CHAPTER-2

ANASTASIA STEELE

I stand up. He's here. I look over at everyone else and the whole situation feels like someone has pushed the pause button on a remote so that the movie going on stills. No one is moving.

Sam was reaching for more salad from the bowl and she seems to be stuck mid-way bended over the table. Cam was drinking wine from the glass and the glass is stuck between her lips. Anita is just sitting there with her hands folded on her lap staring at José like he was some alien. Adam and Jessie were inside the kitchen getting God knows what but they are now standing still like someone is squeezing their balls. Phil sitting beside Anita looked like he would shit his pants anytime and Michael just stared at José looking like he is in a lot of pain.

I focus on José and he is standing there angry. Duh. I look back at everyone and I can't help but laugh. The situation looks like out of a movie. Oh my God. I have finally lost it. I am crazy. José has turned me crazy too. Someone stop me.

Hysterical belly aching laughter.

Finally after getting a hold of myself I look at everyone else. They all seem.. shocked? I wonder why they are shocked. Clearly they should have guessed being in a relationship with a crazy person tends to make you crazy too. And then shock turns into pity. I hate it. I hate my friends looking at me with pity in their eyes. I don't want their pity; I don't want anyone's pity.

José moves inside the dining area and stalks over to me. Ignoring everyone else, he hugs me. Squishing me out of breath. Cupping my face, he gives a long, wet, disgusting kiss on the lips. Rather than concentrating on the kiss, I take a peak at my friends and each of them have the same expression like they were watching some bad porn which was a torture to the eyes. Yeah I feel it too.

"Darling I missed you so much," and he kisses me again. And again. And again. Thankfully he stops or I might have just barfed in his mouth. I hate kissing him. This man has turned me off from kissing. I don't think I could ever kiss anyone. Who am I kidding? As if he would ever let me kiss another man. Finally he turns around from me and gives my friends an evil smirk, clearly sending them the signal that I was his. Somehow I can't formulate a single word. Not even a "hi".

Everyone is still staring at him as if waiting for him to lose it. But then he surprises everyone by saying, "SURPRISE!" and turns towards me. "I wanted to surprise you. But looks like I interrupted you instead. You don't look happy Anastasia," his voice seems cold as usual. Taking the cue, Sam stands up, "José we'll just leave. I'm sure you both have a lot to catch up on." Please don't leave me. I wish I could tell them to stay and save me from this madman but I can't speak a word. What the FUCK!

"Oh don't let me interrupt your dinner. Please stay and finish. I can join you all. As it is I am famished from the flight." He could get an Oscar for best actor. "Ana please come with me to the bedroom," and puts his hands forward for me to grab. I just take it and follow him like a schoolgirl with my head bowed.

Locking the door he turns me around to him and grabs my throat but does not put any pressure. "You did not even smile at me Ana. Do you want to send your friends some kind of message that I am the bad guy? Don't try anything baby, we don't want me to get angry now, do we?" I can just respond with a nod, tears well but don't fall. "Be a good girl now and smile." He is still grabbing my throat and I somehow manage a smile. I hate this man with all my being that I could kill him. But I don't want to go to jail either. Someone put me out of this misery. Sometimes I wish he would get killed by one of his father's enemies.

CHRISTIAN GREY

This is going to be one long week. I can't wait for Friday to come. Not only because of Anastasia but also because I deserve a break. The past few months have been late nights and early mornings. The takeover of a Chinese company had me pulling my hair off. The Chinese are motherfucking bastards. Sharp and the opposite of all things gullible. Fuckers.

New York seems like a plausible destination for a break. The girls are great. As long as I get to have a new girl every night, I'll be fine. I do have a reputation of being a man-whore, but I don't give a flying fuck.

I stand on the balcony of my Penthouse at Escala. Everyday after work when I am alone, I spend time and look at the Seattle skyline. I feel like I am on top of the world and also very lonely. I have so much money and power and because of the same reason I have no true companion. Not one person apart from my family who sees me for who I am. People use me. I'm not really talking about a lover, but atleast having a friend wouldn't be so bad. Someone I know I can trust and depend on. Elliot has so many friends and he is a Grey too. But he was the lucky one. Try as I may but I know I am not capable of being so carefree and warm and loving like Elliot. Is that the reason I have no friends? You have no friends because you are a loser remember?

Putting these thoughts to rest, I quickly change for a quick run on the streets of Seattle. Taylor is waiting for me infront of the private elevator in his sweats. This was our daily routine. After coming back from work on weekdays both of us go for a run. Technically I go for a run and he follows me. Sometimes I wonder how awful his job really is. I have him at my beck and call 24/7. And me being an asshole just make his job worse. Whatever.

After running about 5 miles, we take a breather. I have the hood of my sweatshirt over my head so that people won't recognize me. As much as I love being The Great Christian Grey, the invasion of my private life is not something I like. There have been countless of times I thrashed cameras of the paparazzi vultures. Motherfuckers that they are, they still don't learn and follow me around. Last month I was sneaking out of this supermodel's house at 2 in the fucking morning and I was caught on camera. Fuck. The headlines for the next few days were outrageous claiming me to be "finally" dating. My PR department is constantly at war with the media in trying to keep my life a private. The media both hates and loves me. They hate my guts but clearly they know "Christian Grey" sells so they have no option but to adhere to my assholeness.

Upon returning to Escala, I have a quiet dinner alone. Again. Mrs Jones is a marvel though. She probably is the best cook after my mom ofcourse. I don't know what good I did in my life to have found such a competent housemaid. Taylor would surely agree. As long as both Taylor and Mrs Jones know how to keep their personal life apart from their professional life, I am fine with them shacking up.

My phone buzzes and I see Welch has already mailed me the details on Anastasia. This is something I want to check on my laptop so I go to my study and get my MacBook.

I scroll down most of the information since I already know she is from Seattle and the name of her parents and that she is in real estate right now. What I want to know is her relationship history. So after high school Ms Steele has been in a relationship with 2 guys. Currently she is in a relationship with some José Rodriguez. Two and a half years? That is long, but then Ana was always a hearts and flowers kind of girl. Oh well she deserves all the happiness in the world because I know she has a heart of gold. She was always so compassionate.

Now that I am checking my inbox, I decide to check the rest of the emails that need my attention. God I hate checking emails. Worst part was replying which I normally avoid and have Andrea reply on my behalf.

ANASTASIA STEELE

I am clearing the table and washing the dishes, delaying as much as I can so that I don't have to go to bed with that monster.

"Ana I just got a call from my father that I have to be back in LA again tomorrow. Something's gone fucked up," he is not happy, I can tell it from his voice.

"That's too bad," I lie, inside I am jumping up and down but I dare not show the relief on my face.

I am just drying the dishes when I feel his arms wrap around my waist. I roll my eyes knowing he can't see my face. "I missed you Ana, and I'm going to miss you when I leave here again tomorrow." I grin knowing he still can't see my face.

He puts his hands inside my top, "José I have my period going on," I lie again. I know he won't check me because he hates it. All those people's blood on his hands and he can't stand my blood? Hypocrite. Oh well atleast it serves as the perfect excuse for me. He lets go of me and sighs against my back. "Guess we'll have to make do with making out and a blowjob." Oh hell no! I seriously don't know which is worse. Fuck I should have thought about this.

Taking the dishes from my hands and he leads me towards the bedroom. Take me God, please take me! I really have no way of getting out of this now. Shit. Slowly taking my clothes off he reaches for my breasts, cupping them he takes them in his mouth, sucking them. If only I had powers like the vampires in the show The Vampire Diaries. I would keep my humanity turned off for eternity. But then if I were a vampire I would just kill this life sucking motherfucker myself.

Before I know it the damage has been done and I feel my tears trickle down my cheeks. He freezes and stands infront of me. I can see fury in his eyes. His ears are red and he is breathing heavily. Here it comes. Take charge and do something you little piece of shit.

Taking a handful of my hair he pulls my face closer to him. "Why are you crying Ana? Don't you love me?" Menace evidently clear in his voice. "Is there anyone else now that you can't even stand being close to me?" I just manage to shake my head. "There will only ever be me Ana. Only. Me. Get it engraved in your brain that you will only and only be mine. I will do everything in my power to keep you with me."

He leaves the room and comes back in a few seconds, carrying a bottle of wine. Smashing the bottle, he picks up a piece of broken glass and slits his wrists. I gasp. What is he doing?

"You see this blood Ana. Every drop of my blood has your name written. You run through my veins. Why won't you believe me when I say I love you? Why?" Crazy eyes. All I can see are his crazy eyes.

I slowly move towards him and take the piece of glass from his hands. The fucking tears won't stop and I can't say a word. What the fuck is wrong with me?

"José let me through so that I can get the emergency first aid kit."

"NO!" Oh God I wished and wished for him to die and now that there is a chance of him bleeding to death I want to rush and get the first aid kit? Fuck me.

"José please," I plead but he does not budge, but get all the more furious.

His fury seems to be overtaking his pain. He moves back and pulls out his belt.

Oh no.

I don't know if it was adrenaline or not, but before I could register what I was doing, José is lying on the floor, unconscious. I hit on his head with a vase that was kept on the side table of my bed. Holy shit. Did I kill him? Oh my God. Quickly I check for any traces of blood. Nothing. That means he is only knocked out. Quickly putting on my clothes back, I run. I don't know where, but I just run.

CHRISTIAN GREY

This wasn't any other Friday. It was THE Friday I was going to fly to New York to meet my childhood friend. Excitement. Anxiety. Frustration. I was going through all these emotions at once. Wait. Why am I acting like a bitch? It's no big deal right? We're old friends who will just "hang out". I can do a casual reunion hang out. It's probably no big deal. You're just afraid she'll see right through that you're still the same loser.

Am I afraid? What if she thinks I am still that loser everyone made fun of? Will she even remember me?

My phone is ringing. It's Taylor.

"Grey." I answer.

"Everything is set Sir."

"I'm walking to the elevator right now."

As the plane takes off, the flight attendant Natalia comes over with a glass of champagne.

"Did you want anything else Mr Grey?" she asks but I don't give a fuck.

"It's just a stupid face. Stop bloody staring and get me another glass of this," I snap at her. I don't mind the fucking attention I usually get from women, but there's a time for everything and right now I can't think about anything else apart from Anastasia. I can see Taylor steal a quick glance at me trying to figure out what it is that has me so agitated all of a sudden.

Truth is even I don't know. Urgh. I just put on my headphones and listen to music. Music always calms me. And before I know it, the pilot is announcing that we are about to land in New York in a few minutes.

I feel like my heart will explode from all the suspense that my encounter with Anastasia holds. I don't do this shit. Suddenly I am overwhelmed with all these feelings and I don't know feelings because I don't have feelings. Then why the fuck so many unknown emotions all at once? I hate this.

Stepping out of the Rolls Royce the hotel sent for me, I step inside Four Seasons and I am immediately ushered to the Ty Warner Penthouse. I always check-in at the Four Seasons alerting them a week in advance so that they have the penthouse available for me. The penthouse has an impeccable 360 degree view of Manhattan and I have something for floor-to-ceiling windows.

Without wasting any time, I take a quick shower and dress in jeans, a white shirt, black leather jacket and leather loafers.

Taylor has already called and told me, he tracked Ana's cellphone and she was at some club right now.

Plan is, I'll bump into her and act all surprised to find her.