Chapter 28

Ana PoV

As soon as I saw the gun come out of her purse, I hit the deck, thankful that my desk was lined with reinforced steel. Both Kate and Ethan had called me paranoid with that, but I knew that the world was a dangerous place and you never knew when an unruly employee was going to go postal. Plus, guns were nothing to be trifled with, and I knew for certain that Elena had no fucking clue how to use one. She had the damn thing loaded and cocked inside her purse. Her collagen infused lipstick could have moved around and pushed the trigger enough to make it go off. Stupid trollop. Now she was ensuring her prison stay would last much longer than her original sentence. At this point, she had attempted murder to add to the list.

"Who's in your closet?!" She demanded. Clearly she heard Christian yelling from the other side of the door. I distinctly said no peeps from them, but of course, the gun going off caused him to freak out.

"No one of your concern," I replied, peeking out from behind my desk. She had her gun trained on the closet door, ready to pull the trigger at a moment's notice.

"Come out of there, whoever you are!" she yelled.

"Can't. Locked in," I told her. "Listen, Elena. All you're doing here is ensuring that your prison sentence gets longer and longer." Thank god I had the good sense to install a panic button on the underside of my desk. It would send a message to Anita and to building Security that there was a potential threat in my office. Security could come bursting in at any moment. Given that Elena still had the gun in her hand… that could go poorly.

"Elena, give me the gun," I implored. "You don't want to make this any worse than it already is."

"You ruined me!" She moved her arm to aim the gun right at me. I was far enough away that I was sure her aim would end up nowhere near me, but I wasn't about to move closer to take that chance.

"Okay, fine," I replied, placating her. "I ruined you. And I'm sorry for that. I was only trying to protect myself. After the childhood I had, I'm sure you can understand that."

"I… well, yes, I can understand. That's if what you say happened to you as a child is true."

"Oh it's all true. I promise you that. I couldn't make that shit up if I tried." She waved the gun back and forth as she considered my words. Then her tears took over and she dropped the weapon to the floor, collapsing next to it. First I ran and picked up the gun, using the scarf from around my neck to do so. Then I let Christian and Welch out of the closet. And boy, were they mad. Especially Welch. His face was red with fury, red as Christian's hair.

"Ana! What the hell were you thinking?!" Christian bellowed.

"How was I supposed to know she'd pull a gun on me?!" I yelled back. Security came bursting through the door, Reynolds first. He assessed the situation, saw that no one was hurt other than the collapsed elderly woman on the floor, and called the police who then instructed us all to remain where we were and not touch anything. I had Reynolds tell them that I moved the gun only to prevent the woman from grabbing it again. It was sitting wrapped in my scarf on my desk.

Christian pulled me into his arms and crushed me against him. He was holding me so tight it was like he was trying to meld us into one person. "Sweetheart, physics is going to prevent us from merging into one being, no matter how hard you squeeze me," I managed to squeak out. He loosened his grip minutely, allowing me to take in oxygen, but he was still holding me uncomfortably tight.

The police arrived and I had to talk around Christian because he wouldn't let me go. "I'm sorry officers, after what happened here a few months ago, he's a bit frazzled. Understandably so."

"Yes, that's perfectly alright. Miss Steele, can you please describe what happened?" Officer West asked.

"My assistant, Anita, announced that Elena Lincoln was here. Given my history with the woman, I figured she wanted to try to make amends with me, or something. I didn't want these two caught up in it, so I ordered them into the closet. I had no idea she'd be armed. She burst in here, drunk as a skunk accusing me of ruining her life and then pulled the gun out. It went off once, but I had already hid behind my desk as soon as I saw the thing come out of her purse. She then pointed it at the closet door, having heard Christian yell. She didn't know it was him and demanded that whoever was in the closet come out. I told her they were locked in and they couldn't come out.

"She went on again about how I ruined her, so instead of arguing, I agreed, trying to calm her down. I apologized for whatever it was she thinks I did and she started crying, dropped the gun, then collapsed on the floor.

"I took the scarf from my neck and picked up the gun. It's sitting there," I said, pointing to the desk. "Then I let these two out of the closet, security came in and Reynolds called you all. Christian latched on to me and hasn't let me go since." Officer West smirked at that last statement and took a few more notes.

"I can see a bullet hole here in the wall, tests on Mrs. Lincoln's hands and clothing will confirm if she was the one that pulled the trigger. Do you mind coming in for the same tests?" the officer asked.

"Not at all, however we can help," I answered. Christian didn't acknowledge the officer's presence, let alone answer her question. "We all will," I promised. "Just give me a few moments to handle this?" I asked, pointing to Christian. She nodded and stepped away.

"Sweetheart, I need you to let me go. We have to go to the police station so they can test us for gun powder residue," I told him as soothingly as I could. He didn't respond. "Christian? Honey, I need you to listen to me."

"Ana," he breathed. "I can't ever lose you."

"I know, baby," I replied, stroking his hair. "And you won't. I'm fine. Nothing happened, okay. I need you to unwrap your arms from around me, we have to go to the police station and we can't get in the car if you're holding me like this."

Finally after a bit more coaxing, he let me go, keeping one of my hands locked firmly in his. I was sure to have bruises on my sides and back from how tight he was holding me, but I didn't care. I was just as worried about him getting hurt as he was about me. As soon as the troll pointed her gun at the closet, I nearly lost it. All the training my Dad ever taught me kept me from losing my cool, though. Guns were not toys, and the people wielding them were to be treated with caution and respect.

We got into my car and followed the patrol cars to the station. One of the officers sat in the passenger seat of my car, to ensure that I didn't try to make a quick getaway. I had nothing to hide, no one was hurt, and so I wasn't sure why he was eying me so suspiciously. Christian and Welch sat uncomfortably in the back seat. I was sure Welch was used to doing the driving and Christian felt too far away from me. If he had his way, I'd be sitting on his lap.

When we reached the police station, Christian all but pulled me out of the car through the window to get me back into his arms. "Christian, baby, you really need to calm down, okay?"

"I'm sorry… I… I just can't bear the thought of what could have happened to you."

"Dwelling on what could have happened will not help things, Christian. I wasn't hurt; you weren't hurt. The only one that was remotely injured was the pedophile and she more than deserved it."

"Pedophile?" The officer queried, who was now standing next to us. "Mrs. Lincoln?"

"Yes, officer. A Pedophile," I answered. "She's already set to serve time from what I understand. That was why she came to my office. She thinks that because I called her out on it, that it's my fault that she's going to prison."

"Hmm," he said, cryptically. His eyes kept going from me to Christian and back again. He focused on the man in my arms for a long beat before realization dawned on his face. He knew that Mrs. Lincoln had abused Christian. He figured it out. "Follow me."

Inside the police station, they ran tests on my hands and clothing to see if I had any gun powder residue. The tests of course came back negative, the same for both Christian and Welch. Mrs. Lincoln was carted off to parts unknown, which was a good thing. I could not be held responsible for my actions if I was in an enclosed space with that wench. Sans firearms, of course.

I gave the story to three different officers, repeating the words verbatim every time. They called me out on that, saying I said exactly the same thing to each person. "Of course I did. It's the truth. It's what happened. Plus, I have eidetic memory, so I can recall every detail of the incident in perfect clarity. Secondly, I can recall having given this story the first time, also in perfect clarity, so reciting the same words three more times is child's play."

"Are there any security cameras inside your office?" Officer West asked me.

"No, right outside, yes, but not inside the office," I answered. Christian looked at me with a horrified expression on his face. "I like my privacy, and I don't need all the interactions within my office walls recorded for someone to get their grubby gossipy hands on. No thank you."

"Ana, there are ways of encrypting that data," Christian complained.

"Yes, and there are also ways of hacking the encryption. I've thought this over, Christian. I didn't open this business yesterday." I crossed my arms across my chest and dared him to contradict me again. He relented, leaning back against one of the desks and removed himself from the conversation. I knew we'd talk more about it later.

After a few more questions, and a statement from Christian regarding the pedophile charges against Elena, we were released. Rather than going to my office or to Christian's we decided to head home. Apparently for a much needed discussion regarding my safety.

"You're selfless, Ana. I get that. And it's one of my favorite things about you. But you also lack any sort of self-preservation. You let a woman with a gun into your office, locked me and Welch into the closet. Welch! Who is one of the few men I'd trust with a gun, and always carries one. While I don't agree with the use of firearms, I understand that with my amount of power, there are people who come after me, and I need to be kept safe. Which is why I've got cameras covering every nook and cranny of both GEH and Escala.

"When Jack Hyde decided to turn Steele Designs into ground zero of the first major explosion in the history of Washington State, you went to meet him. Willingly! I begged and pleaded with you to not jump into the fray, but you did. Why do you do this? This reckless behavior… It's going to make me go gray early!" He sat down on the bed and began wringing his hands through his hair, pulling on the roots much harder than he's ever pulled on mine.

I gave him a few minutes to calm down before I replied. "I don't lack self-preservation," I began quietly. "If anything I have rather high amounts of it. However, I also possess the knowledge and training in how to deal with risky situations such as Hyde-Gate and now Lincoln-Gate. I have extensive and I mean extensive training in various martial arts, gun safety, and several other defense mechanisms that I can and have used to take down assailants. I had the situation under control. Even when she pulled out the gun, I knew what to do. You and Welch were the only unknown variables in that equation. I couldn't know how you would react, which is why I shoved you in the closet. And when Hyde was there, why I had Anita shuffle you out of the building. And look at what happened when you went against my wishes. You. Got. Shot.

"So you can't sit here and chastise me about my apparent lack of self-preservation when you clearly haven't a clue as to the lengths I've gone to, to ensure that I'm always safe and always in control of my surroundings. You don't notice when we go places and I survey the area to ensure that I can get us to the nearest exit should disaster befall. You aren't aware that I'm constantly on edge whenever I'm outside my office or my home. I'm painfully aware of my surroundings at all times, constantly reminded of the horrors I've endured both as a child and more recently. That alone has made me the cautious, but overly prepared woman I am today."

Christian stared into my eyes a long time, considering and processing my words. "You're really that on edge all the time?" he asked, reaching out and caressing my face. I leaned into his touch and nodded solemnly. "I wish you didn't have to be, but I know the dangers that are out there, too. And now we're both such high-profile people, we do constantly have to be aware of everything. That's why I pay Taylor, Welch, Sawyer and the rest of my team as much as I do to ensure that I'm safe."

He pulled me into his arms and held me close. Not as tightly as he was earlier, as if he was worried I'd disappear into thin air, but a more affectionate, emotional embrace. It was as if he was pouring all the love he felt for me into his arms. I pulled away slightly so I could lift my mouth to his. "I need to be connected to you," he said. "I need to be inside you."

"Yes," I agreed. I knew he needed the connection with me. The one that only our love-making could provide. And I was more than happy to oblige.

Christian PoV

I was so furious, worried, anxious, and horrified that I could hardly move. As soon as I saw that Elena's gunshot did not injure my love, I pulled her in my arms and held her as if my life depended on it. Because, frankly, it did.

I half wanted to pick up the gun and shoot Elena myself, and the other half wanted to punish Ana so harshly for making me so worried about her. Every second I spent in that closet was pure agony. I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. Not even on Elena.

Finally, back at home after the dreadful ordeal with the police, I had Ana in bed, naked, and writhing beneath me. Part of me wanted to punish-fuck her, but after her speech about how cautious she is all the time, I knew she needed me to make tender, sweet love to her. The connection was really all I needed. Being one with my love told me everything I ever needed to know about her. We were together, happy, and so in love. She clung to me, digging her fingers into my back as I slowly pumped in and out of her. This wasn't about release, it wasn't about pleasure. It was about her and me. It was about showing our love to each other.

Eventually, she squeaked out an orgasm, and my own followed. While they weren't as intense as she and I were both used to, the emotions behind our coupling made it some of the best sex we'd had together.

"What kind of martial arts training do you have?" I asked after we lay in bed a while.

"Capoeira, Manegra, Kickboxing, Jujitsu, Wing Chun, Silambam, Kendo, Muay Lao, and good ol' Karate," she answered. I was familiar with only a few of those styles.

"When do you have time to train? If you're not at your office or the restaurant, you're home with me. I haven't even seen you work out in quite some time."

"I do some stretches every day, and we both work out multiple times a day, lover," she teased. "Truthfully though, I do need to get back into my training regimen. Perhaps not as aggressively as I'm used to, but I can already tell I'm getting out of shape a bit."

"Doesn't seem like it to me," I replied, tracing her slender frame with my fingertips.

"Skinny does not equal in shape, Christian. I'm used to having super toned arms and a six-pack." Normally, I preferred my women slender and soft in all the right places. Not hard and muscled, but the idea of Ana with definition in her arms and a strong set of abs turned me on like no other. I liked that she was capable of taking care of herself in that way.

"We could train together," I suggested. "I have a great trainer, Claude Bastille. He knocks me on my ass more often than not."

"Claude? Wasn't he your physical therapist, too? I think Ethan sees him as well. Comes by a couple times a week. Nice guy. Apparently he's been free more often because one of his clients has a less vigorous training schedule now. Would that client be you?" she asked, poking me in the chest.

"Yeah, since you, I haven't been training nearly as much as I used to. Three days a week instead of five. And if you decide to surprise me for lunch on one of those three days, I don't train at all."

"Christian, don't let me make you fat," she joked. "Call him. I'd love to train together. He'd love my set up downstairs. I let him see it once, but Ethan knows how I feel about that room. So he never trained in there. But now, I'm okay with it. But watch out, Grey. I'll whoop your ass."

"You're on, Steele!"

I got on the phone the next morning to Bastille and informed him to meet Ana and myself at her home by six pm. She and I were in for one hell of a training regimen. I told him about her various expertises with martial arts and he said he knew some trainers who specialized in each of those arts. We decided that he would bring in a "guest" trainer one day every week that would help Ana hone her skills in each art and teach me the basics of them. I wanted to know what she knew, wanted to be able to do what she could do.

Once at home that night, Ana was already in her gym, wearing far too little clothing for my liking and stretching on a yoga mat. "Ana, what are you wearing?" I asked.

"What? Yoga pants and a sports bra… what's wrong?"

"You should put a shirt on!"

"Nonsense, Christian. I lose range of movement with the more clothing I wear. Bastille is a professional, and I'm sure he's used to seeing women in far less than this at his gym. Don't be such a caveman. I'm all yours and Bastille knows it. If for some reason he doesn't, you can bet that I'll knock him on his ass. Don't get jealous."

"Fine," I relented. Part of me wanted to see Bastille's ass on the floor because of something Ana did. Something told me I would find it incredibly sexy.