A/N: Happy Thursday Ladies! Hope everyone is having a great week. This chapter is super short and I'm sorry, but I needed to push this out to get the time jump going. Fingers crossed and I might get 2 chapters out next week if I can get to a quiet space this weekend to make up for the short chapter. I do have a lot going on with homeschooling a 3rd grader and kindergartener, plus I have my online women's clothing boutique to run. Please be patient with me as I write and edit, which means that I don't really have time to do teasers.

Please Be Advised. WARNING: This story has strong, bloody violence, strong language, contains material that some find disturbing, and contain scenes of sexual nature.

I do not have an editor so there are going to be blips and mistakes. Please be kind when reviewing. This is purely for entertainment and not real life.

As always all mistakes are mine. Enjoy!

CHAPTER TWO

CHRISTIAN

THREE YEARS LATER

Don't do it. You shouldn't be doing this. I chant in my head as I make my way across campus towards the commons area of the little school trying to blend in the best I can. My size always draws a few looks and unwanted attention but when your job is to kill for a living and not get caught, you tend to try to blend in the best you can. My expensive suit makes it easier to fit in here with the elite rich people who shoved their daughters off to be brought up by someone else, but my age, height and looks is making it hard to hide.

I've kept tabs on this girl for the last three years, making sure she adapted after what had happened that fateful night in her house. I still to this day don't know why she was at the house and not at her all-girls private school. I know what I did was wrong in not making sure all witnesses were flushed out but for some reason I just couldn't bring myself in killing an innocent girl. Her father? That bastard had it coming a mile away but something about her told me not to.

After we'd finished the job that night, I'd sneak off every so often to see how she was doing and if she'd mentioned what had happened that night to anyone. She hadn't. The police report has turned into a cold case as a house invasion/murder. There were no leads, nothing that her statement could help in finding out who did it. Good girl.

Anastasia went on with life the best she could. That's her name. Anastasia. Her mother had left her with a large inheritance but only being fifteen at the time had put a damper in her life. She was considered an orphan and the state tried to come in and place her in foster care. Thankfully, one of her teachers stepped up and she was under the guardianship of her until her sixteenth birthday when the school helped Anastasia get emancipated. That same day she changed her last name from Lambert to Steele, though her mother's maiden name was Adams. I'm not sure how she came about the last name, I checked, and all the faculty had not one person with the last name as Steele. Mystery.

Anastasia Steele.

So, here I am on the day Anastasia graduated from her preparatory school. I knew how big of a day it was in my family when I had graduated. Knowing she didn't have a single family member there to celebrate her big day tighten my chest. So, I'm here. Hiding in the back, a pillar kept me hidden just enough to not be seen by anyone of importance.

She looks absolutely stunning. I wasn't mentally and physically ready when I saw her walk across the stage and receive her diploma. Her long curly locks hit the middle of her back and bounced with every step she took in those killer heels. She'd turned slightly to look at the professional photographer while standing next to the Dean of the school, her shiny blue eyes set her apart from everyone else. She took my breath away.

Geez, she was gorgeous. How is it possible to be even more beautiful than she was three years ago? She's taller now and definitely filled out in areas that should be illegal for an eighteen-year-old who could pass for twenty-one easily.

The reception after is packed and I was able to go unnoticed easily. We actually stood next to each other at the drink station and she was none the wiser. I'd heard her say she was going to a college out of state during a conversation with a fellow student's family. I quickly made mental note of the college and stored it for later. Getting out of the Seattle area is best for the both of us. For her, she can move on with her life and never look back at the horrible memories she's been carrying for all these years. And for me, it means that I won't have to hide the betrayal of not following my father's orders and killing an innocent person.

I watch from afar as she awkwardly stands off to the side of the reception as families converse. I wish I had the balls to walk over to her and help with her seclusion. I know this must be hard not having any family but there's nothing I can do without revealing myself to her and put her in more danger.

She's about to take a bite out of her cake when the entire thing falls off the plate and splats on the floor by the table. It never fails. Every time I've ever come for a visit, she's does the clumsiest things. She's a walking nightmare and should be clothed in bubble wrap. I just wonder what happens when I'm not here to witness the debacle that is her life.

Anastasia scrunches her face, which is absolutely adorable, then looks around to see if anyone else saw her fumble. With a huff, because I've tried the cake at the dessert table and I know what she just lost was amazing and that there is no more left, she takes the side of her silver heel and with all the grace she can muster, she nudges it under the table cloth and hides it under the table. The move has me almost burst out laughing and making a scene. I have to look away to not get caught but my body betrays me, and my shoulders and stomach shake from her act.

This girl.

For some reason, my heart constricts every time I think about her and what she might be doing. I know it's unhealthy to have those thoughts after what I did to her father. Although, some might thank me for putting the disgusting asshole six feet under. It just goes to show that not all horrid DNA can be passed down from family members. I should know because the further I get in with the family business the more I see myself changing into someone who I never thought I'd be.

Before I can bring any more attention to myself or get caught, I slide my way out the side door of the reception area and away from her. I told myself that I'd check in on her to see how she was doing, and I did. Mission accomplished. My phone vibrates again in the pocket of my suit jacket that I've been ignoring for the last two hours, so I pull it out.

Ray.

Once I'm in the car, I press the button.

"Yes, dear!" I sing to my Pop's right-hand man and handler.

"You better be dying for not answering your damn phone!" Ray growls and I can just imagine the steam pushing out of his ears.

"My phone was dead." I lie smoothly.

"This isn't the time to get your rocks off, Prince." His snide tone angers me after he uses the nickname he calls me to rile me up, like I'm some kid. "Pay the slut and make your way over to the warehouse, that shipment we've been waiting for came early. Your birthday isn't until next month so hurry the fuck up and you might live to buy pussy then."

"I'll get there when I get there." I calmly say into the phone then hang up. I've got one hell of a drive back and can only imagine the hell I'll catch when I do show up to help with the products.

My phone vibrates again but toss it over to the passenger seat. I'm sure Ray has a few choice words for me for hanging up on him, but I don't care. The good mood I was once in after seeing how Anastasia has come along is now vanished and the cold-hearted dread has taken its place.

Back to the grind.

One more glance in the rearview mirror, has a small smile pulled at the corner of my mouth. She's still just as clumsy as she was when I first got ahold of her. I know in my heart that I did the right thing that night. She is flourishing seems to be doing alright. Pop might think it was a weakness to let her live but sometimes you can't always reign with an iron fist. She'll go on to college find a great guy to marry and have babies. That night will be but a blip to her and she will never look back.

A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you like my story! See you ladies next Thursday! Stay Safe. If you are wanting to check out my Online Women's Clothing Boutique visit:

.com

or look me up on Facebook at PigPen Boutique I do a LIVE video every night at 7pm(cst)

~Amber