A/N: This story started as a little one shot for the Blackmail Challenge in one of the Facebook groups that we follow: FSOG Fanfic Obsessed. We have decided to continue it for the readers who wanted us to. Thank you so much Daisy Darker for giving us the opportunity and encouragement to write our own story and to the readers who wanted to find out more.

P.S. Uncovering Mr. Grey contains characters, places and plots from the Fifty Shades Trilogy. All rights belong to E.L James, not us. Thanks!

Chapter One

March 7th, 2017

It's Tuesday afternoon and I'm looking outside my window at another gloomy, gray March morning in Seattle. I'm trying to sort through the files on my desk and prepare my detectives for their next big case, but for some reason I can't keep myself focused. Business is pretty steady, mostly with the usual cases- clients wanting to know if their spouse is having an affair, investigating stolen property or submitting a few background checks for employers. I don't mind these types of cases. They are a good source of income, but I usually hand them off to either Kate or Jose.

Kate and Jose are my best friends and the only people I trust, apart from my father, and believe me when I say it wasn't easy getting here. They have been with me since I started my business, but we have known each other for years. We met at WSU Vancouver my freshman year of college and they are the only two people in my life who seemed to have penetrated my wall of stubbornness and I am grateful for it every day. Without them I honestly do not know where I would be...

Kate is my roommate. She studied journalism in college and I always knew she would be talented. What makes her such an accomplished detective is her ability to spot a great story and her attention to detail, but honestly, most of her success is due to her tenacity. She does not give up and she is a force to be reckoned with if anyone tries to get her to back off.

Jose is one of my dearest friends but he is more like family to me- the brother I never had and always wanted. He majored in engineering, but his true passion has always been photography. He can capture the most beautiful artwork, landscapes and portraits alike, but in my business, it's the quick movements of criminals and cheaters that make his skills so desirable. He can always provide the clearest photos of the subjects caught in the act and that is why I pay him the big bucks.

But the greatest employee I have ever had was my father, Raymond Steele. He was the best investigator out there and I learned so much of my work from him. Ray was a simple man- a good and honorable husband and father who was ex-military and worked in carpentry up until the day he suspected my mother was cheating. He was head over heels in love with her, but she always seemed to have an excuse to run out on us and leave the house for hours. Although we weren't poor, he couldn't afford to hire someone to find out where she was going, so he began to do the groundwork himself. It didn't take him long to find out that she was having an affair with a man named Stephen Morton, who was using and abusing her. But soon after, she divorced Ray and took half of everything he had. He was miserable, but a brilliant detective was born. He could spot a lying, cheating criminal from a mile away.

When she left, I stayed with Ray and I cut my ties with my mother. I could never understand how she could leave Ray for such a worthless piece of crap. I hate her for what she did to him. It broke my heart to watch him pine for the woman he fell in love with, but it also taught me very valuable lesson-one that I still take to heart today- be skeptical and never trust anyone.

I felt terrible when I went off to college; Ray was depressed and all alone. But despite the pain and suffering my mother's infidelity caused, it did help me find my calling. I majored in criminal justice and once I graduated, I started my business, Steele, P.I. Ray was the first employee I hired and he was happy again. We were happy again and working together side by side. But then, everything changed when I lost him to a heart attack last year.

Prior to his passing, I would casually date- nothing serious, of course- but after my dad, I gave up on that altogether. I had lost the only man in my life that I could ever truly count on and I couldn't get myself past it. Every man I dated always seemed to have something to hide and without Ray there to help me see past all of their empty promises and bull shit, I just couldn't even try anymore.

Instead, I threw myself into my work and today I own one of the most successful private investigation companies in Washington. Up until now, I have never been more focused and determined, but today... I just have a bad feeling and I can't shake this warning blaring in my mind that today is the start of something new. Whether it is good or bad is yet to be determined, but either way, I am sure I am unprepared for it. I sigh and roll my eyes at myself. Anastasia Steele… ever the optimist. In a pointless attempt, I try to forget about it and pick up the most imperative case file. But five minutes into reading it, I am interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Come in," I call out, knowing that at this time it is either Kate or Jose.

Sure enough, Kate strolls in and plops down in the chair across me while dropping a closed case file on my desk and grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"No way!" I pick up the file and stare at the name typed on the label. "You closed this case already? But Mr. Simmons just came in yesterday!"

"I know. But you know that I am damn good at my job!" She crosses her legs and leans forward, gripping the armrests in excitement. "Five minutes after I started following Mrs. Jennifer Simmons last night, she get's into her beautiful, brand new 2017 Lexus LS and drives straight to her lover's house. She kisses him at the front door, proceeds to go inside wrapped around him and doesn't leave his home until 6 am this morning, wearing the same designer dress and matching accessories she arrived in. All the dirty details are in the report, but I got enough pictures of them at the front door to nail the bitch."

"Wow Kate!" I say rifling through the file and gazing at all the photographs. "You are so amazing! Thank you so much!"

"No problem, Steele."

Then unexpectedly she frowns, uncrosses her legs and begins to pace back and forth, clearly upset by something.

"I just can't believe these people. They have it so damn good! A loyal spouse who treats them like gold and spoils them rotten and what do they do the second they go away on a business trip?"

She stops and raises her hands in frustration, but continues and resumes pacing before I can answer.

"They fucking throw it all away just to bang the towel boy at their country club!"

I frown, drop the file back on the desk and fold my hands in front of me.

"I know, Kate. It sucks, but that's just how people are. My own mother cheated on Ray. I mean he wasn't the richest man, but he definitely was the most loyal and he did everything he could for her. And for some stupid reason, she left him for a man that beats her and steals from her."

Kate stops pacing and turns back to look at me, her mouth settling into an uncomfortable line. Whatever she must have seen on my face has her shifting gears.

"I'm sorry, Ana. I didn't mean your mom."

I shake my head at her and force myself to smile.

"No, Kate. It's okay. She is the same as the rest of them. I just hope in the end that I don't turn out anything like her."

She sits down and grabs both my hands in hers and gazes earnestly into my eyes.

"Ana you are nothing like your mother. You need to stop worrying about that. I don't know how many times I have to tell you that not everyone is a bad person."

I shrug my shoulders and change the subject. As much as Kate and I agree on, this idea is not one of them. With the strikingly rare exception of Kate and Jose, everyone is out to get someone in this world. It is one of the main reasons why I have never been past the second date. Not only am I sure that the guy will turn out like all the rest, but I am terrified that I will too. I mean, it's in my DNA... surely that isn't something I can change.

"Anyway, I have this new case file for you and Jose to work. It should be pretty easy. I haven't read all the details yet, but it looks like Mrs. O'brien suspects her husband, Peter, is cheating with his secretary. I don't know if you will be able to crack him in a day though." I wink at her. "Apparently, she hasn't been able to prove anything by randomly dropping in at his office. He's very good at hiding his dirty little secret, but I'm hoping it won't take you guys any longer than three days."

Kate smirks at me and takes the file.

"Challenge accepted, boss."

I smile back and she leaves me to my work and my worries.

I glance at the clock. It's about one in the afternoon and I am shocked by how quickly the time has gone. I was eventually able to ignore the festering pit in my stomach and once I regained focus I was able to get quite a bit of work done this morning. The completed cases have been filed, payroll has been submitted for Friday and our workload has been sorted by order of priority. I take a deep breath, sit back in my chair and massage my temples. Now, I can finally relax and take my much needed lunch break. My stomach growls, embarrassingly, in agreement.

I grab the takeout menus from inside my desk drawer and look over my options, but the bell above the main door jingles and I look up expectantly. Kate and Jose are out working on their new case so it must be a client. I stand, smooth my hair and straighten my blouse and enter the lobby. Outside stands a tall man, dressed nicely with reddish blond hair and bright blue eyes smiling in my direction.

"Hello, please come in."

I smile back politely and hold my door open for him. He buttons his suit jacket and runs a hand through his long bangs before entering my office. Once inside, we stand awkwardly at the threshold and continue to smile and stare at one another. Normally, I would close the door for privacy but for some reason my instincts are telling me to leave it wide open. I gesture towards the chair in front of my desk and take my seat in front of him. He sits, leans forward and extends his hand out to me to introduce himself as we shake.

"Hello. My name is Jack Hyde. Are you the owner of Steele, P.I.?"

"Yes, Mr. Hyde. I am Anastasia Steele. What can I do for you today?"

"Well, Miss Steele, I am looking for a private investigator to look into a business owner- a rival of mine- and I heard from a friend that you are the best in the business."

He speaks clearly and respectfully, but it sounds like a line perfectly delivered by a skilled actor and I am not entirely sure I believe him. However, I remain professional and hide my natural inclination to raise an eyebrow.

"Of course, Sir. No problem. Let me just get the forms and we can get started."

I stand and walk over to my filing cabinet with the uncomfortable feeling that his eyes are following my every move. It is tremendously unsettling and I find myself wishing Kate and Jose would come back early for the day. I cannot put my finger on it, but there is just something about being alone with this man that makes me want to run screaming for the door.

"Here we go," I say as I pull the correct form from the cabinet. "If you could just fill out these forms and give me a little bit of background information we can go from there."

"No problem." He smiles his creepy smile at me again and grabs the clipboard and pen I have placed in front of him.

"So," he begins. "I own a telecommunications company and I have a rival who is trying to destroy me and take over my business. Once we sign and date a contract, I will be able to give you more information about him and his business, but for now, that is all I can say."

"Okay… What is it exactly you would like us to do for you?"

"Well Miss Steele, firstly, there is no "us." There is only you. I expect you to handle everything entirely by yourself and without help from any other investigators you may employ. The fewer people who know about this the better and as the owner, I trust that you alone are the best for this case. I expect your complete cooperation and confidentiality when it comes to this."

His blue eyes penetrate mine as he says every single word and I find myself looking away from his intense gaze. I nod, in understanding, but not in full agreement. Having multiple people on a case this big gives us not only extra eyes and brain power, but a sense of safety and assurance that I alone cannot depend on. I want to explain why this wouldn't be a good idea, but he continues and I resist the urge to interrupt.

"Secondly, what I am looking for exactly is information on the owner himself and his business. He is ruthless and this takeover will be hostile. He is willing to go to any lengths to take my business from me and I intend to do everything in my power to keep it. I am looking for anything I can use to get him to back off and keep his claws away from my company. Even if that means digging into his personal life."

So, technically, he is looking for information to blackmail someone….

"Well, Mr. Hyde, I am not entirely sure if I can help you with something like this. From what you are describing, it sounds as though you are looking to blackmail someone and I don't necessarily feel comfortable finding and giving that kind of information to you if those are your intentions."

His eyes narrow menacingly for the briefest moment, but become gentle and understanding within seconds- unfortunately for him, not before I can saw the anger that flashed behind that glare. I bite my lip and look away in an attempt to calm my nerves, but I'm itching to get this man out of my office.

"I'm sorry if it seems that way. I really just want to protect what is mine. I promise you that I will only use this information if he insists on settling the issue this way- if it is absolutely necessary."

He plasters a phony smile on his face, but his eyes tell it all. He is not taking no for an answer and he intends to use this information any way he damn well pleases. I really want to roll my eyes at him and call bull shit. I cannot do business with a man like this. Not only is he making me question his motives, but he is giving me every reason not to trust him. My mind's made up before he can even finish his sentence.

But my eyes must have given me away because before I can decline, he pulls out his briefcase and opens it in my direction. The latches pop open and in front of me are thousands of dollars stacked and placed neatly inside of the case. Holy fuck! There must be at least one hundred thousand dollars in here. Is this some kind of joke? Some kind of bribe?

I glance up nervously and overwhelmed, unsure of what to say.

"Trust me, Anastasia," he says as if we have known each other for years. "I can make this worth your while."

I grimace at his casual use of my first name but indecision keeps me from speaking my mind. My heart is telling me to yell, "get the fuck out of my office," but my brain is telling my heart to shut the hell up and take the cash. Not that Steele, P.I. is struggling, but a deposit that large would definitely put us well over our semi-annual projection and that is something I most definitely have to think about.

"How much money is that, exactly?" I ask, curiously.

"One hundred and twenty five thousand dollars," he says smirking. The triumphant look on his face makes me so disgusted that I actually scowl at him, unable to help myself. His grin widens. He knows he has my attention and the fact that I am seriously considering this makes me want vomit in my mouth. I have never taken a bribe before, but then again, I have never been offered this kind of money before either…

"Of course... you will get the other half once we have the information we need to save my company from this… rival of mine." I widen my eyes in surprise as he pauses and lets that sink in.

The other half!? This has got to be some kind of joke. Kate must be testing me or something. I shake my head in disbelief as I stare incredulously at his face.

"You're willing to pay me two hundred and fifty thousand dollars for information on this guy? You've got to be kidding me."

He folds his hands in front of him, licks his lips and gazes straight into my eyes as if he were a predator and I were his prey.

"Miss Steele, if I may be straight with you… my company is extremely important to me. I have worked my ass off to be where I am today and I don't intend to lose it to some pompous asshole who can't keep his hands to himself. If what I have heard about you and your company is accurate, I believe and trust that this...arrangement... will work in both of our favors. Now, I have laid my cards on the table. Do we have a deal or do you fold?"

He smiles at his poker analogy as I take another glance at the briefcase.

Wow. Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars…. I'd be an idiot not to take a deal like that. This deal alone will boost our profits by at least twenty-five percent this year and will probably draw in more clients than we've seen since we've opened. Plus, what have I got to lose anyway... besides my dignity.

I shake my head and clear that thought from my mind before pasting a fake grin on my face.

"You've got yourself a deal, Mr. Hyde."

I extend my hand and he takes mine in his. He begins to rub gentle circles against my knuckles with his thumb. I try not to cringe when I quickly pull my hand away from his.

"Please...call me Jack," he says as I catch his eyes raking down my body and lingering on the swell of my chest. That uncomfortable need to flee from my office returns, but I keep my poker face and respond with a small smile instead.

I am so going to regret this…

About half an hour later, Mr Hyde- I refuse to call him by his first name- leaves. We have drawn up, signed and dated our contract and I can finally breath again. He gave me the name of the man he wants me to investigate and a brief overview of who he is and what his business entails. I quickly scan through it again, amazed that I have never even heard of such a successful man.

Christian Trevelyan-Grey, is the CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc., a Telecommunications company in downtown Seattle, Washington. He is an exceptional entrepreneur, who in addition to running his own business, partakes in investing and manufacturing. He is best known for buying underperforming companies and fixing them or selling off their assets to the highest bidder. He dominates the business world and is currently ranked number 8 on the Forbes Five Hundred list with a net worth of $2.2 billion.

Holy fuck…

From what I have just read, this is going to be a very difficult man to get close to. He probably has several bodyguards and a whole security team working to protect his company and keep him safe. Cracking into his database and email will be impossible, even with help from Kate and Jose, who I am not allowed to provide any information to, as per our contract, clause three.

This whole case is going to be hopeless and Mr. Hyde expects weekly updates. Not to mention, it's been about a year and a half since I have actually been in the field. Usually I sit behind my desk submitting files and performing managerial duties, while Kate and Jose go undercover, follow the subject and take notes and photographs.

What have I got myself into…

Before I can continue reading any further, my stomach grumbles loudly again, letting me know that it is way past my lunch break. I check the time. 2:55 P.M. I toss the take-out menus back into the bottom drawer of my desk and grab my purse. I need to clear my head before I jump into a case like this.

Taking my keys from the middle pocket of my purse, I stand and make my way towards the front door. After locking up the office, I decide on some much needed alone time - and on a much needed happy hour- at my favorite sushi restaurant. I get in my car and make the short drive to Sushi Kashiba.

A/N: Wow! What has Ana got herself into? Thank you so much for taking the time to read our story and review! Chapter two will be up quickly as most of it is already written but please be patient with the following chapters as my work schedule has been crazy and hectic over the past couple of weeks. Carol and I will try to post as soon as we possibly can!

-Gina