Chapter 26

CPOV

It's another Monday, but it's made better when I think about how great the weekend was. I never expected anything like this to happen but now that it has, I don't want it to end. For the first time in my life, I am… happy.

Mid-morning Andrea brings me an envelope with "Christian Grey" handwritten on the front. "Mr. Grey, Jimmy downstairs in security brought this up for you. He said a woman gave it to him and asked that he make sure you got this."

I look at Andrea perplexed. "Oh, thank you, Andrea." Once Andrea leaves my office, I open the envelope. I am shocked by what I hold in my hands. It's the picture of Ana and me from Saturday night torn from the paper and a letter that says:

Christian,

I gave you my love and you took it away.

You ripped out my heart.

So I will rip out yours and take away your love.

~L~

Fuck! "Taylor, I need you in here now!" I call to him through the speakerphone. He's in my office within in seconds.

I hand him the envelope and contents. "Sir, how did you get this?"

"Someone gave it to security who gave it to Andrea." I can tell he is pissed about the breach in protocol just by looking at his face.

"When was this?" Anger radiates from his body.

"Just a little while ago. I have my suspicions on who it is but I need you to pull the security footage to identify her."

"I'm headed down there now, Sir. I will also contact Sawyer and have him on Miss Steele if that is OK with you."

"Yes, thank you." I have to somehow warn Ana without scaring her. I decide to give her a call and invite her out to lunch.

"Hey, baby."

"Hello, Mr. Grey. How are you?"

"Much better now I am talking to you. Are you free for lunch by any chance?"

"This may just be your lucky day. I think I can arrange that." I smile.

"Good. I'll pick you up at noon."

"OK. See you soon."

"Laters, baby." I hear her giggle on the other end.

"Laters."

About a half hour later Taylor comes up to my office. "Sir, I've viewed the security footage and have identified the sender as Leila Williams."

"Leila? Why? What the fuck? Get the guys her information and picture and instruct them to keep a lookout for her. I want Sawyer to stay on Ana while everyone else focuses on finding Leila before she can do something crazy. She needs to be found."

I'm sitting in the back of the SUV and at noon Ana comes walking out of SIP. I get out and open the car door for her. "Miss Steele, you sure are a sight for sore eyes."

"Ditto Mr. Grey." She smiles at me flirtatiously.

We are seated at our secluded table and I order each of us a glass of the pinot grigio. Ana looks at me in shock for ordering a glass of wine with lunch. "One glass won't hurt, Ana."

Ana orders the risotto while I order the fish of the day. "Listen, Anastasia, since our picture has been in the papers recently, I am going to expand the security around us. So, you will have your own CPO." I don't frame it as a question. It's a fact and as much as she may not like it, she will have someone to protect her.

"Christian, I don't want a bodyguard. It's embarrassing. Plus, when I'm not at work I'm usually with you. How can anything bad happen to me then?" Her blue eyes are beseeching me. I can't resist her. She has me wrapped around that finger of hers.

"How about this? The added protection will monitor things with you so you won't even know they are there. They will be invisible. I need to make sure you're safe."

Now she looks at me with kindness, "thank you."

Friday is here and I am excited to spend the weekend with Ana. Between both of us working and Ana's things being at her apartment, we don't get to see each other much during the week. At least not as much as I'd like.

It's the evening and Ana wanted to watch movies and eat pizza. It's something I would never do but it makes Ana happy. She wants to watch Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window. We're watching the movie and it's so simple but yet so brilliant.

As we sit on the sofa in my tv room, Ana throws a small piece of crust at me. I look at her in astonishment. "Did you just throw that at me?"

She stifles a giggle, "no."

"Oh, I think you did." I quickly reach over to her and start tickling her. She's yelling and laughing at the same time. "I'll stop tickling you if you admit you threw that at me!"

Now she's laughing and kicking her legs. "Never!" she gets out. I grab her legs and pull her to me with one swift move. And I can no longer resist her so I kiss her; within moments the kiss turns passionate both of us giving it everything we have.

I pull away, "come to bed with me." It is half plea and half command.

"But we haven't finished the movie." Ana breathlessly tells me.

"Fuck the movie, Ana." I kiss her once more and without her expecting it, I pick her up and carry her to my bedroom.

I lay awake relishing this feeling I have. Ana sleeps soundly next to me. Her breaths are like a metronome reminding me I am still alive. And I know I don't want to sleep in this bed without her ever again. I want to protect her and keep her safe. I want to provide for her. I want to do the little tedious things of everyday life with her. I want to kiss her goodbye each morning when I leave for work and I want to kiss her hello when I come home at the end of the day.