Chapter 11: Harassing CEOs
Author's note!
Hope you've been enjoying these chapters! It's been a joy writing :) I won't be writing a CPOV, because I lack the experience and finesse to capture such a dark character. Feel free to drop suggestions and all your nasty/nice reviews :) I have zero anger issues, so do lay it on me.
I do however, would like to know if you guys want to see more of Ethan and Ana? Thank you!
China has been great! My eye is swollen, so the Chinese have given me boiled eggs to press against it. Magically, the swelling is... Vanishing! Here's another chapter :)
I am thoroughly enjoying Fifty Shades of Cross Fire! So do check it out!
Ethan and I stirred at a furious banging sound. The room was still cool, indicating that the sun was yet to be fully up.
The banging continued, escalating a few notches.
Was Steve renovating?!
"What time is it?" I whispered, refusing to open my eyes.
There was a rustle of sheets and a groan. "Not even seven."
I matched his groan with my whine. "Back to bed man."
"Yeah." He mumbled agreeably, snuggling back down into me.
The pounding ensued. "I'm going to kill Steve."
"ANASTASIA ROSE STEEL." Oh fishing hell. "OPEN THIS F****ING DOOR OR SO HELP ME I WILL BANG IT OPEN."
"I'M GONNA KILL YOU ETHAN." Steve's annoyed shout competed against Christian's.
"Consider me dead." Ethan sighed. "Shall I handle this?"
My eyes fluttered open and I sat up lazily. "Nah, let me deal." After last night, I had sorted my thoughts and realized that the only way to pass this hill was to move back in with Mr Grey.
"Yell if you need me, Ana." Ethan placed his arm over his eyes and fell back into slumber.
I smiled at his sleeping posture and planted one on his forehead. Gah. The bruise on his right jaw had evolved, making him look like he had been struck down by a disease concentrated only there.
Christian was not going to stop. I knew how his insecurities would eat away at him and he would lash out in his extravagant tantrums until I put an end to it. Ignoring Christian's hollers that were now accompanied by the whines of Steve's poor neighbours, I gathered my belongings and stuffed them into my bag.
Casting one last glance at an Ethan who was sleeping like a baby, I stepped out into the cold and empty living room once more. The last time I had been here, a fight had rang out. Now the fight would be moved out into the corridor. Whatever Christian was barking about definitely had to be bad and about me.
My hand wrested on the chilly metal handle of the main door, it rumbled as an impending force ripped at it on the other side. I thought about Steve's defenseless neighbours up at such an early hour today, and given such an ungodly hour to sleep last night after the racket we had caused.
What I was about to do next would jeopardize my entire character, it was something I would never do. But it was a sacrifice I had to make. I turned the handle and was stared head on by a seething ball of fury.
As if he was building up steam to work up sufficient energy to release a full blow on me, he shook violently and his face dropped shades of red. His fists were clenched tightly, one strangling a newspaper for whatever queer reasons Mr Grey had.
Bearing his teeth, I knew he was about to howl. I intercepted, waving my bag in his face. "Let's go to Escala."
The effect was instant. Gone was the anger, which was now replaced with a mask of confusion. Yes, I had gone without a fight. With Ethan's talk last night and a brutal round of deliberation, I had decided to treat this situation like a plaster. I definitely wanted Christian and I to work through this, no matter how we emerge from it. So the best way to do it was to rip the plaster off quickly, not slowly and painfully.
That was what I was going to do. I was going to close both eyes and jump back into the tower of my somewhat boyfriend-fiancé who had recently cheated on me with his exgirlfriend-submissive who was an improved and more stunning version of me.
Good job, Ana. My inner goddess said sarcastically as she assessed the situation behind a magnifying glass.
"Right...now?" Christian sounded just as puzzled as I knew he would be.
"Yes, if you'd get out of my way." I sneered, shaking my stuffed backpack.
I watched him briefly accessed the situation, then he threw Taylor a questioning glance that read 'What the hell is going on?'. Taylor shrugged back in disbelief.
I cleared my throat. They refocused on me.
"Right, Taylor." Christian gesticulated. "Take Ms Steele's bag."
I walked down the corridor with my eyes cast down, trying my best to avoid the stern looks the others were shooting at us.
The ride to Escala was brutal. After about a millennium of awkward silences and sneaky glance exchanges between Taylor and Christian through the mirror, Christian finally decided to break the ice.
"Ana," He began, "How are you?"
I had a few questions of my own. "What are you doing this early?" Before he could answer, I added, "Does Dr Flynn approve of your harassing the innocent commoners?"
The anger returned into his system and in answer, he grabbed the newspaper he had been clutching earlier and plonked it down on my lap. Right on the front cover was a picture of Ethan and I that had been taken when the paparazzi had jumped us for the first time.
"Oh please." He spat viciously. "You're far from innocent."
So this was what Elliott and the others were warning me against. The hounds. I could see why Christian would be furious. The headlines read "GREY FILTHY BUT OUT OF LOVE" . My heart pounded choppily in my chest. My mom would read this, Ray would read this. Hell, the whole world would.
I was going to have to explain myself. Where the hell was my hand phone? Oh yes, I threw it out a few days back.
My inner goddess applauded me once more, keeping the sarcasm up.
Unfortunately, it was hard to make it out as the paper had been crushed and un-crushed repeatedly, ripping the material and making us almost indistinguishable. I could just make out Ethan's arms around me and the flowers surrounding us.
There was no way I was going to correct this picture anytime soon. This jerk deserved no better. "I'm sorry, what am I supposed to see?"
There was a sharp intake of breath and Christian snatched back the paper. "ETHAN AND YOU DISPLAYING YOUR AFFECTION FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!"
"Stop shouting at me." I commanded, shooting him Kate's killer glare as I did.
His eyes widened at my defiance, but I watched him rationalize it out. He was still drawing rapid and staggering breaths, trying to calm himself down once more.
This time, I had no buffer to keep me unscathed from the explosion.
"What I do with Ethan has nothing to do with you." I told him, dropping a pinch of arrogance in my tone.
"WHAT THE HELL, ANA." There he goes again.
I am vaguely aware that Taylor picks up speed.
"Look," I placed both hands in the air. "My returning to Escala doesn't change a thing."
Christian pained at my words, his body slanting towards mine. "Ana, we need to talk."
"So you can describe every detail of your love making with Leila to me?" I snapped.
"ANA." He groaned.
Taylor flinched, I guess he did not know that part.
"Bet I could sell these hounds that information." I was now pretty sure I was PMSing because my angst had murdered my basic common sense.
A violent snarl ripped out from Christian and was echoed by Taylor. "DON'T. YOU. DARE."
As if I was mentally dragging him off the cliff, I continued. "I mean, I'm pretty much out of a job, so I could use the money."
By the glint in Christian's eyes, I knew he was calling my bluff. But then again, the agitation was stirring within him.
"I might even write my own book about this." I blustered, taunting him further. "It'll be called 'Fifty Shades of Infidelity'."
He narrowed his eyes.
"I can see it now." I swiped my palm out, as if I was imagining. "New York Times Best Seller for an entire decade."
"I wouldn't see why you'd need money." Playful Christian was back on. How mercurial. "How much do you want, I have a cheque book here somewhere."
Pursing my lips at his smirk, I decided to play along. "25 would be enough."
"25 million?" He tried.
Amusement played across his lips as I sucked in a breath. I will not lose. "Seeing that you're paying me to take your secrets to the grave, billion should be about right."
Christian was impressed. He reached past me to pull out a gold-covered cheque book from the seat pocket. "25 Billion it is."
My mouth hung. Realization kicked in. He was seizing this opportunity to shove his money down my throat, just like he had always wanted!
"There's a reason why I can afford this cheque and why the paparazzi are stronger than ever." Christian barely even looked at me as he filled in the cheque.
As if I was oblivious. Christian Grey, Multi-billionaire.
I rolled my eyes at him.
"I don't expect you to know, since its yet to hit the publishing firms, but I just sealed a very important deal with the North Koreans."
So what did that mean?
Christian laughed, effectively turning the tables. "I just made it to the world's top 20 richest people."
Holy hell. "Multi-" We said the word with different intonations. "Trillionaire."
"It's not even a word." Christian sighed with a teasing edge. Then he handed me the cheque.
My hands went clammy around the flimsy piece of paper. Surely he would not just give someone such a huge amount of money... Right? I knew I was shivering in fear of what I would see.
Looking down, there was my full name scribbled in the most beautiful cursive handwriting. Underneath it was what stole my breath. "25 Billion dollars." I stated matter of factly. There was his glorious signature to make it all official.
He was arrogant. " We aim to please, Ms Steele."
Do it, Ana! My inner goddess cheered my subconscious on.
Attempting to turn the tables once more and brutally infuriate him, I nodded at him with the brightest smile I could force.
Winding down the window with a certain grace, I stuck my tongue out at him. "We aim to please, Mr Grey." With that, I let the cheque get swallowed by the wind and it was swept away and out onto the road.
Playful fifty was gone. I had succeeded and Christian Grey's eyes were now blazing, scorching even. It sent shivers down my spine. Just as he lunged for me, Taylor pulled up at Escala.
Christian's body flew forward, hitting the back of the front seats and most importantly, missing me. I did say I was returning to Escala, but I never said I was going to be pleasant to keep around.