Cpov
I drop Ana off at a run-down shack she calls cottage that sits far back into the woods, out of view from the road and as far away from anything living, besides animals, as you can get. I never knew there was any shelter of sorts back here. How the fuck can she stay here?! It's not fucking safe! I'm not happy about her living situation, but I'll deal with it later.
I leave her so I can drop Teddy off with my mother and get everything started for our spontaneous dinner that is not a date but is and she just doesn't know it because I don't want to scare her away. I've never done this dating thing before so I hope I don't fuck it up. Though I guess I should've told her it was a date and not spring it on her like this. It's not so much a real date as it is me trying to get to know her better. Yeah, it's just us getting to know each other better, that's all.
"Teddy," I decide to ask my wingman while I drive to my parents', "What do you think Ana and I should have for dinner?"
"And me too, dad." He reminds me, like I forgot him.
"Well, buddy." Time to come clean with my plan now that Ana isn't with us. "I want to get to know Ana better so it's just going to be her and I tonight. You're going to stay with grandma and grandpa tonight, but you can join us next time, okay."
"Okay," He seems unbothered that we're excluding him.
"So what do you think Ana and I should have for dinner?" I repeat.
"Spapeggie. Oh! And meatballs too."
"That's a little messy," Not to mention garlic breath.
"But it's what Lady and da Tramp had on their night out."
"Okay," Who am I to turn down a romantic Disney scene. "Spaghetti and meatballs it is."
Pulling up to my mother's home, before I get out, I make all the necessary texts I need. Then, I get Teddy out and let him run ahead of me.
The door isn't locked, it almost never is, so he opens it and runs into the house like he owns the place. Much like everywhere else we go.
I follow behind him and into the kitchen where my mother, Kate and Mia are all sitting around the table. Teddy sits right next to my mother while the girls continue to talk.
Gone are the days they are surprised to see me, since I have Teddy, we come over often. My mom continues talking with Kate and Mia with her arm now around Teddy, holding him to her as she slides the plate of cookies towards him. He was reaching for it, always knowing his grandmother has treats readily available for him and Ava.
"Hey, mom, can you do me a favor?" I run my hand through my hair as I continue to stand in the doorway of the kitchen.
"What is it, dear?" She asks, now turning her attention away from the girls to look at me. However, now I have Kate and Mia's attention as well.
"Can you watch Teddy for me tonight? Perhaps overnight." He already has his own room and belongings here, just as Ava does.
"Sure." She asks no other questions, just like any other time, but then she gets that deep thought look going and smiles. "How did it go at the beach today?"
"It was nice."
"Just nice?"
I nod, not giving anything more.
"How was the beach, Teddy?" She asks my talkative son.
"We played in da wawer and daddy was da shark! He got Ana, but not me." He's proud of the fact that he outran his father as he continues, "Then daddy and Ana helped me build a castle this big." Teddy uses his hands to over exaggerate the size of our sand castle. "Ana got hurt though, but daddy kissed her better."
"You kissed Ana?!" Mia squeals while my mother and Kate look at me, just as excited at the news, if not surprised.
"Her hand." I clarify.
"So Ana really went to the beach with you?" Kate asks.
"She did," I say. "Did you really text mom, needing her help with something?"
"I did." She lies! To my face! In front of my son!
"Well, I have to go." I say since my mother agreed to watch Teddy and I have a lot to do and get ready before I pick Ana up.
"Where are you going?" Kate asks.
Should I lie like she's doing to me? Yeah right, she sent mom a text.
I'll just be evasive.
"To get everything ready for tonight."
"What's happening tonight?" Her journalist blood is flowing. She knows there's a story here but she wont get it from me.
I just shrug and walk out.
I'm about to get back into my SUV when Kate comes running out of the house. I'm sure Teddy told them about my plans to have dinner with Ana.
"Hey, Christian!" She calls for me to wait, so I turn around. Once she's reached me near the SUV, she continues. "Just... Ana's been through a lot."
"What is that supposed to mean?" It sounds as if she's warning me.
"Just be careful with her, is all, don't rush anything." She is warning me. "I don't know how accepting she'll be of your type of relationships that you're used to, so... just, go easy on her. I'll have your balls for earrings if you hurt her."
The relationships I'm used to? I don't want that type of relationship with Ana, I don't want to beat and fuck her, I want romance, something I've never wanted before. Kate and the rest of my family know my past because I came clean to my parents and siblings once Teddy arrived but they also know I left the lifestyle behind the day I accepted being a father. Why does she feel the need to tell me this?
"You know something, don't you." It's not a question, I'm accusing her of knowing at least some of Ana's past.
...
Apov
I'm just getting out of the cold shower, not having enough money for gas and I can do without it since it's not winter yet, when I hear a car pull down the gravel road.
Shit! He's early, and I'm not ready, he said he wouldn't be here this soon.
I only hear one car door shut and instantly begin to panic thinking it's not Christian.
As I hear footsteps crunching on the gravel outside, my skin begins to crawl, goosebumps form all over my body and my heart feels as if it's fell into the pit of my stomach. Dread washes over me instantly. Oh god, I think I'm going to be sick. It's not Christian, I would feel him. I always seem to feel calm around Christian, even when I don't see him, and I don't know why. But I definitely do not feel calm at all, I'm starting to hyperventilate.
It's him! He found me. Oh my god, he found me.
I'm naked, only wearing a towel but I have to get out of here. I have to run! But I can't move.
"Ana, it's me, Kate." I hear her through my closed door before I hear the creaking of the porch announcing her arrival.
Oh, thank god. It's not him, but I still have yet to move my back from the wall I backed into. My heart is still racing.
"Are you home?" She knocks on the door now. "Ana?"
I take a minute to calm down then answer the door with a smile. It takes me longer than it should to unlock all my locks and move my 2x4 door blocker, with my hands still shaking.
"Hi, Kate." I greet her, hoping I don't look as freaked out as I was moments earlier.
"Hey," She smiles at me. "I thought it would be a good idea to announce I was here instead of just coming up to knock. I hope I didn't scare you."
"Not at all." I lie. "But um- I don't have time to hang out tonight, I'm kind of trying to get ready, hence the towel I'm wearing."
"That's actually why I'm here."
"I'm sorry?" I ask confused.
"I'm here to help you get ready for your date with Christian."
"Date? It's not a date, it's just dinner." As I say this I realize how it sounds. "It's a date, isn't it."
Kate nods and looks at me with an I-told-you-so look.
"But Teddy will be there." I explain to her. Okay, he was with us at the beach, but it didn't feel very friendly even with him there.
"Teddy's with his grandma for the night. It's going to be just you and Christian having dinner. Alone. You okay with that?"
"Yeah." I surprisingly am. I know I shouldn't, but I am.
"I know he was planning to surprise you, but I didn't want you to be unprepared when he showed up alone."
"You're a great friend, Kate." I find myself calling her my friend. I would hug her if I wasn't only wearing a towel, it would make this too weird.
I'm slowly settling into this town and getting to know these people, unlike I did anywhere else. I think I finally found my home, where I belong, my safe haven.
"You'll think I'm the best when I get done with you." She grins as I let her inside.
She puts a big bag down on my bed and unzips it. It's filled with clothes and another bag with makeup and hair products.
...
Cpov
I have everything ready, even though this was a last minute idea, now all I need to do is pick up Ana.
I'm on my way to her shack now. I'm still upset about that fucking place, not only because it's unsafe but because I know she deserves better. Maybe it's because of my start at life. She's obviously on the run and could so easily turn to whoring herself out to earn money, but instead she works hard at restaurants, diners, and dive bars, just to earn enough money to survive. She probably chooses these places for their tips. I wonder if she has any actual job skills, if she went to college, or if she had a career wherever she was before here.
Hopefully I'll get to know her and her past life tonight. I'd also like to see where things go from here, if she's accepting of this dinner, that is not a date, and would perhaps give me a real date in the near future. If all goes well, hopefully she will be mine. Teddy would love it, he adores her. I can just imagine how he would react if Ana and I got together.
As I pull down the gravel road, I get pissed seeing Kate's car out front. What is she doing here?!
I get out and try not to fall to my death on the worn out porch. A little overdramatic, yes, but the fucking wood is so old and warped, I'm afraid my ass is going to fall through the rotten floor boards of this old porch. Every step I take towards the door is like a game of life or death. With every creak, it's like I'm waiting for a bear-trap to snap. Will this be the board that finally breaks, or the next?
Finally making it safely to the door, though I'm not entirely sure how, I knock.
I wait as I hear movement, even straightening my blue button down shirt and running my hands on my jean covered thighs to dry the sweat that seems to be building. I've never really been nervous before, but I can safely say, I'm nervous.
The door finally opens and it's Kate on the other side.
Before I can ask why she's here, she speaks.
"She'll be out soon." She says as she walks by, stepping onto the distressed porch with me.
Oh fuck, more weight to add to the game of chance. I quickly step inside, letting only Kate be on the porch. She's much lighter than I am, surely it wont swallow her whole.
"Have fun tonight." She calls back on the way to her car. "And remember, if you hurt her I'll have your balls."
She climbs inside her BMW and drives off.
Turning around, the inside of her shack is not much better than the porch.
The walls are a two-toned, ugly mustard yellow, it looks as if they were originally white. A small table with two chairs near the kitchen, a tiny loveseat and no television are all that is in this main part of the shack. At least the floor boards inside seem slightly better than that porch. There's only one door that must lead to the bedroom, where Ana is, and the only bathroom must be accessible from the bedroom.
It's so fucking small in here, I feel like the walls are closing in. And it's not because I'm claustrophobic, I'm not. I've had a phobia before, and this is not it.
She lives in a fucking death trap for fuck's sake!
"I'll be out in a minute." I hear her call from behind the only closed door.
While I'm waiting, I look around but there's really not much to look at that is appealing. I can see she tried to clean the place up as best as she could. And her main door has more than enough locks needed, but the door looks so weak and easy enough to break that the locks aren't really necessary. And what the fuck is that 2x4 doing next to the door? Noticing the hooks, I see it's for extra security.
This isn't going to work for me.
The bedroom door opening stops me from my task of snooping through anything else.
Fuck me. And thank fuck for Katherine fucking Kavanagh. I never thought I was say that, but thank you, Kate!
Anastasia is wearing a simple black dress but it fits her curves perfectly, emphasizing them, the fabric hugging her body like a fucking glove. I've never seen her wear makeup before, but she doesn't need it, however, the smoky eye and red lips are eye popping. And I know the heels are borrowed, but they look amazing.
I let my eyes slowly trail over her body as I take my time undressing her in my mind. I wonder what she has on under that dress...
"Kate said I should wear this." She tells me, bringing me from my dirty thoughts. "Should I change? I didn't know where we would be having dinner and I think this is a bit much, I tried telling her that but she insisted. I could put on jeans and a T-shirt really quick, if you'll just give me a minute."
She sounds just as nervous as I am, with her rambling.
"No," I have to clear my throat. Not releasing how dry my mouth is, I lick my lips. "What you have on now is fine. You look beautiful."
"Thank you." She smiles, blush forming on her cheeks. "Where's Teddy?"
I smile at being caught. I'm sure Kate told her, especially by the way Ana is dressed, that it would be just the two of us.
"He wanted to stay with his grandparents," I play it off. "I hope you're not disappointed."
"I don't mind. We're going there too, right? That's what you said at the beach."
"Actually," I rub the back of my neck. Okay, it's time to break the news, but it seems Kate already did that. Again, I'm thanking Kate. The last time I asked Ana out, she turned me down. "I was hoping it could just be the two of us. Not as a date," I quickly add. "Just to get to know each other better."
"I'd like that." She smiles.
"Really?"
"Yeah." She agrees, nothing like the first time I asked her out. "I have a feeling you're the kind of man who doesn't take no for an answer."
"You got that right," I blurt out.
She giggles, and once again, it's like music to my ears.
"Ready then?" I ask, holding out my hand for her.
She grabs my hand but I stop before we walk through the front door.
"Is there another way out of here?"
"Yes. Why?"
"I'm afraid your porch is going to eat me alive."
"It is not!" She laughs, but I'm serious.
"Do you have any idea how unsafe it is?"
"It's fine." She tells me and walks towards the door without a care of the man-eating porch.
I'm quick to get off the porch and wait near my car while she locks her shack. Like it would be that hard to break in. Like anyone would want to. The view of her ass in that dress, however, is amazing and I have to quickly adjust myself before she turns around and I'm caught with a bulge in my jeans.
When she turns around, I'm reminded of how beautiful she is.
I open the passenger door for her and then walk around to drive us to my place.
We're going to talk and I know she's a very private person, as am I, so I thought an intimate setting would be preferred.
It's a bit of a drive to my place from hers, because I live on the outskirts of town, so we talk along the way.
"So, you like Kate?"
"Yes. She's great."
"She's intrusive." I correct her.
"I can see that." She giggles and knows exactly what I mean. If Ana told her anything, it was because Kate forced it out of her.
"I met her four years ago." I tell her how Kate came into my life. "She interviewed me for her college newspaper and asked if I was gay."
"No she did not." Ana laughs, and I laugh at the memory, though I wasn't laughing at the time.
"She did." I confirm. "She had the flu too and gave it to me."
"Could nobody fill in for her?"
"I don't know, all I know is I kicked her out of my office. And then I found out that she and my brother started dating shortly after that. At first I thought it was to get a story on me, but she legitimately loves my brother. He loves her too, and shortly after meeting they got married. Been together every since. And as you know, two years ago they had Ava. She's not so bad when you get to know her, though."
"I like her."
"What do you two talk about?" I ask wanting to know. Kate wouldn't confirm or deny any-damn-thing, saying she promised not to tell anyone anything, including me. All she would say is, be careful with her. I have my suspicions though, nothing proven and my mind racing with thoughts.
"You, mostly."
"Me?" I'm more surprised that she admitted it than that she actually talks about me.
"Mhm. She told me the old you would've bought me a car by now."
"And a new house." I grumble my complaint.
"Hey!" She shouts offended. "I like my place. Okay, it may be-"
"A death trap." I finish for her but she playfully glares at me and continues.
"Small." She corrects me. "But it's mine and I love it."
"You love it?" Bullshit.
"I do." She laughs.
"Compared to what?"
Her shutters come down, smile fading fast.
"Other places I've lived." She says quietly.
I decide not to push this subject further... yet.
It's quiet now while I drive, but it's not uncomfortable.
My house approaches so I turn down the driveway and park near the door.
"Wow." She breathes when she sees my place. Amazed, just like with Escala.
I get out then help her out. Together we walk up the few steps to the front doors.
I may live in a small town now, and my life is less about luxuries, but I sure as hell wasn't about to give up everything I worked hard for. It's just Teddy and I here, no staff, but Gail and my mother do drop by with frozen meals I can reheat. I've learned to cook small meals for Teddy and myself but they help with the bigger things. That, and we eat at Mama Mia's or my parents' place often.
I was offered help with the meal tonight, so I let Gail come by and cook the food. She sent me a text saying it was finished, just as I open the door. Perfect timing.
"It smells good in here." Ana inhales deeply when we walk through the front door.
"Spaghetti and meatballs." I tell her. "Teddy's suggestion. He saw it on some Disney movie and said it's what we should have for dinner."
"Lady and the Tramp?"
"Are you calling me a tramp?" I flirt. I think.
She laughs, loudly. And it's such a beautiful sound, I find myself wanting to hear her laugh more often.
I give her a mini tour on the way to the kitchen with promises of showing her around when we're done eating. I don't want our food to get cold if we end up in my bedroom. Not that that is why I brought her here, I'll let her take the lead with that. But if she wants to, I'm totally okay with that.
Gail has two plates in the warmer, complete with bread. No garlic. She must think this is a date as well.
I grab our plates while Ana grabs the two bowls of salad, and together we sit at the dining room table.
"So as I've said, this is just to get to know each other better." I start the conversation, not wanting her to think it's a date when she said she didn't want to date. "Teddy's growing fond of you, has been for awhile, he talks about you all the time, and I just want to get to know the woman he's been praising."
I nod for her to start eating while I grab us drinks.
"He's a sweet kid," She takes a bite of her salad while I pour our wine. "You should be proud."
"I am."
I sit at the head of the table, to be closer to her instead of sitting across from her, and join her in eating.
"So- I can get to know you too?"
"Of course." Maybe it will be easier for her to share her past with me if I share mine first.
"Do you mind if I ask what brought you here?"
"I don't mind," And I want to know the same; what brought you here.
"It looked like you had it all in Seattle but you move to a small town- Why? I know I shouldn't ask when I don't want to say my reason, but I'm curious. I mean, you were the CEO of a fortune 500 company, you had a penthouse in the sky, I'm sure you were living the life of luxury. What happened?"
"Well.-" I take a deep breath and prepare to tell her my story. "One night I got a call from my parents. They said I was to come to their place immediately, they had something very important to talk to me about and they wanted to talk to me in person as soon as possible. I was a different guy back then so I tried to blow them off but they weren't having it. I ended up going to their house, pissed at having to do so. When I got there, they had a newborn baby."
"Teddy?" She guesses.
"Yup. I've always been very adamant with birth-control, but apparently, I got one of my... um." Shit, Kate said Ana wouldn't be very accepting of my past sexual preferences.
"Girlfriends?" She tries to help me out.
"No. I've never had a girlfriend, she was my submissive." I decide to tell her the truth if I want the truth from her when it's her turn. Besides, we're talking about why I moved and how I got Teddy, not how I liked to flog before I fucked. "Anyway, after I end a relationship, they are not to contact me for any reason. I guess she tried to get in touch with me and tell me that she was pregnant with my baby, but my people wouldn't let her get anywhere near me, so she went to my parents' house in Bellevue. She didn't say anything other than to talk to me and handed the baby to my mother along with his paperwork. Then she left."
"Why didn't she say anything?"
"She was afraid I would've sued her. My sexual partners are required to sign an NDA, meaning they can't say anything about me to anyone."
"Do you want me to sign an NDA?"
"What?" Why would I?
"If we have sex." She bites her lip and blushes.
"You want to have sex?!" I nearly jump out of my chair and drag her to my bedroom, caveman style.
She covers her face with both of her hands to hide her embarrassment and shakes her head. She finally looks at me, still beat red.
"We're getting off track." She says. "Continue with your story, please."
I can't concentrate now, I'm thinking about sex!
"Um." I clear my throat. "Where was I?"
"Your parents had a baby. I mean, your baby. Teddy."
"Right. I had a son, I was shell-shocked, I had to get away. So I left. I tried to call my therapist but he didn't answer. How was I to love and care for this baby if I didn't love and care for myself? I had to talk to someone but he wouldn't answer. It turns out he was at some school function for his kid. I ended up bumping into an old friend so we went for a drink. I told her everything that happened and she suggested that I put the baby up for adoption. I couldn't be a father, what kind of father would I be, right?"
"I think you're a wonderful father."
"Thank you." I smile at her, accepting the compliment. "But at the time, I didn't think I would be. The friend that I was talking to- Well, she also abused me when I was younger, though I didn't see it that way until that night. I always thought she helped me. I started thinking about the baby and what I would do if someone did even half of the shit I've been through to my son. I started thinking of everything I would do to any monster who tried to hurt him. That's when I realized she didn't help me, she never did, and I snapped."
Ana's eyes widen. Shit. She still looks intrigued to know so I continue.
"The bartender was worried that I might end up killing her so he threatened to call the police."
"Did you go to jail?"
"No. We were alone in the bar that night, just her, me and the bartender. But there was a bystander nearby, sitting in the corner. I didn't know it at the time but it was my personal security, Taylor. That man is worth his weight in gold, I tell ya. He convinced the bartender not to call them and Elena agreed as well. She didn't know how pissed I really was with her, I guess, and I've been known to have a temper and overreact. She soon enough figured it out though."
"What happened to her?"
"I was the silent partner of her salons; I felt I owed it to her to help her with her salons, with everything she did for me and for giving me the start-up money for GEH. Well, I sold my shares to her ex-husband for twice what they were worth. It was a win-win for me since the statue of limitations ran out."
"Wouldn't that be a bad idea? What if they got back together?"
"Trust me, he hates her more than I do. It's why I could get double what they were worth from him, he wanted to screw her over just as badly as I did. He lost money on the deal, but so did she. That was worth it to him."
Just thinking about the meeting I had with Linc concerning my shares of Esclava have me in a bad mood. It also proves how much control Elena had over me, how manipulative she is. And how blind I truly was.
When I was ending my submission to Elena, as I felt it was the right time to venture off on my own, the next day she said Linc found out about us and beat the shit out of her. She ended up in the hospital with multiple bruises and broken bones. It upset me that I was the cause of this punishment, so I agreed to let Elena be my submissive and help train me to become a Dom in the lifestyle instead of doing it on my own, and she would also give me the start up money for GEH. This new arrangement lasted until I was 21.
Little did I know, Linc didn't know shit about Elena and I so he never touched her. She had an intense sense with a vicious Dom at a club and didn't safe-word once. Then I found out, she's the one who filed for divorce, not him. She always told me it was Linc who filed and she would be out money because of it. She said she put away $100,000 for emergencies and would give it all to me. Apparently, it didn't surprise him that she was cheating and he told me she took half his money when she divorced him.
"Since he now owned controlling shares, he fucked with the salons until it wasn't bringing in any money. Then he ended up selling the salons slowly piece by piece until she had nothing." I continue telling Ana my story. "So anyway, after leaving the bar that night, I went back to my place and passed out. I wanted to go back to my parents' house but Taylor convinced me to sleep it off because I was so drunk. The next day I woke up with a hangover but I laid in bed for hours thinking of what I was going to do with this baby. I didn't know anything about babies. I knew I couldn't keep him, because I worked too damn much to have a baby, but I couldn't give him up either. After all these years, I was starting to sympathize with my birthmother."
"You're adopted?"
"Yeah."
I finish off my wine before I continue.
"After considering every option in the book, I went back to my parents house. I was set on giving him a better life than I had, even if that meant not with me. Sure I was financially able to care for him, but emotionally..." I shake my head. I was 50 shades of fucked up. "When I walked in, I looked like hell from my hangover. My mother was in the family room feeding the baby; my son. I sat next to her, she smiled and put Teddy in my lap so I could finish feeding him."
Fuck, I haven't thought about this in over four years. The way it felt when Teddy was in my arms the first time. My only flesh and blood.
"I asked her what his name was. I asked my mother what my son's name was because I didn't know it. Apparently she didn't either because his mother left it blank. I decided to name him Theodore, after my grandfather."
"I love the name Theodore!" She grins and I just laugh at her enthusiasm for Teddy's name. I'm sure she would be this excited over any name, but it shows how much she adores my son.
"We did all the necessary DNA testing to determine paternity, and when the results came back, they confirmed that the baby was mine. My father helped me with all the legal shit so Teddy would be mine and his mother couldn't come back and try to take him from me. At first, I was going to find her... but I decided against it. It's been almost five years and I haven't heard anything about her. While we were in Seattle last, I had my guy Welch run a check on her." When I had him run Ana's background check. "And as it turns out, she passed away 3 years ago."
Teddy's mother may have died, much like my own, but he will never be affected in the way I was.
"What was her name?"
"Hannah." She was my submissive after Leila and before Susannah.
"Do you have a picture to show Teddy if he's curious when he gets older?"
I shake my head. I've never really thought of that before, Teddy has never been curious or asked me why he doesn't have a mom. Yet. Maybe that's why he's so attached to Ana.
"The only photos I had isn't a photo he should see." It was my little insurance policy if my submissives talked. I would take photos of them, revealing in scene photos, both for insurance policies and as recreational use during the week if needed. "But I got rid of them. I could get the background check photo of her if he really wanted to know what she looked like."
"So you decided to sell your company, move here and raise your son?"
I nod.
"That's very sweet of you. It says a lot about who you are and about what you hold in your heart."
By now we've finished eating so we move to the sofa which faces the floor to ceiling windows, overlooking the water.
"Do you have any questions?" Before we get into your story.
"Just one," She says after thinking about it. "What is a submissive?"
Fuck! How am I going to explain this?