Anastasia

It's Sunday night and Ellie has gotten through her strep throat, feeling much better. As I search through her closet getting her clothes and gym bag ready for the next day, the crazy girl is jumping up and down on her bed while singing Disney's Tangled.

When I pull her gym bag out of the closet, she whines.

"Oh, Ana, no..." Ever since she found out her mother died, she stopped using 'mommy' in front of my name. I'm sure even the name makes her heart hurt. I don't take offense to it... but I have noticed.

"What's wrong, Ellie?"

"I don't want to do all these activities anymore. I thought Daddy canceled them." She falls back on her bed with a pout.

"Only for the week, Ellie. You only have a few weeks left and then you'll be back to school."

"Yea! Then I'll be busy for forever! I don't want to go to aerobics anymore... and I hate dance class." She crosses her arms.

"You love dancing!" She dances everywhere.

"Not when stupid Ms. Sharp is telling me how. And then telling me I'm doing it wrong. I want to dance how I want to dance, Ana."

My heart aches for her. She's begging for some rest. "What about Spanish and softball? Piano?" We canceled the swim lessons when I promised I'd teach her.

She shrugs. "I like Spanish. It's fun to say things to Daddy when he doesn't understand." She giggles and it makes me laugh, too. Christian took French, but Ellie wanted to learn Spanish like Uncle Elliot. Plus it's more practical.

"And piano?"

"It's not bad. I like when Daddy sits with me and I can show him what I learned every week. And I like softball, too. It's fun. We only have one game left, Ana. You'll come right?"

I give her a smile. "Have I ever missed one?"

"No."

"That's right. And I won't miss the last."

I watch as she chews her bottom lip and picks at a thread on her t-shirt.

"Ana?"

I sigh. "I'll talk to him."

Her head shoots up and a brilliant smile lights up her face. "You will?" She jumps off her bed and squeezes me in a hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Christian

FUCK!

"Fuck-fuck-fuck-FUCK!" I grab the closest thing to me on my desk and throw it across my office at work. It shatters and gets my attention. God damn it. Making my way over to the heap of glass and metal, I'm careful to pick up the broken frame and look down at my Ana, who now has a tear right down the middle of her.

There's a knock and I look up to find Andrea sticking her head in.

"Everything alright, Mr. Grey?"

"Yes. I just-I dropped a picture. I need housekeeping in here to clean up the glass."

She looks down at where I'm kneeling and then looks back towards my desk. I'm sure she's wondering how the picture ended up so far away from where I keep them. Just do your fucking job girl.

"Andrea!" I bark, making her startle.

"Yes, sir. I'll call them now." She disappears with the click of the door.

Taylor just informed me that a woman from SIP-Now Grey Publishing- ended up in the hospital last night. After I took over and did our first comb through to fire the rot, I pulled in a therapist to speak to the employees and one of the women opened up about the abuse she suffered under Jack Hyde. Less than a week later, she's found in her front yard knocked out by the garbage men.

I need to know who is leaking this shit and how to get rid of the Hyde fucker for good. For now, I have to hide my fury and go sit in a damn meeting with the senator.

XxXxXx

The last hour was the longest fucking hour of my life, but when I sit down, my phone alerts me to text messages. I'm hoping that at least one is from my girls.

After inputting my password, the first thing that pops up is a text from an unknown number.

You're not going to win this, Grey.*

I grind my teeth and hit the call button, my leg bouncing. Pick up, fucker.

"Ah, Mr. Grey. I see you got my message."

"You can think what you want, but you're the one losing, Hyde. When that girl wakes up-"

"She's not going to know what happened."

"What the fuck does that mean?" I hurry to put him on speaker and go to my apps and hit the record audio button.

"It means I'm not stupid."

I snort. "You sure about that, Jack."

"Say... isn't it interesting that my Mercedes hasn't moved? Did you really think you could get away with that GPS tracker?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't. Stop messing with me, Grey. Is this really all worth it for some pussy?"

"Excuse me?" I find myself gripping my phone so tight I hear it crack and I force myself to loosen my grip.

"Of course, it is such a good one, isn't it, Grey."

"Stop. I'm warning you."

"It's so unfair. Your fucking ape of a brother tore me off of her before I could really have my fun. That tiny little throat of hers was no match for my grip. The things I could have done to her if I could have gotten her to black out. Coming once was not nearly-"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP! JUST SHUT. UP!" I find myself standing and my whole body is trembling. "You're a disgusting excuse for a human being. One way or another, you're going down. I just started, Jack... and the difference between you and I is that the apes are on my side. No one to stop me."

"You sound so sure, Grey. Maybe I need to teach you both a lesson. She was a good lay after all... I could go for another round."

"You stay away from her." I growl between my teeth. "I will kill you myself if you even try to come for her."

His laughter fills my ears and my stomach is so fucking sour I can feel the bile rising. My blood pressure is through the roof and I force myself to end the call before I stroke.

I drop the phone to my desk and rub my temples. What the fuck do I need to do next? I look down at the broken picture and run my index finger down the tear. I need my Ana.

Anastasia

Ellie has been a bear all day, annoyed that she had to go to the gym even though I said I'd talk to her father. I chickened out last night because he was in such a good mood and so playful while we watched a comedy in bed after she fell asleep. I didn't want to piss him off. I'm terrible. Ellie made sure she took it out on me today. She's been yelling and refusing to listen to me or anyone else. Her aerobics teacher pulled her out of class today and brought her to me because she was being so hateful. I know I have to talk to Christian tonight.

Of course, he's late. Ellie and I ate dinner together and I let her bathe in our bathtub while I worked on editing some pictures. I want to surprise Christian with some to hang around the house from our time in Ireland.

Ellie is now in bed with the third Harry Potter book while I try to keep my mind busy by working in my office. When is he going to be home? I want to get it over with... but at the same time, I don't want to have it. Coward. I wouldn't have been such a coward if we would have had this conversation pre-relationship. Now I care if he likes me.

When I hear the alert, I save my progress and shut down my computer. I shove myself up out of my chair and drag my feet towards the hallway and turn off the light. As I make my way down the hall, I hear footsteps on the stairs.

"You're home finally."

His turns and gives me a sigh as he reaches the last step. "Finally." There's a wrinkle between his eyebrows and I know it's been a tough day. Shit. Maybe I should have done it when he was in a good mood.

"What's wrong?" I frown as I take in his face when I reach him.

He lets out a loaded sigh. "I just... it's been a hard day." He reaches for me with his open hand, his other holding his bag. He pulls me to him and I give him a long, deep kiss that I hope calms him a little. I want to be his safe place and his happy one.

He hums when we pull away, making me smile. "I needed that, babydoll. You don't know how much."

I run my fingers through the hair on the nape of his neck. "Glad to be of service, Mr. Grey."

He grins down at me and kisses me one more time before letting me go. He heads into the bedroom to place his bag on the arm chair and works to rid himself of his tie. I find myself having a seat on the bed while I watch. He gives me a wink and I can't help, but blush. Even after everything we've done, he still makes me feel like a giddy schoolgirl sometimes who shouldn't be watching this sexy man.

I watch as he starts to unbutton his shirt and I clear my throat. Do it, Steele. Bring it up now or you'll never.

"Um, Christian?" I tuck my hair behind my ear and then wince. It's my tell that I'm nervous.

His eyebrows knit together and he has a seat next to me on the bed, turning to me. "Tell me, baby."

"I..." My eyes roam his skin that is peeking out behind his unbuttoned shirt. I reach over and shut his shirt so it can't distract me. He looks entertained by this.

"Okay, I think Ellie needs a break from some of her activities." I try to read his face, but regret it when his eyes narrow.

"You think? She has three weeks left before school starts."

"Exactly. She only has a few weeks before her brain and body are going to be in overdrive. She needs a break."

He stands up and takes a few steps away from me. "How do you know what she needs?"

"Because she told me."

He turns toward me. "So you're going to let a nine year old tell you instead of her father that knows best."

"She's mentally exhausted, Christian! Hasn't she been through enough? She's hurt herself, grieved for her mother, and gotten sick within a matter of weeks!"

"I am well aware of what that child has been through! Stop acting like you know so fucking much about her! You didn't even know she existed before this summer! You don't know what we've been through! I have made the decisions for her alone her whole damn life and I won't allow someone to come in and change that now! It's not going to work! I won't allow it!" His face is bright red, his vein sticking out of his forehead.

I try my best to keep calm and not take what he says to heart because I know Ellie is his soft spot and he's had a hard day. Unfortunately, I fail.

"It's not going to work? What does that mean? We're supposed to be equals, Christian! You're supposed to hear me out! Communication-"

"Is bullshit! You can't possibly know what that girl needs after only knowing her for a few months."

My eyes swim with tears. "Christian... I spend every waking moment with her..."

"You aren't her parent. Not yet."

I can feel my head snap back. It's a slap to my face. All this talk of me being good for Ellie... of wanting me to carry more of his children... It's bullshit. Wiping my eyes, I stand and head toward the door.

"Where are you going? Do NOT leave this house, Anastasia."

I turn on my heel. "Excuse me? You might be Ellie's father, but you are not mine! I will come and go as I please."

He lunges and grabs my wrist. "You will not leave. Not tonight. You can't."

"Ana's leaving?"

We both startle at Ellie's voice. Shit.

"Ellie... no-" I start but she interrupts me.

"It was your fault! You said Mommy didn't want me but you pushed her away! Just like you're pushing Ana away! You are so mean! Ana just said what I wanted her to! She just wanted to help me and instead of using your listening ears like you always told me to do, you scream at her until she decided to go away! This is all your fault! I HATE YOU!"

Christian sways at her words and has to have a seat on the bed. Realizing my mouth is open wide, I click it shut.

"Ellie." I turn to her. She's sobbing. "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do! I'm calling MawMaw and PawPaw and staying there tonight! You stay away from me, Daddy!" She stomps to her room and slams the door behind her. I stare at it for a minute blinking.

"Christian..." I turn back to him and he has his head in his palms, sniffling.

"Just go, Ana. I need you to go for a minute. Don't leave the house. I mean it."

"I..." Realizing there's no way I can help, I sigh. "Okay."

I make my way down the stairs and toward the guesthouse to ride this out.

XxXxXx

Standing at his bedroom door, I knock. It takes a few seconds, but he opens the door. Looking up at him, my whole heart breaks for him. His eyes are puffy from crying, his nose red, and his lips chapped. His hair is sticking up all over the place from yanking on it and he looks completely broken. His eyes are full of so much sorrow that I want to cry again for him.

"I saw the car leaving." His parents came and picked Ellie up for the night.

He looks down and shrugs.

I reach up and cradle his cheek in my hand so that he looks at me. "What can I do?" When he just stares, I do the only thing I can think of and lean up on my toes to kiss him. It takes him a few beats, but he leans into the kiss and his arms go around me.

I don't know how long we kiss. All I know is that I need the connection and I have a feeling he needs it as much as I do. When my toes begin to ache, I lower back down but bring his face with me so we don't break connection.

"I need you." He whispers against my lips and I squeeze myself to him, letting him know I'm here.

Reaching down, he picks me up and I wrap my legs around him so he can shut the door and carry me to bed. He lays me against the pillows and rests against me, his groin grinding into mine while our lips are fused. Our hands are everywhere... touching, caressing, feeling. I want to beg him to hurry, but I slow myself down, knowing we need to go at his pace tonight.

When he pops the button on my jeans, I moan into his mouth and grip his shoulders. He finally releases my lips to rid both of us of our bottoms and lubricate himself. I wiggle as I watch him run his hand up and down his length.

"Is this what you want?"

I nod. "More than anything."

He drops down on top of me and pushes himself into me, kissing me. "Right answer."

As we make love, he whispers how sorry he is and I hush him softly. "Just show me, Christian."

He groans and nuzzles into my nose. "I don't have the time or energy to show you just how sorry I am."

"Oh, baby." I run my fingers through the back of his hair. "Just love me, okay? Just..." He pivots his hips. "Yes, like that."

He murmurs an I love you over my lips and picks up his pace.

XxXxXx

"I'm so sorry, Ana. I was so out of line. I let my shitty day get in the way and it's no excuse. I should have never said those things to you."

"I'm sorry, too. For not keeping my calm when I already knew you were upset." I play with his chest hair as we're curled up in bed. I'm still wearing my shirt because he didn't find the need to take it off. He just wanted the connection and I appreciated it. Now, it feels odd to only be wearing a t-shirt and bra and no bottoms.

"I'm sorry I overstepped my boundaries. I thought... well, it doesn't matter what I thought. Now I understand." My heart aches realizing that Christian doesn't want my opinion on the Ellie subject. I just thought we were at a different place.

"Oh, babydoll. You didn't overstep your boundaries. I did. We are parenting together. I want you to have a say... I just... I guess I take offense to it when people question my parenting. I'm trying to do the best I can and to be told otherwise... it's hard."

"I know she isn't really mine, Christian..."

"Don't. I don't want you to say that ever again. It breaks my heart and it'll break hers if she hears it. I made a mistake tonight. What I said was a mistake. It came from insecurity and it's something I have to work through. I don't want you to hate me, too."

I tut. "I do not hate you. And neither does Ellie. She's just worked up. A lot has happened this summer and we made the mistake of getting loud enough for her to hear."

"It still hurts like a mother fucker." He pouts. "I hate this. She resents me."

"She does not. Every kid at one time or another says they hate their parents. It's not new. Give her some time to calm down and then you two can talk. She'll see I'm not leaving and that everything is fine and you two will mend."

"What about us? You and me."

"We're already mending, baby."