APOV
"Namaste, Anastasia. Thank you so much for coming in early tonight." Oh god, here we go.
"Hi Jared. How are you?" He shuffles behind me, brown hair piled high in a knot on top of his head and ushers me into his office. Sawyer walks in behind us much to Jared's surprise and I'm shocked to find that I expected him to follow. I guess that means I'm getting used to all of this.
"Ana, as you can see your classes are huge. Filled to capacity with a waitlist. You're an amazing instructor and a good physical example to the benefits of Pilates but we both know it's your newfound fame that has caused a jump in membership here. I've got people lining up two hours before your class hoping for a walk in spot."
"Are you upset, Jared? I know you had to hire Sal for the nights I'm here but I can stop teaching if it's become too much of a hassle." His eyes skitter to Sawyer who stands at the door, arms crossed in front of him.
"Quite the contrary. I'd like to ask you to take on another class. Maybe one in the morning. I've got a waitlist for your specific classes over 100 people deep."
Yeah, and almost all of them are pariahs hoping to cash in on my relationship with Christian. In the short time I've been publically with him I've noticed how many new 'friends' I have. People I haven't spoken to in years all of the sudden are asking Kate and Missy for my phone number or email, family that I've had little contact with now want me to come to a 'reunion'. The list goes on.
"I really don't have time for another class, Jared. I'm sorry. It's hard for me to juggle the two I have now." He looks momentarily panicked but I rush to assure him I'm not leaving. "This is cathartic for me, an outlet if you will. But I can't take on another commitment right now." He hesitates and takes a deep breath.
"Alright, I understand. I have another proposition for you." He pauses and takes out his ponytail, running his fingers through his hair. When he sits back and steeples his fingers I know we've crossed into business mode. "The website is wildly popular. Again, we both know that you're the reason why and while I hate making you feel like I'm using you, the truth of the matter is, I kind of am." He bites a hangnail and reaches for a green drink on his desk. "I was hoping, with Christian's approval of course, that you'd model for a billboard advertisement on I-5."
Sawyer shifts behind me and says gruffly, "Mr. Grey."
"Right. My apologies. Mr. Grey." There is no way in god's green earth he'll go for me on a billboard. No way.
"Jared, I hate to say no because we're friends, but no. I'm totally uncomfortable with that. I mean, the website was bad enough, but a billboard? No way." I can envision it, driving along I-5 and there's me, in a leotard bent in half. Oh hells no. Christian would stroke out for sure.
He sighs and sits down heavily. "I understand. I do. If you decide to change your mind, I'd work with any photographer you chose."
"I won't be changing my mind, Jared. But thank you, it's flattering." When I turn Sawyer shoots me a look that says, 'are you fucking kidding me' and then holds the door open.
"Ana." When I turn he shrugs and reties his hair. "I'm pushing it, I know this, but to not capitalize on your newfound popularity would be foolish for both of us. I have one more idea." Sawyer cocks his head to the side, eyebrows raised and recrosses his arms. "An instructional DVD. We could share screen time and cater to both men and women."
"Jared," I start and close my eyes, disappointed that it's come to this. "I'm not a commodity for you to use. I understand as a business owner the concept of striking when the iron's hot but I'm not willing to sell myself. I'm in a relationship with someone, I've not done anything to garner this type of attention and I'm not comfortable with it to begin with. To expose myself more for no real benefit to myself would be stupid. I'm going to pass on anything outside of teaching these two classes."
He wants to argue further but Sawyer rises to full height and clears his throat. Conversation over.
On our short drive to Krav I ask him if he's already told Christian what Jared asked of me.
"No, ma'am. I don't report back to him things like that. I assume that's something you'll tell him yourself. I'm under orders to only report security issues and blatant acts of male affection." I snort at his description and smile to myself.
"When did that change?"
"Ma'am?"
"When were you told not to spy on me but to only protect me?" His arms turn the wheel, pulling into a parking spot and very nearly hitting the photographer standing there for a shot.
"The night you left him and stayed in that roach motel." He turns and levels at me, large arm slung over the back of the passenger seat. "Permission to speak freely, Ms. Steele."
"Uh, I don't know what that means but go ahead."
"That was a bull shit move. You're a smart woman but that was a bonehead mistake. Anyone could have taken you or hurt you. There are quite a few people out here who have it out for Mr. Grey or who see him and you as a meal ticket. Leaving in an angry huff and not allowing anyone to come along with you was stupid." My head drops to my chest in shock. "And frankly, after what you and I have been through, I found it personally offensive as well."
"I'm…sorry, Sawyer. I wasn't thinking clearly." He turns, puts his Aviators back on and opens the door.
"I know, and I can understand why you freaked out. But in the future, I will not obey any order that puts your life at risk. I don't care how pissed you get or if I lose my job. Now come on, I need to redeem myself and kick your little ass."
Eyal is back to ordering me to confront the attack from Hyde and I meet him yell for yell, my voice faltering only when it coincides with a direct hit.
When I've recited the entire ordeal without pausing or becoming emotional, he stops me and places his hands on my shoulders, pride shining in his brown eyes.
"You have taken back your power. Be proud. Now. We begin to teach you how to prepare your mind should someone ever want to harm you again. Awareness, when it meets preparation, is a weapon in and of itself."
For the duration of the class we act out scenarios and the answering movements to combat them. When he motions for Sawyer to come onto the mat I grin and give him a wink. My 6' 4" bodyguard snorts, rolls his eyes and lunges, unexpectedly pulling me to the mat.
Turns out, I'm still the shit when it comes to hand to hand Krav style fighting and Sawyer has the bruise above his eye to prove it. High as I'm floating right now, it all takes a back seat when we walk into the Mile High Club and see Heather.
Sawyer gives her a curt nod and she smiles back, pensive and tight before hugging me and sitting back down with a huff.
"What the heck was that about? I thought he spent the night and you were back in business?" She looks around to ensure our privacy and then sighs, wiping at an errant tear.
"I thought so too but turns out, he's just an asshole! You know he didn't even ask me if he could come over, he just got out of the limo when it pulled up to the apartment and followed me inside. Never said a word, just pushed me up against the wall and went to town."
"And how was it?" She rests her face in her hands and moves only when the ahi tuna appetizer is placed in front of us. "Did you order?"
"No, they said that Christian called and wanted us to try some new dishes." Oh, this sounds like fun! "It was…awesome. Amazing as usual. I feel like there is such an energy between us, such a pull and when we come together, it's off the chain good. He's open and honest and talkative and then he leaves and BAM! Nothing. Again." She looks at me with sad eyes and shakes her head. "I can't do it anymore. I like him, a lot. I could love him if I let myself but I can't let him treat me like this. I'm not a booty call kinda girl."
I should have knocked his ass out on that mat.
"I'm surprised he's acting like this. I admit I don't know him all that well but I'd never, in a million years, think of Luke as a player. Taylor's known him for ten years and he told Christian that in that entire time he's known the guy to have one girlfriend and a short list of one nighters." I know I shouldn't but I offer anyway. "I can try talking to him if you want."
She smiles and rests her hands in her lap.
"I would never ask you to do that, Ana. I know he works for you and I would never ever ask you to cross any lines for me. I do appreciate it though." She takes a bite and waves her fork around. "I'm going to file this one away into my 'I'll always wonder what could have been' file and move on. No more hot sex with him, no matter how good he looks." She groans and closes her eyes. "But my god he's so good at it! Did you know he can cook too?"
"He can?" She takes a bite and tells me far more about my security guard than I ever wanted to know.
"Oh yea. Sex makes him hungry so we'll do it, and the man can last for a long time let me tell you, and then he cooks. And not just a snack. A full blown meal. Friday night after we did it the first time, he made penne ala vodka from scratch. Then after the third time, he made chicken parm. At six in the freaking morning." She closes her eyes and rolls her head around. "And my god, after the sixth time, he made a cheesecake. A mother fucking cherry cheesecake with graham cracker crust!"
"Wait. Did you say the sixth time?" She laughs and has the decency to blush when the waiter pours us a bit more wine.
"Oh yeah. Between Friday night and Sunday morning, nine times total. And he never, and I mean never, comes before I do. He is all about fair play. Shit, I need to stop talking about this, I'm getting all excited and upset. If I don't relax I'm going to punch him and fuck him all at the same time and I promised myself there would be no more fucking." I snort.
"Well, I took care of the punching, take a look at the shiner above his eyebrow when we leave. Consider it an early birthday gift."
By the time dinner comes we've killed a bottle of $400 Pinot Noir and start in on the second one when our short ribs are laid out in front of us.
"Holy Lord Devin's right. Kegels. You need to keep that man happy, I could get used to this kind of life, Ana." Heather closes her eyes with every forkful, moaning so loudly I'm sure that Sawyer can hear. Well played.
"It definitely has it's advantages." I murmur as roasted vegetables melt in my mouth.
"And it's drawbacks. I saw the TMZ bull shit about you being mother of the year. What a bunch of idiots. I mean, even I'm getting calls from old friends looking to get in your good graces. I get why you aren't responding to the rumors but damn, it's so hard when the paps corner one of us to stay quiet. Did you hear what Devin did?"
"Oh my god, what?" Anything with Devin has to be dramatic.
"Some sleazyass reporter got in his face at a Kinko's on Saturday and asked him about his relationship with you so you know Devin, he launched into how long he's known you, how awesome you are, how in love you and Christian are. Well, it was all going fine until the idiot asked if he could confirm the rumors that you gave a blowjob to some guy in the bathroom at the club. Devin went ape shit. Smacked him clear across the face and left with the dudes tape recorder. The entire thing was caught on the store's camera too."
"A blowjob in the bathroom?" My stomach begins to churn just thinking about how Christian will react to this.
"Yeah, someone has you and Casey going into the bathroom on tape. I'm sure they also have Casey making out with his boyfriend too but that's not nearly as interesting."
"He hit the guy?" She nods and chews, moaning her appreciation for the food. "Why didn't he tell me? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
"Ana," she says, placing her fork on the table and dabbing her mouth with the napkin. "you've got enough going on right now with Hyde's arrest and your mom and the company exploding. There is no reason to involve you in drama. I shouldn't have said anything but you would have found out at some point. The asshat is threatening to sue so eventually it'll make the papers."
"How do you know about my mom?" My stomach drops out of me just as the air rushes out of my lungs. Her face turns scarlet and she closes her eyes briefly.
"Shit. I'm sorry. Missy had called her on Friday to see if she had the company cell phone she borrowed when you spent the day together and Bob answered…" Her voice trails off and we both stare at our plates in silence.
"She really stole your earrings? Your own mother, Ana?" I nod once, slowly and with effort. I've avoided really thinking about my mom for a week now but it appears as if my hiatus is over. "You know Bob is filing for divorce then?"
"I don't know anything. I don't want to." She sits up straight and leans over to kiss my cheek.
"We weren't gossiping. We're all just really upset for you. But that's why Devin kept quiet about this."
"Wow, for Devin to keep quiet about anything is pretty major. Who knew all it would take was a felony arrest?" My laugh is light but my heart is heavy. "Does Christian know?" She shrugs and takes another bite.
"I have no idea. The only people who do know as far as I'm aware are the ones Devin told and that reporter douche." I can't stifle my snort. Right, like Christian Grey isn't going to find out about this.
"You seem a hundred pounds lighter today." Dr. Fischer crosses her legs and smiles warmly at me, immediately making me want to spill my guts. Damn she's good.
"I'm leaving for Liberia in two hours for five days." Her head drops to her chest in astonishment.
"Liberia? Not the first place I would think you'd go on vacation to."
"It's not a vacation. Christian heads a non-profit called Feed the Nations and he's meeting with the president, who is a woman by the way, and a prince to get more money. Plus he's got the regular duties to fulfill while he's there."
"And your role in this trip is what?" I hadn't really given much thought to 'my role'. I was just excited to be going at all.
"I guess to support Christian. Ideally I'd like to have some involvement but at what level and on what premise I don't know."
"Alright, I look forward to hearing about your adventure. Now, what is it that you'd like to start with today since you refuse to speak about your mother?" I give her an eye roll and she answers back with a smirk.
"Well, this may sound unbelievable to you but now that you know about his previous lifestyle maybe it won't. I'm going to sit down and have lunch with one of his ex-subs." I wait for the brow raise, the cluck, the leading questions but she says nothing for close to a minute.
"Alright."
"That's it? You don't think I'm crazy?"
"Not at all, actually. I think this may be a good thing in the long run assuming she's sane and your meeting her with Christian's knowledge."
"Yes. I can't vouch for her sanity but I know she's been closely monitored and from all outward appearances she seems normal."
"I've been doing a lot of research on this particular lifestyle so that I can help you navigate it better and it's actually quite common for prospective subs to meet with a Dom's past subs to ascertain that his treatment of her was good. I realize your meeting isn't for the same reasons of course but you're an intelligent woman with good judgment so I have to trust that you can handle it. But I have to ask, what is the purpose? If you aren't a prospective sub, then why sit down with her at all?"
I explain it all. How Christian was molested, how Elena Lincoln has been a festering sore in my side since day one, her attempt to undermine me and her brazen attempts to lure Christian back in. She takes it all in, stopping me only one time to ask if I was given permission to share this with her, and then lets me finish.
"Phew. Well, first and foremost, I think it says a lot about Christian's dedication to ensuring your wellness that he allowed you to tell me his story. Secondly, do you really feel that this is a necessary step in the right direction for you to get over your preconceived notion of what BDSM entails?"
"Yes, I do. I want to sit down with someone who has lived that life and I want to hear, from them, that it was a desire of theirs. I want them to tell me that it didn't perpetuate a cycle of abuse, that it didn't demean them or damage them."
"Ana," she says softly. "I think many people, especially a woman, would be hesitant to believe that this type of sexual interaction could be consensual and pleasurable. But for someone like yourself who came from an abusive background, it's even tougher to get your head around. You've spent years in therapy trying to overcome the rejection, humiliation and shame that comes along with actual abuse. You've seen the effects abuse can have on self-esteem and that's why you're having such a difficult time accepting that what he did with those women wasn't harmful." She uncrosses her legs and sits forward, eyes boring into mine.
"To you, hitting equals wrong. To most of society, hitting equals wrong but in a safe BDSM interaction, hitting equals pleasure and fulfillment. Are you open to listening to the other side and are you willing to open yourself up to the fact that you may be wrong? Because if you're not, then you're wasting your time."
I laugh and throw myself back against the couch. "I hope I'm wrong! I really do! And subconsciously, I already think I'm wrong."
"And you're ok with sitting and talking to a woman who has had sex and done a number of other things with your lover and potential future mate?"
"I am. I've compared myself to these women and I've gone back and forth a hundred times but here's the reality. He chose me. He could have had any of them, he could have dated them or made love to them at any point but he didn't. He chose me. Just like I think it's ridiculous that he gets jealous over guys I've kissed, I think it's unfair to punish him for doing things before he ever met me. He chose me. Period. The end."
She leans back and takes in a long breath, balancing her glasses on the tip of her nose before taking them off.
"My suggestion would be to make sure you really feel confident in yourself. Not just in your appearance but in yourself as a person and in your relationship with Christian. And I'd also like for you to schedule a session with me for the same day so that we can work on any issues that may arise right away."
"Excited?"
"I am! Are you?" Christian sits back and stretches his legs, crossing his hands behind his head. He looks especially delicious this morning in jeans and flip flops with a white button down, sleeves rolled up, top few buttons undone and his signature Aviators. If we hadn't gone a quick round before I left for Dr. Fischer's this morning, I'd be desperate for him.
"I am. These trips are usually a mixed bag for me. It's a heavy thing to see people suffering but at the same time, I feel like I'm actually making a difference. I have to say though," he shifts his body towards mine and pulls my lip from between my teeth with a shake of his head, "I'm looking forward to showing you the operations. Nobody's ever come with me on one of these trips, it's a rare opportunity to show you what goes on."
"You're proud." He smiles big and reaches for a piece of fresh cut pineapple.
"I am. And now I can share it with you now. That's pretty sweet if you ask me."
Regina comes out of the cabin then and greets all of us with a smile and the details of our flight plan. Her father will be meeting us in DC and will be flying with us to Liberia so that we have two pilots when we cross the Atlantic. In the cargo hold, besides the luggage for our group, are boxes and boxes of medical supplies that Grace has secured through her connections at the hospital.
"I'm happy to see Prescott here." He grins and winks, flicking open the New York Times and turning to the business section.
"I thought you might be. You were right you know. About how it was unfair of me to suspend her because of my jealousy. Don't let word get out but I apologized to her and paid her for the time she was on suspension." He pops a grape in his mouth and smiles, leaning back to read.
I turn and look for her, happy to see that she's in the fold of things and reading a book next to Ryan and Reynolds. Christian and I are in the front, sitting next to each other and drinking our coffee while everyone else; Taylor, Sawyer, Reynolds, Ryan and Prescott sit towards the back. Everyone but Sawyer is reading which brings a smile to my face. I love when men read, it's sexy as hell.
"Did you bring a book to read?" One French tipped fingernail traces the line of his collarbone. He really really looks good this morning.
"Mmmhmm. 'Into the Wild'. I've wanted to read it for years but I've always been too engrossed in work to do much recreational reading. Yet another thing you've brought to my life." Just then Nanette places freshly made Greek omelets in front of us and then does the same for our security.
"More champagne, Ms. Steele?"
"No, thank you." This is the life.
An hour later Christian heads into his office with Taylor and Sawyer for his daily security debriefing leaving me alone to digest my session with Dr. Fischer. As many times as she's tried, I have avoided talking about my mom at all costs. The emotions are so jumbled and so overwhelming that I don't know where to begin.
She chose Stephen Morton over me. A man who hit me and hated me and tortured me for three years of my life and she chose him over and over and still does. Where do you go from there? Christian thinks I should just wash my hands of her completely and never acknowledge her existence again but taking mother advise from him is plain foolish. We are one big walking mommy issue.
"Everything alright?" Sawyer pauses on his way back to his seat and nods once, warily sitting in the chair across from me when I motion for him to.
"Everything's fine."
"You seem off today. Is something bothering you?" He rests his head back and shakes it slowly back and forth.
"Not a thing. Got a good job, a healthy family, money in my pocket and I'm going to Africa for the first time in my life."
"All that's missing is love." He doesn't sit up but he does look at me down the bridge of his nose before he sighs and motions for me to continue.
"Go ahead, I know you want to and I deserve anything you have to say."
"Permission to speak freely or whatever it is you asked for yesterday." He chuckles and looks at the closed office door, turning back to me.
"You don't have to ask me if you can speak freely, Ana, but go ahead."
"She likes you, Luke. I've known Heather for five years and you're the first guy I've seen her cry over." He sits up straight and crosses his ankle, picking at an imaginary piece of fuzz on his pant leg.
"She cried over me?" And by that reaction, I know he's into her. He's just not the user type, I knew it!
"She did. You led her on for weeks and then dropped her just when she thought things were going to the next level. Then you show up at her house on Friday night with the assumption that you'd get a piece and you did, only to drop her again two days later. No strings sex isn't Heather's style so if she let you stay on Friday, it was only because she thought it might lead to more. So to say you hurt her is an understatement."
"I didn't mean to hurt her but I can see how I did." His voice is quiet.
"She's my friend, Luke. I won't get involved in your personal life but when it comes to my friends, I'm going to have something to say when I see them hurting." The two minutes of silence that follows is uncomfortable but I refuse to say anything else unless he does.
"Did you know I was in Afghanistan?" Uh...what?
"No, I know you were in the military but that's all I know."
"Special Ops. I joined straight out of high school, got my degree in Linguistics and then shipped out for five tours of duty in four years."
"Wait, did you just say you have a degree in Linguistics? Why did you never say anything?" He grins and shrugs.
"I'm assuming that was the main reason I was hired. Camaraderie with you and all that shit. I studied Middle Eastern languages though so when you go off on someone in Spanish, unless you're yelling for water or saying goodbye, I have no clue what it is you're saying."
"Anyway, when I left I had a girlfriend, same girl for three years. I met her at the bank I used to go to off base in Texas but it took her asking me out before we finally went on a date. I loved that girl, thought I'd marry her, remained faithful to her over five tours even when every other guy in my squad was cheating. I got my ass handed to me for that for four fucking years but I loved her enough to find pride in it." My heart starts racing as his tone shifts from reminiscent to angry.
"After my fifth tour I left the military altogether. Got fed up with the bullshit of being shipped out and shit on so we moved, bought a house together in Houston, I got a ring, lined up a proposal and then went to visit my parents in Chicago for a long weekend. That Saturday the forecast called for snow, 18 inches overnight so I booked an early flight and flew home to surprise her."
"Just like out of a bad Lifetime movie I walked into my home to hear her in my bed with someone else. I thought I was going to throw up but I somehow made it up the stairs to see her and a buddy from my squad going at it. Turns out, they'd been hooking up for two years. Two fucking years!"
"I tossed her ass out, sold the house, called Taylor to help find me a job and swore off relationships for eternity. And it was working out just fine for me until I met Heather." He takes a deep breath and wipes his palms on his jeans over and over, staring at the clouds through the small window.
"I can't go through that again, Ana. I like Heather a lot. I could fall in love with her and that's why I left a few weeks ago. Those feelings scare the shit out of me. But then I saw her on Friday and she was talking to that guy and I thought I was going to kill him so I swore to myself I'd be with her just one last time, get it out of my system, you know? I didn't realize she liked me, I just assumed she was in it for fun since that's always been the way she presented it to me."
"Well, yea, of course it is, Luke. She was trying not to scare you away." He shakes his head slowly, looking down at the floor.
"I like her a lot, she's awesome and it doesn't hurt that she's a yoga instructor." He grins until his eyes meet mine. I find no part of that cute right now. "But I could never recover if my heart got broken again. I can take down a fully armed insurgent with my bare hands but I can't handle the pain of that kind of rejection again."
"You don't need to worry about that, after last weekend she's not going to allow it for herself either." He grimaces and gives me a half smile. "But I can tell you this about Heather. She'd never cheat. It's not in her to be like that but that's neither here nor there. You've got to do what's right for you but as far as my friends go, I don't want them hurt."
He inhales as if to say something but instead he stands as Christian exits his office, pausing mid-stride when he sees Sawyer. Before he's gone I reach out and touch his forearm so that he turns to look at me.
"I'm sorry that happened to you. I really am." He flicks his sunglasses back down and smiles, walking away and taking his seat without saying a word.
CPOV
"Tony what was the initial reaction when you handed the files over?"
"Nothing, Sir. The man assigned to the case took the files, shook my hand and thanked me. At this point, we just wait until they have the time to go through everything. I've made it as clear as I can in the hopes that it will speed up the process but it's the US Government we're talking about here."
"And the identity theft? Burt?" He clears his throat and coughs.
"I've handed it over to the FTC, the local police in Walla Walla and here in Seattle. Same as the IRS, it's out of our hands now." Welch joins in, offering little more in the way of information.
"We're continuing to monitor both Lincoln and Pamela Wincher. Anything that comes up that can be of use we'll turn over to the authorities immediately."
Elena has done a good job of keeping her activities private, that much I'll give her. Her inner circle only consisted of myself and her last long term sub, Issac, but now that we're both out of her life, there is little in the way of cracks into her day to day activities. I'm pissed at myself for not paying more attention over the last few years but I was too busy building my empire and keeping my own secrets to give two shits about her life.
"Is Ms. Steele still willing to meet with Lillian Parker? At this point, I feel that our best bet is to get inside as she suggested and using someone Lincoln seems to trust is the best way to do that." Taylor shoots his gaze to me and I meet it head on. This is a conversation we've had a few times in the last week.
"She thinks she's ready but I don't feel, and neither does Taylor, that she is. I don't care how desperate I get, if Ana changes her mind or shows any hesitation, I'm not allowing it. I'd like to pull as much information on Ms. Parker as we can so that if this meeting does take place, then Ana can go in with the upper hand. Ideally, we'll come at Elena at the same time the investigations by the FTC and the IRS begin so that she's weakened, occupied and exposed."
"Yes, Sir. Moving on, we've seen two calls from the Fulton County Jail in the last 48 hours to Ms. Steele's phone. Both times she's sent the calls to voice mail and per your instructions we haven't replayed them to listen but I thought it was worth mentioning. Mrs. Adams has been assigned a public defender but there's been a bit of a twist in the case that we've just been made aware of."
Welch knows better than to keep me waiting for information so after a quick breath and a shuffle of papers he continues.
"When Mrs. Adams was formally charged she started to sing like a canary hoping for a plea deal and it appears as if she's got enough information to get one. Morton's bakery delivery route has allowed him to distribute cocaine for almost two years now. From initial reports the operation itself is small and not associated with the bakery but if they can get this to stick, he's looking at two to thirty years before the stolen goods charges are even tacked on. Furthermore, if they can charge him with the intent to distribute, and they will, then the minimum is five years."
"Now that's what I'm looking for. Great work, Welch, keep me updated on anything that comes up. This is fucking awesome news. Find out who we need to grease over there to ensure he gets the maximum. I want that fucker in jail until his teeth fall out and he's in diapers."
"Already working on that end of things, Sir." Taylor asks a few questions as to the details of the charges against Carla but I don't give a shit about her. If we never heard her name again I'd be a happy man.
"Wait, she could get off entirely?" My good mood fades fast when I catch the last part of the conversation.
"She's been charged with a felony at this point and if convicted it carries a fine of $100k and up to ten years in prison. But to be honest, Sir, if they can use her to get to Morton's dealer and ultimately work their way up the chain on the drug front, she can get off with parole and a slap on the wrist."
"So she sold him down the river then?"
"Yes, totally screwed him over and he doesn't even know it yet. She offered up information on other things he's sold that were stolen as well, told the lead investigator where he keeps his coke stash and gave the names of two associates of his she knows are also involved in the distribution route."
Sawyer snorts. "No honor among thieves, right?" I guess not.
"Mr. Grey, there is one more thing we need to discuss. On Saturday a friend of Ms. Steele's, a Devin Jenea, was approached by a tabloid reporter in a FedEx/Kinko's store. The interaction seemed benign initially but the reporter crossed a line and Mr. Jenea assaulted him."
"Crossed a line how?"
"He asked Mr. Jenea about an oral coupling between Ms. Steele and a gentleman from their entourage."
My stomach retches as an involuntary image of Ana on her knees with another man flashes in front of me. Sawyer is watching me and shakes his head with a look of incredulity.
"Not possible." Sawyer offers from his seat. "The only time Ms. Steele was alone with a male was for less than a minute when she and her friend Casey Spaulding used the restroom."
"Casey? Devin's boyfriend?"
"Yes, Sir. And they are definitely not interested in women." I'm pissed enough just by the visual that I'm ready to tear a hole in the side of this plane.
"And what exactly did Mr. Jenea do?"
"I spoke with him early this morning when we received word of the incident and from his recounting of the scene, he told the guy to, and I quote, 'go fuck himself with his momma's dick and then choke on shit and die'. Then he smacked him across the face and kicked him in the groin." Welch can barely hide his chuckle and Sawyer can't. "He also took the recording device and when I asked him to retrieve it for me, he handed me a block of ice and then proceeded to tell me it had been submerged in water and frozen in a Tupperware. I've got it defrosting in the sink right now."
While I don't find any of this funny, I am pleased that she has friends like him and find I'm a bit jealous that he got to hit the asshole and not me. Sawyer and Taylor are red faced in a half assed attempt to not laugh.
"He...froze it?" Taylor sputters out.
"Sure did. He's quite a character, that one. The reporter filed a report with the Seattle PD and has made it clear that he intends to sue. The incident was caught on film but we can easily acquire the original copy of the tape and destroy it...Mr. Jenea is a pediatric trauma counselor so you can see how this could adversely affect his job. Currently there has been no motion filed but my advice was for him to retain legal counsel now in case it went that route."
"Have my father contact him today, I'll have Ana call him when we get to DC so that he knows to expect the call. Pay this reporter off, I don't want this going any further and I do not want that rumor hitting the press. If I see it printed anywhere, this guy will wish he was just dealing with a slap on the face."
Sawyer stands to go once the call ends leaving Taylor and me alone to discuss the current situations but instead of security updates, he tells me that he asked Gail to marry him and she has finally agreed.
"Wow, Jason, that's great, congratulations!" He smiles, big and genuine and shakes my outstretched hand.
"Thank you, Sir. It took a year for her to say yes so when I asked on Monday I expected the same old song and dance but she shocked the shit out of me when she said yes and then asked when. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"When you get married is of no consequence to me. You're both entitled to time off and to a life of your own. All I ask is that we get this Lincoln issue tied up beforehand if possible."
"Well, Gail isn't in any rush but I am. We're looking to do something small and intimate, just family, but I wanted to take her somewhere nice for a honeymoon. Somewhere where she has no opportunity to cook or clean or do laundry."
"Yes, she and you deserve that. You tell me when you want to do this and we'll work around it." He nods once and reaches for the door but I stop him in an uncharacteristic moment of weakness.
"How did you know, Taylor? That she was the one?" He smiles again and breathes through his nose, recounting a memory that he clearly enjoys.
"I wanted her the minute I saw her. I loved her an hour later. I knew she was the one the next day when I escorted her to your parents' house to drop off a suitcase and she tripped in the driveway and that gardener fuck, George, ran and helped her up. It felt wrong that I wasn't the one to do it and I knew right then I was a goner. I've been married before, Sir. I know what marriage entails and I know that in the end, when I'm waiting to die, the only face I want to see is hers."
"And how did you get her to finally say yes?" He grins and shrugs, turning the handle to the door but not opening it yet.
"Well, Sir. If I've learned anything about women, it's that they do what they want, when they want. We think we run the show but we both know that a woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle. I guess persistence is your best bet."
I scoff. Persistence? I can do that no problem.
Five years he's worked for me and this is the longest conversation we've ever had about anything personal. I look up to thank him for telling me but he's already gone.
What in the fuck was that? Sawyer? What the fuck is going on there?
"What the hell was that about, Anastasia?" Her green eyes flash to mine, anger at my implication flaring. I don't give a fuck. I'm furious.
"We were talking about Heather, keep your hair on, Grey."
"Get up." She blinks twice in shock but stands and lets me lead her, right past Sawyer who is conveniently looking out the window, into the bedroom.
"What the fuck was that about? Why the fuck were you touching him? Do I need to worry, Ana? Do I need to replace him because I will throw his ass off this mother fucking plane."
She sits on the bed and pulls her legs up, wrapping her arms around her knees and closes her eyes. If she doesn't start talking soon, I'm going to beat the living shit out of Sawyer.
"Did you just insinuate that I have something going on with Sawyer?"
"Yes and no. I asked if I needed to be worried. Has he done anything to come on to you? I have no doubt he thinks about you, he is a man after all but I want to know if he's trying to take what's mine." She says nothing at first, just lets her head fall to her knees and shakes it back and forth. Watching her back, coated with chestnut curls swaying from side to side is mesmerizing and oddly soothing.
"No, Christian. Of course there's nothing going on between Sawyer and myself. For fucks sake we were talking about him and Heather and some chick who broke his heart a few years ago." She lifts her head and looks at me. "Don't you ever, and I mean ever, accuse me of being unfaithful to you. That was bull shit."
"He works for us, Ana. He's not your friend no matter who he's dating." Her body unfolds slowly and she stands straight as a board, eyes trained on mine. In my head my own voice is screaming at me to shut up.
"You can go on thinking that for all of eternity if you want. But Sawyer will forever walk around with a scar across his body because he protected me. We shared a life altering event that will forever bind us no matter what the future holds. It doesn't mean we're into each other, it doesn't mean he has an attraction to me, it doesn't mean that we're best friends. He got that scar working for you but he did it for me nonetheless." She walks to me and stands a foot away, arms by her side, legs shoulder width apart.
"I'm not going to have this conversation with you over every man in my life. I'm just not. I understand jealousy, I deal with it enough when I watch every woman in the world drool as you walk past them. I will be as sensitive as I can to your...issue with other men and me but I won't placate you at every turn. We both need to work on that."
I may be a mile in the sky but I'm lost at sea right now. She leaves no room for argument, no room for brokering between us. It is what it is and what it is is my issue. I hate, absolutely hate that she and Sawyer share a bond that I'm not a part of. Is it unfair? Yes. Do I wish I had that scar across my chest? Yes. I have no doubt that he finds her attractive, she is. But he's a good guy and nothing he's said or done has ever given me pause.
"I'm sorry." It's all I've got. My fingers pinch the bridge of my nose and I lean back against the wall, dejected and pissed off at myself until her hands reach out and sweep up my chest and around my neck. Without thinking my arms wrap around her waist and pull her close. It takes a few minutes of holding her and breathing in her scent but my anger ebbs and in its place a new voluntary understanding takes root.
"I do trust you, Ana and I'm sorry if I made you feel differently. And I trust Sawyer as well, I do. I sometimes have a hard time accepting that the two of you will always have something that I'm not a part of. I don't like sharing you in any way."
"I'm not a possession, Christian. I live in the real world where there are men. I will have contact with some of these men. I can't be worried that you're going to get pissed off or worse, hurt by benign interactions."
"If I had my way, I'd keep you locked up in Escala. For my viewing pleasure only." She smiles up at me when I smooth her hair back. "Are we good now?"
"Yes. Two weeks ago you'd have gone nuclear on him. I'm proud of you, baby." She playfully pinches my cheek earning her an ass grab and a toss onto the bed where I promply join her, lying between her legs and holding her face to kiss her.
"Your friend Devin is causing quite a stir." Her palm flies to her forehead.
"Oh shit, I forgot to tell you about that. Heather told me at dinner and I meant to tell you this morning but then, well, you bent me over the dining room table and I forgot." Damn right you forgot.
"Welch filled me in. My father will talk to him today and hopefully we'll head this lawsuit off before it gets off the ground." She sits up and scoots back, sitting Indian style.
"You're going to help him?"
"Ana, the guy got into a fight while defending you. He's a good friend, of course I'm going to help him out." Her off the shoulder t-shirt hints to the supple curve of her breast, a sight so sexy that I can't stop my fingers from reaching out and brushing over the top of the swell. "Ana."
"Hmm?" Fuck she's got her lip between her teeth again.
"Take off your clothes." She leans back and laughs, bringing my errant hand to her mouth to kiss it.
"Are you out of your head, Grey? You all but accused me of cheating. I'm not having sex right now!"
"Who said anything about sex? I want to suck on your clit until you come on my face and I want you to watch while I do it." Her eyes get as wide as saucers and travel slowly up to the mirrored ceiling.
"OK." She says breathlessly, lifting her shirt off while I pull down her shorts and panties. She watches the whole time, alternating between looking down at me and watching from above and once she's gotten off she flips me onto my back and pulls my jeans down, sucking me into her hot little mouth without any pretense.
"Now you watch me."
"Like you need to remind me." The view from the mirror is almost as enticing as the view down my chest. The only thing that could make this better is if she had in a jeweled butt plug… That visual does me in and empties my balls, leaving me soft and satiated.
"Ana?"
"Hmm?" is her answering hum from under my arms where she's cocooned herself.
"I'm going to marry you."