I am going to try posting every Monday and Thursday. I hope you like this chapter.
Ana's POV:
Today with Christian and I back together I work a thousand times better with a smile on my face. Jack has acted rather strange though. He keeps touching me and it's making me really uncomfortable. I try to ignore it but I can't anymore.
"I'm going for lunch is that okay with you Jack."
"Sure but when you get back I want to talk about your books."
"Thank you." I gab my purse and hightail it out of there I want to call Christian and tell him about Jack but I know he's going to over react so I decide to just walk and let off some steam. I grab a hot dog from a street meat vender. As I pay for my hot dog I feel like I'm being watched again. I look around and I see the guy who has that same build as the guy from the car.
I eat my hot dog and remember a question I was asked when I did a psych evaluation after what happened with the Morton's 'Do you feel like people are following you?' That's it I've finally going crazy it's happened I guess I should go check into a mental institution. No I'm not crazy! I take Ray's advice to test if someone is following me. Ray's number one tip if being followed is do not look back! If you keep looking back every three steps it will slow you down and makes it easier for them to grab you. Although I am not to concerned about him grabbing me right now. I turn right on the next street and pull out my phone and use it to check the refection in the and random times pretending I'm checking my texts. No doubt he is still following me.
My next thing is I stop and pretend to look through my purse and quickly glance behind me and he's stopped. There is no doubt in my mind that I am being follows so now I am going to get him before he gets me. I turn right again and now we are on a less busy street but still to busy for a confrontation. Next I turn left on a street and just my luck we are the only two people on the block I slow down a bit before I quickly turn on my heel taking him by surprise. I do the simplest take down I know grabbing his shoulders hooking my leg behind his knee and throwing him off his center of gravity before pushing him to the ground. I climb on top of him punch him square in the face. I know this punch well it won't break his nose but it will leave a nice bruise and his face will be a tad swollen... If he's lucky.
"Why have you been following me?" I almost scream at him.
"I have been hired by Mr. Grey as your personal security." That fucking ass hole and his stupid fucking safety rules I am going to have his fucking balls for this one.
"Oh my god I am so sorry." I grab his hands and pull him to his feet.
"No problem miss. You can really throw a punch eh?"
"I think after I took you to the ground and punched you in the face were past formalities. Call me Ana." I extend my hand and he grabs mine and shakes my hand. He's got a firm handshake one Ray would be proud of him.
"Ana my name is Luke Sawyer."
"Well it's nice to meet you Sawyer. Sorry about your face... don't worry your nose isn't broken." We start walking back to my office.
"Well that's good to know. Who taught you to fight? You have some serious training and I would put money on the fact that you're packing." Oh he knows me to well.
"Yes I'm packing and my father Ray taught me to shoot."
"Wait a minute you as in Raymond Steele?" He knows my father?
"The one and only."
"Oh my god! Little Ana Steele don't you remember me? Our parents were in the squad back in their military days. I got this job because Taylor was also in the same squad and he recommended me."
"Oh my god!" The realization dawns on me "Skywalker."
"The one and only Anabear." He jokes turning my words on me.
"No one has called me Anabear in years!"
"So what happened to you? The last I heard you were in Vegas with your mom."
"I came home after about a year how about you? The last I heard you have moved to Texas with your mom and dad."
"Well my parent split and I moved back to Portland with my dad about a year ago."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Well I'm not she cheated I hope she's happy with Dean or whatever the fuck his name is." He says just as we arrive outside of SIP.
"Well this is where I work... but you already knew that didn't you?"
He just laughs reassuring what I already knew. I am so happy to see him again it's been so long. He also turned out to be a real looker.
"Well I'd say goodbye but I doubt that this is the last time I'll see you."
"You'd be right." He gives me a wink as we walk into the building.
As I ride up the elevator to my floor I am fuming mad that Christian didn't fucking tell me about my personal security. I pull out my phone and I have an email from Christian.
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Lunch
To: Anastasia Steele
I was wondering if you've had lunch I thought maybe we could go together.
Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprise Holdings, Inc.
I sit down at my desk and respond to his email
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Lunch
To: Christian Grey
You already know I've had lunch I ran into an old friend Luke Sawyer maybe you've heard of him.
Anastasia Steele
Fuming Mad Assistant to Jack Hyde, Editor, SIP
As I send off the email Jack comes out of his office "Ana would you join me in my office please?"
"Yes." I follow him in and he gesture his hand for me to sit on the cozy leather chair across from him.
"I don't want to go into your personal life seeing as we work together but I must say your writing is amazing." He is one of the best editors in the Seattle area and he thinks my work is amazing this is a dream come true.
"Thank you Jack." I still feel uncomfortable using his first name although he says he prefers it he still is my boss.
"I think I would be stupid not to take these projects on." I can't stop the Cheshire smile that is plastered on my face. "I also think that for it's a constant battle should have a drawings beside each poem. We can find an artist that you pick of course to do some drawings."
"If you don't mind I would like to do the drawings myself. I mean I'm no Alejandro Leyva but I would like to try to you can tell me what you think."
"Well draw up a couple of sketches so some of the poems and we can see. The amount we pay will be higher if you are the artist so we can talk prices for It's a Constant Battle after I've seen your art. In the mean time I would love to talk about Living With Mental Illness"
"Sounds fantastic."
"Alright I was thinking we pay you thirty thousand for the copyright to your book and you get and twenty percent of the book sales." I know this is an extremely generous offer but I've worked directly with this man and I know he's ready to offer a bit more.
"If I'm going to sell you the copyrights I want thirty-five percent of the sales." I saw as confident as I can.
"Twenty-five percent." He replies.
"Thirty."
"Anastasia I think we have a deal." he extends his hand and we shake on it.
"I will draw up the paper work and you can sign on Monday."
"Sounds great. Would you like something to drink?" I ask getting back to work.
"Coffee please." I go into the break room and do a little dance while making the coffee.
I drop my tea at my desk before I head into Jack's office.
"Right now?... Alright... What's the meeting about?... Alright I'll be right there."
"Oh thank you Ana just place it on my desk and grab something to take notes I want you to come to a meeting with me."
"Alright what about?" Jack has never asked me to sit in on a meeting yet so I would like to be prepared.
"A hostile take over." That doesn't sound good.
We ride up to the top floor in silence as we enter the room I see Christian standing there talking to some people I've seen around the office. I immediately drop my notebook and pens. What the fuck is he doing here. What do you think he's doing its a hostile take over my subconscious sneers at me. Oh boy he is in so much fucking trouble.
Christian strides over to me like he's got something to prove bending over to help me pick up my things.
"Why didn't you answer my email." I ignore him grabbing my things and walking right past him sitting down at the opposite end of the table. Next to one of the other assistants Sonya. Once everyone is seated Christian starts to speak.
"As of today I am the new owner of Seattle Independent Publishing which this time next month will be called Grey Publishing. I promise to make this transition as smooth as possible. I will be doing a background check of all the staff to see if you will stay of board or not and will be holding interviews with each staff members to see how things around here work. I just wanted to be the one to tell you and wish you the best of luck. Thank you." I am the first out the door and I am just about to get in the elevator when I hear Christian call my name.
"Anastasia wait." I step into the elevator and no doubt he follows me in.
"Please Ana talk to me." Ugh I can't resist that look plus when the doors close I don't have a choice.
"Christian what the fuck?!"
"I'm sorry Ana want to make sure you are safe at all times."
"Don't you think I should have my freedoms Christian? This is my work place and what are people going to think of me?"
"I just want you safe and I've wanted to go into publishing for quite sometime it seemed perfect." His voice is so scared and rocky.
"Alright Christian I understand your motives they are creepy yet sweet. This conversation isn't over yet though Christian this isn't a work place conversation." With that the doors open.
"I'll come to Escala after work tonight and we will talk goodbye."
"Laters, baby."Fuck need to stop giving in so fast.
I go warm up my tea and make Jack a new coffee and head into his office.
"What would you like me to do now?" I ask knowing full well he is stressed out over Christian buying the company.
"I want you to read the first five and last five chapter of each manuscripts and give some detail on them. A quick paragraph about what you read and then stamp each write-up with yes, maybe and no." He hands me about twenty manuscripts which about three hours to do and there is an hour and a half left in the work day. I guess he's just stressed about Christian so I pick up the manuscripts and get to work.
At five everyone is leaving and I've gotten through half of my manuscripts I hate coffee but I really need a pick me up now. I head into the break room and make some coffee putting in a lot of creamers and sugar to take the edge off. Half an hour later Jack comes out of his office.
"I'm heading home now Ana just put them on my desk when you're done."
"Alright have a wonderful weekend I'll see you on Monday."
"See you Monday." Now it's just me left in the office thank go I only have six more to go before I'm out of here. After this week I can't wait to chill out and just relax.
At six thirty on the dot I am done. I bring the manuscripts into Jacks office, put my dishes in the sink and hightail it into the parking garage. I'm a little lost when the only car I see is an Audi R8 but it doesn't take me long to remember Christian's gift. Wow it's been a really long day.
At seven I pull into the garage and Escala and practically run into the elevator. I drop my purse by the door and plop onto the white leather sofa and close my eyes for a second.
I wake up and I am in Christian's bed how did I get here? Why do I even ask myself such stupid questions of course Christian carried me while I was sleeping. Its eight thirty so I head into the great room and I see Christian sitting on the couch listening to music.
"Sleep well?"he chuckles a bit.
"Very."
"Glad to hear that. Are you hungry?"
"Very."
"Well then let's get you some food Gail made mac and cheese with broccoli I'll heat some up for you."
"Sounds great." I take a seat while Christian pops a plate into the microwave no doubt that is the only appliance he knows how to use in that kitchen.
Christian places the plate in front of me and I wolf it down in a matter of five minutes.
"I put more food on your plate then I could eat." Christian says while I put the last bit of mac and cheese in my mouth.
"And your point is?"
"I'm just shocked you're so tiny."
"Well that is thanks to Anderson and a very fast metabolism. "
"I wasn't complaining. So do you want to talk?" Oh shit right yes we have to talk before something like this happens again.
"Yes."
Please review! tell me what you think! What sort of drama should come next?