Evil's POV – 5 July 2011
"WHAT? WHAT? He's marrying that fucking gold digging mouse? He's known her two fucking minutes and he's probably not even been able to fuck her yet with all her injuries and he's marrying her? What the fuck has she done to his brain? She needs to die!"
"Keep your voice down. It appears that a couple of people have tried and they haven't managed to kill her off, the girl seems to be indestructible."
"No-one's fucking indestructible, what are you going to do about it? What about her stupid mother? Can we get to her through her mother?"
"Oh, haven't you heard? The mother messed up something chronic and she's heading back here to the big house, she managed to breach some of her conditions so she will be up for trial as well now. The little bitch's mother is good for something I am sure, she can be used to keep the more rabid ones away from you and just for the payment of a few pills, don't worry, I'll arrange that."
"Speaking of which, what are you doing to get me out of here?"
"Shhhhh, keep your voice down. I've been talking to them, the money is being organised, the bastard has locked down all your funds, the salons are gone, all the money went on the loans, your house is about to be bulldozed and even the stuff you squirrelled away has been found."
"Fuck really? It's all gone? It means I'm, well we're, going to be beholden, you know that don't you? That never ends well. Fuck, and don't call him a bastard, he's just misguided at the moment, he'll come back to me."
"Are you serious? Get you head out of wherever you have it, he's never coming back to you, and how long has it been anyway? He's too old for you anyway… way too old….. Ouch, you can't slap me, you know how much extra trouble that will get you into, don't be stupid. Keep your horny in your pants and you may one day get a chance, do that again and you'll never see the outside of these walls."
"You owe me, don't threaten me! Let's stop arguing, what are we actually going to do? Do you think we can grab the skinny little bitch or is there someone easier? Ohhhh, I know, before skinny bitch there was… I've got it. I've got it. We just need it all worked out, who is going to do it, how much money we can raise so that this comes off the first time and then we are out of here, down to South America and freedom. If we kill skinny bitch as well, it won't trouble me at all."
"When do you want this to happen? Did the news say when he's getting married?"
"It didn't say but knowing him, he won't let that out because he doesn't want anyone knowing his private stuff, lucky for me really. When is my trial set for? We need to do it well before that and if the skinny bitch's mother is going to have to go to trial, we have to make sure that doesn't cock up any plans as well."
"I'll find out and let you know, now go, you need to go back to your cell and keep out of trouble."
"Oh wait, here they come on the news, look at them all looking like a happy family, ha, well, that won't last for long! I will get my revenge and the money I rightly deserve. Who is that blonde bitch next to Elliot? Ah, he was the one that got away; he always had such a beautiful body. Ah well, you can't have 'em all."
.
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Christian's POV – 11 July 2011
"Baby, it's going to be ok, everything has been changed with the security system at Grey Publishing, all the IT is now secure like GEH, Barney has been over there making sure it has all been replaced, there is nothing there that relates to security that was there when Jack and Elizabeth were there. Elizabeth resigned last week but she is still being tracked, Jack is in jail, management is on notice that the business needs to change and everyone has been informed that I am the new CEO. The directive has gone out that you will be restarting in your old position where, I must say, even in just the week you were there and the minimal amount of functional work that Jack gave you, it was enough for management to see that you had insightful comments."
"Sure that's what management told you once they knew you were my boyfriend," She snorts and it actually annoys me.
"Ana, I don't tolerate people blowing smoke up my ass and I wouldn't have said it if that's what it was, please don't be rude, these were notes on your work prior to anything that happened," and I can't help the annoyed tone. The contrite look on Ana's face as she shrinks away from me makes me realise that she still isn't used to this side of me and once we starting working together, I hope she won't start disliking me.
It's a small, "I'm sorry" and I haul her towards me as I again feel like an "arse" something I can now admit I have been all week, once it was pointed out to me.
"Ana, babe, you are going to have to get used to me being the big bad guy, I am not like that around you normally because you bring the absolute best out of me but I have to go back to being the business man otherwise the businesses which I have been neglecting are not going to be moving forward as they should be, but I promise, I'll try at home to not be so …what did you call it? Stroppy?"
Again a small head nod and then as she straightens her shoulders, "So exactly how much input will you be having at SIP, I mean GP? Will I be able to go get coffees without Sawyer, will I actually be left alone to do my work or will you be meddling?"
The "meddling" sounds somewhat defensive and I can't blame her, the last week has been an exercise in over control, rather me losing control of the situation and Ana being in danger with the stupid paparazzi appearing and following us around, making life difficult and resulting in Ana basically being under house arrest due to my instructions. Unable to do anything or see anyone and me needing to know exactly where she was at every second, questioning her every decision, her every communication, somehow becoming jealous of a phone call to Jose, finally screaming at her for going out onto the balcony unattended until she basically crawled into bed and sobbed herself to sleep, asking me to leave as she didn't want to see me as I was being "intolerable and an arse".
Respecting her needs I had gone and slept in the spare room and for the first time in well over a month, the nightmares were back and I was at the piano in the middle of the night, playing maudlin songs until she sat down next to me, not saying a word but resting her head on my shoulder, the tear stains on her face enough to tell me that she had heard it all and was blaming herself, when in truth it was entirely my fault.
I had paused for a second and lifted her onto my lap, pulling her against my chest and continued playing but changing it to a piece about the bird in a gilded cage and felt the nod against my chest. Kissing the top of her head, I groaned and had to beg forgiveness, my fear for her safety had pulled me right back to insecurity.
I'd said at the time "I'm sorry baby, all I want to do is protect you and keep you from every danger."
And she'd sadly said, "Yes but you're jumping at shadows and making stuff up, we need to make a new life, a real life, it has been lovely having you to myself or being with you, but you need to go to work and so do I, I have hidden long enough, we have to face the world and let it do it's worse and I think you'll find that they'll forget about us soon and leave us alone. The longer we stay hidden, the more that they'll think we have to hide, the longer they will enjoy the cat and mouse game and continue to bother us."
So here we are, arguing again as we both stress about the first day back at work for Ana, Ana validly wondering how much she is going to be able to do and me wondering how I can hide all the security staff all over the building so that there is no risk and so that she doesn't know about them. The covert ops guys are really going to be earning their money this time, in staying covert.
"I won't be meddling but I want you to ask me anything, no matter how small it is, I started at the bottom too and while I haven't worked in publishing before, all businesses are intrinsically the same. I can at least point you in the right direction."
"Thank you," although it doesn't sound like she believes me that I will leave her alone.
"I'm not saying that I won't pop in for impromptu inspections," and she glares at me until I continue, "Or to take you out to lunch, or bring you in a lunch to share. Baby, it's going to be hard for me to stay away, I suddenly have a hankering to learn about publishing," at which point, she swings her handbag at me with a smile.
"Lunch is fine, no impromptu inspections as that's not fair on anyone else."
A kiss on the nose and a deeper one that I have to break or we'll never leave and we grab our lunch bags prepared by Gail and are out the door to see what the day will bring. Sawyer, Ana, Taylor and I exit the SUV to an overload of camera flashes but Ana is now coping remarkably well, smiling as she walks carefully inside, my hand on her elbow on one side, Sawyer on the other side, and Taylor keeping everyone at bay to allow our passage means we make it into the building with a minimum of fuss and having ensured that Ana and Sawyer are safely in the elevator, Taylor and I retreat to continue to work. The release of the official photos stemmed the paparazzi a little, Jose's photos were beautiful, a number are my screen saver at the moment but not enough to stop the hounding, I give it a couple more weeks until they are used to Ana and I and then we should be fine.
The worst thing is that since I have stipulated to my mother and Mia that I want the wedding within the next month, Ana is wondering how it will be accepted at work that she will barely be back before she heads off on a honeymoon and how crazy the paparazzi will be then. I don't care, I want to marry her now, again, half a night out of her bed and out of her good books had me a mess, I just want to make sure that never happens again, I'm hoping that we never sleep apart when we are married.
I find that I am unable to concentrate as I watch the bank of security cameras on my additional screen installed on my desk and realise that Ana might be right, she would be mortified to know that I am watching her every move and it looks like she realises it because she doesn't seem her usual collected self. It's like she is becoming more and more agitated until she abruptly leaves a room and disappears towards the toilets, just as I am about to call her my phone rings.
"Christian, I feel like someone is watching me, it is really giving me the creeps and I can't concentrate, am I paranoid? What is going on?"
"Baby, I am sure it's just the last week, no-one is watching you, I will make sure that Sawyer walks around and is a visible presence and then hopefully that feeling will go, just don't go outside by yourself, make sure that Sawyer is always out there with you, please baby? Even if you need to go outside to get some fresh air…. Promise me." And she seems to calm and promises to do so, leaving me feeling bad that I have been contributing to her feeling unsafe.
I watch as Ana goes back to her desk, her shoulders less hunched and am glad that I can provide her the reassurance to make her feel safer and realise I have to stop watching and rely on the security, they've always kept me safe and Ana would be so angry with me if she knew, somehow it suddenly seems very wrong and distrusting of her so I turn away from the monitor and focus on my work.
The rest of the day continues without any drama and I find myself immersed in my businesses again and realise how much I need this, how it fires me up and makes me feel alive, more importantly, it becomes apparent that while I have been concentrating on Ana, instead of the business that Ros has been bearing the brunt of unreasonable demands in some of our deals, most specifically the Taiwanese deal is spiralling out of control and they need some bringing to heel. My attention is therefore completely diverted and I forget about the monitor and my self-indulgent observations, even though looking at Ana is one of my favourite activities in life.
It is with a degree of annoyance that I see a call coming through from Mia and decide that I don't have time to take it so send it through to voicemail. It's on the third call that I answer with a "What Mia, I'm busy here."
"Oh Christian, stop getting your knickers in a twist, we have some important decisions to make given that you want this wedding in less than a month and you're not giving me enough time to do things, can I have Ana tonight? Could she come over for a sleepover?"
"A sleepover? Seriously Mia, how old are you? Ana has to work tomorrow, why don't you come to our place tonight, you can have dinner, chat and you can stay or go but Ana isn't going out with you or staying with you…. No, I am not a grumpy old man….. Are you coming over? I need to tell Gail, OK ….. see you then… oh, maybe a bit later, yes Ana can come home with you now, where are you? Oh you're with her, can you put her on?" And I turn to the monitor and watch Ana as she takes the phone, I love the dreamy smile on her face when the phone is placed in her hand so that she can speak to me.
"Hi Baby, are you up for it? I have just suggested Mia come and stay over if she needs to… yes, I thought it safer and quite frankly I want you sleeping next to me….you know why….I'm glad" and I smile as she tells me that she doesn't want to sleep anywhere else either and we continue, "Yes, I love you too" and I have a stupid grid on my face as I look at my beautiful girlfriend. I shake my head though at my crazy sister who is excitedly bouncing up and down.
"Taylor, can you go to Grey Publishing and collect Ana, Sawyer and Mia, who doesn't appear to have her security detail and bring them safely back to Escala and let Mrs Jones know that Mia will be staying for dinner and probably sleeping in a spare room, on another floor please."
Giving myself another 3 hours of work, I have barely set foot within the foyer and Ana is wrapped around me like a vine, her head curled into my neck and her heart beating against my chest.
"Baby, what's the matter?" I ask with concern and then I hear the raised voices coming from the great room.
"Overwhelming ?"
"Can we just run away...," is mumbled against my chest.
"Baby, with pleasure but not before you kiss me"
"Oy, enough of that, Steele, we need an opinion" and I realise that Kate has joined the process and while I'm getting used to her, I struggle to see what both Elliot and Ana see in her abrasive nature ... Then again what does Ana see in me? So I fix Kate with a look and she shrugs and simply says "Hi, actually you could help, you have good taste in some things and Ana here doesn't have a dream wedding in her brain at all"
A whispered "please" has me stopping the refusal and wrapping my arm around Ana's shoulder, nodding to Gail who has a smile on her face and walking into the maelstrom that is Mia in full organisation mode.
"Ok, Mini, stop harassing Ana, we want a simple wedding, what decisions are you working on so that we can make them together, once and for all. ... Don't pout or we'll elope"
Mia's howl of protest and ringing slap on my arm is a fair indication that she really wants to do this but I couldn't care less.
"Ok, invitations, those ones, no I don't want origami ones, nope those, classy and simple"
"They're the ones Ana chose as well" Mia says with a pout.
And I raise my eyebrows at her, "It's not your wedding Mia."
The flowers are next and again neither Ana or I want over the top and gaudy chosen by Mia and we chose the same, beautiful, classic flowers, not surprising given I know her favourite flower. The decision on the cake is just tedious and by the time we reach favours, I am done. "Seriously Mia, we're done, we're having dinner and I really need to get back to work," at least Ana is looking happier and most of the decisions are made. When the talk turns to the hen's night, Ana shakes her head saying she doesn't want one and I agree wholeheartedly, only to be howled down by both intruders.
"Well Elliot's organising a bachelor night so we are having a girls night" Kate says defiantly and my heart sinks, I specifically told Elliot that I didn't want one and I can't let Ana have one, the fallout of bad publicity is just not worth the effort and I hate those things. The whole idea repulses me and to have Ana and a bunch of women bring ogled and groped just puts me on edge, I can't be held responsible if someone touches Ana.
"Earth to Christian, they're happening, just get used to it," that grating voice makes me see red.
"Ah no, on the contrary, nothing of the sort is going to happen, this is a security issue and I am not risking Ana or anyone else in the family for that matter and that's the end of it." I say and turn and stomp off to my office, leaving the girls staring after me.
Hours later, with Kate gone but Mia in the apartment and Ana simply exhausted, I settle for a quick shower with her and then to sleep, today took more out of both of us than I imagined. With Mia now sorted, and a classy, quiet wedding planned, I am hoping I can concentrate on business and organising the best honeymoon possible, I would like to take a month but since I have taken so much time off lately I think I am going to have to settle for just 3 weeks and perhaps include some business work while we are away, depending on the location.
My plans for a quiet night though are thrown into disarray when I am woken by thrashing and hitting and an agonised keening sound. The tortured look on Ana's face has me desperately but gently trying to wake her as I catch and hold her hands. Manoeuvring my body to cover and try to calm her with soothing words, she eventually wakes, gasps and breaks into heart wrenching sobs.
"Baby, it was just a bad dream, just a bad dream," I murmur as I cuddle her but she is inconsolable and her shuddering worsens and all I can do is hold her, she curls in against me but can't or won't speak, shaking her head at my questions. Finally the shuddering stops and she lies, curled up in my arms in the foetal position, I can feel the tears as they run down her cheeks and onto my arm. Gently rubbing her back, these eventually stop as well and I realise she has exhausted herself and fallen back asleep and I am none the wiser as to what happened, which fear is playing on her mind to trigger such a nightmare and response, it's the worse one since I've known her and I am helpless as to how to help her.
Holding her tight in my arms, hoping that my love for her will transmit through her body, I finally fall into an exhausted sleep as well and when I wake, it is with a start as my arms are empty and Ana is not in bed.
Leaping up in fear, instantly awake, my heart calms only when I spy her curled up on the chaise where she is watching the sunrise, her hair like a halo as the sun shines upon her.
As I pad towards her, she pats the cushion next to her without taking her eyes off the view and I sit and pull her onto my lap, inhaling a calming breath as I kiss the top of her head. I can feel myself relax as she leans against me, pulling my arms so they encircle her and with her body warm and moulded to mine, our heartbeats and breaths synchronising together, I need nothing more and whisper, "Good morning Gorgeous."