Christian

Elena has been wanting to open a new nail bar business next to one of her salons and has asked me to back her, yet again. My father always handles the business between the two of us, making sure that our business ventures don't cause any issues between us. Elena can be hard to handle and my father has never ending patience with her considering she's my mother's long time friend. I usually don't mix family with business, but this is a must. Considering our history, I do not want Elena mixing with any of my legal team at Grey House. I won't allow my past to hinder anything I've worked so hard for. I know Elena wants me to trust her, but I wouldn't put it past her to let it 'slip' that we have had a sexual relationship in the past. The last thing I need is even more rumors swirling around Grey House.

Father said that he had the research and paperwork ready for me to pick up, so I'm stopping by to grab the information and ask him his honest opinion about this nail bar business. It's a new fad and I don't know how long this fad could last. I don't want to dip a bunch of money into something that's not going to last more than a few years.

As I enter my childhood home, I find my father standing in front of his office door with his phone to his ear. When I catch his eye, he immediately ends the call and steps toward me, looking a little verklempt. It catches me by surprise.

"Christian! Thank God you're here. I tried to get her to stay and talk to me, but she wouldn't."

"Who?"

"Anastasia!"

My heart races; I'm filled with dread and I don't even know what's happened but I know it isn't good. "What's happened? Tell me. Now."

"She came to me asking about a lawyer. Asking me how much it would cost. I tried offering my own help and asked her what was wrong, but she refused to let me help her. Something is wrong, Christian. Really wrong. I couldn't get her to have a seat or even take her jacket off. She just kept pacing. She said she couldn't afford my services and wouldn't take the free help. Said it wasn't right. She refused to stay. I offered to take her home, but she refused that too."

"Why did you let her refuse?!" My blood is boiling. The girl doesn't have a fucking car and he let her walk out the door in that state with no protection and no way home.

"I couldn't keep her here, Christian! I can't manhandle a young woman and force her to stay. That's kidnapping!"

"How long ago did she leave?"

"Five minutes, maybe?"

I turn on my heel and stride my way back out to the SUV where Taylor is waiting.

"Anastasia is somewhere close. She's walking. We need to find her." I can't believe this is happening. I can't even begin to imagine what the hell is happening to her. I just know it can't be good and that I need to get to her as soon as I can. I know I'm trying to keep my distance from her, but I won't allow anything to happen to her just because I'm a stubborn bastard. I can fix whatever has happened to her. I WILL fix it. It's the least I can do.

I keep my eyes peeled as we drive down the road outside my parent's compound, hoping that we'll catch a glimpse of the little brunette soon.

"There." Taylor points ahead and I see a brunette in a purple cotton jacket walking on the side of the road. I can't see her face, but my gut tells me it's her.

The SUV slows right next to her and as I open the back door, she leaves the road and starts heading toward the grass, away from us.

"Anastasia!"

She looks over her shoulder and stops. "Christian?" Turning toward me, all I can see is her nose and mouth. Her sunglasses hide her eyes and my gut twists. "You scared the crap out of me. What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

She chews her lip and crosses her arms before giving a one-sided shrug.

I slowly take a few steps toward her, worried I'll scare her and make her run if I go any faster. I've already startled her and she's obviously having a terrible day. I don't want to make anything any worse. Reaching up, I take ahold of her sunglasses, but she tries to push my hand away.

"Anastasia."

"Don't. My eyes hurt."

"Anastasia."

She sighs. "What do you want from me, Christian?"

"I want to make sure you're okay. I want to get you home safe."

"I can get myself home safe."

"Like the hell you can." I reach up quickly and pull her sunglasses off.

"Christian!"

I lose my breath. "WHO?"

Her left eye is black, blue, and swollen, her crystal blue eye murky with the whites of her eye blood red from a burst vessel.

"It's no big deal. Really. Give me those back." She reaches for them, but I grab her hand and shove her sunglasses in my pocket before yanking up her sleeve. There's a large bruise on her forearm and I swallow back the acid that has risen in my throat. My anger is burning so fucking hot I'm surprised she can't feel it where I'm touching her. I find myself ripping her jacket zipper down, needing to check more of her, but she smacks my hand away with her free hand while yanking her other one free from my grasp.

"Stop it!"

I take a deep breath and blow it out so I stay calm. "Get in the car."

"Excuse me?"

"Get in the car, Anastasia."

"I want to go home."

"Okay. I will take you home. But my mother is checking you first."

She shakes her head. "Oh, no. Don't pull her into this. I'm fine. It'll go away soon."

"It's too fucking late for that, Steele. You left my father in a panic and for good reason. You look like you've been thrown around like a damn ragdoll. Get in the car or I will put you in the car myself."

She narrows her good eye at me, her black eye already half swollen shut. "You wouldn't dare."

I make a launch for her and she squeals, putting her arms out, making me stop. "Okay, okay! I'll get in the car."

"Wise choice, Ms. Steele." I wave toward the opened back door and after her eyes bounce back and forth between the SUV and me a few times, she slowly starts to move toward the car. I wait patiently for her to pass me and I see her arms cross and her shoulders narrow into herself, making herself smaller. It breaks me. She's worried I'm going to snatch her up or grab her and the brokenness of my mate is almost too much to bear.

I shut the door behind her after she slides in and I turn away from the SUV for a second and clear my throat. Tears are too close to forming and I don't appreciate it. I don't cry. It's useless. Getting this shit taken care of is the only thing that will help. Taking a deep, cleansing breath, I make my way around the back of the vehicle and slide in the opposite side.

"Back to the compound, Taylor." I reach for my seatbelt and secure it.

"Yes, sir."

I look over and see that Anastasia has not belted herself in, yet.

"Seatbelt, Anastasia."

Letting out an exasperated sigh, she clicks her tongue and rolls her eyes, but reaches for it to belt herself.

"Has anyone told you just how bossy you are?"

I smirk. "I didn't make my money by saying please."

"You'd think your parents taught you better than that."

"They taught me to be assertive and driven. It was my decision on how I achieved those things."

"Not sure it was the right one." She tries for malace, but there's a hint of a smile on her face.

"I could say the same about that sass, Ms. Steele."

Her smile disappears and her lips form a pout. "I'm starting to understand that." She reaches up to caress her eye and that stupid pain cuts through my heart again.

"Anastasia. Don't question that. It's what I like best about you."

She snorts out a sardonic laugh. "Like I believe that."

I hate how miserable she is right now. I can't have her questioning herself. She's perfect and I won't allow anyone else making her feel otherwise.

"I know that this-" Before I can talk to her about it, the SUV has made its stop and she opens her door and slips out, slamming it behind her. "Okay, then."

My eyes meet Taylor's in the mirror and his eyebrow raises. "Good luck, Mr. Grey."

Yea, I'm going to need it.