06.06.21
Without my Authors notes, this is 11,400ish word chapter and DAMN did it take me forever to write. I got sidetracked by Freed. I will talk about that at some point. Till then ignore my mistakes... I really wanted to get this out for you all.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Let me give you the wedding night you deserve.
APOV
It's been two months since Acerogate and things have been interesting to say at the least. I introduced Dad and Christian a week after everything happened which went better than I expected though there were some hilariously awful moments. Christian had been playing it cool the entire drive out to Montesano, which I figured was better than him being a nervous wreck— yet a teeny tiny part of me would have liked him to be.
Dad went over the top by sitting on the front steps, cleaning out his shotgun upon our arrival. I rolled my eyes at the subtle threat he was aiming to convey.
"Dad, this isn't funny."
"I'm just doing some mid summer cleaning, need to make sure they're in perfect condition in case I need to shoot someon–something, I mean." He replies, feigning shock at my implied accusation. "Honestly, Annie… give me some credit."
I could feel Christian tense a little next to me but I gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Don't scare my man away, I really like him.
"Honestly, Raymond Steele... knock it off." An arched brow glare put an end to that little display of machismo real quick. Of course he hid it behind a gravelly chuckle that still made it clear he could own anyone's ass when push came to shove.
Within a few minutes, Dad and Christian were on their way to bonding over some ice-cold beer but I could tell that Christian was still on his best behavior till my father inquired a play by play of his little revenge action sequence. That got Raymond Steele real giddy and laughing. My gorgeous barbarian's body language seemed to calm considerably after that. Thankfully they bonded over sports and fishing as well so things were only looking up.
I later found out that José had lost all sense and actually came to meet Dad, begging for forgiveness in an effort to convince him to ask me to call off the dogs and give him Acero back or at least his share of it. My father's fist got way up close and personal with his face to end the conversation but not before reading him the riot act as well. The fact that José thought Ray would be willing to calmly listen to him grovel just because he coached him off-hours through the years for football and our years of shared history was just ridiculous. The man punched your father's lights out, what made you think you'd fare any better?
I mean the fucker barely apologized for what he did to me. That man or boy, I should say, has no spine or conviction whatsoever. A day later, Dad crossed paths with Mrs. Rodriguez at the general store and she had the sense to swerve out of his aisle real quick for fear of what Dad would do. For once in her life she actually used common sense.
Gaia flew out to Florida and I half wonder what sob story she played out to her mother, either way, as long as she's far away from me.
What a waste of my seven years... but I wasn't going to dwell on that anymore. I had to move forward. The future was looking brighter and moreover, I had a hand to hold. The dreary nightmare was over and now I was wide awake living in a reality that was far more beautiful than I could ever have imagined for myself.
I quit my job a month after Acerogate and finally cashed that check. Well, I framed the check and asked Christian to wire the money instead. Kate signed on as co-founder and while I asked Christian for the same, he told me that it would be best that he remained in the advisory role that I had initially proposed. He didn't want to take the shine away from me and insisted on being a support behind the scenes.
We'll have a platform to beta test by the end of October which is in a couple of weeks and till then Kate and I are reaching out to some of the authors from the rejected list I compiled at Portland Press, along with literary lawyers, fanfiction authors and some independent creatives to get the ball rolling when the time comes. Kate has been working on a full PR strategy for when we're absolutely ready to launch on various app stores as well. It's not lost on me that there are a lot of steps that I'm able to skip because I have a stellar support system but I still need to learn a lot, so I've signed up for various leadership seminars geared towards female entrepreneurs for the next six months. Christian's been more than willing to offer me private lessons in the field which had me laughing my head off. The man finds a way to make any situation sexually advantageous to him. I'm always at a complete loss. Maybe one day, I will have a small victory too.
I'm hunched over my desk in the new Enlight offices. We moved in a few days ago and are still setting up. I'm going over printouts of the latest logo design the graphic designer sent me to choose a final contender to move forward with when a pair of arms suddenly encircle my waist and startle me into a giggle. My man is here!
When I turn around, I full on, horror movie scream, and quickly cover my own mouth and then my face, peeking through my fingers to catch a glimpse of the man standing before me.
In my periphery I notice Sawyer rush in only to be waved off by Christian into retreat and close the door.
"Well that was not the reaction I thought I'd get." Christian laughs and god dammit it's so sexy.
Slowly, moving my hands away from my face I stare at him dumbfounded. Beardless Christian is, well, I mean I've seen clean shaven pictures of him from a few years ago but right now, up close and personal is a little jarring… I reach out to touch his face but pull my hand back before making contact with his skin and cover my mouth again. I do this a few times before falling into this nervous giggle fit. My brain is desperately trying to compute what is in front of me. My hormones are also going off like illegal fireworks.
"Baby?" He says with amusement, coming closer.
"Uhmm… I…" I shake my head and clear my throat. Find words. Formulate a sentence, Annie. "You look so different." I finally manage.
"Different good or different bad?" He half smiles with a curious look in his eyes.
"Different 'I think my boyfriend will come here and kill us both if he found me in the arms of another man' – that kinda different." I snort.
Christian chuckles and leans in to kiss me and my hands finally touch his face. It's so soft and the smell of his aftershave is driving me insane. This feels so new and I'm careful to hold him gently as if he'd break if I applied any more pressure but my body immediately has other ideas and takes over. I'm pretty much on my way to fuck this gorgeous man when he stops us, laughing and kissing my forehead telling me there's plenty of time for that, later. Well, I tried, I give him an exaggerated pout.
"In bed, where I can hear you scream. These offices aren't soundproof." My mouth forms into an o, totally forgot about that, he's so smart! "Well it's safe to say you approve?" The low bass of his voice in combination with his thumb playing with my bottom lip will make me combust if he doesn't stop.
I just nod, giggling and looking over his face like I'm seeing him for the first time. And then, suddenly, I'm mesmerized and getting a little emotional.
"I'm sorry, I'm just, this will take me a little while to get used to." I swallow. "You just look so–"
"Dashing, dreamy, debonair, handsome, god-like?" He cocks his head to the side, wiggling his eyebrows and I roll my eyes.
"Young." I snap, narrowing my eyes.
"You mean to say I looked old before?" The incredulous look on his face makes me laugh.
"Yeah, old." I reply, smirking. "Why the change?"
He shrugs. "Felt like it was time for one and I like keeping you on your toes."
"Is that so, Mr. Grey?" I narrow my eyes again. "I'm going to have to come up with some challenges myself then."
He smirks and begins to tickle me till I'm squealing and begging him to stop. Once I catch my breath, he tells me he has something. Reaching into his pocket he pulls out an envelope and hands it to me. When I open it to take a look, I'm dumbfounded and feel like I'm experiencing vertigo for the second time in the last 10 minutes.
"This is your share from Acero." He says.
"Th-this is– Chris–this.." I mumble in disbelief and suddenly I'm out of breath and shriek. "What is–I mean, HOW?"
"GEH has a contract with the DoD and Acero's tech was part of a change order we billed out for an extra yet vital piece of the puzzle that just got approved." Mr. Billionaire tells me, all calm and cool as a cucumber.
"What kind of contract?"
"I'm afraid that's classified, Miss Steele." He shrugs with a sexy smirk. "But this is 1/3rd of the amount we secured for our additional services and what you are rightly owed from Acero."
"Christian this is…" My throat suddenly goes dry and my eyes blur to the point where I lose count of the zeros on the check. "This is three hundred and fif–" my throat closes up.
"$350 million dollars, yes." He completes my sentence. "And now you can fully fund Enlight on your own without any outside investment."
"This is fucking insane." I blurt out. And unreal. My hands begin to tremble but he takes hold of them both and brings them to his lips. The gesture is so sweet that it breaks through all my defenses and tears begin to fall.
"No, it's yours. Your share and what you are rightly entitled to." His tone may be soft but there is no mistaking the definitive nature of his words.
It's taken a whole month in therapy to finally shut my brain up and accept that these were all their choices. Yes, I failed myself in some ways by never speaking out and demanding my worth but in the end, they made the choices that ultimately caused them to lose Acero and each other. The signs were there, they chose not to read them and instead barreled on full speed ahead and off the proverbial cliff.
"Christian this is…" I'm at a loss of words but full of gratitude and doing my best to silence that voice of doubt. "T-thank y-you." I murmur with a thick voice.
"I told you, I'll always fight for you and make sure you're taken care of, no matter what." My voice and thoughts are silenced by his lips till I'm right where he wants me. "Now, birthday girl… let's go feed you so I can fuck you all night." He says huskily before dragging me out of the office.
Happy fucking birthday to me.
Technically, it'll be my birthday in another few minutes. Christian was adamant on celebrating my birthday month. I was mortified as we proceeded to get locked in a negotiation, finally coming down from a month, to a week. I was aiming for a more half day celebration and perhaps willing to endure a weekend at the max but Christian wore me down and I caved in at a full week celebration.
Boy, this man knows how to celebrate and knock a girl off of her feet.
Every day has been something completely different from private fine dining experiences to taking me up in Charlie Tango; last weekend he took me to New York which was amazing because we were able to freely walk around and be silly, explore local eats, watch broadway shows and relax. I'd never been and I told him I couldn't wait to visit during one of the conferences I was attending with Kate in a few weeks. I know this was his way of trying to get ahead of the curve and lock in his 'first' with me. This week it's been a litany of presents that are just insane. I was sent shopping for a whole new wardrobe and ordered to pamper myself with spa treatments. Kate was instrumental in enforcing these celebratory rules.
Last night, he gave me a pair of beautiful diamond drop earrings from Cartier that freaked me out because I'd never seen anything so beautiful before. And then today with the check…. my brain is having trouble processing everything.
Sex is always mindblowing with him but this week has been particularly outstanding. Things have been done to my mind and person that I didn't realize were possible. My body has been cirque de sexed into a happy oblivion and the mighty Christian Grey is still not done with me.
Tonight, he wants to literally celebrate my birthday with a bang!
He's timing my orgasm so that I cum exactly when it's midnight.
"Christian!" I laugh deliriously, in desperate need of release. "Forget the clock…"
He chuckles and rolls his hips. I see the strain in his body and the sheen of sweat that makes his skin shine. "Almost there, baby."
I try to buck him off so I can get on top to take control but he laughs and traps my hands above my head aggressively.
"It's not your birthday yet." He warns, huskily, halting his movements and bearing his entire weight on me. "Don't get greedy."
"Please." I beg and try to squirm for some friction but I'm at a loss. "I promise, I'll be a good girl." I smile and bite his bottom lip, slowly increasing the pressure.
He growls and pulls away. I giggle at his mock look of displeasure. Come at me Grey, actually more like, in me and let me cum too? We go back and forth and soon enough, I ring in my birthday with a promised bang indeed.
After we've both caught our breaths, he starts to sing Happy Birthday in my ear and as tired as I am, I fall into hysterics.
"Happy Birthday, baby." He smiles down at me.
"I've never been wished a Happy Birthday like this." I say, playing with his stubble and tracing my fingertips along his jaw. He looks so different that I feel as if I'm with another man, visually at least. It's just a teeny but unsettling. "You're quite the crooner, handsome."
"What can I say, I'm all about providing unique and one of a kind experiences." If I didn't love that smug face, I'd call him an ass. "And I'm still not done."
"Oh Lord, Christian, I'm all surprised and birthday'd out. How about we just chill and order pizza for my birthday and maybe watch a movie. It is my day afterall!"
"Is that what you did before?" He asks with a slight edge to his tone and a serious expression.
I try not to let my mind wander down memory lane. Dad always made a big deal about my birthday. With those two, we just went out to eat or watched a movie at the theater. In college, once I was 21, then we'd get drunk I guess. Or before that, get drunk in our apartment, well I didn't because someone had to be responsible. My birthday has always just been another regular day, I never really made a big deal about it.
"Not really." I murmur. "I'd rather not talk about it, actually."
He presses me, wanting to know more when I want him to really back off. Why does it matter? It happened... Whatever.
"What did you do on your last birthday?"
I close my eyes. "I spent it alone, working... they were at a tech conference in San Francisco that entire week and yeah…" I shrug. "Dad called and then came over on the weekend that followed and I cooked us all a meal. Kate was in New York for fashion week but she sent me flowers and cupcakes the day of and sent me messages to check in on me. I didn't get a call from either of them till late that night because they were busy and exhausted."
Probably from fucking each other.
"Time for us to make new memories and traditions." He says, climbing on top of and kissing me. "I'm going to celebrate the fuck out of you."
I giggle and try to keep my legs closed. "You already did."
He flips me over with tremendous ease, as if I'm made of nothing and trails kisses up my back. I try not to moan but it's difficult to keep my guard up against him. When he finally reaches my ear he bites on my earlobe and sucks.
"Miss Steele, the party isn't over, till I say it's over."
I'm all dressed up as per Mr. Billionaire's orders, in a red dress he had picked out and heading to some unknown location, blindfolded.
Stay calm, Ana.
"This is how every murder mystery episode starts out." I grumble.
"Murdering you is too much work." Christian replies and I hear the smile in his voice before I feel his lips close to my ear. "Fucking you on the other hand, that's more my scene."
I bite my lip and swallow. My body melts and leans into him a little when his fingers trail up my thighs to reach under my dress.
"Hmm, so wet. Is this for me?" I nod silently trying my best not to moan. He works me into a frenzy and just before I'm about to let go he stops placing his fingers at my lips–a silent command for me to suck. When I indulge him and then playfully bite down on his fingers he groans and reprimands me. "I thought you were going to be a good girl?"
"It's my birthday, I can be bad if I want." I smirk and he crashes his lips to mine, kissing me so forcefully that I'm almost certain I'll combust for just this act alone.
He's gotten me wound up enough but again, he leaves me hanging. His birthday is too far away for me to take my revenge but I suppose that gives me enough time to plot!
I'm led out of the car and he guides me. We've been walking for a few minutes and I'm trying my best not to laugh at how silly I feel to be walking blindfolded through wherever I am right now. We stop walking and I hear the ping of an elevator. He leads me in and I'm engulfed by the scent of roses. I feel the elevator car start to ascend and then suddenly it stops.
What the fuck? Not this shit again.
"Christian?" I take off my blindfold in a panic. My eyes adjust to the light and I see I'm in a little oasis, the elevator has been turned into flower walls of lush red roses, before I can touch them I feel a movement behind me and turn to look.
Christian is on his knees, opening a small box that holds a beautiful ring in it.
It suddenly dawns on me that we're in the same elevator that we met. We're at the Fairmont.
Oh fuck me, what the hell is he doing? Why is he doing this? Has he forgotten how many brain parts I'm missing? Isn't this too soon? We literally just met five minutes ago.
Tears spring to my eyes and I'm overcome with a tidal wave of emotions.
CPOV
This is it. Now or never. I thought I was nervous talking to her father but this is something else entirely.
I was shitting bricks that entire drive to Montesano earlier this week. I figured just showing up at his doorstep during the week would be the best way to deal with this.
"Is Annie alright?" Ray asks in a panic, when he opens the door and looks around me. "Where is she?"
"Yes sir, she's perfectly fine." I clear my throat. "I, uh… I'm sorry to have disurbed you like this. She actually doesn't know I'm here."
He looks confused but gives me a curt nod, inviting me into the house and asking if I'd like something to drink which I decline.
"I don't want to take up much of your time." I begin. "I was hoping to speak with you about something."
He cracks open a beer and leans against the kitchen counter, gesturing to me to continue.
I can command a room full of people, have them running around like chickens with their heads cut off but right now, I'm on the verge of passing out.
"Sir, I would like to ask your permission to marry Anastasia."
He eyes me for a few moments and exhales. "Is that so?"
Uh, what the fuck? How do I respond to that?
"Does she know of your intentions?"
"No, sir. She doesn't." I haven't called someone sir this many times in… well, ever. "I wanted to speak with you first before I did."
"I see." He replies and takes a sip of his beer and just walks out the kitchen door towards the backyard.
What the hell? Should I follow? Should I stay here? What if he points a shotgun at me?
"Are you going to stay in there bumbling around or come outside?" He calls out.
I shake off the nervous energy and follow him out. Why the hell am I wearing a damn suit? I should've just dressed casually. I'm sweating like a whore in church.
"Well, I've got to hand it to you, at least you had the decency to ask me first unlike the…" He grimaces and shakes his head a little. Ana does the same when confronted with something unpleasant, I realize. "I appreciate it."
Does that mean, I'm in the clear? THROW ME A BONE, MAN!
"I would never hurt her like that." I promise, hoping to convince him. "She's my entire world now." It's the truth but now I'm wondering did I lay on the truthful sap a little too much? Maybe I should've been a little more macho about this? Ah, fuck!
He turns his face out into the yard that bleeds into what looks like an unkempt forest of sorts and after a few beats he looks at me.
"She's a grown woman and this will be her decision, my feelings on the matter are irrelevant." He says. "But know this, she will always be my little girl, who I cannot bear to see cry. She's strong and worth a hell of a lot more than all the riches money can buy." I nod and maintain eye contact. "You have to prove yourself to her because as long as she's happy, I'm happy but if you drop the ball, I will be waiting with my shotgun."
"I'll load the gun for you, sir."
"You don't even know how to hold the damn thing." He chuckles. I join in and exhale in relief.
He holds his free hand out for me to shake and I oblige.
"Thank you, Mr. Steele."
"Call me, Ray." He says with a small smile.
My heart is racing but I take a deep breath and keep my eyes focused on hers.
"Anastasia, from the moment I met you, I knew my life was going to be different… but you did more than that, you turned everything inside out with your innocence, wit, charm and most of all your touch. You let me into your life and made me fall deeper in love with every second that passed. I want to continue on that journey with you for as long as I live. I love you with every fiber of my being. I want to cherish you, make your dreams come true and give you the world— whatever your heart desires, I endeavor to give to you. Be my wife and make me the happiest man alive?
She looks at me, tears falling with abandon but she's mute. Fuck, is she going to say no? I swallow thickly and squeeze her hand a little to snap her out of it but she doesn't budge. Did I break her? I know there's enough oxygen here. Her head dips forward a little and she takes a shuddering breath.
"Ana, baby? Say–"
"Will I get to choose my own dress?" She croaks, cutting me off.
I chuckle. Only the best for you, baby.
"Yes."
"And, F-frank f-for the song."
"Yes, absolutely." I promise, unable to stop myself from smiling. Don't worry, I already picked out the perfect one.
"Can we have shrimp cocktails?"
"Yes." I'm suddenly getting flashbacks of the Ana I met that night and I can't help but smile. I raise her hand to my lips for a kiss.
"And... and, I don't wanna get married in a church." She wipes her nose with her free hand. "Can we choose someplace else?"
"Yes." I assure her and she nods, going quiet for a few moments, just staring at me. What's going on in that brain of yours, Miss Steele? "You know, for someone who just proposed, I seem to be the only one saying yes so far."
"OH MY GOD." She snaps out of her trance and falls to her knees squealing and crying. "YES, YES, YES!.' I'm suddenly bombarded with kisses and I release the breath I didn't know I was holding. My body molds itself against her form as I wrap my arms around her never wanting to let go. "Yes, yes I'll be your wife." She cries.
Thank fuck!
"I love you, baby. I love you so fucking much."
"I love you." She replies, in between kisses laughing and crying. "I totally thought I said yes before. Sorry, my brain short circuited for a moment."
I laugh. "I can tell."
Taking her hand, I put the ring on her delicate finger and she begins to sob. "It's so beautiful." She can barely speak, I want to laugh cause she's so fucking adorable right now. "I'm NEVER taking it off."
"I sure hope not."
"I mean, I don't want to lose it but it's also so big…" she waves her hand out in a lateral swinging motion. "I could use it like a flashlight." She giggles and I roll my eyes with a laugh.
It's not that big of a ring, well compared to that fake piece of shit she had before, it is I guess. I chose a 6 carat pear shaped aquamarine that reminded me of the color of her eyes. It's unique just like her and looks utterly beautiful on her finger. When I tell her the significance behind my choice of the ring she cries again and showers me with kisses.
"This didn't even cross my mind." She giggles. "I thought we'd just do a quiet dinner and you know, get busy."
I laugh at her euphemism. "Oh, get busy we will but yes, I saved the very best and unexpected for last."
"Proposing to a girl on her birthday, that's big leagues, Grey."
"Our fates were sealed the day you were born." I tell her. "I'd whisk you away to Vegas and we could marry right now but I want to do it right. So for now, this is my commitment to us. That I want to build a life and share every moment with you."
"Oh, Christian." She chokes. "I love you so much."
I'm distracted by an onslaught of kisses with her tongue taking possession of me and stirring desire through my body. I really want to fuck her here but we can't. Not only because the hotel would lose their shit but because the second part of the surprise is waiting like a bunch of overexcited puppies in a private dining room at the Mile High Club to hug us to death.
Mom has been crying since I told her about the plan. Kleenex will never run out of business now. Nor will Adderall given Mia's dedication and need for laser-like focus on making sure everything goes off without a hitch.
"Oh god, wait." Ana pulls away. We're in the backseat of the car making out like teenagers on our way to dinner. "I need to call Dad and then tell Kate."
"We will later, baby." I assure her. "First you need to eat. I need you well fed before I work on making sure you're well fucked."
She giggles and kisses me. "I like the idea of that but I really want to tell them sooner rather than later."
"Okay, then at least wait till we've eaten a little bit." I tell her and she agrees.
It's fun surprising Ana. She's usually lost in her own world so she never catches on and right now we're in the elevator heading up to a private room for dinner. I lead her towards the door, engaging her in distracting conversation. Once we reach, she's laughing telling me about something funny Kate said earlier in the day.
"SURPRISE." The room cheers and erupts into a chorus of Happy Birthdays.
Ana screams again in shock, bursting into tears and laughter again. That's her permanent setting, I've come to realize and I really love it. Her innocence disarms me every time. She's passed and pulled around between everyone in my family, her father who I had driven up from Montesano (that took forever to convince as well, the man is as stubborn as his daughter when it comes to doing things on his own) and her two friends, Claire and Hannah from SIP that are now part of the Enlight startup in addition to Kate and the rest of the Kavanagh clan.
I've gotten unanimous approval on the ring from all the women in the room. As if that fucking mattered, I only cared what Ana thought and the way her face is lit up, color on her cheeks and a sparkle in her eye, it's all that I want to see. That success feels better than anything I've ever experienced so far.
At one point, Ray and Ana were in deep conversation. My scalp prickled when I saw their serious expressions. Thankfully, the conversation ended with him kissing her forehead but my curiosity remains. Ray isn't much of a talker except when Ana is around. He seemed comfortable enough with Eamon and his wife Sarah, though I suspect that's more because of the four years their daughters have spent together. It was going to take him a considerable amount of time to warm up to the idea of me and my family I suspected. He's on edge too and I don't blame him.
"Bro, you look happy and you've got a permanent smile… it's a little creepy." Elliot teases with a slight nudge.
"Fuck off." I give him the side eye and smile.
"So when's the big day?"
It'll be soon. I'm not waiting a fucking year for this shit. My grand plan is to get this ball rolling and in the hole in the next 30 days. Getting her to move in with me is proving difficult. Must change my plan of attack now.
"If it were up to me, we'd all be in Vegas right now…"
"Bachelor party and wedding in one? I dig that." He grins.
Oh hell fuck no! "No bachelor party. I want to be alive on my wedding day and god knows what shit you'd put me through..."
Later in the evening when we've returned to Escala, I partake in one my many favorite activities that involve the delectable Miss Steele. She groans at how mundane it is but I love being the one to undress her. It's like unwrapping a gift at the end of the day.
"Thank you for the best birthday ever, Mr. Grey." She turns around, completely naked, tiptoeing and flushes herself against my bare chest. I absorb the warmth and wrap my arms around her waist to keep her close.
"We still have another hour of your birthday left." I say, slowly walking her to the bed. "I'm not done celebrating you yet."
"Since it's my birthday, shouldn't I get to choose how I celebrate it?" She asks and gently maneuvers us so that I'm sitting on the bed and she's standing in front of me naked.
"What do you have in mind, Miss Steele?"
God, I love this girl but I can't wait till I call her Mrs. Grey.
She kneels down, keeping her eyes on me and slowly unzips me and frees my erection. I do my best to keep my breathing even and under control but the look in her eyes is electric and I'm falling fast. She wraps her fingers around my cock and very slowly pumps me. The sight of her engagement ring, sparking like her eyes does me in.
"I'd like to celebrate you." She whispers, biting her lip. The words go straight to my dick and I'm a fucking goner.
"I'm all yours."
APOV
Kate and I have been arguing for the past 10 minutes.
"Why throw it in the trash when you can throw it in his face?"
"It's a shitty and petty move, Kate."
"Which is exactly what shitty and petty ass people deserve."
I roll my eyes and cross my arms, turning to stare at the TV.
"It just doesn't feel right." I whisper. "It's all over the news anyway, it's in their face enough. Best revenge, as you would say."
"Even the best of situations can do with an upgrade." She smiles. "I prefer this situation to graduate from best to perfect."
I let out an unladylike snort but find myself mildly curious. "What did you have in mind?"
"A singing telegram to each of them. Complete with framed pictures and newspaper articles to present. Oh! And he obviously get the ring thrown at his face."
I purse my lips but it's no use, I end up laughing. Kate looks pretty pleased with herself. She notices me fidgeting with hand a little and asks me what's wrong. I tell her I'm not really used to the ring yet. It's only been a few days and I'm still weirded out by it.
"Did he bring up moving in with him again?"
"Yup." I pop the p and laugh. "Sucker thought putting a ring on me would help move the process along but he lost again. HAH!"
My mind drifts to the first time he broached the subject two months ago.
"Move in with me baby, I love sleeping with you and waking up to you." He's trying to seduce me right now and my lady bits are totally hypnotized but thankfully one half of my brain seems to be completely immune to his charms right now.
"Christian, we've barely been together a month... " I begin. "The dust is still settling in my life. Can't I just get my bearings?"
"You can get your bearings here." He counters. "You don't have to worry about the mundane shit. You can dedicate all your time to working on Enlight. It's a win-win situation, Miss Steele." The look in his eyes is that of an early victory with a wicked smile on his lips. "And I get to have access to this delectable body too." He bites my fully hardened nipple through my dress and I have to stifle a moan.
"You're not playing fair." I admonish him but of course my voice lacks the desired effect.
"I want you with me all the time." Now he sounds like a lost boy and I'm torn between calling him out for manipulating the situation or actually believing the sentiment.
At least he wants me. He's doing so much to show me that he wants me. I run my hand through his hair and give him a small kiss. I try to reason with myself and understand why I'm still so hesitant to love him without reservation even while realizing how strong my feelings are for him. Will I always be like this? It's a depressing thought.
"Same here, Mr. Grey but they also say that absence makes the heart grow fonder… plus, it's good to work for it sometimes." I say playfully and he pouts. Full on pouts with puppy eyes. My defenses are are weakening. "Don't show me those puppy eyes, Grey." I warn, straightening my shoulders.
His expression changes from innocent to a straight faced grump.
"Absence makes my dick grow painfully hard and turns me into an asshole."
"Sounds like a 'you' problem." I tease. He arches a brow and smirks, throwing me off his lap and climbing on top of me to take care of his not so little problem.
"You think he's low-jacked the ring. It's big enough." Kate holds her hand out, signalling me to show her the ring up close. He wouldn't do that, right? I get he's crazy but he's not that crazy.
"He's got a human low-jack on my tail. Wouldn't this be a waste of resources?"
"We should test the theory out." Kate muses. "Let's do a midnight adventure and go to a stripclub or something… if he calls then you know his ass is stalking you."
"I have two CPO's now, Kate. And they live in the building, I can't exactly escape them."
"Leave that to me, child," She declares in her best Dowager Countess of Grantham impression. "...for I am the Master of all things escape. How do you think my dad's hair got all grey?"
"Kate, no." I admonish her. "He takes safety very seriously and now with all the press and craziness surrounding the announcement of our engagement, I don't want to stress him out even more."
She grumbles and crosses her arms, sinking further into the couch like a pouting teeanger. "Fine! But we're going all out for your bachelorette and he cannot have ANY say in it and you gotta back me up. Promise me."
"I promise." I smile.
Crisis averted, for now.
15 days after the engagement.
Well here I am. Silently freaking out and trying to keep it together. When Christian brought me out here the first time, I fell in love. His grandparents have a summer home on Whidbey Island and a small apple orchard on the estate. We hiked through the area and he showed me his favorite spots to escape to when he'd come out here in the summers. It's breathtakingly beautiful but then again, no less can be expected from the Pacific Northwest.
Mia and Grace went a little crazy in excitement at the possible ideas for the wedding the night of the birthday/engagement dinner that I started to get overwhelmed all over again but Christian had the foresight to shut it down before it got out of control. I felt a pang of guilt not wanting to even think about the wedding. I was excited about the marriage part of things. Yes, I loved him and wanted to spend the rest of my life with him but the actual wedding part seemed to have an adverse effect on my body (my brain short circuiting during the proposal should have been indication enough) and so I chose not to even broach the subject with Christian for a while till he brought it up himself, just a few days after the engagement.
He asked me what I really wanted and I couldn't really bring myself to give him an answer. I didn't know and didn't want to talk about it so I directed the conversation at him. While he doesn't care for the fanfare he does want some tradition. He wants to see me walking down the aisle to him. He wants me in a veil and a white dress. He wants us to say vows, promising a lifetime to each other. And honestly, who the fuck am I to deny him? Just because I had a bad experience doesn't mean he should suffer. This is his first everything and he deserves the thrill and happiness of all this too.
But the idea of walking down the aisle and standing there in front of everyone to say vows makes me want to throw up.
Not to mention he also didn't want to wait a whole year or even a month for us to get married.
I fucking love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Why wait? Who cares what everyone else thinks? We're meant to be, why delay the inevitable?
I asked for time again.
And now, I'm sitting in one of the bedrooms at his grandparents house, waiting for Dad to walk me downstairs and then eventually, down the aisle in the backyard that overlooks Puget Sound. I tinkle around with my ring, watching it catch the light and shine bright.
"Hey, you okay?" Kate asks, bringing me out of my thoughts. She's wearing an elegant silk dress in pale pink, similar to Mia. "You're so quiet."
I swallow the lump in my throat and give her a small smile. "Nerves." She hugs me tight and it takes everything in me to not cry. "I wish this was the first time I was doing this. That I didn't have any bad, useless memory… I just–" I pause, trying to find the appropriate words. "I don't want anything to go wrong."
"I know." Kate murmurs and tips my chip up to face her. "He doesn't have a chance in hell…. He can either swan dive off of the cliff into the sound and die or if he tries to run off down the aisle, Ray and I will tackle his ass and he will die." She raises her dress a little. "Why do you think I'm not wearing heels? Ray and I have our own plan, Steele... so the way I see it, he can either marry you or die."
I burst out laughing and Kate snickers too.
"He loves you so much he can't wait to start spending the rest of his life with you. You know that right?"
"I don't doubt his love." I purse my lips but my throat gets tight. "I don't have much to offer, he's done so much for me and if he woke up one day or right before saying I do, he too realizes that he could do better… it would crush me and my life without him would be so–"
"Okay, enough!" Kate silences me. "Even more reason to walk your fine ass down that line and trap his ass."
I nod and try to shake off these futile thoughts and focus on all the good things between Christian and I.
There's a knock on the door and Dad shuffles in and Kate takes that as her cue to leave after giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Hey Dad." I murmur a little nervously. "Ready to do this again?"
He gives me a wry smile. "Don't think about the bad stuff, kiddo."
"I'm trying." I exhale. "I promise I am."
"You've always carried yourself with such grace no matter what life has thrown at you. I'm so honored to be your Dad. You're brave and strong. Christian is a lucky man and what's more is that he knows he is."
Tears fall out of my eyes and this time I don't care about makeup since I'm wearing so little of it to begin with. Kate and Hannah did my hair and I did my own makeup. I wanted my look to be simple and my dress reflects that. It's a simple ivory white silk dress with thin straps with a cathedral veil that I absolutely love. Kate calls it off-duty model 90's chic. I just call it comfortable. I feel like myself and what's more, Christian always says he likes me in silk so I wanted to give a nod to that too.
The lace and taffeta horror show from a few months ago still haunts my mind every now and then which is why I refused to see anything with lace when the girls and I went dress shopping. Carolyn Acton, a personal shopper Christian's family works with looked a little dumbfounded when I ended up choosing the most simple dress on the lower price range side of things. She told me she could have all the famous designers send more options if I didn't like anything but I declined. I found my dress in the initial browse through and felt like I hit the jackpot.
For now, I'm wearing a clip in my hair and diamond drop earrings Christian gifted me on my birthday along with a bracelet Dad got for me on my 18th birthday. I only wear it on special occasions.
Our wedding is small. My side of the guestlist consists of Kate's family with Hannah and Claire and two of Dad's army buddies while Christian's side consists of his family, including his grandparents, his COO and her wife along with Mr. and Mrs. Taylor.
"Thank you for always being there for me." I give Dad a hug and hold him tight. "Kate tells me you both have a plan in case he bolts." I laugh, trying to cut through our emo moment.
"Oh yeah, that." Dad laughs and wipes his eyes. "Fucker doesn't stand a chance if he pulls any shit. I've got Colt and Anderson in on the plan too."
Before I can answer, the wedding planner knocks and tells us that it's time for the ceremony to start. Dad and I exchange a look and he holds my hand. He helps me fix my veil and kisses my temple before leading me down the stairs.
Breathe Ana, breathe.
RPOV
I didn't think Annie would find love again this quickly let alone walk down the aisle. Like before, I'm torn between giving my two cents and being supportive of her choices and happiness. The fact that I got it wrong the last time isn't something I'll get over for a while. I felt like I failed Annie the first time around when it didn't work with Carla and then the Texas shit happened… and when the prick and his whore broke my little girl's heart, I wanted to burn them both at the stake. Punching Rodriguez and Jr. wasn't enough. I wanted to send them both to the fucking ER but in a town where the public is already not on my side, I had to tread lightly.
When Annie told me about Gaia's grudge against her all these years, I kicked myself for not seeing the signs but there weren't any or maybe I just couldn't take the blinders off and see them more than the kids I watched grow up in front of me. We called them the Trio because they were always together.
This was the second time Carla ruined Annie's happiness. When I found out that Gaia had flown out to Florida, I contacted an old army buddy of mine to help me track down her mother, Rachel and I did what any parent would do, I called her up and informed her of all that Gaia had been upto in addition to my finding out Carla's indiscretion with her husband.
Needless to say, Rachel had no idea of either and did what a responsible parent would do… she kicked Gaia out, who then had the nerve to show up back in Montesano and is now living with Rodriguez'. She tried to get fresh with me for outing her crap to her mother but then I reminded her I have great aim and to get the fuck off of my lawn. Maybe I should have punched her…
Something odd happened, I haven't told Annie about it yet because she doesn't need the added stress but Carla called me in a panic. She couldn't get through to Annie and needed help which I declined. She's recently been the victim of identity theft and it's made her life hell. Bob finds it all quite a headache and now they've got marital problems.
"How did she go from that boy José to a billionaire?" I hear the wonder in her voice, the scheming kind.
"What are you insinuating? Did you even bother to call Annie in the days that followed her supposed wedding? She got left at the altar by that low life prick who ran off with tha whore Gaia. Whose father you screwed around with. She took it out on Annie. And that billionaire you're salivating over, he has a name and it's Christian and not that you give a shit but Annie is actually pretty fucking happy. Happier than she ever was with José."
I hear her gasp on the other end of the line. "How dare you? And I did no such thing. You know how they all just hated me in that town. It's all hearsay, Raymond. They were jealous."
"I don't care, Carla. Don't call me again and leave the both of us alone. Go sort your shit out on your own."
I hang up and take a deep breath. That felt good.
While I appreciated Christian's gesture to ask me permission to marry her, I'm still on edge. If a low-life prick could hurt Annie, what's stopping this highly influential and rich man from hurting her too. Ultimately, the decision is Annie's and I've got to trust her too.
She's happier now. I can hear it in her voice, she's no longer tired all the time when she calls. She doesn't sound worried and there's excitement. She talks about herself more now than before, most of her conversations used to be about José and Gaia and what they were up to but now, she's finding herself.
On her birthday when we met, I took her aside and told her what I really thought. It's too soon for her to get married especially given what recently happened but I would never stand in the way of her happiness. I would always be there for her. I may be weary of Grey but I'm starting to see that he really does care about her. His family are good people. Though, he could loosen up a little like his brother Elliot. Kate and him look good together.
I watched Grey when he came over the first time and then at the birthday dinner, noticing how his eyes never leave her. He smiles when she smiles, makes sure she's eaten and wants her to succeed. He's got it bad and I hope he continues to have it bad cause the moment he starts to get any other ideas, I'll erase him from existence. I should probably practice on the fucker back in Montesano to make sure I get it right.
That's why I did recon on this entire place last night. Colt, Anderson, Kate and I are on the same page. This boy tries to run and I will be ready. I have backup and a plan. No one gets off this island till my little girl says so.
The music starts and the wedding planner gives us the signal to walk out of the house towards the area where the ceremony is taking place by the hill that overlooks the water.
The music starts to play and I look at my little girl. Images of her giggling, learning to walk, ride a bike, reading books in little corners of the house, Every birthday we've spent together blowing out candles; graduating middle school then highschool and finally college… they all come to mind. come to mind and they all form into the picture of an intelligent and beautifully compassionate young woman standing in front of me.
"You ready, kiddo?" I ask her, my voice heavy with emotion.
She nods with tears in her eyes.
APOV
As we make the long walk down from the house towards the ceremony area, I hear the violinist play At Last by Etta James. As I reach the beginning of the aisle, everyone stands and I choose to look ahead at Christian, standing at the altar, tall, handsome and calm. The man can wear the hell out of tux. I almost can't believe he's standing there and half of my brain wants to ask why he is doing this. He could have literally anyone and he's… fuck, get a grip, Annie.
Maybe I should've taken a shot or two. Then drunk raccoon would've run down the aisle to make this official that's for sure.
My anxiety is through the roof and I'm taking to slowly breathe in and out. The closer we get the more numb my body becomes, everything slows down and my throat goes dry. I watch in slow motion as Kate steps forward to take my bouquet and Dad looks at me with adoring eyes, lightly kissing my cheek before placing my hand in Christians. He gives it a light squeeze and brings my fingers up to his lips for a kiss. He mouths an I love you and I nod, unable to really respond. I'm trying my best not to cry but my vision is blurred and my heart is hammering in my chest.
I try to follow what Christian's grandfather is saying but my brain has other ideas. We chose him to be our officiant to make it more meaningful since Christian idolizes him so much. He holds both of my hands and softly caresses them. We decided a few days ago to say our vows in private and do the bare minimum at the ceremony. I was feeling a little uncomfortable at sharing something so intimate in front of everyone and also the pressure was killing me. I'm grateful that Christian allowed me that reprieve.
But when the time comes to say our I do's… tears start to fall from my eyes and all I pray for is for him to never leave me.
CPOV
Fuck. I'm getting married. This is really happening. FINA-FUCKING-LY.
I can't wait to see Ana, and finally kiss her as my wife. But first we need to get through the ceremony.
She's been awfully quiet and on edge. I've tried to get her to talk but she keeps assuring me everything is fine. Maybe I really did rush her into this? But I want to prove to her this is real. I am not going anywhere, how the fuck could I?
"Bro, I cannot believe you're getting married. I should've bought a lottery ticket today..." Elliot jokes.
"You don't need the money you greedy fucker." I mumble, putting on my jacket.
"It's not about needing money, it's about the thrill of saying, I won the lottery!"
I roll my eyes. I already won the fucking lottery in the name of Anastasia Steele, now I just need to cash it in with these I do's.
"Oh by the way, in case she runs, I'll step on her train and stop her. I've been practicing." He then proceeds to show me his perfected lunge.
"She won't run." I growl. She might, Grey. The thought is unsettling. Fuck! I punch Elliot's arm but he just laughs. Way to screw with my mind, asshole.
Dad comes in and gives me a hug.
"Ready, son?" He beams with pride. We all know, Elliot ain't about to give them shit, so it's up to me to uphold the family name. I laugh to myself.
"As I'll ever be. Let's get this show on the road."
We go through some last minute items and Grandpa talks to me about the wedding sermon which I ask him to keep as brief as possible. Mom comes by and is a weeping willow of emotions. I tell her to save it for the grandkids. That has her bawling again.
Elliot and I make our way to take our places at the front of the aisle. It's a beautiful day to get married, the skies are clear for miles and the sun is out.
And now I wait.
Everyone is seated and patiently waiting. My eyes are fixed on the house and when the first notes of At Last travel through the air, I see the door open and Ray walking out with Ana. They're tiny from afar and slowly but surely, as they walk closer, Ana becomes more and more real and lifelike.
My heart soars at the sight of her as she starts to walk down the aisle. My simple but ethereal beauty. The only clue she gave me about her dress was that it's silk because she knows how much I love it on her.
"I promise it's for your viewing pleasure, Mr. Grey."
And a pleasurable view it is. I had no real idea of what she would look like except that I knew she'd be breathtaking. It hugs her body in the right places, gracefully moving in time with her, like she's enveloped in milk and cream. Her face is slightly clouded by the veil but the closer she gets I see her beautiful blue eyes filled with tears. Her face barely has any makeup, her long mahogany hair open but pinned at the back and she stands before me as the same girl that I was enamored by that night. Except this time, she's not heartbroken. I'm never going to break her heart. This time, she stands here for me, for us because we belong together.
My jaw drops a little in disbelief and emotion. I have to remember to breathe otherwise I'll pass out. The moment Ray places her hand in mine, I grab it for dear life. Her hands are trembling too but I do my best to soothe them, hoping it'll calm her nerves. I tell her I love her and she gives me a nod with a small smile that doesn't reach her eyes.
We're almost there, love.
Grandpa talks about how marriage requires nourishment like orchards we spend time tending to so that it may bear fruit that can nourish our lives and souls with.
"...it takes patience and perseverance to continue on with this choice you make, to honor and love someone for life. Some days are beautiful and some are not but the commitment you make to each other is the cornerstone to everything. This is the foundation that holds you up and gives you strength. Marriage is about building a life with love and trust and we are gathered here today to witness these two young souls, not only celebrate finding each other but taking a solemn vow to be faithful, forsaking all others through all that this life will bring them."
This great Grandpa but I need you to get on with it. Stat!
"The couple has chosen to say their vows in private." Grandpa says. "And so now, Christian, do you take Anastasia to be your–"
"I do." I blurt out and Ana gasps. A small giggle escapes her, she looks relieved. That's the look I've been aching to see all week. The wedding crowd is a mixture of laughs and murmurings but I ignore it.
Grandpa clears his throat and gives me a pointed look but I just shrug. A small smile tugs his lips and he turns to Ana.
"Do you Anastasia take Christian–
"I do." She giggles with tears spilling out and the wedding crowd laughs again.
"Well, I guess by the power vested in me–"
Oh fuck this. I'm not waiting another second to hold my wife. I hear Grandpa mutter on but I lift Ana's veil and pull her in for a kiss.
I feel her smile and relax against my body and the whole wedding party screams and hollers in delight.
"... and he's kissing the bride. They're married. Let's get drunk." Grandpa's voice finally comes through when I pull away from Ana. We're both panting, trying to catch our breath, smiling like loons.
"Mine." I whisper, looking into her crystal blue eyes, wiping her tears.
"Yours, always." Her voice cracks and I kiss her again.
APOV
After, in a way, crashing our own ceremony and exchanging the rings, I felt an immediate sense of peace. The anxiety just melted away. We took pictures, read our vows to each other in private, by the water– we danced to It Had to Be You by Frank Sinatra as Christian whisked me around the dance floor and sang the words in my ear. The food was incredible and I got my shrimp cocktail that everyone made fun of, along with chocolate cake.
Elliot and Kate made hilarious speeches that had us all in stitches and we tore up the dance floor with everyone. Even Dad busted out a few moves to some Pitbull with Elliot.
Our wedding was small and full of love. I'll remember every single moment for years to come.
"Let's ditch these drunk fools." Christian whispers in my ear. "I want to spend some quality time with my wife."
"I thought my husband would never ask." I grin.
He winks at me and we start to say our goodbyes. I find out that Christian has arranged for us to spend the night on his boat. Everyone walks us to the docks and sends us off with a sparkler exit. I give Dad a big hug and tell him he can rest easy now.
Once we're alone on The Grace and sailing away, he leads me down to the main bedroom.
"Alone, finally." He whispers before crashing his lips to mine and wrapping his arms around my waist. My fingers fist in his hair trying to pull him closer to me.
"Christian…" I moan, completely overcome the need for him. He pulls away just a little and cups my face, looking into my eyes.
All I see is love, desire and promises that I know he'll keep. The intensity in his eyes pin me and I'd be unable to look away even if I tried. We're here, together and we belong to each other.
"I love you." My voice is heavy and I want to say so much more but I'm at a loss for words.
"I love you, Ana." He replies, smiling before kissing me again and holding me close.
We softly sway to the music, while standing in place. I'm completely cocooned in his arms. A scottish man sings about being sewn together through the fabric of fate, of wanting to fall in love… and it tugs at my heart.
"Let me give you the wedding night you deserve, Mrs. Grey." He whispers and my face breaks into a smile.
He steps away and I actually notice the room. There's champagne and chocolate covered strawberries with some more assortments. He pours us both a glass of champagne and we clink our glasses to a successful day, going over some of the funny things that happened, and nibble on a few of the treats. I start to feel a nervous which is so ridiculous because it's not like this is the first time I've been with him… and it's as if he reads my mind and takes my glass from me to put away and cradles my face before softly kissing me, melting away the building anxiety from a few seconds ago.
"I love this dress on you but it needs to come off." He says in between kisses. "I need to be inside you, wife." His voice is thick with desire as his hands gently slide off the straps off of my shoulders and my dress ceremoniously falls to the ground.
"I'm all yours, husband." I reply, kissing him deeply.
I'm naked in front of him with the exception of just a lace white thong and of course my very fancy Louboutin heels with little crystals on them. A part of me doesn't want to take the shoes off but I suppose I must eventually. I reach up to take off his jacket and remove his undone bow-tie as his hands roam around my naked body, squeezing and kneading his favorite spots. I try to concentrate on unbuttoning his shirt but I keep giggling. As I try to unzip his fly, he stops my hands and cups my cheek to kiss me gently.
And it is with the same gentleness he makes love to me for our first time as husband and wife. There's no urgency, just the sweet and slow union of our bodies to show out love for each other.
We've got a lifetime for the kinky stuff.
CPOV
I fucking love this woman. My wife, my beautiful wife… to have and to hold till the end of time.
Mine.
I work my way up her body, kissing her as she trembles from the aftershocks of her fifth orgasm of the night.
"Tired?" I smirk and she nods wordlessly, as I get comfortable beside her.
"So this is what happens on a wedding night?" Ana giggles, getting comfortable in my embrace, her face resting on my shoulder, looking up to me with sparkling blue eyes and a cheeky smile. "I'm glad I finally got it right."
"You got it right the first time, albeit in a different way but this one is definitely a step up." I smirk, giving her a small kiss.
We gaze at each other silently and I watch her eyes fight sleep. My fingers continue to stroke the skin of her back, lulling further into comfort.
I feel an odd yet welcome sense of deja vu. A memory for that night comes back to me. Watching her tired form and broken heart curl into bed where a part of me desperately wanted to hold her but I couldn't. And now here I am just a few months later, thanking my lucky stars and whatever cosmic force that I stayed that night.
I lay awake, watching her sleep till she suddenly moves and crawls on to me, wanting to get closer like a cuddling bulldozer. For someone who hated touch and always wanted to be alone in life, especially when they slept, I find myself wanting by my side all the time. The warmth and gentleness of her touch brings me a peace that I didn't know was possible to feel. Being allowed to touch and hold her is the definition of home, if she's not there then none of it makes sense.
My mind starts to drift, thinking of the possibilities of what our life together will bring us and how happy we'll be.
Of all the things I had thought for myself, falling in love and getting married was not on that list but as always life has a way of showing you who's boss.
And to that effect, never did I think I'd meet the love of my life on her wedding night.
Fin.
A/N: I know this was supposed to be the epilogue... but it's not. Am I allowed to have two epilogues after this? Asking for my already made up mind.
I had a lot of fun writing this chapter and I hope you enjoy reading it. Our babies are married! Let me know what you think :)
At Last - Etta James
It Had to Be You - Frank Sinatra
Love - Blue Rose Code.