Authors note: Guest Africa, Guest Bella, Guest Leah I love love love you all. I know you don't want to sign in so I'll leave it at that but I so value you ladies and so many of the other 'regular' guest reviewers.

CPOV

"I've put someone on her 24/7 until further notice. So far, the intel we have on her is accurate. According to her phone records she's received a total of four calls from Esclava numbers since late May and has called there a total of zero times."

"And the others?"

"I can have coverts on them in less than an hour but currently they're all accounted for and quiet. No calls to or from Esclava and none to or from Ms. Parker either. They've all signed on the site within the last month according to Barney but most didn't until the public announcement of yours and Ms. Steele's relationship."

My attention shifts to Barney, uncharacteristically sitting with his legs crossed. He's in a dishwater gray shirt three sizes too big and a tie that I'm sure he's had since he was in grade school. I demand professionalism from all of my employees, dress included but for some reason, the thrown together look of Barney works for me. He shifts and uncrosses his legs, sitting up straight and adjusting his tie but not one time does he look at his notes. Doesn't have to, he's a damn genius. That's why he works for me.

"The site is accessed regularly, at least once a day and has been up and running for close to two years now. The administrator is 'number6'. Each user is given a number and then initials as a sign in. The most frequently signed in numbers are 2, 5, 6, 11, 14 and 15. Number 6 and 11 are on twice a week on average. Number 15 is on daily it seems."

While he talks I write out the names of my subs in the order they were with me and line up the names to the numbers. 2-Jillian, my first sub after Elena. 5-Michelle, 6-Lillian, 11-Susannah, 14-Leila and 15-Kate. At one point or another most of my subs had admitted to developing feelings for me with the exception of Elena and Courtney. It was the reason almost every one of their contracts were terminated. Looking at the frequent users of this site it's painfully obvious why these women are on the most. All of them told me they loved me and all of them begged for more.

Actually Lillian wanted more but never said I love you and according to her records, she got married less than one year after we parted ways. I'm surprised to see her listed as the administrator but when I recall her occupation and it makes sense. She's the IT director at a huge marketing company based out of Kirkland. This website would be nothing for her to run.

I spent the better part of last night going through each icon, making notes on things I found relevant but admittedly there was little on there that was negative and nothing that was inaccurate. The actual content blew me away though.

Favorite meals were listed out along with recipes, books that I mentioned reading were put on a 'suggested list' so that the current sub could have things to discuss with me. Under clothing there was a listing of my favorite types of lingerie and a list of things I didn't like. Favorite songs, movies, newspapers, anything and everything that they could glean information on they did and then posted it. I can't help but notice that the question mark icon was pretty much empty. That particular list was for random facts about my personal life.

It was sparse, a testimony to how closed off I had been with these women. Seven and a half years worth of relationships and the only intimate information on the page was the assumption that I had at one time been burned by cigarettes and that I hated the scent of gardenia. The rest of it was tidbits easily mined off of the internet. Seeing my isolation like that was sobering.

At the end of the day, the website's purpose is clear. To help my future subs give me the best possible experience they can by reading information gathered by my former subs. It's a clear violation of the NDA's they all signed, even if its intention is good.

Barney hands me a list with the dates that each sub signed on and activated her profile and as I suspected, the first 11 signed on within four days of the site going live. The last four signed on within one day of the beginning of their contracts. It took Lillian almost six weeks to get to Ana, the only 'sub' who didn't go through Elena.

Taylor realizes it too and gives me a look and a nod.

"How much lead time do you need to shut this shit down? Permanently?"

"Less than one minute, Sir." My hands scrub over my face in frustration. I'd love to shut this down now but if we do that, then everyone that knows about it will be on high alert. Since Ana is the last one to have been given access and is still 'with me', my fear is that they'll assume she told me about the site and that I'm the one responsible for shutting it down. If Elena is involved in this, and I'm sure that she is, then I need as many lines open to me as possible. Disabling the site now, tempting as it is, can't happen.

Barney leaves on a word from Taylor and shuts the door behind him.

"Have you had Ms. Steele reach out to Ms. Parker yet?"

"No. She's at Krav right now and then she's going to see Dr. Fischer. Frankly, Taylor, I can't stomach the idea of her sitting down at a table with anyone from my past. I don't know if what Lillian has to say is going to be helpful or hurtful and I'm not sure I want to take the chance."

"I'm not keen on the idea myself, Sir. I see the potential pay day this could bring us as far as information on Ms. Lincoln but there is no way to know how to prepare Ms. Steele for a situation like this." Taylor shrugs, just as conflicted as I am before he turns to go. Alone with my thoughts I look at Barney's timeline before me, the names and dates of my previous subs and the listing of $25k deposits into Elena's fake bank account. Unfuckingreal.

I had never once thought about how she recruited these women, I just assumed she knew what she was doing and told her when I was ready for someone new to come along. Not once did I consider that she was selling me to them. But here it is, in black and white. After my $100k finder's fee there is a $25k wire deposit as well and each date lines up with the contract start dates. Fucking bitch.

She had to have told them who I was, had to have divulged that information before they signed the NDA. Once they knew my name they could easily find out how much money I have and the amount of power I wield. What's $25k when you have the opportunity to get even more? I bet she promised them gifts and shopping sprees. And like a fucking puppet I did just that at her urging. Fuck!

I never pay attention to the money I spend, I don't need to. Cars, apartments, wardrobes, jewelry, I spent hundreds of thousands on these women. Victim. She used me again.

If I wasn't in my office I'd scream in frustration. Her usage of me didn't end when I cut things off with her all those years ago. She leeched off of my fame and my influence and rode my tail all the way to the higher echelon of society. She used my name and my mother's friendship to launch her salon and then she sold me, literally sold me to these women. That cunt played both sides of the game and fucking won fourteen times in a row.

Until Ana. I chuckle and shake my head as I watch the rain beat down on the window of my castle in the sky. It took a young, naïve, virginal girl to upend both of our worlds. Except, I ended up on top and Elena, well, she's just hanging on with her blood red fingernails in a panic. Time to stomp on her fingers.

First the confrontation in my office and the Coping Together Gala. Then the lies she leaked to the paparazzi and my parents about Ana being a gold-digger. Then the contract and her unsettling appearance at dinner. Then the pictures of my exes. And now this.

Her blackmail of me is nothing, less than nothing when I compare it to what she's trying to do to Anastasia. If she's unwilling to let this go even after being made aware of the incriminating photo we have against her, then there's no telling what she'll do.

The latest shit we have on her is boring as fuck. Work, dinner with that woman Pamela and home. With Pamela. That's the only interesting thing in her entire life. I know Elena has been with women before in temporary Dom/sub role play, I'd even been a part of it occasionally but I've never known her to have a female sub. And certainly not a girlfriend.

Financially she's been stagnant as well. It's almost as if she knows we're watching that bank but I don't know how she could. Ana's right, our best bet is to destroy her from the inside out. The big question, the huge motherfucking unknown is what role Lillian plays in all this. Until I'm sure she's not dangerous, Ana's not meeting with her and even then, there will be security all over that restaurant.

Taylor knocks once and then enters, face flushed with excitement, something I've not seen since Ana was in the hospital.

"He sold the earrings 10 minutes ago. $34k. I've got a guy on him right now who can take him down once you give the word."

"Carla Adams?"

"In the car with him." Fuck and fuck and fuck! It's a lot easier to do something when emotions aren't involved and as much as Ana says she wants her mom arrested, the idea of it and the reality of it are two very different things.

"Ana?"

"In her session." Fuck! Once Carla is arrested, there is very little, if anything, we can do to stop the legal process. Trust me; I've gone over this with my father twice already.

"Do it. Get it all on film, both video and still. I want pictures to show Ana so take some where her mother isn't in them." Without another word he turns on his heel and walks to the conference table, leaning over it on his fists while he barks into the phone I didn't notice he was holding. We stand in silence, the phone now on speaker and listen. Welch walks in and joins us, glee, absolute glee written on his features.

I hear the telltale dinging of a car door being left open and then someone yelling to 'get down', 'hands behind your head', 'stupid cocksucker'. I feel like I'm listening to an episode of COPS. Is this the right thing to do? Morton is one thing, Carla is a whole other issue. Can Ana handle this? It's not too late to ignore her involvement right now, nobody's called the authorities, and nobody's been arrested.

"Welch, I want those earrings." He nods once and speaks into the phone pressed up against his ear.

"The police will need them as evidence, Sir."

"Do what you have to do, I want them back. Make as big a donation as necessary to whatever fund they want but those earrings are to be in my possession by end of business today." I'm going to wrap them up in Morton's mug shot and give them back to Ana tonight. His voice grumbles low in the phone again and he listens, watching me while we wait for whatever is happening on the side of the highway in Atlanta to end.

"They may require them back as trial evidence if that becomes necessary. If they plead out, you're good though."

"Fine." He nods and types away at his tablet as a voice I don't recognize comes over the speaker.

"Both in custody. The police will be here in less than five minutes." I can hear Carla screeching in the background about how she's not involved, how her husband can't find out. I hit the end button and sit down. It's done. And I feel like shit because I know, just know, that Ana is going to be hurt by this.

"Sir, the Atlanta PD is going to want to speak with you so if you could make yourself available when they call, it would make the process much easier for all involved." All but Ana.

The day drags by, my tension hitting an all-time high when Taylor announces to me that Ms. Steele is on her way up. The minute she walks in she knows something is off, I can tell by the way she slows down and the way her eyes open up fractionally.

"Hey, are you alright?" Her soft voice blows around me like fog and blankets me in a calm I never knew existed until a few weeks ago. A text comes through just then from Welch, 'earrings will be here at 6p'.

"Just a big day. I wanted to ask you, one last time if you were absolutely sure about your mom." Her chin rises knowingly and she breathes deep.

"I'm sure." Relief splinters through me; little shards of joy that threaten to pierce my skin and fall to the ground. She won't leave.

My own thought, so casually tossed out into my mind startles me. I can't live like this, always afraid of her leaving. She has never given me any reason to believe she'd leave but here I am, paralyzed by that very fear. I need to call Flynn.

"Good." She stands in front of me and sighs when I run my hand down her bare leg. "How did it go this morning?" She looks happy and relaxed so I can only assume that things went well.

"Awesome. I put Sawyer on his ass." She grins at my confused expression and then sits on my lap, running her fingers through my hair and resting her head on my shoulder.

"I asked him to spar with me, he's been going to each lesson and I'm sure he's learned a few things so I wanted to fight him. I'm no match for Eyal yet and I could see, just see that Sawyer thought he'd best me but in less than three minutes, he was on the ground."

She is elated, as happy as I've ever seen her and I know it's because she feels like she's got some of her power back. Sawyer's getting a raise. Today.

"That's great, baby. You'll have to spar with me one of these days." She guffaws and stands to go.

"Please, like that would even be fair."

"I'd go easy on you." She stops, chestnut curls swinging to the side and crinkles her face at me.

"Grey, you'd last less than a minute before you were crying for your mama." I laugh when she turns to go and cross my arms in front of my chest. She's probably right.

APOV

"Dad, it was…amazing. I'm telling you, he snuck up behind me and I just reacted. Totally went into fight mode and turned, chopping him in the throat and then taking him down. He got, like, four good hits in but I was on fire!" Ray laughs into the phone and chokes on his drink at the same time.

"I knew you had it in you, Annie. Did you leave any marks?"

"I hope so! I'm going to make him show me his chest later because I landed a roundabout to his ribs that had to hurt." I'm so freaking giddy that I feel lightheaded. For the first time in weeks I feel like there is nothing between Christian and me except the truth and a future. I had a great workout and spar with Eyal and my session with Dr. Fischer was productive without being overly emotional. I'm on top of the world.

"So you're coming up here on Sunday for your friend's wedding? What time will you be finished with that?"

"Hell if I know. How long do weddings usually last?" Men.

"Are they having a reception?"

"A brunch at one o'clock at some restaurant downtown. It's their third marriage so less fanfare thank the good Lord."

"Well then you'll be finished by dinner time. Maybe we can meet up with the Greys so that you can meet them." My heart begins to race and my palms sweat, this is a huge step but one I'm ready to take. Introducing Ray to anyone is special to me so bringing him around Christian's family is enormously significant.

"Talk to that boyfriend of yours and see what he says and then let me know." I'm silent for a few seconds and notice that I'm biting my lip. I've got to tell him.

"Dad, Christian had Stephen followed. He and mom are having an affair."

"Yup, I know, sweetie. He told me in Aspen that he was trying to nail him. I didn't know about your mom being involved until yesterday though. Can't say it's a shock, she cheated on me with him so why would she be faithful to someone as dull as Bob?" I laugh but can't help feel bad for the guy.

"Don't be mean, he's about to get his heart broken."

"No he's not. Once Carla leaves your life you realize quickly what a toxic waste she is. Sorry, hon, I know she's your mom but you made a good decision to cut ties. Bob's a nice guy, he can do way better than her."

"She stole from me." He sighs, loudly and lets it hang there.

"It's not the first time, Ana." My heart picks up and my palms sweat. "Your dad had a military pension that she collected on. Some of it was specifically for you but she spent that just as quickly. He also had an inheritance from his parents. I only saw the paperwork once but it was upwards of $250k and that was over 20 years ago. You were the sole beneficiary since it was set up to go to the next living relative but once your mom got wind of it, she hired an attorney who was able to fight the original clause and then the money became hers. I fought her tooth and nail about it for years. That was your college fund, your wedding fund, your house fund but she spent it all."

'Get everything you can'. She had said. I just didn't realize she meant from me too.

"I…I didn't know."

"I wasn't ever going to tell you. So long as you were striving for a relationship, I didn't see it as my place to destroy that hope but now that you've been made aware of who she really is, it's time you knew. She breaks people, uses them and takes all she can and then walks away without any consequences."

"Dad?" He answers softly, knowing what's coming next.

"Did she do that to you?"

"No, baby. She tried but she gave me you and nothing in the entire world measures up to having you in my life. When she took you away, it nearly destroyed me and as much as I hate that fucker for ever laying his hands on you, I'm so grateful that she let you come back to me. I know you don't have my blood but you may as well, Annie Steele."

It hurts to breathe when your heart swells so big it pushes against your lungs. Sometimes family isn't shared with DNA or blood lines. This man is more of a father to me than most. I have a boyfriend who wants to share his life with me. I have friends who I think of as sisters and brothers and I have myself. These people have helped to shape me and mold me and have lifted me up and carried me when I needed them to. My mother has done none of that.

"Thanks, dad." I should say so much more but I can't, I don't want to cry anymore, not even happy tears. "You put me back together and I love you for that and for a thousand other reasons. I can't wait for you to meet the Greys."

"Oh my god that was ridiculous! SO fucking ridiculous!"

"Kate, you can't show up unannounced to the building and expect to just hop on the elevator. In case you didn't know, he's…what did the papers call him…a BillonHunk. He needs to be cautious." She rolls her eyes and flops down next to Lisa in the chairs across from my desk.

"What-ever. Ridiculous. I was waiting for them to ask for a blood sample." I have to laugh because in some ways, she's right. Getting anywhere near me is getting more and more difficult but as the papers print more and the photographers snap more, it becomes clear that a lot of this security is absolutely necessary.

"Well, now you're on the list." She raises her pointer finger and twirls it around in a 'whooptido' move that gets me and Lisa laughing.

"Speaking of the papers, you're in them again today."

"I know, Jacqueline told me when I came in. Idiots. They've still got me knocked up, meanwhile, I'm on the rag as we speak." My eyes slit and focus on hers. She shifts and looks down, she knows what's coming. "And it was not your place to tell Christian that I was late. That was a total breach of the girl code." She holds up her hands and lays her head back.

"Guilty and sorry. I was so worried about you though. Ana, in five years I've never once seen you like that. You were lying on a bathroom floor, the color of that white chair and mumbling. It scared the ever living shit out of me."

Just then the door bursts open and Elliot walks in, dirty from head to toe in jeans and a t-shirt. Kate stands and kisses him, hugging him despite the dirt and giggles when he grabs her ass and whispers in her ear. Christian isn't far behind him but unlike his brother, he's put together in an impeccably tailored navy pinstripe suit.

"Lisa, Kate, welcome to GEH." He tosses over at them and then kisses me, handing me a Starbucks that he and Elliot must have stopped to get for me. He doesn't grab my ass as much as caress and cradle it but the intent is clear. He wants me.

"Yeah, some welcome. I had to promise them to sacrifice my cat before they'd even let me get in the elevator and then those two secretaries you have wouldn't let us past the front desks until Ana herself came to see and even then Sawyer, who freaking knows me, had to be standing next to her."

Christian purses his lips and grins while Elliot rolls his eyes and sits Kate on his lap.

"Assistants." Kate looks at him and knits her brows.

"What?"

"Andrea and Jacqueline aren't secretaries. They're my assistants. Ana's too." Her hand flutters around in a 'who cares' shrug and then resumes rubbing on Elliot's arm.

"No fair, I want a Grey boy too!" Lisa whines. Elliot grins.

"Plenty of me to go around sweets, come on over." Kate smacks his chest and kisses him again. It's heartwarming to see her like this.

"Hey, Ray is going to be in town on Sunday. I was thinking maybe we could have dinner with your family and then he could spend the night. I know he'll want to be home for Monday but if we do dinner, it may be late."

Christian cocks his head to the side and grins. "Meeting the parents? Are we ready for that?"

Elliot throws his hands above his head and laughs. "You're talking about marriage for fucks sake!" My cheeks burn and Kate smacks his chest again but he pretends to be wounded and rises. "A pissed of Kate, a blushing Ana. My work here is done. Come on Katie girl, I'll buy you a donut if you give me a quickie in the elevator."

"Elliot Grey! You are a pig!" Lisa is laughing so hard she's got tears in her eyes as she waves her hand at us. Halfway out the door I hear Kate say, "Jelly?" Elliot laughs and puts two fingers up behind him in a strange peace sign.

"Laters!" he calls. Elliot and Kate together is like a whirlwind sometimes.

"Hi." I say when we're alone again. "What's up?" He points to the door and looks at me quizzically.

"Why was she here anyway?"

"To meet up with Elliot. He had lunch with you she said." He shrugs and sits, pulling me down on top of him.

"He brought me a sub and then talked my ear off for 45 minutes on some new building he was bidding on across town. What are our plans tonight?"

"None that I know of."

"I'm leaving for Portland now for a meeting and then I'm going to meet with Flynn for a few minutes at six and then I'm going to come home and make us dinner."

"Wait. You're going to make dinner? Or buy it?" He covers his heart as if he's wounded and gasps.

"Well, reheat whatever Gail has out. But I wanted to just be with you."

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you at home."

My cell phone rings then and I see it's Missy so I excuse myself and answer it while he walks out, blowing him a kiss and telling him to be safe.

"Ana, a Liam Halen called for you earlier today. Said you'd spoken to him at some event about using our services for a project he's got going on. Sound familiar?"

"Yes! That could be a huge account, what did he say exactly?"

"Just that he was interested in meeting with you and would like to do so on Friday if possible over lunch. Your schedule is clear on this side of things so I penciled him in for one and told him I'd call to make any changes if necessary."

I know Christian isn't going to like the idea of me going out to lunch with Liam and I'm sure he's not going to like the idea of me working with him either but I'm a business owner and this is business. No part of me is interested in anybody but Christian anyway.

"Perfect, thanks, Missy!"

As it is I get home before Christian does and busy myself with laundry and a little online shopping. I tried after work to go to a few stores to get him a gift but I was mobbed and freaked out. Sawyer wasn't too keen on being the only CPO at the time so we headed home before Christian could tell us to. Just as I complete my order there is the telling ding of the elevator and in walks the hottest man this side of…anywhere.

"Hi." He sweeps me up and lifts me onto the counter, wrapping my legs around him and hooking them behind him but he doesn't kiss me right away.

"You." Kiss. "Make." Kiss. "Me." Kiss. "So." Kiss. "Happy. So fucking happy." We stand like that for a few minutes, just reconnecting from the day and enjoying the privacy of our alone time. "Now," he steps back and rubs his hands together, "what did I make for dinner?" I laugh at him and hop down, opening the oven door where he reaches in with potholders and pulls out the baked mac & cheese.

"Mmm…I outdid myself." He hums his approval as we eat, curled up on the couch in the library watching the evening news. This is so normal, so homey.

"What did you and Flynn talk about?" He pauses only momentarily before he sips his wine and puts his glass down on the table in front of us. I've never asked him about the specifics of his appointments but the question came before I could filter it. "You don't have to tell me, I wasn't thinking." I say quietly. Stupid!

"Actually, I want to tell you. I think you need to hear it and you also need to know a few things." He rushes to add when he sees my shoulders tense, "Nothing bad, I promise!"

"First, we need to talk about your security." Oh come the hell on. Not this again. "I know I agreed to not have your emails monitored but I'm really uncomfortable with that. For a few reasons. If Lillian sending you to that website highlighted anything, it was that an online presence can be just as dangerous as a real life one. Also, in the two days we've not been watching, Barney alerted me to almost nine thousand unsolicited emails dumped into your spam folder. Any one of them can have a virus or Trojan horse that could compromise your online safety and your privacy."

What the hell is he talking about?

"Furthermore, it's unrealistic for you to be with me and not have every safety measure in place but I realize that this is a colossal change in your life. So I want to propose a compromise." He lifts his glass in the air. "I want your emails, both personal and business monitored but I won't be the one doing it. Barney and Welch will keep an eye on it and if there is anything we need to be made aware of, they will alert both of us. Sound fair to you?"

"Christian…"

"Ana, there are certain things you are going to have to bend on if you're going to be in my life. I don't like it, my family doesn't like it, you don't like it. But it's a reality."

"You won't be spying?"

"No, I won't even ask for your passwords." I guffaw at him, like that would stop him. He's right though.

"Agreed." We toast with a clink and finish our glasses. His long body unfolds and he stands, walking out of the room to get another bottle of wine. When he comes back he's got jeans on and a small package wrapped with an orange bow. With a huge smile and a bit of trepidation he hands it to me and sits, pouring our glasses full.

With a slight tremble I pull the bow and the paper unwraps immediately, unfolding to a picture of Stephen Morton, in an orange jumpsuit, holding a placard in front of him with today's date stamped into the corner. I haven't seen him in years but he looks just the same. He may as well have punched the air out of my chest right then because that's exactly what it feels like to look at this assholes face.

I stare, quiet and contemplative for what feels like an hour until Christian opens the box and pushes it under my face. The earrings. He got me back the earrings and he did exactly what he said he'd do. He put Morton in jail. For me.

"I…I don't know what to say. This is the oddest and best present anyone has ever given to me." He smiles shyly and takes the earrings out, handing them to me. I remove the small silver studs I have in and replace them with the diamonds. "I really don't know what to say." My head snaps up, earrings brushing against my neck. "My mom?" His face tightens and his lips disappear into a thin line.

"She's been arrested as well." I wait but nothing. No emotions, no anxiety, nothing.

"Do you have her mug shot?" He lowers his chin as if to ask if I really want it and I nod.

"One minute, baby." When he comes back I've memorized the picture of Morton in my hands. He looks scared and shocked. Much like the way I spent three years of my life with him. Buh-bye dick head.

"You sure?" He says when I stretch out my hand and I nod, taking the picture and closing my eyes before I look at it.

There she is. My mother. In an orange jump suit, eye makeup smeared over her cheeks and hair all over the place.

"She fought the arresting cop."

"Oh." It's all I've got right now.

"Your name wasn't mentioned to her but before the cops hauled him off the guy assigned to his surveillance told him that it was you who was putting him back in jail." He looks shyly at his hands and sighs. "I hope that's alright."

I push the pictures to the floor and crawl on his lap, covering his face with kisses and hugging him to me as tightly as my little arms can manage. He chuckles beneath me but lets me do what I want to him until I lay prostrate over his chest, drinking in his scent and committing it to memory.

"Thank you." He smiles against my head and plays with my hair, pulling the curls straight before releasing them to bounce back up.

"No problem." After a beat he speaks again, his voice low and soft. "Her one phone call was to me."

"What! Are you fucking kidding me? She called you?" He nods and pushes my head back down to relax me but I sit back up and pull at his shirt.

"Tell me everything." And he does, from the arrest to the booking to her phone call. Her bail was set at $100k so she needed the cash to get out of prison before Bob found out. And she had the fucking balls to call Christian!

"Did she know it was because of you she was arrested in the first place?"

"I don't know how she could have known so no. She said she didn't know anyone else who had that kind of cash and that I owed her."

"You…owed her? How?" He shrugs.

"Hell if I know. Anyway, I told her to fuck off and hung up. Last intel is that she's being assigned a public defender. Morton will too but for now he's in interrogation and hasn't requested one, dumb fuck."

For close to ten minutes the only sounds are the ones coming from Erin Burnett on the TV. When he reaches for the remote and clicks it off I sit up and reach for my wine, drinking half of it in one very large sip.

"You wanted to talk about Flynn?" He takes the hint and leaves my mom behind, smiling that secret smile that says, 'I'm so into you'. He warms me through and through.

"I do." His body shifts so that he's sitting straight up, bracing himself for a speech I know he's already run through in his head.

"So, after the other day, when you told me, 'it wasn't always about me', I got to thinking. About a lot but mostly about that statement. I couldn't figure out what you meant but when I met with him yesterday I mentioned it and we went over a few of the conversations we had since my parents found out." I shift on top of him, trying my best to ignore the hard rod pressing against my black yoga pants.

"I realized something. Each time I'd fuck up, my main concern was that you'd leave. Obviously I didn't want to hurt you either but instead of communicating that, I just kept begging you to stay and asking for your reassurance. I took away from what you were going through because I was so consumed with fear." Holy crap he got it.

"For instance," He sits back and begins to talk with his hands, "when you wanted a break, I kept hounding you and then I kept asking if you were coming back instead of just leaving you alone. I couldn't, I was so afraid you'd leave that it was all I could focus on. Instead of really listening to what you were trying to say, I focused on my need to have you near. Also," I hold my hand up to silence him.

"I get it, Christian, I don't need you to crucify yourself by going over all of the things you think you did wrong. I could have handled it better myself too you know." He rubs his chin and shakes his head.

"Not really, Ana. Anyone else would have totally lost it and jumped ship. You came close, but you didn't lose it. You're a lot tougher than you think." I am and I'm just now starting to believe that.

"We love each other. Deeply and totally. I'm not willing to walk out of here without coming back and I'm certainly not willing to let you be fearful of that."

"I know, but it was still unfair of me to focus on that instead of just letting you do what you had to do for yourself. So, I addressed it with Flynn tonight and I think I made actual progress." My head tilts and I kiss him, licking his upper lip with a groan. Christian Grey vulnerable and excited is moving in both body and mind.

"Later, I want more of that later." His hands grip my hips tighter and push me down at the same time he pushes up, both of our eyes fluttering closed at the sensation. He groans and then pulls back, adjusting himself when he begins to talk.

"In my life, I've never been attached to my feelings, my emotions as the head doctors like to say. I worked, I worked out, I fucked, and I slept. On occasion I visited my family out of duty but never opened up to them. And then you came along and changed everything. All of the sudden I felt attachment and with that attachment came other emotions." He's so animated right now it's hard not to beam at him with sheer joy.

"I wanted to be a part of something other than GEH. I was interested in other things like…you. OK, so I was really only interested in you but then you introduced me to your friends and I wanted to be a part of that because it was a part of you. To be with a group of people that went out dancing and to dinner and laughed together because they shared a life, I didn't want that until you came along. And humor, you make me laugh more than anyone ever has and Elliot is pretty damn funny so that's saying something." In between each sentence he grows more animated, the words just spilling out of him in rapid succession.

"You made me connect with people in a way I'd seen from the outside and had always envied even if I didn't realize it. Your presence gave me a pride in myself that had nothing to do with GEH or my money. Taking care of you and protecting you gave me a real purpose and opened my eyes to a side of me I never, in a million years thought possible."

"And the love. God damn the love I feel for you is suffocating and liberating all at the same time. It scares the shit out of me and brings me more peace than I thought possible."

"So the idea of you leaving, the idea of you taking these new emotions, these new experiences away is terrifying to me because, here's the kicker, I like the new me. I have never, ever liked myself. I hated myself, thought I was horrible and disgusting and just plain wrong but you make me feel more me than I ever have and I like myself." His hand shoots to his hair and he rolls his eyes.

"Shit, just saying that out loud floors me." He stares at me with passion behind his eyes and pins me to him with one look. "You brought color to my world and my fear is that if you leave, you'll take it with you." My heart thuds to the front of my chest and pushes, as hard as it can to get out and cling to his.

"Christian, I'm not going anywhere."

"I know that now. And in some small way, I know that without you life wouldn't be as good as it is but that I'd retain some of that color because it's in me now. You've changed me." My hand rests over his heart again to feel the beat of it. Strong and steady, just like him.

"I didn't change you. You changed you, I just handed you the tools. Don't believe me? Why did you spend so much time and money on shrinks? Why did you try so hard to shield your family from secrets you thought would hurt them? You've always cared, you've always been good." He purses his lips and his eyes shift around as he processes my words. "For what it's worth, you've made my life so much better in so many different ways." This is hard for me to admit to but it's important that he knows.

"I struggle with my own issues of self-esteem and my own fear of inadequacy and rejection but your faithful and steady presence and love in my life has started to chip away at those things. I used to wonder why you'd want to be with someone like me and now, just in the last few days, I think, 'we're perfect for each other'. And that's not because I had some overnight epiphany, it's because you've made me feel that way." One side of his mouth rises in a half smile and his thumb brushes over my bottom lip, pulling it free from my teeth.

"Ana, I want to marry you. I know it's crazy soon and I know you're only 22 but I want you to be my wife. I want you to call me husband. I want to look across a crowded room and see a shiny rock on your finger and I want to say, that's my wife." Oh. My. God. Is he proposing?

"I know you want to wait, and I will, but you say the word and it happens. I want you, married to me, forever." I'm surprised at my own disappointment when he doesn't actually propose. Is that what I want right now? To get engaged? "Promise me that when you're ready, you'll tell me. Just give me that much and I'll back off on it for now."

"I promise." And then I kiss him with everything I have, pressing my entire body to his in an effort to meld as one. I feel so safe, so small when I'm with him like this, tucked into his body, my legs drawn up so that my knees rest under his arms and my arms wrap around his neck. We fit so perfectly together that I can't help but believe we were made for one another.

CPOV

It takes everything in me not to whip the ring out of my jeans pocket and get on my knee right then. If I wanted to ask her before, I'm dying to now. When I picked it up this afternoon I sat in the back seat of the car outside of Cartier for 20 minutes, marveling at the beauty and significance of it.

Flynn is the only one who knows but I might tell Elliot. I feel like I owe him that much and I know he'd be supportive. When we stand to leave the library I watch her gather the dinner plates and refold the blanket over the couch wondering how this was even possible. How can I love someone and then have the unbelievable luck of them loving me back?

In the kitchen she loads the dishwasher and rambles on about the bachelorette tomorrow night. I'm not pleased that there are two guys going along but she assures me they're gay and a couple so I can't argue too much about it. Sawyer will be there as will Kate's CPO. When Hyde was caught we moved her to Morton but now that that's over with, she's back on Kate for tomorrow night. I can't wait to hear Elliot bitch to me about her bitching to him. Along with the three coverts Taylor hired, Ana should be well protected.

"So we'll do the spa first and then we're going for dinner. Thank you again for letting us use the Mile High Club." She stops mid reach and smiles sweetly before putting the plate on the rack. "Then we'll load up in the limo and go over to Review." Her tight little ass sways as she wipes out the wine glasses and then stretches to put them back into the cabinet.

Her mouth was great last night but what I really want is her under me, screaming my name as I rock into her. I'm desperate to feel the soft skin of her thighs around my hips and hear those feminine little moans that drive me crazy.

"Ana, come shower with me." Maybe that'll loosen her up about this whole 'no sex on my period' bullshit. Her lips purse and she smirks.

"Nice try, Grey. Not a chance." I stop myself right before I launch into pout mode. Damn. "You go shower, I'll be in in a few minutes, I just want to call Missy and give her the rundown for tomorrow."

"Ana, this is stupid. If you would please recall, I've already had your blood on my cock before and I liked it." She snickers into her hand and falls back on the bed, a blush covering her from head to toe.

"You are impossible! That is totally different! I'm not comfortable with it, please, I'm begging you, drop it."

"Fine. Yet another reason to get the damn shot. You better be one of those women who doesn't get this bullshit each month because of it." She rolls her eyes and I lift my hand with a twinkle in my eye. "Did you just roll your eyes at me, Ms. Steele?"

"I dare you." As quick as I can I tackle her, roll her over and land four hard swats on her ass. She yelps and rolls away, lifting her own hand, brown hair wild around her face.

"Do that again and I'll spank you right back." Something tells me she would too.

"Oh! I almost forgot." She sits on her knees and blows her hair out of her eyes. "Liam Halen wants to meet me for lunch tomorrow to discuss hiring my company for a project." Hell fucking no.

"No. Can't do it. I need you at GEH tomorrow." Her head dips to the side and she smiles.

"Christian, no, you don't. I'm at Steele Translations on Fridays. I know you two have some sort of history but if he hires me, it's almost as big a deal as landing GEH was. The money alone would be crazy."

"Ana, you don't need the money. You've got my money."

"Your money is not mine and even if it was, I want to work and earn my own living and be a business owner in my own right. It's important to me." She's ready for a fight and I'm going to give her one if she insists on working with that scumbag.

"He's a womanizer and he's a liar. He's a shitty person that I won't do business with again not to mention that he's got a thing for you and hates me. It's the perfect storm." She is not working with Liam Halen. Period.

"A thing for me? Christian." Her chin lowers to her chest as she looks at me like I'm crazy. "Not every man has a thing for me despite what you think."

"Yes, actually, they do. He wants you, he said as much at the Amazon party." Her brows knit as she takes that in, her brain working to figure out what I mean.

"Did he come right out and say that?"

"No, he said I had better watch out when it came to you. I'm a man, Ana. I know what he meant. I saw the way he looked at you and I didn't like it." She sighs, big and heavy and falls back onto the bed.

"Christian, I just started this company less than a year ago and I'm doing well. Really well and I'm proud as hell about it. I don't want to push away business and I certainly don't want to push away business that will get my name out there in a big way. I want to at least meet with him and see what it is he has to say. If he's a creep or I get a bad feeling, I'll walk out, no harm done." I remain silent, eyes fixed on that flat triangle between her thighs.

"Let me ask you, business owner to business owner. If you had the potential to make a shit ton of money at your startup and get your name out there but I didn't like the woman you'd have to work with temporarily, what would you do?" Shit, she's got me. Business is business. This is a language I know.

"I'd set strict parameters, ensure that you were as comfortable as possible and get down to brass tax. I get it, I do. I just hate the guy."

"What about if I brought Matt along? He's the Asian liaison so he'd be the one I'd assign to Liam anyway."

A laugh threatens to bubble up. I would love to be there when Ana and Matt walk in and he finds out that Matt, not Ana, will be the one he's working with. Maybe Sawyer can film it.

"So you wouldn't actually be working with him alone?" She shakes her head.

"I don't think so. If Matt's assigned, then he'd be the point person."

"And no travelling?"

"Of course not! I'm not an idiot! Geesh, I wouldn't ever put you in that position no matter who it was." I want to smile at that but I don't, I need to stay in CEO mode right now.

"Lunch. One hour. Sawyer will be there and Matt will be there. If he decides to contract Steele Translations, he does so under a written contract clause stating that you will not be going anywhere with him and that his point of contact is Matt, not you."

She jumps back on her knees and claps her hands together.

"You're really ok with it then?" OK with it? No. But I can't live in a constant state of paranoia and she can't feel like I run her life. Plus at the end of the day, she is a business owner and I have an enormous amount of respect for what she's built and what she's trying to build.

"If those conditions are met." Her lips brush up against mine and she throws her arms around my neck.

"Agreed. Thank you, Mr. Grey." She hops up then and grabs the book she's reading, walking over with her eyes set on mine to the sitting area. One finger crooks up and she beckons for me, tapping her book to indicate that I should bring mine as well. When I join her a few minutes later with my own book she moves from her chair to mine and curls up on my lap.

If I can have this the rest of my life, I know I'll always have what I want. This will always be enough for me, for us. There is such contentment in these moments with her. When our lives merge together without words and we just enjoy the presence of the other there's nothing better.

When she's engrossed in a book she notices nothing else. A dump truck could rumble through here and her eyes would never leave the page so I take advantage and study her close up. In my minds eye I can see her with a few wrinkles, a few gray hairs, maybe a few age spots on her flawless cheeks. I want that, to see her like that in 60 years. I want to be old and wrinkly and have her still sit on my lap.

The ring digs into my thigh but she doesn't seem to notice it. The wait will kill me but the reward is worth it.