A/N. Thank you to all who have reviewed and are following me so far. Apologies for those waiting for an update, has been a busy few days. The next chapter i have written contains rather mature content - just giving you a heads up as i'm not too far away from uploading it :-)
Please note: I do not own any of the characters in this story, they all belong to E. L. James.
Christian sits at his desk staring at the photographs – his head shaking in disbelief.
"Where? Who?" his expression is panicked.
"Jose."
"Jose!" He stands bewildered.
"Yes." I nod.
"How?" he cries out, his hand flying up to his head and tugs on his hair.
"Leila." My responses are short and clipped. I am struggling to find words.
"Leila? But..."
"Christian." Fuck! How do I say this without pushing the button that will set off the bomb that is my Fifty. "Christian, hear me out okay. Jose and Leila were,...are" I correct myself. "Seeing each other. Jose.." I am interrupted mid sentence.
"HE'S FUCKING WHAT!" Christian is furious, his breathing has doubled and his fists red from clenching. "After what she did to you!" His hand flies up and practically rips his top two shirt buttons open and he jerks his neck.
"He didn't know who she was Christian." I pipe up in Jose's defense. I drop my eyes to the floor not wanting to looking into his beautiful eyes that were now piercing black. I hear him exhale, trying to compose himself.
"And the photos?"
"Jose found them in Leila's drawer."
He let out a dark laugh. "So the bitch DID make copies."
"Christian." I walk cautiously over to him. His eyes soften a little giving me permission to move in closer. I position myself behind him and place my hands on his muscular shoulders. "Christian, Jose is going to stay with Leila, but only to figure out what sick game she is up to. She's working with someone...they are out to destroy you Christian." I swallow, the sickening feeling in my stomach has resurfaced.
"Someone?"
"We aren't sure yet, someone with money though."
"What makes you say that?"
"Because whoever it is has been the financial source behind Jose's photography business."
Christian's being to relax a little as I firmly dig my fingers into his shoulders, massaging the tension that had built up.
"Why did Jose dump this on you? Why didn't he come straight to me?"
Shit, here we go. "He saw the photos and thought maybe you were cheating on me."
He turns sharlpy to face me, his faced pained.
"Oh, so he saw it as an opportunity to hone in on you, thought you might need a shoulder to cry on, someone to offer you a revenge fuck?" he hisses.
"OH NO YOU DON"T GREY!." I yell, he rolls his eyes at me. "It wasn't fucking like that Christian. He's trying to help us, and I told him I …, WE would support him, if it wasn't for him Christian we wouldn't even know all this!"
He looks stunned by my outburst, but I needed to make him see that Jose was on our side, he wasn't the enemy.
"I'm sorry baby, i'm just..." he mutters
"I know. I'm angry too."
"No baby, i'm not angry, i'm fucking ropeable."
Christian grabs his blackberry and pushes a single button.
"Taylor. Here. Now." Moments later Taylor enters.
"Sir." he nods at Christian.
"Taylor I need a covert surveillance team ready to deploy to Portland TONIGHT. I want 4 more security detail at my home twenty four seven, same goes for Ana's office. No one is to come within 5 fucking feet of my wife and children without you knowing who they are. He stops to take a much needed breath.
"Um Sir?" Taylor questions, not sure of what's bought this on.
"Leila, and some other fucker." Christian bellows.
"Right on it Sir." Taylor bolts from the room, his phone already at his ear.
"Don't Ana." He hisses.
"Don't what?"
"Look at me like i'm over reacting." His arms wrap around my shoulders pulling me into an embrace. "Ana, if they are out to get me they'll come after what I love the most. My family. If anything ever happened to the children." He gulps.
"I know." I reach up and stroke his face gently. He nestles his face into my hand. "Oh Christian."
"The only thing that could ever destroy me is loosing yous, everything else i'd give up in a heartbeat." he whispers, his lips brushing mine. He cradles my face in his hands. His soft lips press against mine. I open my eyes and see desire gazing back at me, wanting me, seeking approval. He's looking to relieve tension the best way we know how.
"Christian." I bite my lip. I have to get back to my office, I have a meeting." I watch as his desire turns to annoyance.
"Ana, did you not hear what I just said to Taylor. I don't want you there without security, and Sawyer is probably still out looking for you." he looks rather amused that I managed to ditch my security. " How can you even suggest going back to work?"
"It's too late to cancel Christian, please, I have to." I plead.
"Ana."
"Christian." I pout.
"GAH! You can be so infuriating Mrs Grey." He walks to his desk and buzzes through to Andrea.
"Mr Grey." she chirps.
"Andrea, cancel my schedule for the rest of the day." he cuts the line without waiting for a response then starts filling his black satchel with his MacBook, blackberry, the photos and a stack of files.
"What are you doing Christian?"
"What does it look like Ana- I'm coming with you. I can work from your office." I roll my eyes. Oh the girls at the office are going to love this. He swings the satchel over his shoulder then takes hold of my hand. "Come." he instructs and pulls me to the door.
"Mr Grey, Mrs Grey." Andrea address us as we stroll past her to the elevator.
"Andrea." we respond in unison.
My body is buzzing before we are even in the elevator. The instant the doors close Christian has me pushed up against the back wall. He reaches up and slides my hair tie down, my rich burnette tresses cascade around my shoulders. He is gazing deep into my eyes, his lips are parted, his breathing heavy. My body is bubbling with desire. I feel a familiar bulge in his pants causing me to inhale sharply. His warm breath tickles my lips.
"Do you have any idea how much I want to rip this dress off and fuck you right here?" he whispers leaning his forehead against mine. I gasp. His words create a frenzy of excitement directly between my legs.
PING! "Fuck." I mutter in disappointment.
"Next time." he murmurs, planting a feather soft kiss on my lips.
As Christian moves I notice the three young women gaping wide-eyes at us. They look disgusted, or jealous – I can't tell which. My cheeks turn a dark shade of pink. Christian appears completely unaffected by their presence. Wrapping a protective arm around me he leads me out of the elevator. "Ladies." he nods.
"Well that was a little embarrassing."
"You're embarrassed that your husband was seen kissing you?" he smirks.
"Christian, you were practically on top of me!."
"My elevator, my building, my wife." he says as he playfully smacks my ass.
"Christian." I hiss aware of all the sets of eyes watching us as we head through reception.
Taylor is waiting out front with the SUV. Andrea must have let him know we were on our way down. Christian orders me into the open door and shuts it behind me – leaving him alone to talk with Taylor.
I can hear Christian mumbling about Leila making copies of the photos when she broke into Escala, then he eyes the SUV and pulls Taylor further away, effectively making it impossible to hear any more of the conversation.
After what feels like an hour, but in reality on minutes later, Christian finally enters the car. Immediately he hits the button sending the divider to the roof, he tugs me over to rest against him and I nestle my back against his front.
"Are you okay baby?" he murmurs.
"I'm fine, nothing seeing the children and a deep bath won't fix."
"We'll go home after your interview, I need to see the little tikes too." He grins.
My stomach grumbles loudly. Shit!
"Ana, did you eat lunch?" my lack of response answers his question. "Ana." he growls.
"Geez Christian, give me a break. I was a little pre-occupied finding out that an old friend had shacked up with your crazy gun toting ex-sub who is plotting to destroy my husband."
"I won't let them win Ana." He mutters, his voice sounding unsure. I tilt my head up to look at him, he looks worried. How can you fight something when you're not sure what, or who you're fighting against – or what they have planned?
"I know." I whisper. Trying my best to sound reassuring.