My dear little broccolis💚💚💚

💚 So, this story is dedicated to two particular authors with whom I have briefly touched on those issues, and who make amazing stories. paleseptember10 & Krooela. Go check them out, you won't regret it.

💚 Fallen Angel💚

How would have Christian Grey's life turned out if the Greys had intervened when Elena tried to sink her claws into him? Would he still be the same man as we know, or someone completely different ...

‼️Rated M - {Out Of Characters/All Human/Alternate Universe}‼️

‼️Romance/Angst/Drama/Lemons‼️

‼️AS/CG/The Greys/The Steeles/Jack Hyde/Elena Lincoln‼️

💚 READ & REVIEW, DON'T BE A SILENT READER 💚

Chapter 50: The Father Within

Christian's PoV (6.6K)

After staying with Martha for a good part of the morning, talking about how I feel about this whole Elena thing, I spent the little rest I had of the morning at home. She had told me to go back home and clean up my mess as a catalyst for cleaning up this part of my life, but of course, Gail already did so. So I stay in the room where I used to expose all the clay work I had done and I look at all the empty spaces there now, because of my anger.

Before yesterday, I really thought that I was no longer concerned with that bitch troll and what happened to her. But as Martha took it out of me, it was because I knew I was safe from her no matter what. And also because deep down, I was hoping that she was suffering in jail. This had been a lulling thought when I was younger. The idea that she was suffering in jail whilst I was free… Free of her and free to do as I wish.

I try to call Eric to see how he is taking the news, but he doesn't pick up the phone, which I think is odd. I know that I have been rather preoccupied with Ana as of late and I didn't keep in touch as much as I should have, but Eric always answered when I called in the past. So instead, I text Ros to calm her down. She is worried to know that I flew back unexpectedly and still didn't come to work. I let her know that I had to deal with a personal emergency and that I'm relying on her for the rest of the week. I know I'm not in the right state of mind to do anything productive or even professional.

Just as I'm about to leave to go to Dad's office for lunch, Eric texts me to let me know that he is abroad and that he knows about the bitch's release. He asks me how I am doing and promises to call me when he's back on US soil. I answer him that I'm good and hope that he is as well and take one of my Audis to go to Dad's. He isn't expecting me, and to be fair I could just call him, but I want to elude that whole mystery about him knowing that Elena was released.

Once I get to his office, his secretary makes me wait in his office and I make a point to tell her to not let him know that I am already here. Since Carrick seems to like surprises so much, let him find out when he sees that I am here. Just like he didn't tell me a thing about Elena. For twenty minutes, I stay, lost in my thoughts as I ask myself what I will do over the weekend to keep myself busy. It's the first time that Ana won't be by my side, and it seems that I forgot how to function without her. I could do what I always did before her and work, but I know that it would be useless. My mind is on anything but work. Which is a change for sure.

Maybe I could work on my piano. After all, Ana has made an offhand comment a while ago, asking me if I knew how to make something decent come out of my grand piano, or if I just had it to show off like any other rich dude out there. It's been a while since I really applied myself to it, so maybe I should practice before making a fool out of myself. I actually wonder if Ana knows how to play. I'll have to ask her.

Finally, Dad comes to his office, but when he opens the door he doesn't enter immediately and stays by the doorframe to talk with what I assume to be a young associate. And this is definitely flirting. I hear her laugh when Carrick says he needs to eat to be efficient in the afternoon, and the way she laughs … it's as if she had just heard the funniest joke in history. Ridiculous. But most importantly, since when does Carrick entertain this relationship with that girl? What's up with that?

When he closes the door (after that slut laughs yet again and flirtatiously tells him that she will see him later), he turns and finally spots me. He immediately smiles with a mix of joy and relief, but I don't mirror that. I'm too focused on what has just happened.

"How are you, son?" He asks with concern, but I ignore him and question back,

"Who is she?"

He has the audacity to laugh as if I am the one being ridiculous. I just caught him on the verge of committing adultery and he takes it so lightly. He walks to me and puts his briefcase on his desk, shaking his head as he says with a tone he hopes reassuring,

"You're worrying over nothing. It's Lorelei, the newest hire. She flirts, in the hope to get a good mentorship. They always do. You would know if you weren't so high up in the hierarchy."

Yeah, right. I'm not an idiot. He's trying to save his ass. But I'm definitely not going to cover his ass. He must have read my feelings on my face because he adds, "You can tell your mother. She knows. Just like I know every new intern coming her way who tries to snap her away from me. Though I suspect some of them genuinely were interested in her."

Well, that changes things. I had no idea. Though I will definitely ask Grace. But … "How can you be so calm about it?"

"Because we have decades of marriage. And because we trust each other. I know that Grace won't leave me for a pretty boy just like she knows I won't stray for a pretty girl."

"Still. You're wearing your ring. People should have the decency to —"

"You can't stop people from acting the way they want to act. Otherwise, we wouldn't need laws. What matters is the way we react to people. If Lorelei wants to flirt, so be it. I don't care. Because at the end of the day, no matter what, I love your mother. Nothing will change that, and nothing will make me forget my vows to her. And I have faith in her that the same goes for her."

I nod, though I am not fully convinced. To me, it is still weird that none of them gets upset that their significant other is being hit on, on a regular basis. Especially when they are not here to threaten it off. I wonder if that happens to Ana. Men hitting on her and trying to get her to get with them. For once, I am grateful for the overbearing presence of the media. At least, the world knows that she's mine. And in a few months times, when I will have made my proposal with the ring to go with it, no one would have any excuse. She will have my ring to show to the world that she is taken and she is mine.

Carrick looks at me and puts his briefcase down before he tells me, "Let's head out to grab lunch, I'm in the mood for some junk food."

I follow him out of his office and he settles for Subway. Once we have our sandwiches, we go to a booth and he asks me, "Again, how are you doing?"

This brings me back to the reason why I wanted to see him in the first place. And so I accuse him without thinking about it a second more, "Why didn't you tell me?! You call Martha but not me? Your son? The first person concerned in this whole debacle!"

He doesn't budge at my outburst, just taking a bite out of his sandwich before he tells me, "I did try to call you, but you never picked up. And when I called Taylor, he told me that you had come back to Seattle and left your apartment without any word on your whereabouts. Ana is the one who told Elliott that you were with her."

"What?"

"We were worried. Apparently, she texted Kate so she would stay with Elliott last night and then she texted Elliott to let us know to stop worrying."

I don't say a word, taking in the information that Ana has yet again taken care of me in this whole mess. She took care of my physical wounds, as well as the emotional ones, but she also made sure that my family wouldn't worry about me. I didn't even think about that yesterday, the fact that people might worry about me. I was in a different headspace.

I try to explain this to Carrick, but he knowingly shakes his head, and so I cut to the real issue, "What's up with the bitch, then?"

He grimaces. Dad has never been fond of cussing. I'm actually surprised that he never tried to wash our mouths with soap when we were kids. I know a couple of people who suffered that fate from their fathers who are friends of his.

"She is out on parole for good behaviour. Which means that for the time being, she can't leave the State. In fact, she can't even leave Seattle. But I have no idea how she will support herself. She is beyond broke, she is in debt. Eric made sure of that."

"How do you know all of that? How did you even know that she was getting out?"

"You are my son, Christian. Of course I will keep tabs on the woman who abused you when you were at your lowest. Your best interests will always be on my mind."

Well, even though I knew that, I didn't expect it. I mean, I know my parents love me, Lord knows I know. Martha has been working so much to hammer this point in that I don't think I would ever be able to forget that. And even if I didn't have Martha, I still have proof of their love for all they have done for me and continue doing for me. And still, having these simple and plain things put in front of me ... it makes me realise how much Carrick does love me.

All these years, he kept an eye on Elena, worrying that this very day might come. And when it did, he made sure that I had the support I needed by contacting Martha and letting her know that I might drop by and interrupt her day. And yet, he says it in a way that seems so natural to him. It's … unsettlingly touching. Who would have thought that I would be so moved by something so small?

For a few minutes, we don't say anything, not needing to, as we eat our sandwiches. Fast foods have always been a Carrick thing. Grace has always been the one worrying about the fact that we eat healthy with all the nutrients and vitamins that we need. Carrick was always the one to indulge us. And more than once, we snuck up on Grace. I'm pretty sure that today's Subway won't necessarily be mentioned to her by Carrick. I know I won't. I might have flown out of the nest, but that doesn't stop Grace from giving me lectures from time to time. And I know that this is a lecture-worthy topic.

Once he is done with his sandwich and he's sipping on his coke, Carrick looks back at me, scanning my very soul before he tells me, "Mia is back home. Come and spend the weekend with us. Your Mom will be thrilled and relieved. And obviously, Ana is more than welcome."

"She's out of town this weekend. She is leaving tonight to visit her Dad."

"Even more reason for you to be spending the weekend home. Don't stay alone. We're here for you. No matter what."

I shake my head, crumpling the paper of my now gone sandwich and I reassure him, "I'm good, Dad. I was just … caught off guard. But I'm good. Even when I went to Martha's I was feeling rather peaceful. So you don't have to worry. I won't do anything … reckless."

He lets out a small disabused smile before putting his hand on my shoulder and letting me know, "Christian … you're my son. I'm sorry to tell you, but I will always worry. You'll understand one day. In the meantime, please come home. So we can spend a weekend together as a family. I might even let you win at Scrabble."

I laugh but agree still. After all, I know I won't do anything productive or romantic tonight. So why not spend time with my folks? It's been a while since I saw Mia, and I know Grace will be rejoiced to have us home at the same time. Especially if Carrick manages to convince Elliott to come home too. It will be nice. Though it would have definitely been even nicer if Ana had been here as well.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

So as promised, I spent the Friday night at Carrick's and Grace's, and as I expected, Carrick still crushed all of us at Scrabble. I should have recorded him promising to let me win. Especially since I did pretty good for myself for once. I managed to scrabble on a triple case, which should count for something. But of course, it was a word with just one-point letters, and Dad managed to capitalise on every single ten points letter. Even the ones he didn't originally have.

I have to say, I am curious to see him playing against Ana. With the number of books she gulps down per week, she is bound to have come across some pretty odd words with those ten points letters. Kate is actually a pretty decent player (and of course, Dad is ecstatic to finally have real competition). She ranked second only by eleven points, and she did manage to block a couple of golden opportunities for Dad. Seeing them two play Scrabble makes the game looks more like chess than a simple game of letters and vocabulary. Again, I can't wait to see how Ana would fair in that.

Elliott and Kate have accepted Dad's invitation to stay the weekend, and as I knew she would, Grace is over the moon. We've decided to go sailing on my boat tomorrow since it's still a rather decent day for the beginning of October. We've been promised sun and heat. Grace was quite happy about that, Mia not so much. She spent the whole dinner lamenting about climate change and the fact that this Indian summer shouldn't be, to begin with.

I wholeheartedly agree with her, and I do my best to be as eco-friendly as possible, but at the same time, Mia wants now-solutions instead of long-term solutions. I put this on her youth. Sometimes, age does give you wisdom. I guess old people were right after all. If I ever tell that to grandpa Theo, he will definitely be smug for the years to come.

As I get to bed after crushing Dad at Monopoly (hey, he understands words, I understand money), I take my phone just in time as Ana calls me. It is shortly after midnight. She did text me when she was leaving, and again when she arrived at her father's. She took Kate's car to go there. If only I had had her car this morning, I could have given her her brand new Audi and she could have driven it to her Dad's. But alas.

"Hey, babe," I say with a smile as I pick up, closing my eyes to picture her better.

"How are you doing?"

"Better now that I'm talking to you."

"What did I say about making me melt, Christian?" She admonishes me, but all I do is chuckle, getting comfortable in my bed as I ask about her evening with her father.

She tells me that they spent the evening talking, walking down memory lane all the while eating pizza and drinking beer. Though she doesn't tell me much about what they talked about. She briefly mentions that they talked about her childhood and her mother, but when I ask for details, wondering if he took out the photo albums of her when she was still a kid, she just says that she had a good and eye-opening evening with her father.

I still haven't asked her if the Colonel is actually her father, and I am not sure if I should. I mean, even if she knows that her mother was unfaithful, it's probably not something she wants to think about. Especially if her father has found it in himself to forgive Carla and still love her. As she tells me about their plans for Saturday (which also include boat riding), I idly wonder if I would forgive and still love Ana if she did the same.

If she cheated on me, would I be able to forgive her? To still love her to the point of raising someone else's kid? What if she cheated on me with that punk of Rodriguez? I know he's just waiting for the first occasion to get in her pants. What would happen? Would I be like the Colonel and accept it as it is? Would I turn her down? Or would I try to wreck her world as she would have wrecked mine?

With a quick shake of my head, I come back to the present moment, giving back my attention to Ana. She would never do that. She loves me. She told me time and time again. I have no reason not to believe her. And more than that, no matter how much that idiot of Rodriguez drools over her, she's with me. If only she would accept to move in with me. It would make my life so much easier and make me feel so much better. But alas.

"How about you? What are your plans for tomorrow? You're not staying on your own, are you?" She asks me and I can't help but roll my eyes. Everyone needs to chill the fuck out with me being on my own. I have been on my own for fucking years. It's not a little weekend that will kill me.

"No. I am staying with my folks. We all are. Guess who's happy like a chipmunk?"

"Be nice. I imagine your Mom must miss having her kids around. It's only natural."

"And yet, your Mom lives in a whole other state and has been for years." I can't help but retort.

"Yeah, but that's different. Plus, whenever I visit, she is over the moon and we always have the bests of times."

"Right," I say, unconvinced.

I have no doubts that Ana loves her Mom. But not everyone is deserving of love. And in my book, Carla is not deserving of her daughter's love. The woman divorced the man she cheated on when her daughter was five, and not only did she leave the custody of her child to the man who wasn't her biological father, but she didn't even try to stay in the same state to visit her more often than once in a blue moon. What kind of a mother does that? Even my own mother, with all her flaws and all her drug issues, didn't stoop so low. And the bar was pretty fucking low.

"Do you really want to talk about my parents, now? I mean, it's past midnight, I wasn't aware that you were becoming a shrink at night."

I roll my eyes, though she is right. There are better things to talk about in the middle of the night with my girlfriend on the phone. "You're right, babe. Let's talk about how I fucking miss you and wish you were here with me."

"I miss you too. But don't worry, I'm not staying here for long."

"I've gotten used to sleeping with you," I continue, before adding. "Especially when you wear silky nightwear. I love the way it feels on your skin when I take it off you."

She giggles and I bring my hand to my pyjamas, my eyes still closed as I picture her in some silver nightgown I have seen hanging in the closet.

"If you were here, babe, I would be eating you, right now. Just the way you like it. Nibbling on your clit and my fingers inside of you, searching for your G Spot."

Fuck I am getting hard. This is definitely going to end as a phone sex conversation. Not that I ever had any, but right now, it seems like the best idea that I ever had. I start to go up and down my length, though it would be more pleasurable if Ana also participated in that little thing I'm trying to have with her. But then again, maybe it's not her scene.

"Babe? Am I … making you uncomfortable?"

"Definitely. But not because of what you think. I too wish I was with you. Especially after what you just said."

I frown because it doesn't sound like Ana to not be blunt about sex. We've always been rather open about it. So I ask, "But?"

"But Dad is still up, and his office is next to my room."

Yup, boner gone. As easy as that. What a stupid move to try to have phone sex when I know she is with her crazy father (who could as well be a secret assassin).

"Yeah. I get that. You should have said so sooner. I got worked up for nothing."

"Well, we are both in that situation. I would suggest finishing this conversation via texts, but I wouldn't be comfortable doing that when he could hear me."

"Agreed. In that case, I'm just going to hope that I will get to satisfy you in your dreams the same way you will satisfy me in mine."

"Christian! What did I say about making me melt?!"

I chuckle and wish her goodnight before hanging up. Still, not even a minute after I put the phone on the nightstand, I receive a text from Ana. Well, a text … a picture. Of her in her bed, her pyjamas half-covering her and her hand between her legs as she bites down on her lower lip. And with this magnificent picture, she wrote

So I can help make your dreams better. XOXO ~ Ana

Well, my boner is definitely back, and unlike her, no one is staying in the room next to mine.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

The weekend at my parents' passed as a blur. No matter how much I tease Grace for enjoying so much having her kids around, I understand. It's good to be amongst a family and think of nothing else but the joy to be surrounded by loved ones. The only dark cloud of this whole weekend is that I wish Ana had been here. Especially since Kate is here, and so obviously well fitting in our family.

It only struck me this morning when we were in the middle of breakfast and that she excused herself to make a quick phone call that she isn't family. Though with the goofy way Elliott looks at her, I wouldn't be surprised if in the future she became part of the family. I wonder if I look at Ana the same way he looks at Kate. In a way, I hope so. I don't want her or anyone to ever doubt that I love her.

In fact, I don't have to wonder if I look at Ana in a goofy way for long. Ana just called me and as soon as I hang up, Dad asks if we can talk. He pulls me to his study and once we're alone, he looks at me with gravity, passing his hand on his face as he tells me,

"We need to talk about your relationship with Ana. And … I'm not sure either of us is prepared for that talk. I didn't need to have this conversation with Elliott."

"Well, in that case, don't. Elliott and I, we're the same. Don't treat us differently," I snap. This is something I have always had issues with. I don't want to be treated differently than my siblings. I know the three of us have very different backgrounds and very different traumas, but that doesn't mean that for the grand lines of life, we shouldn't be treated the same.

Carrick grimaces, apparently expecting this bite back from me and he retorts, "On this particular matter, you and your brother are definitely different. Elliott's limits are somewhat reasonable. You … you're more an all-or-nothing kind of person. And I just don't want that to prejudice you in your relationships. Whether it is this one, or the ones to come."

I'm about to remind him that there isn't any other relationship that will matter when it comes to Ana. She is my one and only. But he raises his hands in peace, apparently understanding what I was about to say before I even said it. He takes a deep breath and says, "Let's try to get rid of the awkward as fast as possible."

Well, at least he is enjoying this just as much as I am. But I have to say, I am curious as to what he wants to talk to me about that he couldn't do in front of the family. He takes another deep breath and then plants his eyes in mine as he solemnly tells me,

"It's not because you get Ana pregnant that it means that you need to marry her."

How in the Hell that I had sex with her? I didn't tell anyone and Ana isn't even here! I'm about to tell him that it's none of his business anyway when he stops me,

"I know this look, son. I've seen it on Elliott when he was sixteen and I've seen it on Mia when …" we both shudder, not really eager to go back to Mia and her sexual life. "And I know that you love her, Christian. Anyone who sees you when you're with her can tell that you truly love her.

But getting a girl pregnant doesn't mean that you have to marry her. It only means that you have to have an adult conversation with her and agree with her about what the consequences should be. Marrying someone just because of pregnancy can only lead to resentments and sometimes even regrets."

"What if I want to marry her anyway?" I retort because I would certainly not mind marrying Ana. And I would certainly not mind her getting pregnant with my kid. If she's pregnant with my kid, she definitely won't be able to leave me.

"Then you should marry her because of your feelings for her and her feelings for you. Because you both have the same vision when you speak of the future. Because you both see each other in your lives when you think of what's to come. But pregnancy shouldn't be the marking factor to your proposal."

I shrug because all of this is a given. Ana is a part of me and of my everyday decisions, now. So I grumble, "I don't mind. She can't leave if she's pregnant with my kid."

Carrick looks at me with condescendence and gently taps my shoulder, making me feel like I'm a kid again, "Christian … Ana is still young. And so are you. You still have plenty of time and plenty to learn. So … wrap it up, each and every time."

"Wrap what up?" Elliott asks as he enters the study, two ice creams in his hands, but as soon as his eyes land on Dad and me, he seems to understand what we were talking about and grins,

"Oh, I see. You guys were talking about the birds and the bees."

I roll my eyes, taking the ice cream, though I am grateful for his interruption. I never thought I'd ever had this conversation with Dad. Especially so late in my adulthood. I mean, I'm sure it was way more awkward for Elliott and Mia since they were both still teens when they had this talk, but still. Somehow, I doubt we had the same kind of conversation.

Elliott grins even wider and he not so secretly tells Dad as he hands him his own ice cream, "You know Dad, he's been joined at the hip to Ana ever since they came back from Paris. And I'm sure the only reason why Christian is here today and not with Ana is because he knows that the Colonel will chop him off if he does anything to Ana whilst under his roof."

Well, he's not wrong here. Had Ana stayed at her mother's, I would have done everything in my power to go with her. But the Colonel … let's not tempt fate more than necessary.

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

After that rather awkward conversation with Dad, I left and quickly passed by the office to check a couple of things. But as expected, Ros has taken care of everything. Nothing is left on read or to be treated, and the couple of things that are on my desk are things I can handle throughout the coming week or need my signature only. What would I do without her? I don't know.

So then I go back home, scrolling through my phone to call Ana and see if she's soon to be back, but I find her in my living room, sitting on the floor with a humongous puppy in her arms. I broadly smile at her, happy to see her and crouch once I am at her side, gently reaching for the pup.

"What's this?" I ask. I had no idea she wanted to get a dog. Or I would have gotten her one long ago. Ana pecks my lips, still caressing the pup and she brightly tells me,

"Lola. She's a Newfoundland. She's just six months old."

I scratch Lola behind her ears, making her wag her tail happily and droll on the same occasion and I ask again, "I had no idea you wanted a dog."

"I was thinking … maybe she could be yours. Little Lola Grey."

"Little?" I chuckle. She does too and Lola decides that my scratches aren't enough, so she comes to me and asks for more that I happily give her as her paws are resting on my chest and her tongue is hanging on the side. Yeah, I definitely see why people say that dogs can smile.

"And why would I need a Little Lola Grey?" I ask, still busy petting the fur all. She's so soft. A brown little hairball, full of fluff. Ana looks at me with a satisfied smile before she comes to stand behind me, hugging me from behind and kissing my temple as she tells me,

"So she can help with your touch issues."

She looks down at my chest where Lola is still resting her paws, and I stop my petting slightly, earning a bark from the pup. I turn my head to look at Ana, wondering how long she's been thinking about that. How long has she restrained herself from touching me? But then again, we've passed that. So I take her hand in mine, and gently and slowly bring it to my chest. It's … bearable. And I definitely don't have any panic attacks coming our way.

"Babe … we're getting th—"

"I know Christian. And I told you. We'll go your way. But I don't want your touch issues to only have a window for me. What if one day, your Mom could give you a proper hug? Wouldn't you like that? For her and for you?"

Well, I can't argue with that. She is totally right. And Martha has been telling me for a while to get a pet to help with those very issues. So I guess this is just fitting. And it's not a chihuahua. I won't look ridiculous walking this dog around. So I cup her face with the hand that was holding hers to my chest and I kiss her with love.

"In that case, thank you, babe. For Little Lola Grey and for being so patient and understanding with me."

She gives me yet another bright smile and Lola yaps, requiring attention as Ana lets me know, "She's trained, so you won't have to worry about that. I picked her up yesterday from a shelter with Dad. I wanted to bring you a labrador, but Dad reckoned that a Newfoundland would be more fitting for you."

I raise an eyebrow, surprised that the Colonel had anything to do with choosing my dog, and she laughs, explaining, "He said that someone who stirs a boat big like the Grace needs a strong and imposing dog to keep his strength alert."

"Oh, really? I know another way to keep my strength alert …" I joke, nibbling on her earlobe and she giggles, shaking her head.

I keep scratching the pup's head, slightly overwhelmed by this proof of selfless love Ana has just displayed. This was purely to help me get out of my touch issues. So I could give my parents something they have always wished for but never dared dream of. Something I have always dreamed of but never dared say out loud because I knew it was impossible. This woman is just incredible.

"Do you have a leash for her?"

"Yes. Nothing fancy though. If you want diamond incrusted with her name written in cursive, you'll have to do that yourself, Mr Rich Dude."

I chuckle and get up as she rumbles in her bag and produces a leash that she gives me. Lola is all over the place as soon as she sees the leash, and so I decide to delay a little my plans so we can have a stroll around the building. As we walk Lola out, Ana tells me all the things I need to know about LLG (because Little Lola Grey is definitely going to stick). It feels so normal and so domestic to have this walk with Ana, and I have this flash coming to me of us doing exactly that, but around our house, pushing a stroller as well. But talking about kids doesn't seem like a good idea as of now. I don't want to scare her off.

Once we've circled the building, I direct her to the parking lot and to the Audi I got her for her birthday and once we are in front of the car, I kiss her cheek and whisper in her ear, "Happy birthday, babe."

"My birthday was two weeks ago. It's too late to give me any pr—"

"You promised not to fuss over any gift I would give you for your birthday. And I told you that it wasn't ready yet," I quickly remind her and she gives me a small grimace, seeing that I have bested her on this. She has no choice but to accept my gift, though she still makes a small fuss because God forbid this girl just accepts anything I would want to gift her without any argument,

"Do you have to be grandiose like that about everything you do in life? The closet, the trip to Lascaux and Paris, the car. I'm a simple girl Christian. A nice massage with a bubble bath would be plenty for me."

"And I'm a rich man, Ana. I like the best things in life and I like to take care of those who mean the most to me."

She seems about to retort something but she just shakes her head and she kisses me, letting me know as we get back to my flat, Lola happily leading the way, "I love you Christian. The content of your purse has nothing to do with it. And yes, I love that you care so much about me and want me to experience the best things in life. And I know I shouldn't complain so much and just appreciate what you're giving me. But … I don't ever want to feel like you're trying to buy my love. I liked you even before I knew who you were. Don't forget that."

.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.

On Monday morning, I wake up tired but with an ecstatic smile on my face. I have spent the night making love to Ana, again and again. In every position we had already tried, tested and enjoyed. Missionary, from behind, with her on top of me. I barely gave her five minutes of rest. I enjoyed giving her orgasm after orgasm, making her scream my name and even making her touch me.

To my own surprise, more than once as I was chasing my own orgasm inside of her, I asked her to touch me and to look at me in the eye as she would do so. It was … another experience ... otherworldly. Especially when she tells me that she loves me. I would never tire to hear her say so. Just like I would never tire of pounding into her. If I could, I would take Ana everywhere with me so I could have her anytime I want. Especially since she always seems as ready as I am to dance the devil's tango.

After introducing Little Lola Grey to Mrs Jones and telling Mrs Jones all that she needs to know about the new resident, I get to work (not before dropping Ana at SIP) and I get to my floor, Andrea stops me from getting to my office as she tells me,

"I have an important message from Mr Steele, Mr Grey."

"Colonel Steele," I instinctively correct her, though my insides are freezing. What does he want? And why is he here? Didn't Ana say that he was supposed to be leaving today for a new mission or something? Doesn't he have other people to kill in the other parts of the world, instead of bothering the law-abiding citizen that I am?

"He … demanded a lunch meeting with you at twelve sharp at this address."

❌PLEASE DO NOT COPY, DOWNLOAD OR SHARE THIS ANYWHERE OTHER THAN HERE❌

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💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚

💚 So what does the Colonel want?

💚 And we have a new "little" character. what do you think about her and the gesture Ana had for Christian with that?

💚 And what did you think of Christian in this chapter? And his conversation with Carrick?

💚 E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, Everything else is mine (including the mistakes and grammar errors).

Love, Mina 💚💚💚