APOV

"Hey baby, wake up. Ana, it's time to get up." No. I'm not getting out of this bed. Much as I like the enormous oversized California King with its 1500 thread count sheet sets and pillows that cradle your head perfectly, there is nothing like your own bed. "I made breakfast." Now that'll get me up.

"What? You cooked?" I sit up and look around the bright bedroom and crack up. Christian Grey is in my bedroom in nothing but his boxers holding a baking sheet that he thinks is a tray. On it are two bagels smeared with cream cheese and orange juice.

"What's so funny?"

"You! You make me so happy, Christian." His smile drops and a goofy grin takes its place. He just looks at me and grins while I get the pleasure of watching the blush creep up his face for once.

"I do?" Everything in me wants to run to him and kiss him and tell him that I love him but he looks so damn cute and young right now, I don't dare waste the moment.

"Yes. Just you here makes me happy." Speaking of happy, I see the rise in his boxers as he stands there and after 36 hours, I don't care how sore I am. I want that man inside of me and I want it now. But first I'm going to brush my teeth and pee.

He growls a bit when I climb out of the bed, it's no accident that I crawl on all fours with my ass in the air. Even in grey cotton underwear he makes me feel pretty. Once I'm finished I climb back in and sit between his spread legs, my back to his front. He's eating his bagel and drinking his coffee black.

"No half and half?" Christian glances up from the email he was reading on his phone and shakes his head.

"There was some but it was about a week too old. We'll stop at Starbucks on the way in." I settle back against him and read the news on my phone, I've set it to CNN just like Missy suggested. Once I've finished my bagel I wriggle my ass against him, just enough to feel the semi flaccid penis behind me but still make the movement seem innocent enough.

"Ana, don't do that." I do it again and his hands drop from my waist to the bed next to him as his head hits the headboard. "Anastasia, don't do that. You're sore, remember?"

"Just a little bit, plus, I told you I just wanted the day, it's been longer than that." He's silent and still so I turn and slither up his neck, leaving dry kisses in my wake until our lips are touching. I can feel how much he wants this and yet his hands are still limp by his side and his eyes are still closed.

"Ana, I don't want to hurt you." There's an edge to his voice that causes me to pause and drop my hands from his hair. I sit up since I can't lean on his chest and look at him quizzically.

"What's wrong, Christian?" He shakes his head and pinches the bridge of his nose, looking at me only after he's run his hands over his hair a dozen times.

"The things I said to you at lunch, about how I wouldn't go longer than a day, that I'd only give you a day. I'm so fucking ashamed. I'm so sorry that I put that pressure on you." He grabs my face in his hands and moves closer so that he can look directly in my eyes. "You know that I would never make you do something you didn't want to do or weren't ready to do. You know that right?"

"Christian, yes! I wasn't upset by what you said, I liked feeling desired like that. I was more concerned that you'd feel rejected and that wasn't at all my intention, I really was just sore and now...not so much." He kisses me lightly and pulls back looking intently at me again while his thumbs make tiny circles on my temples.

"Ana, I would wait a lifetime to be with you. However long it takes I'll wait. Anything you need, Ana, anything."

"I only need you."

I straddle him and lift my t-shirt over my head, tossing it onto the floor but his eyes don't leave mine.

"Touch me, Christian. Please." Slowly his hands rise to my hips and he whimpers when I lean down to kiss his neck, whispering in his ear, "I want you, Christian." He sits back and takes my hands in his and brings them to his mouth, kissing each of my fingers, watching me with every peck, every little lick and nip. When he's finished he places the tips of my fingers on each of his shoulders and drags them down his chest, over his pectoral muscles down to the bottom of his defined abs.

When the journey is completed he breaths out and rests his hands on my thighs. My eyes are as wide as can be, my fingers still tingling from touching him. "Only you." He breathes before we kiss, passion consuming my body and his as we press against each other trying to melt into one being. His tastes like coffee and cream cheese and I revel in the way his teeth feel against my tongue. Mine. He is mine.

His hands pull me tightly against him as he rises to his knees, lying me flat on my back so that he can take off the panties that are now saturated with my desire for him. Once I'm naked he picks me back up and sits on the edge of the bed with my legs on either side of him.

"Lean back, baby. Put your hands and your head on the floor." I have no idea what kind of acrobat he thinks I am but I do it, grateful for the years of Pilates I've had. I am utterly exposed to him like this, totally at his mercy with no place to hide.

"Just relax, Ana. You have a beautiful body, so soft and silky." His thumbs run up my slit causing me to open for him wider, something I didn't think was possible. I can't see his face but I know he's looking at my sex, wet and open, on erotic display just inches from his face. "Does this hurt, baby?" His thumb runs the length of me again, from bottom to very top and I groan out a low no.

"This?" His middle finger slides in deep and presses against me but doesn't move.

"No. It feels good." He pulls out, and I feel his hands move to my hips, sliding around to my butt before lifting me to his mouth. He grins against the inside of my thigh before his tongue licks the soft flesh, lightly biting as he makes his way up.

"Keep your balance, baby, this is going to be quick and intense." He wastes no time with formalities, latching his lips around my clit and gently biting it while he flicks his tongue up and down as fast as he can. The light bite of his teeth brings an exquisite sensation and less than one minute later I'm convulsing against him, the muscles in my stomach burning by the intense spasms that force my body to bend and thrash. The blood rush to my head has a dizzying effect that heightens the acute pleasure and sends a second rush when Christian lifts me and sits me on his lap, my head uselessly pressed into his shoulder.

A short moment later I reach between us but he stops me just as my hand makes contact with him.

"Ana, no."

"What? Why?" My vision is hazy and I'm not all the way back on earth yet but I know the man is turned on, I can feel the heat and pulse of him against my belly.

"Because I just wanted to bring you pleasure, I don't expect anything."

"I know that, I want to bring you pleasure too." I bat my eyelashes and bite my lip which makes the pulse against me jump but he doesn't let go of my hands even when I lick my lips. He shakes his head and I lean in for the kill, whispering in his ear so that my lips touch him lightly. "Please, I want you to come in my mouth, I want to taste you all day."

"Fuck, Ana, you can't talk like that." He's not holding me any more so I shimmy down between his legs and kiss his belly button, licking it like he's done to me. "Damn." He lifts up and lets me take his boxers off. The veins on his cock are throbbing, he's harder than I've ever seen him and I marvel at the feel of him in my hands. Steel wrapped in silk.

When he gathers my hair on the top of my head and leans back I lick up and around and suck him in my mouth as he hisses and thrusts upwards on instinct.

"Shit baby this is gonna be quick. Don't stop, right there, just like that." He's breathing harsh and quick, each exhale bringing those defined muscles in his abs to the surface. He is, without question the hottest man I have ever seen and I've made him like this, hot and hard in my mouth. I wrap my hand around the base of his shaft and slide it up with my mouth and he yells, actually yells as he shoots off into my mouth, watching me swallow it all and lick him clean before he lets go of my hair and falls back onto the bed.

"Come here, Ana." I rise and lay on top of him, skin to skin. He's still breathing heavy as he wraps his arms around me tightly before pulling my head up and kissing me. "You" kiss "Are" kiss "Incredible". He must sense my unease, being the center of attention like this is uncomfortable for me, because he rolls me underneath of him and kisses me lightly, squeezing my hip and standing.

"Come on, Taylor will be here in 15 minutes."

"I'll shower before we leave tonight, are you still up for going to dinner with Kate and Elliot first?"

"Yes, you're getting ready here with Kate still?" I nod, bracing myself for the argument I'm sure is coming but he surprises me. "Prescott will be here as will Kate's CPO Myers. Ryan will bring you here, you are not to leave until we get here. I'm not exactly thrilled with you being here without me or Taylor."

"I know, we'll be safe. Did Elliot get Kate a body guard? Or you? And why?" He's putting on his cuff links, platinum with three small sapphires across the top. "Those are nice." He looks at them like he's just now seeing them and shrugs.

"I think Mia got these for me for Christmas." He grins, "She's a sucker for sapphires." Tucking in his shirt he answers, "Anyone in my family has a CPO, I'd have to have gotten Kate a CPO at some point but when Hyde showed up here, I got her one that night. She hates it, I'm surprised she's not said anything." Well, that would be because I've barely spoken to her since all I do now is have sex with you.

"Are you going to be at GEH all day?" he heads into the bathroom to brush his teeth but shakes his head no before stepping inside. "I've got two lunch meetings."

"How?" He smiles and scrubs those perfect teeth, spitting and rinsing before he answers.

"Salad for lunch one, entrée for lunch two. I do it all the time."

"Do you book two lunches on Wednesdays?"

His kiss to the tip of my nose makes me feel cherished. "No, baby, I'd never double book you."

"Anastasia Steele."

"God, you are hard to get a hold of, you'd think you'd call your mother at some point over the last week. Do you know how long it took to get this number for you since you seem to never answer your cell phone?"

The calmness I had carried around with me since this morning is quickly replaced by tension and a headache that splits my head in two. Nothing with my mother is ever easy, not even a phone call to check in. She's called me once a day since Monday but I have nothing to say to her. If my daughter had been physically attacked, I'd have walked here if I didn't have money for a flight. I'm not sure what I expect though, this is the same woman who kept me in an environment where I was a grown mans whipping post.

"Hi mom, how are you?"

"I've been better, Ana. Bob's been sick, you know how men are when they don't feel well, I've got next to no cash in the bank and oh, my daughter is avoiding me. But enough about me, how are you?" As if having my mother on the phone wasn't bad enough, Jacqueline chooses this moment to knock and enter through the open door.

"Can you hold for a moment please?" She guffaws and keeps talking but I've tuned her out.

"Ms. Steele Mr. Grey instructed me to take your lunch order." Of course he did, I know exactly what he's doing. At first I thought I was crazy and making more of her attitude than what was necessary but ever since she didn't put me right in his office on Monday, I've noticed both Andrea and Christian giving her specific jobs that cater to me directly. I almost feel bad for her. Almost.

"I'll have whatever you and Andrea are having as long as there's no cilantro." She smiles sweetly and turns to go. I can only hope that she doesn't have cyanide in her desk drawer.

"Sorry, mom, it's been really busy around here. Anyway, I'm fine, back to normal physically at least." She won't ask about how I'm doing emotionally, the thought won't even occur to her. Every day Ray calls me and every day he asks about my mindset, talks me through the small fears I've verbalized and pushes me to see a therapist.

"I would like to come visit but money's tight, especially with Bob not working." She wants to come and see me? I jump at the opportunity.

"I'll buy your ticket, you can stay at my apartment, we have a guest room. When would you want to come?" Images of my mom and I having lunch, going to a movie, grabbing coffee and shopping flit through my mind. Logically I know this isn't the relationship we have but I hope anyway.

"Well, I can probably get off in a week or so. Do you have a new email address? I'll send you some dates after I talk to my boss today." I give her my new private email address known only to family, very close friends and a select few GEH employees.

As soon as we hang up I call Ray to let him know that my mom is coming. He doesn't even try to hide the disdain in his voice. "Well, let me know when, I'm planning to come on up for a few days and I don't want to overlap for even a minute. While I've got you though, I want to talk about what happened at Krav last night."

"How do you know about it?" Christian.

"You have a boyfriend who really loves you and knows that your dad knows you better than anyone. Was it Eyal's tone that upset you or was it just the physical act of fighting?" He knows me so well, knows exactly what to ask so that I can answer with small words and not dwell on reliving it.

"Fighting."

"He's tough, Annie. He'll push you and push you and push you but you will be stronger and safer because of it. He's knows, just like I do, that you're a strong girl and physically capable of utilizing your training to defend yourself. It's your mind we need to work on, let him do it." I say nothing because I can't speak.

"Annie? You're going to be fine but you need to get your head in the right place. Call the therapist. Meet Eyel head on and face your mother once and for all."

"I've got to go, dad, thanks for calling."

"I love you baby, you are going to be just fine."

Between my mom's call and fact that Christian is running to my dad to tell him about my breakdown I'm pissed and he's the one I focus my anger on.

Why the hell are you telling my dad about what happened?!

It takes an uncharacteristically long 10 minutes before he responds.

-He needs to know, Ana. You need help right now.-

You should have asked me!

-I'm not doing this via text. Call me or we'll talk tonight.-

Asshole. I'm not calling him. Jacqueline walks in with my lunch and I thank her. She actually smiles and says 'you're welcome' before retreating. As I eat my salad I jump online, catching up on the news of day. I should Google my name.

I type in my name and immediately delete it, retyping Christian's name and hitting image search. Hundreds of pictures pull up, most of them I've already seen when I looked him up a few weeks ago but there are more recent ones too. It thrills me, pleases me beyond words when every single recent picture of him has me either in it or just off to the side. He really is too hot for words. My phone pings with a text from him.

-Hello?-

I'm ignoring you.

"Hi Kate."

"Hey! I was just going to call you. Did you want Ricardo to do your hair and makeup as well? He's coming over at five but if you want him to do you as well, I'll have him come at four and start on me."

"I hadn't even thought about it."

"God you should have been born a man. I'll tell him to come at four, god knows if we leave it up to you, you'll wear a ponytail and lip gloss."

"Ana, are you seriously upset with me because I called your dad to tell him that you were having a hard time?"

"I'm not upset that you called him, I'm upset that you called him without asking me. He worries enough, Christian and he's almost three hours away, there's not much he can do. Making him feel like shit that I can't pull my act together only makes him more upset."

"He's your father, he's upset already. Not knowing what's going on with you makes it worse. And stop acting like you're the one at fault here, it just happened, it's going to take time for you to deal with it. Give yourself a break."

"When did you call him?" The anger begins to ebb as logic takes over and I see how leaving Ray in the dark isn't helping things. Christians pause is a bit too long though so I ask again and he finally answers.

"Taylor spoke with him last night and I called him on my way to a meeting this morning."

"Taylor! Why the hell is Taylor calling him?" I can just picture him in the back of the SUV right now, eyes closed, pinching his nose before tugging at his hair.

"He needed to speak to him about something else and your dad asked directly how the lesson went. Taylor told him you had a hard time, I filled him in on the details this morning."

"Oh that's great. Now you've got your goons telling everyone my business too. Awesome, Christian! I've got to go."

"Ana,"

"I have to go, I'll see you later." I wait until I see 'call ended' before bursting into tears at the humiliation of having my every move watched, reported and dissected. Being with a man like Christian Grey has it's perks for sure. But the price of losing my anonymity and privacy is a high one to pay.

CPOV

After speaking with Ray this morning I'm convinced more than ever that the best way to deal with Hyde is to find him and make him disappear again but I'm not willing to add 'felon' to my list of accomplishments. The 'friend' that Ray has enlisted to help us wants $40k in cash to start. In the short time he's been tracking Hyde down, he's found more shit on the guy than the entire team of detectives at the police department. We know he's definitely in Seattle still and we know he's unable to access cash.

I have and will have no direct contact with the man, I don't even know his name and I don't want to. If he's good enough, I'll send him down to Atlanta next to deal with Morton. Reynolds is on his way to meet Ray with the cash and then it's a waiting game. My instructions are clear, much as I want him dead, Hyde is to brought in alive. What Ray tells this guy is up to him.

His reaction to the way Ana fell apart during her martial arts lesson was anger and while it wasn't directed at me, I still felt his wrath. I promise him to get her to a therapist before the weekend but even that doesn't satisfy him. He wants blood.

"Taylor, we need to stop at Cartier." He nods and turns the SUV onto 6th Avenue, easily finding a parking spot out front. The doors open before my feet have touched the sidewalk. Over the years I've spent probably close to two million dollars here on my mom, sister and occasionally my subs. For every renewal of a three month contract, I would buy a piece of jewelry and present it to them upon signing. This however is my first commissioned piece.

As I stride in I open my daily affirmation from Ana, this time sent via email.

'You are generous'

Oh baby, you have no idea how generous I'm going to be with you, starting right now.

"Mr. Grey, so good to see you again, please, can I get you a glass of champagne?"

"No, thank you. I'm on my way to a meeting."

"I understand, this way then please, I'm excited to show you the pieces we've created for you." He leads me into a private room in the back and lays a piece of black velvet across the table in front of me as a woman walks in with two separate boxes. When she hands them to the manager she pauses and stares at me before licking her lips and pushing out her breasts suggestively. Keep it moving, I've got that times a thousand at home.

When the first case is opened I'm pleased immediately. The Lodyssée de Cartier bracelet in platinum is beautiful with its waterfall of diamonds look to it. The cuff will look perfect on her slender wrist and I nod my approval. The cuff is whisked away so that I can inspect the earrings next. They're perfect, three flawless round diamonds in a row leading to a flawless pear shaped diamond at the end. I can't wait to fuck her in nothing but these diamonds. I want to get her a necklace to complete the look but I know Ana and this will make her uncomfortable enough as it is.

"I'm pleased, thank you." And without so much as a goodbye I leave while security follows us to the car so that the $560k in diamonds are safe.

Ana is gone by the time I get back to GEH and it's just as well. I'm pissed at her texts and the way she handled the situation with Ray. I also need to deal with the pictures taken of her last night leaving the Pilates studio. They're of her and a man and even though it's obvious they're just kissing on the cheek, the media has gone ballistic with stories of her cheating and 'proof' of her being a gold digger. Ryan's told Taylor that he doesn't think Ana's seen the stories yet and I hope she hasn't, it can only make my night that much worse.

Taylor and Reynolds have gone on to the restaurant and then to the gallery for security sweeps so it's just Elliot and I in the limo going to pick up our girlfriends for dinner. A double date just like normal people do.

"How's Ana handling the press coverage? I've read some of it, it's not that bad."

"Are you fucking kidding me, Elliot? They've basically painted her out to be a gold digging slut with white trash roots. Pisses me off and try as I might, I can't do a damn thing about it. I've got fucking legal working 24/7 to shut this shit down and they've managed a few but not enough. I'm about to start buying media outlets just to shut these fuckers up."

Elliot adjusts his tie in the mirror and picks at his teeth to give me a minute to calm down.

"Dad talked to you?"

"Yes. Pissed me off even more."

"It's unfortunate that the media is reporting her to be exactly what Elena said she was." He rushes on, I'm sure he can see the blood pounding with rage in my veins right now. "It's bullshit, I can't believe she'd say anything, especially something so clearly untrue. Ana's a sweetheart. If you don't kill the bitch, Kate's going to. I thought she was going to blow a gasket."

We're parked in the street in front of Ana's apartment and I look at him, trying to figure out how this whole brother thing works in real life.

"How did you come to hear about what Elena said? Is dad telling everyone?"

He goes to open his door and stops, checking himself out in the mirror one last time. Prick. My newest security team member, David Fitch, opens the door and speaks into his cuff to alert Ryan and Prescott that we're here.

"I went over to help him with a computer issue and Elena had just left so he and mom were talking about it in the kitchen. Kate overheard most of it to be honest, I'm just going off of what she heard. To say she was pissed is an understatement."

"What did you say to mom and dad?"

"I laughed, the whole thing is so ridiculous. They didn't seem to be concerned, actually, mom seemed kind of upset that Elena would even think that. She found it to be an affront to you, a snide way of calling you stupid."

"And dad?"

"You know dad, he just listened to mom and agreed with what she had to say, took his wine and went into his office. I was with him for about 45 minutes, he never brought it up again. I doubt he believes it, C. Come on, I want to see what Kate's wearing."

Ryan is stationed outside the apartment when we get off the elevator and opens the door. Prescott and Myers nod and walk out to the hall with Ryan and before I can ask where the girls are they both come out of Kate's room.

Hoooolly shit.

I have no idea what Kate is wearing because all I can see is Ana. Her thick chestnut hair is pulled up and off of her shoulders in a low bun, while a few strands frame her flawless face. She's got makeup on, and not just her everyday mascara and gloss. Her eyes are smoky, her lips painted in the most tempting shade of red I've ever seen but it's her dress that has me speechless. I have always been a fan of the Herve Leger band dress but Ana takes it to the next level entirely.

It's red, siren red and hits just above her knees, wrapping her tempting curves and accentuating every single one until it meets at her breast line, pushing them up and together. Sex. She screams of sex and desire and passion and ecstasy.

Elliot and Kate are making out next to me but I've yet to move from the spot where I first saw her. Walking over to me in silver encrusted open toe stilettoes she reaches out and runs her fingers, the nails painted the same shade of red as her dress, over my tie and down to my belt.

"Hi. You look very handsome, Christian." Her smile is playful as one lone finger traces back up my tie and gently pushes my jaw back into place.

"Anastasia, you look stunning." My hand brushes against her face and she lowers her lids. "I'm speechless baby." And I really am. I literally cannot formulate a coherent sentence right now with her looking the way she does. After a beat I remember myself and lean down to kiss her lips but I don't dare touch her anywhere else, I'd never be able to stop.

"I have something for you." She raises her eyebrows and gives me a shy little grin.

"You do?"

Elliot says something about waiting in the car but neither of us look at him. Once I hear the door shut I pull out the smaller of the two Cartier boxes and open it, eagerly watching her face as it lights up, her eyes widening. "Oh my god! They're gorgeous, wow." She has earrings in already but her hands fly up to remove them, dropping them on the table next to us.

"Can I touch them?" I laugh.

"Of course you can, they're yours." She looks up with wide eyes, her hand stopping in midair.

"Mine?"

"Yes, yours. Put them on, I want to see you in them."

"Christian, I can't keep these, they're way too expensive!"

"Ana, they're yours. If I want to buy you things, I will buy you things, and I'll buy you whatever I want to. Now put them on." I keep the harshness out of my tone and keep it light and gentle instead. I'm not used to having a gift questioned, every woman I've ever bought anything for was quick to take it and hoard it.

"They look beautiful, I didn't think you could look any prettier but somehow you do. Here." She all but drops to the floor when I open the box holding the bracelet in it.

"Christian…I, I don't know what to say."

"Say you'll wear it." Her eyes are teary when she takes the diamond cuff from the box and clasps it around her wrist, asking me to secure it on for her. My pleasure baby, I've got these in leather too by the way…

"Thank you. It seems so inadequate but thank you so much. I love them." And I love you.

I'm so pleased to see her in the jewelry that I gave to her that I float onto the elevator, her little hand tucked into mine. Once we're safely ensconced in the back seat of the limo I say hello to Kate while I keep ahold of Ana's hand, not wanting to break our physical connection at all.

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch to you today. I understand your reasoning for telling Ray, I just wish you would have talked to me first."

"I should have and I will next time. The last thing I want to do is upset you." She rests her head on my arm and just like that, our argument is over. So that was communication.

The atmosphere shifts as soon as we walk into Canlis. Our table is ready, of course, and is in a private area but we still have to walk through the restaurant to get to it and I notice every single fucker in here checking out my girlfriend. If this is how the night's going to go, I'm going to wind up killing someone.

Once we're in the privacy of our room, we toast to Jose's show and order dinner.

"You didn't order for us?" She's teasing me and I love it.

"Not tonight, I thought we'd treat this like a real date." Plus I don't want to rush off to the show.

I've almost finished my entrée when Kate drops a bomb I wasn't at all expecting.

"Ana, did you get to see the pictures Jose chose for the gallery? There's like, 10 of me and you and a handful of Rich."

"What pictures?" Elliot asks before I can. He doesn't seem too happy about it either.

Ana takes a deep breath and smiles at him sweetly as she places her hand on mine. This isn't going to be good.

"A few months ago when the gallery approached him they said that he needed to have some portrait pictures as well as the landscape and still lifes. His friend Rich offered to help since he's a model anyway and he asked Kate and I if we would as well.

"So you modeled for him? What were you wearing?" Elliot's voice is sharp and I see Kate react to it with an eye roll. He'd better get a handle on that.

"Jeans, t-shirts, nothing fancy." I don't want dessert, I don't want coffee, I don't want another glass of wine. I want to get to the gallery and see these pictures of my girlfriend that some other schmuck took and rip him apart with my bare hands. A quick glance at Elliot tells me he feels the same way, the slight raise of his eyebrows and nod of his head spurring me to call for the check.

"Let's go." He says and stands once I hand my card to the waiter. Kate looks confused, I guess this side of Elliot is new to her but Ana sits and looks at me, challenging me. I don't dare move, after her little tantrum this afternoon, I'm not sure what kind of ground we're walking on right now.

"Speaking of pictures," she starts. Elliot sits back down slowly. "on Sunday I'm having pictures taken at the Pilates studio for their website. I don't know who the photographer is but I thought maybe you'd want to come and meet Jared, the owner and then stay for the shoot." What the fuck is this noise all about?

"Jared? The guy you were photographed kissing last night?" Now I'm pissed. No, pissed would be acceptable, I'm rageful and Elliot knows it.

"Katie, let's wait in the car." Kate glowers at me but I don't even glance her way, fuck her. She stands and moves to Ana, giving her a quick kiss to her cheek.

"That sounds great, Ana, I'm sure you're very proud. You're going to do awesome, I can't wait to see the website once they're up." Get the fuck out of here, Katherine. Elliot steers her towards the door and for the first time I see the defiance in Ana's eyes and it does something to me that I don't particularly care for. I don't want to love on her or touch her, I don't want to argue with her or talk to her. I want to strip her, take a cane to her ass and fuck her as hard as I can. The beast rears his head and I am disgusted.

"Why am I just now hearing about this?"

"He asked me again last night and as you'll recall I wasn't exactly coherent when I saw you." The beast lays down and whimpers. She can cut me right down to my knees in an instant. I shock us both when I take her hand and sigh.

"Point taken. Is there no one else who could do this though? I don't like the idea of you on the internet for every fucker to look at." She smiles, my heart skips and I try my hardest to hold onto my anger but I just can't, she just takes it right out of me.

"Christian, baby, there are plenty of pictures of me on the internet now, remember? I'm sure one of the other instructors could do it but I want to. Jared was the first person to offer me a teaching position even though I had just been certified and he's been a really good friend to me. He's married, with a two year old son and another on the way so calm down. And before you ask, no, we've never dated, he's never asked and he's never even flirted with me."

Right. And I'm penniless and a virgin.

"I'll be there for the entire thing, if he or the photographer does anything untoward, I'm going to flip a lid, Ana. I don't like the idea of you on the internet like that though, I wish you would have asked me first."

"Asked you? You've been my boyfriend for four days. Plus he asked weeks ago. I don't want to upset you, Christian, I really don't." She leans towards me and rests her hand on my thigh, kissing my cheek lightly, the effect exactly what I'm sure she was going for. "Let's go to the show, I want to go home as soon as we can." The huskiness of her voice promises pleasure, something my dick registers immediately.

"Baby, you do not want to play with me right now. It's been almost two days since I've been inside of you and the way you look right now, you're lucky I don't take you right on this table."

"Do it, Mr. Grey."

"Anastasia Steele! What have I created?"

Walking into the gallery with Ana and Kate is like walking into the Twilight Zone. For once, nobody notices me or Elliot but everyone, without exception, takes notice of the women walking next to us. A woman with a black bob haircut walks over to us and greets us, offering us a glass of wine and a booklet. When she hands the glass over to Ana she gasps and laughs, grabbing at Ana's arm and pulling her closer.

"You're the hit of the opening! Everyone is talking about your portraits! Five of them have already sold!" Oh hell no. Looking at Kate next she smiles wide and continues, "And three of yours have sold! You girls are quite the muses!"

Elliot steps forward at the same time I do, "Where are they? The pictures?" She blinks as if noticing us for the first time and then openly gapes at me. It's a face, you have one, I have one, now get out of mine.

"Um, right this way."

"Kate! Ana!" A tall girl with flaming red hair comes barreling over to where we're standing and hugs the girls, pulling herself away to examine them at arm's length. "Wow, you look killer, both of you."

"Lisa, my boyfriend, Christian Grey. Christian, my friend Lisa Badlecki." I reach out to shake her hand, thrilled to be introduced as her boyfriend for the first time.

"Hi, it's nice to meet you, I'm so glad you could make it." She greets Elliot and Kate before turning back to me. "Have you seen the pictures yet? They're really quite remarkable."

"I haven't, please lead the way. I'm anxious to see my girlfriend on film."

The gallery is divided by type of photo beginning with landscapes before moving on to stills of everyday objects. I haven't noticed what was in one single frame, my attention is focused on the back wall where huge photos of some guy I've never seen before are set in a straight line.

"Jose! Amazing! You've done amazing! I'm so proud of you!" Kate is gushing, hugging Jose and bouncing up and down. He's grinning from ear to ear, clearly proud not only of his work but of the amount of people here to admire his it. When his eyes settle on Ana I see the affection flicker across his face and a jealous rage ignites in my gut. He reaches for her and I instinctively pull her away from him, stepping in front of her body so that it's me he touches instead.

"Mr. Grey, I'm so pleased you could make it." He looks confused and offers his hand. I shake it and lean in to growl into his ear.

"Where are the pictures of my girlfriend, Mr. Rodriguez?" He pulls back and smiles as he reaches behind him to pull a girl up next to him. She's young, perhaps 20 or so with straight blond hair and the look of love in her eyes. Jose looks at her with pride, she is a beautiful girl I'll give him that, and introduces us.

"Rachel, my friends Kate and Ana and their boyfriends, Elliot and Christian Grey. My girlfriend, Rachel Graham." She steps forward and shakes our hands and Ana uses the opportunity to sidestep me and hug Jose, quietly congratulating him on the show and on his new girlfriend.

To see him hug her, actually touch her in that dress makes me absolutely crazed but when I go to reach for her arm, she shrugs me off and begins to talk to both he and Rachel about how and when they met. When they begin to walk towards the back room where her and Kate's photos are she glances back at me, slitting her eyes and walking away from me.

I'm at a total loss, this has never happened to me, I have never been in this position before and I have no idea what to do.

"Go with them, Christian. I'm pissed too but I know better than to piss off Kate as well." I don't even look at Elliot but do as he says and walk behind her, watching her ass sashay seductively under that fitted red dress. Damn, I want those shoes up around my ears tonight.

"Oh my god." Slips out of my mouth, a low mutter heard only by my own ears when I see the pictures of Ana hanging on the stark white wall. There are ten in total, all in black and white, all of her in different facial poses, all of them beautiful. As my eyes take in the oversized photos of her smiling, frowning, laughing and pouting I feel her hand touch my arm.

"You're beautiful. Stunning." I can't take it in, the beauty of her captured in these pictures but it's the last one that truly takes my breath away. It was taken head on but her face is turned, staring into the distance at something unseen in the frame. Her shirt has slipped off of her shoulder to expose her collarbone and the tender skin of her neck. This picture is so intimate it pains me. He has captured an underlying sadness and vulnerability in this private moment that makes the viewer feel connected to her in a way rarely caught on film.

Ana rests her head on my arm and slips her hand into mine but I've seen enough to fly into a blind rage. I need to deal with this, now.

"Mr. Rodriguez, a word." Jose walks over to me with Rachel by his side. "How much for all of them?" He smiles and holds his hands up in surrender.

"Five have already been sold."

"Has that one?" I point to the one of her in visible solitude.

"Yes, that was the first photo the gentleman wanted." No. I will not let another man, or woman for that matter, have a picture of my girlfriend hanging on their wall to ogle at and examine. Nobody is allowed to see her like that except for me.

Rachel must see my expression because she jumps in, extending her hand to Ana's elbow and steering her towards the bar so that I can speak to Jose alone. Once they're out of earshot I turn to him and bark.

"How much to buy them back?"

"Mr. Grey, they've already been sold, I can't just buy them back."

"Yes, you can. How much? I'll pay you their fee, plus whatever else you want but I want all ten and the negatives."

He's conflicted, I know he could use the money but he doesn't want to burn bridges with future customers. This is a language I know well.

"Did you sign a contract with the buyer?" he shakes his head no as he tries to work out what it is he wants to do. "Who is it then? I'll approach them myself."

"Mr. Grey, I don't know how comfortable I am with" rudely I interrupt him, I don't have time for this amateur bull shit.

"Jose, she's my girlfriend. I don't want her image hanging on some dick twitch's wall for him to look at whenever he wants to. Give me his name and I'll contract you to hang one of your photos on every single floor at GEH." That seals the deal for him as the sure status bump and the enormous visibility pushes him over the edge and he fingers a man sitting at the bar laughing with the bartender.

I scan the room quickly to find that Anastasia is surrounded by girlfriends of hers and not in his line of sight, something I need to take advantage of now. Once he sees her in the flesh, there's no way he's going to sell. I wouldn't.

I walk over to him and extend my hand to him, catching him off guard but good manners prevail and he shakes back. "Christian Grey." My name carries weight behind it and I see the familiar recognition when his hand withdrawals.

"Dan Temple. Have we met before?"

"I don't believe so. I wanted to speak to you about a business deal. Can I take a moment of your time?"

"A business deal? Sure."

"You purchased a few pictures tonight, I'd like to buy them from you." His surprise is evident but he's shrewd, immediately taking a defensive stance and crossing his arms.

"I paid $15k for them. Clearly I want them." I swallow the laugh, $15k? $15K? Is he serious?

"I'll give you $30k then. You make your initial money back plus another $15k." He laughs and asks the bartender for a shot for both of us.

"I haven't paid yet, you'll still have to purchase them from the photographer." Who the fuck cares.

"Even better for you, you had a good night, you had a few drinks, you made 30 grand." I wave Jose over and he brings the black haired woman with him. Once we verbally consent and I sign the paperwork to purchase all ten photos, the negatives and the pictures taken that didn't make it to the wall, I buy Mr. Temple another round and walk away to find Anastasia.

"Where were you?" Elliot has been keeping Ana and Kate company, clearly unhappy with my disappearance. I see the yellow slip of his own purchase hanging out of his suit pocket and hold up mine as a show of solidarity.

"Purchasing. I'm ready to go, I'll bring Ana to Escala and send the limo back for you and Kate in an hour or so." The fucker just grins and waves me off, he knows exactly what I'm planning and me leaving now leaves the limo to just the two of them later. Win/Win.

"Baby, you ready to head home?" Ana swings around surprised. I lean in to whisper in her ear, letting my lips graze her neck when I speak, tickling that sweet spot just behind her ear. "I want to fuck you in the limo and I can't wait one more minute to do it. I'm desperate."

"Well, when you say it so romantically like that, how can a girl refuse?" She giggles, I get harder.

"Ana, there is nothing romantic about what I want to do to you right now."

"So would it be a good time to tell you that I'm not wearing panties then?" Fuck! We don't say goodbye to anyone, I just grab her around the waist and walk out the door to the waiting limo, telling Fitch to take the long way home. Baptism by fire if you want to work for me.

My pants are unzipped before he even shuts the door. Ana sits down on the leather seat and shrieks when I grab her ankles and pull her to the edge, pressing my face into her cleavage and licking up her neck to her ear.

"Spread your legs." She does immediately and my hand finds her pussy, uncovered just like she said it was. "I love how wet you are for me already. Are you still sore?" I watch her face carefully when I slide two fingers into her but she only throws her head back and moans.

"I want it now, Christian." Perfect 'cause so do I. I don't even take off my suit jacket, I just pull her closer to me, pull myself out of my pants and sink my cock into that tight tunnel of wet silk. "Oh god yes!"

"Fuck, Ana, you feel so good. This is going to be quick baby." Leaning back on my heels I pull her slightly off the edge of the seat and finger her clit in rhythm with my thrusts as I stroke into her again and again. One of her feet is propped up on the window, still in those silver encrusted heels while I hold the other in the air and fuck if that visual doesn't just start the tingle. "Come for me, Ana, come for me now."

"Don't stop, please don't stop. Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck I'm gonna come, Christian!" The second I feel her tighten around me I leap up and slam into her, watching those diamond earrings sparkle with each thrust. I come like a freight train without brakes and slide my hands to her ankles to hold the heel of her shoes, pushing them as wide as I can. Just as the last shudder runs through me we hit a bump and she clenches again prolonging my climax.

"Two days ,two days of not being inside your pussy and you've got me coming like a teenager again. Shit, what kind of magic do you weave?" She laughs and kisses me, reaching for the tissues at the mini bar. I can only take the seat next to her and lay my head back while I recover.

"When we get home, I want you to strip naked and get on the bed right away. The only things you are allowed to wear are the earrings and the bracelet." That $560k is going to be the best money I ever spent.