APOV

I've been on a high, thinking about Christian. I'm planning on telling him tomorrow, during our lunch date, that I will give him a chance. I have to be honest with him and let him know I don't do love, but we can try for more than friends. I'm still not sure about this, but some things you just don't question, and he does make me feel safe. Everything comes so naturally with him. He wrecked me, but I wont let what he did to me ruin this.

I didn't see Christian this morning and he had a lunch meeting today so I know I probably wouldn't see him then, but I didn't see him all day. Regardless of that, I can't get this smile off my face, even if I tried. I'm excited about tomorrow. I can't wait to see the look on his beautiful face when I tell him I'm ready to give us a chance at more.

...

After a long day at work, I didn't feel like cooking, so I walked down the street and grabbed dinner at a café.

Advantages of living in the Pike Market District.

As I'm eating, I notice a man keep looking around, never at me. He looks familiar but I can't place where I've seen him.

I finish my dinner and get up to leave.

Just as I step outside of the café, I realize I forgot my bag. Crap!

I turn around so I can retrieve it, but the man that was looking around the café has my bag in his hand, standing at the door.

I'm suddenly hit with a Deja-voo moment.

"Is this your bag, ma'am?" He asks politely.

"Yes, thank you." I take my bag from him.

I start walking home but I can't help but think of the man at the café. He looks so familiar and when I saw him at the door- That's when it hits me! He was holding the door open for me at the deli on Monday.

Could he be following me? Is he the one giving me the creepy feeling?

I look back over my shoulder, but I don't see him. Thank god. I wouldn't want him to know where I live.

Maybe it was just a coincidence.

I brush it off and continue walking home.

I'm almost at my apartment when I see that dark SUV again.

Shit! It's him! How did he know where I live?

It's just a coincidence, Ana, you're over thinking.

Still I don't want him to see where I live, so I turn around and walk down the street to a little book store near my apartment. I'll just wait here until he leaves. I can get lost in a book for hours so he should be gone by the time I'm done.

I'm looking for a book when I hear the door chime go off.

I look over and it's him. He's come into the store looking around.

Shit!

I peek through the book shelves watching him.

He sits in the corner near the door, so now I can't leave without him noticing.

My heart starts racing. I have to get out of here and call Kate to- Shoot! Kate is still in Aspen with Elliot, and José has already went back to Portland. Christian! I'll call Christian. I get out my phone and notice a back door that leads to the alleyway is cracked open.

I look back to make sure the man that's stalking me is still where I last saw him. He is so I go out the back door and start to dial Christian's number.

"Grey."

"Christian?!" I say panicking.

I hear the door open behind me. I look back and see the man has followed me out, but he's looking the opposite direction. Before he turns to look my way, I hide behind a small alcove.

"Anastasia?" Christian's panicked voice comes through my phone. "What wrong?!"

"Someone is following me." I whisper so the man can't hear me. "I'm so scared, Christian."

"Where are you?!" He demands. I can hear a door slam and footsteps through the phone.

Whispering, I say, "I'm in an alley near my apartment."

I hear movement coming closer to me and I panic thinking the man is coming towards me.

Oh my god! Oh my god!

"Christian," I cry, "I think he's coming."

"Fuck! Taylor!" I hear Christian yell. "Where at, baby? Tell me where you are. Taylor, where the FUCK is Sawyer?! And track Anastasia's phone now!"

Just then the man comes into view, standing in front of me.

I scream bloody murder and punch him hard in the nose.

When his head goes backward, I knee him in the groin and push him down, then I run. I run as fast as I can.

After I get out of the alley, I almost knock a couple over, but I don't stop running.

"Ana?! ANA?!" I hear Christian yelling on the phone.

I'm running as fast as I can. People are looking at me like I'm crazy and moving out of my way.

"Christian!" I bring my phone back to my ear.

"What happen?! Baby, where are you? Tell me where you are?!"

"I got away! I'm running to my apartment!"

"Go inside when you get there!" He demands. "Lock the door! Wait until I get there! Do you understand?! Do not open your door until I get there!"

"Okay! I'm almost there!"

"Stay on the line with me. I'm on my way, baby. He's fucking fired, Taylor! Anastasia, I'm on my way, baby. I'll be there soon. I promise! Are inside yet?" I can hear the difference in his tone when he speaks to me and when he speaks to Taylor.

"Almost." I tell him. "I can see my building."

I turn the corner and see his SUV pull up.

"Where are you, baby?" Christian jumps out of his SUV. "I'm here."

"I can see you, Christian!"

He turns around and runs to me when he sees me.

"Ana!"

"Christian!"

I crash into his arms, holding him tight.

"I've got you, I've got you, baby!" He says, holding me just as tight and kissing my hair multiple times.

I'm safe. I'm safe. I'm breathing so hard from running like crazy.

"Come." He leads me to his SUV.

We get into the back with Taylor driving.

"It's going to be okay." He tells me, holding me in his arms.

"Where are we?" I ask when Taylor soon pulls up to a building.

"My apartment." Christian tells me getting out and helping me as well, only for Taylor to immediately drive off.

I hold his hand was we walk through an expensive looking lobby to a set of elevators.

The elevator opens revealing a great room with floor to ceiling windows.

Before I can look at anything more, Christian takes me to a room. I presume it's his.

"Let's get you out of those clothes."

He hands me a T-shirt and sweats and shows me a large bathroom where I can change.

I change and come back out, but Christian isn't in the bedroom so I go back to the great room.

"What did you find?" He asks the person on the other end of his phone "... What do you mean? ... Fuck!" He runs his hand through his hair.

"Christian?" I call his attention.

He turns around and hangs up without saying anything else, putting his phone back into his pocket.

Walking over to me, he takes my head between his hands.

"Are you okay?" He asks me, "What happened?"

"Ye-" Before I could finish, his lips are on mine.

Oh god.

"If anything happened to you," He whispers against my lips, trailing off.

He continues kissing me, and I let go, kissing him back with just as much passion. I thrust my hands into his hair as he wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me closer. His tongue seeks entrance, which I immediately allow, and he dominants my mouth.

"I want you, Anastasia." *kiss* "Please." *kiss* "Be mine." *kiss* "Say yes." He says between kisses.

"Christian-" I go to tell him that I've made my decision, but he cuts me off, kissing me again.

He kisses me so passionately I think I may melt with how hot I'm getting from the kiss alone. His hands have travel under the T-shirt I'm wearing, roaming my lower back. He moans, feeling my bare skin when he slides his hand up further. Just as the kiss is about to turn carnal, we hear the elevator chime it's arrival.

~DING~

We pull apart in time to see Taylor with a proud look on his usually impassive face and barely containing his laughter.

He steps off the elevator, shaking his head. I see someone behind, him but can't see who it is.

"Care to share the joke, Taylor?!" Christian demands, snapping at Taylor's amusement.

Taylor just looks back at the man behind him.

Gasp!

I grab Christian's arm with both of my hands.

It's him! The man following me! Taylor found him!

"Christian!" I hold him tight.

Christian looks at me and then back to the two men standing in front of him, waiting for an answer.

The man's nose has a bit of dry blood and he is already starting to bruise.

"What the fuck happened, Sawyer?!" Christian growls at the man. "You were suppose to be watching her!"

"I was, sir." The man replies. "She made me."

Christian knows him?!

"I'm sorry to have frightened you, ma'am." The man says to me.

What is going on?!

-Everything goes black.-

~..~..~

I wake in the room I presumed to be Christian's. I'm alone and it's quiet and dark.

I get out of the bed and go out into the main room, pulling up the large sweat pants that are starting to fall off my hips.

Where is Christian?

I walk to the floor to ceiling windows, looking out at the gorgeous view.

Soon I feel strong arms wrap around me and a kiss to my temple.

"I'm sorry about Sawyer." He says holding me.

"Why didn't you tell me, Christian?" I cross my arms, putting them on his, as I lean against him.

"I didn't want you to worry."

Well, that backfired.

I turn around so I'm facing him now.

"I'm a very high profile person, Anastasia, people will see you with me and want to know who you are. They will find out everything about you and they will want to know your relationship with me. They'll want to know what you mean to me."

What do I mean to him?

"I understand that you're a high profile person, Christian, but you still could have told me, so when I noticed a man built like The Rock following me around, I wouldn't freak out. Unfortunately for Sawyer, my Dad taught me self defense. Is he okay?"

"He'll be fine." Christian assures me. "He's more worried about his reputation and pride, and the fact that he got his ass handed to him by a tiny slip of a girl."

"Hey!" I shout offended.

"It's true." He smirks then looks serious. "I want to talk you about something."

"Okay. I want to talk to you too." I smile knowing what I want to talk to him about.

"Sir." We turn around being interrupted by Taylor. "There's a situation with the Taiwan shipping company."

"Thank you, Taylor." Christian looks back at me. "I have to take care of this but I want to show you something first."

He takes my hand and leads me to a door.

"I'll be in my office, however, while you wait for me I thought you might like this." He puts his hand on the door's handle. "Close your eyes."

I narrow my eyes. "Just open the door, Christian."

He raises his brow and waits.

I roll my eyes and smirk, before closing them.

I hear the door open but I don't open my eyes.

Christian takes my hand and walks us inside the room.

"Can I open them now?"

"Yes. Open them."

I blink open my eyes and I am astounded! Open-mouthed, and wide eyed, in awe of what I see.

"You have a library!" I squeal and he laughs at my excitement of the seemingly simplest thing.

I spin around looking at all the books, taking everything in.

"I've never seen so many books in someone's house!"

A library! He has a freaking library! I know I have a wide smile stuck on my face, but he has an actual library.

I run over and pull a book of the shelf. Opening the first page, I carefully running my fingers along the written words. First addition?!

"Do you like it?"

"Like it?" I put the book back. "Christian, I love it!"

I turn around and smile at him.

"I thought you might." He returns my smile. "I'm glad."

He holds my hand and leans down, kissing my lips softly, nothing like our earlier kiss.

"We'll talk once I'm finished." He tells me. "Enjoy."

He leaves me in his beautiful home library before I can say anything.

I look around grinning.

~..~..~

It's been awhile since I've seen Christian. It's getting late and I'm getting tired. He must be busy so I guess we'll talk tomorrow.

I have to get home and go to bed as I have work tomorrow morning.

I put the book I was reading back and get up to find him.

He said he would be in his office, but I'm not sure where that is, he didn't tell me.

I knock on the first door I see and open it, but it's just a media room.

Maybe his office is upstairs?

I walk up the stairs and again knock and open a door. Bathroom.

I'm walking around in this labyrinth of an apartment, trying to find him.

What one person needs all this room?

I open another door and I am immediately hit with the smell of lemon and wood. It's dark so I'm not sure what kind of room this is.

I find the lights and switch them on. The other rooms were white, but this room is red. My eyes widen when I look around the room.

OH. MY. GOSH!

I walk in, looking around at all these Medieval looking torture devices.

I pick up something to look more closely at it, but I'm not sure what it is or what it's used for.

This is what he likes? This dark kinky stuff.

I put that down and pick up something else, another unknown named object, as I stare at the giant X.

You think a girl would learn.

I'm about to put the new item back, and look at what's in the drawers, when I hear him.

"What are you doing in here?!" He sounds worried.

He shouldn't be worried.

I smile at him to let him know it's okay.