CHAPTER 3

(CHRISTIAN)

I am pretending that I am not hovering or fussing, but I am watching Ana closely. This email has come out of the blue and has clearly thrown her. That in turn has heightened my already over-active protective instincts towards her.

I wonder who this client could possibly be, to not only have the attention of one of the senior members of this company but have them also doing the ground work. I tried to make it sound like no big deal to Ana but Welch told me that Miranda Bennett is certainly not someone who would normally be involved at this level of an investigation.

That thought leads me to think more about my own background and Ana's comments earlier. This company is one of the more elite who take on these sorts of genealogical investigations. Therefore, it is clearly someone with a degree of influence and wealth who is pursuing this particular investigation. So, if they are happy and secure in the knowledge that this company can protect them and their interest's, then maybe…? I quickly push this from my mind. I am not even going to think about that possibility at this moment. This is about Ana; I will watch and see how this pans out and if Ana gets a satisfactory conclusion then maybe I will consider trying to discover more about my own past.

Ana had got me to see my early life differently from the abject hell I had lived through, and to forgive Ella for it. She had made me realise that my bitterness towards her and blaming her for what happened was unfounded, and that subconsciously I had in fact loved my birth mother. She made me see that Ella was as much a victim of circumstances as I was. She didn't ask to be a drug addicted whore, as that is something nobody would ever aspire to and so something significant obviously happened in her life for her to end up in that position of degradation and squalor. I had never thought about it that way, before I met Ana. I had always just blamed her for not protecting me and loving me as I believed a mother should. I just saw the obvious; a drug addicted mother with a pimp who abused me and the fact she didn't stop him. I had never stopped to think what had happened to her and why she was in that situation. As a result of doing so and seeing that in her own flawed way she was trying to do her best for me Ana has lain to rest a number of my demons and made me a better man in so many ways. So, it is the very least I can do to be there and be supportive right now as she goes through this.

I'm glad she has also spoken to Ray, I am certain his support will be more significant for her during this time than anything I could offer her, and I am more than glad he has been such a positive influence in her life. I shake my head as I think of her mother. Carla is a piece of work, shallow and materialistic, self centred to the point of narcissistic. That woman wouldn't know how to be a mother if she tried… at least mine tried; mine didn't push me off on to someone else and forget about me. As I think this, a small number of vague memories fill my mind of the times when she wasn't off her face on drugs, how she really had tried her hardest to be a good mother. Small insignificant things like the time she baked me a cake. I shiver at the memories and I try and push them away as it hurts to remember them.

I pull myself from my thoughts as my phone pings alerting me to a message.

I glance at it and see it is from Ros, regarding a company in New York I am looking into buying and have been having issues with, and it appears she has found out something significant.

"Baby, I'm going to my study I have a few things I need to do" I say and Ana nods and smiles at me.

I go in and close the door, I am irritated as I feel as though I am abandoning my wife when she needs me, but Ros wouldn't call me unless it was important.

I quickly call her back, "Ros talk to me" I say by way of greeting as she picks up.

"Cross Industries" she states and I lean back in my chair.

"Really?" I say in surprise, I hadn't expected that.

I have been trying to acquire a telecommunications company for some time and every time I make any in roads into taking over I have been blocked and now I know who it is who has been blocking me.

"But Cross's main area of interest is the Leisure Industry?" I say.

"Yes it is, but it is my thought that this company is significant and important to him as I believe it along with its technology is possibly necessary for some of his gaming interests and the possible concepts his company is developing in that area, what they are in particular I obviously don't know but it certainly would explain things" Ros says.

"Aah I see, and that would also explain the cloak and dagger and how hard it was to find out who was behind it as that sort of information would be highly prized to competitors" I say as I immediately see where this is going.

"Well done for finding this out, now we know who we are dealing with we can figure out a way how to get around it, the technology they have developed would be ideal for my solar powered cell phones" I say.

"No problem" Ros says. We talk a few more moments and push around a few options on how we are going to proceed and then I hang up.

I go back out and see Ana has a laptop on her knee and she is frowning at the screen. I sit down beside her and wrap my arm around her.

"What are you doing baby?" I ask.

"Just trying to figure out how to reply to this email from Finding Family" she replies as she gestures towards the screen.

I scan the screen and read what she has written in draft form so far.

Thank you for contacting me. However, I fail to see how I can be of assistance with your client's search for answers regarding Frank Lambert.

Frank Lambert was indeed my biological father, but I did not know the man and have no memories of him as he died shortly after I was born. My step father was a close personal friend of his when they served together in the military and he has agreed to speak to and offer your client what he knows about Frank.

In theory I would be willing to meet your client but I would insist on a DNA test to prove the familial link before I embarked on any contact with them. I am also a little concerned about my privacy and that of my husband who is a prominent businessman here in Seattle and the North West. I need assurances from yourselves that should we come forward to assist your client that our privacy and security would be adequately protected as the media tend to take an interest in anything that concerns him either personally or professionally?

I look forward to hearing from you soon and please note my cell phone number listed below.

Regards

Ana Grey (Mrs)

"Does that sound ok? I don't sound too demanding do I?" Ana asks as I read through the draft and I nod at her.

"It sounds fine to me, they want your help and you had no knowledge of this person existing so you are perfectly within your rights to demand a DNA test to confirm that there is in fact a link between you and to make sure all safeguards are in place before you put yourself forward". I pause and look at Ana closely, I have concerns about her agreeing to do this but I don't want to tell her she can't do it, but I need to know if she really wants to go ahead or if she is feeling as though she has to. I work out how I am going to say what I want to.

"Ana… I need to ask are you sure you want to go through with this, because you know that you don't have to if you don't want to?" I ask.

I watch as she thinks about that and nods, "Yes I do, I have to admit I am curious and being an only child there is something there which appeals to me on some level knowing I could possibly have a brother or sister out there that I didn't know I had. There is also the point to consider that everyone has the right to know where they came from and who their parents are. It is a right everyone should take for granted to feel secure in the knowledge of who their parents are, so if I can help this person in any way I will. Having said that though I can't honestly see how I can help them, and to be fair I think Ray will have more information on Frank than I can offer them" she says.

"Ok then, just as long as you are sure and you know that you have my full support" I state firmly.

"Thank you" Ana replies and she leans towards me and presses a small sweet kiss to the corner of my mouth, before returning her attention to her email.

I watch as she takes her draft and spell checks it before copying it into an email sending it to Miranda Bennett. The cursor lingers for a moment over the send button and then I watch as she takes a deep breath and clicks on it.

"There done, no going back now" she says.

I lift the laptop from her and set it down before I take her into my arms in a physical demonstration of my support and love. I automatically press a small kiss to her lips but other than that I have no ulterior motive and I certainly wasn't entertaining thoughts of getting laid, but when she moves so that she is lying down and she parts her legs slightly and urges me closer the message she is sending me is clear. Although I wasn't considering anything sexual, I won't turn down what is now being blatantly offered. I don't hesitate and I gently ease myself on top of her. I feel her respond to me and her arms go around me, as my hands start to wander.

"Christian," Ana murmurs, as my hands move under her shirt.

"Hmm" I hum appreciatively as I push up the shirt she is wearing and take in her beautiful body. I get even more excited when I see she isn't wearing a bra.

It's not long before we are both totally naked and I am thrusting into her. I moan with pleasure as I feel her body accept me and slowly pull me in, gripping me and urging me to go deeper inside her.

"Oh fuck" I hiss as I roll my hips. Ana wraps her legs around me, encouraging me closer and to go even deeper.

"Christian" she moans as she meets me thrust for thrust.

After I had got over the surprise of Ana initiating sex, I had decided that I wanted this to be slow and sensual but now I am rapidly losing my self control as I chase my release and feel the need to come. My pace increases and as it does so, Ana matches it. She is with me every moment. We are so in tune with each other that every movement, no matter how small is like an overload of sensation.

"Oh god Ana, I'm so close" I pant as my pace increases even more, I can feel my dick twitching and swelling inside her and my balls start to draw up. Then I feel it, her insides gripping me even tighter and the fluttering starting to increase.

"Christian… oh god, Christian" Ana calls and I know she's there. I feel her grip me like a vice and her fingers dig into my shoulders. At one time I would never have tolerated that, but now the sensation drives me over the edge. With a roar I see stars as I hold myself inside her and come violently.

"FUCK" I roar and my eyes roll back into my head as I continue to release myself deep inside her. I let out a long satisfied groan as I relax. I let my weight go as we both return to our senses.

I move slightly and search for her mouth. When my lips find hers, she responds as I kiss her passionately. Her hand comes up and cups my jaw as my tongue dances with hers. I haven't withdrawn from her yet. I am always reluctant to break our physical contact. I love these moments after we both come, we are both totally spent and sated and just lying there with me still lodged deep inside her and our bodies totally entwined, I couldn't possibly feel any closer to her than I do at this moment.

"Oh god baby, that was good" I mumble as I try and form some kind of reasonable thought.

I don't know how long we lie there just holding each other but after a few moments Ana moves and I look down at her and realise I must be crushing her. I start to pull away and she tightens her grip on me and she holds me and her mouth searches for mine once more.

When she eventually pulls away from me, she looks up into my face pensively and I know she wants to say something.

"What is it?" I ask as I lift myself off her slightly and rest my weight on my elbows but I don't fully withdraw from her as I still want that primal connection of our bodies.

"If this all works out, and turns out to be a positive experience… I just thought… maybe… after all Welch has established it's a legitimate company who have the best interests of their clients at heart… I mean… perhaps…" she stops and strokes my jaw lovingly and I know what she is trying to say.

"You want me to look into my parentage" I say.

Ana nods carefully and reaches for me, "I just think knowing the whole truth will offer you some kind of closure. If it is as horrific as you believe it to be; it will confirm for you what you always thought and you can put it away and move on from it, but if by some chance it is a different set of circumstances then maybe it will offer you an explanation as to how Ella got into the position she did. I know that there is always the chance that nothing will be found and that would be disappointing but the way I see it in that case nothing will be lost or gained and you will be in the same position you are now… but it's just a thought" she says.

I nod, "If I am honest since all this came up I have had the same thoughts, but I'm not going to do anything yet. My main concern is helping you through this. This is a life changing situation for you, you potentially have a sibling out there which is massive and I intend to focus my attention solely on supporting you".

Ana smiles up at me and my heart lurches as it always does to see the love in her eyes as she looks at me, love which I still find so hard to accept as I don't believe for one moment that I deserve it.

As I run my hand through her hair and push it back off her face she pulls me towards her and kisses me sweetly on the lips, "You are a wonderful man, and I promise you that I will offer you the same unwavering support should you decide to pursue this" she says earnestly.

I feel myself smiling shyly at her. I start to pull away and feel myself slide out of her. I hate this moment when the physical connection between us is broken.

"Let's get cleaned up" I say as I rise to my feet and hold out my hand to her.

oooOOOooo

The next day in New York…

(GIDEON)

I sigh contentedly and push my keyboard away as I stand and stretch. I look at my watch and smile. It's time for a break and some lunch. I reach for my jacket and shrugging it on, I grab my phone from my desk and shove it into my pocket before leaving my office.

I have already alerted Angus to the fact that I am on my way but first I need to stop off on the 20th floor and collect my wife.

I stride out of my office telling Scott that I am out for lunch and will be back for my 2pm appointment. I make my way out to the elevator bank and selecting the 20th floor I make my descent. As the elevator doors open into the vestibule of Waters Field and Leaman I step out and pause by the security doors and I am quickly buzzed in.

"Good afternoon Mr Cross, how may I help you?" the young Asian receptionist asks me politely.

I return the smile, "Good afternoon Megumi, I am here to take my wife to lunch. I can find my own way" I say dismissively and I leave the reception area before she has chance to reply.

I make my way down the corridor to where Eva's office is situated. She started here as an assistant to Mark Garrity and her talent quickly saw her rise from that opening position to Junior Account Manager, and she now has an office next door to Garrity and her own assistant. However, their working relationship is so good and productive for the company that they still work together on a number of marketing campaigns. I am incredibly proud of my wife and what she has achieved. I pause as I see she isn't in her office and I quickly scan the area and my breath catches as I see her. I watch her, her head bent over some boards laid out on Garrity's desk and she points at them laughing. He is standing close to her and he says something and he too is laughing, she shakes her head and she nudges him with her shoulder. I feel my fists clench but I try and rein in my jealousy as I know there is nothing to fear. Mark is gay and married to a gregarious man by the name of Stephen Ellison who owns his own construction business.

I make my way towards the office and as I do so, Eva looks up and she beams at me and immediately stands up straight.

Garrity notices and he too looks up and looks surprised to see me. He immediately leaves Eva's side and comes out to greet me with his hand outstretched.

"Mr Cross, what can we do for you?" he asks politely.

I accept the hand shake and nod my head towards Eva, "You can give me my wife, so I can take her to lunch" I say.

Garrity laughs and turns towards Eva, "We'll finish this off after lunch" he says easily.

Eva nods and walking towards me she pauses and standing on tip toes presses a small affectionate kiss to my jaw. "Let me get my jacket and purse" she whispers and I nod.

It takes all my self control not to grab her and pull her to me and devour her, but this is her place of work and I know she wouldn't appreciate it if I did that.

A moment later she is by my side waiting for me and I turn my attention back towards her, "Ready Angel?" I ask and she nods. I hold out my hand to her and she slips hers into mine and we make our way out and to the elevator.

The first thing I notice is that Eva is very quiet now that we are alone. I turn towards her as the elevator makes its descent.

"Is everything alright Angel?" I ask and she squeezes my hand and nods.

"I think so; I had an email from Miranda Bennett this morning. It appears that she got a reply from Frank Lambert's other child and she is willing to talk to me" she says.

"She?" I say.

Eva nods, "Yeah, she. But she has conditions. She wants a DNA test first to establish that there is a link between us before she even meets me, which I think is fair enough and actually quite sensible as there is always the chance that there could be that element of human error with any investigation of this kind. Also, from what Miranda said, it also sounds like she is concerned about her privacy" she says.

I snort, "Well that will be interesting when she finds out who you are" I say.

Eva nods but her face looks sad, "What is it?" I ask.

"That is exactly what I thought. How can I subject someone who isn't used to it to that level of media interest? We have no idea who she is and she is happily living in anonymity but when the media get wind of this it will be a clusterfuck, you know what they are like. All you have to do is sneeze and it makes the evening news… I can't in good conscience subject someone who isn't used to it to that kind of intrusive scrutiny" she says sadly.

"Eva, you are over thinking this and jumping the gun again. Let me read the email and see what has actually been said before you start leaping to conclusions".

The elevator doors open and we make our way out into the spring sunshine of the New York lunchtime. The streets are busy and Angus is waiting beside the Bentley and he smiles brightly at us as he opens the door.

I usher Eva inside and clamber in after her as Angus gets in and smoothly moves the car into the New York traffic.

I turn towards Eva and she is holding out her phone to me. I take it and start to read the email.

TO: Eva Cross

FROM: Miranda Bennett, (Finding Family Inc)

DATE: 23rd April 2015 08:27

SUBJECT: Genealogical Query – Frank Lambert

Dear Mrs Cross

I have received some news on an important development in your case. I have just reached the office and I have been notified that Frank Lambert's daughter and your potential sibling now has responded to my initial email to her.

I am delighted to be able to tell you that she is willing to talk to you, but she does stress she has very limited information regarding Frank Lambert as he died soon after she was born. However, she has also made it clear that before any meeting is arranged she would like DNA confirmation that you are indeed related to her. We are willing to undertake that service for you both if you are willing to proceed? The lady in question has also expressed concerns over her privacy. I am hoping to reach out to her personally at some point today, and when I do get chance to speak to her directly, I can hopefully reassure her of our best intentions with regard to that and make sure this is a positive experience and outcome for everyone concerned.

If you could confirm whether or not you are agreeable to undertake a DNA test at your earliest convenience, so I can set the ball rolling on this with the view to eventually bringing you both together.

Thank you in anticipation of your co-operation.

Regards

Miranda Bennett

Finding Family Inc

A number of things immediately jump out at me as I read this email and I point at the screen as I turn towards Eva.

"This isn't just any ordinary anonymous person" I state.

Eva frowns, "What do you mean?" she asks.

I point out the part which leads me to this conclusion. "Miranda is going to contact this person directly, she is going to talk to her personally to reassure her – now we know Miranda Bennett is not an intermediary, she is one of the directors of the company and she is only involved with this personally because of me. So by the very fact she is going to be the one to personally reassure this person tells me that they are also pretty high profile in some way as well," I say.

Eva's eyes widen, "I never thought of it that way" she says, "but now you've pointed it out it makes sense" she adds.

"Do you mind participating in a DNA test?" I ask and Eva shakes her head.

"No, I don't mind in fact I'm glad this person has insisted on it as it will give complete reassurance that we have the right person by doing it" she says.

I nod and then smile at her as I hand her, her phone back. "So it appears you have a potential sister" I say.

I watch as she thinks about that and grins, "Yeah, I wonder who she is and if she is older or younger?" she says.

I shrug, "I would assume she's younger considering she told Miranda that she didn't know Frank as he had died. However, it doesn't really matter either way does it?" I ask.

Eva shakes her head, "No not really" she confirms.