Chapter four
Ana
Christian and I had spent a couple of hours enjoying our time knowing that our baby was doing well, and watching the buzz around the house as Grace and the people she had hired got everything ready for the party. Grace had been told several times to go home and get ready, yet just when we thought she had done as Christian had told her we would see her sneaking past the lounge with vases filled with incredible flowers or various other decorations.
"Christian, you really need to tell Grace to go home again she is still here." I laughed when I saw her holding the vase of flowers up to hide her face from us. "I never knew she was such a perfectionist."
"Grace has always been a perfectionist and until now she has always worked through any of our parties. I actually feel bad that I have never invited her to anything before. You have burst into my life and changed everything. I see how much you like her and I see how much she cares for you. I guess it's just made me look at everything differently. I have always seen Grace as a friend if not, a family member but I'm leaning more toward a family member. Also, with Alice seeing my brother it's made me realise I don't always have to keep certain staff members at arm's length. I have had people work with me for years and I have always kept them at arm's length maybe I shouldn't be as harsh."
I turned in Christian's arm to smile up at him. "Does that mean that Grace and When Alice is working, that they don't have to call me Ms. Ana and they can just call me Ana?"
Christian leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips. "Anything you want, princess, but the guards and those in our businesses will only ever call you Mrs. Grey."
"Honey, we have to be married for me to be called Mrs. Grey."
"The marriage is happening so your name will be Mrs. Grey soon enough and I mean very very soon so you might as well get used to it now, and our staff should also get used to saying it. No arguments, Mrs. Grey. I loved hearing you being referred to as my wife."
When I saw the sincerity in Christian's eyes and the resolve, I decided to give him this, after all, the only ones I wanted to be less formal with me were Grace and Alice because like Christian I had come to think of them as family.
"Fine. I will agree to that. To be honest I think I would agree to anything. I'm so happy."
"So, if I asked you to marry me tonight what would you say?" I laughed but knew if I said yes he would find a way to make it happen, but I wanted the experience of dress shopping. A spa day before the wedding with the girls. And I want to have all the traditions, and while it's likely considering the fact that Christian won't let us wait long it's likely that we will have to the night before in opposite ends of the house. Or even in the guest house.
"Christian, While I am desperate to be your wife, I want the traditions that go with a wedding, the girl's days the dress shopping even the night before. I will happily do it here but I have dreamed of those things my whole life. I would happily elope but I want to do those things before."
"Fine, it was worth a shot." Christian gave me one last kiss and then stood up. "I'm going to go and get someone to take Grace home otherwise I don't think she will leave. I have just spotted her walking past hiding behind another vase of flowers."
Just as Christian was leaving the room a very flushed Jessica came in looking very confused. "What's going on? Why are there so many people here?" I forgot that Jessica had been well and truly distracted by two very hot men when we got the phone call from the hospital.
"We are celebrating. We…"
"Oh, please tell me that you found Isabelle."
"Unfortunately, not, but everyone is still looking for her she can't hide forever. She is going to want to get her father back so it's only a matter of time before she resurfaces."
"Then what are we celebrating?" I placed my hands on my stomach and smiled as realisation hit her and her eyes filled with tears.
"You got the results back?"
"We did and everything is as it should be so we figured that everyone is here and safe and that we would have a dinner party. Carla is coming and Grace will be coming if ever get her to go home and get ready." Jessica pulled me in for a tight hug and then pulled back quickly.
"Is it a fancy dinner party?" I hadn't thought to ask but I didn't need to because Mia answered for me from the door.
"Every party we throw is fancy, you will learn that over the years. It could be a dinner party of four or a gala we get just as dressed up for every event. So, on that note ladies, come with me to pick our dresses. I had some choices delivered so let's go pick one. Also, why did I just Christian walking from the front door with a vase of flowers?"
"Because we have been trying to get Grace to go home and get ready and she wouldn't stop working."
"Ah yes, ever the perfectionist I see. Come on ladies we have to get ready. Do you know where Alice is?" No, I haven't seen her since she left the theatre room with Alesso."
"Okay, I will have someone find her and bring her into the dressing room."
"There isn't a dressing room, Mia."
"There is now I had one made up for us." It never failed to shock me how fast people with money could get things done.
We walked down the hall and I was about to go up the stairs when Mia pulled us around the corner to where the indoor pool was. The dressing room that I had thought was far too large for just Christian when I had first seen it was now filled with vanity mirrors, makeup, and four women I guessed were make-up artists.
"I thought that we could use professionals who can hide our bruises." I loved that Mia had done this because it would mean that each time any of us looked at our faces, we wouldn't be reminded of the nightmare we had survived, and tonight we needed that desperately.
"Thank you so much, sweetie I know that this will make not just us feel better but it will make the men feel so much better I know that our injuries hurt them every time they see them."
"That's what I was thinking. I also figured we deserved to be pampered. Now, let me get someone to find Alice." Alice pulled out her phone as we took a seat and were handed our drinks.
"Hi, honey. I need you to have someone find Alice and bring her to the dressing room in the indoor pool house." I couldn't hear what was said on the other line but I laughed at Mia's next words. "Luca, my love, I don't care if you find Alesso balls deep in her, you will find Alice and bring her here we need to get ready."
Alice hung up the phone and place it on her lap. "God, he is acting like a prude that has never caught any of my brothers having sex before. The only one I can say for certain he has never walked in on is Christian. My brother is way too discreet."
A few minutes later a very flustered-looking Alice and a very annoyed-looking Luca walked in. "Ana, you need to hire more staff. I don't get paid enough to keep walking on people fucking." I felt so sorry for Alice who looked mortified and silently took the champagne from one of the ladies that had been patiently waiting to get us ready.
"I'm afraid you will have to talk to your boss about that. Sorry, Luca."
"Well, as you are marrying the boss, that makes you, my boss. So, please hire more staff." I didn't know to feel about Luca thinking of me as his boss. He was family to me. I was just about to protest his words when Christian came striding into the room with a plateful of ginger biscuits and a cup of ginger tea.
"I thought I would bring these down for you, princess just in case you were feeling sick." Christian placed everything on one of the vanities then wrapped me in his arms and kissed me. I didn't miss the longing looks on the makeup artist's faces but Christian was completely oblivious, which stopped me from letting out a jealous tantrum.
"Christian, Luca thinks we need more staff."
"I agree. I will have Grace get on it tomorrow. Now, come on Luca let's leave the women to get ready. I had your dresses taken upstairs and put into our room. I don't want anyone accidentally walking in Ana getting changed." With one last kiss, Christian and Luca left us to get ready.
We all sat down in front of the mirrors as the four girls made a start on our makeup. "So, you're getting married? That's exciting do you have a date for the wedding?" The woman that was doing my make-up seemed lovely but I didn't miss the looks the woman doing Alice's makeup was throwing my way.
"No, not yet. We only recently got engaged."
"How long have you been together?" I opened my mouth to answer but I was to it by Mia who was watching Alice's make-up artist like she wanted to rip her head off and no doubt given the chance she would.
"They have been together about a month. My brother has been head over heels since the second they met. I'm so lucky that all my brothers have found the women of their dreams, and the women they found are my best friends. No other woman will ever be good enough for them not that they would give any other woman the time of day. My brothers are obsessed with their women."
"Well, if you find any other hot guys like them that aren't taken feel free to give me a call." I smile up at the woman doing my makeup. I liked her. She didn't seem as disrespectful as the bitch still glaring at me.
"Oh, this place is surrounded by hot guys, but don't tell my husband I said that. This lucky bitch has two hot guys head over heels luckily, they like to share. The hottest throuple ever, that's for sure." Mia pointed her thumb at Jessica who blushed while the one that had been glaring at me was now glaring at Jessica.
"You're dating two guys?" The girl doing Mia's makeup look positively giddy as she waited for Jessica's response but once again Mia jumped in staring at the bitch.
"No, she is in a committed relationship with them all three of them are not just in love but they are obsessed with each other. I smiled when the bitch realised that Mia was talking directly to her and when she did, she plastered a fake smile on her face and got back to work.
"Well, good for you. It's becoming so very normal these days to be in a relationship with more than one person I sure wouldn't mind having two or even three hot guys worship me. I'm jealous." Jessica's makeup artist winked at her and gave her a genuine smile.
We carried on making small talk talking about babies and weddings. The time flew by with us laughing and chatting away despite the bitch still glaring at all of us every now and then. I didn't like her at all. I didn't think she was dangerous or someone we should watch out for. I just thought she was a bitch.
Once our hair and make-up were done, we walked the women to the front door and I took all of their cards just in case I wanted to use them for when I got married. I would only be calling three of them that was for sure. Once they left Mia slammed the door behind them and turned to me.
"You are not using that bitch for your wedding."
"I know I'm not. If it wasn't for the fact that I didn't want to ruin our pamper session I would have personally kicked the bitch out."
"Who's the bitch." We all turned to Alice even Jessica and spoke in unison.
"You didn't see!"
"See what?"
I was shocked that Alice hadn't noticed. "The girl that was getting you ready was throwing daggers at me and Jessica and every now and then Mia the whole time. I'm pretty sure if she had met Alesso you would be looking like a clown right now."
"Oh, wow, I had no idea. I was just having a lovely afternoon I didn't pay attention to what was happening."
"Well, forget that bitch. Let's go pick our dresses we have to be downstairs in half an hour." Mia walked up the stairs and we all followed behind her into mine and Christian's bedroom. As soon as we enter the room, Alice and Jessica stopped in their tracks.
"Holy shit, this is your bedroom? I thought the one I was in was big and fancy but this could fit my room in here two times over. It's massive and gorgeous." I looked around for I think probably the first time and gave the room a proper inspection and had to admit it was massive and incredible. I guess I was more preoccupied when I was in here with Christian to think about or notice anything else. I mean I knew it was incredible I just never realised how incredible.
"Yeah, this is our room. I never really looked around it properly."
"No wonder you moved in here so fast. Well other than the hottie you are marrying and having a baby with of course."
"Uh, Jessica, honey I really think you should never call another man a hottie. It's fine right now because the rooms are sound proof but if Arturo on Cillian ever heard you call another man a hottie, they would lose their shit. I don't know if you have noticed but our men are incredibly possessive."
"Oh, come on, Mia surely they wouldn't be pissed about me saying a guy is attractive. Especially not Christian. It's not like I fancy him or would do anything. He is marrying my best friend"
"You will find out how wrong you are the more you get to know them. Even if you called Christian hot in front of them, I promise you will find yourself dragged upstairs where they can show you who you belong to, and no doubt you would receive a spanking. Luca has done that with me on a few occasions."
I didn't miss the small smile on Jessica's face as she ignore what Mia said and started looking through her rack of dresses. She definitely liked the thought of what Mia had just said and if I was honest, I wouldn't protest if Christian did the same thing to me. In fact, at some point, I really did need to push Christian to see what he would do. So far, Christian had been relatively gentle with me and I think it's time for us to explore the BDSM side of our relationship. I will need to talk to him about this tomorrow.
About half an hour later and Mia fussing over which dress I should wear I chose what the description said was a plunge neck, lantern sleeve, split thigh, sequin, floor length dress. I felt like it was a bit too dressy, but Mia insisted it would be perfect.
Once we were all ready, we made our way down the stairs and I stopped in my tracks when we entered the formal dining room that we had never used since I moved in here at least.
As we entered the room my mouth dropped open when I looked around the room which was glowing thanks to the hundreds of candles around the room and smelled incredible thanks to all the flowers. 'How the fuck had all of this been arranged so fast?'
The table wear was black and gold and looked like it cost a fortune as did the glass wear. 'I wonder if I will ever get used to this kind of wealth?' I felt nervous to touch anything in case I broke something.
I hadn't realised that I hadn't moved from the door and was nervously biting my nail a habit I have had for years until I felt arms wrap around me from behind and one of them reach up to pull my hand away from my mouth.
I was surrounded by the familiar scent of the man I love and the feel of him peppering kisses down my neck. "What's wrong, princess?" I turned in Christian's arms smiling up at him taking in how incredible he looked and practically swooned in his arms. "Mmm, you look gorgeous, princess. Now, tell me what has you looking so nervous."
"I just don't think that I will ever get used to how rich you are. Everything looks so expensive and you know how clumsy I am. I'm scared I will smash something." With each word I spoke Christian's smile grew.
"That is some of the many things I love about you. Your clumsiness and the fact that money isn't something that interests you when it comes to our relationship are endearing and wonderful, and I don't care if you smash everything on this table all I care about is you enjoying the night and celebrating our family the ones that are already here and the ones that are on the way."
I smiled and relaxed into Christian's arms when Christian looked up at Mia, Alice, and Jessica. "Ladies you all look beautiful. We are having cocktails in the sunroom while we wait for Grace and Carla to arrive, they will both be here any minute. I had a driver pick up Grace and Carla texted to say she is nearly here."
We followed Christian into the sunroom and I was once again floored by how stunning the room was. This room was filled with a whole variety of red, orange, and yellow flowers in different shades and it made the room look like a warm summer's night, especially with the sunset outside.
Along one side of the room was a bar and a lit of cocktails and mocktails, and sofas scattered around the room with tables in front it looked both cosy and fancy at the same time.
"What do you want to drink, princess?" Christian had walked me over to the bar where he handed me the menu and out of the list the one that appealed to me the most was the mango mule. With its mix of cucumber, honey syrup, mango, puree, lime juice, and ginger beer it sounded exactly like what I needed right now especially because I was feeling a little nauseous, not that I would be telling Christian that. I wanted us to enjoy the night not have him worrying about me.
After I told Christian what I wanted he told me to take a seat and when I did, I was joined by Alesso. "Hey, Ana, I wanted to see how you're doing?"
I smiled at Alesso and was surprised that he was actually looking at me considering any time Alice was in the room he never took his eyes off her.
"I'm fine. It's been a lot but now that I know that my baby and Mia's baby are doing well, I feel like I can relax a little. Although, when the bitch Isabelle is found I will be truly relaxed. Actually, speaking of… I don't know how this makes me sound or how it makes me feel but do you think Christian will let me be in the room with you all when they are punished? I want to look into their eyes when they see that they didn't succeed with their plan. I want to look into Gino's eyes when Christian ends his life. Does that make me sound like a bad person?"
"First of all, I am pretty sure Christian would give you anything you asked for. He is besotted with you. I have never seen him this happy. Being the head of the family Christian has always been so serious and he was a workaholic until he met you. We all worried about him. He was so highly strung and always seemed so angry and if I'm honest a little sad. I know that he wanted to find someone to settle down with, believe it or not, that's all he has ever wanted but after every disappointment, I think he gave up, and then you come along. I will forever be grateful to you for what you have done for this family. Your coming into our lives seems to have helped us all find what we have been looking for. You have completed this family.
I felt tears building and smiled at Alesso a little shocked and very moved by his words. "And in answer to your other question. You saying that you want to be in the room when Gino and Isabelle get what they deserve doesn't make you a bad person it makes you one of us. It makes you the perfect person for the female head of this family."
"Alesso do you not have a woman of your own that demands your attention?" I rolled my eyes when I heard Christian's voice but smiled when I saw the amusement on his face.
"I do, brother I just wanted to check in on my sister-in-law but now you are here I am going to rescue my lady from the waiter who is about to lose his eyes if he doesn't move the fuck away from her and take his eyes off her tits." Alesso looked furious as he stood and walked over to Alice wrapping his arm around her waist possessively before telling the waiter to fuck off, which he did with his head down and as fast as he could.
I was pulled from Alesso's furious looks to Christian who sat beside me and handed me my drink that was the most refreshing thing I had ever tasted. "What was Alesso saying?"
"Just that he loved seeing you so happy. Actually, I asked him for his advice on something." Christian frowned at me and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.
"What did you ask him?"
"I want to know if he thought that if I asked you to let me be in the room with you all when you end Gino and Isabelle's life."
"And what did he say?"
"He said that you would give me anything I asked for and because I was worried that my wanting to be in the room made me sound bad and he said that it didn't. That it made me perfect for you, and perfect as the female head of the family."
Christian smiled and stroked my cheek and I leaned into his touch closing my eyes. "He's right, I would give you anything, within reason, of course, and it does make you the perfect person to sit by my side as the head of the family." I opened my eyes and smiled up at him and he looked so proud.
"So, can I be in the room with you?"
"Of course, princess. Jessica and Mia will be in the room with us. I'm not sure about Alice but I know that if she asked, I know that he would say yes." We were interrupted by Carla and Grace entering the room and we all stood up from our seats to greet them before one of the waiters came in to inform us that the meal was ready.
Once we all got settled Christian picked up his glass of the champagne that had been served when we took a seat Mia and mine were obviously non-alcoholic, of course.
"I just want to thank all of you for coming here tonight. I know that just a few days ago things looked very bleak and incredibly scary, we are blessed that we can all be sat here healthy and happy and know that the two new additions to our wonderful family are thriving and safe inside their incredible moms. I want to thank you all for the special place you all hold not just within this family, but within my heart. Grace you will no longer be so formal you have been with us for as long as I can remember and you are family. This wonderful, beautiful woman has opened up my heart and I see so much so very differently. The same goes for you Alice while you both work here you are family. I want to thank Mia, Alice, and Jessica for fighting and saving the woman I could never live without, and for stopping what could have happened."
"Oh, that was all Jessica. Alice and I were locked in the other room."
"Well, little sister I am still grateful to you all and Jessica thank you. Now, I want to thank my reason for breathing. Ana, there is so much I want to say, and yet no words do justice to how in love I am with you, or how you have changed my life. I want to be with you in this life and every life after. You are the reason my heart beats and you are the missing part that my soul has been searching for. I was beginning to give up hope until you walked into my life and now, I never want to spend a day without you."
I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I listened to everything Christian said. I couldn't help it when I jumped out of my seat and wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him not caring that we were in a room full of people.
"I love you so much, Christian. I will never as long as I live spend a day without you or a day when I don't tell you how much you mean to me. Everything you said every word reflects how I feel about you. I hope you know that."
"Of course, I know that, princess. I see the love you have for me in your eyes every time you look at me." We kissed once more before Christian wrapped his arm around my waist and turned us to face the table so that Christian could finish his speech.
"Now, last but certainly not least, I was to thank Carla. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be here right now, celebrating. All of us, other than Mia and Luca would have found the loves of our lives. You have changed our worlds forever. So, I think I speak for all of us when I say thank you. We can never repay you for what you have done for us. We love you so much. Cheers."
We all lifted our glasses and cheered and as I looked around, I noticed most of the women, even Carla had tears in their eyes. "Well, Christian, it's taken us a bloody lifetime but I couldn't be happier for you. I couldn't be happier for all of you. It's so wonderful to look around the room and see so much love, and Ana is clearly the perfect woman for you. I love you all and I am so excited for all of you to fill your homes with love, laughter, and lots of babies for me to spoil."
Carla blew us all a kiss just as the food was brought into the room. We ate out food chatting excitedly about the upcoming wedding and the babies that everyone was very excited to spoil so it wasn't just Carla that wanted to do that I can imagine that anytime our children don't get what they want from their parents they will get it from everyone else around the table, but I was too excited to care.
The night went way too fast and I hated that the evening was winding down despite the fact that I was exhausted. Everyone was getting ready to leave and say their good nights when Mark knocked on the door gaining the attention of all of us. He was standing next to someone else that I didn't know.
"Mark, Connor, what is it?"
"We found Isabelle, ma'am."
Christian pushed his seat back with so much force it almost toppled back but I caught it before it could fall. "Where is she?" Christian sounded a mixture of angry and excited, and I had to admit that I could feel excitement bubble alongside the nerves and fear I felt.
"She is on her way here. She put up quite the fight. We lost some men on both yours and Carla's side, Sir. We also have some men on their way to the hospital."
"What state is Isabelle in?" Christian's voice was so controlled but his fists by his side told me he wasn't as calm as he sounded.
"She is quite blooded but she is alive and can still talk. I'm presuming that is all that's really required of her."
"Yes, it is. When she arrives inform Luca so that he can take her to the basement. We need to get changed. It's time to put this to an end so that we can move on. The men that helped her what happened to them?"
"From what I have been told they didn't make it."
"Good, thank you." Christian grabbed my hand and with a deep breath, I stood from my seat. "Are you to do what you asked for, Princess? It's time to end this." The nerves had quickly taken over any hint of excitement I had been feeling a few seconds ago. Not because I thought I would be in danger and not because I was scared of seeing them being killed, I had already witnessed people being killed in front of me, but I was nervous about how I would handle watching the torture part of it all. I didn't want to look weak in front of anyone.
Christian and I walked silently up the stairs followed by the others who all split up to go to their own rooms. Once the door closed behind us Christian pulled me into his arms in a hug that was so tight, I was barely breathing but I didn't care, I needed this.
"You're trembling, princess. Are you sure you want to do this?"
"I'm not bothered about the fact that they are going to die, because they deserve what's coming to them. Even the torture part that's coming to them they deserve but what if I can't handle it? What if I throw up? I will look weak and I don't want to be weak."
"Ana, I need you to hear me. You are not and never will be weak. Think about everything that has happened since we met, what Gino and Isabelle put you through not to mention what I have put you through. You are the strongest most incredibly brave woman I have ever met… Don't tell Mia I said that though she scares me sometimes."
I laughed because I knew he was joking I knew the only thing that he was afraid of was losing anyone he loved. "Your secret is safe with me. Do you really believe I can handle it?"
"I don't doubt it for a second, besides if you do feel like you can't handle it or that you feel queasy the beauty about being pregnant is that you can blame it on that. Not that anyone would think your weak. We have grown up in this life I have been shooting guns since I was a child. I have watched and participated in the torture of those that sought to hurt us since I was a young teen. This is our normal but it's not yours."
When Christian put it like that it actually made me feel a lot better. He was right being pregnant was the perfect excuse to leave if it's too much. "Okay, you're right. Can you unzip my dress so I can put something more suitable on?"
"I can but when we come back up here I want you back in that dress so that I can do what I have wanted to do all night since I first saw you in it."
"And what is that, hmm?"
"I'm going to rip it of your incredible body and then I'm going to fuck you into next week. While I won't be too rough as long as you are pregnant knowing that everything is okay, I need to fuck you." So once this is over, we will have our own celebration and by the time I am finished you won't be able to walk for days."
I groaned as Christian slowly unzipped my dress as he whispered each work into my ear making me shiver and making my pussy ache with the need for him to do what he had just said. I was half tempted to say can we not let everyone else deal with Isabelle and Gino but we both need to be there so instead I said nothing.
Christian slapped my ass and kissed my shoulder allowing the kiss to linger. "Get dressed, princess we have work to do." I practically ran to the closet knowing if I didn't, I would jump him where he stood.
It was time for Isabelle and Gino to pay.