"Ana, for the love of my delicate back, will you please cut your nails." Christian groaned softly as he shifted, trying to assess just how much damage her nails had inflicted on his back.
"I did." She said, attempting to sound innocent, her voice trembling slightly with what she clearly hoped was convincing innocence. But the almost guilty look in her eyes betrayed her. She knew she hadn't been entirely successful.
"Clearly, not enough," Christian muttered through clenched teeth, a low grumble as he jumped into the shower to wash away the evidence of her scratchy assault. He hissed sharply as the hot water hit the open wounds on his back.
"It's just two," she offered, trying to downplay the damage, but her words faltered. Of course, she wasn't going to tell him about the several welts that were already quickly forming. She really had scraped him up, and she knew it. "I will say, not that I'm blaming you, but it's really your fault," Christian couldn't help but laugh quietly, a sound that escaped before he could stop himself. She wasn't blaming him by blaming him.
"If you say so." He muttered, his head dropping against the cool shower glass.
"How do I make it up to you?" she purred, her arms wrapping around his neck as she joined him in the shower.
"Come to Singapore with me," he whispered, running his fingers over her nipples, feeling their soft firmness under his touch. The thought of her accompanying him on this business trip made him feel a little lighter. In just a week, he had to be there to close a deal, and her presence would mean everything to him.
"That does not sound very much like penance, Mr. Grey," she teased, moaning softly as his fingers continued to toy with her nipples. "A few days in Singapore with you sounds very much like a continuation of our honeymoon."
"What does?" Christian asked, raising an eyebrow as he pressed her closer, their bodies flush together.
"You pressing me against that wall and pounding the ever-loving fuck out of me," she replied boldly, pressing her breast firmly into his hands.
"That sounds more like what you want," he said with a smirk, lifting her effortlessly as she wrapped her legs around him, instinctively seeking his warmth. He pressed her against the wall, his erection pressing against her, slowly lowering her onto him, their bodies fitting together beautifully.
"Very much so," she moaned, eagerly waiting for him to move, her voice tinged with longing and anticipation. "Christian, for the love of all that's holy… move!"
"This position isn't exactly conducive to the health of my back," he murmured, doing his best to keep his tone steady and even. Much to Ana's dismay, he gently pulled out of her, setting her back on her feet.
"Turn around, hands against the wall," he commanded, tone firm but caring, something Ana found herself welcoming in such moments. She knew that sex for Christian was a domain where confidence and control reigned supreme. He'd left her an incoherent mess the first time and nearly every time since.
The man might have been completely hopeless when it came to women outside the bedroom, an awkward, fumbling mess when it came to emotional intimacy. But when it came to sex, he played her body like a finely tuned instrument. Commanding, sometimes even controlling, but Ana had no complaints. For a man who had no interest in sex without elaborate add-ons and paperwork, he was remarkably good at vanilla.
"Hold on, Mrs. Grey," he loved to say, and she loved hearing it. His voice was a promise of dominance and devotion wrapped into one.
"She was at Escala less than half an hour ago. She was told Mr. Grey no longer lived there." She looked surprised as she left, but sat in her car across the road for just over two hours before leaving." Luke reported.
"Where is she now?" Ana asked.
"Outside GEH," Luke smirked. "You called it. She doesn't want to make her presence known until there are enough people in the lobby to make sure Mr. Grey knows she's there."
"That bitch really thinks Christian is going to come running angry at her presence." Ana shook her head, amused at Elena Lincoln's audacity.
"Her plan doesn't work if Mr. Grey isn't aware of her presence. She shouldn't have booked an appointment with you for today. A few more days of making a nuisance of herself would have worked better in her favour." Luke muttered, laughing.
"She can't afford a few more days." Ana got back to checking the delivered paintings. She had taken on a few projects on behalf of a colleague who was going through a tough time. Having just returned from her honeymoon, she wasn't so keen to get back to work. It certainly wasn't helped by the naked pictures Christian kept sending her.
The confidence Elena Lincoln exuded when she waltzed into Ana's studio was, Ana would admit admirable. The woman was sure of her plan; it was evident she saw no chance of failure. Well, Ana was happy to dissuade her of that.
"Hello, I'm Elena Lincoln. I have an appointment for three." She looked downright sure of herself.
"Mrs. Lincoln, how can I assist you?" Ana smiled at the woman's building confidence. Elena was now more than ever confident of the success of her plan. To Elena, Ana's lack of recognition only meant one thing. Christian was keeping a lot from his wife.
"I am waiting for a friend to join us. He seems to be running a little late. Would you mind terribly if we wait for him?" She asked in a tone that was almost pitying and somehow superior. Quite the feat, Ana thought.
"Oh, that is perfectly fine. You can wait in the office. Help yourself to a drink." Elena smiled as she sauntered into the office, shutting the door behind her. Ana chuckled to herself and got back to her work.
Ana was surprised that Lincoln had waited a whole hour for Christian to show. "I have no other appointments and have no problem waiting a little longer, or have you realized that no matter how long you wait, he isn't coming?" Ana finally looked up from the painting she was cleaning. Elena had finally made herself known at GEH, making a fucking nuisance of herself then headed for Ana's studio. She was sure Christian and his goons were minutes behind her.
"You know, don't you?" It hadn't taken Elena long to realize Christian wasn't coming because there was nothing she could say to his wife that she didn't already know.
"Yes," Ana smirked at the look of utter defeat on Elena's face. "I saw a look on his face as Elliot walked away. It was the look of someone determined to seek revenge. Then there was Elliot, who knew his brother well enough to warn me. I will admit I wasn't entirely sure if I was going to humor him or give him a taste of his own medicine. Then his background check came back." Elena's eyes widened in disbelief. "Oh yes, I had a background check run on him. After all, when your father runs the very company, everyone goes to for background and security checks. It's an easy endeavor. I'd asked for one over a year earlier when I hired Elliot. It was doctored to death. This time, I asked my uncle to dig." Her voice grew colder, more calculated. "Of all the things I expected, BDSM, subs, and you were not it. So I run one on you as well." Something about her tone sent a numbing chill through Elena. "I still wasn't sure what route I was going to take with Christian, but you, it was an easy decision when Elliot confirmed what I already suspected."
Elena wobbled, her composure slipping."Franco, Theo, and Evette, that was you." One simple act had sent her world spinning out of control.
"It was. In truth, you made it easy. All I had to do was offer more. Considering those three carried your business. One would think you'd reward them accordingly."
"Why? I had nothing to do with his actions." Elena snarled.
"Oh, but you did. Are you going to tell me you didn't encourage him to come after me?" Elena flinched at the revelation. "Were you not the one who told him you'd found someone willing to confirm my participation in the BDSM lifestyle for a sum? You moulded a joke of a man. I was flabbergasted by just how inept he was. He started a game with zero knowledge of the rules; the basics eluded him. Something as simple as holding a conversation was beyond him. That was your masterpiece. Business-wise, he was a titan; anything outside of that and the man was a joke."
Ana's gaze sharpened. "I realized it was no longer a game or a retaliation anymore. Whatever Christian's plans, they had a little hope of working. No, the game Mrs. Lincoln now had a new target, you."
Elena paled. It was not possible. It couldn't be, but when it all started, she had wondered if something larger was at play. If someone was conspiring against her. She'd given it some thought, but the particulars had eluded her. Now, she knew why. It was someone she hadn't even considered. "So, he can't handle a few home truths, and you come after me."
"You are repeating yourself, Elena," Ana muttered in a bored tone.
"This was a waste of time." Elena sneered, making every attempt to hold on to what was left of her dignity. With a roll of her eyes, she headed for the door, but she was Elena Lincoln, and despite that little girl having bested her for months, she couldn't let her believe she'd won.
"What do you think you achieved here?" Elena asked, her tone the epitome of mockery. "Yes, I will not deny the pain of having nearly two million dollars stolen, but at the end of the day, where did that get you. Here I am; I'm still standing. I am not broken, I am not cowed. If anything, I have just realized the freedom that comes with unshackling myself from that pathetic excuse for a man. The man you married. What does that say about you, with everything you are capable of, that is who you married? A man with mommy issues who allowed it to control his life. Do you know how laughable it was, watching a man who thought he had control, when the truth was, he was at the mercy of his own litany of inadequacies."
She paused, her voice dripping with contempt. "Control, he had none. If you have to cut ties with your family to believe you have any control, you are a joke of a man. What's worse, he never realized it. Watching him throw a tantrum because he hadn't had a sub in months was pathetic at best, sad at worst.
The only reason anyone tolerates him is because of his position. Actually, that's a lie; he had no friends, no family. I was the only one that tolerated his bullshit, instead of looking at himself and hating what he saw. The coward turned that hate towards me instead. He hated me, but couldn't do without me." Elena let out a chuckle, cold and bitter.
She was in her element. This is who she was. The power to make others submit and bow before her. They saw just how fucking inferior they were in the presence of someone like her. This child might believe she had won, but Elena was more than capable of dissuading her of that fallacy. She had believed herself beaten, broken, and living a life she loathed. Standing here, she now knew better. No, Elena had escaped; she had built herself back up, stronger and more in control than ever before. She had allowed the Greys to dim her star; that star was now shining brighter than ever. No, this trip hadn't been a waste of time. No, this trip reminded her of what she allowed herself to forget. Elena Lincoln was a goddess.
"You are a joke, and so is he. Two peas in a pathetic, laughable pod." But then, the door behind Ana swung open, revealing Vincent chatting animatedly with Chloe. The interruption was like a splash of cold water.
"Oh, don't let us disturb you," Chloe said with a smirk, barely containing her laughter. "You had a masterful soliloquy going there."
Elena quickly recovered, laughing dryly. "Of course, that pathetic piece of shit was having me watched."
"Have you watched? No, Christian doesn't know about this. The last time my husband showed any interest in you was when he last saw you. What you did or didn't do afterward is news to him. He doesn't even know you're here," Ana replied calmly, her gaze steady.
Elena raised an eyebrow at Ana's assertions. Elena didn't believe her. "Hard to believe, I know. I had two conditions before I would even consider dating him. One if any of his previous subs turned up, they were my problem to deal with. Two, your ass was mine and he got no say in it. He happily acquiesced. His previous subs have so far proven to have some sense and have stayed away. You, on the other hand, whether you did or not, made no difference." Elena felt her stomach twist; she did not like the sound of that. "As Chloe said, it was a masterful soliloquy you had going there. Yes, you are still standing. You are not broken, you are not cowed. Indeed, there is a certain level of freedom that comes with unshackling yourself from my husband." She smiled, stood up from her chair, and leaned against the large working table. Elena realized that the entire time she had been speaking, the girl's focus was entirely on the painting she was cleaning. She'd barely paid Elena any attention.
"Except that entire speech was given under a misconception. First, you would not be here if you truly believed any of the shit you just spewed. It seems an age since I had this conversation with Christian. He was under the misguided belief that his control as a Dominant was real." Elena's eyes widened.
"You had him kidnapped."She accused, her voice trembling with rage. This bitch had gone too far. "What right did you have…" Her anger and indignation waned at the sight of disbelief and amusement staring back at her.
"Mrs. Lincoln, pray tell… how exactly you came to that conclusion." Ana seemed thoroughly amused by her assertion.
"So his views on control…" Her voice was barely above a whisper. Gone was her earlier confidence.
"Was the simple reminder that the sub has already agreed to cede control. Two, if he truly had control, why the need for safewords? His control as a Dominant, Mrs. Lincoln, is but an illusion. No, my husband was not kidnapped, nor did I kidnap him. The night before he was to loan you two million dollars, I revealed that I was aware of his reasons for coming after me. As you can imagine, that sent him spiralling. The next morning, he showed up, here, standing right about where you stand now. If I'd sent him spiralling the night before, I shattered him that morning. He made three phone calls. Got his old number deactivated, and spent six months in a clinic in England. I will not deny a single thing you said about the boy you knew. But the boy you knew is not the man I married." Ana said with a genuine smile. There was no malice to her words. She was not boasting or attempting to beat Elena at her words. No, she was simply stating a fact.
"Now, where was I before the laughable accusation?" Ana murmured.
"Control," The man Elena knew as Vincent chimed in. "But before you continue. Here is the file you requested. As much as I would like to stay for the reveal, Chloe and I have a lunch reservation." Whalton placed the file on the table and turned his attention to his daughter. "Come, darling, I'm sure we will hear all about it later." Of course, they would. Ana was recording the entire encounter.
"Control, Mrs Lincoln, real control is a feat very few are capable of, because it takes, in truth, a psychotic brain to wish to truly control another. But in life, there are exceptions to the rule, and you, Mrs Lincoln, are that exception. Well, there was Hyde, but… how did you phrase it. Two peas in a pathetic, laughable pod. Predators, who needed to experience the joys of being prey. You haven't been in control of your life since I decided you were the game. Taking your money was just the tip of the iceberg. Your accountant calls you with some ridiculous story about the IRS, and you empty your account. Parker was surprisingly easy to convince to make that call. You would think an accountant would do a better job of hiding the cash he was making from brokering the sale of valuable items between clients." Elena, despite her best efforts, wobbled in her heels.
"You live in an apartment building I own. You work at a salon I am an investor in. You must have believed you'd finally caught a break when the ad for a stylist at Cabello landed in your inbox, especially when you hit the jackpot in looking for an apartment. Small, but newly refurbished, and affordable. After all, you were desperate to get out of Seattle, and there it was. I will admit, I expected you to question it, just a little, but you did not. You jumped at the chance to live where I wanted you to live. To work where I wanted to work. Buy the car I wanted you to buy. In all fairness, it would not have made much of a difference what car you bought. But I was determined to control every aspect of your life.
In truth, I contemplated leaving you alone when you started to accept the life I had given you. Then my husband had a wobble, and well, I needed to take it out on someone, and that someone so just happened to be you. A boy turns up looking like Christian, with the name Christopher Grau, and still, you didn't even stop to question it. It was quite the pathetic display you put on, believing you had somehow found the Domme you'd long neglected. Then a true Domme walked in, and you crumbled like a wave over a sand sculpture. Marcia is very much a Domme; she owns one of the most exclusive BDSM clubs in the country. Benedict Cavan, not Christopher Grau, did not have a clue about BDSM. Ben, though, is quite the actor, wouldn't you say?
Would I have thrown you the occasional curveball? Yes. But all in all, Mrs Lincoln, I allowed you a decent life, but that wasn't enough. You saw the press release and you thought you'd hit the jackpot. I have to say I admire your goal. You are right, Christian had no control, and any fool could see that. The truth is, Mrs. Lincoln, neither do you, but whereas Christian has known that for over a year. You were still under the illusion you did. Standing there, giving your little speech, thinking you'd won. Frankly, it was damn right absurd. If anyone is a joke, Mrs. Lincoln, it's you."
Ana scoffed. "The way out is behind you, show yourself out." She picked up the manila envelope and disappeared into her office, leaving Elena standing there. Mere minutes ago, she truly believed she had survived Christian's hatred and abandonment of her. For a few minutes, she had come to love the life she had carved for herself. A life she once accepted, then loathed. Only to have her sense of victory ripped away. This would have been easier to bear had she still hated that life, but no. For a little while, she'd appreciated it, and that made it worse. It was a life granted her by a woman whose husband she had tried to eviscerate. The joke was on her.
When she walked out of the studio, her heart sank when she found her car gone. The life she'd been allowed to have was now gone. Elena was certain that she no longer had a job, and her apartment was gone. There was grace in accepting defeat, and Elena should have accepted her loss with grace.