A/N: Uncovering Mr. Grey contains characters, places and plots from the Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy. All rights belong to E.L. James, not us. Thanks!

ALSO, we wanted to thank you again for your patience! Everything has been crazy with the holidays and work and what not and we appreciate you all for hanging in there with us! :)

P.S. We have a surprise for you all... This chapter will be in Christian's POV! YAY! It actually will start on the Sunday before he meets Ana for the first time! Ok here we go!

Chapter Five

Sunday, April 2nd, 2017

Christian Grey's POV

"Do you know why I am punishing you, Miss Collins?" I ask as she kneels before me, her palms laid flat across her thighs and her eyes cast downwards.

"Because, I was fifteen minutes late entering the playroom, sir."

"And why were you fifteen minutes late, Miss Collins?"

"Because I was hoping you would punish me, Mr. Grey."

"I see." I say as I stand over her, contemplating which implement to use. Usually, making me wait puts me in a foul mood and warrants a cruel punishment, but today I am just not that into it. Regardless, Miss Collins broke rule number one, and she must be dealt with.

I select a wooden paddle from the rack of whips, paddles and canes and hover over her once more.

"Stand up." I demand.

She does as she's told and rises to her feet, continuing to look down.

"You may look at me."

She lifts her eyes to mine, and I see the desire blazing behind her blue irises. She wants this badly. I should make her wait, considering her attempt to top from the bottom, but for some unknown reason, I just want to get this over with.

"Go and bend over the whipping bench."

She walks over to it in her tiny thong and matching bra, switching her hips seductively, and teasing me the whole way. When she reaches the bench, she bends and stretches over it, giving me a perfect view of her tight little ass.

"I'm going to paddle you ten times, and you will count with me, Miss Collins."

"Yes, sir."

I lay my left hand against the small of her back to hold her in place. With my right hand, I grip the paddle firmly and raise it high before slapping it hard against her backside.

"One."

I lightly caress her ass and whack it once more.

"Two," she breathes out.

I repeat the action again, and this time she flinches.

"Three," she whispers.

"Hold still."

Her breathing has increased and her ass is turning a beautiful, bright pink color. Unfortunately, the sight of it is doing nothing for me. I lift the paddle once more and bring it down harder than before, frustrated with myself.

"Four… Yellow, sir." She flinches her backside away from me again, which only irritates me more.

"I thought you wanted this, Miss Collins?" I bring the paddle down again, a little harder this time.

"Five," she hisses out. "Red, sir! Please.." she cries out. "Red!"

I drop the paddle, release her and walk away angry before turning around to confront her.

"Why did you purposely break the rules if you were going to safeword on me?"

She lifts herself off of the bench and turns to face me, tears pooling in her eyes.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

"Yes."

She looks down at her hands before speaking.

"Well, normally I am always up for a little pain, sir... But today, you just seemed to be a little out of it. You were much harsher than usual."

She looks up at me, and I see the hurt in her eyes. I take a deep breath.

"I apologize, Miss Collins. Now that you mention it, I am not in the right mindset to play today. Perhaps, you should collect your things and go home early tonight."

She looks away and nods. "Yes, sir."

I hand her the robe on the back of the door and wait patiently as she puts it on.

"Do you need any aftercare before you dress and gather your things?"

She shakes her head with tears in her eyes and continues to avert them from mine. "No, sir. Thank you." I know she desperately wants to escape before the tears really start to come down.

"You may go to your room now."

"Thank you, sir," she says as she tightens her robe around her and exits the playroom.

I run my hands through my hair, confused by what has happened this weekend. It is the first time in years that I have been this distracted while in my playroom, especially during a punishment scene. What the fuck is going on with me? I pick up the paddle and place it back on the rack before exiting the playroom. I lock the door and slowly make my way downstairs. I sit on the couch and try to think while I wait on Susannah.

I don't understand what has had me so preoccupied. Even yesterday, while in the playroom, I wasn't fully aware of my actions. My mind kept drifting, and to say I was inattentive would be an understatement. I rushed through our scene and barely brought her to orgasm before I did. It took forever, and I didn't even get to enjoy it.

Work hasn't been any more difficult than normal and there hasn't been anything else out of the ordinary lately. Perhaps I should discuss this with Elena on Thursday. Maybe she can shine a light on this melancholy mood I've been in.

Susannah's heels clicking on the stairs bring me out of my thoughts, and I stand to meet her at the bottom step. I take her hand and walk her to the elevator doors, before pushing the button.

"I do apologize for this weekend, Miss Collins."

She turns to face me, and I see that her eyes are red and puffy. She's been crying, really crying, and all of a sudden, a sense of unease washes over me. I am used to women crying because of me. In my lifestyle it is quite common, and it usually has no effect on me. However, today it just makes me feel awkward and aware, and I just want to get her out of here to avoid this... tension.

"It's ok, sir."

The bell dings and the doors slide open. She looks up at me expectantly, and I know what she is after. I lean forward and give her a brief kiss on the lips, knowing that she needs it more than I do.

"I'll see you Friday, Miss Collins."

She smiles excitedly, and her eyes light up. My off behavior must have had her doubting herself.

"Yes. Goodbye, sir. See you Friday."

She steps inside, hits the button for the ground floor and the doors close. I glance at my watch and see that it's only 2 pm on a Sunday afternoon. I retreat to my study for a cold, hard drink and sit down at my desk to reflect on our session.


Monday, April 3rd, 2017

The alarm blares loudly and irritatingly in my ear. I grumble and rub my eyes before leaning over to turn off the ear-splitting buzzing. It feels as though I have only slept three hours. I roll out of bed and make my way towards the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth.

Twenty minutes later, I am dressed in my sweats and ready for my morning coffee. It's been a hell of a night and only a cup of strong, black coffee will get my head on straight. In the kitchen, Mrs. Jones has a pot brewing and the newspaper laying on top of the breakfast bar. As I enter, she pours a cup and sets it down at my usual spot.

"Cream or sugar today, Mr. Grey?"

"No. Thank you, Gail."

"Of course. Can I get you something to eat, or would you like your breakfast after your run?"

"After my morning run, please."

I smile up at her and drain my coffee as Taylor enters in his workout attire.

"Good Morning, Mr. Grey."

"Morning Taylor. Let's go."


It's cloudy and dark outside. As I make my way down the street, the cold wet air hits the back of my neck and an icy chill rakes down my spine. I push myself forward, gathering speed, and start to run as fast as I can. My coffee has kicked in and a sudden burst of energy has me flying past Taylor. Running is second nature to me. When I run, I don't have to think about anything, but my feet pounding the pavement below me, and the breath of air that I calmly inhale and exhale out of my lungs. This is the first time in days that I have felt normal. I finally have cleared my mind of this unwelcome feeling that has been assaulting me since Friday evening. I push myself further and further, faster and faster, as the scenery begins to blur past me.

On the last leg of my run, I slow down to a jog and the exhilarating feeling starts to ebb, as my perpetually sullen mood drifts back in. All feelings of unease wash back over me as I come to a stop in front of Escala. An hour. An hour of peace is all that I have had to myself. I wait on Taylor, running my hands through my sweat-soaked hair a few times before he catches up. When he does, the concern in his eyes is evident.

"Everything alright, sir?"

"Yes, Taylor. Everything is fine."

Taylor nods and holds the door open for me, as I push my way into the parking garage. When I hit the elevator, I push the button for my floor and enter in the code to access my penthouse. As the elevator makes it's slow descent to the top, I try to shake this mood I'm in.

I spent hours yesterday trying to figure out why I have been so out of it lately- until I had to attend my weekly Sunday dinner with my family, that is. I thought the evening would distract me, but all it did was confuse me further. At first the evening was fine, but then during dessert, my mother and Mia kept hounding me about my personal life.


Sunday Evening

"Christian, darling… Are you alright?"

"Yes, mother."

Grace sits across from me, watching me push my apple pie around with my fork, with a concerned look on her face. I take a small bite and try my best at a happy smile.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

"No, Mom. I just told you I was alright."

She looks down at my barely touched plate and hesitates before she puts her fork down.

"Christian… what's wrong, dear? And don't say nothing, because you haven't touched your dessert and you barely ate your dinner, both of which just so happen to be your favorite."

"I don't know, Mom. I'm sure it's nothing. I have just been in a funk the last couple of days."

Mia perks up and puts in her two cents before my mother can respond.

"Maybe you're lonely, Christian. You need a girlfriend."

I roll my eyes at my baby sister.

"Mia, mind your own business."

The room gets quiet all of a sudden, and everyone at the table looks up from their pie to stare at me. Wow… this night just got awkward. My mother clears her throat and picks her fork back up.

"What?" I ask, frustrated.

"Well, son…" my father starts.

"She's got a point, Christian. You need to get laid." Elliot interrupts.

"Elliot Grey! Watch your mouth!" My mother scolds.

Carrick swallow his last piece of pie and continues.

"What your brother and sister mean to say, is… you're almost 27, Christian. Don't you think it's about time you start looking for someone to date? I mean, you haven't been in a relationship with anyone… and maybe that is something that is missing from your life…"

"Yeah." Mia agrees. "You need a significant other. Regardless, of who it is. We'd never judge you…" she trails off, looking at Mom.

And there it is. The not so subtle hint at me being gay... If they only knew.

"I'm too busy for a relationship. I barely have the time for this dinner, let alone multiple dinners a week with someone else."

I stand up to clear my plate.

"Speaking of which, I need to get back home. I have some work to attend to."

My mother stands to take my plate.

"Just leave it here, dear. I'll walk you out."

"Goodnight, everyone." I say with a wave.

"Night, bro!"

"Goodnight, son."

Mia stands and kisses my cheek. "Goodnight, Christian. I love you. We just want what's best for you."

I smile at her shyly and nod back at her. I love Mia, but as much as I want to say it back, I just can't. I have been told time and time before that I am loved by my family, but it is still hard to believe.

My mother leads me to the front door, quietly, but I can tell that there is still something on her mind. I turn to her and kiss her cheek, before I roll my eyes at her expression.

"What is it, Mom?"

"Well, honey. I didn't get a chance to really tell you my take on this whole relationship thing…"

Oh, great… what now?

"I know we've embarrassed you tonight, and I am sorry for that. That wasn't my intention when I brought all this up, but in all honesty, we just want you to be happy, Christian. Just know that whenever you are ready, you will find that perfect, special someone. Don't rush into it just because we want you to. Do it on your own time, and make sure she is worth your time and your love."

She smiles at me with tears in her eyes, and I want nothing more than to put my arms around her and hold her tight. But even after all these years, I still can't stand to be touched. I kiss her again on the cheek and squeeze her hand.

"Thank you, Mother. That means a lot to me."


Monday Morning

The elevator dings and I exit, heading back towards my room to shower. I turn the faucet on high and strip naked before getting in. The water is scalding hot, just how I like it, and I grab the bottle of shampoo to wash my hair. As much as I try to forget about the conversation from last night, I can't seem to get it off my mind.

Does my family have a point? Is it a woman that is missing from my life? How could that be, though? I have Susannahand all the others. Elliot doesn't know shit. I get laid every weekend in ways he couldn't even possibly imagine.

But, Mia said I needed a girlfriend, not to get laid… A sub is definitely not a girlfriend. There are plenty of differences between the two.

For one, usually you don't beat, then fuck your girlfriend senseless on the weekends because she didn't do everything you told her to do or follow every rule you laid out for her… Also, usually you let a girlfriend touch and hold you while you fuck… not tie her hands behind her back or blindfold her to avoid any chance of intimacy and connection. And, of course, there is the deep conversation, the closeness, and the sharing that's involved. Not keeping her silent and away until you feel the urge to fuck or spank her…

And what about taking her out to dinner… or to a movie… or ice skating? What about spending time together in a non-sexual environment? Is that what is missing from my life? Is that what I am craving with Susannah? With someone else?

I think about Susannah, while I rinse the shampoo out of my hair and start to condition. Sure, she's pretty. She's my type and she likes to do what I like to do sexually. But other than that, I don't really know much about her… Not that I have ever really tried to learn anything about her- or any other sub for that matter. I'm not really interested in what she has to say. I guess I could give it a try though. Maybe if I learn a little bit about her, I can clear my head of all this shit. Then, I can get back on track with my dominant side. Yeah… maybe that's it. I'm sure I'm just starting to feel guilty for not knowing anything about the women I fuck. That's probably why I haven't been able to perform to the best of my abilities all weekend. The guilt is finally weighing in on me.

Or maybe, I do actually care about Susannah. I didn't like when I made her cry yesterday. Although, I'm not sure it was entirely because she was crying… maybe it was just the crying in general.

Or maybe I need something… more than this lifestyle can offer me.

The more I think about it, the more I realize this is what I want. I want more with someone. I want dates and conversations and kissing and movie nights with popcorn and ice cream. I want to take my girlfriend ice skating during the winter months and celebrate Christmas together. I want to decorate a tree and snuggle up next to the fireplace while drinking hot chocolate. I want to get dorky matching costumes for Halloween parties and carve pumpkins together. I want to kiss my girlfriend at midnight on New Year's and promise to spend the whole year ahead of us together. I want to lay in bed together, our bed that is, and read books at night or wake up next to each other in the morning. I want all of this…

But, do I want this with Susannah? I think about my Mother's final words to me. Make sure she is worth your time and your love. I grab my body wash and start to clean myself while I think. Is she worthy of my love or my time? My time is one thing. Am I willing to give up time at the office to see her more often? Am I willing to spend the day with her, just sitting around talking or watching TV together? Am I willing to take her out and introduce her to my family and coworkers? I try to imagine myself doing this, and I think that I could. How hard can it be to spend some quality time with the girl I am currently fucking? I spend time with Elliot and Mia. What would make this so much harder? But then, there's that second part..is she deserving of my love? I try to think about this rationally, but all I keep thinking is, "am I even capable of loving someone?"

The billion dollar question: am I even capable of doing this with anyone? According to Elena, people who partake in these types of lifestyles aren't necessarily interested in the "lovey dovey" aspects of relationships. Would Susannah even be interested in this? Would she even want more with me? I know that other subs of mine have wanted more in the past, but I never entertained the idea. I never wanted that, and I am still unsure if I can even give that to someone else. But, I want this! I want it badly, and I think I may try.

I rinse all of the soap off of me and wrap a towel around my waist. Yes! I think that I will give this more thing a try. But first, I must discuss this with Elena. I need her take on this. She has always given me such good advice in the past. Perhaps, she can give me some tips. After all, she was married before. She knows the ins and outs of being in a relationship. I dry myself quickly and notice the time. Shit! I am running late. No time for breakfast today. I dress as fast as I can and meet Taylor in the foyer.

"Ready, sir?"

"Yes! I am running late!"

"Wait!" Mrs. Jones yells from the kitchen. She rushes after me with a packed breakfast, all set and ready to go with a to-go cup of coffee.

"Thank you, Gail. You are the best!"

I take the bag from her and rush out the door with Taylor on my heels. He pulls out of the building like Speed Racer and flies the whole way there.

I check the clock when we arrive. 7:55 A.M. Taylor gets me to GEH with five minutes to spare. This man is a God send. I enter my office and take a look at the hectic schedule Andrea has laid out for me. Christ! This week can't pass fast enough.


Thursday, April 6th, 2017

It's about 12 noon when I leave my last meeting for the day and head back towards my office. As expected, this week has been hectic and I cannot wait for my lunch date with Elena. I haven't had much more time to think about if I want a relationship with Susannah, or someone else. But, every chance I did get to think about it, the more I realized that I wanted something special with someone. I have decided to discuss this with Elena and go from there.

I am unsure how Susannah will take it. On the one side, she seems to be happy with where we are in our contract, but then she throws little hints that she wants more from me. For instance, the expectation of kisses goodbye and kisses hello, the conversation she tries to start when she can tell that I am in a good mood, and the little looks she gives me when she thinks I am not paying attention. I used to find this all irritating, but now I am somewhat hopeful. Maybe tomorrow, I will find these little habits of hers endearing, rather than annoying.

The only thing that is really holding me back from the idea of more is Susannah, herself. Sure, I like her as a sub, but I am still not sure if she is the "one" for me. I guess I won't know until I give her a chance. I don't want to get her hopes up though, so perhaps I will not have this conversation with her until I feel that she is the person I want to experience more with.

My phone rings and before I answer I already know who it is.

"Hello, Andrea."

"Hello, Mr. Grey. You need to leave for your lunch appointment with Mrs. Lincoln soon, and before you do, I need your signature on the security report from Welch."

"Of course, Andrea. Bring it in."

Ten seconds later she is in my office with the files. I quickly scan them.

"Whoa! What the fuck is all this? There was a security breach last night?"

"No, not necessarily last night, sir. But, someone did recently try to access our main database. Unfortunately, they were unable to gain access so they were in and out before we could detect their exact IP address or even when exactly it was. All Welch was able to tell me was that it happened within the last month or so."

"And why the fuck am I just hearing about this now?"

"According to Welch, if access is not granted, the system will not alarm unless it has been denied three or more times. Whoever it was did not attempt to hack into our system more than twice so he or she must have known to back off after the second attempt failed. When doing this, it just looks like an employee is trying to access our system and simply forgot their password."

"And how is Welch sure that this is not the case?"

"Well, he can explain it better than I can, sir. But, it has something to do with his monthly comb through the system and IP addresses. Apparently, he found a partial address that is not part of your company's intranet."

"Fucking great! Schedule a meeting with Welch for four this afternoon. I need to get to the bottom of this. Sooner rather than later. Let him know I will sign these after our meeting."

"Of course, Mr. Grey. Have a good lunch."

"Thank you, Andrea. Don't forget to eat yours either." I scowl at her. "I know I work you too hard, but find time to eat that lunch your husband made you."

She grins at me. "Of course, Mr. Grey."


Thirty minutes later, Taylor is pulling up in front of The Mile High Club. I check my watch, 12:45 P.M. I'm early. Really early. Our appointment isn't until one, but unlike Elena, I choose to be punctual. And... I have been looking forward to this meeting all week.

I take my sweet time exiting the car and slowly make my way to the public elevator in the lobby. Five minutes later, it arrives and makes its sluggish ascent to the 76th floor. By the time I arrive, fifteen people have entered and exited on ten different floors, leaving me only five minutes to spare now. Good.

"Hello, Mr. Grey."

The young man behind the counter greets me politely and cheerfully.

"Hello, Mr. Jones."

"You're room is ready whenever you are, sir."

"Perfect."

He leads Taylor and I to the back of the restaurant where my reserved room awaits. I take a seat while Taylor remains outside, watching and waiting, ready to pounce on anyone or anything he perceives as a threat. The man is great.

The waiter enters and pours fresh ice water into my glass.

"Can I get you anything else to drink, sir?"

"A glass of Pouilly-Fumé, please."

He nods and leaves. I check my watch again, and I find myself pissed that it isn't even one yet. Elena is always late by at least ten minutes. She claims she's just being fashionable, but I know why she does it. I know what it means to her. She loves making me wait- just as she used to make me squirm waiting for her in her playroom. It makes her believe that she still has some sort of control over me, something she still has to prove to herself. She'll never admit it, but she hates that I got away from her six years ago. Usually, I don't mind her little game, but quite frankly, today it's irritating the fuck out of me.

I roll my eyes as I glance at my watch once again. 1:04 P.M. Hurry the fuck up, Elena! The waiter re-enters and places my wine in front of me.

"Can I get you anything else while you wait, sir?"

"No. I'll wait on my guest." I respond, icily.

I know it isn't his fault, but his comment reminds me of the fool I am for waiting on this woman. Next time, I will show up late and leave her waiting…

I take a sip of my wine and stand, pacing to pass the time, and grow more and more frustrated by the second. I need to have a little chat with Mrs. Lincoln about her tardiness.

Suddenly, I see the curtain move out of the corner of my eye and I stop pacing. Elena has finally arrived and has entered the building preciscely ten minutes late.

"Christian, darling… How are you?"

She makes her way towards me and grasps my shoulders before kissing me on each cheek. I step out of her grasp and pull out her chair, my ingrained manners taking over.

"Pissed! You're late again, Elena."

She takes her seat and I take mine, placing my suit jacket on the back before sitting.

"Oh, Christian, dear. You know showing up on time would make me look desperate. I can't have that, now can I?" she says, raising a pointed eyebrow at me.

Of course not. But heaven forbid I was late and I'd never hear the end of it.

"Cut the shit, Elena. It's getting old."

"Oh, dear! What has you in such a mood today? Trouble at GEH? Or is it Susannah?"

The waiter comes in again to take Elena's drink order, but this time, I welcome the interruption. I need to get my mood in check before we have this conversation.

"I'll have a glass of the 1982 Chateau Lafite."

"Yes, Ma'am." The waiter says as he fills her glass with ice water.

"Now, Christian… What is going on with you? Why are you in such a bad mood today?"

I take a sip of my wine, and before jumping into that particular conversation, I dodge her question.

"How are you, Elena?"

She narrows her eyes at me before responding.

"I'm fine, darling. Esclava is doing well. Isaac is irritatingly on his best behavior and your mother and I have a dinner scheduled for this Friday evening."

"Oh… That's good to hear." I mutter anxiously. I am about to ask her another question, but she beats me to it.

"Yes, now just as you so nicely berated me, cut the shit, Christian. What is with you? Why are you being so evasive?"

I look down, trying to get my thoughts together, when the waiter arrives with Elena's wine.

"Can I take your order now, Ma'am?"

She scans the menu and chooses quickly, before appreciatively looking him up and down.

"Yes, Thomas," she smiles flirtatiously up at him and I try not to roll my eyes. "I'll have the Niçoise Salad, dear."

"And for you, sir?"

"I'll have the Smoked Salmon with a side of the seasonal vegetables and roasted potatoes."

"Very good. Please let me know if I can get you anything else, Ma'am. Sir."

He nods to each of us and exits quickly, leaving the spotlight back on me.

"So…?" Elena continues. I take a deep breath and start.

"Well, I don't know. I have been in a mood the last couple of days or so."

"Is it work related?" she inquires.

I shake my head and take another sip of wine.

"No, work has been fine until about an hour ago. Welch brought me a security report stating that someone has tried to access GEH's database in the last month or so. I have yet to have a sit down with him, but now that is a constant worry on my mind."

"Oh, dear. Do you think it's personal? Or just a random hacker hoping to skim some money off the top?"

I intertwine my fingers in my lap and lean forward.

"Honestly, I have no fucking clue, but whoever it is will have a rude awakening when I find out who the fuck it is!" I tell her, anger and malice in every word.

No one tries to take what's mine and gets away with it. She smiles at me fondly, proud of the ruthless CEO she's created. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am today, and she knows it- and she never lets me forget it either.

She raises her glass and takes a sip.

"I've taught you well, darling. Never take shit from anyone. You are master of this universe. No one will ever attempt to take what's yours without consequence."

The waiter arrives with our food and leaves after serving us. The food smells delicious. I take a bite and Elena begins again.

"You said work just recently became a problem. What has had you upset over the last couple of days? Is Miss Collins not satisfying your needs? I could find you a new one..."

"No, I don't think that's it…" I trail off and take another bite. The salmon is mouthwatering.

"Well, then what is it, Christian? Spit it out already." She hisses angrily.

I narrow my eyes, but begin.

"It started last Friday evening. I arrived home from work and Susannah was waiting for me in the playroom, as expected, and things started out great. We had a perfect scene, but afterwards, when I dismissed her to her room as I always do, an unsettling feeling came over me."

She frowns.

"What kind of feeling?"

"It's hard to explain, but it made me feel gloomy and hollow. And it lasted all fucking weekend too. Saturday was horrible in the playroom. Let's just say this weekend will definitely not go down in history as my best performance."

"Oh, dear…"

"Yeah… and then Sunday, as well. I sent her home early."

"Did you attend the Sunday dinner with your family?"

"Of course! Like I could get out of that. Grace hounds me enough as it is."

Elena laughs.

"Yes, you're mother would make quite a dominant with that personality... How was the dinner?" she asks, too curiously, and her eyes narrow.

I realize she's leading me… and my suspicions rise. Grace must have told her I wasn't the best company that evening.

"Fine at first. But then, of course, the Greys had to question my lifestyle and confuse me more than I was."

Elena frowns. "Will you just get to the point already, Christian?"

I glare back at her.

"Fine. They noticed that I wasn't in the mood and mentioned that perhaps I should get a girlfriend."

Her brow furrows.

"And that confused you? Christian you don't need a girlfriend. You have a submissive. I mean, of course you can't tell them that, but who cares as long as you know?"

"Well, they said they just want what's best for me, and I started thinking…."

I take a brief pause. All of a sudden, I am nervous to admit this to Elena. She won't approve.

"Yes…?"

"Well, I started thinking what that might be like… to you know, have a girlfriend…"

Her eyes widen and her mouth pops slightly open.

"Why would you be thinking something like that?"

"Well, all these horrible feelings I've been having… I've realized that I think I might want something… more."

She folds her napkin in her lap and rolls her eyes at me.

"I've told you before, Christian. People like us aren't built for more. I think you just need a new sub. Susannah clearly isn't fulfilling your needs anymore, if she has you thinking this nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, Elena. I'm finding this whole ordeal lacking… I want more."

She laughs sarcastically.

"Christian, you don't know the first thing about more. Believe me, baby, you won't like it. Come on, dear. Let me find you another submissive… "

She reaches towards me and caresses my face, and I try not to flinch away from her.

"Or perhaps, you and I can give it another go?" she suggests, gazing down into my eyes.

I try not to laugh in her face. Instead, I pull myself out of her reach and scowl at her. There it is. Her manipulation. She wants to get me back under her wing so badly that she spun this whole story about not being capable of more.

"You know that will never happen again, Elena. Ever!"

She sits back, offended. Her mouth turns into a sneer.

"I was the best damn thing that ever happened to you, Christian, and you know it. Without me, you'd be dead by now or rotting away in some damn prison cell."

There we go. She's finally bringing up my past. I wondered how long it would take, before she brought that up. We've officially come full circle. Again, she's managed to throw all that shit in my face and make me feel like that defenseless little shit I was twenty-three years ago. Now, I'm fucking pissed! And I don't know if it's from my earlier irritation with her or this new rage I'm feeling, but I lash out with the intent to wound.

"I know what I want Elena. I want more, and I definitely don't want it with you." I say, maliciously.

Fuck! I am so going to regret that later.

She stands, angrier than all hell, and snatches her purse up with a fury I have not seen in quite some time.

"It was just a suggestion Christian. Clearly none of these Stepford brunette bimbos are doing it for you anymore. Perhaps, you need a little variety in your life, which is why I offered. But, forget it. Go ahead and try it your way. Attempt having sex like a normal couple and see how far that gets you. It won't last more than a week, sweetheart. You have needs. Needs that a regular relationship will not begin to satisfy. Not like I can, and you hate that I'm right. I'm the best submissive you've ever had and you hate that part of you still wants me."

I roll my eyes at her arrogance. She really does believe her own hype. But I'm caught off guard, when she slaps me hard across my face.

"Don't you dare roll your eyes at me! Have some respect for the woman who taught you all you know. Who gave you everything you need and could ever want."

And with that, she turns on her heel and storms out, leaving me shocked, furious, and beyond repulsed.

How dare I? How fucking dare she?

I'll admit that she made my life a hell of a lot easier, but to continue to throw it in my face? And then, to fucking slap me! I can't believe she actually fucking slapped me. It's been six fucking years since I've been slapped and I absolutely loathed it.

I stand and begin to pace, trying to calm my rage. It doesn't help and I've completely lost my appetite. I hate to waste food though, so I sit and take another bite. Suddenly, it tastes nauseating.

"Can I get you anything else, sir?" Thomas asks. He must have entered without me noticing, because all of a sudden he's there.

"Just a box, please."

"Of course."

Although it tastes putrid now, I know it's just my horrid mood. It will taste fine once I've calmed down.

Fucking bitch! How dare she put me off my food! I am seething with indignation.

What the fuck does she know anyway? I can't believe I ever thought she could help me with this. She knows nothing about more. Yeah, she was married. But, she fucked that all to hell by spreading her legs for the first teenage boy who stumbled across her backyard.

The server is back with my box and the bill. I hand him my card immediately and shove it back at him.

FUCK! I must bring myself back under control. I close my eyes and take a deep breath… and six more, before I finally relax. When Thomas returns, I sign the slip, grab my jacket off the back of the chair and hastily leave the room with Taylor hot on my heels.

I exit the restaurant and head straight to the bank of elevators. My phone buzzes in my pocket, but before I get a chance to answer it, someone bumps into me and almost knocks me over as she trips forward.

"Shit!"

What the fuck! "Whoa!"

I reach out to stabilize her and grab her by her arms before she has a chance to grab me. When she looks up her beautiful blue eyes meet mine and she is completely stunned- eyes wide, mouth open. But, even while gawking at me, she is absolutely stunning.

Her hair is wild and curly- brunette. It looks like a fucking lion's mane. Magnificent. She's wearing a short, red, fitted dress that reaches mid-thigh and accentuates her breasts. Holy fuck! Her breasts are tremendous. But, it's her eyes that catch me utterly off guard. They are sky blue, big, and absolutely gorgeous. Her makeup is subtle, yet perfectly highlights her features. This woman is beyond astounding.

"Are you ok, Miss?"

She continues to silently gaze up at me for a little while longer before she shakes her head and blinks a few times.

"Wh..what?"

"Are you ok?"

"Oh…" She smiles the most beautiful smile I've ever seen. "Uh… yes. Yes, I am. Thank you. I'm sorry for bumping into you like that. I should have been watching where I was going."

She bites her lip and looks up at me, embarrassed. I gasp at the sight of her lip trapped between her teeth. It's incredibly erotic. I realize I'm still holding onto her when the urge to touch her face and skim my thumb across her lips overwhelms me. I gently push her back to gain some distance, but instead my eyes wander all down her body.

Jesus Christ! She is absolutely perfect- from head to toe. Her body is as sensational as her face. Perky and tight. Her skin is pale and creamy and blushing all over in response to my more than appreciative gaze.

"Just be careful, Miss..?" I stare at her, awaiting her name.

"Oh, ah… Spector, Ana Spector." she stutters.

I smirk at her before I respond.

"Nice to meet you, Ana Spector."

A/N: Thanks for reading and reviewing! We want to wish everyone a very happy, healthy and safe New Year!