of the evening but Ana was talkative. She especially liked Kate. She thought Elliot's girl was spunky.

"I'm spunky, eh?" Kate grinned. "I've been called a lot of things but never spunky."

"Don't people in the big city use that word?" Ana asked.

"Oh, I'm sure they do. It's just that I'm usually called a pain-in-the-ass, a loud mouth, that woman, rude, annoying and so on. People rarely appreciate my personality."

"When I met Kate," Elliot began, "she was interviewing a congressman I'd come to see about the progress we weren't making on sustainable and green building regulations. In this soft but firm voice, she was absolutely shredding the guy as he tried to dodge her questions and toss bullshit…sorry, Mom…at her. I read the article later. I think that he can kiss re-election goodbye. He smiled proudly at his girl.

"Wow. So, you're like an investigative reporter. You dig deep and expose the seamy underbelly of propriety and righteousness," Ana asked earnestly. Christian looked at her with bright gray eyes filled with delight.

Kate answered just as solemnly. "Yes, Ana. To dig out the dirt is my goal. To drill until the pigs squeal." Elliot held back a laugh while Ana simply nodded in understanding.

"Oh, did this congressman squeal?" Ana further inquired.

CHAPTER 65

"Like a stuck pig," Kate smirked. Ana winced.

"I'm sorry, Ana. Did I upset you?" Kate said with concern.

"I like pigs. They're like dogs…smart and loving with individual personalities. They come when called…play fetch…like to nuzzle. They also like to be clean. 'Course, a drove might eat you if you fall down in the middle of them.."

While every else gaped at Ana, Christian smiled. "I love the stuff that comes out of your mouth. You're a hoot." Ana just looked confused.

She looked to Christian and said in a small voice, "Did I say something wrong? Sometimes I feel like such a hick."

Everyone rushed to reassure Ana that they thoroughly enjoyed her conversation. It was just that their familiarity with pigs extended only to honey-glazed hams on Easter.

"Do pigs really eat people?" Mia asked with wide eyes.

Ana then understood and smiled. "Well, we eat them. Seems fair. One of our farmers felt faint and hollered for help just before he fell over and knock himself unconscious. By the time the hired hand got to him, the pigs had eaten half a leg. He's okay now. He should have known better but you can't tell an old farmer anything," Ana said, shaking her head.

"I was in the 4-H for many years but, while I learned a lot, I hated raising an animal just to see it auctioned off. The ribbons I won meant nothing to me. I just liked having my very own piglet or calf to raise. The reality of farming is harsh. The night my mother served up my favorite hen for dinner, I knew that I could never be a farmer."

"Did she know that it was your favorite hen?" Kate gently inquired.

Ana smiled wryly. "Oh, yeah. She waited until I'd finished my dinner before asking me…"Didn't old Betty taste pretty good?" I threw up in the bathroom and got a lecture about toughening up. My mother knew how to hurt me. She told me that if I didn't find a young man to marry and work the farm, she'd start butchering every one of my "pets".

"In the middle of the night, while she slept, my daddy drove me into Portland and next morning enrolled me in nursing school."

Christian already knew most of this but kept silent. The rest of the family kept asking questions and Ana didn't seem to mind answering. It was good for her to get this out, thought Christian.

Except for Ian, everyone had questions about farming. They were all city people, born and raised on the posh side of town and none had ever given a thought to where their food came from.

So, it was good for them as well to learn about the truth of things. Elliot figured his next steak would be hard to get down.

CHAPTER 65

Christian and Ana sighed in unison as they nestled together in their bed. Christian knew that Ana would soon begin talking. He'd never been much of a conversationalist. Except for business discussions, he was pretty much monosyllabic. His "dates" to charity and business dinners in the past found him boring but he was so good-looking and so rich that they tried to overlook the fact that he never contributed much to the topics they introduced.

Ana was the first woman who'd ever gotten him to talk a lot. She asked questions and prodded him to engage. Mostly though, he would do anything for her.

Tonight's conversation was going to be a heavy one…this he somehow sensed. Ana moved from his arms to sit up, cross her legs and arms, ready for a serious war of words, it seemed. Christian tried to steel himself for a conversation that he didn't want to have but his resolve to be strong and firm faded just looking at Ana. She looked adorable. He could only melt and concede.

"Okay, sweetheart, tell me," he smiled at her.

"We play sex a lot but it actually feels like making love. I never get the feeling that you just want an orgasm. In addition, you are extremely affectionate with me. And on at least one occasion you have said that you love me. Whenever the notion of my returning to Wilson's Corner comes up, you visibly blanche…like at dinner tonight…where after you got real quiet and gripped my hand even harder.

"I am coming to a conclusion that perhaps I should not. I need to know the absolute truth of things, Christian. I cannot go on imagining and assuming. What do you feel for me? What do you want of me? What do you wish to happen at this end of this month when I am discharged by Dr. Hunt and am able to return to Wilson's Corner?"

Gosh, she was just so cute, Christian thought. Also, she was naked which was impairing his judgement. All his brain cells had joined his blood in traveling south. Pay attention to what she is asking, he ordered his mind.

"What were the questions again? He asked sheepishly. "I promise that I was paying attention but you're quite distracting."

Ana huffed and reached for a throw on the foot of the bed. She wrapped it around her and starred hard at Christian.

"What do you feel for me"?

"Oh, easy question. I feel a million things for you but primarily I am madly in love with you," he said softly.

Ana took a deep breath but she wasn't yet satisfied. Madly in love could mean anything.

"What do you want of me?"

"Oh, gosh. That's a big question. Hmmm….I want you to love me just as much. I want you to stay with me. I don't want to be without you ever again. I know that your family and friends are back in Wilson's Corner and it is a lot to ask you to give them up…except for visits…but I need you more than they do. I need you with me every single day. I crave your company in any form that I can have it.

"Ana, you are the best thing to ever happen to me and if there is one thing that I am not, it is a fool. I am a brilliant businessman. Thus, I wish to acquire and merge with you."

Ana cocked her head to one side and looked puzzled.

"Ana, I love you so very much. Will you please marry me and stay with me all my life?" Christian got up on his knees and took her hand. He kissed her tenderly and waited. He couldn't breathe. She was gaping at him. All she could say was "huh?"

"I know I don't have much to offer you. I'm not handsome anymore. You don't care about my money. I'm lame in so many way. People are trying to kill us…." Ana touched his lips with her fingers.

"Yes." Tears were rolling down her cheeks. "Yes, it would be my great honor and happiness to live with you for the rest of our lives and to have more of your children."

"Oh, baby," Christian gulped back tears, enfolding Ana in his arms. "Thank you, thank you. I promise that I'll work hard to be a good husband. I'll take good care of you and never stop loving you."

They held fast to each other and rocked back and forth, laughing with joy. Ana began bouncing on the bed until Christian pulled her down.

"I have to be inside of you. I've been hard as a rock since you sat up and I don't have the strength to hold back any longer. You're my home." Ana wrapped her legs around his back and her hands in his hair as he slipped inside of her, groaning with pleasure.

CHAPTER 66

Taylor waited impatiently for Grey in his father's office. Carrick was out for the day and with so many people roaming around making preparations for the annual charity gala, it was hard to find a private spot.

Grey strolled in eventually, obviously in excellent spirits. Taylor hated to bring him down.

"Good morning, Taylor. Quite the madhouse around here, isn't it? Mia is helping Mom a lot more this year and the result is an excess of extravagance. Her enthusiasm is so great that Mom is just saying yes to everything.

"What's with you? You look pretty glum, chum," Grey grinned. Taylor stood up from his seat and pointed to a laptop on Carrick's desk. Grey sat down in his father's chair. He watched a split screen…Eric Lincoln on one side and Elena on the other. He listened to their conversation. His face paled.

"Okay, okay. This is actually good, isn't it? We have them dead to rights conspiring to commit murder, right?" Christian looked so hopeful.

"Not so much, sir. First of all, any decent attorney would get this 'evidence' thrown out due to its being illegally obtained. Remember, we didn't have permission from the authorities to plant all these cameras and recorders…not that we would have gotten it had we asked. Secondly, should we reveal that we have these tapes, we'd be giving away our suspicions."

"THEN WHAT THE FUCKING HELL IS THIS ALL GOOD FOR?" Grey yelled, jumping up from the chair. Now he knew that not one but two people were trying to kill him and worse…Ana. Five years since the initial attempt and the first sign of progress was worthless.

"Well, now we are indeed certain that the Lincolns are the people behind the plots to kill you. We will, of course, maintain constant surveillance and, therefore, they have little chance of success," Taylor tried to reassure Grey.

"Little chance, Taylor? Is that supposed to ease my mind? Just a little chance? What's that, then? 10%...20%?" Taylor saw that his boss was getting a mite hysterical.

"Sir, we know that they expect others to do their dirty work. Eric Lincoln can barely rouse himself to get out of his chair and Mrs. Lincoln gets soused all day. We just have to wait for plans to be made and then stop their hired hands from proceeding with those plans. They really can't make a move without our knowing about it," Taylor asserted.

Grey ran this round his brain and slowly the color returned to his face. What Taylor said did make sense. Ana would be safe as long as the security team watched every step the Lincolns took. He had to get ahold of himself. He didn't want to worry Ana. He somehow had to keep it all to himself.

"You're right. I'm sorry for getting upset with you. You've been doing a good job and, I guess, I'm just on edge. I want to take Ana to this gala and yet I'm afraid to take her out in a crowd…especially one with Elena in it. We have to keep Elena well away from Ana. I don't trust her to wait for Eric's plans. She's nuts. I'm putting Kevlar under Ana's gown."

CHAPTER 67

"Honey, what is this?" Ana looked over the heavy, padded vest that Christian presented to her with a big smile. "It looks like something soldiers wear."

"It isn't all that heavy. Here…give it a try," he urged…helping her slip into it. Then he stood back and apprised. "Perfect…at least for your torso. Maybe I can find something for your head and neck as well."

Ana stared at him dumbfounded. Her brilliant fiancé seemed to have lost his mind. Gently, so as not to mock him, Ana inquired as to the point of wearing this…and where, for that matter.

"At the gala. Under your gown. For protection," he smiled, although Ana's less than thrilled expression was causing him to lose his initial bravado. Trying to hang onto his nerve, he told her that if anyone shot her, the bullet wouldn't get through to her body.

"Do you see?" he asked, almost pleadingly.

Ana, who stood rather stoop shouldered under the weight of the vest, considered how to approach this situation. She decided on brutal honesty.

"No, Christian. This thing will have me on the floor before a bullet does." She shrugged off the vest and rubbed her aching shoulders. Christian sat her down on the edge of the bed and began to massage her neck.

"My darling, I'm only trying to do everything possible to protect you. You are the most important person in my life. You are my greatest treasure."

Christian took a deep breath to calm his anxiety. He didn't want to appear like a lunatic in front of Ana.

"Okay, maybe having you wear Kevlar under your dress is absurd."

Ana sighed, grateful that Christian recognized this. "You forget, Christian, that you are my greatest treasure as well. You are also the Lincolns primary target. I'm just the icing on their crazy cake. Perhaps you ought to wear this vest under your tux."

Christian nodded. Ana was correct, he knew, and he was relieved that sharing the new information about the Lincoln's plotting had not frightened her. She seemed to have trust in Taylor and his team…maybe because she was relatively new to the professionalism, expertise and calm that Taylor exuded. Christian, after 5 years, had come to take his security team for granted. Now he needed them more than ever and yet he'd never felt more vulnerable…mostly because of Ana.

"I need to hold you," Christian said as he pulled Ana into his arms. They lay quietly on the bed for a while until Ana began to talk.

"You know, Christian, I'm really looking forward to this ball that's being thrown by your parents. I've never been to a fancy dance. I went to a couple of country-style dances thrown in Wilson's Corner but we just wore our usual clothes and did line dancing."

"Line dancing? What's that?"

"It's a lot of fun. It's a dance that everyone does together. Maybe I can teach it to you, Mia, Elliot and Kate and then we can show everybody at the ball. I know they'd all like it. And I want you to teach me to dance like you do. Can we do that before the ball, do you think?"

"Sure. 'Course, the only dance I really know is the waltz. Lots of people just foxtrot. I think I'd like to just sway to the music with you in my arms. I've never done that. The women with whom I've deigned to dance wanted to cuddle close but I never wanted that so we waltzed."

"But you want to sway with me?" Ana said, melting a little.

"I wouldn't even need music…just you, clinging to me…" Christian gave Ana a tender kiss on her lips. Secretly he was still wishing that he could find a way to get a Kevlar vest on her…maybe inside a fur wrap.

He had nightmares for the next few nights…scenes of Elena dancing by him and Ana and reaching out with a knife she'd hidden in her gown…scenes of Ana gasping and sinking to the floor, blood bubbling out of her side as she gazed up at Christian in bewilderment.

He'd waken with his head and pillow soaked with sweat, his heart racing madly. He'd lie for some time, trying to catch his breath, trying to be quiet and not awaken Ana. He'd ever so softly roll over, spooning Ana and holding fast to her.

He didn't realize that Ana was awake, tears rolling down her cheeks as she hid her sadness for him. He wouldn't want her to know that she, too, was fearful…afraid of the Lincolns…for she was having similar nightmares. In her dreams, however, it was Christian who was slashed by Elena and it was Ana who lost her dearest love to a madwoman.

It was times like these that Ana fantasized about walking down the road in the blackness of night to Elena Lincoln's mini-manor, breaking in and stabbing Elena in her black heart, so that, like a vampire, she could never rise again to wreak ruin and despair.

CHAPTER 68

Ana didn't want to hide herself from Christian. He thought of her as a woman so sweet of heart and kind of spirt that hurting someone else would be anathema. And, true, that was a side of her but there was another side…one capable, she knew, of being vicious and fierce, especially in the protection of loved ones. She felt that she couldn't let the man who wanted to marry "his angel" know this side of her. Maybe he wouldn't want her any longer. Worse, she would have crushed his illusions and he might never recover.

Thus, she kept her homicidal thoughts of Elena Lincoln to herself…although they were many and so vengeful. There were a couple of people, however, who'd guessed that she could be dangerous if the wrong person stepped in her path.

When Ana had come into Christian's life, Taylor had done his usual vetting of her activities and character. He'd kept his findings to himself although he'd later reluctantly shared with her closest CPO. Ryan was his best and so he'd been assigned to Ana. One of Ryan's talents was his ability to read people, to pick up on the tiniest speck of character.

On returning from a walk one day with Ana, he met with Taylor in the security office they'd established in one of the many spare bedrooms at Grey Manor. He didn't looked concerned so much as intrigued.

"That lovely woman could, I believe, without compunction, blow a hole right through Elena Lincoln's whiskey-soaked brain," he blurted out to Taylor. Taylor already knew this but was startled nonetheless.

"Say what?"

"We took a walk today, as we often do, right past the Lincoln house. For a few minutes, it was as if I wasn't there. Ana stopped and stared at the house. The look in her eyes and the expression on her face….Taylor, we can't ever let her get her hands on a gun or a knife. It may sound crazy, I know, but I whole-heartedly believe that Elena Lincoln is in more danger from Ana than the other way around."

"I know. You're right, Ryan, but we have to keep this to ourselves."

"You knew!?"

"I've known for some time…since Grey began his trips to Wilson's Corner and I felt it prudent to look into Ms. Steele's background. I expected to find zip. A simple waitress in a country diner. What could there be to find? I was surprised," he understated.

Ryan pulled up a chair and with his face in his hands, set his elbows on the desk…like a little boy waiting to hear a great story.

"Ana has killed one person and injured others. Apparently, when she was a child, her father taught her various means of self-protection, including Krav Maga. He was former military and after several stints in combat, he became an instructor in self-defense. Evidently, he was so good that when he tried to retire, he was offered a $100,000 re-signing bonus. When he blithely turned that down, they kept upping the offer but he was dead-set on getting back to the farm and his baby girl."

Ryan was gobsmacked. "She's always described her father as a retired soldier whose heart was in farming."

"Well, he was not a simple man nor a farmer devoted to his crops. He was military through and through but mostly he was a father who wanted the safest, purest upbringing for his daughter. He taught himself to farm. He was the son of a Harvard lawyer and a high society gal. His mother wanted him to stay in Boston but he was a determined man who knew himself. He wanted to fight for his country. He married a girl he met on base. Her name was Carla and she wanted the high life in Boston. She was bitterly disappointed when he dragged her off to Wilson's Corner and the farm he purchased. She cursed the day she gave birth to Ana and she was, at best, a negligent mother and at worst, abusive.

"You've noticed that Ana never refers to her mother."

"Yeah, but she doesn't mention her father much either," Ryan replied.

"She's talked about him to Grey a bit. I think it's painful for her. Anyway, he was devoted to her. He homeschooled her right through high school…didn't feel she could learn anything from the backwards school in Wilson's Corner. Taught her everything…English, science, math. That country girl acquired grades good enough to get into any school in any subject but she chose nursing. And she isn't a simple RN…she had a doctorate by the time she returned to Wilson's Corner to take care of her father.

"She's Dr. Steele!? Good grief, does Grey know this?"

"I don't think that she's told him yet. I think that she enjoys having him think of her as sweet and simple. She's afraid that he'll change his viewpoint.

"Remember, she's killed."

CHAPTER 69

Ryan was trying to take all this information in but Ana…a killer…?

Taylor read his expression. "It was while she was in her first year of college at New York University, one of the best. She and a friend were attacked while walking back from the library late at night. Three thugs saw an opportunity for some fun. They surrounded Ana and her friend.

"According to the police report, Ana's friend was terrified but she described Ana as being cool, almost bored. Ana spoke to the men, advising them that it was in their best interest to get lost. They laughed and came closer. Again, Ana warned them that they were in danger, not the other way around. The men laughed even harder and the biggest of the three "claimed" Ana. Then all hell broke loose.

"As the other two approached Ana's friend, as the friend told the tale, they never got near enough to touch her. Ana made some moves that landed the duo 50 feet away and too dazed to get up. The friend said that it was like they were hit by a car. Then the big one came at Ana. He had no skills beyond his size and muscles and Ana punched and kicked and threw him but he just got angrier and kept coming back at her. He ordered his cohorts to help him and they surrounded Ana. That's when, as Ana told the cops, she felt that she had no other choice but to use lethal force.

"She snapped the guys neck." Ryan's eyes popped out of his head.

"The other men ran. Ana wanted to go after them, to capture them and keep them from attacking someone else but her friend was hysterical so instead Ana sat on the bench with her and comforted her until the campus cops arrived.

"Again, according to the cops, they were stunned as her friend related the story. They didn't believe that a petite woman like Ana fought off three toughs and broke the neck of a man three times her size. They were also stunned that Ana seemed so calm. Here's a bit of the transcript:

"Miss, has your friend here given a good accounting of the events that took place here tonight?"

"Yes, I'd say so. Sara watched the whole time and she was quite brave."

"How are you feeling?" He expected that Ana should be hysterical. Otherwise, maybe she was psychotic.

"I would like some medical care. I believe that I might have a broken rib or two. Nothing serious."

"When," Taylor continued, "they got her to the hospital, she had several cracked ribs, one of which was poking her lung. Her whole body was badly bruised. At one point, someone had tried to strangle her. This was when she snapped the man's neck. Later the other two thugs were taken into custody and they corroborated much of the story."

"Holy shit, Taylor" Ryan could only gasp. "How could our sweet Ana be so blasé about killing a person…even one who was trying to kill her?"

"It wasn't the first or the last time that she'd had to defend herself and/or a friend. I think that she simply adopted her father's attitude that one does what one has to do. This is why I am a little concerned about what she might decide needs doing to protect Christian."

"Does Ana know that you know all this about her?"

"Yes. She's quite intuitive. The day Welch sent me all this information, she sensed something 'off' with me and she pinned me down. It's very hard to divert Ana's attention once she's got the scent."

"Are you planning to tell Mr. Grey?"

"Lord, no. This is strictly Ana's business. I've learned to trust her instincts…especially where Grey is concerned. Maybe, one day, if she feels it's necessary, she'll share more of her past with him."

"Is there more, Taylor? I'm her CPO. Maybe I need to know. Like if she's attacked, I should just get the hell out of her way?" Ryan chuckled.

Taylor grimaced. "You have the same skills she has, Ry. And you're former military. I've no doubt that you could snap someone's neck in defense of Ana and I know you'd feel the same calmness after. No, Ana shouldn't have to fight anymore. Even if she never exhibited any emotions after defending herself and her friend, there may be damage there that we don't see. Let's try to see that her life is peaceful."

"I don't know, Taylor. If you could have seen the look in her eyes as she stared at Elena Lincoln's house…. I swear those sweet blue eyes were ablaze. From what I've seen of her with her customers at the diner and her care of Mr. Grey, there's a mama grizzly inside that sweet exterior."

CHAPTER 70

"Mia, I apologize, but this dress you've chosen for me is…well…too frou-frou and pink for me," Ana sheepishly sighed. Mia had been so excited and now the disappointment showed on her face.

"That's okay, Ana. We'll find something you like. It's just that you're so tiny and delicate that I thought pink would be perfect…but…you know yourself and we'll find something else."

Ana smiled at Mia. She was such a good woman and she was so good to Ana that Ana didn't mind the long 'conversations' about fashion that Mia roped her into. It was a topic that was important to her soon-to-be sister-in-law and so Ana would indulge Mia any time she wished. Besides, despite their lack of things in common, Ana had learned from life in the diner that one could find common ground with almost anyone.

Of course, there were exceptions. Ana had told Christian about a time that some "rough trade" had been chased off by Harry and his shotgun but that wasn't the whole truth. Harry had appeared with his gun…that much was true…but it was after Ana had roughed up the 'rough trade' pretty badly. She'd had to ferry the lot in Wanda over to the clinic and keep an eye on them while Doc Whalen patched them up. Then the sheriff showed them the way out of town.

It wasn't the first time that Ana had gone to battle with the bad guys. Seemed that there were a lot of drifters coming through who needed schooling. There were also a few locals who got drunk and rowdy on the weekends. The sheriff felt no shame in calling on Ana Steele to act as deputy.

"How about this one? The color really brings out your eyes," Mia remarked as she held up a royal blue dress with long sleeves and a sweetheart neckline.

"Oh, that is beautiful, Mia." Mia was delighted and then set about deciding on a hairstyle for Ana…a complicated up-do that would require a can of hairspray and dozens of pins to keep in place. Ana diplomatically agreed that it was a hairdo fit for a princess…however, she'd rather that Christian didn't have to smell all that chemical in her hair and she didn't want to worry all night about the whole thing collapsing. She didn't mention that Christian loved to touch her hair and so she'd rather it wasn't cemented into place.

Again, Mia sighed but agreed. Ana would wear her hair soft and curled and flowing down. Then they were onto jewelry. Ana suspected that Christian was going to give her a velvet box the night of the gala so that, too, was rejected.

Finally, Mia felt that she'd done all she could for Ana's debut into high society. Still, Ana had a lot of questions about what would be expected of her by all these rich people. This, Mia had to think about. It was all second nature to a girl who'd grown up in wealthy circles.

"Well, dancing…"she began. But Christian was teaching her. Ana could see that Mia was disappointed that she couldn't do more for her.

"Mia, I'm going to be ill at ease. I'm comforted that you are going to be around watching out for me. I'm worried that I'll embarrass all of you. You'll catch me if I start to fall?"

Mia's eyes brightened. "Never. You have a natural sense of grace about you and you don't need to worry that I'll ever let you go wrong. I've got your back, Ana. Since Christian agreed to attend the gala, invitations and requests for tickets have sky-rocketed. Of course, a lot of the interest has to do with seeing him in person," Mia said sadly.

"All the ghouls will be out to stare at his face and then sneak off into corners to gloat about his downfall. There has always been a lot of jealousy about his looks and his wealth. People will be coming to the gala just to see the great Christian Grey in disgrace."

"Yes," Ana replied sadly. "I know but he hasn't talked about that as yet. We must do our best to blanket him in love and admiration so that people can see that there has been no ruination. He is much loved and happy. I do wish that he could have a beautiful woman on his arm for the night rather than a plain girl from Podukville. I fear that he'll be mocked for that. They'll say that he can't attract lovely women anymore."

CHAPTER 71

Mia yearned to disagree, to fervently declare that Ana was not plain but she respected Ana too much to offer false reassurance. Ana was many wonderful things but a great beauty? No. The longer Mia knew her the more she saw an glow shining from within. They all did. Elliot had remarked just the other day that he thought that Ana was somehow getting prettier but it was because his affection for her was growing.

The strangers at the gala, the catty trophy wives and the rich old crones who steered their husbands away from the elegant blonde models trooping about…these people wouldn't know Ana. They wouldn't be able to see the glow emanating from her as she looked at Christian. They would think that with his deformed face, he was now having to settle for ordinary women.

Elliot and Mia fiercely loved their brother and found Ana more endearing every day. Yet, it was strange for them to realize that not everyone would feel that same as they did. They were accustomed to standing in the shadow of their perfect sibling…devastatingly handsome, brilliant, staggeringly successful. They were never jealous. They were proud.

Elliot thought his own ability to garner the interest of so many women to be even more of an accomplishment considering his competition. Mia was even cocky about being the sister of two handsome, rich brothers. She herself was an exotic beauty and her vanity was full-blown.

At first, when she understood that Christian was now so hideous to others, she had to fight her own dismay. She was ashamed. A lifetime of belonging to the prominent, gorgeous Greys had not prepared her for whispers and stares, even when she wasn't with Christian…at the salon, the shops…she could feel the rank air, the sour stares, the ghastly gleefulness of the formerly envious all around her. Those who had always burned with resentment toward the Greys and tried to cover it with sticky obsequiousness could now feel superior at the expense of Christian's misfortune.

Sometimes, people would even deliberately allow themselves to be overheard being mock-saddened for "that poor man" or "that poor family". Oh, they wanted the Greys to know how pitiable they now were in the eyes of society.

Grace, Carrick and Elliot held their heads high but it was harder for Mia. All she had, she believed, was her own beauty and it didn't seem to count for anything anymore.

When a store clerk took her black Amex, saw her name and with excessive sympathy asked how all the Greys were doing, Mia just wanted to punch her lights out. The list of places she felt comfortable patronizing was dwindling and she'd begun making more purchases online.

However, since Ana's arrival at Grey Manor, Mia's attitude was beginning to change. She began to see Christian through Ana's eyes and her pride in her brother was returning. In fact, she'd recently returned to one of those expensive shops to purchase a few dresses and she handed over her Amex with pride. When the clerk tsk-tsked at her, Mia feigned confusion. When the clerk explained, a little shaky this time, that she only meant concern over the family troubles, Mia cocked her head to one side and asked "what troubles?" forcing the clerk to continue to explain herself to the point that she was red-faced. When she finally had no choice but to come right out and say that she'd heard about Christian's accident, Mia laughed.

"Goodness, that was ages ago," she grinned, staring closely at the clerk's name badge, "Rhonda. You really ought to upgrade your reading material from the Seattle Nooz."

By now the clerk was looking ill. She checked out Mia's purchases and Mia sailed airily out the door, certain that that clerk would have nothing to say should Mia ever return.

CHAPTER 72

"Kate? Are you going to be able to make it to dinner this Sunday? After the family eats, Mom is going to have a desert buffet for a bunch of her and Dad's friends."

"I've never heard of a desert buffet. What's that all about?"

"I'm not certain but I think there's going to be an announcement…of some sort," Elliot shrugged.

Kate gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Then she jumped up and down, squealing with excitement while Elliot stared at her, baffled.

Elliot had met Kate shortly before Christian brought Ana to recover at Grey Manor. They had met in a bar, one of many where he picked up his weekend bed buddies. He was happy with this lifestyle and had no plans to change his ways. All week long he devoted himself to his company, Grey Design and Construction, without a thought to anything or anyone else. He worked so hard that within five years he was able to repay his brother for the startup money. Now he'd just crossed his first million mark. He had so much work lined up that he needed to train new crews and on-site managers.

He'd walk into a bar and be mobbed by women of all types. He had his choice and he sampled every one of them…tall, short, dark, blonde, thin, chubby…it didn't matter. He just enjoyed sex in all varieties.

When a tall, dark blonde simply walked up and took his hand as he watched the crowd from the bar, he was a little surprised by her boldness but went along with it. He was accustomed to being in charge but up for a brief change. Only the change wasn't brief.

The rest of the night was a blur. He felt like he'd been drugged. He woke up in his own bed…a real no-no…fully dressed. The girl was also fully dressed. It was Saturday morning and he hadn't had sex! First time in a decade.

He crawled out of the bed, feeling strange but not bad. He looked down at the girl. Her makeup was smudged and her hair wildly askew. Still, he thought her beautiful. Maybe he'd gotten too drunk to perform, he thought…wincing. That would be a new one. He racked his brain trying to recall details of the evening but nothing came.

Ah, well…the important thing now was to get this girl up and out of his place. He never brought them back to his condo, never told them his name and rotated bars to avoid running into them again. He showered and dressed…ready to carry the girl out to his truck where he would wake her and get her address before she looked back and got his.

She was gone. No note. No indication of her having been there except for rumpled sheets. He heard an engine, looked out the window and saw a BMW driving away. He should have been relieved, he knew, but found that he was actually disappointed.

All week long, to his chagrin, he thought of her. He told himself that he was just intrigued, that's all…just curious. However, as Friday rolled around again, he found himself right back in the same bar which delighted a lot of women who figured that they had another shot at the tall, blond god. As they swarmed around him, he looked over their heads, searching for a dark blonde head…to no avail.

He began to hit up all the other establishments, fighting off the girls with whom he'd never gone home and those he had who insisted on reminding him of what a good time they'd had together. Although it was not fun, just hard work, he tried again on Saturday night.

At Sunday dinner, he was gloomy much to the surprise of his family with whom he was always fun and great company. He was too embarrassed to admit that he was trying to hunt down a girl. He was the hunted.

And, then, she fell right into his lap. At a bar called Rapture, as he sat at a table staring into his drink, a body landed in his lap. As a hand reached out to help the girl up, she looked over and into Elliot's eyes.

CHAPTER 73

His green eyes met her hazel eyes and she ignored the tugging of her hand by the man with whom she'd been dancing. After a long moment, as a memory appeared, she spoke.

"Ah, damn," she sighed. She pulled her hand from her dancing partner's and put both her arms around Elliot's neck.

"I don't suppose that we could forget this happened?" she asked forlornly. Elliot shook his head.

A large guy leaned over the two and, menacingly, informed Elliot that "Katie" was his. Elliot just continued gazing into her hazel eyes, picking out all the different colors therein. Kate glared at her date and told him to get lost. He told her that she was one mean bitch. She nodded in agreement.

"Be glad you got out in time, Josh. It wouldn't be an easy ride with me. This fellow is going to be sorry he ever met me." Josh stomped off in a fury.

"So, what is your name anyway?" He didn't answer. He just kissed her hard. When they came up for air, she seemed dazed.

"Don't think that is going to save you. If I'm going to give you half a chance, I need all the deets. Talk."

"Elliot Carrick Grey. Yeah, those Greys. I own Grey Design and Construction. I'm 30 and rich and I'm going to be richer. I don't do relationships."

Kate snorted. "I'm Katherine Anne Kavanaugh, daughter of Eamon Kavanaugh, owner of the Kavanaugh Media Empire. I'm a journalist and since writers don't made the big bucks, it's good that you do. I don't do relationships either. However, that is going to change and you will have to get used to it." She leaned in and kissed him passionately.

"You'd better be either good in bed or be willing to pay attention and learn. Understand?"

Elliot grinned. He'd never been more turned on in his entire life. "Yes, ma'am. I am good but I'm always willing to learn new things. Did you fall into my lap on purpose?"

"Don't flatter yourself. Do you dye your hair?" Kate asked, playing with it.

"No, I'm of Scandinavian heritage. How about you? I hate dyed hair on women."

"Too bad. If I should choose to dye my hair in future, you will love it, understand? Meanwhile, I am a natural dark blonde, also called ash blonde. Do you work out a lot?"

"Well, I work construction so my whole day is a workout. How old are you?"

"27…never been married or engaged. Never wanted to be. When a guy gets serious about me, I'm gone."

"Same here. I've never had a girlfriend…just bed buddies."

"Well, that will have to change…understand? Here's how it's going to be. I'll give you my phone number and address. You call and ask me for a date. After a few dates, if I'm not bored with you, we can fuck. If you're decent enough at sex, we'll continue to date. I'll tell you when we're in a relationship and you'll be delighted that we are.

"You should also know that I am a hell of a cook but I'm a slob to the point of being a hoarder. You'll have to do the cleaning. I put things into the washer but if you don't take them out and put them in the dryer, they'll stay in the washer forever. Did I miss anything?

"You can cook! That's great. I'm into organization so I'll clean. I don't fold clothes but I might if I have company or if there's a good game on. How soon can you move in?"

"Patience will be your friend if you're with me. My own parents groan when I walk in the door."

They danced slowly and close for the rest of the evening. Elliot insisted on following her home to be certain that she was safe. She didn't let on that she like being protected. He said that he'd call her tomorrow. He watched her windows until she blinked her lights to let him know that she was okay. Then he drove home in a daze. If she wanted their first date to be at city hall, it was all right with him.

CHAPTER 74

"Katie girl, do you know something I don't know?" Elliot asked while chuckling at her reaction.

"Maybe I do. Maybe I don't," she teased. Elliot chased her around the condo until he caught her in the bedroom and held her down on the bed.

"Talk, woman." Kate didn't reply. She just smiled into his eyes and, unable to help himself, he kissed her deeply. God, he loved her lips…plump and soft. They were always so pink yet he'd never noticed a lipstick on the bathroom counter. And if he put his tongue in her mouth, she used hers to sword play with his until he went mad.

"I thought you wanted me to talk," she taunted him. Her sex drive was as strong as his but she was better at disguising it. Elliot always wanted her so badly that his desire couldn't be denied. He swiftly undressed them both and used his mouth on her everywhere. She moaned and writhed beneath him, trying to deny him her pleasure. It was always a competition with Kate but the longer she knew Elliot, the less she could hold back. He'd made it his personal mission to learn everything about her body. Soon, she was screaming out his name, lost in a universe of intense pleasure.

He knew this and loved it. He loved what he could do to her even more than what she could do to him. And, oh, what she did to him. His soul was no longer his and his heart was gone that first night that she fell into his lap.

They wore each other out so much that sleep was unavoidable. They each had things to do and each of their phones was ringing. People were looking for them.

"Kate, I'm in love with you. Someday I'm going to ask you…no, beg you…to marry me. Please don't break my heart. It's yours and I'll never get it back." Elliot held her tighter. Kate didn't let on that she'd heard every word. Fear gripped her. Elliot had her heart as well and that scared her to death.

The phones started again and the lovers pretended to wake.

"What's yours about?" Elliot asked, rubbing his eyes.

"A deadline. I'll have to go into the office. If I stay here, I'll never get it done. Yours?"

"Client wants to discuss changes. I'll drive you to work and then meet up with this idiot."

"I have a car, you know," Kate snarled.

"I'm aware," Elliot yawned. "However, it's getting late and you know that I don't like you to be out alone. You promise to call when you're ready to come home?"

Kate smiled inwardly. Home. Elliot's condo was now her home as well. "Yeah, I promise."

They showered, dressed and climbed into Elliot's F250. Her little BMW looked like a miniature next to the hulk, as Kate referred to his truck. She hated climbing into it but liked looking down on the other vehicles as they drove along. Plus, it made her feel so safe.

On his dash, Elliot had the corniest of things, a girl in a grass skirt dancing the hula. What a male man, Kate thought as she rolled her eyes. She glanced over at his bulging biceps stretching out the sleeves of his t-shirt. Yes, what a man.

When he pulled up to the entrance of the Kavanaugh building, he put the gear in park and then reached for Kate. He held her fast for a moment and then made her promise to be careful. Most of the employees were gone home by now. Kate knew that there would be many people still working. She wouldn't be alone.

She kissed him sweetly and said that she'd be fine. Elliot watched until she was safely inside.

CHAPTER 74

Kate had kept her secret, snickering as Elliot followed her around begging, then demanding that she tell him. As they pulled up to the gates of Grey manor in the BMW, Kate loved that she was doing the driving because Carrick had had enough of the hulk tearing up his driveway. She punched in the code and the gates smoothly slid back into the tall green hedges. Two heavily armed men greeted them with a nod. This was something Kate still found strange. Men neatly dressed in black suits and black ties with tight grips on military-grade weapons. She knew that there were many more men hidden around the mansion. It was a massive place with a huge main house and two large wings. Elliot had told her that he'd grown up here and that it never seemed all that big to him. His parents bought it because it was the only home available in the school district they wanted.

As Kate tucked her little beamer into a corner of the drive, she noted that they were the first to arrive.

"What did you expect? You insisted we get out of bed and get here early. Still haven't told me why," Elliot whined.

"I just want to be able to properly greet everyone before we're inundated with strange guests. You know how Mia and Grace love hosting. I suppose you and your brother will cloister yourselves in Carrick's study. Please don't get too tight before the others arrive."

"We might not even come out."

"Oh, you'll come out, all right. Can't miss the announcement," Kate winked.

When they walked into the house, they found it decorated to the extreme. Mia, of course. Ana walked right up to them and kissed them both. When Elliot first told Kate that she would love Ana, Kate was doubtful. She rarely liked people. For Elliot's sake, she made an effort and had come to find most of his family tolerable. But Ana. Well, there was no effort and no tolerating. Kate adored her immediately. There was just something about her that made one feel safe and cherished. Only with Elliot did Kate feel such complete acceptance.

Elliot headed off to Carrick's study with one final warning from Kate while she and Ana sat down to talk. Ana always wanted to know about Kate's work and her life. With Ana, Kate held nothing back. She was more open with Ana than with Elliot.

"Are you still working too hard, Kate?" Ana asked.

"I'm afraid so. Nor is my father any more impressed than he's ever been. I hit my deadlines. I write hard news and all the fluff pieces his editor throws at me. Christ, I've even won awards for two series I did."

"Oh, I loved those. I read them a couple of times because I learned so much. I even wrote letters to the editor and I'm sure that I wasn't the only person to do so. From what Christian tells me, Eamon is a hard man. He may know how good you are but he doesn't want you to know. He doesn't compliment any of his employees and I guess he's determined to show no favoritism.

"I'm sorry, Kate. He should show you a father's love," Ana consoled.

"Yeah. I wish. Still, my mother gushes over the slightest thing I do. I guess we've each had our great parent and our crap parent, haven't we?" Kate smiled, putting her arm around Ana's shoulder.

"Anyway, back to the big story of the moment. I get the exclusive, right?"

"Of course," Ana promised. "I'm told that it's a major news story but I can't see why. Mia tried to explain it to me but I'm still learning the extent of the Grey prominence. It's a bit intimidating. Now with the gala coming up, I'm being thrown more and more into the spotlight. I guess that it's something I'll need to come to terms with but…" Ana sighed wearily.

"You'll come shining through. There is no one more capable of handling all the Grey family drama."

"We're talking about Mia now, right?" The two women burst into loud laughter as Mia entered the room.

CHAPTER 75

"Hi, Kate. What are you two giggling about?" Mia asked with a bright smile. She had finished with the final touches on her party décor and was quite pleased with the results.

"Mia, this place looks dazzling," Ana said, diverting Mia from their conversation. "I am so happy and so honored that you would do all this for me and Christian. Thank you so much."

"On the contrary, I'm so honored that you would give me free rein. I am aware that I overdid the pink. Christian groaned as he passed through this morning. Mom tried to restrain me but I'm just so happy and when I'm happy, the pink just flows out of me."

"Like a tsunami?" Kate teased. Mia blushed as Ana hugged her in reassurance that she loved everything that Mia did for her and Christian.

"Red velvet cake, Kate," Ana remarked. "I haven't been allowed to see it yet so it must really be a work of art."

While the women talked in the living room, the men were discussing more serious matters in the study. Elliot, Christian and Carrick sat spellbound as Taylor detailed the day's security measures.

"When we drove in, Kate remarked that it looked like a mafia gathering "going to the mattresses."

"Well, we have taken every possible precaution, Mr. Grey. We even have people on the roof watching for drones and snipers and anything incoming. I think it's overkill since our monitoring of the Lincolns shows no activity but Mr. Grey wanted no chances taken."

"Geez, Chris. There hasn't even been anything in the news about today's party."

"That's part of the "overkill", Elliot. Kavanaugh kept everything out of his media and the tabloids were promised pictures and articles if they kept their slimy mouths shut. They'll save a fortune on paying the paparazzi for pictures," Christian scowled.

"Oh," Elliot replied sheepishly. "I don't suppose that you're going to let your dearest brother in on the "announcement". I mean, Kate seems to know. I'm feeling a little left out here."

Carrick chuckled. "Son, you are a bright light in ordinary times. Given some great news and you won't be able to keep a grin off your face. Someone would guess the news just looking at you."

All the guys laughed. It was true. Elliot would walk around beaming like an idiot and keeping secrets was not his forte.

Christian sat, arms leaning on knees and hands rubbing together with nervousness. Taylor continued to reassure him that everyone was safe but that wasn't what Christian was worried about.

What if she changed her mind? Ana was a simple girl and suddenly she was thrown into his chaotic world, a dangerous world. What if she had thought it through and wanted no part of his endless drama? Life in Wilson's Corner was peaceful and secure. Wouldn't she prefer to live like that? To be honest…he would.

He'd even gone over the possibility of a GEH satellite office in Wilson's Corner. He could build on to Harry's Diner so that Ana would always be close. They could live in Ana's cozy apartment if she wished. Of course, she'd never asked for anything, any accommodation for her needs. She just seemed perfectly content with what she had but Ros had turned purple at the suggestion that Grey move a 2-hour helicopter flight away.

"Well, son, it's time. Wipe that sweat off your brow and let's get out there. It's party time!" Carrick threw an arm around his son's shoulders and pulled him toward the door. Grey tried to smile. He knew that he wouldn't be able to relax until he was with Ana. He yearned to hold her, to take in her scent, to gaze into the wonder of her sparkling blue eyes, to see her smile and know that she was his, would always be his and, most important of all, to realize that this incredible woman wanted him.

CHAPTER 76

The men stepped out into the living room to see a small and intimate group of friends, chosen specifically for this moment.

Ros Bailey and her wife, Gwen…Eamon, Dana and Ethan Kavanaugh, who was staring at Mia…Harry and Henny along with a few friends from Wilson's Corner, like Mrs. Lennon…and a dozen or so of the Grey family friends.

Christian cringed at the sight of one family "friend"…Elena Lincoln, the harridan who still believed that she had made Grey into a billionaire and that half of all that he'd worked so hard for belonged to her. Now she was trying to kill him and probably Ana as well. He was forced to continue being amiable with her until Taylor could catch her up to no good but it was torture. That she would be here today to join in with all their loved ones in the joy of the occasion was a bitter pill to swallow.

He walked quickly to Ana's side and embraced her with an urgency that surprised her. She studied his face, held in her small hands, but he smiled assurance that all was well. They stood arm in arm as Carrick and Grace took the floor. The guests watched in great anticipation. There was an excited hum in the air.

Many of the guests had not seen much of Christian Grey in person for the past few years and they tried not to stare but it was difficult…not being used to his appearance. They also had not met Ana and that, too, was odd. Many had buzzed about her lack of beauty. As they were introduced to her, they felt her warmth…the same sincere welcome she offered to all the people who patronized Harry's Diner. They looked into the same eyes that initially mesmerized Grey. And, of course, they saw the love blazing between Ana and Christian.

It didn't take long for everyone in the room to see that Christian wasn't settling.

"Welcome, welcome everyone to this wonderful occasion. We, the family, and all those who have come to know Ana Steele, are thrilled that our son, Christian, had the good sense to fall in love with this very special lady. Every day that we spend with her we come to love her more. We know that one day, Christian will move her out of our home and into their own. I've looked into every possible way of legally preventing this move but…alas," Carrick sighed and bowed his head as all the guests laughed.

Then Carrick turned the floor over to Christian. All the guests turned to look, still not quite sure of what they were going to hear.

"As my father and mother have already done, I welcome you to Grey Manor. As most of you know, I was badly injured and maimed by a helicopter crash several years ago. I fell into a depression that I never found the strength to climb out of despite thousands of hours of therapy. Then, one night, whilst on my way to a meeting in Portland, I crashed again in a corn field in the middle of nowhere. It was the best thing to happen to me in all my life, aside from being adopted by Carrick, Grace and Elliot Grey.

"I was injured and alone. I walked for some time through rain and mud until I found Harry's Diner," he reached out a hand to indicate Harry standing nearby.

"The best pot roast ever. In fact, Harry, godfather of my late son, Raymond James, and Henny, Raymond's godmother, brought that very same pot roast today. Don't bother asking for the recipe. My mother has never figured it out and it's being left to Ana in Harry's will.

"That night, I wandered into Harry's like a zombie, blood flowing down my face from a bad blow to my head. I must have been a sight. Scared Henny for a moment and so Ana came over to tend to me. She has a doctorate in nursing. How's that for good luck?" he beamed proudly at his girl.

"Anyway, she saved my life that night, tending to my wounds and getting me to the town doctor. She called Taylor and saw to it that my mother came to get me. I spent time in the hospital, recovering from a bad concussion and an array of lacerations and such but all I could think of was the angel of mercy who was hours away in Wilson's Corner.

"As soon as Charlie Tango and I were able, Taylor flew me back to Wilson's Corner and I kept returning to see Ana. Her beauty, inside and out, became more and more apparent and I fell more and more in love. My money meant nothing to her. She sees into people. And, thank god, she saw something in me to love."

He turned to Ana and got down on one knee as the room exploded in oohs and aahs.

"Anastasia Rose Steele, you are the love of my life. Will you spend it with me? Will you marry me?"

Unknown to the rest of the room, they were already engaged and had been for some time, but still Ana was overcome with the emotion of the moment. The tears began to flow down her cheeks as she said yes and nodded vigorously.

Christian took her hand and slipped the ring on her finger. They embraced and kissed and embraced again for a long time while all the guests cheered and applauded. The joy in the room was palpable…so much so that the hatred flaming out from Elena Lincoln went unnoticed.

She couldn't take her eyes off of the loving couple. For her it was like watching a massive pile-up on the interstate….fire and shredded metal and screams of fear and pain and black smoke choking everyone. Normally a scene that would interest and delight Elena but today she was part of the wreckage.

People, one by one, approached the couple and offered their congratulations. Because of Ana's natural graciousness, all the guests had already met the bride-to-be and everyone wanted to hug her. Elena knew that Grace and Carrick would notice if she did not do likewise although she had managed to duck Ana's initial welcome.

Gritting her teeth, Elena was the last to extend her good wishes. If anyone noticed the tension encircling the happy couple and their nemesis, it was not remarked upon. Neither Ana nor Christian wanted to alert Elena to their suspicions, of course, so they put on their best smiles.

"You know that I've known Christian since he was first taken in by my best friend, Grace, and her husband. He was a very difficult child but they never gave up on him. I've been blessed to call him my friend for more than a decade. We used to be partners in a chain of beauty salons until his responsibilities at GEH became too much for him.

"Of course, it was such a shame when he lost his looks. You must have Grace show you a picture of Christian before the fire. He was breathtakingly handsome back then."

Ana interrupted calmly. "Yes, he was then and he is still. He takes my breath away just walking into a room. If others don't think he's a dreamboat, good. I won't have to be fighting off the hordes of his admirers."

Elena smiled tightly. "Well, best wishes for you both and I hope that your next pregnancy works out better than the last," she grimaced as she patted Ana's hand. Ana's other hand was squeezing Christian's so hard that it hurt. He knew that if Elena didn't walk away soon, Ana might sock her.

CHAPTER 77

Elena did walk away to find a quiet corner where no one could hear her on her call to Eric.

When he saw the familiar number on his phone, Eric hesitated for a moment. The game was on and he hated talking to his ex. He should never have let her in on his plans for Grey. Her proximity to the family would come in handy, he'd thought, but now she was just a pest.

"What!?"

"You needn't be so grouchy, Eric. I have some information. Do you want it or not?"

"Go ahead."

"I'm over at Grey Manor. I was invited to a party, for what reason I didn't know. Now that I do, my stomach is roiling. I'm about to have an involuntary colon cleanse."

Elena thought her reference to diarrhea was clever but Eric just thought that she was being disgusting.

"Get to it, Elena. I'm busy."

"All right, all right. The party was an engagement announcement. Christian is going to marry some waitress he met in a country diner and it's all your fault!"

"My fault! How do ya figure?"

"He met her after that second crash. She nursed him or something and now he's all grateful and she's got her eyes on his fortune, the fortune that should be mine! Not only that but she's as plain and dull as dishwater."

"When did you last wash a dish, Elena?" Eric snarked. "And what makes you think the second crash was my doing?"

"Don't try to put one over on me. When are you going to get off your lumpy ass and take care of business? I'm getting tired of waiting for my vindication."

"Looks like it's lucky that we've taken our time. The guy was so depressed since the first crash that he wanted to die. Now he's happy and in love. I think that's the first thing we need to take care of, Elena. Push him back into that pit of misery and then maybe let him live in it for a long time."

For a time, Elena was quiet. Then she let out a whoop. "Eric, you're an asshole but you're a genius asshole. You're right. Maybe a happy marriage and even a child. Now that would be a far greater loss than any other. I'll have to be patient and wait for justice but oh, when it comes, it will be magnificent. I want to go back to the party now and pretend to be happy for them."

As Eric rang off, he could hear Elena cackling. How could he have ever found her to be sweet and beautiful? He felt like such a fool…but after he'd gotten his revenge on Grey, his ex-wife would be next…if she didn't get to him first.

He was lost in his thoughts for a while, dreaming of ways to first deprive Grey of his family and after to torture him to death. Then nature called and he picked up his jar before taking it out to the porch to toss the contents over the railing.

He hadn't spoken to his boys for a while. They were dimwitted, to be sure, but also vicious and without feeling. Being raised alone in the woods with a drunk for a father had turned them into sociopaths. Only their appetites showed them to be human. When their father died, they didn't know about burials or funerals so they just tossed his body off a cliff when it started to rot so bad that they couldn't stand the stench anymore. Their father had never let them have money or go into town but they had learned to drive the old truck some when he was passed out. Thus, when all their food stores were empty, they climbed into the truck and drove into town. If Eric hadn't been in the grocery when they came in, the storekeeper would have shot them for shoplifting. Eric paid for their groceries and soon became their surrogate father.

He knew that he'd have use for them one day.

CHAPTER 78

Ana sat next to Christian on the patio couch while their guests milled about, enjoying the fine weather, the great food and each other's company. Those from Seattle wanted to know all about Wilson's Corner because they couldn't imagine life in a small town. Gwen wouldn't know what to do without a Sak's. Several people were hanging on Harry's every word as he told stories. Mrs. Lennon was instructing Grace to be certain to return "her" Ana periodically. She still had Henny, of course, but the other waitresses were new and teenaged. She shook her head with disapproval and Grace nodded agreement. Henny was on Christian's phone checking on her children and her mother. Christian was already working on a plan to help Henny. She was only 50 but she looked older due to all the stress in her life. Ana smiled at her fiancé, pleased with his generosity and thoughtfulness. She hadn't even had to ask.

Elliot was following Kate around like a puppy which delighted Grace and Carrick, hopeful that he was finally settling down. Ethan Kavanaugh was following Mia around but she didn't seem to notice his attentions. She was too busy being hostess. Everyone was awed by her red velvet cake…three feet tall and could have been a wedding cake but for the lack of the bride and groom on top.

Ana was studying her ring…an oval pink stone encircled by tiny white diamonds.

"Christian, I hope that you didn't spend too much for this ring," she fretted.

"Not possible," he smiled, kissing her hand.

"You did, didn't you?" Ana scolded.

"Tell you what. I'll cheap out on the wedding band," he grinned. "By the way, how soon can we marry? I'm thinking end of the month."

Ana gave him a side-eye. "Then you mean this weekend. Well, Mia has the place all decorated. The guests are all here."

Christian practically jumped out of his seat. "Really? I never thought you'd go for that."

Ana giggled and he knew that he'd been had. "Of course not, Christian. If you spent ten minutes listening to your sister, you'd know that she and Grace have big plans. I am allowed to choose a dress but the rest is out of my hands. Sorry, sweetie. Perhaps if you speak to my wedding planners."

Christian had missed most of what Ana was saying, distracted by the sight of the hag from down the street wobbling toward them. Champagne, stilettoes, and grass were impeding Elena's attempt to strut elegantly to the patio.

"Christian, remember what Taylor told us," Ana warned as Christian growled under his breath. Elena sober was bad enough. In her cups, she was unbearable. She had no restraint.

"Christian, darling," Elena fell onto the couch, practically in his lap, "what could you be thinking, taking this dull little thing to wed? Even with your ruined face, you still could have done so much better."

Ana kept a firm grip on his hand. "I've seen pictures of some of the models that Christian has escorted in the past, Mrs. Lincoln. Yes, they were stunning. I'm very lucky. What could he be thinking?" Ana smiled warmly at the woman currently pawing her fiancé. Elena eyed her suspiciously.

"You want his money, isn't that right? You also want the status that comes with marrying a Grey. You'll be spending his dough on cosmetic surgery, won't you?"

"Hmmm…you know, Mrs. Lincoln, you appear to be quite knowledgeable in that area. Perhaps you could use your own vast experience to advise me. Where shall I start?" Now Ana was starting to have fun and Christian knew it. His hand relaxed in hers as he gently drew his thumb back and forth over her fingers.

Elena's watery eyes were having trouble seeing clearly. Perhaps another glass of champagne. She yelled at a server who promptly hurried over with a tray, glasses and a bottle. Elena grabbed the bottle and, after a swig, returned her attentions to Ana.

"Well, your nose is rather ordinary and those freckles on the bridge…ugh."

Ana frowned. "Gosh, I don't know if I could do away with the freckles. Christian just loves to kiss them over and over. Perhaps just the nose." Elena slipped an arm through Christian's and took another hit off the bottle.

"Yes, the nose needs refinement. Your rack is also too small so I think augmentation is necessary."

"How many Ds do you think, Mrs. Lincoln? Triple Ds like yours, perhaps?" Elena looked down at her décolletage, much of which was popping out of her slinky black blouse.

"No, I don't think you could handle more than a single D. It takes a real woman, you see. You don't have much of a figure as it is. Butt implants for sure. Definitely a lot of facial work. Your face is so plain that it's almost a bare plank. Cheek implants. And I know a wonderful makeup artist. She does my face." Elena waved the bottle to indicate that her face was perfection.

"I don't know if my face, being so jejune, could be brightened even with red lipstick, purple eye shadow, false eyelashes, heavy mascara and rouged cheeks." Elena's head was now weaving about.

She looked confused. "Jejune?"

CHAPTER 79

Christian was now grinning like a loon. Elena took this to mean that he was enjoying her company. She snuggled closer and threw a leg, free of her dress courtesy of a slit to her hips, over his leg. Her face was so near his that he feared he'd be smeared with makeup soon. Her chest was crushed against him. She was actually batting her fake lashes at him.

Christian's grin began to fade and he looked around for a member of his security to rescue him but Ana was still having too much fun.

"Thank you for all the advice, Mrs. Lincoln. It's very kind of you."

"Yes, well, I shouldn't be kind to you at all. You've somehow stolen what is mine!" Elena's voice, heavy with drink, was getting louder and beginning to draw attention. Ana lowered her own voice to just above a whisper, speaking conspiratorially to Elena who then followed Ana's lead.

"I didn't know that Christian was yours, Mrs. Lincoln. Odd that he never told me that. It's a rather important thing for a fiancée to know, isn't it?"

"He'll tire of you. He needs a woman of the world, sophisticated and regal, an equal. I've always been that to him and soon he'll rid himself of you and return to me. I am meant to be Mrs. Christian Trevelyan-Grey. I am meant to live in the penthouse of Escala and to host grand parties for the elite of Seattle. It is my destiny."

By now, Ana was leaning across the front of Christian as she and Elena were face to face at his chest. He sat stiffly, covered in women, looking out over their heads.

"Christian wants children…you know, to carry on his legacy? You and your friend, Grace, talk all the time about the trials of menopause. What will you do about the kid thing?"

"Kids? I am a few years older than Christian, it's true." She finished off the bottle of champagne and handily snatched another off a passing tray. "A surrogate, an egg donor, a team of nannies and boarding school. It can be managed."

"But what if we have children together before Christian divorces me? What will you do with them?"

"Oh, you can have full custody, my dear."

"OKAY!" Christian roared. He'd had enough. Knowing Ana, she could go on amusing herself with this blowsy battle-axe for the rest of the afternoon.

"I think that my fiancé is getting cranky. Thank you for all your advice. Guidance from a venerable lady like yourself is so valuable. Would you like a bottle or two to take home with you? Perhaps a gentleman to escort you as well?"

"How very kind," Elena grimaced in an attempt to smile. "I'm almost sorry for you. Enjoy his company while you can." At this, Christian eased Elena's leg off him and her arm out from under his and immediately stood. He signaled one of security and handed off Elena and two bottles of the very expensive champagne. He warned the escort to be certain that she got into the house before he left. Christian didn't think that Elena would get much further than the foyer floor.

The security looked a bit chagrinned at being given this assignment but Grey paid quite well so he stiffened his posture and offered his arm to Mrs. Lincoln. As they walked away, security working hard to keep her on her feet, Elena babbled about loaning Christian to that dullard. Her speech, by now, was so slurred that it wasn't understandable anyway.

"This party is going to continue into the evening, isn't it?" Ana asked Christian. He sighed yes and Ana smiled salaciously, pulling him into the house and toward their bedroom. Suddenly, Christian's spirits took a turn, soaring upwards.

CHAPTER 80

Contentedly cuddling post-coitus, Christian and Ana were chatting about the party, squabbling about the expense of her engagement ring, laughing about her chat with a majorly inebriated Elena Lincoln and discussing whether they both had the strength for another go-to when there came a soft knock at the door. First, they guessed Mia who seemed to have no sense of boundaries.

"Mia! We're resting," Christian called out.

"Ah, sir, please excuse the interruption. I know it's been an exhausting day and you need some sleep but we have new information. It can wait but Taylor thought that you'd want to be informed as soon as possible. Hmmm…everyone but the family has gone home," the timid voice of a junior agent spoke.

"That snake Taylor didn't have the nerve to "interrupt our sleep" himself," Christian whispered to a giggling Ana.

"Yes, thank you for letting me know. Good to know that you're on top of things, Latner. I'll be out soon." They could almost hear the poor fellow relax.

"You're a sweet guy," Ana smiled as she kissed his cheek.

"I'm just a sated guy. Check back in an hour," Christian grinned. With reluctance, he released Ana's body and got out of bed, looking back in surprise when Ana also got up.

"Are you getting dressed?" He said "dressed" like it was a vulgarity. Ana laughed.

"Would you prefer that I just lie here naked, waiting for you?" she said, full-well knowing the answer.

"I'm coming with you. Those idiots are trying to kill me, you know…nor am I happy about them trying to do you in as well. Maybe a quickie in the shower?"

Taylor, meanwhile, was pleased to hear that Latner didn't get his nuts twisted off. He also knew that Grey's kind words to Latner were meant as a dig at him. He was sure to hear about his own cowardice. It seemed that since Ana came into Grey's life, Taylor was always interrupting with bad news.

"We can't do anything with this either, can we, Mr. Grey?" Taylor didn't hide his dismay.

"Not nearly as much as we want to do, Jason," Carrick sighed. "A few years maybe, for conspiracy…and that's a maybe. Elena may not have the skills to get at the kids from prison but Eric does. No, we need something that will put him in solitary under constant surveillance."

Christian and Ana strolled casually into Carrick's study, hand in hand, both glowing. Geez, thought Taylor, do they keep forgetting that there is a conspiracy afoot to kill them? Wish I could forget it. I'm sure that Gail would like to get a decent night's rest…one without me tossing and turning with worry.

Ana stopped at Carrick's chair before sitting down. She kissed his forehead and thanked him for putting on such a lovely engagement party for her and Christian. Christian followed her lead and shook his father's hand. Then they mock-glared at Taylor who pretended to not notice.

"Okay, we're listening," Christian said. There followed a recitation of the conversation between Elena and Eric. Ana had an immediate reaction.

"Oh, no…we're not living with this threat hanging over our heads until we have children. I'm not getting married until these two are dealt with. If you can't handle it, I can borrow Harry's shotgun and take care of it myself. Hell, I don't even need the shotgun. Eric can "accidentally" fall over his porch railing while emptying his jar and Elena can snap her neck in a fall down her stairs."

The men stared stunned at sweet Ana who'd now crossed her arms in defiance of all legalities and moral sense.

"Honey, you are never boring although I do find your way of thinking a bit conflicting at times. The woman I know would throw herself off a bridge to save a drowning man and yet she'd blithely blow his head off if he tried to harm someone she loved," Christian marveled.

CHAPTER 81

"Damn straight, darling. I'm not vicious…just practical. My daddy trained me well. He told me that being pragmatic comes first. Feeling compelled to guilt will get you killed and your assailant will walk away with satisfaction. That is what we have here. The Lincolns want us, our children, all our loved ones punished lethally because they got their feelings hurt. I will do whatever is necessary to stop them.

"If you find my attitude off-putting, Christian, I will return your ring before I go take care of business." With that, Ana strode out of the study, leaving all the men speechless.

"Christian, I believe that woman. Keep your eye on her," Carrick warned his son. "And stop grinning like that. My lord, anyone would think that you like having an assassin for a bride."

"Sorry, dad…but really. Don't you just find her to be a wonder? Have you ever in your life met a woman like that? I'm going to save a fortune on security."

"Son, are you taking her seriously? Because I certainly am. She is a force of nature."

"I agree, Mr. Grey. She is a conundrum to be reckoned with and I don't think that she's just blowing smoke up our asses. I'm also kind of in agreement with her," Taylor confessed.

"WHAT!" Carrick exploded. "I'm an attorney, an officer of the court, and I'm sitting here with you plotting murders?"

"Mr. Grey, I'm sorry to shock you but I am former military as well as former security for diplomats and the secret service. Pragmatism is in my blood. Honoring legalities often came second to getting the job done. We did whatever we had to do to remove threats."

"I cannot listen to this. I already feel like I should turn myself in to the authorities. The law is in my blood, Taylor. Oh, get out, Christian. You're practically salivating over that girl."

"I'll have a talk with Ana, Dad."

"Yeah, sure you will," Carrick snarled.

Christian found Ana in the living room discussing wedding plans with Mia and Grace, his sweet, innocent sister and mother.

"Ana, did you really mean what you said back there?" he asked.

"Yep…" she winked at her fiancé. "I really do want less pink in the wedding décor and I do want cream cheese frosting on the cake." Mia looked disappointed but resigned. She'd even hoped to get Ana into a pink wedding gown.

Christian sat with the women, listening to them talk about wedding cake toppers and twinkling lights.

"We've been thinking of a twilight ceremony in the backyard, Christian," Grace said. "Since neither of you is religious, Elliot wants to be ordained online. Ridiculous but apparently a real thing. Taylor and Ethan would be groomsmen. What could be safer than having your bodyguard as your best man? I like the idea of a wedding late in the day. These all day affairs are so tiring. What do you think, dear?" Grace looked at Christian.

Christian hadn't really heard much of what his mother said. He was too preoccupied with Ana. He was marrying a real fireball and, at this moment, he was hard as steel for his Steele. His thoughts were mainly how to get her back in bed.

"Mom, be realistic. Does what I want really have anything to do with anything? Do whatever you like and I'll show up on time in my best tux," he replied, kissing her cheek. Grace loved it. He'd become so affectionate since Ana came into their lives.

CHAPTER 82

Elena's hangover was a beaut. It was a wonder that she hadn't killed herself with alcohol poisoning. She'd blacked out most of that awful engagement party. It had been such a trial to pretend happiness for the young couple, in front of Grace. Elena did remember vaguely a rather nice conversation with the little gold digger her prize pet had gotten suckered into marrying. She couldn't recall the details…only that the tramp had been quite agreeable.

She also recalled phoning Eric. She was impatient but he was right that the more Christian had the more he had to lose and the more it would ruin his life. Elena had noted that he seemed relaxed and confident for the first time since half his face had melted. Alas, no one was staring at him. Too bad. She had so enjoyed the years when he hid away, endured operation after operation and was alone and bitterly depressed. She would just show up at his penthouse, take her check and leave. He barely acknowledged her.

Now, undoubtedly influenced by that country rat, he'd ceased writing those checks. He had, in fact, simply moved into his parent's home to be with the waitress. Elena saw the way he looked at her…with disdain and even repulsion. It wasn't deserved. She'd devoted herself to him since he turned 15. She'd raised him while Grace and Carrick dedicated themselves to their prestigious careers. She'd trained him to demolish business rivals with a simple look. Now he just looked simple, always gazing at Ana.

After all that work, she had nothing to show for it…except, of course, for a couple of million dollars tucked away in a secret Cayman's account. But she didn't have her arm candy, the Grey status and access to Christian's accounts.

BILLIONS! The man had billions socked away! And that cock…the finest in Seattle…and she had taught him how to use it, expecting him to use it on her. It was surely wasted on that sneaky simpleton he intended to marry. With Elena, he had his sexual equal. He probably had to start from scratch with that…ugh, virgin. Maybe that was part of her appeal…her need to be educated. Perhaps he liked her being docile and a little frightened even.

She had to stop thinking about her former pet and his pet. It was worsening her headache. She needed a bit of the hair of the dog so she poured herself a shot of whiskey. Ahh…that was good. Maybe she'd just lie down on the couch and relax. Maybe she'd just pass out. And she did.

Back at Grey Manor, Christian was lightly snoring while Ana watched him sleep. She had an errand to run and she didn't want him to waken. She'd worn him out pretty much with that last couple of blowjobs. He never snored unless he was under real deep so she felt safe in slipping out of bed and getting dressed. She went into Carrick's study and sweetly asked to borrow his computer to write a letter to Harry. He was deep into a law book and paid no attention. She printed out the short missive and tucked it into a plain envelope.

Then she walked out the front door and down the lane, knowing that Ryan was on her heels. Nervously, he watched her walk right up to the Lincoln front door.

"Ms. Steele, what are you up to? Please, come away. You'll get me into trouble."

"Don't fret, Tom. I'm not going inside."

He watched as she shoved the envelope under the door, smiling wickedly. Then she turned, took his arm and steered them homeward. She refused to tell him what was in the envelope and instead began a conversation about his family. He loved his family. He missed his family. He was duly distracted.

When they arrived back at Grey Manor, Ryan turned left to inform Taylor and receive what he knew would be a tongue lashing.

Ana turned right and into the bedroom to give a tongue lashing of her own…a pleasant wakeup for Christian. He had to go into the office in the morning and he was not happy about it. He hated to leave Ana but he'd been neglecting his duties at GEH. Ana wanted him to sleep well that night and nothing made him sleep better than passion and love.

Only rarely did he "play sex" with Ana although she wouldn't have minded in the least. However, Christian had had plenty of mechanical sex and orgasms with faceless women. He was now in love and he needed that true, deep connection with Ana. Without it, he felt adrift. Being close with Ana was everything now…whether through sex, talking, holding her hand, even fighting. Sometimes he wondered if he was coming on too strong, wearing her out with his constant need but she seemed to crave his attention as much as he did hers.

CHAPTER 82

While Christian and Ana lived with love, Elena lived with a pounding migraine. When she awoke again, she found herself on the floor next to the couch. While her hangover had dulled, she now had to deal with the goose egg on her forehead.

Her phone was ringing…probably one of her salons. She'd been neglecting them lately and was annoyed to be bothered. She had trained her managers to handle matters as she would so why did they call with stupid questions? If you're out of the expensive conditioner, order more. It ain't rocket science.

"Hello, what is it?" Elena snarled.

"Hello, answer me!" but she only heard heavy breathing. Well, this kind of call hadn't happened in some time. She laughed…asked if the caller wanted to know what she was wearing. No response and then the line went dead.

"Huh. Didn't want to play, I guess."

She stumbled into the kitchen. She needed food and she was hoping that her housekeeper had left stew in the crockpot. As she passed the foyer, she saw that the mail had come…mostly junk and catalogs but there was a plain envelope without a stamp or even address that had obviously not come through the mail slot.

It was a typed note…short and unsigned. Elena read it and immediately dropped it as though it were on fire. She stared down at it as the words seemed to stare back at her. Elena wasn't used to being the person unnerved or scared. She did the scaring, the terrorizing…for the thrills. Who dared turn the tables on her?

Finally, she took hold of herself and bent to pick up the note. She carried it into the kitchen and set it down on the counter as she dished up her dinner. She tried to convince herself that the contents of the envelope meant nothing. She was the premier dominatrix of Seattle. When she walked into a club, submissives scattered. A session with Elena Lincoln was pure torture but someone was always forced to submit.

This simple note would not intimidate a woman like Elena Lincoln. She shredded it with her talon-like fingernails and dropped it in the waste bin. A few words. What was there to fear? Still, as she went about showering, dressing and applying the layers of makeup and the piles of fake yellow hair to her head, she found herself pulling shades down and closing curtains.

Was she being watched? Why? By who? The words on the slip of paper repeated in her head, more insistent, louder. Elena reprimanded herself…stop it. It means nothing. I am the enemy…no one else.

No one had ever in her life threatened her. Just a glare from her brown eyes silenced people. They moved away from her and tried to ignore her maniacal grin. Yesterday's party had proven her reputation as the dragon lady. She didn't have to weave her way through the crowd…it parted before her. She didn't have to wait in line at the buffet. The line disappeared as she approached.

No. She had nothing to fear. Whoever dared threaten…that insolent fool should fear Elena.

Yet the words scratched at her brain…those simple words.

I am coming...

CHAPTER 83

Taylor found Ana perusing some of Mia's brides magazines in the living room. Christian had gone into GEH and everyone else was busy with their work so, for once, Ana was alone. Taylor loomed over her as she looked at pictures of gowns. He said nothing, simply waiting for her attention.

Nonchalantly, Ana asked Taylor's opinion of two gowns.

"Which do you like better, Taylor?" She asked as he glowered. Her question was a way of giving him permission to sit beside her. Struggling a bit with the informality of it, Taylor sat next to her.

"That one," he pointed.

"What about that one appeals to you?"

"Its simplicity. Seems more like you. The other one is too fussy. Something I might choose."

Ana threw her head back and laughed. "Taylor, you made a joke! I knew you had it in you. Well, go ahead. I know you want to yell at me."

"I don't yell, Ms. Steele, although I am sometimes pushed to my limit. This morning's errand you ran would be an example of that. Now, as the person charged with your safety, what. did. you. do?

"Now I know that you think that I walked into the maw of the beast but I'm sure that Tom told you that I merely slipped a note under Mrs. Lincoln's door. No knocking. No contact."

"Yes, the note. And what did you say in the note? Ms. Steele, I cannot protect you if you do not cooperate with me," Taylor warned.

"I'm the last person you need to worry about, Jason. I'm sure that you had me vetted and know my entire history."

"Yes, impressive but tell me…how would you stop a sniper's bullet?"

Ana thought for a moment. "I just thought that I would have a little fun with the formidable Mrs. Lincoln."

"You had plenty of "fun" with her at your engagement party. Thank god she was too drunk to notice what a fool you were making of her."

"Yes, making a fool of her one day and nipping at her lumpy derriere the next. Kind of messing with her head."

Taylor stared at her…waiting. "Oh, all right. I printed out the note on Carrick's computer. It said...I am coming... That's all. Plain paper. No indication of its origin. Just a little something to perhaps disturb her."

Taylor thought for a moment. Then he smiled. Ana pretended to swoon at the unusual expression on the stern man's face. He stopped smiling. He went back to looming over her.

"I will not report this to Mr. Grey. He's worried enough. Should you have any other notions, please run them by me first."

Ana saluted. "Yes, sir!" she replied, giggling. The only grown woman he knew who could pull off giggling.

Then her face grew serious. "Sit, Taylor." He sat. "Taylor, I've been considering a campaign…small niggling things to do to disrupt Mrs. Lincoln's life…to throw her thinking off course. All without her ever being suspicious of me. Perhaps something she would associate with her co-conspirator. I'm sorry but I can't wait around for her and her ex to do want they want to do. I must be pro-active. If I'd been thinking ahead all those years ago…" She stopped and lowered her head.

"Ms. Steele, are you all right?"

"I know that I gave you the impression that my killing a man did not affect me. I lied. If I'd been more circumspect, I would have called campus security to escort me and my friend back to our dorms. I just knew that I could handle any attacker. I was ego-driven and I didn't think that there would be more than one man. I didn't imagine having to go to extremes to survive. My father always told me to be prepared to kill but to also be prepared to first avoid danger.

"If it came down to it, I could kill to protect myself and my loved ones but I must find a way to avoid being in trouble in the first place."

"Ana," Taylor said…somewhat startling her with his use of her name, "work with me and the security team. Keeping you from danger in the first place is our job. That being said, I like the way you think. Let's see if we came come up with some more "niggling" things to do to Mrs. Lincoln."

CHAPTER 84

As Taylor and Ana put their heads together, Christian was desperately trying to get his thinking together. He'd let things slide at GEH for months. Without their scowling boss around, his employees had been slacking off. First, he had to gather all the department heads in the conference room. With no official notice, the usual memo, they were told to come to conference room A with reports on their progress with various projects. They had fifteen minutes to scramble to put everything together and scuttle quickly to A.

Grey knew he was being unreasonable and that was exactly what he intended. None of the VPs could deliver. Each, in turn, was humiliated by Grey. There were no threats of termination and none were expected. Grey didn't operate that way. He chose the best people for a job but occasionally they needed reminding that they had to do their best job.

After every face in the room was beet red and brows were sweaty, Grey stood with his hands on the table and glared at everyone. Then, without another word, he left the room without dismissing them. They sat for some time, fearful of what was coming next. Finally, Ros walked by, seemingly on her way somewhere. She glanced through the glass and seemed startled.

"What are you all doing?" she asked as she popped her head in the door.

"Waiting for Mr. Grey to return," someone said meekly.

"Mr. Grey is on a conference call and isn't planning to return. You're released," she said sternly.

The frightened mice scurried back to the safety of their plush offices and yelled at their secretaries in an effort to recover their sense of importance. Then they got down to work.

Ros stood in the empty room and called Grey.

"Well," she laughed, "your catch and release approach worked again. Good to have you back, Christian."

Grey wished that he could say the same. His heart wasn't in his work. It was at home with Ana. He stiffened his back and returned to his work with his usual laser focus but without his usual enthusiasm. Of course, he'd been 'off' since the first attempt on his life but at least he could still work long hours and concentrate.

Now…well. He picked up his phone and called Taylor. He needed an update on his fiancée. He liked that word…fiancée. He liked all words that applied to Ana.

CHAPTER 85

"Reading some magazine with pictures of wedding gowns, sir."

"Anything new on the monitors?"

Taylor knew that Grey would be checking the surveillance tapes himself so he readily came clean.

"Something was up with Mrs. Lincoln this morning. She passed out on her couch and then woke up on the floor. She checked her mail and something in one envelope she found disturbing…so much so that she dropped it. She stared at it for some time before she picked it up and read it again. Then she tore it to pieces and tossed it. Afterward, she was rattled. She went around pulling down the shades."

"Interesting. Any ideas?"

"No, sir. And the garbage already picked up. How is work?"

"Analess…but I'm getting some things done anyway. I'll let you get back to your job." Grey rang off without another word but he was intrigued. What could have upset Elena so much?"

An hour later, Taylor was alerted by Ryan that Elena had left her house, heading downtown. Taylor in turn alerted Ana.

"We are a go…" he said. Ana jumped to her feet and followed him out the door and down the road to Elena's house. It took him just a minute to pick the lock and they were in.

"Lord a'mighty!" Ana whistled as she looked around. She'd seen the interior from the monitors but the real thing was intense.

"It's kind of like seeing pictures of the Grand Canyon and then seeing it in person," Taylor remarked.

"Of course, the Grand Canyon is a natural wonder to behold whereas this…" he waved his hand around.

Elena's taste in furnishings was rather like her sartorial taste…gaudy, loud and way over the top. Everything was gilded in fake gold. Every room, including the bathrooms, had a chandelier.

"I think that she intended a sort of French look but just kept going and drove off the décor cliff," Ana laughed. "Well, what's our move?"

"Something subtle. Something she may not even notice quickly. Let her get home, relax…" Taylor began.

"…then it suddenly hits her. I like your evil mind, Jason," Ana smiled.

"Ma'am, let's keep things professional."

Ana rolled her eyes and said, "yes, Taylor." They began to look around, bouncing ideas off each other.

Remove one of her prized possession? No, it would have to be carried and then hidden.

Scratch a message on the wall? Leave the water running in the bath, causing a flood?

They finally decided to simply undo something Elena had done that very morning when she'd read the note. They opened the curtains in her bedroom and lifted the shade.

Smiling, the co-conspirators left the house.

CHAPTER 86

"Did you miss me?" Christian had entered the house almost at a run, hurried into the living room and picked up Ana, settling her on his lap.

"Nah. You miss me?"

"Nah. Kiss me like I just got back from the war." Ana obliged and the two began madly tangling lips and tongues.

"Taylor? Permission to disengage audio-visual surveillance of living area?"

Taylor looked up from his desk at the monitor. "Granted."

Coming up for air, Christian brought up a topic that had been on his mind for a while.

"I've been thinking that maybe it's time for us to go home. You've never even see Escala and I'm tired of sharing you with my family every day."

"Okay," Ana conceded as she went back to kissing him.

"Okay? Just like that? I thought I'd get an argument," he managed to get out between sucking on her delicious lips.

"Your family is wonderful to me and I love them but it gets really crowded sometimes. Also," she lowered her voice, "we get kind of loud. It's embarrassing."

Christian grinned. "It's fun. Oh, when you scream my name, baby…" he moved his hand to unzip Ana's jeans and slipping his hand inside her panties, he gently massaged her tiny nub until her eyes rolled back in her head and her breath came hard and fast.

She gripped his hair and buried her face in his neck, biting him as she came.

"Yow!" That was new…and painful. Ana kissed the wound. "Sorry," she gasped. She examined the spot and declared it blood-free. Christian rubbed it. "That was hot!"

They heard the front door open as Christian hastily removed his hand and zipped up Ana's jeans. Grace walked into the living room, vaguely aware of the sexual tension…but then, with these two, there was always sexual tension.

"Hi, Mom. We've decided to get out of your hair. We're moving to Escala tonight."

Grace didn't try to hide her feelings. She took her phone from her purse and hit a button or two.

"Carrick, the kids are leaving home!" She listened for a moment and then continued to share her dismay. "Escala, of course. No, that's no home. Ana loves nature. She'll hate that cold sterile environment. Well, I don't know. Talk to them," Grace said, handing the phone to Christian.

"Hi, Dad."

"Thank god. I thought you'd never leave. I wish Mia would move out, too. At least, your brother is preoccupied with Kate now. You know, maybe your mother and I would like to make a little noise, too. Now, act like you've resisted my efforts to dissuade you from "leaving home". Good grief."

Christian handed the phone back to his mother after loudly and firmly denying his father's imagined pleading. "No, Dad. Not another night."

Ana pushed herself off of Christian who was trying to keep her on his lap. She embraced Grace and tried to reassure her that they be visiting a lot…certainly for Sunday dinner.

"Well, at least you're not going back to Wilson's Corner. Christian would follow, you know."

Ana looked back at her fiancé. "You would, really?" Grace looked alarmed

"Yes, honey. If that's what you wanted," Christian replied. Ana released Grace and sank onto the arm of the sofa. She'd resigned herself to living in Seattle and grown used to missing her little town and her people. She called Harry and Henny at least once a week and talked to Mrs. Lennon as well. Still, she hadn't even considered going home…nor was she expected back. Now Christian was volunteering. She felt his arms encircle her waist and his lips kissing her back.

Grace went off to the kitchen to prepare a special goodbye dinner and to call Mia and Elliot. Ana sat back down on the sofa, her arms around Christian. She was very quiet. Christian let her be…let her think. He would be happy wherever Ana was happy. He'd already considered opening a satellite office in Wilson' Corner over Ros's virulent objections. He even kind of liked the idea of the intimacy of a small town.

CHAPTER 87

Ryan had never seen Taylor laughing so much. He was usually so…military…but watching Elena arrive home, stroll casually into her bedroom and begin undressing before she was suddenly struck by the realization that the shades and curtains were no longer giving her privacy…well, her reaction was priceless.

She grabbed her clothes to cover herself…which Ryan appreciated…and ran to the wall aside the window, flattening herself against it. Slowly, careful to avoid being seen, she reached out a hand to pull down the shade and then drew the curtains again. She then backed away from the window, looking around the room.

Elena went through an entire routine. Checking under the bed, in the closet, the bath, and continuing through the entire house…all while armed with a fireplace poker. This went on for 30+ minutes while Ryan and Taylor roared with laughter.

Half-dressed, her yellow wig dangling off her head…she was a sight. She double checked the locks on all the doors and windows and finally, in utter frustration, she began beating the stuffing out of a chair while she screamed.

"No! You won't get to me! I am Elena Lincoln, premier dominatrix of Seattle! I don't fear. Others fear me!"

Then she went to her bedroom, donned her robe and returned to her living room to begin drinking. Half a bottle of whiskey later, she picked up her phone.

"Eric, someone is gaslighting me! Yes! Is this you? What are you playing at? Don't give me that crap. You forget that I know you. It would be just like you to have a little fun at my expense."

The surveillance on Eric showed that he hadn't left his chair all night and day except to take his jar out to the porch. His "boys" had treated themselves to lunch at the café on Eric's dime but their conversation was the usual gibberish if they spoke at all.

Taylor was concerned that he meant it when he suggested waiting until Christian had more to lose. He knew that Ana wouldn't wait. He worried what she'd get up to in order to end this drama. He could picture her walking right up to Eric's cabin and blowing his brains out.

Eric swore vehemently that he'd done nothing to Elena's house. No, he hadn't sent her any note. Furthermore, the big game was on and she was interrupting his viewing pleasure. She responded with "Oh, hell. The big game is always on. Get off your ass, Eric or I'll get on it." Eric only winced at this. He didn't want this hag anywhere near his ass.

He assured her that patience was a virtue, possibly the only one he had. Then he told her that revenge is a dish best served cold. She wasn't having it. She wasn't patient.

Christian, she screamed into Eric's ear, was enjoying life…getting happier by the day. Now he was engaged to that trollop and soon there would be a wedding. Elena couldn't stand it…watching him using her money and everything she'd taught him to make a wonderful life for himself…without her in it. He should be worshipping her, fucking her with that magnificent cock, handing her a black Amex card and urging her to spend thousands on handbags and shoes.

She was going out of her mind! Eric could only agree with her assessment of her cognitive state. She certainly sounded like someone half crazy. He had to laugh. He hated the bitch.

CHAPTER 88

Ana had been trying to find a way to sneak away into the security office to view the tapes of Elena arriving home to the surprise they'd left for her but Christian was so co-dependent! Not that she really minded. After all, having him adore her and need her was everything she wanted. What woman wouldn't want the man she so loved following her around, nibbling her ears, kissing her, stroking her arm, holding her and telling her he loved her a dozen times a day. She was in heaven! Okay. She was co-dependent, too.

She was still amazed to find herself in this position. She'd fully expected to live her life alone. She dreaded the day that Harry…and Mrs. Lennon…left her. As it was, while she lived in Wilson's Corner, it seemed that the town was dying all around her. The population was 75% elderly. She went to a funeral every other week.

Now she found herself about to be married into a wonderful family that loved her. She would spend the rest of her life with a beautiful, brilliant man who worshipped her. Sigh. Now if she could only get away from him for five minutes to view that tape.

"Taylor, she whispered while Christian took a bathroom break. She swore that he was going to start wearing adult diapers to avoid leaving her.

"Taylor, find a way to get me the time to see that tape, please." Taylor looked skeptical. "I don't know, Ms. Steele. Mr. Grey seems to have taken a likin' to you," he chuckled. "Maybe I could knock him unconscious."

"Maybe you could get him to go for a run with you. Tell him that he's getting out of shape. Tell him that he's getting married soon and he needs to look good in his tux."

"You want me to tell the boss that he's fat? I do like working here, you know."

"Shh…he's coming. Think of something." Ana backed up a few feet.

"I'm sure that's fine, Taylor. You should take Christian with you. I'm sure that he'd enjoy that. I have plenty to do for the wedding," she said loudly.

When Christian reached her side, Ana kissed his cheek and told him to have a good time. He looked bewildered until Taylor suggested that they go for a run.

"It's been some time, sir. I need to be physically fit, especially now with this threat facing us." This remark caught Grey's attention. He certainly wanted to be able to handle anything that the Lincolns threw at them.

"Honey, will you be okay if I go for a run with Taylor?" Ana restrained herself from smirking as she conceded that she'd manage. More kisses before Christian left to change and still more kisses before he and Taylor left. The moment the door shut behind them, she dashed for the security office.

"Ryan, the tapes, the tapes," she pleaded, almost breathless. Ryan laughed at her "enthusiasm".

"Da plane, da plane," he sang, mimicking the guy from Fantasy Island. Ana swatted him as he brought up the films of Elena's homecoming. Thereafter, the two of them giggled together like a couple of school girls.

"Oh, lord. I wish there was a way to have Christian watch these without giving away our participation. You did erase the part with me and Taylor, didn't you?" Ryan assured her that he'd turned off the equipment when she and Taylor left Grey Manor.

They watched a few more times, going back to their favorite moments…Elena flat against the wall…running around the house half-dressed…attacking everything with her fireplace poker. The time flew by and Ana heard Christian calling for her.

"Yikes. Gotta go."

"Where were you?" Christian held her at arm's length from his sweaty body, leaning in for a kiss.

"Oh, I got bored reading Brides Magazine so I went back to sit with Ryan for a bit. Nothing going on. Boy, can that Elena drink. She always has a bottle in her hand. It's hard to believe that she's a danger to us."

"I know but my face is testament to her ability to get it together if need be."

"Did we ever figure out who tampered with Charlie Tango? Elena doesn't know anything about mechanics. Eric only knows wood. Certainly those three thugs he hired are too dumb. Is it possible that Elena or Eric made contact with someone who both knows how to break into places, erase security tapes and plant homemade bombs in engines? Who else hates you, Christian?"

CHAPTER 89

Ana hadn't spoken to him in hours…since he tried to warn her off becoming involved with security. He'd tried to turn her question around on her by suggesting that perhaps they ought to be worried about who might hate her since she'd snapped the neck of someone's little boy. His first mistake had been to disbelieve her statement that she'd killed someone. Taylor confirmed her story and Christian had been shocked. Still recovering from that piece of information, he'd made his second mistake in joking about it to cover his consternation over that bombshell. She'd stormed off and locked herself in their bedroom. All his knocking and all his begging left her unmoved, leaving him standing in the hall.

Their first fight and he was shaken to his core. He was still trying to digest the news that his sweet little Ana had beaten up three bullies and killed one of them.

"Sir, I'm certain that it is disturbing news but I'm also certain that you'd rather Ana was able to protect herself and her friend. He was choking her to death."

"Of course, I'm glad that she survived that attack. I guess learning about her…hmmm…abilities the way I did was not the best. To realize that she was not just being dramatic when she threatened to kill again…well, geez, Taylor."

"She's been trying to think of a way to tell you, sir, but you have her on such a pedestal that she was afraid that you'd stop loving her. You keep talking about how sweet she is and how good-hearted and loving and kind and on and on. She didn't want you to know that she is also capable of killing. Doesn't fit the picture, you know?"

"Well, it certainly enlarges the picture. She is still all those things I've always believed her to be but far more complex than I understood. I'll be honest with you, Taylor. Knowing that my girl can be so wild is hot."

"Keep that thought to yourself for the time being, sir. She killed out of desperation. She was having the life strangled out of her. It isn't something she's proud of," Taylor warned.

Christian nodded. He slowly dragged himself back to the bedroom door. He knocked softly again and then sat down on the floor, leaning against the door. Suddenly, it opened and he fell inside.

Ana looked down at him. He scrambled to his feet and saw that her suitcase was open on the bed. She was packing. He felt a panic attack coming on until he saw that his suitcases were open on the bed as well.

"Get packing. We're leaving right after dinner. I'd like to get these in the car before hand. It's going to be hard enough for your mother to watch us go without seeing our suitcases as well."

Christian began to empty his drawers. Then he stopped and pulled Ana into his arms. She hadn't felt him tremble like that since their first night together. She understood that he'd been scared when he saw her case…he thought that she was leaving him. She returned his embrace and murmured that she loved him so very much. He held her tighter. She could feel his heart beating hard and fast. She leaned back and smiled gently at him.

"Tonight," she teased, "we scream."

Christian laughed and touched his forehead to hers.

CHAPTER 90

Dinner was a rather subdued affair. Everyone had become accustomed to Ana and Christian living at Grey Manor. Even its permanent occupants who'd been living with all the sex noises for months were saddened by their departure. It would be too quiet. It didn't help that Mia was spending a lot of nights with Ethan Kavanaugh. Grace's babies were all going away. To cover her heartache, Grace kept up a steady stream of cheer.

"You'll be coming for Sunday brunch, won't you?" she asked.

"Of course, Grace," Ana replied. "And I'll be here often to discuss wedding plans with you and Mia. We haven't even set a date yet."

"Did you see the tabloids, Ana?" Mia piped up. "There you are, above the fold most every day with some tiny crumb of new information and the rest just speculation. Everyone who was here for your party was a friend so I'm baffled. Someone is feeding the rags fake news about you both. I hope you haven't been upset. I know that I sure am. I'd like to give them a piece of my mind but daddy says that I'd just be feeding the beast."

"And you know that I'm right, dear. Currently, they're quoting "inside sources" and "unnamed friends". You don't want to give them "Mia Grey called"…do you?"

Mia muttered something and went back to her steak.

"You don't suppose that man you met in the park spoke to The Nooz, do you?" Kate asked.

"No!" Christian was adamant. "Ed and his wife wouldn't do that. He called me his champion, for heaven's sake. He'd never betray me."

"That reminds me to put them on the wedding invites list," Ana said. "Maybe his little guy could be our ring bearer?"

Everyone immediately concurred and that set off a flurry of conversation about the wedding…an event that no one in the Grey family could yet believe was happening. It wasn't so long ago that they were all so worried about Christian and now…

Elliot had already gotten himself ordained in the Church of the World Wide Web and the marriage license was ready to be signed, sitting under a paperweight on Carrick's desk. Henny would be matron of honor and her boys would be ushers. Harry would give away the bride. Mia and Kate would be bridesmaids with Ethan and Taylor escorting them up the aisle.

It was all coming together…mostly thanks to Mia's exceptional organizational skills and zeal for all things nuptial.

"Again, Mia, we can't thank you enough for planning everything. Neither of us has the ability to plan a simple party, much less an entire wedding. And Grace and Carrick…offering your backyard for the ceremony is beyond gracious. Christian and I will slip away on our honeymoon, leaving all the mess for you to deal with after we're gone. Everyone, you've done so much for us. It's truly overwhelming."

Grace reached over for her future daughter's hand and smiled with teary eyes.

"No, Ana. It's we who are so thankful for you and all you've done for us. You've brought our son and brother back to us. I don't think that any of us imagined that Christian would ever be happy."

"Yeah," Elliot agreed. "He was a first-class grump before the first crash but afterward, hell, all we did was worry. I don't think that any of us dreamt of a day when we could move on. We had to come together to try to keep Chris alive. I'm loving this 2.0 version of my brother."

Christian tried to protest the "grump" label but he didn't have a leg to stand on and he knew it. As Ana began her protest, he stopped her.

"No, Ana. No one here is exaggerating. Everyone put their lives on hold for the past five years. I pushed them away before that, too. Elliot would never have taken the time to be open to a relationship with Kate. He was too busy trying to boost my ever flagging spirits. Between me needing propping up and getting his business going, he didn't have any energy left for his own life. Mia was the same way…always dragging my sorry ass to dinner.

"I never realized that I had been sucking the life out of this family since the day I arrived…"

Voices rose in objection but Christian waved them down.

"No. No, it's true. I never saw it until loving Ana opened my eyes to all my family has done for me. I won't apologize right now because I know that isn't what you all want but I do want you to know that I see it clearly now and I will spend the rest of my life trying to love you enough to repay you."

CHAPTER 91

Escala was quiet, too quiet. Grey Manor had been an adjustment after living her life in the country with all of its sounds…animals, cicadas, early morning tractor runs…but the manor was an old mansion with its creaks and rattles, family moving around, Mia's dramatics. In the penthouse, 20 stories above the city, there was occasionally the cry of a distant siren, the howl of wind but on the whole, it was like living in a cloud…sequestered from all life below on earth.

Ana kept waking to stare at the ceiling. She should have been worn out. She and Christian had barely walked in the door when they began making use of their new privacy. The staff, comprised mainly of security and Mrs. Jones, the housekeeper, mostly took the weekend off but it wouldn't have mattered in their soundproof bedroom anyway. Christian discovered that Ana could be quite loud and Ana loved the howls that came out of her lover's mouth when he came in her mouth. All of his sounds, uninhibited and full of joy, delighted her.

But it was so quiet. She kind of wished that he would snore louder. Even his snores, the bane of most wives, were gentle and soft. The man was just too perfect sometimes. Ana managed to slip from his embrace and don her robe. She decided to explore her new home.

The lights from the city lit up the apartment…no need for a flashlight or a light switch. However, all the lights were on motion sensors anyway. Everywhere she roamed, rooms and hallways lit up before her. She found it kind of creepy. It was as if she were being watched. First, she found the kitchen…a perfect chef's kitchen, Mrs. Jones' kitchen. Ana poured herself a glass of orange juice and continued down a hall, opening doors. She found it curious that all the doors were closed. Back in Wilson's Corner in her apartment, she forgot that she even had doors sometimes.

She first found an office…Christian's…with a picture of her on the desk already. She didn't like photos of herself. They reminded her that she was plain and then again reminded her that she had a streak of vanity. She set her empty glass on the desk to show that she'd been there.

She next found more doors to empty rooms. She found them eerie as she walked over to the wall of glass that surrounded the apartment. Even in the dead of night, every building was lit up. Wasteful, she huffed to herself…no stars to be seen.

Far down this particular hall, she opened double doors to a wondrous sight…a library…so large that it required ladders to reach the books near the ceiling. As she stood gaping at this beautiful sign of life in this cold place, she jumped as strong arms surprised her…wrapping around her waist as the scent of Christian soothed her.

"This is yours. You can decorate any way that you want to do it. Of course, that goes for the rest of the place as well. You're my woman. This is your home."

Ana smiled. She liked the sound of that…"you're my woman". He'd never put it quite like that. She turned to face him and pressed her mouth to his.

"The first thing I'd like to do in here…is defile the couch." Instantly, his erection poked her. She laughed as he walked her backward into the room and pushed her down unto the couch. They could send the cushion covers out to be cleaned in the morning.

He needed to be inside her immediately and that was enough for Ana. She loved the connection and his arms enveloping her. She sighed with contentment as he nuzzled her neck and growled her name.

She'd finish exploring in the morning…the house, not Christian. She knew every inch of him.

CHAPTER 92

The next day Christian began introducing Ana to the rest of his life…his boat, his helicopter, his jets, his office at GEH. He told her that he had a chalet in Aspen and a villa in Portugal.

They went sailing on the Sound and he taught her how to pilot the Grace while he raised the sails. They made love in the master cabin and she marveled at the feel of being on the water.

"There's a pool in the lower level of Escala. You need to learn to swim."

"Couldn't I just wear a floaty all the time?" she asked. He laughed and grabbed her, falling over the side and into the water as she squealed. He didn't let her go for a second. She wondered how he stayed afloat. He settled her on his torso as he swam on his back. She trusted him implicitly as she rested her head on his chest. He taught her on to lie in the water on her back.

"If ever you find yourself in the water, flip onto your back. You won't sink, okay?"

"Okay," she answered, looking up at the bluest sky. "Christian, can we stay until dark? I want to see the stars."

"You miss my folks backyard, don't you? Maybe we ought to look into a country house where you can have some land and a night sky. Would you like that?" His arms were lightly steadying her as she lay on her back. He leaned over and kissed her belly.

"It would be better for the kids, too," he pointed out casually.

Ana closed her eyes and let herself just feel. Then she spoke. "My shot runs out in two months." Christian smiled.

Then he asked her how long she could hold her breath. Without waiting for an answer, he pulled her under the boat and held her there. There were muffled engine sounds. Christian put his mouth on Ana's and breathed air into her. She felt dizzy and then suddenly they were on the surface on the other side of the boat. Christian was holding her. As she began to speak, he shushed her.

The engine sounds retreated. When they could no longer be heard, Christian helped Ana back onto the boat. He told her to stay low as he crept to the radio. She heard him put out a mayday to the coast guard. She looked over the side and in the far distance, she could make out another craft.

"They think we're on that island. They're waiting for us to appear on the beach. Just stay down and quiet."

Ana nodded. Curiously, she was not frightened. Christian knew what he was doing and she was safe.

They lay on the deck until there came other engine sounds. These were louder and stronger…a larger vessel.

"Don't be concerned. It's the coastguard. Stay down still." He stood and waved as the vessel pulled alongside of the Grace. He shouldn't have. The roar of the larger boat's engines had disguised the sound of the smaller craft returning. Ana heard a popping sound and then several more. She instinctively pulled on Christian's leg and brought him down hard on the deck.

He looked surprised as his face hit the boards. The coastguard ship didn't move as the attacking boat tore away at top speed.

Why weren't they pursuing? Ana wondered. Then she noticed blood seeping from under Christian. She heard a scream and knew that it was hers although everything seemed unreal. She jumped to her feet and snatched a blanket off the bench. Frantically, she searched his body for the source of the bleeding, pushing Christian unto his back. The blood was slowly running from his side. Good, no artery hit. She lay the blanket unto his wound and doubled it over, applying pressure to stop the flow. It was working.

One of the sailors came aboard with a large medi-kit. Christian remained conscious but dazed.

"I'm a nurse. Is anyone else hurt?" Since the coastguard was not following the other boat, Ana assumed it was in need of returning quickly to port. The sailor nodded. Leaving Christian in his care, Ana leapt the few feet over to the other vessel. She found the captain groaning, leaning against a locker and pressing his hand against his shoulder.

Ana quickly ascertained that it wasn't a bad wound. The bullet had gone clear through. She tore his shirt away and, using a bottle of water handed to her, she cleaned the wound and then applied a thick bandage. The captain told her that he was okay so she returned to Christian.

The sailor's compressions had staunched the bleeding and Christian was coming around. He smiled reassuringly at Ana.

"See? I'm a smart guy. I only get shot when a nurse is at hand. Honey, don't cry. I'll be fine."

Ana nodded even though her heart was sore. It hurt to see the man she loved in pain.

"Don't get upset, Grace. Christian is going to be fine. They've already removed the bullet and he's conscious…cracking wise to keep me calm. No, no. I'm fine, too. Just come. I could use your motherly arms around me."

Ana turned to Taylor…eyes blazing. "I'm fed up with this shit, Taylor," she snarled as she made her way back to Christian's room.

CHAPTER 93

Later, as Christian slept with Grace watching, Taylor motioned to Ana to come out into the corridor. In the presence of her fiancé and Grace, Ana was sweet and cheerful but Taylor knew that it was all a façade.

"Do you want the good news or the bad first?" Taylor put it to her. Ana's mouth was tight.

"Okay…Ryan and Baxter had eyes on both Lincolns all day. Elena was passed out on the couch as usual. Eric left his recliner only to grab a can of beans and to empty his jar. Neither made any calls. Latner had his eye on Lincoln's crew. They spent the afternoon in a local bar getting drunk. A review of all communications showed nothing.

"This means that someone else attacked you and the Coast Guard. To have the balls to go after the Guard means this person or these people are both crazy and determined. They're also amateurs. I don't believe that it's a hired professional.

Taylor waited. He didn't like the way that Ana was currently regarding him. She was making him nervous. She was breathing hard as well. She turned on her heel and strode furiously down the long hallway. Taylor watched her, knowing that she was trying desperately to avoid exploding. He was also disappointed in himself. Their prime suspects seemed to be all talk…too dissolute to take action…and they had no other leads.

Today's assassination attempt was too close, too serious. They would have to start all over and Taylor was finally seeing a side of Ana that scared him. How was he going to keep her under control?

As she approached Taylor, she ignored him and walked into Christian's hospital room. Taylor followed meekly and took up his stand by the window. Ana sat down across from Grace…both silent and watching Christian.

After several long minutes, Grace sighed and reached over to brush Christian's hair from his forehead.

"He needs a haircut. He pays no attention to that sort of thing anymore. Before his face was injured, he was quite the peacock," she grinned. "Now he doesn't care because you love him and he knows looks don't matter." She smiled lovingly at Ana. "Still, he needs a haircut."

"I know how to cut hair. I used to trim my father's hair. He was too busy to go to the barbershop and he was also too antisocial. There was so much chatter in the shop and it irritated him. He couldn't understand why all these old men spent their days sitting around talking. Daddy also had so much work to do."

"Do you miss your father, dear?" Grace asked.

"Yes. After Christian, he's the first person I think of every morning when I wake up. If Christian is asleep, I lie there thinking of Daddy and remembering how he loved me. I've been incredibly lucky, Grace. Two wonderful, exceptional men have loved me," Ana smiled softly.

"You've never talked about your mother," Grace hinted.

"There isn't much to say about mama. She gave birth to me, reluctantly, and that was the last maternal action she took toward me. Oh, she cleaned the house, made the meals…that sort of thing…but motherhood was not in her wheelhouse. She resented it. My father was from a well-to-do family in Boston and mama thought that she was making a "good" marriage…one that would take her to the big city and give her an easy life."

Ana laughed. "Daddy dragging her off to a farm in a tiny town was a big shock. She talked about divorce all the time but we just ignored her 'cause we knew that she had nowhere to go. I think my parent's marriage was over after I was born. I sometimes wonder how my father managed to live his life without love. Now that I have Christian, I can't imagine it."

Christian moaned. Both women watched him carefully. Grace pushed the alert button for a nurse.

Taylor moved quickly to the door and watched the corridor. As a woman rushed toward the room, he stopped her.

"Sorry, ma'am. I have to vet you before you enter. He took out his phone and went through the photo list of permissible visitors while the nurse muttered about needing to tend to her patient. Taylor put his phone away and opened the door for her.

"Our patient is coming around again. Good. This time he'll be thirsty and getting hungry. He'll also be feeling that wound. Might be a bit grumpy. I'm going to check all his vitals."

She cuffed him for a blood pressure check, took his temperature, checked his pulse…all while Grace and Ana watched her anxiously.

The nurse smiled at them. "He's doing well. He was certainly lucky that he had a nurse by his side."

Both women let out a breath. Grace asked for pain medication and the nurse nodded. "Let's wait until we see how bad it is, okay?"

Christian opened his eyes and they landed first on his mother. He looked worried. "Ana?" he inquired apprehensively. Grace patted his hand as Ana squeezed the other. He immediately swiveled his head to the right and beamed.

"You okay?" he asked…studying her face.

"I'm fine. I'm the one who obeyed instructions to stay low. You're the idiot who stood up to greet the coast guard. Wrong time to be courteous." She leaned up and kissed him. He grinned and turned to his mother.

"Hi, Mom. How are you?"

"I'm all right…now. The rest of the family and Ros are down in the waiting room. They couldn't be persuaded to go home until they were certain that you are truly all right. You did wake up once before they got here. Do you think you have the strength for a quick visit?"

Ana didn't want Christian bombarded with love but he wanted to see everyone. What a change in my son, thought Grace. He wants to see people. He believes they care for him. Once again, Grace thanked the lord for Ana.

The room was soon filled with people, all relieved and tired. While Christian brushed off his injury as "no biggie", they saw his face, pale and weary. The disfigured side seemed more prominent. His eyes were dull. He looked like a man who'd been shot. After everyone reassured themselves that he was better…was going to live…they took their leave along with Grace. She embraced Ana as she left…a strong hug. She would love it if one day Ana would call her mama.

When they were gone, Christian tried to get out of bed, only to discover that he was hooked up to IVs…as if Ana would allow it anyway. He mumbled something in dissent.

"That bullet was too close to a vital organ or two, Christian. You were fortunate that your attacker had an entire coast guard vessel blocking his view. You did lose blood, however. You'll be weak for a while. Recall that it took weeks for my blood to replenish. Please take it easy."

CHAPTER 94

Ana didn't leave Christian's side except to brush her teeth. Baxter brought meals from the Mile High…meals Ana barely touch. On her orders, Baxter also brought boxes of threatening correspondence from the cabinets in the security office at Escala. While Christian slept, Ana went through each with precise caution. She studied the dates, the messages. When one struck her as an even small possibility, she called Welch and insisted he look into it. As letter after letter proved a dead end, she slashed a red marker through it.

She kept the boxes on the floor beside her, out of Christian's sight. When he began to awake again, she pushed the papers aside and all he saw was her smiling face. At his request, she maneuvered herself up onto the bed and beside him. Within minutes, he fell back to sleep and Ana would go back to her search.

Box after box yielded little to get her closer to a suspect. Everyone was far away, dead, institutionalized…even the ones in prison seemed content with their lot and no longer bore a grudge. She feared that the person trying to kill them may never have bothered with threats and intended rather to get right to the point.

She instructed Taylor to acquire the records of all employee dismissals and even voluntary leave. Taylor assured her that those people had been thoroughly investigated at the time. Ana growled that people can change their minds…sitting at home, unemployed and stewing over the injustice of it all.

It was in that pile of records that one name struck her. She'd seen the name before…on an innocuous letter from a man who thanked Grey for the years of fruitful employment, an apology for embezzling at a difficult time in his life, appreciation for Grey's understanding and refusal to press charges. He was, said the man, a good person and he wished him well.

The letter had been written six weeks before the first crash.

Ana ignored Taylor, still standing across the room, and called Welch directly as she had been. Welch was initially uncomfortable with these calls…having always dealt with Grey or security. He knew Ana only as she'd been initially described to him …as a waitress in a country diner…but he'd been warned by Taylor to take her seriously when she called….because Grey did. Now he said yes, ma'am and began looking into Jack Hyde, a simple entry level accountant.

Taylor had been mulling over something in his mind since this second shooting. Three serious attempts on Grey's life and he'd failed each time to protect his boss. He'd also failed to find the culprit. He was angry with himself and now he watched as his boss's fiancée felt that she needed to take it upon herself to keep Grey safe.

While Ana waited for Welch to return her call, she didn't share her thoughts with Taylor. He understood.

"Ms. Steele? While you have a moment and while Mr. Grey is sleeping, might I have a word with you?"

"What is it, Taylor?" she asked without real interest.

"I believe that I have failed to do my job. I can only offer my sincerest apologies….and my resignation."

CHAPTER 95

"Look at this," Ana said, ignoring Taylor's remarks. She handed him the letter from Jack Hyde.

"What about it? It isn't threatening."

"Look at the date," Ana persisted.

Taylor considered it for a moment and then allowed that it was suspiciously close to the time of the first crash.

"Not only that, Taylor, but it is the only letter sent within six months of the crash. And you can take that resignation and put it where the sun don't shine. I'm certain that I speak for Christian as well. I have Welch looking into this guy. I have a hunch that he has more skills than simple number crunching."

"Okay. We have nothing else so let's just go with your hunch."

They sat in silence for some time…waiting for Welch to call. Christian woke again…for a short time…long enough to look at Ana, smile and say that he loved her. He looked over at Taylor and

asked if he were taking care of his girl.

"Of course, sir. 'Course, she's a tad angry with me right now for letting you get shot."

"Taylor, you couldn't have stopped them. They drove straight toward the Coast Guard, for Christ's sake."

"I know that, sir, but I'm honored that your fiancée has such faith in me that she thinks that I should have done something," Taylor smiled.

"Ana, sweetheart, please don't be mad at Taylor. He'd take a bullet for me if he could."

"I know, love. That's why I didn't fire him." Grey grinned. Wearily, he squeezed her hand and fell back to sleep.

Ana side-eyed Taylor with whom she was still angry and disappointed.

"Wear Kevlar, Taylor. Next time I'm shoving you in front of my man," she smirked.

Welch called. He had plenty to say about Jack Hyde. The man had history… a lot of it. He had been in the army for a couple of years where he learned how to repair jet engines. He had spent time in Afghanistan where he took great pride in his kills…keeping track of them with scratches on his bunk wall. His zeal for killing and his talent for hitting his targets made him valuable to the army until that same religious zeal grew into such an obsession that he required a psyche evaluation and a medical discharge. Returned to the states for paperwork, during his time in that post, a couple of jeeps belonging to senior officers mysteriously blew up.

Released into civilian life, Hyde got himself into trouble with the law more than a few times. He'd get drunk in a bar, start fights and then the object of his ire would begin having accidents. The law could never pin anything on him, however.

Finally, he seemed to pull himself together. He attended a community college and received an associate degree in accounting. He got a job with a small but thriving start-up called Grey Enterprises and Holdings. He had to be spoken with a couple of times about harassing his female colleagues but otherwise, he was a model employee until, following an audit, it was discovered that he'd been working the numbers to take small amounts of GEH's money. He sobbed to his immediate superior, Ros Bailey, that his mother was ill and he couldn't afford the medicine she needed. Ros felt bad for him so she convinced Grey not to call the police…merely dismissing Hyde.

This was almost six years ago. Ana was convinced that he had not forgotten. So was Welch. Hyde held his grudges close to his heart.

"The guy he beat up in the bar? He's still having small, unexplainable accidents. That army base down the road? A barracks blew up and someone broke into a hangar and loosened the screws on a helicopter's rotors. Fortunately, the rotors collapsed before the pilot was about to take off. No one was hurt but the army has no clues as to the culprit.

"Ana, I can't find this guy. He's a ghost. Last known address was in Honolulu."

"I'm on speaker with Taylor. He suggests that Hyde may be living amongst the homeless. It would be like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Still, we have to try. However, I don't want him to know that we're on to him. He'd really go underground only to pop up a year or so from now to strike when he thinks we've dropped our guard."

Neither realized that Christian had been coming around again.

CHAPTER 96

Now it was Christian who wasn't in the mood for conversation with his wayward fiancée.

"Mom, I'm not spending another night in this germ joint," he growled at Grace who regarded him with both worry and exasperation.

"Son, you don't want to engage in a wrestling match with me. I always win."

"Mom, I was seven…and I let you win because I was afraid that I'd hurt you," he insisted defiantly.

"Not the way I remember it. Anyway, you've been shot. This is not a small thing."

"Well, neither is what my fiancée is plotting!" he yelled.

"Taylor will keep her from doing anything foolish."

"HE'S IN ON IT!" Christian's face was now beet red and he was trying to rip out his IV drip while Grace slapped at his hands.

"I'll have you sedated. I'm not joking!" This threat settled her son down some but he was breathing hard and furious…or scared. With Christian it was sometimes hard to tell, especially when it came to Ana…and it always came to Ana.

"Mom, I know Ana. She'll look you right in the face and lie to you if it means protecting someone she loves. You can try talking sense to her but it'd be like spitting in the wind. I'm terrified that she's going to go after the people trying to kill us and get herself killed. Mom, talk to her. Try to get through to her.

"I've got get out of here. Get Ana away from here. Maybe Aspen. Maybe Portugal."

Grace was becoming alarmed. The Christian she'd always known was strong, invincible…never open to fear or doubt. This man was badly shaken…a man with everything to lose. He'd finally given his heart to someone and it made him fragile…vulnerable to evil. The very reason he'd fought all his life against exposing himself to emotion was now someone he couldn't give up.

He was finally found…and possibly lost.

His tirade had worn him out and now he was back to sleeping. Grace went looking for Ana and Taylor. Baxter stood at attention outside Christian's room.

"Baxter, remember that no one goes in that room unless you have their picture."

"Yes, ma'am. I've memorized every person. If I don't know them, they don't get in. Please don't be concerned."

Baxter, at first, thought to mention the tall, dark-haired, bearded orderly with deep blue eyes, who'd insisted that he needed to change Grey's sheets. The man, wrinkled with rough skin and hunched over, seemed innocent enough and frustrated that his photo wasn't on the accepted list. Baxter almost allowed him to enter while he checked on him but thought better of it and ordered him away. The old fellow was furious and swore at Baxter as he shuffled off down the corridor.

"Ah, Ms. Steele and Taylor can be found in the cafeteria."

When Grace gave him an odd expression, he sheepishly noted that Mr. Grey had not spoken quietly during their conversation. Grace smiled and headed off to the cafeteria. A couple of people needed a talking to and Grace would not have them upsetting Christian.

Perhaps they needed to be reminded that he'd been shot.

CHAPTER 97

"Taylor, we have to find a way to lure Hyde out into the open. You've dealt with criminals. How do they think?" Ana was determined and Taylor figured the best way to keep her safe was to play along.

"After the shooting, I made sure that the newspapers printed a story noting that we suspected a business rival but that we had no real suspects and were quite frustrated. That will help to put Hyde at ease. The papers will be asking for updates and the constant theme will be that we have no leads."

"That's good…but it isn't enough. Do you think that maybe Hyde is curious to see how shooting Christian has affected him?"

"What do you mean…exactly?"

"Perhaps a story that insinuates that Christian is scared or depressed. That would please Hyde and maybe he'd like to surface to see it for himself."

"Christian is scared! He's scared that he'll lose you. Ana, get upstairs and hold his hand. I don't want him to be alone when he wakes again." Grace had an edge to her voice that Ana had never before heard. She hustled off, leaving Grace and Taylor alone. Taylor rose from his seat at Grace's entrance. She indicated that he should sit.

"Taylor, Christian is truly terrified that Ana is going to get into trouble and that you are helping her! She is not going to listen to me, to anyone, for that matter. Once she gets an idea in her head, she doesn't let up. The only way to protect her is…." Taylor interrupted to finish her thought.

"…to let her think that she's in on the plans. Yes, I know that she's a loose cannon. I'm doing my best to keep her from going off. Every time she gets an idea, I tell her that we're already on it. I let her brainstorm with me so that she feels that she is contributing but if any idea is too crazy to pursue, I talk her out of it. Please reassure Mr. Grey that I'm keeping Ana safe. Did you notice that when she left here, she was followed by two CPOs? She wasn't aware of them."

Grace sighed with relief. "Thank you, Taylor. Christian is so convinced that you and Ana are working together…he was positively apoplectic! He was trying to tear the IV lines out of his arm. I'm afraid that he'll lock Ana up. He was talking about running off to his villa in Portugal."

"We have a suspect, Dr. Grey. A solid suspect…and it was Ana who discovered him. She is a smart woman and I do value her input. However, as I said, I'm keeping her in line by making her think that I'm not. Her CPOs know that she might try to elude them and is capable of doing so. They are on high alert at all times. For that matter, the entire team is on high alert. I blame myself for Mr. Grey being hurt. He is my primary responsibility and always has been. I should never have allowed him to take Ana out on the Grace without protection."

"Why did you?" Grace asked, her voice filled with annoyance.

"Mr. Grey…hmm…mislead me as to his plans for the afternoon. He said that he was just going to show the boat to Ms. Steele. I sent three men along with them. He sent one of them back to the harbor restaurant for a picnic lunch…and then ordered the others to step aside while he gave Ms. Steele a short ride around the harbor. They should have known better. They don't take their orders from Mr. Grey. They should have called me and made the request. They were reprimanded and will not forget in future for whom they work. Sometimes, in security, the lines between superiors can be blurred. Due to Mr. Grey's weakened condition, I have not yet spoken to him but I will be sternly reminding him that I'm in charge. It's hard for a man like your son to yield to someone else."

"All right, Taylor. I'm sorry that I was angry with you. After all these years, I should know better but you're correct. These repeated attempts to kill my son have messed with my thinking."

"Completely understandable, Dr. Grey…especially since I have failed Mr. Grey twice. Ms. Steele has taken me out back of the woodshed as well and she was right."

"Oh, Taylor. I don't know how you could have prevented that second crash. I mean, you had that helicopter locked down like Fort Knox."

"And yet, Hyde got in and we still don't know how. We tightened security even more, including a complete check of the chopper before it leaves the hangar. The mechanic is an ace and thoroughly vetted."

"This Hyde seems impossibly clever, Taylor. How could he even know that Christian and Ana were going down to the pier that day?"

"I'm certain that he had eyes on them at all times. He is obsessed and people like that do nothing but stick with their obsession. Ana made a suggestion and it paid off."

"Again with Ana. Well, what was it?"

Ana demanded that we do yet another sweep of the boat and she had read something about small devices that were almost impossible to detect. I had a team crawling all over that vessel, ma'am, and one of them felt something solid in a blanket…something the size of a pebble. Hyde had planted a tiny device in the weave of the blanket. It beeps somewhere when it is moved. However, even though Ms. Steele is a valuable asset, keep in mind that I'm going to keep her out of trouble or die trying."

"Huh," Grace huffed. "I fear that you may…die trying, I mean."

CHAPTER 98

Against the advice of his doctors and his mother, Christian insisted that he return to Escala. He felt that he and Ana would be safer 20 stories in the sky. Taylor disagreed…pointing out that Hyde would have no compunctions about setting the entire building on fire to get to them…but to no avail. Christian wanted to be home…with his fiancée. For once, Ana didn't argue. She wanted Christian to be calm, relaxed. His fears about her were getting in the way of his recovery and that was her first concern.

Despite his weakness, Christian wanted to make love to Ana and his insecurities got in the way when she urged him to rest.

"You don't want me any more now that you've seen how weak I can be. That's it, isn't it? A man with this face who limps around the apartment and winces whenever he moves…you're turned off, aren't you?"

It broke Ana's heart to hear him speak this way so she did what she had to do. She jumped his bones. She pushed him down on the bed and climbed on top of him…the desire in her eyes and touch moving him to new heights. Lord, how he loved to look into her eyes when they made love. Ana hid nothing. She was raw and open and he'd never been so turned on.

He forgot everything else but her touch and their being together. He flipped her over and pounded into her with a passion he couldn't control…didn't want to control. It had been a week and a man in love like Christian couldn't do without his woman for so long.

Unfortunately, as wonderful as it was between them, both were too dazed to remember his stitches.

"Grace, do you think that you could come over to the penthouse to examine Christian's wound. It would appear that he's popped his stitches. Well, yes, he forgot to take it easy. He…hum…exerted himself too much," Ana said carefully…knowing that she wasn't really fooling Grace.

After that episode, Ana was firm about being on top. It wasn't easy to think clearly in the moment but somehow, she did. If Christian tried to change positions, she said no. Naturally, he sulked but he would take her any way he could get her. His desire for her seemed to have strengthened. He limped along behind her all around the house. He would sit and be still only if she did likewise. Although she acted exasperated, she was secretly delighted.

It wouldn't always be like this, she knew. He would return to work. They would have children. Life would always get in the way so she intended to enjoy his uncontrollable need for her for as long as it lasted. It was more than mutual.

Taylor kept Ana in the loop but nothing was said to Christian. His intense focus on Ana helped to distract him from the predicament they were in. Up in the clouds, he deliberately chose to ignore everything but that which made him happy. Soon enough, he would have to come back to earth.

They stayed in bed until late in the morning, holding tight to each other, talking, not talking. With his arms wrapped around Ana, Christian let his mind go blank mostly. Never in his life had he been so at ease, so content.

"How many children do you want to have, Christian?" Ana spoke softly into his chest. Her breath on his skin sent a thrill through him.

"Three…maybe four. I need at least one girl who'll look like you. In fact, let's make that all girls."

Ana lifted her head, giggling at him. "You do know that we have no choice in the matter, don't you? Are you going to make me keep popping out babies until one is a girl? This flat belly that you love to kiss will become a mound of fat in a few years."

"Great. More belly to hold onto. I'm told that there are ways to help ensure the gender of a child."

"Are you going to meet up with a witch in the woods and buy some special potions?" Ana giggled.

"First…I'll google." Ana roared with laughter. They spent the next hour researching on google, learning little. When Christian suggested IVF and selecting girl embryos, Ana asked what he'd like to do with the left over male embryos. He was stumped so in the end they decided to take their chances. He was exhausted so he went back to sleep.

Ana knew that it wouldn't take long for him to notice her absence so she slipped away, donned her robe and went hunting for Taylor. She found him on the phone with Welch so she turned to Ryan who was monitoring the activities of their former, maybe still, suspects.

"So, what are Eric and Elena up to these days?" she asked, leaning over his shoulder to watch a monitor.

"The same, Ms. Steele. Elena calls Eric every few days to tell him what's going on around here and to urge him to get moving. Eric doesn't seem interested in anything she says and his boys show up less and less at the diner. Our men on the ground, pretending to also be forest dwellers, felt bad for them and have been teaching them to hunt and to grow a garden. They reportedly love it."

CHAPTER 99

Ryan's observation were spot on. The boys' father taught them little. He hadn't taken them hunting because he thought that they'd get in the way. They were also quite lazy and didn't want to get up at dawn so when they did arise, they'd find dead deer magically hanging in the shed. Their father went into town now and again and returned with other supplies but they were not allowed to go with him.

Now, somewhat out of boredom with their own job…observing the boys…the security team decided to help them learn to be independent. Taylor was skeptical at first but then reasoned that they'd be less likely to follow Eric's orders if they didn't have to depend on his money. Besides, Eric rarely communicated with them and when he did, it was about nothing pertaining to Christian Grey.

Elena was another story. When she learned of the shooting, she was delighted…couldn't wait to tell Eric. His lack of interest baffled and infuriated her. That he wasn't responsible made her feel that she might not be able to count on him to punish Grey for her. Still, she didn't make any plans of her own…trusting in the mysterious person who'd shot him.

She devoured every piece of news concerning Grey and his concubine. She lingered over the words in the Nooz…severe loss of blood…family fearing the worst…fiancée distraught. These bits and pieces kept Elena going…except that she needed more. Her appetite was only growing. The word that Grey had been released and was now back home at Escala was upsetting. Elena knew that the odds of Grey and his trollop leaving his fortress were slim. She did the only sensible thing.

She hired a couple of thugs she'd met through her extreme BDSM club to keep watch on the building around the clock…with orders to fire on any black Mercedes SUV that left the garage. She armed them with high-powered automatics that they swore could blast through anything. Grey's armored vehicles couldn't be touched by anything except possibly a bazooka or a grenade launcher. Elena's hired killers knew this but, hell, they had no real interest in killing Grey or his girl and they'd still get paid.

The one place that Taylor and Welch had not been able to surveil was Elena's club. They could have stashed a camera or two, maybe a bug under a table but basically, it wouldn't really work. It was too noisy…too dark. Besides, neither man could ask one of their team to infiltrate the club as members. You had to nearly beat a sub to death to qualify.

Nonetheless, the panel van parked across the street every day, never moving, had not gone unnoticed. It was amateurish surveillance. Taylor had the Seattle PD visit the occupants and check the interior. The men had their guns registered and they claimed that they were just freelance photographers looking for a chance to make a buck with a shot of Christian Grey and his girl. They were plugging the meter so technically they were obeying the law. The SPD let them off with a warning about occupying the same space too much. Taylor told them to let the men off…keep your enemies close, he said.

Still, he'd rather not have another vehicle damaged so one night he asked the SPD to tell the men to move. Grey was feeling well and his mother's gala for charity, long in the planning, was being held that night and Grey's attendance was the big draw. Everyone wanted to see his face and meet the waitress he was going to marry. Grace was dismayed at their reasoning but thrilled with the money raised. It would be the biggest gala in more than five years and she was proud of her son and the woman he'd had the good sense to choose. She wanted people to see them and how wonderful they were together.

Both Christian and Ana were nervous, for similar reasons…their faces. They dressed in silence, occasionally looking up and smiling at each other, quietly offering encouragement. Ana really did think that Christian in a tux was dreamy and Christian really did think that Ana in a fancy gown was breathtaking but even the reassurance of the person each loved more than anything in the world was not quite enough to quell their nerves.

For the first time, they were emerging out into society as a couple. Christian had once been at least accustomed to the looks…before the fire melted half his face…but Ana knew that she was not the sort of beauty that people thought the enigmatic multibillionaire should be bringing to a ball. She didn't feel that she would fit into that world. She worried that she would be an embarrassment…for her fiancé and his family.

The family, on the other hand, had gathered early at Grey Manor. Elliot and Kate planned to surprise everyone by announcing their engagement at the gala. Mia and Ethan were steady these days and with Mia gone most nights, Carrick and Grace were having fun rediscovering each other. Christian and Ana actually attending was the icing on the cake. The family was really looking forward to this night…even with coverts lurking everywhere. It seemed, indeed, like half the attendees were going to be men and women with squiggly lines coming out of their ears while they talked into their wrists.

When most of the crowd had arrived and started dinner, the Grey family emerged from the main house and took their seats at the front table. Carrick stood behind the microphone on the stage and greeted the guests. He told them what to expect of the evening and urged them to be generous during the auction, reminding them of the cause they were supporting.

"We have, as all are aware, thousands of homeless living on the streets. This charity is meant to address this issue at its source. We hope to see fewer and fewer people having no choice but to live under a freeway. Destroying their flimsy dwellings and belongings and forcing them out is not the answer. Giving them better choices before living on the street is their only choice is our goal. Welcome and thank you for being here tonight." Smiles and applause as the orchestra began to play.

CHAPTER 100

Christian and Ana held hands in the car with Christian gently rubbing her fingers with his thumb. It soothed both of them. They planned on arriving late and leaving early…hoping to somehow be less seen. It was a foolish attempt, of course. The entire crowd was holding its breath awaiting the arrival of the most interesting guests of all.

As Grey and Ana walked in, everything stopped…including the music. Carrick hastily instructed the musicians to continue as he made his way to his son.

"Christian, Ana…we're so happy to see you. It's been a while. Christian, you look well. How do you feel, son?"

"Like the most recent arrival at the city zoo," Christian muttered. Ana kept a happy smile plastered on her face.

"We understand, dear, but please try to ignore these people," Grace beamed for the benefit of onlookers. "They have a lot of money and we want it." This made Ana laugh and Christian relaxed a little.

"Come on, little bro'. Have a seat. Ana, you are a vision," Elliot said. As she opened her mouth to object, Elliot raised his hand. "No, do not contradict me. I do not lie. I see what I see."

Ana smiled and gave her brother-to-be a warm embrace. Then she greeted the rest of the family. Soon, everyone at the family table was chatting and enjoying each other's company. Even Christian seemed to be having a good time. Mia was always able to cheer him. He adored her. It pleased him to see that Ethan seemed to adore her as well.

"Psst, Christian," Ana whispered in his ear. "Did you notice that Kate has been hiding her left hand?"

"She does bite her nails," he replied. "Maybe she really did a number on her left hand." Ana could only shake her head in disbelief. Men. She leaned over to whisper to Kate. "Congratulations. Elliot is a lucky guy." Kate shushed Ana and giggled.

Taylor leaned down to speak softly to Ana. "Ms. Steele, one of your CPOs tonight is a woman, Agent Markham. She will accompany you to the ladies lounge if needed. She is wearing a white dress with a gold broach."

"I see her, Taylor. Thank you for the heads up," Ana answered. Then she nodded slightly at Agent Markham who appeared to be having a conversation with another guest…probably another agent. And…this is my life, Ana sighed. She looked across the table at her fiancé who was patiently fielding greetings from other businessmen. She wanted to knock them out of the way and take a seat on his lap and then have him nuzzle her neck. Yes, she smiled to herself, this is my life.

She looked around at the other guests who were looking at her. They seemed to think that she couldn't see them staring…as though she were behind one way glass. It was almost funny. As she watched them intently, they nudged each other and pointed. She doubted that she would ever find friends among these snoots. Oh, well. The food was delicious…not like Harry's, of course, but still good. Grace had suggested inviting Harry and the others but Ana had vetoed that idea. Wilson's Corner folk would not feel at ease among the rich…and their stares.

Two glasses of a most marvelous wine and Ana decided to check out the lioness's den. She caught Agent Markham's eye and excused herself to go to the ladies lounge. As she expected, a lot of the female guests also felt the same need. Ana fully expected to get the third degree and she also fully intended to be gracious about it. She may not impress them with her beauty but she wanted them to at least agree that Christian Grey hadn't settled for a dunce.

CHAPTER 101

Christian looked up from his small talk duty to note that his fiancée had left the table. For a moment, anxiety clenched around his heart. He looked to Taylor who nodded at him. Christian tried to relax. He looked around. Where was Elena?

"Taylor?"

"Yes, sir. Ms. Steele's CPO has been thoroughly briefed on Elena Lincoln." Grey hated that Taylor could read his mind.

People had begun dancing and rich dowagers were dragging their reluctant husbands out on the floor. Rich husbands were also dragging their disinterested trophy wives off to dance. Christian smiled pleasantly at everyone who looked at him. It was an advantage to have a ravaged face, he thought. The women weren't throwing their heaving bosoms at him. The way they used to hover over him as he sat with his family, he'd have to lean his head way back to look into their eyes rather than down their cleavage. When Elliot wasn't having a hearty laugh at his expense, he'd take pity on him and ask the woman to dance. Today, Elliot wasn't on décolletage duty for a pleasant change.

Mia and Ethan were on the dance floor, so close together that you couldn't slip a nail file between them. When they weren't staring into each other's eyes, Mia was snuggled into Ethan's chest. They weren't really dancing…swaying at most. Christian expected that they'd soon disappear into the house.

He observed his parents. They were sitting so close that they may as well have shared a chair. Kate and Elliot were actually waltzing, flying around the dance floor. Lust was in the air. Christian was feeling left out…pining for his girl.

Meanwhile, Ana was washing her hands, well aware that a dozen or so women were gathered in the well-appointed lounge, seemingly resting their weary feet. Ana strolled nonchalantly over to a club chair and took a seat. She smirked at the curious folk congregated before her. No one spoke.

"Hello, ladies. My name is Ana Steele. I'm here with Christian Grey, my fiancé. I know that you are all wondering about me. You can ask questions, if you like. Might be your last chance."

The startled looks on their faces showed that Ana had surprised them with her frankness. A moment went by and Ana began to rise from her seat.

"Don't leave, please, Ms. Steele. You're right. We are curious about you. We just didn't want to be rude." An odd statement from a woman who hadn't taken her eyes off of Ana all night.

Ana relaxed back into her chair and again smiled at the group. More women had come into the lounge, leaving Ana to wonder if there were any left outside. Most of the newcomers had to stand now.

"We read," one woman began, "that you were a waitress in a little country town."

"Yes. Harry's diner in Wilson's Corner. My parents owned a farm there. After earning my doctorate in nursing, I returned home to care for them. They died within a year of each other and I'd, at that point, had my fill of caretaking so I wanted a simpler job for a while to sort of reset myself."

There was murmuring among the ladies at the news that Ana held a Ph.d. She wasn't a simple waitress after all.

"Mr. Grey is quite a catch…even now. How did you manage it?"

"I agree that he is quite a catch but not for the reasons you think. He has a beautiful heart, a brilliant mind. I don't need his money. I sold the farm for a few million and with my degree, I could walk into any hospital in the country and get a very well-paying position. The extra billions that come along with Christian only mean unwanted attention…some of it from people who do not wish us well."

"Doesn't his face bother you?" Ana's head shot over toward the door and Elena Lincoln. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Agent Markham stiffen. The other women in the room gasped. Of course, they were all wondering the same thing but would not cross that line.

Ana's eyes narrowed to slits as she glared at Elena. "A face layered in makeup like an evil clown would bother me," Ana said pointedly. "But Christian's face is beautiful. A few inches of damaged skin doesn't change that. Also, knowing that he earned that badge of courage in the act of saving a life only makes him more stunning. Every time he walks into view, I have to catch my breath. It's been that way since the night he first stumbled into the diner, blood flowing down his face after his helicopter crashed again.

"By the way," she continued as she glowered at Elena, "should any of you have any idea of who would try to kill my fiancé, please feel free to come forward with the information. I cannot wait to get my hands around that person's throat.

"Any other questions? No? Well, it was nice to meet all of you. I'll be returning to my man now."

With a sincere smile, Ana took her leave. Most of the women stayed to discuss but Elena Lincoln walked out behind Ana.

"Ana. What you just said was directed at me, was it not? Why would you think that I would want to harm my old friend and the son of my best friend?" Elena tried to sound indignant.

Ana whirled on Elena, pining her against the wall. Agent Markham did not intervene. Pushing Elena's face into the wall as she tightened her grip on her arms behind her back, Ana was breathing hard.

"I know exactly who you are and what you are, Lincoln," she growled into Elena's ear. Ana shoved her one more time and then released her, turning her to face Ana's ire.

Elena was stunned and scared. She'd had no expectation that Grey's little waitress could be like this. Now she understood that Ana was not her victim but her foe…a quite dangerous foe.

"Do we understand each other better now, Mrs. Lincoln?" Ana demanded.

Elena could do no more than nod. Her arms hurt. Her head hurt. She wanted to return to the lounge and lie down before sneaking out of the venue.

Ana strode away, eager to return to the pleasant company of her family and the loving arms of her man.

Christian watched her walking toward him, a smile just for him on her beautiful face. To him, she seemed to shine in her velvet royal blue gown. He wanted her in his arms…now. He stood and walked quickly to meet her, pulling her to him and pressing his lips to hers. Ana didn't care who was watching…she opened her mouth to receive his tongue. She felt the fire within her. They stood like this for a long time until Ana lowered her head to rest on his muscled chest and they began to slowly dance as the band played "Stardust". They could have been playing "Jungle Love" for all Christian and Ana cared.

The women from the lounge had begun returning to their husbands…watching Grey and his girl and wishing that they had that kind of love.

CHAPTER 102

"When?" Christian softly spoke into Ana's ear as he held her, swaying on the dance floor.

Ana knew to what he was referring. She couldn't pretend otherwise. Only in defense of his very life could Ana tell her lover less than the truth. Still, she couldn't tell him when.

"These attempts to part us, to kill you…they hang over us like the sword of Damocles', Christian. We can never relax. I don't want to worry throughout our wedding ceremony and our honeymoon about someone watching us…lying in wait to destroy us."

Christian couldn't argue her point. He could only hold her tighter. He was unaware of their surroundings when he held her in his arms. He didn't see all the attention they were drawing. It wasn't just because they were the couple of the hour. It was because no one had ever before seen such love. The combination of who they were and how they felt for each other that fascinated everyone.

When they had entered the tent, everyone was anxious to see the hideous face of the formerly gorgeous Grey and the plain girl for whom he settled. Now they could see how wrong they'd been in their assumptions. He wasn't settling and she wasn't in it for the money and status. Something changed in the hearts of the usually superficial moneyed crowd in that room. Real and deep love wasn't common in their worlds.

However, Christian and Ana weren't being watched only by fellow guests at the ball. A tall man with sandy-colored hair and stunning green eyes was more intent on them than anyone else. He seemed to be quite wealthy…like everyone else. He'd acquired a weekend at a chalet in Aspen…Christian's chalet…in the auction…offering a high bid of $25,000. He'd hoped that Ana would be among the single girls being auctioned off for a dance but Ana didn't consider herself single and she was firm with Mia about not wishing to participate in such a spectacle. Mia, being more light-hearted about such things, had ignored Ethan's displeasure and offered herself up for an expensive dance. After all, it was for charity.

Ethan had damn near emptied his bank account to win the dance. For some time to come, he warned her, they would be having pizza and a movie at his place. Fine with her, Mia replied with a kiss. Staying in every night sounded like heaven.

The tall man in the immaculate tuxedo hesitantly approached the table of all the Greys and introduced himself as Edmund Castle. He quite politely asked Ana for a dance. Knowing that he'd donated a healthy sum of money to the cause, Ana thought she ought to be polite and share just one dance. She glanced at Christian who acceded his consent while staring at Edmund intently. As soon as Ana left for the dance floor, coverts appeared all around the couple as they whirled about the floor. Edmund was a very good dancer.

Christian quickly texted Welch for a vet on Mr. Castle unaware that Taylor had done likewise the moment he saw him watching Ana earlier.

Mr. Castle seemed to be legit…involved in import/export, all of it lucrative and legal. He was known to be a man who preferred to maintain his privacy…a man more private, indeed, than Christian Grey. Otherwise, his record was clean. He was a bachelor, a philanthropist and not, apparently, a ladies man.

Christian maintained a laser focus on Mr. Castle.

CHAPTER 103

"Were you surprise that I would ask you for a dance when your closeness with Mr. Grey is so apparent?" Edmund smiled at Ana.

"I was surprised because this room is filled with absolutely gorgeous women and yet you picked someone who is not," Ana replied honestly.

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, Ms. Steele. In my eyes these other women are, well, quite usual….the beauties one would expect to see at such an event. You are unique. You are very pretty and you have a light about you that the others do not have. I'm intrigued by you. I hoped to get to know you a bit."

"My engagement to Christian Grey was not a deterrent, then?

"It's only a dance and bit of conversation, Ms. Steele. I'm not intending to steal you away from a man with whom you are quite deeply in love."

"Yes, I am. So, what is it about me that intrigues you so, Mr. Castle," Ana smiled warmly. After all, this handsome stranger was the only man besides Christian who had ever found her interesting.

"Your air of self-possession, for one. Unusual in a woman. Most are sure of their beauty but you…you are self-contained and confident in yourself."

"The women you usually meet are confident only in their physical appeal? That is quite sad."

"I suppose it is. You, also, seemed unconcerned about your physical appeal for the most part. I can imagine you spending little time on choosing a dress, less on makeup and while all the other women are spending the evening standing on the balls of their feet in six-inch heels, you are wearing ballet flats."

"I did spend time choosing a dress out of the several I have…but only with an eye to how I'd feel in it after several hours. I don't like makeup and I abhor heels. It isn't that I have any interesting objections to these…it's just that I have always been pragmatic.

"My question next, Mr. Castle. Why are you alone? Or are you? Did you leave a lady at your table?"

Castle laughed and shook his head. "No. I did come alone simply because I know of no one with whom to spend all these hours…no one who could engage me in satisfying conversation."

"I find that sad," Ana said sincerely. "You have much to offer a women. Perhaps your expectations are too high."

"Perhaps. I also work a great deal. Even taking this evening off cut into my work hours. I simply have no time for a social life…especially one with a woman who would require a considerable time commitment. It was my understanding that Mr. Grey once felt the same way…yet…here you are."

"Just snuck right through a crack," Ana laughed. Castle smiled at her, enjoying her laughter.

"I do hope that you find someone who is worth the considerable time commitment, Mr. Castle.

Meanwhile, our song is over and I wish to return to my fiancé. He is wonderful company and has all the time in the world for me. Thank you for the dance, Mr. Castle, and good luck to you."

With a bright and warm smile, Ana left Mr. Castle and hurried back to Christian who instantly arose from his seat to great her with a kiss and quickly took her hand. Castle assumed that Ana was relating their conversation and that was fine with him. It had gone well. He liked Ana and was quite certain that she could not be lured from Grey's side. Too bad.

Mr. Castle walked outside for a smoke. He knew that Grey didn't smoke and even if, by some miracle, he could win Ana away, he'd have to quit smoking…something he did not want to do. To be honest, he'd tried time and again to no avail.

He looked out over the water and thought about his conversation with Ana. Was he too fussy? Was there a woman right in front of him whom he'd never considered? Ana, after all, was not a beauty but she shone from within. Her eyes were filled with warmth and intelligence. She was not an ordinary woman. He could have talked with her for hours but he knew a friendship with her was not possible. Grey was not a modern man. He was possessive and wary of anyone showing an interest in what he considered his. "Mine" could be his middle name.

Castle puffed on yet another cigarette. His mind imagined Grey and Ana returning home tonight. He knew that they lived together in the Escala penthouse. Castle himself had tried to buy it but Grey outbid him without breaking a sweat. He was probably unaware of Castle's attempt to win the bid. Grey was so rich and determined that competitors were just bugs in his way. Castle wondered if Grey understood that he was feared and admired by most of the businessmen at the gala. No, he no doubt even gave them a thought. He was a genius who routinely acquired exactly what he wanted. Castle threw his fourth cigarette down and ground it into the perfect Grey grass.

CHAPTER 104

Ana kissed Christian again as she took her seat and squeezed his hand. Then she giggled, understanding the expression on his face.

"No, dear, I don't remember every word we spoke together. He's not you. He expressed his admiration of me, sincerely I believe. He understands that I am yours…body and soul. Then we talked about his solitary life. It's sad, really. He's never met a woman who is worth his time. Works night and day."

"But he finds you to be worth his time?" Christian snarled.

"Yes. You find that surprising?" Ana snarled right back.

"I find it suspicious. I find the attentions of any man toward what is mine suspicious."

"So, he is trying to get to you through me. Is that it?" Ana was beginning to heat up but Grey was too oblivious to notice. Mistake.

"Perhaps. Perhaps he wants what is mine." Grey blithered on.

"Yours! Now I am your property!" Ana's rising voice caught the attention of Grace and Carrick sitting just across the table.

"Oh, my," Grace fretted. "Are you two having an argument?"

"No, Grace," Ana said fiercely. "No argument. Apparently, the matter is already settled." She jumped up from her seat, grabbed her hand back from a befuddled Christian and ran off with her coverts hustling to keep up.

"Now what the hell is wrong with her? We weren't fighting. What is she on about?" Christian was both stunned and self-righteous. He was an innocent man who was wrongly accused…and of what?

"Christian, before you follow Ana, perhaps you ought to tell me what you said so that I can interpret for you," Carrick offered. It was good thing that Ana was usually so calm and understanding because his son could be so thick.

While Carrick talked with Christian, Ana was tearing across the back lawn toward the waters of the Sound. The coverts kept their distance even as they watched Mr. Castle follow Ana to the wall surrounding the estate.

"Whoa!" he said cheerfully. "What lit your fuse? I could certainly guess who but I'll try not to pry."

Ana, breathing hard, grasped the wall and looked out over the water.

"Damn city lights. Can't see the stars properly. In Wilson's Corner, the sky would be blanketed with them."

"Wilson's Corner?"

"My hometown. Tiny place with a big heart. I was respected and loved there…and there were billions of stars…worth so much more than billions of dollars."

Mr. Castle was beginning to see his opportunity.

CHAPTER 105

"Tell me about Wilson's Corner, Ana." It was the first time he'd said her name…a bit of familiarity that she didn't notice. A small step forward.

"I went to New York University for my nursing studies for several years but all my life was in Wilson's Corner. I thought that I wanted to live in a big, exciting city but after getting my doctorate, I couldn't avoid going home. My parents were elderly and infirm, trying to run a farm, no less. I could sit on the deck at night and watch the skies. I miss that."

"I don't mean to dismiss the charm of Wilson's Corner but did you say that you have a Ph.d in nursing? That's quite impressive."

"Not really. Academics have always been easy for me. I only went for the doctorate to lengthen my stay in New York. I didn't want to go home. Except for internships and caring for my parents, I haven't even used my degree. I thought about finding a position here in Seattle but at the moment it isn't possible."

"Why isn't it possible?" Castle pried.

"It just isn't, that's all. Besides," Ana deflected, "I'm not even sure it's what I really want anymore."

"Seems a waste of a great education," Castle pushed.

Ana just shrugged. She wanted to be alone to sulk but she was too polite to tell Mr. Castle to shove off. She wondered why Christian hadn't followed her. He was probably angry, too…although he couldn't stand to be on the outs with her and would cave immediately. Maybe walking out on him in front of everyone embarrassed him. Good.

Ana looked behind Castle. Christian was now charging across the lawn, obviously in a fit, probably to do with Mr. Castle standing close to her at the wall.

"It would be best, Mr. Castle, for you to go now. Thank you for your company."

"I would be honored if you called me by my given name, Edmund." Ana smiled and said, "Goodnight, Edmund."

Just as she got the words out, Christian was upon them…his face aflame with fury as he glared at Edmund. In a voice barely polite, he also said goodnight to Mr. Castle who bowed to Ana and turned to go.

"You didn't have time or temper to talk with me but you did for Edmund Castle. Did you arrange to meet out here? Was that why you tore into me over nothing…an excuse to leave?"

Ana smacked him across his already red cheek and then stood toe to toe with him as he gaped at her. Then she grabbed his hair with both hands. It was painful but still, to Christian, arousing at the same time. Could this woman do anything that didn't turn him on?

Ana pulled his head down to hers and took possession of his mouth, tangling madly with his tongue and biting his lip. He crushed her in his strong arms and held on for dear life. Oh, lord, her mouth…so warm, so soft. Whatever had been in his head when he marched down here from the tent, was gone completely. Her body…so precious, melting into his until they felt as one. He needed her now.

He swept her up in his arms and hurried to the boathouse. Still carrying her, still kissing her, he mounted the stairs to the second floor…to the bed. He needed her naked so that he could touch all of her skin and feel it against his. Somehow, still kissing, he undressed her and himself and they fell onto the bed…their hands everywhere.

"I want you in my mouth," Ana demanded. "No, not now. I need my mouth on you," he mumbled, as he suckled on her skin…moving from her neck to her breasts to her belly and, finally, between her legs. He licked and blew and sucked…he inserted his tongue into her. He was out of control in his desperation to possess her completely. He took her to the stars repeatedly until he could no longer hold out and had to be within her…to be inside the most sacred place on earth…her cushion so hot and tight. He tried with everything he had to hold back. He didn't want an orgasm. He wanted to just be connected to Ana as intimately as possible.

But his body betrayed him and even as Ana was still trembling and dazed, he came in a blinding flame of physical and emotional worship of this woman…his woman.

He collapsed, unable to hold himself up on his elbows. He instinctively enveloped Ana in his arms. He loved that he could get his arms completely around her small body. He moaned as he buried his face in her neck. Her name murmured into her skin…over and over as she came to enough to run her hands through his hair and say his name.

CHAPTER 106

Far from the gala tent, Christian and Ana could not be heard as they screamed out each other's name…as they roared their pleasure. Their coverts knew better than to be within hearing distance when the boss and his girl were alone. They were curious about the man still standing at the water wall, however.

Castle hadn't gone far. Though the view was beautiful, his attention was only on the noises coming from the nearby boathouse. It was torture to listen to Ana coming…to hear her calling Grey's name as she did. And there was more. Castle smirked. They were noisy lovers. It was obviously good for her. Castle wanted so much to make her cum and watch her face. Grey didn't deserve her…but he had her and Ana wasn't the sort of woman to trade men. Castle told himself to accept that his quest was impossible.

A man even taller and larger than Edmund Castle appeared beside him. The man, dressed in a black suit and tie, smiled tightly.

"Please excuse the interruption, sir. I'm with the security team for the gala. Is there some reason for you being so far from the festivities and all alone down here?"

"I didn't know that guests were forbidden from wandering the grounds," Castle impatiently replied.

The man smiled again. "Not at all, sir. It's just that there was some concern that you were not here for the view alone…that you were feeling, perhaps, blue."

"Did you think that I was going to jump off the wall?" Castle asked, amused.

"Wouldn't be the first time, sir. Occasionally, a guest will drink too much, get depressed, go roaming and…well. We need to protect our guests even from their own worst inclinations. Thus, I'll have to ask you to rejoin the party, if you don't mind."

The man's stern voice was a clear indication that he wasn't asking Castle to leave. Castle had heard enough anyway. He needed a good, strong shot of whiskey to clear his head. He needed to plan his next move without the distraction of Ms. Steele. He hadn't realized that Anastasia Steele would turn out to be such a complication.

As he walked back to the tent, followed by the covert, he pondered the connection between Ana and Christian. He'd never thought Grey capable of being tamed by a woman. Maybe the trauma of losing his good looks had weakened him. Castle thought again. Yes, that might be true except that Ana was no ordinary woman.

Knowing her for less than an evening, he could easily see that she was remarkable in ways that he didn't yet understand. He'd seen only the surface of what he understood to be a person unlike any other. She wasn't someone he could ignore or dismiss as unimportant. He had plans and she was definitely an interference…a beguiling thorn in his side.

As he returned to the tent, Grace looked up, concerned. "That man who was dancing with Ana. He's smiling but it's more of a sneer, really. Carrick, who is he?"

Carrick looked around and caught Taylor's eye. Taylor walked swiftly to the Grey table. "Taylor, where are the children?"

"Taking some time to be alone, sir, and make up, I imagine. They're in the boathouse. Don't be concerned, Mr. Grey. All is well."

"That man that Ana was dancing with…who is he?"

Taylor filled Carrick and Grace in on all they knew about Edmund Castle. Grace still looked concerned. "You think that he is on the up and up, then?"

Taylor smiled at Dr. Grey's attempt to use modern lingo. "Seems so, ma'am. I think that he is just taken with Dr. Steele…to no avail, of course. Must be quite disappointing to find that the object of one's affections is sealed in the Fort Knox of love."

Carrick and Grace first stared at Taylor, stunned by his poetic turn of phrase, and were then unable to avoid raucous laughter. Taylor blushed, wondering what had come over him. He asked if there was anything they needed and was surprised when Grace stopped laughing and regarded him curiously.

"Taylor, it is unlike you to give up so easily."

"Ma'am?"

"My spidey sense is telling me that there is much more to know about Mr. Castle. Please dig deeper, much deeper." Grace was quite serious, startling even Carrick.

"I've never known you to not take people at face value, Grace," he said.

"Someone is trying to kill our children, Carrick. I take no one at face value any longer. Taylor?"

"I'll get right on it, Dr. Grey, Mr. Grey. Please try to enjoy the rest of your evening…trusting in your security team." Taylor bowed slightly and retreated.

"Team?" Carrick snorted. "Army is more like it. I've counted at least 40 men and women in this tent alone. Christian is taking no chances."

"Carrick, don't you know? Christian is not in charge of security. Taylor makes all the decisions. This is his army."

That realization quickly gave Carrick pause. His son wasn't being paranoid or overly cautious. His security chief was making rational decisions based on current circumstances. He pulled his wife closer. He'd been living with security for years and for the first time, he truly understood why.

CHAPTER 107

"A villa overlooking the sea. Portugal," Ana smiled softly. "Yes. I'd love to go there…perhaps on our honeymoon?"

"I was thinking sooner…like tomorrow," Christian replied.

Ana leaned on her elbows and gazed down at Christian, her love for him shining from her eyes. He felt like he was floating.

"No, Christian," Ana said sadly. "He would follow and I don't want him to touch anymore of our lives than he already has. He taints everything we love and cherish. The thought that he could have…and probably was…at the gala, peering at Mia and Ethan, Elliot and Kate…chills me to the bone. I want to lash out at him, keep him away from my family. Every time security calls in from Wilson's Corner to report, I freeze…terrified that he's hurt someone, burned down the diner, frightened Mrs. Lennon or Henny.

"We can't run or hide from this man, Christian. My daddy taught me to face up to my fears, to conquer them, to defeat them. That is my natural instinct…to fight back. Please don't ask me to run. Although I would not object to locking you in a panic room," she grinned.

"Defending you is supposed to be my job. You are emasculating me," Christian grumbled.

"The way you just took charge of my body…you are not emasculated," Ana laughed. "My lord, the things you do make me blush. I could never leave you even if I loathed you…knowing that you know my body so intimately that no one else could ever do to me what you do. Dancing tonight with Edmund Castle was like being on the dance floor with a robot compared to the passion of dancing with you. No one else could ever measure up.

"Besides, I've always kinda liked you," Ana said, bestowing a soft kiss on Christian's lips.

"If I could only stay in this bed with you forever," Christian sighed, "but people will be looking for us and the fireworks start soon." He brushed her hair back from her face and just stared at her for a long moment, took a deep breath and sat up.

They strolled slowly back to the tent, arms wrapped around each other. Christian was resigned, finally, to finding Jack Hyde and taking back their lives. What Ana wanted, Ana would get. It was all he truly cared about now…everything else took second place. He thought about GEH and how his company had been all he lived and breathed for. Now he couldn't imagine how he could have felt that way. He couldn't even remember life before Ana. It was all a blurry dream of little consequence while the woman at his side was a blazing light calling to him.

As they entered the tent, all eyes immediately turned to them. Grey had always been as source of fascination but Grey in love made it impossible to look away. Christian ignored the stares while Ana took perverse pleasure in waving at people whose faces then turned red as they tried to pretend that they were not staring. Some people, however, did wave back. Some people came up to the couple to chat for a moment. They wanted to know Ana. The more they wanted to know Ana the less they paid any attention to Christian's face.

The circle gathered around them was not too much for Ana to handle. She had once held the spotlight at the diner. Henny was shy but Ana talked to everyone, knew all the names and even their favorite dishes. So, she was able to talk with all these strangers and within a short time knew their names, their business, their interest.

Grey had to chuckle. The scene reminded him of President Kennedy remarking, upon introducing himself to a huge crowd of people in France, that he was just the man who accompanied Jackie to Paris. That's how Grey felt at the moment. It was amazing what people would say to Ana. One man told her that his hemorrhoids were killing him and Ana prescribed a remedy. A tiny little old lady advised Ana to stand tall and do stretching exercises to maintain her height…which Ana didn't have much of already. Everyone told her their names and she remembered them all as she finally extricated herself from the crowd. She and Christian walked back to their table where Grace and Carrick were grinning at them.

"Next year, you can host, Ana," Grace smiled. "You seem to know everyone."

"Oh, Grace. This is such an elegant affair and I don't think that I do elegant well. I couldn't even keep my hair in place."

"Well, I'm certain that you had someone fussing with it," Carrick chortled as he looked at his red-faced son. "Anyway, if you're done charming the guests, it's time to announce the fireworks."

Carrick rose from his seat and took the microphone to urge everyone to head down to the wall.

"We're going to watch from the balcony off the house," Christian informed Ana. She was shocked to find that her fiancé had arranged for the balcony to be surrounded by bullet proof glass. It seemed strange to not feel the breeze flowing by.

Mia and Ethan snuggled into each other. Elliot stood behind Kate, his arms around her and his head resting on hers. Announcing their engagement to the attendees had been a grand moment and broken the hearts of many girls who thought that they had a chance with one of the Grey boys. Grace looked tenderly at her children and whispered to Ana. "You know, dear, you'll deny it but you appeared on the scene and suddenly all my children found their mates. Quite the coincidence, don't you think?" Ana just smiled and shook her head as she leaned against Christian.

CHAPTER 108

The fireworks were so splendid that no one except Taylor and Ryan noticed the small cracks in the glass around the Grey family. They kept their sightings to themselves rather than disturb the family. The marks on the glass were, however, directly in front of Christian and Ana who eventually did notice.

"Darling," Christian breathed softly into his fiancée's ear, "someone is shooting at us…again."

"Yes…getting tedious, isn't it?" Ana whispered back to him. "Do you suppose the person realizes that we're behind glass?"

"Well now he does. Must be disappointing," he said as he nibbled her earlobe. Ana sighed and leaned even closer into Christian's arms. Neither said anything to the rest of the family who hadn't noticed.

"If a bullet strikes the same place twice, could it then penetrate the glass, I wonder?" Ana queried.

"Good question." Christian took out his phone to text Taylor.

No, sir. Finest bullet proof glass made. You're completely safe. Enjoy the show.

"Whoa! That was a great one. Shaped like a rainbow." Ana was unfazed by this latest attempt on her life. "Probably the finale. Should we have fireworks at our wedding? What do you think?".

"I think you're half-mad. Someone is shooting at us, sweetheart," Christian felt he needed to point out.

"I think that whoever is doing so is probably going half-mad with frustration. It just isn't working out for them, is it?"

"I don't know that this moment calls for good humor, honey."

Ana giggled. "I love you, Christian." She turned to him and kissed him fiercely, nearly knocking him off his feet.

"Get a room…preferably one that is soundproofed," Elliot teased as he proceeded to kiss Kate with as much fervor.

The mood caught on and soon all three couples were smooching in full view of the guests walking back to the tent. Some were clucking disapproval. Others were gazing up with envy. Most were just tired and one was teeth-clenchingly irked at being foiled yet again.

All were being secretly photographed and filmed for later review by the security team.

For a while the family and their significant others relaxed in the living room, chatting about the gala.

"The final count hasn't been done. Ros is our accountant and she'll know in week or so. She couldn't be here tonight, unfortunately. I hope we don't have anyone this year who has changed their mind about their bid."

"That happens?" Ana gaped in dismay.

"I'm afraid so, dear," Grace answered. "Last year we had three people who reneged on both their pledges and their bids. Of course, in return they are never again invited. Word gets around that they aren't attending and this affects their social standing. They soon find their social lives shrinking and friendships disappearing."

"You mean that you put the word out?" Ethan asked.

Grace looked horrified. "Oh, no. Of course not, Ethan. I would never do such a thing. I have had people call to say that they haven't received their invitations. They still want and expect those but I simply tell them that their failure to follow through on their promises cost the charity necessary funds and that invitations are only sent to those who will support the charity.

"They find out later, as time goes on, that their absence was noted and still later they begin to notice the effect on their standing in society. The next year they often call begging for an invitation."

"And Mom caves every time," Mia smiled as she chided her mother.

"Oh, I've been firm on a few occasions. No one screws with me twice, I assure you," Grace lifted her chin and looked stern. Everyone laughed…Grace Grey didn't say "screw with me".

As Mia and Ethan, Elliot and Kate yawned and rose to go to their rooms, Grace lightly touched Ana's arm, indicating that she wanted her and Christian to stay.

"Thank god you had that shield installed, Christian."

Christian looked at Ana first and then, surprised, at his mother. "You knew?"

"Of course, I knew. My, you children always think that I'm just a little old lady who is unaware of the world, don't you? Well, you'd be surprised at what I know."

CHAPTER 109

Later, when everyone had gone to bed…thankfully too exhausted to be "making noise", as Carrick put it…Grace slipped down to the room being used by the security team. She needed a word with Taylor. She knew that he and possibly others would still be up. When it came to their job, they never seemed to need sleep.

As she expected, Taylor and several agents were gathered together watching security footage. They all stood when Grace walked into the room. She found an empty chair and waved them all to sit.

"I don't suppose that anyone has been by to praise your work and thank you for all you did tonight."

Taylor spoke for everyone. "We do our jobs, ma'am. We expect to be censored if we don't do them well but we do not expect gratitude if we do. It's our job."

"Nonsense. Everyone needs a pat on the back. Everyone needs acknowledgement of their skills and dedication. Tonight you probably saved lives…certainly my son's and his fiancée's. This did not go unnoticed by me, I assure you.

"I am also aware, to the shock of my children, that someone fired upon them. I even know exactly when and possibly from where." Grace couldn't help feeling a little smug.

The men looked at each other. Taylor cleared his throat. "How could you know that, Dr. Grey?"

"Precisely, Taylor. I am a doctor. Skilled observation, being alert to details, is part of my job. We were behind protective glass. Thus, I was watching the grounds more than the fireworks. I saw the bullet strike at exactly 11:27. My heart jumped into my throat. My relief that the shield worked made my knees shaky. The shooter is highly skilled. I know this because his second shot struck in the same place, enlarging the crack slightly. Did you find the bullets in the shrubbery below? Or did you see anyone hunting around for them?"

"You are correct about everything, Dr. Grey. I should hire you for the team," Taylor smiled.

"Thank you, Taylor, but I abhor guns."

"What did you mean about knowing from where the shots were fired?" Ryan inquired.

"The crowd was gathered around the wall. The assailant couldn't raise a gun without being noticed. He would have to be a few feet behind the people. Also, although I confess that I don't know how you would do this…I'll leave it to you. Looking at the angle at which the bullets hit the shield and following its path, you should be able to trace it to the exact spot from which it was fired."

Taylor took a moment to study Dr. Grey and look at his men. He nodded. Then he invited Dr. Grey to observe some footage.

"I'm sure that you can tell me what you see, ma'am." Taylor commented to Grace as she carefully studied the dark, grainy film.

"He is on his knees, taking aim. He's quite tall…certainly over 6 foot." Taylor nodded to Ryan who then advanced the film a few frames.

"He's quite confident in his ability to get away with this. Look when he stands up and stares at the balcony. He's 6 ft, three inches, I'd say. He used a silencer or he timed his shots with the fireworks.

Please move forward to a moment with the sky lit up."

Grace stared, now breathing hard. "Did you further vet him as I asked?"

"Yes, ma'am. Welch is working on it now. He's been a genius at avoiding detection."

"Why is it that none of your army noticed him standing alone out there?"

"There was a diversion further down and another in front of the house. Not wanting to upset anyone we said nothing."

"What sort of diversions, Taylor?"

"Bombs, ma'am. I'm afraid that the front of your house will be needing some repair. Anyway, knowing the family was safe on the balcony, all of the coverts raced to deal with the fires before they got out of hand."

Grace sighed. "Well, I think I've had enough of playing detective with you. Goodnight and again, thank you all."

CHAPTER 110

Carrick rolled over and threw his arm over his wife…only to find her gone. He sat up just as she walked into their bedroom.

"Where were you, Gracie? It's nearly 2 a.m."

"Someone tried to kill Christian and Ana tonight. I went down to speak with Taylor."

Carrick looked alarmed. "When did someone try to kill them? Why didn't I know about this?"

"I'll show you in the morning. Two bullets tried to penetrate the shield but we were quite safe. We also know who the perpetrator is."

"That's great! Now we've got him."

"I'm sorry, dear. We don't and finding him will be quite a challenge. He's determined and cunning."

"Who is it? Tell me?"

"We already knew it was Jack Hyde, Carrick. Tonight, however, he was Edmund Castle."

Carrick could only gape. Grace turned out the light and buried herself in her husband's embrace. They were really no further along in catching this man and she was scared.

Christian wasn't able to sleep either. He held Ana and stared at the ceiling. Since he'd turned 20, he'd been his own man. He built GEH, taking on all comers and winning every battle. At this point in his career, his reputation preceded him and his opponents, knowing he'd give them a fair deal, easily acquiesced to his wishes. He still faced a bit of a challenge with foreign companies but even they were beginning to understand their weaker position.

This latest opponent, however, while failing time and again to complete his mission, was still not giving up. He was wily, smart. How to deal with him was something that Christian could not figure out. Thinking of him as Grey would a business rival was not working…and it was the only way that Grey knew out to confront a provocation. This was the biggest deal of his life and he was at a loss. He was failing Ana. This, he could not accept. He could think of only one way to end this reign of terror.

Although she was deeply sleeping, Ana was not at peace. Her dreams were filled with frightening things…dark, mysterious things that she could not identify. She would bravely approach them, face her fears like her daddy taught her but as soon as she was close enough, the shapeless black thing would move further away…forcing her to follow. Was she facing her fear or being lured into a trap?

She shot awake, sitting up and trying to catch her breath. Christian murmured to her. She began to relax and she laid back. He covered her mouth with his and gently kissed her. He told her that he loved her…that she was all the world to him…that he would never let anything bad happen to her. I love you, he continued saying to her until she fell back to sleep.

Across town, someone else was also having a difficult time getting sleep.

CHAPTER 111

"Taylor?" a sluggish Grey interrupted his security chief.

"Sir?" an even more sluggish Taylor responded.

"Taylor, you have to get some sleep. You're no good to anyone if you're running on power naps and coffee."

"It's something I'm used to, sir. Comes with the job."

Grey flopped down into a chair. It was just after 6 a.m. and he didn't like the looks of Taylor…wan and weary. He also knew that he couldn't order his security chief to bed for eight hours. He'd learned long ago that when it came to "the job", Taylor was in charge. Taylor and Ana were the only people he couldn't order around.

"What are you doing that can't keep for 8 hours?" Grey pushed.

"Trying to find this maniac, Mr. Grey. He got close last night. We were lucky that he thought that he could take you out during the fireworks. He had hours before that to do so. He won't pass up a chance again. He doesn't care that we can identify him now."

"You think he knows that we know that Edmund Castle is really Jack Hyde?"

"He didn't make any effort to disguise himself when he took those shots. He expected that we'd be able to make him through surveillance video."

"I don't understand why he didn't see the shield."

"Simple, sir. Non-reflective coating." Taylor had to chuckle. "Must have startled the hell out of him when he saw his shot bounce off the glass. One small victory."

"Taylor, I don't see any way around the obvious."

"No, sir. Forget it. You're not putting yourself out there as bait."

"Kevlar…" Taylor cut him off. "Hyde is a damn good shot. He won't have to go for your torso and there is no way to cover your head with Kevlar so don't even go there."

Grey leaned his head on his hand as his elbow rested on the arm of the chair. "Taylor, if it were just me, I could go on indefinitely being guarded to the max but Ana won't stand for living this way. No marriage, no children until we're safe…and she really isn't wrong. I don't want to bring children into this chaos."

"Don't think that I don't understand that, sir," Taylor groaned. "Right now our only option is to find this guy and take him out. I have agents combing the city's homeless areas, the shelters, expensive hotels, everything. The police are doing likewise. Everyone has his pictures…in all disguises. We've got men resembling you roaming around, sticking their necks out, determined to get Hyde even if it means putting their lives on the line. Patience…that's all we've got going for us right now."

"No, it isn't, Taylor…and not only because I've run out. There is another option," Ana spoke from the doorway. Christian moaned. Would that woman not stay out of trouble?

CHAPTER 112

Taylor sighed. The future Mrs. Grey was going to get herself killed and Taylor would have to spend the rest of Mr. Grey's life trying to keep him from driving off a cliff.

"What is it now, Ms. Steele?" he asked without bothering to mask his annoyance.

"This is a very big city. What, 700,000+? Over 12,000 estimated homeless. Over 500 decent hotels. How can we ever hope to catch one, one man in that haystack? Not to mention that he'll be on the move."

"What are you getting at, Ana?" Christian reached for her hand.

"Simple. We narrow our search area. We cut down to one hotel and a boarding house. No homeless. A population of a couple thousand. A place so small that everyone knows everyone else and certainly knows when a stranger is lurking around.

"I'm suggesting that we move home to Wilson's Corner…eyes and ears everywhere. No place to hide. Box him in. Use our resources, all the ones we're currently wasting out there in the big city to shrink his world."

Taylor and Christian looked at each other. Christian didn't like the idea of leaving his fortress in the sky but Taylor was right. Hyde was getting frustrated and more dangerous. Grey also liked the idea of getting him away from his family and Ana.

"Sir?" Taylor inquired, asking for his boss's opinion. "Don't sir him, Taylor. If you think that he'd be going alone, think again. We both leave. Otherwise, it won't make any sense. Why would I stay here while my fiancé retreats to my hometown alone. Besides, Hyde's kind of set on killing us both. If Christian leaves me alone here, he'll go after me first thing."

"Ana is right about that, Taylor. He knows where to really hurt me and that is his first priority. In fact, he's probably figured out that taking Ana away from me would really be all he'd have to do to ruin my life. He'd let me live so he could watch me die without her."

Taylor wandered around the room in circles, chin in hand, silent and deep in thought. Ana squeezed Christian hand. He pulled her onto his lap. They were both quite worried about Taylor who seemed to have aged a decade in the last year. They knew that he blamed himself for every time that Hyde hurt Grey, for all the hyper-security measures that the family were forced to live under.

He'd taken the job to destress from the high-pressure situations he'd lived with since he was a young guy in the military…to be able to stay in one place and spend time with his daughter…but it hadn't worked out that way. He'd first interviewed with Grey a few weeks after the first crash engineered by Hyde and he'd had to feign nonchalance as he faced a man with half his face melted. Oh, Taylor had seen plenty of tragedy…people with their entire faces blown off…but this was a man once famed for his looks and now he was an object of pity and lurid fascination. Taylor found himself feeling paternal toward this kid and feelings were not of value in his profession.

For almost six years, he'd been trying to protect the kid, to find the person responsible for his agony, to stop him…and he'd failed. Grey trusted him completely…because Taylor told him that he could…but he kept letting him down.

"I'll have to think about this for a while. Until I come to a decision, no bugging me. Understand….Ms. Steele?"

Ana did indeed want to bug him, to offer more ideas, to push to get going but right now, seeing him so worn out, she just couldn't. She nodded.

"There are logistics to work out…to see if it is even possible. You want Wilson's Corner to be safe from Hyde so we'd have to figure out how to do that as well. You might have to live there for some time before he gets the idea that it is a permanent move. We'll have to find a place for you to live and fortify it."

"I spoke with Harry recently," Ana began and then stopped, hesitant. Taylor indicated that she could continue. "Hmm, he told me that the house I used to live in is empty now. My former landlady died and efforts to find kin have been fruitless."

"We'd have to replace all the windows at Harry's and the house with bulletproof glass since Hyde has taken to shooting at you. It might seem extreme but we'll need a new helicopter, straight from the factory while Hyde has his eye on Charlie Tango."

"Whatever you need, Taylor. You don't have to ask or inform. You have our complete trust and Ana will try not to interfere." Ana nodded vigorously, wondering how long before she broke her promise.

"It's early. Go back to bed now and try to leave the thinking to me," and with that, Taylor dismissed them. Ana hopped off of Christian's lap and they walked hand in hand back to their bedroom… thinking.

CHAPTER 113

After making love, Ana and Christian cuddled together, neither speaking. Ana was set on her idea and concerned that Taylor wouldn't go for it. Christian had managed to empty his head and just roll with the afterglow of making love with Ana. He closed his eyes and drank in her scent. He'd never been able to pin down the particulars or their source…it was just Ana. Objectively, he knew that they were in trouble but it seemed so far away and unimportant just now. She always made him feel enveloped in a cocoon of well-being.

Ana knew this. Christian had told her many times. However, Ana was too pragmatic. There were problems and they needed to be fixed. All her life, she'd been conditioned to believe that she had to be responsible. It didn't matter the need, she could handle it and so she should. Even with her strong, brilliant and devoted billionaire, it was hard for her to let go and turn the reins over to him.

Suddenly, a scream of horror and despair…coming from outside. The lovers ran to the window, looking down at Grace who was being held up by Elliot and Carrick. They were surrounded by rubble and Grace was keening like she was at an Irish funeral.

Diving into their clothes, Christian and Ana ran down the stairs and out the front door. Mia and Ethan, still in their robes, stood in shock with Kate as they beheld the destruction wrought by Hyde's diversionary bomb. Most of the front of the house was destroyed…a house built of concrete. Rebar was lying everywhere or sticking out of the walls. The windows on the first floor were all blown out and those on the second floor, shattered. At several points, there were holes where one could look into the house.

Carrick was muttering about his study. He turned his wife over to Elliot while he went inside to see what was left of his office. There were important papers sure to be missing since the safe and the cabinet had been against the wall. It was going to be quite the job trying to learn which he needed to replace.

All the topiary was brown and dead, if not gone altogether. Grace's beloved tulip bed was decimated…the bulbs gone, leaving nothing but a black hole.

"How did we not hear this bomb going off?" Grace wailed. Elliot squeezed her shoulder and kissed her head sweetly.

"Fireworks, Mom. Your beautiful fireworks. A superior year, I might add."

"Mom," Mia put in as gently as possible, "the boathouse went up in flames last night as well."

Christian and Ana looked at each other. An hour before, they'd been lying cozy and sated in the bed on the second floor of that boathouse.

"Mom, we have pictures and architectural drawings. Elliot can put all this back together just the way it was, can't you, El?"

Elliot assured his mother than Chris was right. In a couple of weeks, all would be as it was. At the moment, however, Grace was devastated and furious. Taylor wondered if perhaps they ought to unleash Dr. Grey on Jack Hyde.

CHAPTER 114

While Taylor was working on a plan to trap Hyde, Hyde was working on his own plans. He was a highly intelligent man and felt superior to the ordinary masses. As he walked down the street, done up…or rather down…like a homeless man, he felt invincible. His head down, his stride a mere shuffle as he pushed his cart filled with his belongings, he could pick Grey's men out of the crowd. They noticed him as well but did not approach. Part of his alter ego was illness. He coughed, able to draw up enough phlegm to spit unto the sidewalk. He also blew his nose by plugging one nostril and discharging mucus onto the sidewalk. He was disgusting and people gave him a wide berth, including Grey's men.

He laughed at their attempts to portray other homeless. They seemed to think that dressing like a hobo would do it. The real homeless stared at them curiously. They didn't even smell. Hyde was amazed as he made his way around the city at the number of agents employed by Grey. There seemed to be one on every block. Hyde cackled, only adding to his masquerade as a mentally ill homeless man.

Hyde had actually been homeless at one time in his life. He'd been abandoned by his mother as a newborn…handed over to a man at a fire station. She'd had twins and felt capable of handling only the other…a daughter she told the fireman. She was turning over only Jack because she thought most adopters would want a boy before a girl and she wanted to give him every chance.

Jack had been duly adopted by that fireman and doted on by his parents. He was an only child. They gave everything to Jack. His Christmases were simply a mass of presents under the fanciest tree possible. Every birthday called for a huge party…first in the backyard…and later in venues that provided dozens of fun things to do for a lot of children. Even those not in his class would vie for an invitation. He was popular…but not well-liked.

Being spoiled might have been the thing that ruined Jack but all the psychologists his parents took him to suspected that there was something else amiss with the boy. The tests they ran, the scans of his brain, indicated that his was different from the normal brain. At that time, scientists couldn't yet pinpoint what a portion of the brain lighting up might mean. All they knew was that Jack's lit up where it didn't in other children's brains.

The doctors spoke to the Hyde's about this but it was over their heads. Mr. Hyde had entered training for the fire department right after completing his GED and Mrs. Hyde had dropped out of high school to get a degree in cosmetology. Neither was a reader and all they wanted out of life was a white picket fence, a dog and a son.

They didn't know what to do with a psychotic genius.

Jack was bored in school so he amused himself with bullying other children and tearing the wings off of flies and the legs off of spiders. As he grew, he discovered fire. He was suspected of setting several small fires in the neighborhood but his parents insisted that he'd been home at the time…studying in his room.

Then he learned to make bombs…bigger and better bombs as time went on. Eventually, he was caught and placed in juvenile detention for a year. He only learned more about being destructive.

Soon after finishing high school, his parents took out loans they count not afford to send Jack to a private college. He was kicked out of those when he took to harassing coeds. He started to amass a large sum of money but his parents didn't understand from where he was making all this fortune.

He did love his parents…in his way…and he was generous with them. Even as he stalked Christian Grey, he still sent money home. His parents lived better than they ever had…wanting for nothing. He sent them on cruises and luxurious vacations. They bragged to all their friends and acquaintances how the boy they all feared had made it big and gave them anything they wanted. The friends figured Jack was working with the mob.

He rarely made it home to see them, however. He was always too busy working…at his own businesses and with various charities. They missed him but they understood.

As Jack pushed his cart toward his spot for the night, he reminded himself to send his folks a check soon. Then he went back to plotting the deaths of people he despised. He had a list and one of the people on that list was Judith O'Connor, the wife of a wealthy jeweler. Her life was one of yachts, lux travel, private jets, expensive lunches with other expensive people and lavish parties. It had taken him years but he'd found his mother…the bitch who couldn't be bothered to raise Jack. As it turned out, she had dumped the other child as well. She did have children with the chump who fell for her but, no doubt, they were the wards of a series of nannies.

He'd seen pictures of her and the boyfriend she'd also left. Jack did not bare a strong resemblance to either one. Thus, he figured that Judith wouldn't see him coming. He intended to destroy her marriage and her sanity.

All this, after he destroyed Grey. He was currently in a quandary of sorts. Before the girl, killing Grey was his only aim. However, now he wondered if it might not be wiser to destroy Grey by taking his lover from him. And if he couldn't do it with his charm, he'd do it with a bullet.

CHAPTER 116

Harry looked up in surprise when Henny ran to him all aflutter.

"Henny, calm down," Harry said firmly. Henny had been going through a period of serenity since Christian Grey had begun supplementing her meager income. Her constant worry about paying bills had abated. With every deposit into her account, she wrote Grey a thank you note, letting him know what his generosity meant to her. So, her current state of near hysteria was unexpected. Harry thought that perhaps Grey had stopped making the deposits.

"Did Christian forget to send money this month?" he asked as he held Henny by the shoulders. "No, no. God bless him. He'd never forget. Harry, there are trucks outside and there are men starting to remove our windows!"

"Oh, my fault. I forgot to tell you that I ordered new windows. The ones we had dated back almost 50 years, Henny. Remember when that branch came through during the last storm and we came in the next morning to a real mess? We had to refuse the breakfast crowd because of all the glass shards everywhere? Well, I decided to replace all that old glass with newer and stronger glass."

Henny began to breathe easier. Sure. That made sense. Would she ever learn to relax, she wondered? Grey's monetary help had certainly made her life easier but a lifetime of too much responsibility and fear of not being able to manage was hard to overcome in just a few months. Henny smiled at Harry and went back to work.

Harry called Taylor to let him know that the men were working so fast that the windows should all be in by nightfall.

"How are Ana and Christian today?"

"Oh, same as yesterday. We've just got to wind this thing up quickly before all of our nerves get the better of us. I do appreciate your help, Harry."

"Don't give it a thought, Taylor. This entire town is itching to get its hands on this lunatic. Anything for Ana and Christian, ya know. Plus, we're all looking forward to seeing them again. Don't tell Ana…but Mrs. Lennon is failing and seeing Ana before she goes is all she wants."

"Can she hold on for a couple of weeks?"

"Yeah…but I deliver her food to her now. She isn't mobile anymore. Still, don't send the kids until it's time. We don't want to take any chances. Take care, Taylor."

Truth to tell, Harry didn't know that Mrs. Lennon would make it but better Ana's heart should break a little than she be in danger from coming to town too soon.

As Harry revealed to Taylor, the entire town knew that Ana and Christian would be coming for an extended stay and everyone was excited to see Ana especially. She had no idea that she was of such value to the citizens of tiny Wilson's Corner. Not only had she been a friend and superior waitress but her nursing skills were put to work quite often. Although the town was small, it was largely senior citizens and sometimes Doc Whalen had his hands full. Ana would often spend her days doing home visits to check on someone. The sheriff counted on her, too, when he had drunks and such that he couldn't handle. The size of the town barely warranted posting someone and the sheriff operated out of a tiny office with a single cell. He, himself, was a senior citizen and when he had something he couldn't handle, he called on Ana to help. The mayor was elderly, as well, and when he became confused about all the regulations the state piled on, Ana helped him figure things out.

The town had suffered with Ana gone and she had no idea…no one was going to tell her either. They were all so happy for her, finding love. They'd never want to disturb her. The coverts that Christian had stationed around town slowly began to get the idea so they were on hand to help the sheriff with the town drunk. Doc and the mayor, however, were pretty much on their own now.

The few young people, about 35% of the population, fled Wilson's Corner the moment they finished school or they continued working the family farm. Farms were getting harder to manage. It was difficult to find help, profits were slim to none and management required more skill and education than when their parents had started. More and more farms were being sold to big factory farms. The people of Wilson's Corner feared the oncoming demise of their little town.

The young people weren't to blame. They wanted what everyone did…a nice home, a steady income, a family…and these were hard to come by in a dying town. They loved their little town and they hated leaving family and friends but bigger towns like Portland had so much more to often than sleepy Wilson's Corner…especially after they'd come back from finishing college and look around…wondering what to do with their degrees.

Harry, himself, worried about his diner. Most of his customers were elders and they were dying off regularly or, like Mrs. Lennon, unable to get into the diner anymore. The ones he delivered to were sometimes suffering from slight dementia and would neglect to pay him. He hadn't the heart to push for it.

The diner was all he had and when the time came for him to retire, he doubted that he'd be able to sell it. It didn't turn much of a profit. Besides, what would Henny do?

Sometimes, despairing, Harry wondered what any of them would do. The old taking care of the old wouldn't work out for long. He pictured people passing in their recliners while watching reruns of Matlock and no one knowing. A town full of dead people in their homes and no one to bury them. It was a dismal thought that kept Harry up at night. He wasn't the only one, either. It was a constant topic of conversation at the diner.

Someone had brought up a news story they'd read online about a town like theirs somewhere in Europe. The young had left and the old were struggling so they collectively decided to close down the town in their own way. They dug a large grave with a couple of backhoes from people's farms. Then they all dressed in their finest and walked down into the hole together, having taken a poison. They lay together, holding hands, and died there. A couple of volunteers had stayed behind and they filled in the grave and at the top of it, they mounted a large stone with the names of all there buried. They left a message on the mayor's desk…an explanation of events to anyone who wandered through. Then they left for the big city where they themselves would die on a soft hotel bed.

Everyone shivered at the telling of the tale but no one spoke, no one objected. They understood.

CHAPTER 117

"All right, everyone, I believe that we are ready to move operations to Wilson's Corner. We're going in under the pretense that Ana is homesick…"

Ana interrupted. "No pretense, Taylor. I am homesick," Ana objected.

"I stand corrected. Ana is homesick and we're all going to Wilson's Corner. We have men already stationed there, of course. No sign of Jack Hyde. I offered those men a return to Seattle and a rest but it turns out that they like their lives there. So, this is good. They've already blended in.

"Interesting…the entire town seems to know that Ms. Steele and Mr. Grey are coming and why. Harry tells me that they're all polishing their shotguns."

Ana giggled and Christian smiled. He loved that an entire town loved her, too. Again, he pulled her onto his lap. The security team barely looked. By now, they were more than accustomed to these displays of PDA. It would be odd if the two were not connected physically in some way. It would mean that Ana was angry with Grey and Grey was trying desperately to mend things.

"Anyway, the team and I have gone over everything detail, every possibility…we hope. Since the house that you lived in Ana is abandoned with no one claiming it, the town had gifted it to you. We've made repairs, littered the place with smoke, flame and carbon dioxide detectors. The windows are all shatter-proof and the exterior is fireproof, in case Hyde tries to blow it up."

Christian cringed and held Ana tighter.

"I assure you, Mr. Grey, if Hyde tries anything like he did at your parents' home, it won't work. The place is bombproof and fireproof. The beauty of this is that Hyde, busy hiding in Seattle and waiting for his next shot, will not realize all the work being done in Wilson's Corner. We've done quite a facelift of the entire town. The town folk were excited about us being there and all the activity. Even if Hyde knew about this, he'd just think that billionaire Grey was trying to impress his girlfriend."

Grey brightened up. "Are you impressed, girlfriend?" he grinned at Ana. Ana feigned boredom. "I'd certainly have preferred a 10 carat diamond or two but…this is nice, too." The whole room laughed. If Grey had gifted her such a diamond, she'd have thrown it right back at his head along with a lecture about waste and Seattle's homeless.

"To sum up," Taylor growled, "I believe that we are as ready as we'll ever be to box in this criminal while also protecting his targets and the townspeople of Wilson's Corner. We will, of course, continue to protect possible targets here at home."

"Great!" Christian exclaimed. "I'm tired of my face being plastered on every tabloid every morning after Hyde pulls some stunt."

"Well, my face gets plastered, too," Ana whined.

"Yes, but your face is beautiful," Christian smiled as he kissed her.

"Your face is beautiful, honey. Mine is just plain…as the tabloids remind me every day. You're the enigmatic billionaire and I'm the nothing special waitress from Podunkville. One of the tabloids, the Nooz, even ran a contest asking for the best explanation of why in hell you'd want me when you can have your pick of a city full of gorgeous women."

Ana didn't say this with self-pity. That…she didn't seem to have in her. Christian knew this and knew that she wasn't fishing for reassurance.

"So? Who won? What did they say?" Not only Christian but a roomful of agents were listening with great curiosity. They'd come to know Ana and the more they did, the prettier they saw her to be.

"Well, there were the usual. With your destroyed face, you were settling."

"Of course, go on."

"One writer thought that maybe I have a thing for men with scars."

"And?" Christian asked. Ana beamed at him. "Well, I do now. Anyway, another theory was that you'd take what you could get because you wanted children. And…you didn't want someone better looking than you. My favorite was that I was a hellcat in bed. The winner was that you didn't love me. You're just so desperate for a woman since you've gone all Phantom of the Opera that you took what was right in front of you. The prediction is that once we're married and I have the key to the safe, I'll give you a child and then divorce you.

One woman said that she'd been at the Gala and watched us intently. I was a brilliant faker, she had to admit, but Mr. Grey's desperate attempts to dredge up affection for his dull little country girl were obvious and sad."

"Elena Lincoln," everyone in the room chimed in at the same time as Christian. After the laughter died down, Taylor completed his instructions and ordered one and all to pack up and be ready to head out in an obvious caravan. Ana and Christian would fly in the day after all the agents had arrived.

"This is our best opportunity, folks. Every one of us has to be on high alert while the bosses try to seem relaxed. Remember, not a word outside this room. That man could be out there with a hyperbolic antennae. He's canny."

And, of course, Hyde was…sitting in a panel van filled with surveillance equipment. The penthouse was so high in the sky that it was difficult to get results. Taylor and his men always met in his office which was apparently soundproofed. Most of what Hyde got was Ana and Christian enjoying each other's company and it enraged him. They were not in hiding. They did not seem scared. They never mentioned his name. He slammed his fist against his equipment repeatedly.

CHAPTER 118

While the population of Wilson's Corner was all atwitter about the upcoming "adventure" and the return of Ana Steele, things at Grey Manor were solemn.

Dinner, the night after the final meet in Taylor's office, was quiet and somber. Ana's attempts to start conversation were futile…even Mia could not be induced to discuss fashion. Her only comment was "what does that matter?". Elliot and Kate exchanged startled looks. Things were bad if Mia wouldn't talk about fashion with Ana, the only person patient enough to listen.

"Look," Elliot began, "maybe we should all go. Ya know, make it look like a family vacation?"

Almost simultaneously, Christian and Ana yelled, "Absolutely not!"

"I have to agree with Christian and Ana," Carrick put in. "If this maniac does manage to…hmm…harm people, I'd rather he didn't wipe out the whole family. We will stay home and await word and pace and go mad with worry like we're supposed to do. That is our role in all this."

Kate began to quietly weep, gripping Ana's hand under the table while Mia wailed loudly into her mother's shoulder. The men and Ana simply looked at each other, feeling helpless. After several minutes of this, Ana asked Grace to pass the peas. Grace did so, smiling weakly.

"I really love fresh peas. I used to sit out on our back porch, watching Mom hang the washing, Daddy in the distance working the fields…all the while I shucked pea pods. Except for the far away sound of the tractor, all that could be heard was the wind passing by. Sometimes Mom would cuss when the wind was a bit too strong and the clothes were flying around. Then we'd trade places. She'd sit on the porch and I'd hang clothes on the line. Mom was small, like me, so we'd have to have the lines hanging real low and when all the clothes were hung, we'd take these long poles with a notch at one end and lift the lines in the air. Hmm…I do love peas.

"And later I'd go out to take down the dry clothes. It took me forever and Mom would be yelling from the screen door to "fer god's sake, hurry up. Stop smelling everything", cause that's what I'd be doing…sticking my nose into every towel, shirt, sheet…'cause nothing smells quite like clothes dryin' on the line."

Kate was still holding Ana's hand but she'd stopped crying. Mia was still leaning on Grace but both had stopped weeping. Everyone was listening to Ana…who was gobbling up peas between sentences. She smiled at them and they all went back to eating except Mia who was muttering about this great dress that she could wear to eat at Harry's diner sometime.

"Well, when Hyde is dead or in custody, we can all take a trip to Wilson's Corner and Ana can give us the tour. We have to make it a Thursday, of course, because that's pot roast night," Christian smiled.

He wanted to get this whole thing done with so that he could marry Ana. It was fun calling her his fiancée but he was anxious to switch it up. My wife…that's what he wanted to say. They were living together, planning life together, sleeping together, always together. It seemed like they were already married. The rest was just paper.

Kate and Elliot wanted an extravaganza which wasn't surprising about Kate but was about Elliot who'd always sworn that he would never marry and if he did, it would be a two minute stop-off at the courthouse.

Mia was planning a major bash for her own wedding but first she had to throw Kate and Elliot the nuptials of the century. Grace and Carrick were grateful that their eldest was a millionaire and that Dana and Eamon Kavanaugh were old-fashioned and of the solid belief that the bride's parents should pay for the wedding. Unfortunately, that same belief applied to their son. Grace and Carrick were certainly rich and could afford to pay for Mia's wedding but they were grateful that Christian insisted on paying for the open-bar reception and the honeymoon.

Ethan was still in school and when he finished, he'd have a mountain of debt. Mia was useless in most ways…certainly in earning money. She wasn't worried, however. She knew Christian. He'd pay off Ethan's debt and probably set them up in a nice little house as long as they didn't mind coverts lurking in the shrubbery. All she had to do was convince her proud and stubborn fiancé to accept her brother's largesse.

The rest of the dinner proceeded with laughter and stories. Everyone loved Ana's stories about small town life and living on a farm. Boy, could she tell them a dozy about her time in nurse's training but snapping someone's neck might bring the whole table right down again. Better to keep it light.

Goodbyes were difficult. Everyone hugged Christian and Ana just a little tighter and tried not to cry. Carrick wanted to question Taylor…again…about the security precautions but he knew that there was no point. He could only have faith.

Grace had to look deeply into her children's eyes while also trying to memorize their faces. She had never thought that she would want to commit to memory all the scarring on Christian's face but she did. It was part of him now.

"Grace, my darling mother, I promise you. I won't let anything happen to your son. You have my word," Ana whispered in her ear. "Do you believe me?"

Grace looked at Ana and felt a sense of peace come over her. She didn't know why but she did believe. Ana had a bright affect about her that shone from within. She knew that she could protect Christian. It was crazy, of course, but a powerful vibe and Grace could only smile and nod.

As the family watched the car drive away, Elliot put his arms around his mother and Kate. "Christian won't let anything happen to Ana."

"And Ana has things well in hand as well." Everyone turned to look at Grace and the odd expression of peace on her face.

CHAPTER 120

As Grey set the helicopter gently down on the land next to the diner parking lot, Ana was looking out at the crowd gathered 'round to greet them. She would have been astonished if she hadn't been excited to see so many familiar faces. Despite Christian's admonishment to wait for him to help her down, Ana jumped out of Charlie Tango and raced into the crowd, so surrounded that she was lost to view.

As Christian panicked and Taylor's men quickly waded into the mass of humanity, Ana was being grabbed and hugged and suffocated with love. When one of the coverts tried to pull a tall, sandy-haired fellow off her, she stopped him.

"No, no. This is Jeff Holloway, an old friend from high school," she said, introducing him to a muscled giant who couldn't have cared less. Ana put her hand on his chest and warned him off. Soon more people were seizing their chances to greet Ana with embraces. Old ladies holding her face…old men patting her back. Christian politely wormed his way through the crowd to Ana's side.

"This kind of thing scares the agents, honey," he reminded her. Ana nodded and took a few steps back.

"Everyone, please, I want to present someone to you…my fiancé, Christian Grey." She beamed up at him and began to introduce him to people…one by one. Even a man with Grey's impressive memory could never begin to remember every face and every name but it didn't matter. Each grasped his hand and welcomed him to Wilson's Corner.

Even though most had never met him, they were amazingly nonchalant about his face. One sweet little woman patted his cheek and said, "good. It doesn't hurt any more then, does it?" He smiled and said no. Another mock-fanned herself and said that he was even better looking in person. Then a man, presumably her husband, told her to stop making a fool of herself before introducing himself and the missus.

Matters continued like this as Taylor's men talked into their wrists and scanned the area around the diner. It seemed like it wouldn't end any time soon when a booming voice called out, "Saved you a booth. Come on in, you two." Harry used his former football players body to haul Ana and Christian out of the maelstrom and into the café. Then, without concern for hurt or angry feelings, he shut the doors, locked them and pulled down the blinds as his guests settled into their favorite booth.

Breathless, the couple laughed and smiled. "Thanks, Harry. How many people are out there, do you think?" Christian asked.

"Most any one in town who's ambulatory, I'd say," Harry chuckled. "A lot of nosy parkers, too."

Taylor, how many people in that crowd?

Several hundred. They don't show signs of moving on, either.

Be polite. They love Ana.

Yeah, well, they're armed, too. Hyde would have to be crazy to wade into this circus.

Didn't we already decide that he is crazy?

Enjoy your dinner, sir. Save me some pot roast.

Ana, reading the text along with Christian, giggled. "Gosh, I certainly didn't expect this. I'm surprised that one of Taylor's men didn't alert us before we landed."

"I suspect that they were too busy trying to determine the threat level. Are you okay? You were getting crushed out there. Kind of scared me. Would have been easy for Hyde to…well…hide in that crowd."

"No, everyone knows everyone else. Had a strange face turned up, every firearm would have been pointed in his direction. The sheriff said no one strange had turned up yet."

"The sheriff was in that crowd?"

"Sure. You didn't see him…uniform, hat…shiny badge? You're losing your sharps, Grey. Maybe it's time for glasses."

"I can see plenty well what I want to see," he grinned, wiggling his eyebrows and staring at Ana's chest.

CHAPTER 121

After leering at his fiancée for a while without any success at her agreeing to return immediately to her apartment, Christian succumbed to Ana's big blue eyes and adorable pout. Sex later, town touring now. His arm slung around her shoulder, the couple roamed Wilson's Corner with Ana excitedly pointing out all the highlights…Christian delighting at her enthusiasm. Watching her face lighting up as she steered them toward the small local grocery, the pharmacy, the Five & Dime and Doc Whalen's clinic, the local watering hole…so much less than the metropolis of Seattle had to offer. There wasn't even a cinema.

"How do people see all the latest films?" Christian asked. Ana shrugged. No one really thought about it, she answered.

"See, up ahead," she indicated. "That's the sheriff's office. Even tho' it's late, the lights are still on. He was conferring with Taylor earlier so he's probably going over his notes. As peaceful as it is around here, he takes keeping that peace quite seriously. Let's stop in and say hello…and thank you. We're kind of putting the whole town in jeopardy, you know."

A bell tinkled as they opened the door. It seemed there was a welcoming bell for every business in town.

"Sheriff?" Ana called out. "Huh. He's probably out patrolling."

"Patrolling what?" Christian mocked. The town was smaller than Mayberry, the town where Andy Taylor used to go downtown checking the businesses for unlocked doors. An open door usually meant that the owner forgot to lock up when he left for dinner. Christian doubted the doors of Wilson's Corner even had locks.

As they turned to go, they heard a low groan. They walked into a back room to find the sheriff lying on the floor in a pool of blood. For a moment, Grey froze. Ana did not. As she ripped open the sheriff's shirt, she told Christian to press zero on the phone on the desk. The town, it seemed, still used a main operator.

"Yeah, Bill?" asked a woman's voice.

"Hmm…this is Christian Grey. I'm calling for Doc Whalen. The sheriff's been shot. What's the doc's number? Hello? Hello?"

He looked down at Ana who had removed her shirt and was using it to apply pressure to the bullet wound. "She hung up on me!"

"No. Janice is calling the doc. Gimme your shirt. We've got to slow this bleeding." Grey gaped at his now topless fiancée. He'd been planning to give his shirt to her. She took the shirt and folded it several times and then laid it on top of her own, waving Christian to kneel down with her.

"Press down on the material as hard as you can. He'll bleed to death soon if we don't stop this." The very breasts that Grey had been staring at earlier were now on display for anyone who walked in and people were running in. Word had gotten around fast. Remarkably, none of the men who came in paid attention to Ana. They were removing their own shirts and handing them to the nurse to stem the blood flow.

Doc Whalen began ordering several men to lift the sheriff onto a table. He climbed on top and commenced CPR while other men replaced Grey and still others lifted the table and began rushing it next door to the clinic. Ana, her hands and arms covered in blood, followed. Grey practically ripped a jacket off one of the security men to wrap around her.

The move to the clinic was both chaotic and as precise as a ballet.

CHAPTER 122

Grey sat, blood-drenched and useless, in the clinic's outer office. In what served as the exam/operating room in back, Ana and Doc Whalen were trying to keep Sheriff Bill alive. Grey wasn't alone, however. It seemed word had traveled, via Janice, to every home in town and several of the farms on the outskirts. The office was filled as was the street. Someone was organizing people although Grey didn't know to do what.

He turned to a man standing near the doorway to the back room. He asked for an explanation. The man, still in his pajamas, offered clarification in a weary voice.

"Janice," he indicated a gray-haired woman doing the organizing, "is lining folks up according to blood type…the ones with Bill's type and then the ones with a universal type. There's already two people inside…Dave is hooked up to Bill. He's Bill's brother. Tom's got a line in him giving a pint so it'll be ready to go when Dave's done. Probably got to beat Dave over the head to get him to stop. I'm next after Tom."

"How does Janice know everyone's blood type? I don't know my own," Grey asked.

"One of the doc's bright ideas when he moved here. Janice has a list next to her switchboard. I think she's got everyone in town memorized."

"Do people need to give often?"

"Farm accidents. Kids get hurt. Kept our Annie alive when she had her miscarriage."

"But most of the people out here are kind of elderly," Grey noted.

"A quarter pint, a half a pint…whatever someone is able to tolerate. Small town folk gotta take care of each other. The clinic is small…can only store a few pints at a time."

Grey texted Taylor.

Need blood. Do guys know their types?

Already on it.

Grey peered down the line and saw several young men being moved to the front of the line by Janice.

What's my type? Tell Janice.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Janice.

"You're a perfect match and you're younger than Ed. Get in front of the line," she ordered. Grey obeyed. Ed smiled and stepped back. Soon, he was even further back as the security men stepped in.

A young woman took his arm and pulled him into the operating room, settling him on a chair and asking him if he was prone to fainting when he gave blood. Grey said no…too embarrassed to admit that he'd never donated in his life. As the blood rose from his vein and into a bag, he took deep breaths…fearful that he would, indeed, fall out of the chair.

Instead, he concentrated on Ana. He was unable to tell exactly what she was doing but she was clearly smooth and efficient. His heart swelled with pride. Look at his girl go. She was unruffled. She was saving a life…he hoped. Seemed every time he turned around, she was stopping someone bleeding to death.

Having given his pint, he was given a tall glass of water and a few cookies and told to go sit in the waiting room. Taylor bent down to speak with him.

"Feeling okay, sir?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. What do we know?"

"We've been all over the sheriff's office. Took fingerprints and sent them out already. No witnesses. The men haven't seen anyone new in town but we suspect the sheriff has and that's why he was attacked. Looks like he was trying to put the guy into a cell. Helicopter is standing by to take him to Portland if he survives this. I've already ordered in a replacement. I called in a favor so the chopper is coming from a private party who lives in a suburb of Portland. Baxter will have it surrounded and checked out the second it lands."

"Good job. Chopper, Taylor?"

"Sorry, sir. Helicopter," Taylor apologized, making certain that Grey saw him roll his eyes.

"I hope this doctor knows what he's doing," Grey said. "I doubt he treats bullet wounds often."

"No offense, Mr. Grey," said a man who overheard. "This is the country, you know. Hunting territory?"

Grey felt stupid. "Yes, of course. Don't know what I was thinking." Taylor failed to disguise a smirk.

CHAPTER 123

"Is he out of the woods, Ana?" Christian asked his exhausted girlfriend as they watched Charlie Tango lift into the air.

"Don't really know. We did everything we could. The doc'll keep a close eye on him on the way into Portland. Funny thing, you know? He's got access to a helicopter because we're here. He got shot because we're here, too."

Suddenly, Ana sank against Christian. He picked her up and carried her to the car. She was crying…from fear, from sadness, from weariness. It was the second time in a couple of months that Ana had had to put pressure on a bullet hole…his and now the sheriff's. Each time she held a life in her hands. The pressure must have felt intense. He carried her up the stairs to the apartment after being reassured by Taylor that his men had done a thorough sweep and were now stationed at all perimeters.

Christian lay Ana down on the bed and covered her with the duvet.

"Will you be all right for a bit while I talk with Taylor?" he asked. Ana nodded. "I'll probably fall asleep. Wake me when you come in, please? I want to know that I'm in your arms." Christian kissed her forehead.

"I won't be long. You were magnificent tonight."

"Christian, how could he know so soon? How could he get here so soon?"

"I don't know, sweetheart. That's one of the things I want to discuss with Taylor. I don't want to believe that we have a leak. Sleep for a bit." He kissed her again and she closed her eyes.

Christian looked around the room one more time and then turned out the light before closing the door. He and Taylor would talk on the porch. He didn't want Ana to be disturbed by their voices.

Taylor was pacing the driveway, the gravel crunching beneath his boots. He looked up as the screen door opened and then mounted the stairs, taking a seat in a wicker chair across from Grey. For a few moments, neither spoke. It was beautiful and calm out here on the outskirts of Wilson's Corner. They wanted to enjoy it for a short time before getting into the problems they were facing.

''Think we have a leak, Taylor?" Grey asked.

"Welch vetted every one of these guys before we left Seattle and then double-checked them after we arrived," Taylor shook his head. "On the other hand, Hyde has proven to be one ballsy, sneaky son-of-a-bitch. It is possible, of course, that this shooting has nothing to do with us. Maybe the sheriff has an enemy…old or new. I've got Welch looking into the sheriff's background. Maybe we'll have some info in the morning."

"I'm so tired of putting Ana through all this because of me, Jason, but she won't run off with me. Won't hide. She's saved my life, given me life and yet, I keep hurting her." Grey rubbed his face in his hands.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Christian. Ana is right where she wants to be and as far as she's concerned, it's you who has given her a life. Every couple has trouble. It's just that other people worry over finances and chores while you two worry over getting killed."

Christian stared at Taylor for a minute and then remarked that his perspective was unique. Taylor chuckled.

"Well, look at me and Gail. Our trouble is you two. We'd like to see each other now and again but we're too busy looking after you and Ana."

"So? Go," Grey growled ungratefully. Taylor shook his head. "Gail won't leave you and neither will I. Seems we're all stuck."

While Grey and Taylor sat on the porch, sniping at each other to let off steam, Ana stirred in her sleep…roused by an unpleasant dream. She opened her eyes and looked toward her window seat…the spot that had given her so much pleasure and comfort over the years. She could see the bright yellow of a full moon and she sat up, intending to sit and wait for Christian to return.

There was a shadow across the room, quietly standing near the wall. Hyde. How…she didn't know…but she felt strangely relieved. Finally, an ending. She wasn't afraid…just curious.

"How did you do it? How did you know that we would be here?" She asked.

"I've been waiting…for a long time. I missed you when you moved to Seattle to live with your rich boyfriend but I knew that you'd be back. After all the time that's passed, I've learned to be patient."

"What do you mean…waiting?" Ana was puzzled. He'd just recently tried to kill them at the gala. Well, it didn't matter, did it? After all, he was crazy.

"You're a damned fool, you know. You could have gotten away. Waited out the time and come for us when we least expected you. This was a trap and you've strolled right into it."

CHAPTER 124

The shadow didn't respond. Slowly, Ana saw that something was off about it. Perhaps the lack of light was distorting the shape…shortening it, widening it…but no. That wasn't it. Without taking her eyes off of the shape, Ana reached out a hand and turned on the small lamp next to her bed. No, the shape wasn't off…it was accurate. It wasn't tall and slender. The man was stocky, bulky. He stepped into the dim light. It wasn't Hyde. And he wasn't holding a gun. He was gripping a knife, long and jagged. Well, thought Ana, we're changing it up.

Taylor rubbed his eyes. "Try to get a good night's sleep, sir. News of your visit to Ana's hometown will have hit tonight's evening editions. Hyde won't be the only one heading this way. Newshounds will be hitting the roads as well.

"I sure didn't think that we'd have to be so ready so soon. I thought that we'd have at least one night before trying to trap this asshole…but it is what it is. Goodnight." Taylor walked off to spend yet another night in a car. At least, the boss owned comfortable cars for stakeouts.

Christian stood up and walked over to the top step where the porch roof didn't block the night sky. He thought to himself that he'd like to hold Ana on his lap on her window seat and look out at the brilliance of a billion stars. He turned and opened the door, closing it softly behind him. He removed his shoes and tried to tread the stairs lightly to avoid waking Ana. Despite her request, he'd no intention of waking her.

As he approached the bedroom, he heard her voice but he couldn't make out what she was saying. He hoped that she wasn't having a nightmare. As his hand grasped the doorknob, he heard her talking…clearly. Fear clenched in his chest.

"This was a trap and you've strolled right into it."

After a moment, the shadow spoke. "Trap? You didn't even know I was comin'. I'll betcha thought that I was long gone from your life, you little bitch. Betcha thought I'd forget all about you but I've been dreaming of this moment for more than a decade…ever since you killed my brother. I still don't know how you did it but now you're going to pay for it…and for all the time I spent in prison because of you."

The door flew open and the man whirled to Christian, the knife facing him. Christian stepped quickly between the man and Ana, yelling at Ana to run. As the man lunged at Christian, Ana…her hand beneath the duvet…jumped to her feet and dove at the knife with her duvet-covered hand. Christian's fist came up into the man's belly, the man doubling over with the knife slashing out just as Ana grabbed his arm and snapped it back. Christian punched him again, knocking the man on his back. Ana landed a knee on his arm, the man screaming in agony as the two bones in his forearm shattered.

Taylor arrived in time to pick up the knife, feeling a little foolish.

"Glad I could arrive just in time to save the day," he grimaced. The former fearsome shadow continued to howl as more security ran into the room.

"Ana," Christian panted hard as he pulled her to him and away from the strange man. She looked down at the man and gasped.

"I'd forgotten your face until just now," she said to the man who couldn't hear her over his pain.

"Taylor, this is the brother of the man I killed."

"You WHAT!?" Christian yelled.

CHAPTER 125

At the diner in the morning, Christian watched Ana as she pushed her pancakes around on her plate. She hadn't slept well at all. The man who attacked them was taken to the clinic where Ana…quite graciously, he thought...had put his arm in a sling and taped it to his body after giving him morphine for pain. No orders from the doc but then again this was Wilson's Corner. He was now in the custody of the state police.

Christian reached across the table and took Ana's hand. Her weary face tore at his heart. She'd been through too much.

"Taylor figures that the sheriff recognized that guy from a wanted poster. He was released on parole but he skipped out of the state, to come looking for you. Somehow, he got the jump on the sheriff and shot him with his own gun while Bill was trying to put him in a cell. This was just the damnedest luck."

Ana was quiet for a while as she stared at her plate.

"He ruined his whole life. I know nothing about him except that he was a nameless thug. Maybe he had no one but the brother I killed."

"You defended your life and your friend's. You did the only thing you could."

Ana smiled at him weakly. "I'm also worried about Bill. I wish we'd hear something."

"The doc said he'd call Harry as soon as there was anything to tell. That's good news. He must be doing okay. You and the doc saved his life. And the whole town, it seemed, coming out in the middle of the night to give blood…wow."

Christian rose from his seat and moved over to Ana's side of the booth, gathering her up in his arms.

"Let's go out to your father's gravesite. I'd like to thank him for giving you to me. What do you think?" Ana nodded and leaned against Christian.

Harry came over to set a package down in front of Christian. "Stop off at Mrs. Lennon's, would you? She might not eat but it'll do her good to see Ana. Her caretaker has been calling." He laid a heavy and comforting paw on Christian's shoulder before returning to his kitchen.

After, as Christian and Ana stood before Mrs. Lennon's door, Ana remarked that Mrs. Lennon was dying. Christian just nodded. He seemed to be lost for any words to comfort the person who meant the world to him. All he could do was be with her.

Mrs. Lennon's face brightened at the sight of Ana. No one had told her any of the latest news, of course. Mrs. Lennon simply thought that Ana was worried for her.

Barely able to speak, Ana had to lean close to hear her. She kissed her cheek and watched as the old woman fell back to sleep. She spoke privately with the caretaker for a few minutes and then took Christian's hand as they left.

"Donna says that Mrs. Lennon will probably not speak again. She's at peace and will no doubt die very soon."

"Can I ask what she said to you? Mrs. Lennon, I mean."

"That she loved me and would be watching out for us both from heaven." Christian smiled.

Back at the car, Taylor asked for directions to Ana's father.

"Straight up, Taylor," she giggled a bit…the first sign of a lighter heart, courtesy of old Mrs. Lennon. Christian relaxed some.

"Momma made him miserable for over 40 years but he still honored her by being buried next to her," Ana pointed out as they stood looking down at the simple markers. There was a blank marker next to the both of theirs. It gave Christian a chill.

"Do you want to be buried here, too, Ana?"

She looked at him in surprise. "No, Christian. I want to be with my husband, always. That blank marker was Momma's idea…her way of saying that I'd die alone."

"Ana, let's get married…today, here in Wilson's Corner."

"What about your family?"

"We can have another ceremony back in Bellevue, the one Mia is planning. Today we could do it here, for us and the whole town. Ana?"

CHAPTER 126

The town mustered up a wedding just as quickly and efficiently as it had come together for the sheriff. By early evening, the gazebo in the middle of the square was covered in fresh flowers and twinkling lights. The Reverend Bailey didn't care that the engaged couple was agnostic, either. Ana wore a white sundress and Christian borrowed a tie. Henny put together a bouquet and Harry escorted the bride up the aisle to her groom as two brothers played simple and lovely guitar tunes.

They made up their vows on the spot. That part was easy for them. They had a lot of beautiful things to say to each other. Christian vowed to always obey his wife and Ana vowed to always disobey her husband. Of course, most of the town attended and everyone laughed and cheered the newly marrieds. The town clerk was an amateur photographer and pictures were promised to be posted on the kiosk as well as gifted to the happy couple.

A potluck magically came together and while it was being set up, Ana and Christian slipped away to visit her father again.

"Daddy, this is my husband, Christian Grey. He loves me something crazy, daddy, and I feel that and more for him. You don't have to worry about me anymore. I'm having a good life and it's only going to get better, I promise. You can tell Momma, if you're speaking, that is. Tell her he's a looker and has more money than God. That'll drive her nuts. I love you so much, daddy. I know that I'll see you again someday. Oh, and Daddy? That little boy tugging at your pant leg is our son, Raymond James. Take care of him, will you, please? Thank you, Daddy. I love you, Daddy."

"I thought that you were agnostic," Christian said.

"Not right now," Ana replied. Christian chuckled.

Then Taylor drove them back into town and everyone partied until the moon was high. Ana and Christian danced, mostly close and slow. Then they made out in the back seat as Taylor drove them back to the house. He'd had his crew all over that house like termites…every nook and cranny from the basement to the attic. He even had the place checked for secret entrances and tunnels.

His bosses were going to have a safe wedding night if he had to stand over the bed himself.

His offer was declined. Security was posted every ten feet around the house, always in sight of each other and calling in every ten minutes. Taylor was still a nervous wreck which was entirely unlike him. He still didn't know how that other man had gotten in and it was eating at him. He'd gone around knocking on walls, listening for hollow sounds. He'd stomped on every inch of floor board, looking for trap doors. The simplest explanation was that the man had waited on the widows walk on the roof and then snuck in through a window. Two men were now stationed on the roof and instructed to watch for drones as well.

Thus, the bride and groom were at peace while security were grimly on watch. They were willing to die before they'd let this wedding night be disturbed. Taylor just kept trying to relax.

Meanwhile, Ana and Christian kept the radio tuned to a late night station that played romantic old country songs. They danced around their room. They sat in the window seat and marveled at the brilliant night sky. They talked about their happy future, putting Hyde and the Lincolns out of their minds for now. They mock-argued about whether they would have a dozen children or two dozen.

"I want a simple house with a big yard and a dog and a fence and a houseboat," Ana announced.

Christian laughed. "It's hard to float a houseboat on a lawn."

"Can we have a pool?" Ana suggested more than asked. "Anything, Ana. Anything that makes you smile," Christian promised.

"It was a beautiful wedding. It was perfect. Wasn't it?" Ana beamed.

"You were there. Yes, it was perfect," Christian beamed back at his bride. Then he picked her up and carried her to bed.

They made love over and over again. Every time seemed more, seemed better than the time before. This love was between a husband and wife, promised together for life, never to be parted again. And so, it just seemed to get better and better until they exhausted themselves into sleep.

Taylor sat in the car, taking a call from Dr. Whalen. Bill was going to be all right. In a couple of hours it would be dawn. Gail called to say that she loved him. Taylor felt his limbs begin to release all the tension he'd been carrying. A good woman, he thought…that's all a man really needs

Too bad his spidey-sense, honed by years of being on guard, warned him that Hyde was nearby. He either had a plan to get to the Greys or he was working on one. Taylor had to stay ahead of him all the while lulling him into a sense of security…enough to get him to show himself. Trouble was, Hyde intended to show himself only to the happy couple. He wanted to watch Grey's face as he destroyed his life…again.

CHAPTER 127

"What's going on with the Lincolns?" Johnson thought he detected an edge to Taylor's voice…unusual for his normally placid boss.

"Same old, same old, Taylor. Something new with his crew, however. They got drunk, tore up the local bar and assaulted a couple of patrons and the owner. They actually fractured an old fella's skull. All three jumped him because he asked them to leave. Considering the severity of his injury and their stated intent to send him straight to hell, they've been charged with, among other things, attempted murder.

"They took a plea deal and they've been sentenced to consecutive sentences for the assaults and the attempted murder so they'll be spending the rest of their lives in prison. Lattner attended the sentencing and says that they seemed relieved. I guess life has been hard for them to navigate without their father and Eric seems to have deserted them."

"Wow. Justice is dealt swiftly in small towns, eh?"

"Yep. They just wanted it over with, they told the judge. Eric is still sitting in his chair. Elena is still getting soused, except on Tuesdays when she has lunch with Dr. Grey. I know it's only been a few days but it sure seems quiet around here. Any signs of Hyde?"

"No, but the brother of that guy that Ana killed a ways back?"

"Yeah?"

"He showed up here, complete mystery as to how he knew where to go although he did tell Ana that he's been waiting for her to show up. He had a badass knife. Ana disarmed him and I don't mean just taking away the knife. He'll probably never have use of his right arm and hand again. Between Ana and Christian, he took quite a beating and he's off to prison as well. I was the real hero, however, walking in when it was all over."

"Aw, boss. You don't give yourself enough credit," Johnson said. There was a long silence before Taylor asked if Johnson was trying to comfort him. Johnson backtracked fast.

"Well, hmm, any orders? Sir?"

"No. Continue as you've been. Call with anything." The line went dead and Johnson heaved a relieved breath. Oh, goody, Mrs. Lincoln was wandering around naked again.

As Taylor rang off, a call came through immediately.

"Taylor," Dr. Grey spoke, in a rather chilly tone, "am I mistaken in my belief that the local sheriff has been shot…or how about the news that a man armed with a knife tried to kill my daughter…or should I say my new daughter-in-law?"

Taylor slunk down in his seat and groaned. If he wasn't mistaken, Dr. Grey was a bit in her cups and more than a little pissed off.

CHAPTER 128

Carrick took the phone from his wife, urging her to sit down and take a deep breath. He'd speak with Taylor.

"How ya doin', big fella?" Carrick, trying to be kind and folksy…Taylor gritted his teeth.

"Well, sir, it's been kind of exciting for such a small town. I guess we've got some paparazzi lurking around but we expected that. Yes, we think that the sheriff was shot by the guy who broke into Ana's apartment but he's going to be fine. Ana used her martial arts skills to shatter the guy's right arm and your son slugged him in the stomach so hard that he's still trying to catch his breath. He's in the custody of the state police.

"As for your son's marital status, well, he has one all right. He and Ana got married in front of the whole town last night. I'm sure that he'll be calling you soon and I do know that he and his wife want to repeat the ceremony in your backyard as originally planned."

"The whole point of moving to Wilson's Corner was to flush out Hyde, was it not?"

"Yes, sir, and it still is. Your son and his wife do seem to create excitement wherever they go, however. I really shouldn't speak for Mr. and Mrs. Grey. Since they're honeymooning, they've no doubt silenced their phones and I don't want to bother them. Meanwhile, they are under heavy and dedicated guard, sir. We will get Hyde."

"Darling, please put the bourbon away," Carrick pleaded. "This is so unlike her, Taylor, but the deluge of news has rather thrown her off the rails, I'm afraid. And that's nothing compared to Mia, our wedding planner. She's been keening for hours and won't come out of her room. I'm afraid that our children's marital bliss may be short-lived."

"Please tell your daughter that Mr. and Mrs. Grey fully intend to have a second and equally joyous ceremony at your home as soon as we have Hyde in custody."

"I'll do my best to calm the wildebeest here at home, Taylor. Good luck to you. Stay safe. Yes, Gracie, we do mean that. Sorry, Taylor. Goodbye."

Taylor picked up his walkie-talkie, momentarily reflecting on the silly name assigned to the communication device, and asked for updates. There were many. The shaken citizens of Wilson's Corner were reporting new and suspicious developments every few minutes.

Hyde, it seemed, was everywhere…and so were the armed and anxious of Wilson's Corner. His bullet-riddled body was certain to be discovered soon.

The fearless determination of the denizens of this little town was unexpected. Far from being frightened into locking their doors and hiding behind their sofas, they were on the hunt. They ignored the security agents pleas to take precautions rather than take up arms so that now the agents found themselves having to protect an entire town of very angry people from accidentally shooting each other.

Meanwhile, the newlyweds gazed at each other with dopy expressions over the breakfast table, ignoring the toast and orange juice as they headed back to their bed. Fumbling, attached at the lips, they made it as far as the wall…their hunger for each other blotting out everything else, including the new crack in the bullet proof window of their bedroom.

CHAPTER 129

Damn. He hadn't expected the old Victorian house to be fortified. He was beyond brilliant…that he knew…yet somehow Grey and his security were still foiling his efforts to get to the "happy" couple. Perhaps he'd been too reckless…too quick to act…but he'd waited years to finish what he started. In a way, he was pleased that he hadn't been able to kill Grey five years ago. The man was then just a kid with ice in his veins and nothing to lose. Now, he had a new wife to mourn…if things went well.

Hyde wanted most to get Ana alone. He knew what he wanted to do to her, the mess he wanted to leave Grey to find. How he yearned to hear the howls of agony emitting from Grey when he found his beloved Ana violated, tortured beyond bearing and her body rotting. Only then could Jack find the peace he deserved. Let Taylor put a bullet in his brain. It wouldn't matter anymore.

Hyde would have won.

Still, he'd thought that he might have to settle for simply killing Anastasia Steele. Not quite his dream but still a living hell for Grey. Yet, even a high caliber bullet shredding her heart seemed out of reach with Taylor always standing guard like the archangel Michael at the gates of heaven.

Well, Hyde supposed, he would just have to go through Taylor first if it came to that. He'd blast his way through the whole damned Grey army, snatch Ana and make Grey watch her bloody end.

Blissed out on being married, Ana and Christian left the worries of the world outside the apartment door. Taylor was outside, fielding calls from the Grey family and Ros Bailey, all of whom felt that they needed "just a quick word with Christian". The quick word became a torrent when they realized that they could speak only with Taylor. GEH was going to hell in a hatbox, according to Ros. The family was wounded, worried and in need of consolation. Taylor was a man of few words on a good day…now he simply listened and muttered "uh huh". He had a constant headache. His team knew to call in and tell him that all was well.

But time was running out.

It was a week since the wedding. Ana had found the familiar blemish in the window. She'd kept this information to herself…not realizing that Christian was doing the same…but since, she caught him staring at it one morning. They held each other tightly and helped each other accept that they needed to begin dealing once more with the world.

Grey called Taylor one morning and invited him for breakfast upstairs in their homey kitchen. As they listened to Taylor dragging himself up the steps, they grasped hands under the table and smiled bravely for each other.

"Wouldn't it be nice if no one were trying to kill us?" Ana smiled. Christian nodded and squeezed her hand as Taylor walked in.

"Bloody hell, man," Christian frowned as he noted Taylor's wearied appearance. Ana jumped up and set orange juice and coffee in front of Taylor as he flopped into a chair. He wasn't even going to attempt to look strong and stern. He actually smiled at Ana as he drank the orange juice in one gulp. Then he slowly ate his eggs and pancakes. Ana and Christian stared at each other in alarm.

They waited until Taylor was ready to talk.

"Well, I suppose we ought to tell you that someone took a shot at us. We don't know when. Neither of us noticed the impact on the window until today."

Taylor nodded and wiped his mouth with his napkin. He had to smile. Ana's napkins were cloth…embroidered with tiny roses. He stood and followed them into the bedroom to check the window. Had he entered the room an hour earlier, he would have walked into a wreck. Passion is not tidy. However, the couple had cleaned up, changed the sheets and sprayed the room with lavender Glade. Didn't matter to Taylor.

"Same caliber as at the gala but fired from a greater distance," Taylor remarked, more to himself than Ana and Christian. He looked out across the field toward a distant stand of trees.

Ryan, a shot from north side of house. Don't know when. Get Baxter and Jones out there.

On it. We'll see what we can find.

Taylor, Ana and Christian watched as the two agents, both experts in forensics, began their search of the field up from the house.

"I doubt we'll find anything that Hyde doesn't want us to find," Taylor advised. Ana and Christian simply nodded in agreement.

"I'm actually surprised that he fired on the house. My impression is that he wants more than such a simple death for you. Maybe he's passing on the idea of more. If so, that isn't good."

"What do you mean by "more"?" Ana asked.

"I've been withholding some information that came to my attention shortly after your wedding. I wanted to leave you be for a while.

"Going back through all the threatening letters we've received since you moved into the penthouse with Mr. Grey, we've determined that Hyde probably is behind a couple that promised horrible deaths for you both."

"How do you know that the letters are from Hyde?" Ana asked.

"They arrived after your existence was confirmed by the tabloids. Unlike the other letters mainly threatening Mr. Grey, these are threatening both of you…quite graphic in detail. Real ugly stuff. The idea being that the boss suffer as much torment as possible. He no longer just wants your husband's death as his revenge. He wants him to live and suffer…after your horrible death."

"If he intended that bullet for me, then you're correct in your assumption that he's losing patience…giving up on the idea of torturing me. He could fire on me from anywhere. Taylor, I can't live behind bullet proof glass the rest of my days."

"Ana," Christian began, in a warning tone.

"If we ever want to be free of this man, we have to give him what he really wants. Me…up close and personal. I purpose that Christian get on his helicopter and leave town…putting out the word that he's leaving me in a huff after an argument. We'll have to be convincing."

"Absofuckinglutely not!" Christian fairly screamed at his wife. She allowed him to bang around the bedroom and bellow until he wound down. He was trembling.

"You both know what I'm capable of. Hyde doesn't. Given the opportunity, he will take me. He'll want to spend some time with me, ranting, before he goes forward with his plan to leave a bloody corpse for Christian to find. By that time, I'll have taken him out.

"We have to set up him…and soon. If you do not both cooperate with me, I'll find a way to do this alone…but it will get done. Hyde must be stopped and soon. Neither of you can last much longer and it's all with worry about me."

"Take him out? You're not Rambo, Ana!" Christian yelled.

CHAPTER 130

That day's conversation became a disagreement and then an argument before escalating into a screaming match between Ana and Christian…much of it taking place in their bedroom, easily seen through the window.

Without planning on it, the newlyweds were giving the show that Ana had suggested. Hyde peered down his rifle's scope at Mr. and Mrs. Grey stomping around their room, waving their arms and pointing at each other, their faces turning ever more red.

It was pleasant viewing and Hyde wished that he could hear as well. Maybe they'd noticed that he tried to put a bullet through the window and they were cracking under the pressure. He knew that the new Mrs. Grey was a native of safe and quiet Wilson's Corner and probably angry that Grey had talked her into a marriage that came with assassination attempts.

What's this? She'd grabbed a suitcase and was now stuffing clothes into it. Grey's clothes? Was she kicking him out?

"No, Ana! I'm not leaving you." Christian wasn't as angry now as he was badly scared.

"Hyde is watching us. He'll believe that we've been fighting and that I'm kicking you out. Maybe he'll even decide that you are leaving me for my own good. You know, making him follow you back to Seattle, leaving me safe in the country."

"Ana, try to listen to reason. Hyde is a psychopath. We can't determine what he's thinking. First, you believe that he wants to harm you to get to me. Then, you believe that he'll think you're making me go and next, that I'm luring him away from you. This whole experience with the sheriff and then a knife attack has muddled your thinking.

"Please leave all this to Taylor. He's a professional who doesn't let anything get to him. He's a cool thinker. We're not…in this situation."

"You heard him. Baxter found nothing up there in the field. How is Hyde doing this? He's probably watching us right now," Ana said with a shaking voice. She continued to stuff the suitcase even as Christian removed his things and threw them back in the drawer.

"Hyde has to be hiding in the woods. Otherwise, he'd be noticed in town. We are getting somewhere now…just as we originally planned. Taylor is planning to surround the area so tightly that Hyde can't slip through. We're tightening the noose on this maniac and the best thing we can do is stay in this house while Hyde watches us…too distracted to notice."

Ana was trembling and breathing hard. Christian tried to embrace her but she pushed him away.

"No, I don't want him to think that we've stopped fighting." She'd begun crying as she continued to struggle against Christian. Worn out, she slipped to the floor. Christian sat with her, holding her and rocking her in his arms. He'd never seen her like this. She was always so strong, stronger than him. He knew that her fear wasn't for herself except in the sense that she might lose him. It was the same way that he felt.

He held her until she stopped shaking…until she relaxed…until she slept. He wondered if he could sleep. Even with bullet-proof glass, standing up with his wife in his arms in front of a window that Hyde could be watching was too intimidating for Christian. So, he slid slowly down to lie on the floor and stare at the ceiling.

Hyde, looking down his scope, couldn't see the lovers anymore and this frustrated him. He wanted to scream. Even if he couldn't pierce the window pane, he still needed to see his targets. His obsession with them was everything. He hadn't eaten anything in some time…not wanting to lower his weapon, to take his eyes off the Greys. Tomorrow he'd start picking off the security agents one by one. Then he'd close in on the house.

He heard a deer walking by, stepping on twigs. Maybe he'd take the edge off a little by doing a bit of hunting. In fact, maybe he'd hunt down some agents after he took out the deer. Then he'd have a sandwich and a nap. Busy day tomorrow.

CHAPTER 131

"Grace, dear, have you not been sleeping? You're pale."

"No, Elena. I haven't been sleeping much. I haven't been able to relax since Christian and Ana left town. And now I've been upset about this wedding." Grace dabbed away a tear.

"Oh, I completely understand, sweetie." No, she didn't really. "I didn't want to say anything but now that you have…well…it is a travesty, isn't it? Of course, since the accident, I suppose that one must expect that Christian would be lacking in self-esteem…"

Grace stared at Elena…perplexed. "What are you talking about?"

Elena, sensing a misstep on her part, stopped and returned Grace's perplexed gaze. "Hmm…why the wedding…you know, hmmm?"

Grace was still confused by Elena's comment but decided to ignore it for the moment. She set a copy of the Seattle Nooz down in front of Elena who found herself assaulted by the picture of Christian and Ana in the gazebo and the headline heralding their union. Caught off guard, Elena screamed.

Grace nearly jumped out of her seat. "Elena!"

Elena looked up at Grace with her horror writ large on her face. Her alcohol-soaked brain wasn't operating as quickly as usual but she slapped her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming again. Then she reached out for Grace's hand and tried to explain herself.

"In that little country town…without you, his mother, present…without his family and friends? Oh, Grace, how awful for you. How perfectly awful!"

Grace frowned. "Well, yes, it is certainly disappointing. Not at all what we were expecting but I don't think that it's awful…just untimely. Mia is beside herself even though the children are going to be having another ceremony when they return. I think that they just wanted to be married in Ana's hometown so that the entire population wouldn't have to come down here."

Elena was now the pale one. Grace had forgotten her own dismay and was now concerned about her friend's reaction.

"Are you all right, Elena? I've never seen you so beside yourself over anything…except, of course, over Christian's original crash. Why would you care when the kids get married?"

Elena was desperately trying to cover herself. "I'm only so bothered for you, my dear, and for darling Mia. It was a shock, that's all. I over-reacted, I guess. I just hate to see you disturbed and the past year has been one shock after another."

"Yes," Grace sighed, "it has been a tumultuous time. Another attempt on my son's life. The loss of my first grandchild. Worrying for Ana's health.

"Mia and I have been having such a good time planning this wedding at home that…"

Elena interrupted. "Well, if you ask me, it was thoughtless of Ana to talk Christian into rushed and rustic nuptials in the middle of nowhere. I don't blame you for being angry with her."

"No, Elena. We certainly aren't angry with either Ana or Christian. Although, I do admit to helping myself to a glass of Carrick's bourbon when we first got the news," Grace giggled. "I myself over-reacted. Perhaps it's for the best this way. Neither will be so nervous when we have the re-do. They'll be able to enjoy the festivities.

"For that matter, so will we. Let's just talk dresses, shall we? Elena, dear, do you suppose that you could wear something other than black leather to this next wedding?"

CHAPTER 132

Taylor was sleeping in the back seat of the Mercedes SUV when he was awakened by a gentle tapping on the window. Forcing his heavy lids to open, Taylor looked out to see a couple of elderly men looking in at him. They wore sheepish expressions.

"Sorry to wake you, Mr. Taylor, and so early, too. Maybe we should come back later," one remarked to the other as they turned to go.

"You're here now. It's Jake and Owen, the Tapper brothers, isn't it?"

"Fine memory you have there, Mr. Taylor. Yep. We couldn't go to the sheriff, a 'course…so you're the next best thing to local law enforcement now."

"What can I help you with, gentlemen?" Taylor asked as he struggled to sit up. Every muscle ached.

The Tapper brothers exchanged glances and then held out their rifles to Taylor. Taylor held up a finger, to indicate that they should give him time to get out of the car. Then he asked why they wanted to surrender their arms to him.

The Tappers seemed on edge…in fact, close to cracking. "We didn't mean to hurt no one, Mr. Taylor. Honest, we didn't."

Oh, lord, Taylor thought. With so much of the town walking around with guns, on the lookout for Hyde, something was bound to happen.

"I'll get Ana. Where's the person you didn't mean to hurt?" he asked as he walked toward the house.

"Well, we don't rightly know." Taylor turned around. "Well, what do you rightly know?" He immediately felt shitty for mocking them. "Just tell me who you shot."

The Tappers were growing more nervous. "We don't know, sir."

Taylor regarded them impatiently. "You shot someone. You don't know who or where they are now."

They nodded. "Then what makes you think that you shot anyone?"

"Well, ya see…most folks like to go huntin' just before dawn so me and Jake like to go out real early…around midnight. Less competition."

"And less chance of gettin' shot ourselves," Jake also pointed out.

"Isn't it kind of hard to see at night, boys?"

Jake and Owen suddenly looked proud. "See, we bought these night vision goggles."

"What about the noise? Don't people get mad when you wake them up?"

The Tappers puffed their chests out even more. "Nope. Can't hear nothin'." Jake shoved his rifle toward Taylor. A silencer. Taylor chuckled. "So, you go hunting at night with goggles and silencers. And you do pretty well with this technique, do you?"

"Yes, sir. We do. Most always come home with a deer to skin. Except, well, tonight we didn't get ourselves no deer. Deer don't scream and cuss. We were aimin' at a deer, honest to god. We musta had some competition after all 'cause suddenly there was this guy and we'd pulled our triggers fore we could stop ourselves. We tried to help him but he ran off. There was blood on the ground and we don't think it was the deer."

Owen looked like he was going to cry as Jake patted him on the back. "We figured that maybe you could lock us up down at the jail until the state police come fer us. We're prepared to surrender ourselves to you without putting up a fight, Mr. Taylor. Just glad our wives ain't alive no more to be humiliated by us."

CHAPTER 133

There was soft pounding on the door. It awakened Christian who noted that it was barely dawn. He carefully laid Ana on the floor, slipping her off his chest. Then he grabbed his phone. Taking no chances.

Taylor, you at the door?

Yes, Sir. Must see you.

"Sorry, Taylor. What's up?"

"A development, maybe. A couple of nighttime hunters shot a man last night. Judging by the blood, he's wounded pretty badly. I'm keeping a couple of agents on the house but the rest are combing the area. We've also called the state police. We need all the manpower we can get. If it's Jack…and we've good reason to believe it is…he'll either try to hide or he'll try to break into a home. We've already been over to the docs and put a couple men on him. We have to follow the blood trail and catch this guy before he hurts someone. Lot of elderly around here who can't defend themselves.

"Please, stay inside. Keep the door locked and a chair shoved under the knob. You know the voices of Baxter and Jones, don't you?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Don't respond to any other voices, especially if you don't recognize them. I wouldn't put it past Hyde to come here…especially since Ana is a nurse. We found the blood but we didn't find the weapon."

"Taylor, stay in touch, if you can. This whole area is vulnerable now. Hyde might break into houses on the outskirts or the farms. Sorry, I know you know this." Christian was shook now. An injured maniac is more dangerous than a normal maniac.

Taylor nodded and left. Christian returned to the bedroom to find Ana sitting up against the bed. She'd heard. She reached out her arms to Christian and they grabbed onto each other.

"Christian, he's hurt and this is the closest house where he can get help."

"It's going to be okay, Ana. Baxter and Jones are on high alert. They're trained agents with a great deal of experience. They know what they're doing and they'd lay down their lives for us."

"I don't want them to lay down their lives for us, Christian. If Hyde comes here and the only way to protect Baxter and Jones is to open that door…." She didn't finish.

Christian wrapped her in his arms and kissed her head. "I love you," he murmured.

Meanwhile, Taylor and his men were tracking the blood trail. It seemed to wander aimlessly, as if the wounded man couldn't concentrate. Judging by the amount of blood, Taylor figured that Hyde had to be woozy, at least. His desperation, however, would likely keep him sharp enough to keep going. He had to have a vehicle somewhere.

Finally, leaving his men to search on foot, Taylor took Charlie Tango up. He hoped to catch Hyde crossing a field to the next wooded section. They'd lost time. The Tapper brothers had, it turned out, wandered around themselves for a time…panicked and trying to figure what they should do. And all that time, Hyde was getting away.

Taylor was losing his customary cool. This whole drama had gone on too long and Taylor blamed himself. He was in charge and he'd missed crucial steps somewhere along the way. After all, it was Ana who'd finally come up with a viable suspect. Taylor felt that he'd concentrated too much on protecting Grey instead of pushing for a possible perpetrator.

Truth was, Taylor would find fault with his work no matter how he did it. This guilt began with his boot camp training in the army before he ever knew that he'd end up as the most sought after security chief in the country. A man never did anything perfectly in the army but even as he rose swiftly through the ranks, his superiors never let him believe that he couldn't do better.

As he flew over the countryside, he concentrated on the wooded areas. He also swooped low over farm houses. The sound of the rotors would alert people and if they emerged from their homes, he would be able to see that they were all right. He landed sometimes to alert people to Hyde being on the loose. Usually Janice would have gotten to them first. If, however, no one came out, Taylor would land a ways off and call the switchboard. He would find then that the people had gotten their call and decided to get in the pickup and go into town to the safety of crowds.

He swooped low over the trees. He watched for disturbances, flocks of birds rising into the air…signs that someone might be running through. He was getting discouraged. Below he began to see men, spreading out in all directions…his own team and the officers from the Highway Patrol.

Then Janice called.

CHAPTER 134

"Mr. Taylor, I'm not getting a response from Ana's place. I tried both Baxter and Jones as well."

Taylor's heart rate escalated. "Okay, Janice. I'll swing by there."

As soon as he made his approach, he could sense that things weren't right. It was quiet. No sign of Baxter or Jones patrolling. He called their lines again…no answer. He considered notifying other men to close in but if Hyde was inside, he might panic.

Taylor touched down and walked casually across the lawn to the kitchen door. "Hi, I'm back. Is lunch ready?"

Baxter was lying on the floor, panting, as Ana leaned over him…trying to staunch the flow of blood from a stab wound. Christian was helping her tighten an ace bandage around the towels she was using as bandages. Hyde was standing behind Ana with a rifle pointed at her head. He was smirking. He was also looking tired and sick. There was blood on the floor leading to the back door. Taylor wondered how much of it was Baxter's and how much was Hyde's. He sure hoped that it was Hyde's.

"Welcome, welcome," Hyde cackled. "We're having a party!"

Having secured the wound, Ana leaned back and looked up at Taylor. Her look was full of apologies…sorry for opening the door, sorry for getting into trouble, sorry for breaking your heart. She fully expected to die now. Taylor smiled at her. He put his hands up, revealing the gun in his shoulder holster. Hyde just kept grinning like a loon. He tapped the back of Ana's head with his rifle.

"Slide it over the table."

Taylor hesitated. "How are you feeling, Jack? You've lost a lot of blood. I don't know how you're staying on your feet. I'll bet you're hungry, too, and thirsty. Tell me. Are you really ready to die? You've gotten close to us but if you've done it once, you can do it again. You have a better idea now of how we work and who you're dealing with. Wouldn't you like to get out of here and live to hunt another day? You know, you've been driving these two crazy for a long time now. Isn't that fun, eh?"

Hyde stopped smiling. He seemed to be thinking. "Nah. I think I'm getting what I came for."

"Really?" Ana piped up. Taylor gave her a sharp look. Would the women never quit?

"I mean, we kind of figured from your letters that you had big plans for me. Was that just talk?" she continued. Taylor could hear the gears grinding away in Christian's brilliant brain…searching for a way out. His gaze on Ana was a combination of exasperation, love and terror. Hyde was going to kill her.

Taylor tried again. "The chopper is outside. I can take you anywhere you want to go. Come on. Use that big brain of yours. Live to mess with us another day." Yeah, come on a**hole. Fall for it.

Hyde glanced out the window at the hypnotic sight of the chopper's slowing whirling rotors. His nanosecond of distraction was all a madly in love and desperate man needed. Christian jumped up, one arm shoving Ana to the side and the other hand knocking the rifle toward the ceiling just as Hyde's finger pulled the trigger. Taylor flew over the table and grabbed his gun just as Ana jabbed Jack in his leg with her elbow. As very good luck would have it, it was the leg that the Tapper brothers had accidentally put two bullets into as they tried to take down a deer.

Hyde screamed with the pain, doing the natural thing…grabbing his leg and thereby dropping his rifle into Ana's arms. He fell back onto the floor, writhing and crying. Ana stood and slid the rifle across the table to Taylor and then threw herself into her husband's arms.

There wasn't a lot of time to hold each other, however. There were two men bleeding on the floor. Ana knelt back down to tend to Baxter. Christian called Janice and asked her to send the Highway Patrol and the doc to the house. Taylor went in search of Jones. He found him groggy and groaning, holding his head where he'd been struck with the butt end of a rifle. He was going to have some explaining to do about how he let a man in Hyde's shape get the jump on him. He tried to get to his feet but Taylor forced him back down, cautious about what a blow to the head might have done to him.

"Lie here quietly, Jones. You've been out cold and you could be in worse shape than Baxter," Taylor warned. Jones complied without argument. He tried to speak, to ask about the others, but found that he couldn't. Taylor told him that the bosses were okay…no damage done.

He heard the sounds of cars and men arriving. He looked behind him to see the Highway Patrol officers with the doc in tow. He was rushing to the door with his bag when he saw Jones lying on the ground. He looked at Taylor, a worried question in his eyes. Taylor reassured him that Jones could wait.

Inside Doc Whalen found Hyde and his shaken targets, Baxter breathing easier and Hyde still carrying on, swearing vengeance between howls of pain.

"Are you two all right?" he asked the Greys. They nodded and moved out of his way as he knelt to check on Baxter. "Nice job…again…Ana," he smiled, noting that the bleeding had stopped. "Where is the knife?" It was a question that someone should have asked earlier.

CHAPTER 135

Christian moved fast to put Ana behind him as Hyde held up a bloody carving knife, the one that Ana's former landlady used to slice up turkey for their lonely Christmas dinners. Ana absurdly thought that she was glad that old Mrs. Thompson couldn't see her knife being misused. She'd always kept it sharpened through all the years they'd shared that meal together.

It seemed just minutes ago that she walked into the first floor kitchen to hunt for a particular spice when she heard Baxter at the door. Before she could react, Christian's arms were wrapped around her waist and his lips on her neck…a moment that wouldn't last.

"Hello, Mr. Christian," Hyde sang out. "Open the door or this guy gets a bullet," he giggled. Christian shook his head but he knew that, like Ana, he couldn't let Baxter die for him. He moved Ana to one side and went to open the door, revealing Baxter with a rifle in his back. Hyde shoved him aside and moved around the room until his back was to the counter, facing everyone else. The look on his face was one of pure delight although he was pale and shaky. There was a trail of blood from the kitchen threshold. Grey had no doubt that the man was unstable…insane.

Baxter slowly separated himself from the others, moving around toward Hyde as the madman was focused on Ana. Grey tried to bring his eyes back to him, baiting him.

"Well, Jack. I guess that I was right about you all those years ago. You were a loser then, a loser now." He got Hyde's attention, all right. He turned the gun directly on Grey. Frightened, Ana quickly moved to Christian's side. He tried to push her away but she grabbed onto him. Baxter took his moment and lunged for the gun.

He and Hyde struggled. As it seemed that he had the upper hand, a firm hold on the gun, Hyde reached for something on the counter…a wooden knife holder. A second later, Baxter fell to the floor, his hands on his bloody abdomen.

Hyde, wobbly from his own ordeal, moved away. Ana, not thinking, on autopilot, pushed past Hyde to reach into a cabinet for a First Aid kit. Hyde backed away, seemingly confused as he watched her rip open Baxter's shirt to assess his injury.

"Christian, help me bind this wound before he loses too much blood. Jack, back up so I can work," she ordered. "I'm getting awfully sick of patching up bleeding people," she snarled to no one in particular. Without thinking, Hyde moved away but kept his rifle pointed at Ana.

After he'd stabbed Baxter, he dropped the knife to the floor and then fell on it in the ensuring struggle with Taylor. Now, he reached underneath him and pulled it out. Concentrated on the doc and Baxter, no one paid any attention to the madman on the floor behind them.

He raised the knife high in the air to strengthen the blow and then made to bring it down on and into the doc's back. One person caught the movement and dove past the doc to grab Hyde's wrist. There was a scramble as the two wrestled for control of the knife. Hyde slashed Grey's arm but Grey was too angry, the fury of almost six years of agony and mental torture culminating in the fear of what Hyde wanted to do to the woman he treasured more than his own life, blocking out the pain of the carving knife tearing into his flesh.

He punched Hyde's face over and over as he held him down, a hand around his neck as the blood from his arm flowed onto Hyde's stunned countenance. Although he still held the knife, he hadn't the strength to use it as the blows rained down. Soon, his own face was so covered in blood that he couldn't see and he couldn't think as Grey kept hitting him…over and over until he couldn't feel it anymore.

Hyde wasn't aware of Taylor yelling at Grey to quit…he had the knife…Grey could stop now…but he didn't. Together the doc and Taylor fought to pull Grey off of Hyde but it took Ana calling out to him before he heard.

"Christian, come to me, please come to me now," Ana pleaded. Christian ceased his pounding and fell back. Taylor and the doc released him as he collapsed against the cabinets. Ana enveloped him in her arms, murmuring something to him. Finally, he enveloped her in his arms, both of them physically and emotionally spent, tears rolling down their faces.

Hyde was now unconscious. Grey had beaten his face so badly that Jack wasn't recognizable. Two officers from the patrol then raced in and stopped, staring, trying to access the situation. Baxter's eyes were open and his breathing was easier but it was clear that Hyde was in bad shape.

"Hey," one of the men asked, " what happened here?" They were now looking closely at Grey, his shirt and hand badly bloodied. Before Taylor could speak up, the doc got to his feet and turned to examine Hyde.

"This is the fugitive you've been looking for, fellas. He had a rifle and there was a struggle. He grabbed a knife off the counter, stabbed this man and then went after Ana. Defending her, Mr. Grey was stabbed and was forced to strike the man to keep him from stabbing his wife…isn't that right, Mr. Taylor?"

Taylor nodded. "It's been really rough in here since I called you. We need to get people to the nearest hospital. Baxter's been bleeding a lot. The Greys were caring for him before the doc got here. Then Hyde attacked again. He's bleeding, too. He has a couple of bullets in his leg."

The officers looked at each other, not knowing what to think. This was going to be a mess to write up a report on. They were both thinking that they'd keep it simple…for everyone's sake. They helped Baxter to his feet and out to the helicopter. Taylor felt it was safe to leave the kitchen and get Jones into the chopper as well.

"I could go to jail for attempted murder, Ana," Christian muttered. She shook her head vigorously.

"The doc, Taylor and I all saw you merely defending me when Hyde continued to try knifing me. Isn't that right, doc?"

"That's right, Ana. Three reliable witnesses and one killer. It was crazy in here, hard to be certain of exact circumstances but Christian's hard battle to protect his wife is clear. Now, wet down a towel and clean up that man's face. Christian, wash your hands."

There would be no one coming to Hyde's defense today.

CHAPTER 136

"Elliot, come home now," Kate said.

"What are you doing home so early?" Elliot responded. He was usually lucky to see his girl before 8 p.m. and he didn't like the sound of her voice. Something was wrong. She sounded worse than the day they learned that Chris and Ana had gotten married in Wilson's Corner.

"Your brother and Ana are returning tonight and Grace sounded upset on the phone and you gotta come home now, Elliot. I feel really nervous."

"Why did Mom call you and not me?"

"She doesn't like to call you because she always thinks that you're up on a roof and you'll fall off trying to answer the phone."

"Good grief. Well, how come you aren't afraid that I'll fall off a roof?"

"Because I told you to stay off the roofs and you promised. Wait, you do stay off the roofs, don't you?"

"Of course, baby. Okay, I'm getting in the truck now. I'm comin' home. I love you, honey," he said as he climbed down the ladder. His crew looked at him and snickered.

When El and Kate walked in the front door of Grey Manor, they could see through to the backyard and the helicopter resting on the lawn. The rotors were just stopping. Kate rushed to the living room and screamed as she saw Ana standing to greet her. They hugged each other hard while El and Chris did the old half-hand shake, half-pat on the back.

Grace and Carrick stood, arms around each other's waist, smiling at their children. For the first time in a long while, they felt a sense of serenity in their home. Everyone was well. Everyone was safe. Maybe they could believe this even. They certainly wanted to because they were tired…so tired. They'd suffered right alongside their son since Hyde had first tried to kill him although he hadn't really allowed them to get close. That he feared that he repulsed them only hurt them deeply.

During dinner, Christian and Ana told the family all that had gone on during the time they'd been gone. Grace had already gotten a look at Christian's arm and was quite impressed with Ana's wound stitching skills. However, anyone looking at them, including Mia who really wanted to discuss their second wedding, could see that they were thoroughly drained. They were both emotional and Ana was close to tears a couple of times. They were also worried about Baxter and Jones…especially Jones, who had a fractured skull.

Grace begged them to stay at Grey Manor but they knew that Taylor would insist on staying with them and this, they did not want. He missed Gail and he certainly deserved to sleep in his own bed for a change. They were worried about his state of mind as well. He'd said nothing but Christian could read him. He was, Grey knew, running over and over his actions the past few weeks and blaming himself for all the complications. None of it was his fault but it would be almost impossible to convince Taylor of this.

Grey inwardly debated whether he should order Taylor to see John Flynn, Grey's analyst.

Grey was also still concerned that the law would question the beating he'd given Jack Hyde. The maniac was still unconscious and it wouldn't be easy to learn anymore of his condition. Welch was unable to find any relatives. Christian didn't want to cause Ana any worries either. She understood why he was unable to stop himself from beating in Hyde's face but the DA might not agree. Crazed revenge was not legal.

"Mom, we're going to take a few days to just rest. We'll call…promise." Grace and Carrick smiled, disguising their concern as best they could. Kate leaned against Elliot for support. She thought that Ana seemed ready to collapse. Her own wedding was the further thing from her mind. She wanted the whole family to be rested and well when she and Elliot married. The spectacular event envisioned by Mia would require that everyone be hale and hearty.

As everybody stood at the door and waved goodnight to Christian and Ana, Elliot kissed his fiancée's head and held her fast. He knew that she had a good heart but not many people outside of the family did. He also knew that Kate considered Ana to be her only friend even though she thought of Mia as a little sister. Kate wasn't easy but Elliot had seen through to her heart almost immediately and it hurt him that so many others did not.

He thought back on the gala and the way that people were naturally drawn to the warmth radiating from Ana. Kate, on the other hand, seemed cold and aloof. She'd never once indicated to Elliot that she wanted people to like her but with Ana she was open and vulnerable. Thus, Ana being gone and in such danger these past weeks had been hard on Kate.

"Let's go home, babe," Elliot whispered to Kate. "I'd like to just take a hot bath with you and then cuddle while we watch that movie you've been wanting to see." Kate looked up at this man she adored and smiled.

CHAPTER 137

The knock at his study door alerted Grey to Taylor's presence. Ana knew not to ever knock. Christian insisted that she walk right in. This was her home and he was her husband. She needn't ever feel constrained.

"Come in, Taylor…please have a seat." Taylor looked ill at ease. He rarely sat in Grey's presence. He mostly stood stiffly, awaiting instructions. Thus, he pulled over a hard chair rather than making himself comfortable on the couch. Ramrod straight, his hands folded in his lap, he listened…expecting to be lectured on the poor job he'd done recently…or perhaps not so recently.

"Jason," Grey began, "I received word this morning that Jones is awake and doing well. He won't be back to work for quite some time, however. He had some swelling on his brain and a fractured skull requires time and rest. That's all right, tho. We have more than enough people to cover for him. As soon as the hospital is ready to release him, I'll put him on a jet and send him back to Ohio. His parents are anxious to have him home.

"Baxter is doing great. The knife missed vital organs, miraculously. He's being released in a couple of days and he'll be recovering here.

"The team is exhausted so I've given them all several weeks to rest up. Ana and I aren't going to be going out much so our security needs will be minimal."

Taylor nodded. "Good, sir. That is all excellent news, especially about Jones. Ryan, Lattner, Johnson and I will hold down the fort here at Escala."

Grey frowned. "No, Jason. You won't."

Taylor nodded. "I completely understand, sir. I will tender my resignation immediately and see that you have candidates to interview for my replacement for security chief. Until you've chosen someone, please consider yourself and your wife to be in good hands with Ryan. He, himself, would be an superb security chief."

At this point, Ana popped her head in the door. Christian beamed as she walked over to kiss him and give him a quick hug.

"Is Jason still trying to quit?" she asked. Christian nodded and Ana snorted. Not many women could snort cute but Ana could. She turned and left the room.

"Jason, you have an hour to finish packing. I think that Gail has completed hers and started yours. You're due at Sea-Tac to catch a jet that will take you to Aspen. You'll be staying at my chalet until further notice."

Jason began to object but was stopped cold when Grey raised a disapproving eyebrow.

"Well, how's about I put it this way? Aspen or daily hour long sessions with Dr. John Flynn working through your guilt and low self-esteem? Your choice…keeping in mind that you will not be allowed to work until Dr. Flynn determines your wellbeing."

"Sir. That is remarkably generous of you but," Taylor began.

"Generosity has nothing to do with it, Jason. You haven't taken a single day off since I hired you and I've been too self-absorbed in my own troubles to notice. For that, I am deeply ashamed. You and Gail are my most valuable employees and I've been running both of you into the ground for six years. If you are ever to be truly well and willing to stay on, I have to start seeing to it that you take care of yourselves.

"It wasn't easy to get Gail on board with this plan either. Well, now you have just 45 minutes to get to Sea-Tac. Get going."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." "No, Jason. Thank you. I will forever owe you. Oh, and don't bother calling home to 'check up' on things. Ryan already has his orders to tell you nothing." He reached out and shook Jason's hand firmly before resuming his work.

CHAPTER 138

As soon as Grey heard the elevator ping, alerting him to Gail's and Taylor's departure, he closed his laptop. He took out his phone and called Welch.

"Any word on Hyde?"

"Still in a coma. My contact is reliable so we'll know if the bastard wakes up. My sources also tell me that the cops aren't looking at you at all. As far as they're concerned, you were defending yourself and your wife…and the rotter deserved what he got."

"That is very good news," Grey's breathing relaxed.

"The Lincolns have gone dormant, I understand. His boys are doing well in prison. They would never have survived long out in a world for which they were never prepared. If you like, I can take over monitoring Eric. You can keep an eye on Elena."

Christian laughed. "Oh, Ryan will be so pleased. You sure that you don't want Elena as well."

"I'm certain. Give Ryan my best," Welch chortled.

Grey wandered out to the kitchen where Ana was making lunch. He knew already that he was going to miss Gail but he knew better than to say so. Ana had her head down over a cookbook. Grey leaned over the counter and kissed the top of her head.

"You keep doing that and I'm going to have a bald spot soon," she teased.

"Whatcha making me, ma'am?"

"I think that I'm going to make myself a grilled cheese sandwich. You can have one, too. The bread's over there," Ana answered with a straight face.

Christian walked around the counter and picked Ana up, throwing her over his shoulders. "I think I'm going to have an open-faced sandwich in my bedroom."

With Ana giggling and protesting, he carried her into the bedroom, closed the door, pushing her up against it and, reaching under her sundress, ripped off her panties. He drove himself inside of her and both of them to heaven.

EPILOGUE

Several months later, a heavily pregnant Ana waddled down the aisle on Christian's arm, preceding a less visibly pregnant Kate. Elliot waited for her, tears threatening to fall as he thought her the most beautiful bride ever. Both she and Ana were glowing so much they could have lit up the church on their own. It was evening and Mia had arranged for hundreds of candles instead of lights.

Even as the reverend appreciated saving on electricity, he worried that the place would burn to the ground. In addition to the stationary candles, each guest…all 200 of them…had been given a candle to hold as they entered the church. Fragrant flowers were everywhere. Unfortunately, some among the guests were allergic so the string quartet playing A Thousand Years was accompanied by a cacophony of sneezing. Fortunately, none of the central players in Mia's creation noticed.

Grace and Carrick shared a box of tissues with Elena who zeroed in on Ana's belly and Christian's adoring gaze as she sniffled throughout the service. Grace would later think how sweet that her best friend was so moved. Elena had worn a navy blue suit coat, fancying herself to look like the Duchess of Cambridge. She'd even added an extra layer of yellow hair making it difficult for the people seated behind her. She spent the service ruminating on ways to kill Ana and her spawn. It was killing her the way that Christian was looking at his…shudder…wife.

Eric had died a brief while ago. Ironically, he did not die lying in his recliner. He had, indeed, fallen off the porch while emptying his jar when the railing gave way. Twenty feet later, he lay on the ground with a broken neck. To add an extra bit of drama to his death, he'd fallen on and through a sapling just making its way into the world. His decomposed body was discovered by the local sheriff when the grocer reported that Eric had not come in that month for his usual staples.

Elena had learned of her partner-in-crime's demise when the sheriff called the number on Eric's phone. They had not talked in some time as Eric's resolve to seek revenge weakened along with his body. Now it was all up to Elena. She did get some satisfaction when she collapsed at the christening of Ana's and Christian's newborn as she stretched out her claws to touch the child. She had mere seconds to revel in the horror on their faces before her heart stopped. She was removed from the house by paramedics and the party continued without her. Her death was a great relief for Ryan.

Taylor and Gail married in an intimate ceremony in Aspen on the deck of the Grey chalet. Christian wanted to fly in but Ana was due at any time so… When they returned, well-rested and refreshed, they attended the wedding of the year for Mia and Ethan. With 500 guests, a cathedral, a full piece orchestra…in short, a wedding and reception that made her parents annual gala look like a puny affair…Taylor and Gail took to their bed for two days to recover.

When Mia and Ethan returned from their extended honeymoon, Christian and Ana were finally convinced to renew their vows in Grey Manor's backyard with just their family and a few friends. Grace was still mourning the loss of her best friend but holding her latest grandchild, Kate's and Elliot's three-day-old son, was quite a comfort. Christian held his daughter in his arms as Ana put her arm around his waist and her head on his arm while they shared their vows…simple declarations of love and devotion.

EPILOGUE II

Wilson's Corner is back to being the peaceful, simple place it was before the Grey invasion. Christian kind of takes care of the town…always aware that something is needed. The clinic has, therefore, seen improvements as has the school. The town now has a fine library. A new tower ensures internet access although the residents have not yet made much use of it. The library has computers if anyone wishes to use one. Scholarships are available for the few young people who might want to further their educations.

The sheriff is back, in good health, and he has a deputy to help out since Ana is no longer available. Still, crime is rare and the cell is occupied mostly by drunks…who always ask why Ana didn't cuff them.

Ana and Christian visit frequently. They keep up the house and a caretaker lives on the first floor. It's a shame that Wilson's Corner is a 2 hour flight from Escala's roof. Ana and Christian would like to live there. They talk about maybe retiring there one day. Henny's financial difficulties have lessened considerably thanks to Christian and, as a result, Henny is more relaxed and confident these days. She looks after the seniors who don't have Ana fussing over them anymore. Harry is still leaving his pot roast recipe and the diner to Ana 'cause he knows that Ana will hand them over to Henny.

One more thing. A trucker who came through a lot and had a bit of a thing for Henny has now retired and decided that Wilson's Corner is a great place to settle down. He comes into the diner every day now.

Ana and Christian have never wavered in their love for one another. No one is trying to kill them anymore.

There were more children. There was more love and everyone lived happily ever after.

FIN

Again, please private message me at bluesky5679 should you have any questions or comments.

If you want to read any of my first 20 stories, search writer and fill in the search box with my old email…bluesky5678.

One reader send that she could not find #14. I can't either but a count of the stories shows that all 20 are there. Maybe I used numbers 13 or 15 twice.