Author's note: Remember (from my story, not the books) the Polaroid of Christian beaten and collared at Elena's feet; that he kept in a locked drawer inside his playroom? Good.

Chapter Forty

Ana is with Christian that afternoon when he receives the phone call that threatens their almost perfect world. With the winter weather again making venturing outdoors an unattractive prospect, the temporary and permanent residents of Elspeth Hall are entertaining themselves as best they can; board games, TV, reading, the children even enjoying a safe version of cricket in one of the huge corridors. With the estate isolated from the outside world by high fences and locked gates, even Lea and Nigel have some free time. Ana is thoroughly trouncing Christian, Ann and Jerry at Scrabble when they all hear Christian's phone vibrate. With an apologetic grin, he checks the screen and says, "Sorry, but I'd better take this. Baby, would you play for me?" Standing and giving Ana a quick kiss on the forehead as he does so, he explains "Reynolds," before grabbing his jacket and heading outside.

Curious, but not very worried, Ana explains, "Our temporary senior security officer back home."

"Oh. I hope everything is okay."

"Me, too." Forcing a smile, Ana says, "Let's play, shall we?"

They manage to ignore the potential for drama implied by the phone call. But, only a couple of minutes later, clearly hear Christian shout, from outside, "What the fuck do you mean, you have no idea how they got in?"

Now truly concerned, Ana stammers, "Uh, I'd better go see what's wrong."

"Of course, dear. Don't worry about us. Grab any of the coats by the door."

Jerry offers a smile and says, "Might have a chance of winning now, anyway."

After thanking them, Ana dons a long, woolen coat on the way out and finds Christian pacing up and down the driveway, apparently oblivious of the light rainfall; his breath misting in the cold air, as if he's actually angry enough to breathe fire when he yells, "I don't give a fuck what the cops say; get our own people on this. I want to know what the fuck happened."

Knowing him well enough to approach from the side, so he can see her, Ana dares to put a hand on his forearm and ask, "Baby, what's wrong?"

Shrugging away from her touch, confirming that he's very upset, Christian more moderately concludes "Just get me some fucking answers," before pulling the phone away from his ear to start dialing as he explains, "Break-in at Escala. They didn't fucking get very far, though. Unfortunately, the fucker also made a clean getaway."

"Oh, God…it was empty, right?"

Finally seeming to truly register her presence, Christian reassuringly rubs her arm and says, "Yes, baby. Everyone is fine." His face then twisting into an expression of pure rage, he hisses "It's fucking Elena. I warned her. I'll fucking destroy her for this."

He again returns his attention to his Blackberry. Daring what no one else could, Ana puts her hand over the phone, saying, "Darling, you can't call her. And your bellowing is audible inside."

His fury at her interruption vanishing as quickly as it appeared, Christian visibly struggles towards calmness and says, "I won't talk to her directly, baby, I promise. I just need her up-to-date financial details. We currently own her scrawny ass, and I'm going to call in all markers…today, if possible. She'll have to declare bankruptcy."

Horrified at this level of swift and efficient vengeance, for merely a hunch, Ana says, "Christian, you know I hold no love for that woman, but you can't do that. You don't know that she actually arranged this."

"I do, baby. Trust me on this."

Something about the certainty of his reply clues her in and Ana feels almost nauseous with worry when she asks, "How do you know?"

Suddenly chagrined, Christian confesses, "I, uh…that night, the last time I saw her, I threatened her with ruin if she ever came after you or anyone in our family; finishing with the revelation that I have a piece of evidence that could even put her in prison for fucking an adolescent."

The bile actually rising in her throat, Ana grimaces and reflexively swallows before saying, "The Polaroid."

His face now expressing only concern, Christian warily says, "Yes. I don't know that it actually would have put her away, as she was careful to keep her face out of it, but she couldn't take that risk." With a shrug, he reveals, "I destroyed it that day we talked about it, but she couldn't have known that. She knows me well enough to guess where it must have been hidden. What she didn't realize, because a relationship like you and I have is beyond her, is that I beefed up internal security at our apartment the very week you moved in. The poor bastard who was doing her dirty work probably thought he was set, with Elena no doubt providing detailed information. But he never stood a chance. He would have tripped the silent alarm seconds after gaining entry; motion detectors running off an independent power source."

Silently digesting all this information for a while, Ana finally says, "Okay, but you still can't ruin her, even if she did this."

His jaw set in a stubborn line, Christian says, "Babe, you need to let me take care of this…take care of us. Elena understands punishment. Fuck, she's the one who taught me. If I don't retaliate, she'll think me weak and maybe come after us in some other way."

Praying that he'll understand, Ana asks, "What does Elena want?"

"Fuck; money…power even more so, I guess. She likes to fuck with people's minds and make them act apparently out of character. It gives her some sort of sick pleasure and – "

"You, darling. Elena wants you."

Clearly confused, Christian says, "Baby, I swear to you, I haven't fucked her in several years; haven't even communicated with her in months. There is nothing left between us."

Her hands actually clenched together with the force of her need to make him see the truth, Ana calmly explains, "I know you believe that. But your appraisal of Elena's motives is still clouded by your longstanding and intimate relationship with her."

Back to irate, almost making Ana dizzy with the speed of it, Christian angrily demands, "Why the fuck do you suddenly sound like Flynn?"

Swallowing her fear of his lightning fast mood changes – chillingly close to what she remembers from the early days – Ana quietly reveals, "Yes, I've discussed this with John, but without disclosing her name. I feel, and John agrees, that Elena is addicted to you…that, in a way, you honestly are special to her, but only in that she feels a sense of ownership where you're concerned, and gets a perverse gratification from making you lose control."

His brow crinkling in confusion, Christian proves that he's at least willing to listen when he says, "Baby, she taught me about control."

"Control like right now; pacing in the snow and yelling at a trusted employee?"

Glancing around at the sparsely falling flakes, as if noticing them for the first time, Christian says, "Okay, I'll give you that one. But I will be calm when I bankrupt her, believe me." Grabbing her elbow in a firm but gentle grip, he drags her back under the portico as he continues, "Right now, you and Junior need to get back inside, where it's warm."

Wresting her arm from his grasp, Ana puts a little distance between them and says, "We're warm enough, and I'm not going anywhere until you calm down and we discuss this."

Frustration and anger evident in even his stance, Christian argues, "Baby, I hear what you're saying, and maybe there's something in it. But nobody understands Elena like I do. If there are no consequences, she'll try something else, just to see if she can get away with that, too. I'm as certain as I can get that, if she'd succeeded, she'd currently have photos of the playroom or similar ammunition that she could use to prevent any retaliation on my part. But, when her lackey gets word back to her that they've failed, she'll be expecting the hammer to fall; trust me on this.

Please, baby, please. "Then let's do something she's not expecting."

Staring at Ana's outstretched palm as if it's something new, even something to be wary of, Christian's face registers a myriad of emotions before he finishes dialing, lifts the phone to his ear and barks, "I'm going to hand you over to Ana. Give her anything she asks for, and follow her instructions to the letter…yes, fucking everything; full access." Then he hands over the phone, much more quietly explaining "Welch. He knows everything. Don't be fucking long," before again kissing her forehead and heading inside.

Stunned, Ana lifts the phone to her ear and stammers, "Uh, Mr. Welch?"

"Just 'Welch' is fine, ma'am."

"Uh, thank you; Welch. And please call me Ana."

"All right, Ana. In that case, my first name is Rodney…Rod. What can I do for you? I presume this is about the breech at Escala?"

"Uh, yes. Christian thinks…he seems certain that Elena Lincoln was behind it?"

After several seconds, Welch says, "It's possible…maybe even probable. But there's currently nothing to suggest that. The perpetrator was able to enter and leave unseen, and doesn't appear to have left fingerprints or other trace. They seemingly abandoned their mission almost immediately; presumably when they noticed the additional security measures. It's definitely a professional; a good one, too. As yet, we haven't even determined their point of ingress, though we presume that it was the same way they retreated; the service elevator in the parking garage." Ana feels a stab of cold fear to her gut at the thought that she's often used that very elevator. "We'll be monitoring the official investigation and running our own, but both may well come up empty." As if he's somehow able to read her mind, he concludes, "Don't worry, ma'am; all trace of this intrusion will be removed by the time you return."

"Thank you." Finally feeling somewhat at ease in her new, self-appointed role as family protector, Ana asks, "You have access to Ms. Lincoln's financial details?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you have some idea what a professional would charge for a job like this?"

Admiration in his tone, Welch says, "That's a good thought, ma'am. I was just about to follow that line of investigation, though even that may yield nothing useful. Want me to call you back on this number if and when I find something?"

Somehow certain that he already has her details, Ana says, "No. Call my cell. I'll update Christian as we proceed."

She can hear him tapping away at a computer keyboard and Welch concludes, "Not a problem. I'll call you soon."

"Thank you, Rod. And, thank you, for not treating me like an idiot."

Welch chuckles and says, "Not that I'd dare, Ana. But nothing you've done in your life suggests you're anything other than a very smart young woman."

A little uncomfortable with this reminder that their head of security knows every documented detail of her past, Ana suddenly remembers something and asks, "Oh, Rod, does Christian…is one of your duties to monitor Ms. Lincoln for…evidence of impropriety?"

He's again silent for several seconds, and Ana wonders if she's crossed some line. But then Welch grinds out, "If you mean, have I been ordered to watch for adolescent boys entering or leaving her home; yes, ma'am. So far, nothing. Her current lover is twenty-six years old."

Incredibly relieved – Ana had presumed Christian would have made sure that no one endures what he did at Elena's hand, but had never been game to ask him, just in case the answer was no – she sighs and says, "Thank you, Rod. You've no idea how glad I am to hear that. Oh, can you not tell Christian that I asked about this?"

"You got it, ma'am. You heard him say that I'm to follow your orders?"

"Oh, of course. Well, thanks. You'll call me soon?"

"Yes, ma'am. Shouldn't take very long. I've been scanning bank records as we speak."

Laughing her profound relief that what started with Christian in a rage has ended so well, Ana says, "I can see why he relies on you so much. Bye, for now."

"Bye, ma'am. Oh, tell him that I'd be quite content to deal only with you in the future."

Ana giggles again at this, suddenly understanding that, despite appearances, Welch and Christian have established something like friendship in the years they've been working together. "I'll tell him."

Inside, the Scrabble game continues, or another one; she's beyond caring. Ana hangs up the coat, returns Christian's phone with a tender kiss, ignoring the question in his eyes, and explains to Ann, "If you'll excuse us, Christian and I need to discuss security procedures." Then including Jerry in her gaze, she smiles and says, "We'll see you at supper?"

Of course, only Jerry stands as they all say adieu. A still bewildered Christian is led away and asks, when they're out of earshot, "You going to tell me what the fuck you and Welch discussed?"

"I am. After I fuck you."

"Oh. Uh, not that I'm complaining, but any particular reason? If you say 'Welch' I'll fucking kill him."

Ana giggles and says, "No, darling. Though Rod was polite and efficient, he doesn't do it for me. My preferred type is an incredibly bossy, exhaustingly volatile, undeniably troubled man-child with more issues than Kavanagh Media; someone whom I can trust, and who likewise trusts me."

Christian also laughs and says, "Sounds like a real catch. You're a lucky woman."

Finally at their bedroom door, Ana opens it and gestures that Christian should precede her, "Yes, I am."

They're dressing for supper when Welch calls Ana. "Found what we're looking for; Ms. Lincoln was foolish enough to transfer money into the account of a convicted felon."

"What was the felony?"

"Residential burglary. He did three years over a decade ago, but has evaded detection since, unless he's clean."

"But you think he's dirty; that he did this?"

"I'd bet my Mariners tickets on it."

"We can't prove it without breaking the law?"

"Technically, I've already done so, ma'am, just gathering this intel."

"Oh, did not know that. I'm new to this covert stuff."

Welch chuckles and says, "Yes, ma'am. You're doing fine. May I make a suggestion?"

"Please."

"We squeeze her; make her hurt, financially. She'll know why."

"Yeah, Christian says that, too. But he wanted to actually ruin her."

Though he's remained quietly vigilant nearby, Christian then loudly interjects, "Do want to ruin her. I'm right about this."

They've discussed her plans, at length, and he'd reluctantly agreed on the understanding that she keep him in the loop, and permit his presence for the next stage. Ignoring the interruption, except to level a mock glare in his direction, Ana asks Rod, "How soon can you organize the squeezing?"

"If you want it to happen all at once; tomorrow. A few of her less…official backers can be relied on to contact her today."

"Tomorrow is soon enough; let's save the kneecap breakers in case she tries this again. Let me know when it's done."

"You got it. Did you tell him?"

Ana giggles and says, "Yes. I'm not going to repeat the term he used for you, but I'm sure you have a pretty good idea."

Christian grins and mutters, "Fucking pussy."

"It's okay, ma'am, I heard that. It's truly a pleasure dealing with such a well-mannered person as yourself, ma'am…for a change."

Ana laughs again and says, "I'll tell him that, too. Thanks, Rod." After hanging up, she asks, "He's military?"

"Ex. You can tell?"

"Yeah. He reminds me of Dad. I like him."

For once, not reacting with jealousy, Christian says, "Just as well, if you're going to deal with this sort of thing from now on."

"Oh, I'm content to let you and Rod deal with everything else; just not…you know who."

With a grim smile, Christian says, "You're about to call her; might as well use her name."

Her heart hammering at the enormity of what she's about to attempt, Ana swallows past the sudden dryness in her throat and is amazed that her voice holds steady when she pronounces, "Elena fucking Lincoln."

Beaming his pride at this vitriolic statement, Christian kisses her and says, "That's my girl. You sure you're up for this?"

His support somehow making the impossible seem possible, Ana nods and holds out her hand for his phone, saying, "I am, if you're here." Accepting the phone, she adds, "Are you sure you can keep quiet for the duration? This won't work if she knows you're here."

Guiding them both to sit on the bed, Christian takes Ana's free hand, entwining his fingers in hers and says, "I can do it. If I reach for the phone, it's because I'm about to silently hang up on her, okay?"

"Okay. I can live with that. She'll just assume it was me." Taking a deep steadying breath, she looks at his Blackberry; the small, black device suddenly appearing dangerous, and asks, "Contacts?"

Blushing at the oversight, Christian takes the phone from her, saying, "No longer." Quickly dialing the number, he hands it back saying, "Forgot, sorry."

Buoyed by the knowledge that he respected her wishes enough to even remove all trace of Elena from his phone, Ana is actually feeling confident as she puts the phone to her ear. But that all disappears when the voice that sends countless insects crawling under her skin and angry butterflies roiling in her stomach, purrs, "Darling! What an unexpected pleasure."

Ana still hasn't spoken when Christian reassuringly squeezes her hand. "Not exactly, Elena. It's Ana…Ana Grey."

She has fun imagining all the curse words that must run through Elena's head in the ensuing silence…that seems to go on for a very long time. Then is almost impressed with the lack of emotion in her adversary's voice when Elena says, "Of course; Christian's little thing. What can I do for you, dear?"

Curl up your toes and die! "This is just a courtesy call, Elena. It seems only fair to let you know why you're being punished, though I presume you would have worked it out, eventually."

Another heavy silence and Elena somehow manages to almost convey innocence when she says, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about, sweetheart."

Every fake term of endearment turns Ana's stomach, but she won't be thwarted now, so pushes the nausea back down and says, "It's all right, sweetheart, I don't expect you to admit it. And this call is not an attempt to trap you. It's enough that I know what you did. By this time tomorrow you will have a lot less funds at your disposal. You obviously have too much cash spare, to even attempt something like this." Now on a roll, Ana notices that she's actually sitting up straighter as she channels CEO Christian and vows, "If you ever try something like this again, I will call in all markers and bankrupt your scrawny ass. You'll be ruined. And, Elena, if I have cause to ruin you, I'll make sure you stay that way."

Finally permitting, or no longer able to keep the anger from her voice, Elena snarls, "Put Christian on the phone! I need to speak to him."

Again, that reassuring pressure on her hand. "Christian can't stand the thought of you, so asked me to handle this trifling matter. I borrowed his phone, because I knew you would pick up, but don't bother trying to call him; he won't return the favor. Goodbye, Elena."

Pleased with how it went, Ana is still not shocked to see that her hand is trembling as she hangs up and returns Christian's phone, grateful when he thinks to shut it down before putting it in a pocket and lifting her onto his lap. Safe in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, drawing comfort from him with a hand on his chest, she's mortified when she suddenly feels like weeping; unable to stop a sob as she struggles to contain her emotions. Christian soothes her with a gentle caress on her back and tenderly promises, "Just reaction, baby; let yourself cry. I'm okay. And you're fucking incredible."

Despite receiving this permission, or perhaps because of it, Ana is able to breathe through the shock and eventually calm down. "I'm okay, now. I don't need to cry."

Gently lifting her gaze to his, Christian's expression is pure love when he teases, "One day, you'll do as you're fucking told."

Proud of both of them for facing this threat, together, Ana smiles and jokes, "Not in your lifetime, Grey."

Where credit's due: "Curl up your toes and die!" is a shout out to the Facebook authors who have been so entertaining me with enticing ways for Elena Lincoln to meet her demise. Thank you.