Chapter 14:

Tara stood at the end of the hospital bed staring at the man that she had and still loved. Her heart was full of pain for him and for herself. She knew that they would never have a future. She would never submit to him or any man ever again. The sound of his heart monitor echoed through the room. "I loved you so much, Ryder." Her voice was barely a whisper. "I would have done anything for you…I did actually…but it was never enough. You just kept taking from me. You took every bit of me and nearly broke me. It's not all your fault…I let you. I should have left you the first time you put me in the hospital. I'm better than that and I deserve so much more. I want what Ana has…I want a man who loves me and doesn't want to hurt me or has to hurt me to get his jollies. You will always want that…it's just who you are, Ryder." Tara found herself beside him. She gently kissed his forehead. "I wish you a speedy recovery, Ryder. I hope you find what you need to make you happy, but it won't be me. Goodbye, Ryder." She closed her eyes and said a quiet prayer over him, then turned and left his room. She knew it would be the last time she would ever see him. Ryder would recover and go on with his life and she would do the same. She stepped out into the hallway to find Luke Sawyer waiting for her.

"Miss Holt…Miss Steele instructed me to escort you to where she and Mr. Grey are having lunch." He motioned her to walk before him. He leaned over her to push the call button for the elevator. "Miss Steele says that it is important that you join them."

Tara looked up at the handsome that was escorting her to her best friend. She had to admit that he was a looker! How did Ana keep her wits about herself with all this mancandy about…Grey, Taylor, and Sawyer? All three men were dangerously handsome. How could a woman decide who was the best looking? "Where are we going?" She finally asked as she wrapped her arms about herself.

"The Mile High Club, Ma'm." His voice was deep and sexy.

"My name is Tara…not Ma'm. Ma'm is my mother." Tara said still looking straight ahead. She noticed her reflection. She was too pale. Her eyes then went to Sawyer's reflection and he was staring at her. "I'm sorry, Mr. Sawyer, it's been a damn horrible morning."

"No need to apologize…M… Tara. I understand." His hands were clasped behind his back as he nodded to her. "And, you call me Sawyer."

"Yes, Sawyer." Tara softly said looking down at her shoes. The elevator dinged to announce their arrival. The door opened and Sawyer went first to clear her a safe path. She giggled to herself, wondering who he thought was out to harm her. The one man who wanted to hurt her for his own pleasure was upstairs in a hospital bed. "I drove myself."

"No need to worry, Miss Holt. Your car has been delivered back to your residence… per Miss Steele's instructions."

With a lifted eyebrow in question, Tara followed Sawyer to an awaiting Audi. He opened the backdoor for her and waited for her to slide in. After shutting the door, he took his place in the front passenger-side seat. Another giant of a man drove them from the hospital garage. As they drove away, Tara looked back to watch the hospital grow smaller and smaller. As the car turned onto another street, she lost sight of the hospital and her heart began to heal.

"Tara!"

The woman looked up to see Ana standing next to a table with Christian standing behind her. They both were all smiles.

"Oh, Tara…If I pissed you off by sending Sawyer, I do apologize. I just wanted you here. We are celebrating and I had to have you here."

"Honey, I know that you and Christian are engaged…" Tara then saw the ring on Ana's finger. It was a beautiful princess cut diamond. It was the perfect size for Ana's dainty little hands. It wasn't a huge 8 carat ring, but then again, Ana was not that sort of person. "Oh, my god…already? It's beautiful." Tara held her friend's hand gently. "Oh, Ana…I am so happy for you." She looked to Christian. "Congratulations, Christian, but if you ever hurt her…so help me God…I will go ape-shit nuclear on your ass!"

Even though he knew her to be dead serious, Christian laughed. "Duly noted, Miss Holt."

"It's Tara." Tara and Ana said in unison then began to laugh. Their laughter was magically happy and relaxing. It was a spell to keep a man under their power. Christian moved closer to his woman and pulled her up against him to feel her warmth. Tara smiled at the very public display of affection knowing how private a man such as Christian Grey truly was. This was his way of showing the world and Ana that he was now officially off the market!

"Alright now…" Ana said as she patted Christian's large hand that encircled her waist. "Let's celebrate and figure out how to tell our families that we are getting hitched."

As the gentleman that Grace taught him to be, he sat both ladies then took his seat. Ana sat in the middle of a half-round table that had a wonderful view of the city. "I say we elope and tell everyone later."

"Works for me." Ana agreed. The last thing she needed was the headache of planning a large society wedding which the Grey's would want….or at least Mia!

"You can't run off and get married like that." Tara said after taking a sip of water. "At least have a small intimate ceremony…my god, Ana…it would kill your Dad not to be able to give his little girl away…besides you have to give him the option of telling off this big brute and giving him warnings!" She winked at Christian. "It's every father's right to do that!" All three had to laugh. Tara was correct…it wouldn't be fair to the families to deny them a wedding.

"I agree to a small intimate wedding." Ana said with a smile. She did want Ray to walk her down the aisle. "But, I don't want a circus side-show. Let's keep it elegant and just family and very close friends. No business associates, no heads of state or anything like that!"

"I can live with that." Christian said. At this point he would agree to getting married in a pink Tux with a yellow bowtie if it would make Ana happy! He just wanted to have her as his wife and wanted to be her husband. He wanted to make her happy and keep her safe. "I think I need to make a trip to Montesano this afternoon and take my chances with a certain gun-toting Raymond Steele."