Hello, welcome to #11. All characters belong to E. L. James. This story is completed. I have received a few requests to submit single chapters, like once a week. I will never do that, however, as I don't like to commit to a story until I have revised and proofed. For a lot of people it seems important to be able to review every chapter. As I have said in the past...if you feel the need to review more often than at the end, please use the PM feature.

Although I write to keep my brain working well and not for good reviews, I do wish to thank my readers for all your kind comments, both end of story reviews and private messages. I am often amazed at my readers' generosity of spirit.

Two things: #1 Have any of you ever actually ridden on the London Eye? I'm curious as to what sort of experience it is. I'm terrified of heights but I forced myself to ride a glass elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower. I also forced myself to go to the roof of Notre Dame and one of the Twin Towers. I'm sure that if I ever return to London, I'll force myself to ride the Eye as well. On the other hand, if I lived in any of those places, I'd never go near them.

So terribly sad about Notre Dame but I'll tell you, the trip up those narrow, winding, worn smooth stone steps up to the roof of the church were a daunting challenge all by themselves, esp. if some other terrified tourist was trying to come down and you both want that tiny wide space on the slice of pie step. Did I mention there is no railing? One clings to the wall for dear life. Oh, but the view over Paris is almost to die for. I just realized that two of the most famous heights in the world burned down after I'd been to visit.

Don't look at me that way...I was long gone :)

#2 This story is 67 chapters and an epilogue. The title refers to Christian's beginning and Ana starting over.

Christian Grey is a man gifted in many ways. Unfortunately, he believes that he has no heart to give and Ana Steele believes that she gave hers away years before.

BEGINNING AND BEGINNING AGAIN

CHAPTER 1

The man sitting in business class, staring down at his laptop, was so intent on its contents that he didn't think to look out the window at the lights of early evening in London. It was a breathtaking view. There were oohs and aahs from all the passengers as they gazed down on Big Ben, the Tower of London and the London Eye. However, the gentleman in seat 5A was much more intrigued by the spreadsheet before him.

Christian Grey was just 27 and already a multimillionaire. He didn't give his millions much thought, however. He thought of his net worth in terms of the property he owned, the telecommunication technology he'd both developed and acquired. His money was useful but if he kept it in a Cayman's account, he would consider it to be worthless.

He'd left Harvard when he was just 20 and prevailed upon his father to release the money in his trust fund…money that would allow him to start his business. Carrick was close to his son, to all his children, so he knew of Christian's ambitions long before he first saw a business plan. He was skittish not because he doubted his son's ability to found his own company. There was never a question of his skill. It was just that he longed for his son to find some normalcy and thought that attending four years at Harvard would give him a shot at that.

Carrick and his wife, Grace, had had Christian tested as a child when he refused to speak. The test gave them the answers for which they were looking and one that they hadn't thought to ask about…the level of his intelligence. His muteness, they learned, had nothing to do with his brain. He was simply slowly learning to trust, to recover from the trauma of his early years before they'd adopted him. His brain was first class. A stunning IQ of 150 in a child of just 5 years. His intelligence quotient, sadly, did not make for a high emotional quotient. His IQ, in fact, inhibited him from understanding how to deal with a world operating on an average IQ of 100. He would never fit in…perhaps never have friends.

He loved his family but he never understood them. He was uncomfortable in their presence. He was never fully at ease with anyone. Diving deeply into the world of business while, in Carrick's viewpoint, he was still just a boy, could only further cripple him. Only the wisdom of Grace's father, Theodore Trevelyan, helped Carrick to see that holding Christian back would drive a wedge between him and his father. Better to let Christian run free…for better or worse.

Thus, Christian made his first acquisition….a small, badly managed, nearly bankrupt company that manufactured a vital component of a smart phone. Christian bought it for half its worth, brought in better techs and managed it himself for a year. With proper marketing, he tripled its value and used the profits to buy two more companies.

His achievements brought him to the attention of large companies that endeavored to buy him out at astronomical profits but, again, money meant nothing to him. He was offered positions at these mega corporations and stock options that would have made him a multi-millionaire before he turned 22 but those kind of assets meant nothing to him…or rather, they meant enslavement when he desired more than anything to be his own man, his own boss. Having to answer to another person…indeed, to a board, would have ruined what little soul he believed himself to have.

Rather, everything had to belong to him, be controlled by him.

CHAPTER 2

As the wheels touched down on the runway, Grey tucked his laptop into his bag. His seat belt was detached and he was on his feet and down the aisle while the other passengers were still waking up and gathering their things. The flight attendant politely asked him to be seated until the jet came to a halt. Grey gritted his teeth in impatience but did as asked. Still, he was the first to exit the aircraft, offering his appreciation to the flight attendant who was having difficulty concentrating on her job while staring at a man with a visage unlike any other she'd ever seen. She and the other attendant found it impossible to stop staring at him until a passenger rudely pushed past them.

Grey had been gifted not only a phenomenal intellect but good looks unrivaled by any movie star. He was objectively aware of his appearance and he took good care of his body but only because he valued his health. His handsome face was just a façade. He felt contempt for those women who looked at him in awe. Their gaping stares made him uncomfortable.

As he strolled off the jetway, he looked around for his contact. Just ahead of him, he spotted a tall, muscular man and, next to him, a petite woman in a plain gray suit, black-rimmed glasses and no makeup. Upon seeing him, she walked forward.

Oh, lord, he thought. I just got off the plane and I'm already getting hit on. He turned away from the approaching woman and tried to walk quickly toward the luggage conveyor. As he watched for his bags, he turned to find the woman following. Despite his best efforts to appear uninterested, she continued toward him.

"Mr. Grey? Sir, are you Christian Grey?" Her voice was firm but soft…not the usual come-hither tone he was used to getting from strange women. He turned and tried to look unfriendly. She'd probably seen his picture on the cover of Forbes. Sighing wearily, he acknowledged her inquiry.

"Yes, I'm Christian Grey. What can I do for you?"

"Mr. Potter sent Mr. Collins and me to collect you. My name is Mrs. Steele," she smiled slightly and offered her hand. Her hand was small with long slender fingers. He idly noted that he could have easily crushed it with his handshake.

"Once your bags have come along, please point them out to Mr. Collins and he'll see that they get to the car. If you'll come with me, I'll take you to our vehicle."

"Those three are mine," he indicated for Collins and then turned quickly to follow Mrs. Steele who was walking rapidly toward the airport doors…gracefully, he noted. He also noticed that her suit was rather form-fitting and that her form was rather appealing.

At the car, a driver opened the door for Mrs. Steele and Grey. Then he helped Collins load the luggage before returning to his seat. As the luxurious vehicle left the airport, Collins turned to the backseat, exchanging a look with Mrs. Steele.

"Oh, yes. I'm to inquire as to whether you wish to drive past some of London's tourist attractions. The Wheel, perhaps?"

"No, thank you, Mrs. Steele. When will I be meeting with Mr. Potter?"

"Mr. Potter prefers to eat dinner around 8 in the evening. He hoped that you would be able to dine with him tonight in the hotel restaurant if you are not too fatigued by your flight." Mrs. Steele looked closely at him, as if to ascertain his energy level. Maybe she wanted to be sure of his truthfulness. However, it wasn't in Grey to be unnecessarily polite.

"I'm famished. I'd like to freshen up in my room. Then I'll join Mr. Potter downstairs."

"Very well, Mr. Grey. I'll inform Mr. Potter." At this, she looked down at her phone and Grey noticed that she had a lovely profile even with those glasses in the way.

After informing Mr. Potter by text that dinner plans had been confirmed, Mrs. Steele sat stiffly with her hands folded on her lap and her eyes straight ahead. It was clear that she did not feel that small talk was necessary. Grey wondered if he ought to attempt some connection but then he caught himself. Why, he thought, would I want to engage in idle chit-chat when it isn't even expected? The silence was welcome. If he had any curiosity about his current companions, that would be a different matter…but he did not. Any questions he had would be those he needed to ask of the man himself, Mr. Potter.

As the car pulled up to the Savoy, he turned to Mrs. Steele to thank her and to bid her adieu. Before he could do that, however, she turned to him and remarked that she would see him at 8.

"Punctuality would be appreciated, Mr. Grey. It is one of Mr. Potter's peeves to be kept waiting. Please call if you will be delayed. Good evening." Again, her smile was barely there though her tone was soft.

As he followed the valet with his luggage, he found himself rather irritated that he would have to share the company of Mr. Potter. An extra guest meant polite conversation, he grumped to himself.

CHAPTER 3

Arriving at the Savoy dining room at precisely 8 p.m., Grey waited for the maître d to acknowledge him and was then shown to a table by the window. There waited an elderly gentleman, gazing at the lights of the city. Upon seeing Grey's reflection in the window, he arose from his seat and offered his hand to Grey.

"Mr. Grey, a great pleasure. My name is Alphonse Potter. I'm so pleased that you had the energy to meet with me after your long flight. I love any excuse to dine at The Savoy."

As they took their seats, Grey glanced back at the entry.

"It was my understanding that Mrs. Steele would be joining us. She emphasized that you valued your time and would be expecting me promptly at 8 p.m."

Mr. Potter chuckled. "Ana is something of a conundrum. I'm sure that she'll be along soon…or not at all." Grey didn't know what to make of this remark so he said nothing. With any luck, she would choose "not at all" and then he could have an in-depth discussion with Potter.

The two men ordered glasses of wine and perused their menus. Grey ordered what he always ordered….steak, potato and salad. Mr. Potter smiled and ordered the same. Then he looked up and beamed. Grey could see the maître d in the window's reflection. A young woman had engaged him in conversation and Grey could see that he was charmed. He offered his arm and escorted the young lady to their table, pulling out her chair for her. She thanked him and then turned her attention to her tablemates.

"Alphonse?"

Mr. Potter sighed and shrugged as he moved his glass of wine over to the young woman's place. She took a dainty sip and set the glass down in front of her. Clearly, no wine for Mr. Potter. Then she opened her clutch and removed a small medicine bottle, tipping it and pouring two white tablets into her hand. Without a look or a gesture, the maître d was at her side with two glasses of ice water. She handed the pills to Potter and then turned to Grey.

"Would you care for a glass of water as well, Mr. Grey?" It was only then, as he recognized the voice, that Grey realized that the beautiful stranger was none other than the prim Mrs. Steele.

"Ahem...yes, I would…thank you."

Mr. Potter dutifully popped the pills into his mouth and drank his water. He then looked sheepishly at Mrs. Steele. "I only had a sip."

No one came to take Mrs. Steele's order. Grey wondered if he should alert their server but Mrs. Steele didn't seem concerned. She was watching Potter closely. Then, as if assured of something, she relaxed and sipped her wine.

Potter continued to reassure Mrs. Steele that he had done himself no damage in drinking a bit of wine and this moment gave Grey the opportunity to study Mrs. Steele. If she and her alter-ego of that afternoon were standing side-by-side, he would have not have guessed them to be the same woman.

This Mrs. Steele was a strikingly beautiful young woman. She wore a black lacy cocktail dress stopping just above her knees. Except for a small diamond and a wedding band, she wore no jewelry. Tonight her hair was down…a long glossy mane of dark brown with auburn highlights glinting under the lights. He could detect no makeup with the exception of clear nail polish.

Perhaps feeling his eyes on her, she turned to Grey and greeted him.

"Good evening, Mr. Grey. Were you able to get any rest?" He was distracted in trying to answer because the eyes he was looking into were a rich bright hazel and seemed to be seeing into him.

"I need very little sleep, Mrs. Steele. I showered and then studied the proposal I intend to share with Mr. Potter." Mrs. Steele slightly raised an eyebrow as she sipped her wine.

"I apologize. I didn't mean that to sound…hmmm," he gulped.

"….the way it sounded," Mrs. Steele gazed at him evenly. Mr. Potter threw his head back and roared with laughter.

"Ana, stop now. You're embarrassing the man," he said.

Mrs. Steele smiled at Grey, a stunning and full-hearted smile. He felt both irritation and arousal.

"Now I must apologize, Mr. Grey. I am not known for my sense of humor but what there is of it is brought out by Alphonse. He is a scoundrel. He knew, for instance, that he could set me off by having his hand wrapped around the stem of an alcoholic beverage. I should have known better. He baits me and I never fail to succumb."

Now she diverted her look to Mr. Potter who was, to Grey's amazement, giggling like a schoolboy. Clearly, he was quite taken with Mrs. Steele. Grey couldn't help wondering about the nature of their relationship.

"Now, I believe that you and Mr. Potter wished to begin with a preliminary discussion." Mrs. Steele smiled brightly…again.

"I can see the gleam in both your eyes. I don't wish to inhibit Mr. Grey in any way…thereby securing the advantage for you, Alphonse, so I'll busy myself elsewhere for a while as you eat your meals."

The server brought their dinners. Mrs. Steele looked at Mr. Potter's plate and then gestured to the server who nodded his understanding. A moment later he returned with a side order of broccoli. Mr. Potter sighed in resignation. No wine but broccoli was a must. Grey could see who ruled in the Potter household.

At that, Mrs. Steele set down her wine and rose from the table. Again, her gracefulness struck Grey. She walked to another table and engaged its occupants in conversation.

"I didn't mean to chase her off, Mr. Potter. I assure you that I'm not easily distracted during a business conversation."

"Oh, you didn't, Mr. Grey. Mrs. Steele is simply…considerate. Now, let's begin, shall we?" he asked.

Grey launched right in, beginning with his bullet points. The issue, he said, is clear. You have a company that I wish to purchase. Our correspondence has indicated that you are perhaps amenable to negotiations.

"Yes, yes. Christian, is it? May I address you without formalities?" Mr. Potter smiled. "I am more than thrice your age and I see in you something of myself so many years ago."

Grey was surprised. "I'm 27, Alphonse. I find it hard to believe that you are pushing 80. There is nothing of the elderly about you except for your gray hair."

"I'm not pushing it, Christian. It ran over me almost a decade ago," Alphonse chuckled.

"Again, I'm not trying to schmooze you for the sake of a deal. Your vitality, your energy, are not that of a man in his 80s. I'll admit that I was surprised to find that a man I thought to be in his 60s was considering retirement."

"Well, where do I sign, eh?" Alphonse laughed. "Thank you, thank you. I do feel rather well tonight but usually I feel my age. It's long past time that I wrapped up my legacy, tied up the loose ends.

My company has been everything to me, I'm afraid. My dear, put-upon wife died some years ago and to dull the pain, I dove into business. I now employ several hundred people and a recent analysis done by Ana showed me that Potter, Inc. is responsible for the economic vitality of several thousand more. Entire villages depend upon Potter, Inc. for their financial health. Thus, it is imperative that I make plans for that to continue."

"You are concerned then that someone might want to gut your company and ruin the lives of thousands of people. That is quite a responsibility, I know. I feel that same way about GEH. Sometimes I'm tired but then I remember that thousands are looking to me for employment."

"I'm glad that we share that sense of responsibility toward those who have made us wealthy men. I will be straight forward with you. I will not sell Potter, Inc. to anyone who would dismantle it …or move its operations from its current location."

"One of the reasons that I wish to purchase your company, Alphonse, is because I feel that it is time to grow my company beyond the United States. I want to go global. I've been looking for a suitable candidate for a couple of years. I've found many companies that I could have purchased but yours is the first to tick all the boxes."

While they talked, Grey could hear a piano being played and being played quite well. Now he finally turned around to locate the source. Mr. Potter smiled and snuck a sip of Mrs. Steele's wine.

He watched with amusement as Grey's jaw dropped.

The pianist was Mrs. Steele.

CHAPTER 4

Alphonse gestured to the maître d who hurried over to the table.

"Gustave, would you ask Mrs. Steele to sing my favorite song, please?"

"Of course, Mr. Potter, I haven't heard it in a while either."

As Mrs. Steele rose from the bench to the applause of the diners, Gustave whispered to her. A shy smile crossed her lovely face as she nodded to Alphonse. She turned to the other diners and said, "Our maître d has requested a song. He is French and sentimental," she teased as Gustave blushed.

Grey sat spell bound as Mrs. Steele sat back down and began to play. She sang "La Vie En Rose" in fluent French. It was as if they were listening to Edith Piaf….Mrs. Steele put such soul into it. No one moved. Everyone was captivated. When she finished, the crowd got to its feet and applauded, a few yelling out "brava, brava"! She bowed and mocked loudly that everyone should stop drinking so much. Then she stepped down from the platform and returned to Alphonse who was laughing along with the rest. She leaned down and kissed him lightly on the top of his bald head, whispering something.

Alphonse sighed and nodded. Collins appeared from nowhere, as men seemed to do around Mrs. Steele, and helped the old man to his feet. Grey also rose to his feet.

"I gather our evening is over, Alphonse. Thank you, it has been a delight," he smiled at Mrs. Steele.

She held up a hand, indicating that she wished Grey to remain a moment. Collins was leading Potter out of the restaurant, stopping to say good night to Gustave. Mrs. Steele sat down in her chair.

"I wanted to speak with you for a moment."

"Well, that is fine with me. Your company tonight has been wonderful," smiled Grey.

Mrs. Steele smiled politely in return. "I know that you are a man who values his privacy, Mr. Grey, but I am hoping that you will grace us with your company for a few days at the house. It is difficult for Mr. Potter to get about and, besides, I believe that having a young man who shares his business vision visiting with us would be good for his health. I watched his face tonight as you were talking and I haven't seen him that alight in some time. He lost his wife years ago and never had children, you see. He would have loved to have had a son to inherit all that he has built and to share all the wisdom he has accrued along the way. You can learn much while sitting by the fire with him.

"You would have your own suite of rooms but he would want you to feel not a guest but at home, you see?"

"I would consider it an honor to stay with Mr. Potter. I, too, am looking forward to talking with him. He is much like my late grandfather, Theodore Trevelyan, who taught me so much. I miss him every day, every deal."

"Wonderful!" she beamed. "Collins," she said to the man who was suddenly simply there, standing behind her, "would you kindly help Mr. Grey gather up his things. He is coming home with us."

"I'd like to get the check," offered Grey.

"Unnecessary. I'll be in the car with Mr. Potter." Then she strode quickly through the crowd, stopping to speak with Gustave before leaving. Grey stared as she left.

In the elevator, Collins punched the floor number and then turned to Grey. "Some years ago, The Savoy was in financial difficulty and the owner was considering selling to a corporation. Mr. Potter was horrified so he gathered together a consortium of like-minded friends and they purchased the hotel. There is no official CEO and no board of directors….a group which Mr. Potter considers to be…ahem…"useless, blood-sucking trolls". He's been offered enormous sums for his business, all by outfits like Google and Microsoft but the money means nothing to him."

As the two men walked down the hallway to Grey's rooms, Collin went on to remark that owning an estate was his wife's idea because she'd planned on a dozen children who could roam the vast grounds, keep horses in the stables, play kick-ball outside the study window….

"May I ask about Mrs. Potter, Collins?"

"Cancer, sir. An all too usual answer, I'm afraid. It was the pancreatic sort. She was gone almost before we knew that she was ill. Mr. Potter had just hired Mrs. Steele to act as his secretary and thank god for it. She cared for him like a devoted daughter and helped him to come to terms with his loss."

In his rooms, Grey and Collins quickly gathered his belongings, which he'd already unpacked and neatly tucked into drawers and closets. Then Collins picked up the suitcases while Grey carried his garment bag and they departed for still grander digs…an estate of several thousand acres.

Mr. Potter liked to sit upfront with the driver. He'd had to surrender his license many years ago and so had instead taken up "back seat driving". He kept up a running commentary but the driver was never offended. He simply acknowledged each suggestion…speeding up, slowing down, turning left and then right, tail-gaiting and honking. Whatever Mr. Potter ordered, he did. Mrs. Steele sat in the back, her slight frame seeming even smaller between Collins and Grey. Collins gripped the back of Mr. Potter's seat, holding on for dear life. Mrs. Steele appeared to be falling asleep. Grey was hoping that she would fall against his shoulder but, even with her eyes closed, she continued sitting upright.

The ride seemed to last forever. He learned later that some of that perception was due to the fact that Mr. Potter's directions lead them astray time and again. Finally, the driver turned off the road unto a tree-lined lane that twisted and turned until a grand house came into view. In front, a large and elegant fountain spewed water several feet into the air, a spectacle lit from below by lights embedded in the fountain floor. There was a full moon and, thus, the size and magnificence of the mansion was easy to see. Small twinkling lights lined the first floor windows and the grand entryway. Collins remarked that they were Christmas lights that Mrs. Steele had insisted be a permanent feature. As he told Grey this, he laughed. Mrs. Steele was sitting, her head down and her eyes closed.

"Well, Mr. Potter, you've done it again. Gotten us home alive," said Collins.

"You're insincere, Collins. I'll fire you in the morning," Potter retorted.

"Not till after breakfast, I hope. Margaret is making French toast."

"With powdered sugar?" Potter inquired hopefully.

"I believe so, Sir, and strawberries."

"All right, then. After breakfast."

Collins opened Potter's door and helped him into the house, hollering back to the driver that he would be putting Potter straight to bed. The driver grunted because now he had to haul all the luggage up the stairs.

"You could take the lift, David, if you had any faith in modern appliances," Mrs. Steele remarked sleepily.

"There is nothing 'modern' about that rattling old deathtrap," snarled David.

"I can get my own luggage," said Grey but David muttered that it was his job. So, Grey held out his hand and helped Mrs. Steele out of the car. Then he grabbed his garment bag and followed the gently swaying Mrs. Steele into the house. He was awed by the grandiosity of the foyer. The staircase looked like something out of Gone With The Wind. The floors were gleaming parquet and at the head of the stairs was a huge and highly ornate Tiffany window depicting…well…quite a lot due to its height and width. Grey estimated it to be 15 feet wide and at least twice as tall. He wondered how it didn't collapse of its own weight. He made a mental note to spend some time the next day studying it. The stairs were carpeted in the center which seemed wrongly placed to Grey. After all, one would have to cling to the bannister to haul oneself up the stairs.

Unless one were the lithe Mrs. Steele who ascended the mountain of steps as lightly as if she were strolling along an avenue. Grey stood below and watched as she arrived at the landing, turned in front of the window and sweetly waved a goodnight to him before disappearing down the hallway to her room.

CHAPTER 5

Although Grey fell quickly to sleep, he soon found himself hiding beneath hanging clothes in his mother's closet, curled into a tiny terrified ball, as the stomping feet drew near. They always found him. The large, ugly face with the mashed in nose stared at him and then the mouth with just a few teeth spread into a gaping maw as the beefy hand reached for him. Now, he knew, the hand holding the cigar would close in, pressing the burning tip into his tender skin. The pain would be unbearable and he would scream for his mother but she never came. The other hand would swing back and then smack his little face hard, knocking him back under the clothes before slamming the door. He would crouch there, weeping and groaning with the pain of the new hole in his chest.

Tonight was different, however. Tonight his mother came as he cowered there on the floor of the closet and knocked the man aside. She smiled lovingly at her tiny son and told him not to worry. She told him that she was there now and would keep him safe. He fell asleep on the closet floor, clutching his brown bear, unafraid.

When he opened his eyes next, the light of the full moon was pouring into his room. He glimpsed a small figure in white, an angel?, slipping out of his door. He wondered if he imagined it. The room was quiet. He sat up and saw nothing disturbed. He would normally go to his piano but he remembered that he was in England, not home. He went into the en suite, splashed water on his face and dried the sweat on the back of his head with a towel. Then he stood for a while on his balcony, looking out over the spacious and manicured grounds with the gold of the moon casting its uniquely bright yet subdued light over the hedges, the trees and the pond in the middle.

When he returned to his bed, he found that his pillow was damp. His nightmare had been real yet the image of his mother protecting him from his tormentor was new. Where had that come from, he wondered. Ella had never before stopped the ugly man from hurting Christian. She would tell him to hide but it never did any good. It was almost a game for the man to look for him. He would be especially angry if Ella was unconscious, too stoned to be of any use. After he'd left, Christian would steal out to the bathroom and try to ease the pain of the burn with a cool cloth. His mother never showed any interest in his injuries. Once the man had twisted his arm so badly that he popped it out of its socket. Ella ignored this for several days until Christian's crying bothered her so much that she took him to the emergency room. There she told the nurse that her son had been playing too roughly with the neighbor boy. No one questioned this account and no one remarked on the burn marks all over his little chest.

Christian flipped the pillow over to its dry side and lay back down. He felt peaceful tonight, despite being unable to play the piano. The angel who had come to him in his dream had calmed him and he was able to go back to sleep. When next he awoke, it was to a gentle knock at the door.

"Yes?" he called out.

"Sir," said an unfamiliar voice, "would you like to have your breakfast in your room or will you be joining us in the dining room?"

"I'll be down in 15 minutes. Is that all right?"

"Yes, of course." Christian felt unusually light this morning. He quickly showered and dressed business casual, checking himself in the mirror. He still wondered why his mind had introduced an angel into his dream. Perhaps his subconscious knew that he wouldn't have a piano to sooth him and so gave himself a lady in white.

He stood at the top of the landing, observing the bannister. He considered sliding down on his stomach as he used to as a child at his grandparents. They, too, had had a bannister although nothing this grand. As he stood there, he heard a gentle chuckle behind him and whirled around to see Mrs. Steele in a cream-colored sweater set and a pair of soft blue slacks. Her hair was up in a ponytail and her ears were adorned with a set of diamond earrings. She smiled at him as if she could read his mind.

"I'd advise, if you dare, a sideways slide. On your tummy, you're sure to crash into the newel post at the bottom which would be quite painful and cause you to walk funny into breakfast," she grinned.

At that she settled herself on the top of the bannister and slid gracefully down the long and intimidating rail. At the bottom, she smiled smugly and turned on her heel to head for the dining room. It was not in Christian's character to let himself be bested, especially by a mere slip of a girl.

He sat on the top of the bannister and looked down. God, it was intimidating. Was his balance good enough? He decided that Mrs. Steele had had years of practice and thus, it was not emasculating for him to skip the challenge this time. Instead, he put his hands into his pockets and sauntered down the center of the staircase on the red carpet.

Upon arriving at the dining room, he stopped again, in awe. Nothing cozy about this room, either.

The table could easily sit a quite large dinner party. The walls were lined with built-in cabinets filled with plates, cups and saucers, gravy boats and casseroles of every description. The floor again gleaming parquet and at the head of the table, behind Mr. Potter, another somewhat smaller Tiffany window. This one a riot of color depicting a flower-filled meadow inhabited by birds, deer and rabbits.

Mr. Potter, Mrs. Steele, Mr. Collins and David along with several servants, he supposed, were all gathered at one end of the miles of table. On a sideboard of burled oak, there was a great selection of breakfast foods, including French toast. Christian found that he was ravenous this morning so he piled his plate with a varied selection.

"This is a magnificent array of breakfast food, Alphonse. Surely, you aren't able to eat it all," marveled Christian.

"I like variety, my boy. Mrs. Steele chides me almost every morning on my extravagance and wastefulness. My cook, however, loves to prepare just about anything and often has new ideas.

Whatever food is left over, is frozen for use another time or Mrs. Steele takes it out to the rabbits who no longer know how to forage on their own. Look at them. They've no fear, no dignity. They come right to the doors and wait. I keep telling her that it isn't natural."

"And I keep telling Alphonse that if I feed them, they will not decimate our kitchen garden on which Margaret works so hard."

Christian looked at the doors leading out into the back yard. There were, indeed, a dozen or so rabbits just sitting patiently awaiting their breakfasts.

"Give me a shotgun, sir, and we'll be shed of those vermin before noon," offered David.

"Take a gun to my rabbits and we'll be shed of you before noon," threatened Mrs. Steele.

"They are awfully cute," Grey remarked. "Wait, so I see a fawn as well?"

"Yes, they are shyer, of course. They fear most men because we cull the herd in the fall.

"Now, Ana, don't give me that look. It must be done or they'd overrun the place. Besides, the neighboring villagers are very grateful for the meat. They can grow a cabbage but not venison."

Ana simply gave Mr. Potter a side-eye that shut him up for a while. She couldn't very well complain. She herself ate the venison even though she was not at all comfortable with how it was acquired.

Mr. Potter turned his attention to Grey.

"Did you sleep well, Christian?"

"Yes, very well. It is quite peaceful here."

"Good, do you ride?"

"Horses? Well, a little. It was one of the activities that my parents insisted upon when we were young. I loved the animals but my older brother, Elliot, was much better at reading them and sitting a saddle."

"Well, riding is a particularly favorite past-time of Mrs. Steele's. Perhaps she could give you some tips to help you feel more comfortable in the saddle."

"I'm sure that you and Mr. Grey will be much too busy discussing business for him to have time to ride, Alphonse. Remember, dear, that his time here is limited before he has to return to the States. You're working with him…not adopting him."

"One of Mrs. Steele's flaws is her firm grasp on reality. I've had no luck in altering her perception. She is lacking in whimsy."

Ana was not insulted. She laughed heartily at Mr. Potter's jab. Then she leaned over and removed the bacon from his plate.

"Damn, I thought I'd snuck that through. And don't start. I know that bacon is full of nitrates and nitrites and grease and things that will clog my arteries. I just don't see the point of being careful at my age."

"Look around you, Alphonse," Ana said softly and gently. "A table full of adoring employees whose hearts would shatter should we lose you when we can prevent it."

"Margaret," she called out to kitchen. Margaret emerged from the kitchen, looking questionably at Ana. "Perhaps, in future, we ought not to have bacon on the table."

"Well, I know that. But what am I to do when my boss orders it?"

"Smile in acquiescence and then ignore him."

Margaret nodded and returned to her domain. Potter glared at Ana.

"Sometimes, you go too far," he warned her.

Ana shrugged and continued with her pancake. Sometimes, she did.

"Meanwhile, it is only 9 a.m. You have a visit from Dr. Fordham soon and then a bit of physical therapy before your rest before lunch. After lunch, you can meet with Mr. Grey for the afternoon. If you're feeling up to it, we could drive around to the shops and meet with employees. Show Mr. Grey the operation, if you will. I believe that he'll need to get a feel for the way that people in England run a factory."

"Well, it appears that my secretary has my schedule well in hand. Enjoy your morning, Christian."

At this point, one of the staff entered the dining room to announce Mr. Potter's doctor. Ana and the physician exchanged a look before Mr. Potter left the room.

CHAPTER 6

"What was that about?" asked Grey. "The look between you and the doctor, I mean?"

"Oh, Mr. Potter's physician and I have been…hmmm…. collaborating on his health for years now so we've gotten our communications down to mere glances. That particular look was an agreement to share any information necessary after his examination."

"What if Alphonse considered such sharing to be intrusive?"

"Oh, he does," Mrs. Steele laughed. "It simply infuriates him that I know so much about his health, that anyone should know. However, it is essential that someone be aware of matters so as to carry out doctor's orders. For instance, Alphonse would be happier if I didn't know that bacon isn't good for him.

"It is, I've found, one of the disadvantages of being an elder that one has less privacy. There is always someone who knows "things" because it is necessary. Many elders would not take good care of themselves if left to their own devices or memories. And Mr. Potter is right up there at the top of the list," she smiled.

"Would you like to see the horses or would you prefer to spend the morning working?"

Grey would prefer to spend the morning with Mrs. Steele. Period. Show him a horse or a rabbit or a blade of grass. It didn't matter as long as he could see it with her. And where, he wondered, is the husband?

Mrs. Steele filled a basket with breakfast leftovers and the couple left through the dining room doors. The rabbits did not run. Indeed, they all sat up and gathered closer to Mrs. Steele. She scattered the basket contents around on the patio except for some eggs and toast that she put aside for one rabbit.

"What's special about that one?" Grey asked.

"Oh, I think that he may be old or, perhaps, merely lacking in aggression. If I don't take care, the others will eat all the food and he'll get nothing. Aren't they darling things?" Mrs. Steele said softly as two rabbits rubbed against her legs.

"May I?" asked Grey.

Mrs. Steele handed him several baby carrots and he handed one after another to the rabbits. None of them grabbed. They were all quite polite, he noted.

"They've grown accustomed to being fed and they no longer feel the need to fight for food. They trust that it's coming."

Then she stood and began walking. "Wait, you forgot to give them the apples." Grey called. "Oh, these are for the horses," she smiled. Grey trailed after her as she followed the path to the stables.

He liked watching her ponytail bounce and sway as she walked the path. He noted her slender waist and hips. She had tucked her blue slacks into her boots. All in all, the rear view was quite pleasing.

She's a married woman, Grey reminded himself.

The stables themselves were very neatly appointed, thought Grey. Clean, bright and even the odor was pleasant. As Mrs. Steele entered, five heads appeared at the front of the stalls. All the horses nickered as Mrs. Steele sang out greetings to them as well. She handed apples to Grey and she began distributing apples to the horses. She cautioned Grey to give each horses no more than two apples.

"A belly full of apples can lead to colic. Notice that I also cut up the apples to remove the seeds. They contain arsenic." Grey handed out apple slices one by one but noticed that the horses were not as gentle as the rabbits.

"You could lose a finger doing this," he complained. Mrs. Steele laughed heartily at this comment and Grey was pleased.

"I'm going riding. Would you like to come along? I could show you quite a bit of the grounds," Mrs. Steele offered. Though unsure of his skills, Grey wanted nothing more than to follow Mrs. Steele around the countryside.

"Pete, would you help Mr. Grey saddle Daisy, please?" Mrs. Steele called to a stable hand mucking out a stall down at the other end of the building.

"Oh, no, ma'am. I'd much rather shovel horse shit," called Pete. Mrs. Steele threw her head back with laughter. Grey thought he'd never seen anything so sexy.

"Daisy seems a good name for a gentle horse," he remarked to Pete. Pete snickered. "Oh, don't count too much on any horse being easy. They are not like dogs. They'll turn on you in a minute, esp. if you're a stranger. Try to act like you are the master."

Luckily, Grey had a few bits of apple left. He gave them to Daisy and patted her. Don't toss me, he silently pleaded. He found that it took a bit of strength to mount which surprised him. Lifting his entire body with one leg and throwing it over a saddle was not part of his usual routine.

He watched as Mrs. Steele mounted her steed, a stallion. The horse was so tall that she simply threw her body up on the saddle, landing on her stomach and then sat astride. The horse was skittish, it seemed, dancing about until Mrs. Steele leaned over and said something to him.

"Isn't a stallion a bit much for you?" Grey worried. He also didn't care for the fact that he was a good couple of hands below her. "Perhaps we should switch?"

"Oh, no, Mr. Grey. Daisy is quite sweet, easy to ride and you haven't had much practice. Devil is quarrelsome and requires a firm hand. I enjoy the challenge. Now, ride at a speed that you're comfortable with, Mr. Grey. Daisy has a wonderfully smooth canter but she doesn't really care for galloping. Occasionally, Devil and I will get ahead of you but we'll always return."

Just chop off my dick, thought Grey, as he watched Mrs. Steele trot away with Devil. He was grateful to Pete for the loan of a proper pair of boots. His Gucci deck shoes would have been useless in this situation. Mrs. Steele had been right about Daisy. Her canter felt like floating. He was able to relax, merely holding the reins as he watched Mrs. Steele ride ahead on Devil.

Devil was aptly named. He frequently tried to take control away from Mrs. Steele who reasserted mastery immediately. Finally, Devil seemed to accept that Mrs. Steele was in charge and he settled down. Then Mrs. Steele leaned forward in her seat and subtly nudged Devil who took off like a rocket. This is what he'd wanted all along…to run pell-mell. Observing tiny Mrs. Steele flying along on a horse almost 18 hands high was both alarming and incredibly arousing. Grey had a sudden vision of grabbing Mrs. Steele off Devil and the two falling on the grass in a passionate embrace. This vision was cut short by Daisy's sudden desire to catch up to Devil. Grey found himself holding on for dear life as Daisy galloped after the stallion.

Although he couldn't pass her, Grey was close enough to see Mrs. Steele's face and her hair blowing wildly behind her. She actually had her eyes closed and she was now sitting up, her face a beatific glow. She was in no danger. She was loving every second. Devil had been running full out for several minutes now and showed no signs of easing up.

Grey pulled back on the reins and got Daisy to slow to a canter again. He preferred that to the jarring feel of a gallop. He urged Daisy on just enough to watch Mrs. Steele. Suddenly, she seemed to remember where she was, reining Devil into a slow canter and then pulling the reins to turn him around to face Grey. They stopped at the top of a rise.

Grey looked on in absolute awe. Devil was breathing hard but Mrs. Steele was serenely aglow with her face alight and her hair burnished by the sun.

Grey discovered that having a hard-on while trotting along on a horse was agony. He reached Mrs. Steele and suggested that they stop for a moment. She agreed and slid off her horse with ease. He winced as he dismounted. Mrs. Steele grasped both Daisy's and Devil's reins in her hands and sat on the ground.

"I wanted to show you this view, Mr. Grey."

They were looking down over miles of countryside and the entirety of the Potter mansion and gardens. It was beautiful and impressive.

"I want to ask you two things," Grey said. "Will you please address me by my name for one?"

"Of course…Christian. It is a nice name and suits you. I didn't know how informal you wanted to be. What is the second thing?"

"Is Ana short for something?"

"My full name is Anastasia Rose Lambert Steele. I think that's long enough, don't you?" she giggled.

A giggle from the prim Mrs. Steele was startling and unexpected. It was also a gift, a gift of trust. Grey suspected that Mrs. Steele did not let down her guard often enough to giggle like a girl.

"That is an unusual and quite beautifully unique name. I don't believe that I've ever heard it before except in reference to the former Tsar's daughter."

"The story goes that my father spent the time my mother spent in labor reading a book about the Russian revolution and when the nurse laid me on my exhausted mother's bosom after I was born, my father took advantage of the moment to tell the doctor that my name would be Anastasia Rose. My mother was too breathless to object even though she'd wanted to name me after her beloved grandmother, Bertha May."

"Yike," exclaimed Grey. "I mean no disrespect to your great-grandmother but you are certainly no Bertha May."

"And I would have been called by her nickname, Bertie, to really land the blow," Ana grinned. "My mother was not happy when she saw my birth certificate! I'm surprised that their marriage lasted as long as it did."

"Which was how long?" Grey asked.

"Well, they married, because of me, a month before my birth and separated a month after. My mother then turned me over to her mother to raise me while she set about looking for a suitable second husband. The plan was to land the man before springing a step-daughter on him. Two men walked away but the third stuck around because he actually liked me."

Then Ana grew quiet. "I certainly didn't plan to tell you my life story. I just wanted to show all this to you," she said, as she waved an arm over the view before them.

"I'm enjoying your story. Did your mother marry the third man?" asked Grey.

"I'm afraid so. He had a lot of money and she wanted a lot of money so they were evenly matched. He treated me decently for a couple of years…seemed I had a new toy or new dress every day. Then I entered the terrible twos….although I waited until I was three to have them…and my company became more difficult. Before I grew out of that phase, he battered me and my mother failed to intervene. The state noted my injuries sometime around my tenth hospital visit and removed me from my mother's 'care'…returning me to my grandmother."

Grey said nothing, holding his breath, wanting Ana to keep talking. She almost seemed to be talking to herself.

"My grandmother was kind but quite old and not really equipped to raise a child. She died when I was 5. I had an uncle but he was young and in college. He wasn't interested in raising a child so after that I lived in a series of foster homes until I arranged for my emancipation at the age of 14. I remember standing before the judge in that courtroom as he looked down at me. I was not yet full grown physically. He must have been doubting himself in granting me my freedom.

"He asked if I understood that emancipation meant that I would have no one to take care of me. I responded that no one really did anyway and that I had made plans. I had a place to live, a job and I intended to not only finish high school but to continue on. He wished me well and lowered his gavel. I was a free woman."

"Ana, that is remarkable. Did you not feel fear?"

"No, I had lived in fear since I was 5 and now I was in charge of my life. I really did have a studio to live in, a job at a Burger King and brains enough to work for a scholarship to college

"I'm in awe of you, Ana," Grey said softly. Ana looked at him in surprise. "I had advantages other children did not, Christian. I'd no expectation of family support and I found my studies to be lacking in challenges. I was lucky. Well, shall we carry on? There is something else I'd like to show you before we head back."

In a flash, Ana jumped into her saddle and Devil took off at a gallop as Christian and Daisy cantered along behind, just close enough to keep the dynamic duo in sight. They ran for quite a while before Ana sharply reined in the stallion and waited on Grey to catch up.

She smiled and Grey gasped at the sight before him. A vast lake with a small island in the middle. "This, I did not expect. I knew the grounds were expansive but I didn't realize that they contained a lake."

"It's man-made and very skillfully so. To look at it, you'd never guess that it was designed."

"Was the island in the midst of all that water planned as well?"

"Yes, in fact the entire lake was created for Mrs. Potter. Alphonse adored her and would give her anything she desired. After a series of miscarriages, they accepted that they would not have children. Alphonse built the lake as a distraction of sorts. Come." At that command, Ana nudged Devil to head down the hill to a small boathouse on the shore of Lake Delilah.

"She was Delilah Marie Covington when she met Alphonse. He was just starting out to build his fortune and she was already the daughter of a very rich man. She had a pack of suitors who were also rich but she had an adventurous spirit. She didn't want to marry some wealthy schmuck and spend her life shopping for the next gala. So she gave up the Covington and became a Potter.

"It didn't take Alphonse all that many years to become rich and they were quite happy with each other. Come. I want to show you one last thing."

They tied the horses up to a post and Ana led Christian into the boat house where there was a small boat. She expertly weighed anchor, started the motor and eased them out of the berth and into the lake. Grey simply looked around. The view of the surrounding hills was almost as breathtaking as the view of the lake from atop the hills.

Ana pulled up unto the shore of the island, jumped out and pulled the boat up unto the sand. Grey marveled again at the strength of this little woman. He followed her as she walked along a path into the island forest until they came to a small clearing. She pointed at the gravesite in the center.

"This is the absolute center of the island which is the absolute center of the lake which is the absolute center of the entire estate. The estate would be the center of England if Alphonse could have managed it."

"Why did that matter?" asked Grey.

"It's symbolic. His wife was the center of his life. Read the inscription on the headstone."

It was a beautiful pink marker standing at the head of a pink slab lying atop the grass around it.

The inscription on the marker named its occupant as well as her status as the most beloved, the center of his world, wife of Alphonse. There was also a beautiful quote to the effect that she was Alphonse's La Vie En Rose. There were flowers planted all around the gravesite. There was a bench nearby.

"Alphonse comes here as often as possible to just sit with her. He talks to her and it cheers him. Is it not the most touching gravesite you've ever seen?"

"I envy him," Said Grey.

"Yes," was Ana's only reply. Then she turned to go back to the boat.

CHAPTER 7

"Where have you been, Ana? I'm supposed to be doing business with this young fella and you've just co-opted him completely!" complained Alphonse.

"How was your visit with Dr. Fordham, Alphonse? What did he say about your blood pressure?" asked Ana.

"Oh, you know full well what he said about my blood pressure," Alphonse grumbled.

"Then perhaps you need to take a few deep breaths and slow down?" suggested Ana.

"I hired you to be my secretary, not my nurse," Alphonse sniped.

"Then perhaps we ought to get you a nurse." As Ana said this, Alphonse quickly diverted the topic to ask what she and Grey had been doing while he was waiting for them.

Grey smiled broadly as he related the morning's travels. "Your estate is a national treasure, Alphonse."

"Don't let the government hear you say that. They'd raise my taxes again and then seize the property. Bloody Island Revenue."

"I've really worked up an appetite so let's order some lunch," Ana said as she did a quick detour around the subject of medical care and taxes. "Then you and Christian can get to work, okay?"

.+.

An hour later, Grey and Potter were deep into revenue reports, tax papers, spreadsheets of all kinds and valuation techniques. Ana popped in now and again with pills for Potter and plates of fruit. Grey thought that she had a concerned expression on her face as she studied Potter. A tiny v would form between her eye brows as she restrained herself from taking his temperature. She would cast a small look at Grey as if to say "take it easy".

Grey tried but he was having such a good time with Alphonse. The old man knew so much about business and Grey was soaking it up like a sponge. Finally, after six hours of discussion, Ana came and put her foot down.

"Enough. Set your work papers aside. We're going to have a quiet dinner and then you two can sit by the fire and chat."

Alphonse opened his mouth to protest but one look at Ana's determined face and he sighed, conceding. The three sat at Alphonse's work table and ate a light dinner while Ana told Potter all about that day's tour of the estate.

"Well, I'm glad I didn't know that you were out riding on Devil. I should have gotten rid of that beast last year. He'll throw you one day and then stomp on you for spite."

"Nonsense. Riding him is pure joy. And Christian was comfortable with Daisy."

Alphonse tried to cover his chuckle but Grey didn't miss it. "Perhaps, after some practice, I can ride Devil."

"Oh, no, you don't. I've no doubt, judging from your physique, that you can handle most athletic challenges but Devil is quite a bit more than just a physical challenge." Alphonse took a sip from his tea cup as Ana left the room to get more fruit.

Alphonse leaned in, confidentially. "Truth is, only Ana has ever been able to ride Devil. I have watched professional jockeys and rodeo cowboys try to stay on him. He'll have none of it," Alphonse grinned. "Why he permits Ana, I do not know. She has some kind of hold over him."

"Maybe it's the apples," Grey suggested with good humor.

"Oh, I thought of that. Is she drugging him? I wondered. However, no. There is merely some sort of understanding between them. If you watch them together, Devil is quite affectionate toward her while anyone else trying to touch him will be shunned. He has nearly knocked Pete unconscious simply by swinging his head into Pete's. Another time, he ran off and Ana went after him on Kidder. Thirty minutes later, they returned with Ana riding Devil bareback and Kidder following like a puppy.

"Really, no one knows what to make of it."

Ana had returned in time to hear "Kidder". She set the fruit down on the table and urged more on to Alphonse.

"Kidder. Gosh, wasn't he a lovely animal, Alphonse? I cried so when he died. Horses are tough to get to know, Christian. At least, that's been my experience. A dog will love most people but horses will take their time…if they ever like you at all. Pete manages Devil only by distracting him with constant treats.

"So, how did your discussion go today? Progress made, I hope."

"Yes, I've learned a lot from Alphonse and tomorrow we're going to take a tour of the physical plants. Will you be coming along?" Grey asked hopefully. Alphonse raised an almost imperceptible eyebrow as he caught the hope in Grey's tone. Ana, in turn, noted Potter's response.

"Perhaps. We'll see." Ana was concerned with Alphonse's response. Maybe he'd prefer to do the rounds with Christian without the distraction of Ana. This, after all, would not be a social call. Alphonse may have wanted Christian's total concentration on the job at hand. Besides, the workers loved Alphonse but they loved Ana even more. Alphonse may have wanted the spotlight strictly on him and his legacy.

CHAPTER 8

Most of the night, Alphonse and Christian spent sitting in front of the fire in large leather club chairs while Ana sat on the floor leaning against Alphonse's chair. She didn't say much the entire time. She enjoyed listening to the two warhorses discussing how they started their companies. She found it relaxing and she needed to relax. She felt all wound up, uncomfortably wired, for some reason.

She suspected that she was nervous, even unhappy, about this probable take-over. She also didn't like the underlying reason for the sale…Alphonse was old and closing in on his reunion with Delilah. The last couple of years Alphonse had been making the pilgrimage out to Delilah's island more frequently than in earlier years. It felt, to Ana, like he was getting set to die. He was like a father to her and she didn't want to lose him. She would be alone again.

So, as the men talked, she looked into the fire and thought about all those foster homes and about her life after her emancipation. It wasn't hard to arrange, really, since the state was happy to get another kid off their welfare rolls even if she was only 14.

She'd moved into a one room apartment in a cheap, i.e. bad part of town. Her job at Burger King was a close walk as was the community college where she got her GED. More than anything, she wanted a college degree…the ability to earn a good living. She applied for scholarships of all kinds. She found a book that listed all available scholarships from full-rides to a few hundred…from money for nursing candidates to special scholarships for math students.

She was good at math and it was a less crowded field than others. So, she applied for every math scholarship. One required special testing rather than school transcripts. This was her ticket. She got a perfect score and, thus, received a full-ride to Stanford. She worked her ass off in California, graduating in three years at the age of 18. Her reputation as a mathematics genius got her an offer to go for an MBA at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. She was the youngest recipient ever. At 19 she had her MBA, graduating Summa Cum Laude.

She had a boatload of offers from around the world but the one that truly intrigued her was a polite, handwritten letter from Alphonse Potter asking her to be his secretary, executive assistant or whatever she wanted to call herself. She knew of his reputation as a brilliant businessman and philanthropist. After she met with him, she wasn't sure if he wanted her. She was so young, a delicate-looking woman, and he needed someone tough and able to stand up to rough men. Still, knowing that she'd grown up in foster homes and then supported herself from the age of 14…well, she certainly had to be strong. He offered her a position in his organization and a suite of rooms in his mansion.

At 19 she was a gainfully employed grown woman. She went from strength to strength. Alphonse watched in admiration as she became indispensable. He'd no doubt that she could run the company. So, why hadn't he simply handed it over? Because he didn't want her to devote her life to work. He wanted her to have a full life, he told her. She was quite happy with her half-life(?) and didn't know what he meant.

Christian looked at Anastasia sitting at Alphonse's feet. He smiled. "Shall we wake her?" he asked. No, Alphonse responded, she's a bit of a temper when suddenly awoken. Did Grey think that he could carry her upstairs? Sure, Christian replied, thinking about the pleasure of holding Ana in his arms.

Still, he had a question for Mr. Potter about Ana and now seemed to be the time to ask it.

"Alphonse, Ana goes by Mrs. Steele. Where is her husband? Armed forces, maybe?"

Alphonse reached down and gently caressed her head.

"Don't let on ever that I told you."

"Agreed."

"Ana is a widow, you see.

"Ana was married to the love of her life when she was just 19, newly graduated summa cum laude from Oxford. Daniel was also a math genius and they were very much in love. Shortly before she graduated, Ana became pregnant. Then she came to work with me and Daniel joined a big firm in London. The night that Ana's water broke, we rushed her to the local hospital and I called Daniel. Ana delivered after a difficult labor and when she woke up a few days later, she learned that her baby girl was stillborn and her husband was D.O.A. after a drunk driver t-boned him at a red light. In the space of just a few hours, she lost her entire family."

"Oh my god. She seems so together. So serene, even."

"We became her family. She went to a lot of therapy. She spent hours talking to Delilah out on the island. Little by little, year by year, she became the remarkable woman you see now. However, her early life, abandoned by her mother, a dozen foster homes and on her own completely after she turned 14…they took a toll. She didn't know how to trust or depend on anyone else. Daniel somehow, perhaps through their shared academic work, earned her trust and then, suddenly, he was gone, taken from her.

"I don't know if she'll ever let herself trust again because everyone leaves her. My impending departure is much on her mind, I know. So, I let her pester me about my health. I want to stay with her as long as possible. Indeed, when she came into my life, I was on my way out and glad to be going…to be with Delilah. I had to change my mind about that and ask Delilah to wait a while longer. I work now to stay in good health but I'm nearly 90 and I know old equipment breaks down no matter how much you oil it or replace its parts.

"Now, come. Let's get her to bed before she wakes up."

Christian happily picked Ana up in his arms. She was so light and small against his chest. He decided to forego the lift because the noise might wake her. Instead, he carried her up the stairs to her room. He laid her gently on her bed, removed her shoes and covered her with the duvet. He noticed that there lay a diaphanous gown in white at the foot of her bed. He pulled the curtains on her balcony doors to block out the early morning sun and then turned to leave. He couldn't refrain, however, from stopping to kiss her forehead.

CHAPTER 9

Something awakened Ana around 5 a.m. She lay for a few moments, wondering. Then she realized that she was still dressed. She figured that she must have been too sleepy to do more than remove her shoes. She rose, turned on her light and removed her clothes. Then, as she was donning her nightgown, the one she had worn on her honeymoon, she heard something…familiar sounds. The same as the ones she'd heard the night before.

Throwing on her matching robe, Ana flew down the hall to Christian's room. She peeked in and, as before, found him in the middle of a nightmare. He spoke in the voice of a little boy, a little boy living with absolute terror. He was thrashing about, crying out in pain.

Ana sat on the bed beside him and took his face in her hands. She massaged his head and cooed at him, telling him that it was all a dream and he was safe. The last time that she did this he had settled almost immediately. This time, however, she hadn't responded quickly enough and he was in worse shape. She sang soft and low to him…la vie en rose, of course, and he finally stopped moving. After a while, just as she was about to leave, Grey took hold of her shoulders and flipped her onto the bed beside him.

She was startled and then shocked to see his eyes open. Bright gray eyes that looked at her and began to darken. She didn't know that her own eyes were also going from bright hazel to dark brown. Grey was holding her in a tight embrace, breathing hard. Then he put his mouth on hers, pressing her into the mattress. The kiss was deep and passionate. When he stopped and just looked her, she realized that he was no longer sleeping. This kiss was not a mistake.

He moved his hands over her body while he buried his face in her neck. She began to feel things that she'd almost forgotten about after years of celibacy. She had long ago dismissed the very idea of physical intimacy. No one else could be Daniel.

Oh, but Grey's hands, strong and firm on her body, felt so good. It was different than with Daniel. And when Grey kissed her again, the kiss felt different. Daniel had been gentle. They had both been virgins and were careful with each other. Daniel was really only a boy. A wonderful boy whom she'd loved so completely. But this was different. And Christian Grey was a man.

Grey was demanding, almost desperate. She found herself wanting to give him what he needed. He was clinging to her as a sailor to a piece of flotsam in the middle of an ocean. And instinctively she knew that it was she and she alone who could give Christian what he needed. She didn't understand why her but still she knew that this moment was right….inevitable.

Thus, when Christian slipped his hand over the thin material between them, she allowed it. He cupped her breast in his hand and caressed it. His kiss was a cry for her. And so, she kissed him back, matching his ardor. This aroused him even more. He pulled her to him even more closely. Then he slipped his hand under her gown to a place where only Daniel had been. It felt wonderful yet Ana felt a pang of guilt…as though she should feel like she was cheating on her husband….only she didn't.

Christian pulled the slight gown up to expose her breasts where he began to suckle and nip. Ana tried but could not resist releasing a moan. Then he moved his hand over her middle and down to the ever increasingly wet spot between her legs. He palmed her sex and seemed to embrace it. She heard an intense groan and realized that this time it was not hers.

He buried his face between her breasts and two fingers inside of her. He explored her vagina…the warm, soft cushion…then he found the sweet spot against her vaginal wall and began to massage it. Ana now experienced something new to her. It wasn't just an orgasm. She'd had those with Daniel. This was different. Stronger and so intense. An overwhelming wave washed through her and she arched her back and screamed. What was this man doing to her? She was married…in her heart…to a man long gone from her.

"Please say yes. Please," Christian begged in a tremulous voice. The need in him was so all consuming that she was afraid that he would break if she did not give him what he wanted. So, she spread her legs as he rolled on top of her. He put his arms under her knees and raised her up so that he could go as deep as possible inside of her.

"Oh, god, Ana, I didn't know that I've been starving."

He thrusted hard at first as he tried to go further, deeper, but then he slowed and moved around inside her. She was so soft…her walls automatically surrounding him, holding him. He had a feeling of being wanted, of being cherished in that moment, and then suddenly he imploded. He knew that his vocal response would shake the walls so he again put his mouth on hers to muffle his cries.

No one, nothing, had ever gotten so deep inside him. He couldn't let her go. He needed so much to be in that sacred place. He'd never known such sweetness, such safety. He felt leaving her would shatter him.

He looked down into her eyes, now a bright hazel again. She looked up into his eyes, now light gray. That indefatigable craving for each other had been satisfied and now only reality was left to them.

There came a light knock on the door. The maid announcing breakfast in 15 minutes.

CHAPTER 10

They ate their breakfast in silence while Alphonse chattered about the day's schedule.

"Is everything copasetic for today, Ana?

"Huh?"

"I've never seen you so dedicated to eating. That's a good development, I guess. Maybe you'll put on some weight. I was asking if everything is all arranged for today's outing."

"Yes. Did you take your pills?"

"I'm not ten!" Alphonse bellowed.

"Closer to five, I'd say," Christian tried to stifle his laughter at her comeback.

"So, you forgot then, eh?" Alphonse looked sheepish. "We'd better check your blood pressure, too, before you leave the house."

"It isn't a house," he grumbled. "It's a mansion."

"Well, goody goody gumdrops for you." At that Ana got up and went to the sideboard, opened a drawer and withdrew a blood pressure cuff.

"Hand over that scrawny arm, Mr. Potter. If you're running high, you're staying home. Capiche? Now take a deep breath, hold it, release. Again. Feeling calmer now?"

Ana expertly wrapped his arm with the cuff and held the instrument to check Potter's bp. She frowned with a tiny v forming between her brows. Christian badly wanted to touch that.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense. It'll only raise my blood pressure," Alphonse growled.

"You're a little high. You've got to tamp down your excitement a bit. Just listen to my voice in your head."

"Aren't you coming along?"

"No, no. I'd be a third wheel and besides, you know how chatty I get with everyone. This needs to be a serious perusal of your holdings for Mr. Grey's appraisal."

Grey was disappointed but Ana was probably right. He wouldn't be able to concentrate and today would give him a better idea of the valuation of the company and its assets.

"So, what are you going to do today?" Alphonse asked.

"My work. Remember? I work for you."

"That's debatable. I sometimes think that I work for you. Look, the rabbits are here."

"I see them. They can wait." At this, Ana withdrew three rather large pills from her pocket as Alphonse moped. Ana handed over the pills, one by one, watching Alphonse carefully. He'd been known to hide pills under his tongue.

Then she picked up her basket, bid everyone good day and went out onto the patio. Christian melted a little inside as he watched all the rabbits gather round Ana. Then she stood and headed down the path to the stables, out of his sight.

Get your head back in the game, Grey, he said to himself. You haven't won this one yet and GEH needs it. His phone vibrated. Ros, his VP in all things GEH, was calling. He excused himself from the table and went out to sit on the stairs.

"Hi, Ros. How's it going back there?"

"Have to fire Stewart in Finance."

"What! I thought that he was a good man. What did he do?"
"Caught red-handed with his sticky fingers in the till."

"Is this a one off or a pattern?"

"Well, he claims that it was only this one time when he was desperate to pay off a medical bill for his daughter. We'll know more once we go over the books."

"And what was the problem with his daughter?"

"I didn't ask. Doesn't matter. He stole from us."

"It does matter, Ros. If he's telling the truth, then we failed him. If he needed money, he should have come to us but apparently he didn't know that he could do that."

"Oh, Christian. You can be such a mensch sometimes. Okay, I'll suspend the firing until we do further inquiries."

"Good. Anything else? Something a little less depressing?"

"Andrea had her baby…a little girl."

Christian laughed. "Do girl babies come in larger sizes?"

"Geez, you're in a good mood today. Did you get laid or something?"

"Things are going well here so far. Mr. Potter and I are making the rounds of his operations today."

"Are we, Grey, or are we going to sit on the stairs and chat with our girlfriend?" Potter glowered above him.

"Gotta go, Ros. Call me about Stewart later."

Potter shrugged on his coat and had a maid help him with his wellies. "So, this Ros. How long have you two been together?"

"Four years of blissful business partnership. Ros is married to Gwen, quite happily."

"Oh, that's how it is, eh? Well, one must adapt to changing mores. You know…Ana doesn't date. She gets…how does she put it…hit on frequently but she always declines invitations. We've attended many a charity function and men will come up to me and ask if she's taken…by me!"

"Well, Alphonse, there are a lot of older men who can afford beautiful young women as girlfriends and even wives. I have elderly business associates who married women half their age."

"What the hell do they have to say to each other anyway with an age gap like that?"

"The woman gets security and a black Amex. The men get an ego boost based on their arm candy." Christian shrugged. "It's a cynical world out there. Ana doesn't date, you say?"

"No. I find that distressing." As the two men got into the car, Collin remarked that Alphonse found it distressing when Ana sneezed.

"Shut up. You're fired again."

"Can it wait until after lunch?"

"I suppose. You'll have to remind me in case I forget." Christian would have been laughing but his mind was elsewhere….like on Ana galloping along on Devil.

"Anyway, as I was trying to say before I was interrupted by the hired help," Alphonse continued, "I wish that Ana would meet a good man…someone who could measure up to her late husband. I think that that is the problem. No one is Daniel."

Christian didn't respond. He worried. Was this morning a one off? It was so intense, so beyond anything he'd ever known and he knew that he had to have her again. Was she thinking of Daniel the whole time? Was she making comparisons and if so, did he himself come off wanting? He didn't know. It was the only time he'd ever made love without thinking about the fact that he was, as Ros so crudely stated it, getting laid. This morning had not been about 'getting laid'.

And what if they continued? Grey knew that he was falling in love already. Was she? Would she come back to Seattle with him? No, she'd never leave Potter. She was loyal and her love was true. What would he do if he had to leave her…when he had to leave her?

Through the fog of his thoughts, he heard Potter explaining how this first location worked. Twenty miles and Christian had missed every foot of it thinking about the girl riding the devil.

CHAPTER 11

He shook hands. He smiled until his cheeks ached. He played at full concentration as a worker explained how a particular device worked. He asked questions to which he already knew the answers. He praised. He lauded employee ingenuity and dedication. He reassured skeptical workers that their jobs would continue.

They visited four locations and he could see that it made more financial sense to consolidate into one location. There were glaring redundancies. He could see that reducing staff would make the entire operation more efficient. He was good at sussing out the employees who did little and those who had a passion for renewal. He was also able to see that communities depended on each and every employee retaining their current status.

The company had a lot of red ink on its books. GEH would have to cut into profits elsewhere in order to update equipment and training at all levels.

All in all, if given a free hand, Grey knew that he could turn the company around and ultimately rejuvenate it. However, he also saw all the cracks that needed mending. One of those cracks involved dealing with the sentimentality of the ancient owner. Grey would have to tread lightly.

By late afternoon, both he and Potter were wiped out…ready for showers, rest and food. The two men said little on the way back to the house. Time would yield some perspective. They parted in the foyer, agreeing to consult more over a late dinner.

After his shower, Grey tried to rest. He tried to organize his notes, too, but his mind was repeatedly side-tracked by Mrs. Steele. When he inquired of the staff as to Ana's whereabouts, they only shrugged. She'd gone riding and had failed to return as yet.

Grey prevailed upon Pete, the stable hand, to help him saddle up Daisy and off he went to find Mrs. Steele. When he arrived at the boathouse, he was not surprised to find Devil tied to a post and the motor boat missing. Upon looking around, he noticed canoes hanging off the walls. With some difficulty, he pulled one down, located the oars and slowly stroked his way to Delilah's Island.

He was surprised to find that Ana wasn't at Delilah's grave. He looked around until he spied another pathway. After a short walk, he heard a soft voice speaking. Rounding a bend, he saw another gravesite. A gray, almost black, headstone and a large slab over the grave. Sitting with her back to his intrusion, Ana was talking…to Daniel. Atop the headstone lay a sleeping cherub.

Grey could barely make out the inscription in the gathering dusk.

Daniel Barron Steele

1985 to 2010

Beloved husband to Anastasia

Beloved father to Lilibet

2010

Grey guessed correctly that it was Mr. Potter who arranged for his secretary to make this island the final resting place of her family. He also guessed that it was Ana who kept up on the maintenance of the entire island. Her husband and daughter had been interred together. Etched into the glossy granite was an engraving of a man holding a child on his lap. There was a long subscription on the length of the tomb's slab. For a moment, Grey was unable to place it. Than it hit him. It was a song, one that Ana had played at the Savoy that first night. She was singing it now. He could barely make out the lyrics.

How much do I love you?
I'll tell you no lie
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?
How many times in a day
Do I think of you?
How many roses are
Sprinkled with dew?

How far would I travel
Just to be where you are?
How far is the journey
From here to a star?
And if I ever lost you
How much would I cry?
How deep is the ocean?
How high is the sky?

Ana's voice was soft and sweet. It was clear that she'd often sung to her husband and daughter.

Perhaps it was a way for her to be nearer to them. When she finished the song, she bowed her head and sobbed. Grey could not retreat without being heard so he stayed quietly in the shadows.

Ana sniffled and began talking to Daniel.

"Hello, my darling. I'm sorry that I haven't been by much lately. I'm so glad that you and Lilibet are together. I'm certain that you are a really good daddy. Lilibet will always be a little girl and you will always be a young father. Meanwhile, I'll grow older and lonelier without you. At least, that is how I have always imagined it would be. Loving someone else seemed impossible. I gave my heart to you and I never intended to take it back.

"Daniel, I know that you would tell me to go on…to love another. I remember that conversation, you know. I told you that upon my death I expected a suitable period of mourning…maybe a decade or two. You just laughed. How, you asked me, could you love me so deeply and then ask you to batten down your heart. Of course, you were right…but then, I was always the jealous one. If I ogled men all day long, you'd be all right as long as I came home to you.

"That day that I awoke to a nightmare…Daniel, it broke me. You and Lilibet had already been put to ground. I never got to see you one last time and I never got to hold my baby. The first couple of years were just a blur of misery. Only Alphonse's need of me brought me back to the world. Still, I felt no need to be touched, to be held. I, in turn, had nothing to give. My heart was buried with you and Lilibet.

"Daniel, would you be upset if I told you that my heart has begun beating again? I didn't intend for it to happen. I didn't see it coming. I know that you would like him, Daniel. He isn't like you. Still, he is a good man. You were always the finest man I'd ever known. You'd had a happy childhood which, I guess, predisposed you to be loving and kind.

"This man, Daniel, has had a lot of pain. I know little of the details. I know little about him at all, to be honest. Yet, I feel him inside me…as though it's been a long hard road to reach him. I think that he cares for me, too. We're both scared.

Ana laughed. "You were never afraid of anything. Tall, gawky, bespectacled and able to speak only in the language of math. Yet you pursued me and I, young as I was, knew better than to turn away. We had so little time but I thought that it was enough to last all my days.

"I was wrong, Daniel. This man is offering me life. Do you understand, Daniel? Do you approve?" At that moment, a strong wind swept through the small copse surrounding the gravesite. Ana stood up and leaned over the marker. She kissed it and said thank you. She asked him to always keep and cuddle their little daughter. Then, with tears flowing down her cheeks, she said goodbye.

Grey stepped out into the path. Ana looked up in surprise. Neither knew what to say to the other so Grey simply stepped a length closer and held out his arms. Ana walked into them and buried her head against his chest.

CHAPTER 12

His arm around Ana, Christian walked back to Daniel's grave and they sat down together on the marble slab. Ana leaned into Christian's embrace. It felt so good. He was strong and muscled and hard. He was safe. She hadn't know how badly she needed that feeling again. Her whole life, except for the time with Daniel, she'd had to be strong…stoic even…in the face of a life so fraught with toxic emotions. Starting with being abandoned by her mother, Ana had to protect herself. No one could do it for her…but sitting on Daniel's grave with Christian, all the unacknowledged fear seemed to lift from its place so deeply embedded inside her.

"Ana, we've known each other for such a short time," Christian began…Ana held her breath. He was going to tell her that they were rushing things…that their night together was wonderful but only one night. Her fear came rushing back in to drown the heart that had dared to beat again.

She sat up and away from Christian's arms. She nodded vigorously in agreement.

"Yes, yes, you're right. I don't know what I was thinking. Of course, it was just a night…completely happenstance."

She seemed to be rushing through her words. She was breathing erratically. Christian became concerned that she'd be collapsing soon if she didn't stop. He didn't know what to do so he just did what came naturally. He reached out, grabbed her and pulled her tightly to him, holding her and rocking her. Ana stopped crying but she was still trembling.

"Ana, I think that I'm falling in love with you. I know that you're conflicted. So am I. I've never before been in love. I've never before believed that I even had a heart. I always pictured a hole in my chest where a heart should be. This is all new to me. It's also exciting, joyful and terrifying. There is a big part of me that wants to flee. I don't know if I can be all that you need. I'm so fearful of letting you down, especially after all you've endured. But I'm driven to try. Everything in me is calling out to you."

Ana threw her arms around Christian's neck and held on for dear life.

"And I'm falling in love with you, Christian, but in a few days there will be an ocean and a continent between us. I can't leave Alphonse, you know."

"I know. I know. I'd never ask you to leave him."

He bent his head down and kissed Ana's hair. "It's getting darker. We'd better be getting back to the house."

By the time that they reached their boats, they could see the brilliant orange sunset. They could also see dark, angry cloud banks looming on the horizon.

"We'll have to hurry. Devil is afraid of storms."

Christian held a tow line of the canoe as Ana motored them back to the boat house. Daisy was placidly chewing on grass but Devil was pulling on his lead, threatening to pull the post out of the ground. His loud neighing cries softened when he saw Ana. He nuzzled her and nickered as his flanks quivered.

"We'll have to make quite a run for it, Christian. Here, jump up on Devil behind me and hold onto Daisy's reins. Keep your legs tight against Devil and your arms tight around me. We'll be going at quite a gallop."

Christian had scarcely had time to obey when Devil took off like a Japanese bullet train. With every clap of thunder, the stallion seemed to run faster. Ana was at ease in the saddle but Christian was barely holding it together. Devil was making high-pitched neighing noises while running at full-tilt. Ana was calm and in control, Christian knew. He only hoped that Devil knew it as well. A thunderous crack and a blast of lightening not too far off caused Devil to stall and twist about. He reared on his back legs and Christian didn't know how he was staying on the saddle.

Ana felt him loosen his hold on her. If he slid off, he didn't want to take her with him.

"Christian, hold tighter!" Ana yelled over the noise of the storm. She quickly regained control of Devil, forcing him back into a furious gallop. Once Devil caught sight of the stable, he tore toward it in a frenzy. Pete was standing near the entry watching for Ana and Christian.

"Release Daisy!" Ana hollered back. Once Christian had dropped the reins, Daisy slowed to a canter. Still, she wasn't far behind when Devil flew into the stable. Ana pulled back and stopped him before he ran into the back wall. Pete helped Christian down and took the reins from Ana. Devil was calmer but not by much. Christian watched perplexed as Ana blew gently into the stallion's nose. Devil was breathing hard, mostly from fear but after a few minutes, he blew back at Ana and then nickered.

She took him into his stall and removed all the gear. "Christian, I have to stay with Devil for a while. Why don't you go on up to the house with Pete?"

"No, I want to stay here. Devil is liable to hurt you accidentally when he's jolted by the thunder."

"He'll be fine…better when alone with me. Please go with Pete and tell Alphonse that I'll be in soon." Then she picked up a brush and began to groom Devil. He was still moving about too much. Christian feared that he'd knock Ana over or into the wall. He looked at Pete who stood waiting with a raincoat and umbrella.

"She's right, Mr. Grey. Devil will be calmer being alone with Ana. He can sense your fear."

Christian sighed in defeat but had to trust Ana. "20 minutes and I'm coming back for you," he warned. Ana smiled and went back to grooming the stallion.

As the two men made for the house, the storm seemed to be just dumping buckets of water on them. The rain was flooding the land and even though they were walking on a paved path, the soil ran over it creating a stream of mud. As they reached the back door, Christian turned to look back at the stable. The thunder and the pounding of the rain was deafening but Christian could have sworn that he could hear Ana singing.

"Thank goodness," said Alphonse, who was sitting at the kitchen table. "Here, get those things off and then go shower before dinner. Don't worry about Ana. She'll be fine."

Christian tried to stall. "I'd rather have a hot cup of tea first."

"You're soaked through to your bones. You need to warm up under a hot shower. Now, go," Alphonse insisted.

"I might have to go back out again to rescue Ana," Christian retorted. To this, Alphonse just laughed. "You'd die between here and the stable and I'd have to answer to Ana."

With great reluctance, Christian sloshed his way up to his room. He was drenched. He stripped himself of the material that had once been clothing. Wrapping up in his robe, he stood in the dark looking down toward the stable. All he could do was keep watch.

It seemed a long time that he stood by the window, getting more worried by the minute. He let out a huge breath he'd been holding when he saw the stable light dim and a small figure come walking to the house. He went out to the landing to listen for Ana.

"Poor Devil. When I left, he was still shaking some and all the other horses were laughing at him."

Christian heard Alphonse laughing. "You're anthropomorphizing, Ana. The other horses were just standing, thinking nothing. As for Devil, he was probably soaking the situation for all it was worth…just enjoying your fussing over him."

"Now who's anthropomorphizing? I'm going up for a shower."

When Ana reached the top of the stairs, she heard Christian whisper to her. She went to his room where he pulled her inside and crushed her to him. Without a word, he removed her clothing and carried her into the shower.

CHAPTER 13

That night, while sitting by the fire, Christian told Alphonse that if he purchased the company, he would have to consolidate all the factories into one central location. Alphonse frowned. Furthermore, Grey would be doing a review of all the employees because, from his observations, some were not pulling their weight. Also, there would have to be some retraining because the equipment was out of date. Alphonse stared into the fire. On the bright side, Grey intended to retain most employees and keep the company in England. He also anticipated growth and diversification in the years to come. Alphonse nodded.

Grey presented his offer and asked Alphonse to look it over and try to make a decision within the week. He also realized that Potter would have to have a company-wide meeting to inform the employees of all changes. Alphonse had quite a bit to consider. Still, he knew that Grey's offer was the best of all the alternatives he'd been given. He told Grey that he would study the proposal and try to have an answer for him soon.

Grey left the old man sitting by the fire. The raging storm outside had quieted down to a gentle rain. Grey said good night and went to his room where Ana was already sleeping. He stood looking down at her, feelings flooding through him, feelings he'd never before felt and that left him shaky. What was he going to do about her? Being without her was not an option yet he saw no way to be with her either.

He went into the bathroom and closed the door.

"Hi, Ros. Yeah, I put in our offer. Some of the changes are hard for Potter to accept. He's loyal to his people…even the ones he knows I'll be firing. Well, there won't be many but each will have an effect on these communities. Hell, most of the people are related in some way. There will be anger, resentment. It won't be pretty for a while. All of these people look up to Potter and expect that he will take care of them. I know that it's breaking his heart to have to hurt them.

"Yeah, I know I'm his best offer but he could decide to keep the company. Still, then he has the problem of leaving a mess for his heirs…which, by the way, he doesn't really have. I suspect that he'd leave it to Ana but he wouldn't want her to have to deal with what he's going through right now.

"What's happening with Stewart? Really? Damn. What do you want to do now? Well, we could simply release him with a tepid recommendation and no legal repercussions. We could retain him and hope that a second chance makes him into a better employee. You know the man better than I do, Ros. I'll leave his fate up to you.

"You sure? Okay. My inclination is to let him go with a severance package. My concern is that word will get out and someone else might decide it's okay to take advantage. But again, Ros, it's your call. Of course, if we do let him go, we'll have to go through all the hiring procedures again and the training. What would you think about a suspension?

"I'll support you completely in whatever you want to do, Ros. I appreciate you holding down the fort. I suspect that I'll be here a while longer. Potter will take his time making this decision and then we'll have all the paperwork to do.

"Give my best to Gwen. Yeah," he laughed, "it's raining here, too."

After he rang off, Grey felt more relaxed. Matters with Potter were out of his hands now and Ros was handling GEH without him. Now he only had to figure out what to do about Ana. Somehow he knew that resolving the matter would be simple if difficult. After all there was nothing to decide. He couldn't live without her.

This would be the most important deal of his life.

She'd left a small light on, for him. He pulled a chair up to the side of the bed and sat, watching her sleep. All his life he'd tackled problems with a lack of emotion. His objective approach worked. While he watched others become wrought with attachments, he'd had none. He'd always been able to see the cold, hard facts of a situation. This clarity had served him well. He knew when to go all in on a deal and when to walk away. Even Ros, the most level-headed person he'd ever met, could work herself into a lather over the subjective aspects of a deal and then lose her way. Grey impressed the people he worked with as a cold, immovable stone of a man.

He had heard what people said about him. They thought that he was a cold-hearted automaton. His lack of any attachment, his inability to be moved by the human-side of things, had always made deals seem simple and clear to him. He worked hard and fast and got what he wanted.

He called upon this ability to look at his situation with Ana clearly. They'd know each other for just three days. He had lacked control from the beginning, letting emotion take over from the start. It was powerful and he was helpless. He'd never let anyone in until now. He'd been foolish, playing at a game in which he was a rank amateur. Now he must pull back and take charge of his feelings.

He realized that he should have known better. After all, he'd seen both his older brother, Elliot, and his younger sister, Mia, fall in and out of love regularly. Always ruled by emotion and, in the end, ruined by it. Mia, especially, would rush in the door, face alight, announcing that she had just met the "most wonderful man". She would give her heart away, enjoy falling in love and when it was over, cry for days until she met the next most wonderful man.

Three days. What could he have been thinking…letting himself become entangled like this. Now he would have the awful task of walking away. The entire situation was fraught with heavy emotions that he'd allowed to develop.

Three days. That was all the time he'd had with her and he'd let himself think it was love. He'd let her think it was love. She'd carefully avoided romance and, for him, she'd asked her dead husband to give his blessing. Christian Grey did not do crushes. He did not fall in love headlong. He carefully considered a deal, determined its worth, spent time in development and, perhaps, nurtured the feelings involved. He was always coolly in control.

Three days. Ridiculous. This had to be stopped. Time to pull in on the reins.

Ana mumbled something in her sleep. She looked so small under the covers. Without thinking, he reached over and stroked her cheek. She sighed and smiled.

It was no use. His cold, analytical assessment rendered the objective truth. This attachment was strong and desperate. There was no going back. The deal was done.

Christian Grey loved.

CHAPTER 14

It was nearly dawn. Grey hadn't slept all night. He'd lain, holding Ana and staring at the ceiling. He'd accepted that he loved her. A future with her, however, was seemingly impossible. Her life was here in England with Alphonse and his was in Seattle, WA with GEH. This reality seemed to tighten around his heart like a vise. Facing a time without her scared him more than racing through a storm on the back of a devil. He was suddenly aware that his arm around her had increasingly tightened. He tried to relax his grip just as he would soon have to release her entirely.

The only time before in his life that he'd felt as helpless was when he was a little boy living with his crack whore mother. Sometime after he'd been rescued from that situation by the Greys, he didn't recall when, he'd made the decision that he'd never again be powerless. And since then he'd always been in charge. He'd learned over time that with emotions came weakness. Thus, he steeled himself against lack of control. Even with his family, he was determined to hold back…to never go too far. Sometimes he'd notice his mother's sadness that he withheld kisses and embraces and he'd feel guilt. However, the moment he realized this, he'd shut down.

The guilt would be forgotten.

He still had time with Ana. Sealing the deal with Potter, Inc. would take at least a week and then he would have to begin the work of rebuilding the company. He couldn't leave England until the new division of GEH was up and running smoothly. To begin with, he would have to find a manager to whom he could entrust the former Potter, Inc.

He would have time with Ana…time for them to realize that they'd moved too fast…time for Ana to realize that she wasn't ready to say goodbye to Daniel and time for Christian to realize that he'd been mistaken in the depth of his feelings. They could say a reluctant, fond farewell.

.+.

While Alphonse Potter spent the rest of the week considering his options, Christian and Ana had all the time in the world, it seemed, to get to know each other better. Christian already knew much of Ana's history. Now she wanted to know his as well. So, one day they each took a bedroll from the tack room and rode out together to a remote and private part of the estate. They laid down the bedrolls to form a bed-sized cushion and then they made love out in the open air. It was sunny and mild…a lovely day to be together and no one to hear their orgasmic screams.

After they'd exhausted themselves with lovemaking, they lay staring at the fluffy, fat clouds in the bluest of skies. Christian wondered where to start his story. Would an innocent like Ana even tolerate what he had done? Would she instead jump up, don her clothes and ride off on Devil? Perhaps she'd go to the one place she felt safe…to Daniel and Lilibet. Christian knew that if she did, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from following. She would scream at him to leave her with the man who would never have behaved like a monster….the man who'd been worthy of her.

"Christian? Look at me. I promise that you can tell me anything. I know that you are a good man so I can't imagine what you have to tell me that would make me think otherwise."

"That's precisely the point. You can't imagine because you are such a good woman. You don't even know what awful blackness can live in a man's soul."

"Blackness, eh? Well, this sounds very interesting, my wicked love," Ana grinned at Christian.

"I'm not joking. I doubt you've ever even heard of this…hmm…sexual practice I'm going to tell you about. I'm afraid that you'll be shocked and appalled by my sexual history."

"Good grief, man. You've got me practically drooling with the suspense of it all. Let's see, you were involved in human trafficking. No? You owned a chain of brothels. Wait, wait, I've got it," Ana grinned triumphantly. "Your only sex partner ever was an inflatable doll."

"Ana," grimaced Grey, "you're making this confession awfully difficult."

"All right," Ana giggled, "I'll stop now. Go ahead and shock and appall me. I promise to castigate you so self-righteously that you'll be shocked and appalled at me."

CHAPTER 15

Christian took a deep breath. "I spent the first four years of my life living in a tenement slum with my prostitute, crack-addicted mother. She was only 17 when she had me and her family disowned her and her boyfriend left her. She was desperate. So, when a pimp offered her a way to make a living, she became a hooker."

"Oh, Christian," murmured Ana, "the poor thing."

"Poor thing?!" I lived in utter misery, starving most of the time. Her pimp enjoyed kicking me and burning holes in my chest with his cigar. Mum never lifted a hand to help. She was usually passed out."

"Oh, I see. I wondered about those scars but was afraid of violating your privacy by asking about them. I'm so sorry that I was insensitive. Do they still hurt?" Ana asked softly.

"Not physically. Although for most of my life, I couldn't stand to be touched on my chest and upper back," he hesitated before going on, "before you." Ana lay on her side and gently laid her hand on Christian's chest. She leaned down and kissed some of the scars.

"One day she overdosed and died. There was nothing to eat in the apartment but a bag of frozen peas. Four days later the cops broke the door down. Seems the smell of rotting flesh carries far beyond the walls and people had complained.

"I was in foster care for a while until Grace and Carrick Grey adopted me. I was so traumatized that I didn't speak until I was six. And I'd never let anyone touch me. Not being able to hug and comfort her child was heartbreaking for my mother."

"Your nightmares, Christian. Is the pimp hurting you part of your dream? Did you know that when you cry out at night, your voice is that of a small child?"

Christian looked surprised. "I didn't know that. You know, when I sleep with you, I don't wake myself up screaming. Being next to you keeps the pimp away."

Ana twisted around and laid her head on Christian's chest. She didn't want him to see her tears.

"Anyway, by the time that puberty kicked in, I was really a handful. My mother confided in her best friend who advised her to get me doing manual labor as a way to let off steam."

Christian stopped. He just stared at the sky. Ana kissed a couple more scars and that seemed to get him going again. "I cleaned Mrs. Lincoln's yard one day and she kissed me, putting her tongue in my mouth."

Ana gasped. "Did your mother know that her bff was a pedophile?"

"No," said Christian, "and neither did I. I believed for years that what she put me through was somehow good for me. I did calm down. I stopped fighting every guy in school and my grades soared. Mrs. Lincoln would punish me if she heard from my mother that I was fighting or failing."

"Punish you how?"

Christian a deep breath. It was now or never.

"She'd beat me with a cane or a whip or a belt. She'd flog me, put a ball gag in my mouth so I couldn't even scream. However, if I behaved, I'd get to…to fuck her."

Ana was barely breathing. Christian went on to tell her about the world of Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism. He told her that for five years he was Mrs. Lincoln's submissive until he became a Dominant when he turned 21 and then he did all the beating.

"These women that you 'disciplined'…did they like being tied up and beaten?"

"Yeah, they did. That's why they wanted to be subs. They were just hardwired that way. To tell the truth, I never understood them."

"Do you still….?

"No. no. I quit a few years ago. I was just bored. I wanted to concentrate on my company and I didn't have time to sit around trying to think up new and interesting scenarios to entertain my subs on the weekends. I tried dating but the attention that I had to pay to a girlfriend was attention I couldn't spend on my company. So, I would just go to a nice bar, wait for a good-looking woman to hit on me and then go back to her place for the night. I rarely saw anyone for long. My last fuck-buddy, a girl by the name of Leila, lasted three weeks and just couldn't believe that I didn't want her anymore. Before I left the states, she'd begun stalking me.

"Okay. That's pretty much it, I guess." Christian stopped and waited. Ana was very quiet…for a long time.

"What was the blackness part?" she asked. 'Cause it seems to me that you got lured in by a pedophile and then got stuck in something that you didn't really go looking for. BDSM is fine, for some folks, but you never had a chance to be a so-called normal guy. Do you want to still do some of that stuff? I mean, with me?"

"The thought of tying you up with rope and hitting you with a flogger makes me sick. So. No. "

The discussion seemed to be over. The big reveal that had been hanging over Christian's head like the sword of Damocles ever since he'd met Ana was gone. She knew the worst and she was neither repulsed nor fearful.

Ana sat up and straddled Christian, leaning back against his upraised knees. He lifted her up and then gently brought her down until he was buried inside her. Seeing what he wanted, Ana moved up and down, squeezing and smiling down at Christian, pleased that he looked so blissed out. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, thinking her to be the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen. Her hair and breasts bouncing, her eyes shining, her ass ringing…say what? The ringing sound broke through his dazed brain. Ana laughed at the expression on his face. His pants lay on the ground and his phone was alerting him to a call. Why the hell hadn't he turned that damn thing off?

He sat up a bit, reaching around Ana and about to turn the phone off when he saw that it was a text from Ros.

Urgent. Call me back asap.

Christian flopped back down, sighing with exasperation. His dick, moments ago strong and hard, had gone flaccid and limp. It didn't help that Ana was laughing hysterically.

"This would be a good time for you to have a little consideration," he snarled.

"You're right," she grinned, "tit for tat. My little consideration for your little consideration," she giggled, pointing at his discouraged little dick.

"Stay right where you are. I'm not finished with you yet," he warned as he returned Ros's call.

"Okay, Ros. This had better be good. I was right in the middle of something important," he complained.

"I'll bet you were. Well, tell your 'something important' that she'll have to wait. We have big trouble in New York. That acquisition that I worked my tail off to lock down has hit a snag. I can't handle it from my end and I can't leave GEH. You're going to have to go to New York yourself and soon! Like ten minutes ago. I've already arranged for your flight. You depart Heathrow in two hours. Chop, chop."

Grey knew that his 'little consideration' had given up. "Wait a second. Just hold for a minute."

"Ana, how would you like to go to New York with me for a couple of days? Please," he groveled…but he did it so adorably that Ana couldn't say no.

"Okay, Ros. Change that flight to two departing and make it first class. Alert those a**holes in our New York office that I am disappointed."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Then the line went dead. Ros wasn't one for long goodbyes.

"We'd better get dressed and get moving."

"I thought you weren't done with me yet, "Ana mock moped.

CHAPTER 16

They made the flight with minutes to spare but Christian hadn't been too worried. First class, transatlantic, last minute departures were worth a lot to an airline. They were willing to wait a bit to keep that customer. It was the poor schmucks in economy coach who had to sit on the tarmac a while longer who did not appreciate the importance of Christian Grey's time. And he hated the stares he got. He figured that it was time to buy a jet.

He decided to delay departure a bit longer in order to text Ros.

Look into jets. I'm done with commercial.

Poor boy. Mommy will see what she can do…if she ever gets a damn minute free!

"You'd like Ros. She's got a mouth on her, too." Shouldn't have said mouth. Now he had to kiss it…a lot.

Ana had never flown much and certainly not first class. The flight attendants were all over Grey. After the umpteenth inquiry into his comfort, Ana reminded them that there were several other people in first class, too. Maybe they'd like to go help them?

Christian concealed his amusement. He remembered when she'd said that she was "the jealous one". She wasn't kidding.

"If that red-headed angel of the skies comes by one more time to lean over you, waving her bosom in your face while she plumps your pillow, when she stands back up, she'll find my teeth in her," Ana threatened.

"Don't tease. I would kill to see you bite a flight attendant. I wonder how much your bail would be? Why don't you try to nap? It's a long flight and I have to work to do," Christian pointed out.

"I haven't pleasured you orally yet, have I, Christian?" Ana smiled innocently up at him.

"Oh, Christ, Ana," Grey shook his head. "I'm going to fuck your brains out when we get to New York. Then we'll see how much energy you have left to torture me."

Ana just laughed. Christian wilted. "Ana, baby, please. I have to hit the ground running when we land. Please have mercy."

"Oh, all right, " Ana conceded. "I'll just sit here quietly reading the Karma Sutra." Grey groaned.

Several hours into the flight and Grey had studied the acquisition issue. He closed his laptop and put it aside. Ana was sleeping, leaning against him. He would have been a quite contented man were it not that he had to keep deflecting the flight attendant's helpfulness.

He was not unaware that he was handsome but, good grief, it was only a face. Of course, on this occasion, it was a handsome face that could also afford first class. He sometimes wondered if flight attendants went into the field just as a precursor to landing a rich husband.

He put his arms around Ana and rested his head on hers. He realized that he hadn't thought to ask if she'd ever been to New York. He couldn't wait to give her the tour. He loved eating French cuisine at Daniel but he knew that Ana loved seafood so he'd take her to Le Bernardin first. A carriage ride through the park? He wasn't sure how Ana would feel about the horses being exploited. That could get ugly. Maybe the theatre? On and on he mused until he dozed off.

When he woke, he was leaning on Ana and she was reading an airline magazine. The red-headed FA came down the aisle and stopped in front of him and Ana. She stood stiff and professional. No flirting. Perhaps a touch of fear?

"We'll be landing in 15 minutes, ma'am, sir." Then she moved on. Grey looked up at Ana.

"What did you do to her while I was out?" he asked suspiciously.

Ana tried to look offended. Oh, well, he thought. They didn't have an air marshal watching them so it couldn't have been too bad.

.+.

Taylor was there to greet them at the luggage carousel. Now here was a little guilt issue, Grey thought. When he left for London, he'd told Taylor to take Gail and have a nice long vacation. They thought that it would be nice to see some of New England. How long had that vacation lasted? A week, maybe?

"Taylor, you could have gotten someone else to pitch in rather than interrupting your time off," Grey said.

"Yes, sir. Could have. Didn't. Are these all of your bags, ma'am?" he asked Ana who was gaping up at the giant with the buzz cut. She thought that Christian was tall and muscular. This guy was the hulk.

"Ah, yes. Just those two. I'm Ana Steele, by the way. Christian didn't mention that anyone would be meeting us."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Steele. Mr. Grey, could I have a quick word with you?"

"I knew you didn't show up just to drive us around New York. What's wrong?" Christian worried.

"Excuse us, ma'am. And could you please stay right here, in this spot?" Ana shrugged. "Sure."

Taylor took Grey aside. "I didn't want to alarm Ms. Steele. May I ask, sir? Is Ms. Steele aware of your…hmmm…friendships with certain women?"

"You're being weird, Taylor. I don't have any friendships with women, as you well know. Are you referring to my subs or my fuck buddies?"

"The latter, sir. Specifically, Ms. Williams."

"I've told Ana about my past, yes. I also told her that my last "girlfriend" was Leila Williams and that she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"Well, she still won't, sir. She must have a mole in your office because she…." Before Taylor could finish his sentence, a shrill cry of "Darling, you're home" rang out threw the terminal. Grey turned green as he felt Leila Williams slam into him and hold him in a viselike embrace. As he looked at her in horror, she planted a big, sloppy, wet one on his tight lips and gritted teeth.

Grey looked over Leila's shoulder at Ana who looked stunned. Then she looked mischievous. He preferred stunned. Then, with a wicked grin, she bounded up to Grey like a puppy.

This could get all kinds of ugly.

CHAPTER 17

"Chrissy! Chrissy!" Ana sang out. "I'm gettin' real hungry, sweetie pie. Is there a White Castle in New York?"

Grey pushed Leila off of him and turned to Ana. "Hmm…I would imagine there is. Taylor?"

Taylor was agape. He looked from Ana to Leila, wondering which he needed to protect Grey from first.

Ana then seemed to notice Leila. She put out a hand and grabbed Leila's, pumping it like she expected water to flow out of Leila's mouth.

"Well, hello, there. Aren't you pretty? You New York gals sure know how to put yourselves together. Chrissy, are you gonna introduce us?" Before Grey could reply, Ana put her ring-fingered hand up to her face and shook her head.

"Men, eh? I'm Ana. Pleased to meet an old friend of Chrissy's. Funny how they all seem to be pretty women. Crushin' men in the boardroom and crushin' women in the bedroom." She laughed loudly and stared at Leila with a pleasant expression on her face. Leila took note of the ring, the 'Chrissy' and the whole strange package. She turned to Grey and requested a private word.

Ana smiled and slipped her arm through Taylor's. Taylor wasn't sure how he felt about any of this. It was fun to watch Leila being one-upped, tho'.

"Chrissy," Leila glared, "what the hell is that and what is that on her left ring finger?"

"That is Ana and that is a wedding ring."

"You got married?! What the hell? I hauled myself all the way out here to JFK and no one told me that you got married….and to that!"

"Leila, we broke up quite some time ago, remember? And why did you come here anyway and how did you know that I'd be flying in tonight? I told you to leave me alone. Do I have to get a restraining order?"

Taylor had disengaged himself from Ana who now seemed to be studying her ring under the fluorescent lights.

"Chrissy, are you sure this isn't glass? It doesn't seem to shine right."

"Yes, darling. That is a 6 carat diamond. Why don't you go out to the car with Taylor? I'll be right with you, okay?"

"Okay. Bye. Nice ta meet ya," Ana waved to Leila as she walked away with Taylor.

"Leila, go home. We're done. We've been done. Don't make me tell you again."

At that moment, Ana came galloping back in. She threw herself into Grey's arms. "Carry me, Chrissy. I love it when you carry me."

"We're going straight to my apartment, understand?" he whispered. "I'm so hard right now I can barely walk."

"No White Castle then?" Ana batted her eyelashes at him.

When Taylor dropped them off, Grey couldn't get Ana's clothes off fast enough. They made love in a happy frenzy. Ana lost track of her orgasms. Grey got that oral exam he'd been missing. Finally they showered and then sat on the bed together eating burgers and fries.

Grey was still laughing.

"What kind of American television shows have you been watching anyway? Lots of Beverly Hillbillies?"

"If she does have a mole in your organization, she'll find out soon enough that you are, in fact, not married to Ellie May Clampett. She's going to be awfully angry. Just how dangerous is this loon?"

"Honest to God, Ana, when we met, she seemed to be just a normal person. But then she became more and more possessive and demanding.

"She was probably on the phone to Elena Lincoln as soon as we left and Elena will be calling my mother and my mother will be calling me. Oh, but it was so worth it. You are a hoot, woman. And don't ever call me Chrissy again," he said with a shiver.

"Are you gonna eat all those fries, Chrissy?" Ana giggled. At that, Christian shoved all the food unto the floor and jumped Ana's bones.

CHAPTER 18

Ana and Christian had finally fallen asleep when they were awakened by the ringing of his cell phone in the middle of the night. Christian snuggled closer to Ana and ignored the ring but Ana was concerned that it might be a call about Alphonse. Leaving him even for a brief vacation worried her. She pushed and poked at Christian who refused to move until she gave his dick a twist.

"Yeoh! Christ, Ana. Don't do that if you ever want the use of it again," Grey swore. Ana was now on the floor tossing clothes about, looking for the phone which had now stopped ringing. When she found it, there was a voicemail…from Grace.

"It's your mother. Shall I listen?"

"I'm inclined to leave it until morning. I'm sure it's just her, incensed that I've 'married' without notice," sighed Christian.

"Still, it's awfully late to be calling. Maybe someone is ill?" The tone in Ana's voice made Christian realize that she was truly concerned and he didn't want to upset her so he told her to go ahead and listen.

A few moments later, Ana left the phone on the floor where she'd found it and crawled back into bed with Christian. "Yep. I think that she's confused the time zones. She wants to know why you didn't tell her that you were getting married."

Christian buried his nose in Ana's breasts and groaned contentedly.

"Lord, woman. You smell so good."

"Are you going to call her…now?" Christian knew that it was really more a suggestion than a question. Ana, he guessed, was curious about his mother so reluctantly he rolled over her and onto the floor to retrieve his phone. Ana was now lying on her tummy and watching him. He was so beautiful, she thought. Christian was thinking the same of her as his eye followed the flowing line of her back to the small part that rose up and over her soft, round ass. She was, he thought, a miracle.

He entered his mother's number and turned on the speaker so that Ana could listen.

"Christian! Oh, my dear, I'm so glad that you called back," Grace sounded so relieved and excited that Ana felt a twinge of sadness to be missing out on being mothered. She smiled at Christian.

"Mother, did you forget that Seattle is eight hours behind New York?"

"Oh, darling, I know that you're rarely asleep. I couldn't wait to speak with you. I'm so happy that you called back. Elena's news was so extraordinary. I've been worried and happy and confused…a bundle of nerves. I thought that you'd gone to England for work. Are you going to come home? Did you really get married and to a hillbilly? I didn't know they even had hillbillies in London."

Ana stifled a giggle while Christian rolled his eyes.

"Mom, don't you think it odd that Elena Lincoln is so close to one of my former girlfriends? I've no doubt that she expects you to call her with information about me as soon as you get it. I don't want you to share information about me with her…no matter how trivial. If she asks you how I am, simply say that I'm fine as far as you know. Can you do that for me?"

"I don't understand, Christian. Elena is my dearest friend and has been for 20 years. I trust her implicitly."

"Well, you shouldn't. She is only using you to get and keep her place in society and to get information about me. Do you think that I want her to know about my private life? If you can't protect my privacy, I'll have to protect myself by saying nothing….to you."

Ana was frowning at him and he was getting turned on by that little velvet v that formed between her brows.

"Mom? Are you listening?" he asked sternly.

"Yes, Christian," Graced answered, her voice small and wounded.

"Now, as for my marriage, I haven't one. I traveled stateside for a work emergency in New York and I brought my girlfriend with me. Somehow, and I think Elena is behind it, a former girlfriend found out about my arrival and pounced on me. I didn't want to see this woman and she knows it. My friend, Ana, put on a show to rescue me."

"You do have a girlfriend? I'm so happy for you. I would love to meet her. The whole family would."

"Yeah, of course, Mom," Christian replied while rolling his eyes. Ana disapproved.

"Now that I've answered your questions, I'd like to get back to sleep. I have work in just a few hours. Remember, give Elena absolutely no information about me. Good night."

Before Grace could say anything more, Christian shut his phone off. Ana was looking sad and disappointed in him. "You don't understand, Ana. My mother has been sharing the private details of my life with my former pedophile. Elena will use any information she gets against me or to get control of me. And you could be a target as well."

"Have you never thought to free your mother from this woman? Tell your family the truth and get Elena out of their lives as well."

Christian grumbled and slipped back next to Ana. He didn't like her disapproval but he figured that she just didn't understand. His preferred way to handle the matter was to ignore it and wait for it to go away. As he wrapped himself around Ana and clung to her comforting warmth, he began to accept that he was going to have to change. He was going to have to confront Elena and get her out of his life for good because right now she still believed that he belonged to her. His brief stay in England and his fierce protectiveness of Ana were changing him and his approach to his private life. He knew that he needed to confront his past, for better or worse, if he intended to keep the happiness he'd found with Ana.

CHAPTER 19

It was difficult for Grey to get out of bed with Ana sleeping in. He wanted to just watch her. He couldn't believe that she was his. He went back and forth in his head…end it…keep it…end it….keep it. He didn't know why he thought that it was up for discussion. Did he seriously believe that he could ever walk away from Ana?

He kissed her forehead and then, carefully and quietly, he showered and dressed. He was actually looking forward to tearing into the deadheads in the New York office. He needed the anger outlet. Why was he angry? Well, maybe it wasn't really anger so much. Before he touched down at the Heathrow tarmac, he was unaware of having any emotion…of any kind. He didn't feel numb, exactly. He just didn't feel. Now, two weeks later, his insides, head and heart, were in turmoil. Everything he was feeling and doing were all new to him. He sometimes felt as though he were just managing to make it from minute to minute.

This morning, as he walked the three blocks from his apartment to his office, he let his disgust with his staff build into rage. It felt good. There was no confusion. It was simple and pure and pushed out everything else. It was the first time in two weeks that he felt clear.

His offices in New York occupied the second and third floors of a large pre-war building near the center of Manhattan. They were beautiful quarters and astronomically expensive but that was necessary for the company image. The first floor of the building, like many commercial buildings, was devoted to retail. In this case, a high-end lingerie boutique with a very distracting window display. Grey stood studying the goods and deciding that he'd pick up something for Ana on his way out. And suddenly all the clarity he'd just acquired became a swirl of images of Ana in La Perla.

He shook his head and, looking down, marched through the private entrance to the left of the boutique door. He reminded himself that his staff had screwed up beyond mere incompetence. They'd had been lazy, almost deliberately inept. He wondered, in fact, if there had been a degree of sabotage involved. There had been a lot of interest in this company that GEH was trying to acquire but no one else had Ros. Had someone allowed themselves to be bribed to put GEH at a disadvantage?

Almost as if the staff could feel the heat of Grey's wrath coming up in the elevator, every one of the employees was already silently and diligently at work at 8:01 a.m. No one looked up when he exited the car. Everyone feigned absolute absorption in their tasks. Grey allowed himself a glance at the room as he marched to the manager's office. The key players were already assembled in the main conference room. They jumped to their feet as Grey strode into the room. He gestured to them to sit as he took his place at the head of the long table, setting his briefcase down and pulling out his chair. He settled in, opened his case and withdrew a clutch of papers and then raised his head to stare with darkening gray eyes at each person in turn. Everyone had already sweated through their shirts.

.+.

Ana didn't want to wake up this morning. As long as she was half-asleep, she could pretend to feel Christian curled around her. She thought of Daniel for a moment and how he always needed his space when he slept. He'd fight to stay awake until he felt Ana breathing evenly and then he'd disentangle himself from her and move away. It wasn't that he didn't want to hold her. He'd just get so hot that he'd soak the bed linens. She'd, therefore, become accustomed to her own space in bed. The first time she'd slept with Christian, enveloped in his embrace, she expected to feel suffocation. To her surprise, she felt so comfortable. She was always cold but never in Christian's arms. They were perfectly compatible sleepers.

He'd closed the curtains before he left. Ana smiled. He'd been thinking of her. However, her body was done sleeping and so fighting alertness would not help. She opened her eyes and stared into space for a while as her brain kicked in. It was 9 am. Christian had warned her that reaming his staff and then getting to the bottom of the problem would occupy him all day. He hoped to be able to take her to dinner but he couldn't even promise that. He handed her a black Amex credit card and told her to shop 'til she dropped. That must have been a major draw with his past "girlfriends" but it meant little to Ana. However, they had packed in such a hurry that she hadn't had time to decide on the proper apparel for glamorous New York City. So, she would have to find something appropriate for a fancy dinner. She also thought it would be fun to buy something scandalous in a lingerie department.

When she walked off the elevator, she found Taylor sitting in the lobby. He looked up, stood to attention and asked her how she was this morning.

"Taylor, does Christian think I need a bodyguard to shop in Manhattan?"

"Yes, ma'am." Taylor, standing with his hands behind his back, bowed in agreement.

"Good grief. Oh, no offense intended. I just think he's exaggerating my need for protection, don't you?"

"No, ma'am." Taylor's face betrayed no emotion. It was like being guarded by Robby the Robot.

Ana crossed her arms and stared into Taylor's eyes. "Explain," she demanded.

Ah, she noted alarm in Taylor's visage. "I do think that I'm due an explanation, Taylor. I'm not used to being followed by an armed guard."

Taylor coughed and shuffled his feet. "Ma'am, there is good reason, I assure you, though I am unable to give you a thorough accounting without Mr. Grey's approval. I'm afraid that he didn't anticipate your displeasure. I can remind you about last night's unexpected appearance of Ms. Leila Williams. She is a person of some concern."

"You think that that silly woman would try to hurt me?" Ana asked in disbelief.

Taylor was losing his dispassionate demeanor rapidly. "I believe that Ms. Williams is somewhat unstable, Mrs. Steele. I am also certain that she considers herself to be in an exclusive relationship with Mr. Grey. This combination requires caution. Where you are concerned, Mr. Grey values caution."

"I am going to shock you, Taylor," Ana grinned. "I'm certain that I could handle Leila."

Taylor chose to ignore Ana's remark, instead offering his arm to lead her to the valet stand out front. While they waited for the car to be brought around, Taylor peered to the left and right. Ana was trying, with difficulty, to be patient with all this…right up until the moment when she heard a popping sound and the glass behind them shattered. Taylor took her to the ground swiftly but gently and covered her body with his. Ana could hear screams and a lot of movement but it was all really a blur.

Then Taylor ordered her to half-crawl, half-run to the car that had suddenly pulled up.

"Stay down on the floor!" Ana obeyed, though it took every ounce of restraint in her to keep from popping up to see what was going on. She heard Taylor getting into the driver's seat and slamming the door. The car lurched forward and made several sharp turns until it seemed to move downward into darkness. For an interminable amount of time, there was no movement, no sound. Ana wanted to speak but knew she shouldn't ask anything just yet. Then she heard other vehicles, sirens, voices and Taylor getting out of the car.

Well, that's it for my self-restraint, she thought. She inched her head up until she could see out of the window. Police, security guards, flashing lights. They were in an underground garage. Taylor was talking with the police. God, the man was calm, Ana thought. Her own hands were quivering like jelly. She ascertained, correctly, that she was expected to stay put so she laid down on the back seat to wait for further instructions. They seemed to be long in coming.

"Ana! Ana!" Christian was holding her head and his face was a ruin of fear. Weirdest dream she'd had in a while. She closed her eyes again and tried to go back to sleep. Then awareness kicked in and she remembered. She opened her eyes again to see Christian leaning over her. She smiled at him.

"Hi, honey. It's been a wild morning and we just left the building!" she laughed. Christian hugged her so tightly she had to gasp for breath.

"Honey, I can't breathe." Christian loosened his hold and looked down at her. There were tears in his eyes. What was wrong? Who hurt him? Ana became angry, pulling herself to a sitting position, ready to do battle.

"Christian, what's wrong?" She took his handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his eyes.

Christian took a deep breath and kissed her. "You were lying so still. I thought that you'd been shot."

"I guess I fell asleep. This is a very comfortable car. I was waiting for Taylor to tell me that I could get out. Oh, he shouldn't have called you. We're both fine. Did you chop heads at your meeting?" she asked.

"Are you really all right?" Christian was running his hands over her, looking for blood.

Ana pulled him into a hug while rubbing comforting circles on his back. She hated to see him so distraught. "Taylor took care of me. Please try to relax."

Grey's breathing was still ragged but he was reassured, at least. He'd just finished "chopping heads" when he'd gotten Taylor's call. His staff, already ravaged by their boss's fury, watched stunned as he took a call and without a word, dashed out of the room and ran for the elevator. It took Grey only a few minutes to run to the hotel and into the garage but they were the longest minutes of his life. He was sure that right then he could have outrun Devil. And then finding Ana unconscious in the back seat…..

"I'll kill her. I'm going to find her and kill her," he muttered.

"Who are you going to kill, Christian?" Ana asked but then suddenly knew. "Oh, Christian, we don't know that this was Leila. It's New York. It could have been anyone. Certainly, someone with bad aim. Maybe just a nut with a gun who hates rich people. Please let the police worry about who."

"I know it was her. She's crazy and this is exactly the crazy kind of thing she would do. Come, let's get you back to the apartment."

"I've been. I'm up. I'm ready to shop and sightsee."

"Ana," Christian's tone was one of warning.

"And you have to get back to your office and mend things, don't you?" Ana asked.

"Sir," Taylor interjected. He leaned in the car as he addressed Grey. "The bullet is a large caliber."

"What does that mean, Taylor?" Christian asked impatiently.

"Well, sir, it means that the shooter was someone with strength, most likely a male. The police suspect a drive-by with a driver and a passenger. Witnesses are telling them that an early model sedan driven by two men raced by around the time of the shooting. The valets said that they didn't see the car prior to the shooting so it's unlikely that someone was lying in wait for Mrs. Steele. There is also a report of a similar incident happening a short while before a few blocks from here. The police are going to check into the whereabouts of Ms. Williams but I doubt this was her doing."

Christian ran his hand through his hair and sank back in the seat. Ana put her hand on his chest and could feel his heart beating hard. She looked up at Taylor and he understood. Together they helped Christian out of the car and with her arms around him, they walked to the elevator.

CHAPTER 20

Riding up in the elevator, Ana tried to lighten the mood. She remarked that she had been planning to buy some sexy lingerie…."maybe something edible. Got any favorite flavors?" she asked Christian. He didn't reply, merely kissed her head. She kissed his cheek in return and then noticed that he seemed rather pale and clammy. She reached up to touch his forehead and found it to be warm…too warm.

"Christian, do you feel sick?" she asked.

"Yes, of course, I do. Someone tried to shoot you."

"No, I mean, do you have a headache, nausea, dizziness?"

"I think I'm just feeling the effects of a rough morning, sweetheart. I'll lie down for a while before I go back to the office." Christian squeezed Ana's shoulder and smiled down at her.

"Thank god you're all right," he said softly as he kissed her head again.

With Taylor's help, Ana got Christian down to his boxers and tucked under the covers. She found a thermometer in the medicine cabinet. Grey's temperature wasn't frighteningly high but it was above normal. She made him take a couple of Tylenol as he protested and then watched him closely as he fell asleep. She placed a cold compress on his forehead and decided to take his temperature again in a short while. If it was higher, she'd call a doctor.

Meanwhile, she called his office and said that he would not be returning that afternoon. She requested that someone bring his laptop and briefcase over to the apartment. Someone arrived 5 minutes later….someone looking nervous and anxious. Ana guessed that Grey had put the fear of God into his staff earlier.

He'd told her a little about the snafu over the new acquisition. As she understood it, the acquisition of Coleman Software had been stopped dead in its tracks just before the signing and the company was not communicating. Very strange behavior. Grey and Ros surmised that something was amiss with the contract but what could it be and why was the purposed acquisition shutting down communication?

Grey's laptop was still open to the pages on Coleman so Ana decided to look it over. She had a talent and the training to understand the financials involved. That, indeed, was much of her work with Potter, Inc. Dull work, some might think, but Ana enjoyed numbers. To her they were all a puzzle and a relatively easy puzzle at that. She read through all the proposal bullet points in the contract. Then she studied the spreadsheets. Everything seemed fine to her. Then, suddenly, something small and almost unnoticeable jumped out at her. It was so stupid an error that at first she wondered if she was imagining it. How could this have happened and why didn't all those high-priced brains notice it? No wonder Coleman no longer wanted anything to do with GEH.

Ana took Christian's temperature again. It was the same. She applied a fresh compress to his forehead. He was breathing a bit roughly but nothing extreme. If his temp didn't come down soon, she'd call a doctor.

She went back to the contract and then pulled Christian's phone out of his pants pocket.

"Grey Enterprises Holdings, Ros Bailey, COO, speaking."

"Hi, Ros. This is Ana Steele, Christian's friend. He's been working with me on the Potter, Inc. acquisition and I came with him to New York."

"Oh, I'm sorry. He never told me your name. Nice to meet you. Hmm…why are you on Christian's cell?"

"I'm Mr. Potter's executive assistant and CFO. I'm calling from Christian's apartment. He's taken ill. Nothing serious but with him currently out of commission, I took the liberty of examining the Coleman Software papers. Do you have a minute?"

Ros was not pleased to hear that Grey's latest fuck-buddy was going through his private papers, even if she was a CFO…but she really had no choice but to find out what Mrs. Steele knew. And what Mrs. Steele knew was quite a bit. Very simply, she'd found a decimal point out of place. That's all. Just a tiny little dot that made all the difference in the contract that Coleman Software was being asked to sign.

Ros was gobsmacked by this discovery.

"Are you absolutely certain that this is the only error you could find?" she asked Ana.

"Yep. But it's a very big tiny little dot. It changes everything, the entire intent of the contract. It also explains why Coleman wouldn't talk to GEH. The number crunchers over there probably figured that you were trying to pull a fast one and they weren't even going to try dealing with you. Now I don't know if someone did this on purpose or if you have a problem in your New York office. Perhaps a competitor who wants Coleman or a bribable employee who is working for a competitor? It does explain why Coleman wouldn't bother with GEH anymore.

"You have to get on this immediately. You'll not only lose Coleman but word could get around that GEH plays dirty. I know you want Christian to handle this but you know these people better and he is really down for the count right now."

"I'll get right on it. Can't thank you enough for digging out this detail. I'm inclined to believe that we have a mole in that office. It's just too cleverly disguised to be accidental. There may even be some collusion with someone at Coleman."

"I agree, Ros. Someone who expects a kickback for steering Coleman away from GEH. I'll let you go and I'll tell Christian that you're handling it."

After ringing off with Ros, Ana checked Christian's temp again and was relieved to find that it had dropped a bit. For the next couple of hours, Ana continued to check his temperature until it was finally normal. His fever had broken. His breathing was relaxed.

Christian would be sleeping yet for hours so Ana fixed a bit of lunch for herself and Taylor and then decided to lie down herself. Then she had an idea.

"Taylor? Could you come into Christian's bedroom for a moment? I don't want to leave him but I need to talk with you."

Taylor came in and asked about his boss's temp. He also put a huge hand on Christian's forehead…a gesture that Ana found endearing.

"Yeah. He feels a lot better. I hope you didn't pick up the same bug. That would really upset Mr. Grey. Now, how can I help?"

"Am I wrong in assuming that you and Christian deep vet all his hires?" Ana inquired.

"Yes, we have a guy in Seattle. At least," Taylor chuckled, "I think he's in Seattle. I've never seen him and he's quite private. He was recommended to us by the boss's grandfather, Theodore Trevelyan."

"Could you contact him? I'd like to know what he has on anyone hired in the New York or Seattle offices in the last year. And I'd like him to do another deep vet. Ros and I suspect that someone tampered with the contract to buy Coleman Software. I'd like your investigator to email the information to Christian asap."

"You think our guy missed something? He's very fastidious and proud. He won't like being questioned," Taylor warned.

"I understand. However, what he dug up a few months ago might have seemed innocuous to Ros at the time. I need to see if someone was planted in either office around the time that Ros began looking into Coleman as a possible acquisition," Ana explained.

Taylor nodded and left the room. His contact, Bill Welsh, could be testy. Taylor didn't want Ana to hear him being obsequious. He needed to tread lightly.

Following the call, Taylor returned to Ana and the two of them sat near the window, speaking in low voices to avoid waking Grey. Ana pulled up GEH employment records and began the process of winnowing down the most recent hires. These were no replacements but people needed to fill new positions. GEH was growing fast. Christian had told Ana that he expected to be a multi-billionaire within the year. He wasn't bragging, either.

Before they'd even gotten through half the hires, Welsh called Taylor back.

"Good catch, Jason. I've emailed a list of possible suspects. Should ping in any minute. Odds are that shortly after losing the Coleman Co., Grey would have had a sudden vacancy."

"Thanks, Welsh, but the catch wasn't mine. It was Grey's girlfriend," said Taylor.

"I didn't know that Grey dated anyone with intelligence," marveled Welsh. As Welsh continued, Taylor suddenly wished he hadn't put the call on speaker. Ana was laughing…silently.

"Well, this one is different, Bill, real different. For starters, she has her degree in business finance."

"You're kidding!" roared Welsh. "I didn't know that fuck-buddies came with degrees in anything but sex!"

"Thanks, Bill. Gotta go. Bye," Taylor nervously rang off.

"Oh, Taylor. You should have let me say hello," teased Ana.

At that moment, the email pinged. There, clear as day, were the names of their suspects. Ana quickly forwarded the email to Ros with a note attached. Two people, a man and a woman, had been hired within weeks of each other. Both had worked for one of GEH's rivals but the fact wasn't suspicious at the time because their new positions at GEH were a step-up and Ros's consideration of Coleman as a possible acquisition was still on the down-low. Ana was curious as to how these two knew about it far enough back to make plans.

Corporate espionage was nothing new, of course, but GEH's hiring criteria was so strict that up 'til now, GEH had never had cause to worry. Turnover was so low as to be almost non-existent. Since he'd begun the company, Grey had lost only seven employees…none to dissatisfaction with the job and none to malfeasance. Now he had a skunk in finance and a couple of crooks in acquisitions.

Ana didn't know but Taylor understood how proud Grey was of this record. This betrayal would hit him hard. Thus, Taylor excused himself. He wanted to do some shopping for his wife, he told Ana.

"Could you pick up a few pairs of edible thongs while you're out?" grinned Ana. Taylor turned beet-red and felt less guilty about leaving Ana to share the bad news.

CHAPTER 21

When Christian opened his eyes, the room was dark except for the flickering of the fireplace flames. He automatically threw out an arm, searching for Ana. She wasn't there and the event of that morning crashed back into his memory. He felt anxious. He tried to get out of bed but found that his legs were unsteady. What the hell…

"Ana, Ana!" His voice was just a croak and his throat was dry and sore. Within a second, Ana was by his side, forcing him back down onto the bed. She held his head up while holding a glass of water to his mouth. He looked at her in confusion and alarm.

"I'm right here. I was sitting in a chair by the window, reading a book. How are you feeling?" she spoke softly to him.

"Why is it dark? Why am I in bed? Why do I feel like I've been run down by a Mac truck?"

"It's dark because it's after 9 pm. You're in bed because you picked up a bug somewhere and you were running a fever. That's also why you still feel ill. You've been out cold for about twelve hours. Are you hungry?" Ana fussed.

"You're okay? You're not hurt?" Christian fretted." Yes, I'm fine. Unless whatever you had, gets me next. Would you like some soup or maybe ice cream, if your throat is sore? What do you need right now? Ana kissed him lightly on his lips and touched her forehead to his. "I was worried about you."

"Did I imagine today? My brain is foggy."

"No, you didn't imagine today. You just got too upset and along with the bug….well, you still need rest. You didn't answer about the food."

"Hmmm….something cold might soothe my throat."

"All right, I'll be right back." As Ana began to stand, Christian grabbed her arm. He didn't say anything. He just looked at her for a long moment before letting go. He watched her as she left the room. Then he staggered to his feet and into the bathroom to relieve his bursting bladder. As he washed his hands, he saw an apparition in the mirror.

Back in bed when Ana returned, he remarked that he looked ghastly.

"Yes, well, you felt ghastly." She sat next to him on the bed with her own bowl of ice cream. The two said nothing while enjoying the gelato that Ana was surprised to find in Christian's fridge.

"I didn't know that you ate sweets," she said after a while.

"Well, this gelato is probably beyond expired."

"It's been in the freezer so it's fine. I'll bet it feels good going down, eh?" she smiled.

Christian set his half-finished bowl down and leaned his head on Ana's shoulder.

"Well, my angel of mercy, I need to get back to work."

"No," Ana said simply.

Christian looked flummoxed. No, she said. Now there was a word seldom used around Christian Grey. He lifted his head and stared at Ana.

"No?" he repeated.

"No. I'm going to use the bathroom and then we're both going to sleep." At that, Ana left the bed. When she returned several minutes later, Christian was sleeping slumped over her pillow. She turned off the fireplace before slipping into bed beside Christian. She kissed his soft lips and curled into him. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was.

When the morning light slipped through the curtains, Grey woke up. He felt much better but he was worried about losing any progress on Coleman that he'd made the previous morning and how

much more his employees were able to screw up in his absence. He gently pulled his arm away from Ana and headed for his office where he kept a computer. As he made his way across the room, he saw his laptop on the floor surrounded by paper. He knelt down to see that the papers were all about Coleman Software. Ana, he thought. Strangely, he wasn't at all discomfited knowing that his girlfriend had been using his laptop and reading his papers. Ordinarily, he would have pitched a major hissy fit if anyone had invaded his space but, somehow, he considered his space to be Ana's space as well.

Sitting cross-legged on the floor, he went through the paper. Ana had printed out the entire Coleman contract and gone through every bit of it, judging by all the markings. One in particular caught his eye. A paragraph and then a decimal point within it both circled in red. He studied them until his mouth dropped open. Good grief, he thought, that decimal point is wrong, monumentally wrong. This was no mere mistake.

He looked at his laptop and saw a series of emails between Ana and Ros. What he read hurt his head. Sabotage. And the two saboteurs names he recognized. He'd interviewed both and had them vetted by Welsh. He read through all the emails and realized that Ana and Ros had worked together to ferret out the scam perpetrated by his own people.

It was too early to call Ros or Ted Evers at Coleman. He had better put this all straight…and fast. He became highly agitated, then furious and was moving on to murderous when he felt eyes on him. Ana was leaning on her elbow, watching him. He tried to calm himself.

"This is some work you did. I should catch more "bugs". Ana smiled. "I have to talk to Evers asap. It's 5:30. Do you think it's too soon to call?

"Nah. It's actually too late. Ros took care of it yesterday. She knows the guy better than you so we felt it best for her to talk with him. He took it pretty well, actually. In fact, he was immensely relieved because giving up on GEH was killing him. He knows that GEH was the best company to sell off to.

"The perps will be attended to around 8 pm. I'm sure that you'll want to do the honors here in New York. How illegal was this, anyway?"

"Corporate espionage. Perpetrating fraud. I'm sure that we can find a couple more charges to bring down on these two. You're amazing, woman. How did you figure this out?"

"Finance degree, remember? I don't just hang around to give Alphonse his pills, you know. Things that aren't right tend to jump out at me. Then Taylor had Welsh do a deep vet on anyone hired in the past year. Come back to bed. You need more rest. Oh, and brush your teeth…just in case."

"Just in case of what?" Christian asked. Ana grinned at him wickedly.

"Are you sure I'm well enough?" Christian chuckled as he made his way into the bath. He checked. Ana's brush was wet.

"You don't have to be well enough. You just have to lie here," Ana slyly smiled.

CHAPTER 22

As he walked the three blocks to his office, trailed by Taylor at Ana's insistence and a promise to stay indoors, Grey felt great. What a difference a day makes, he thought. Hell, what a difference Ana makes. He wanted to tear into Jack Hyde but he was in such a good mood that he didn't know if he could work up the fury. He stopped to study the lingerie window again. He decided to make a purchase before going up stairs so he dragged poor Taylor in with him. Taylor was actually afraid that the saleswoman would out him because he'd been in the day before buying something for Gail.

Christian knew what he wanted which was pretty much everything from underwear sets to lounging pajamas. A few thousand later he handed the bag to Taylor and marched in the side entrance to the elevator. Again, everyone was seemingly absorbed in their work but they weren't fooling Grey. 'Course, he didn't care about anyone in the room except for his manager of acquisitions, Jack–you-no-good-ratfink Hyde. Grey snapped his fingers and the appropriate people marched into the conference room. Again, they were sweating through their suitcoats.

"I'd like to begin by offering an apology. I accused all of you of mismanagement yesterday. I must qualify that apology by saying that you were remiss in not catching the error in the Coleman contract. I'm certain that you'll work harder in future."

All the heads around the table nodded vigorously in agreement. Only Hyde did not. He didn't expect Grey to catch that omission. Grey looked at him perplexed.

"You don't plan on working harder in the future, Mr. Hyde?" Grey stared.

"Oh, well, of course, yes. I guess I just feel that I work hard now. Sorry, sir. No disrespect intended."

Hyde was cool and collected. He didn't plan on working harder because in a few days he planned on resigning.

"Could it be that you don't plan on working harder in future because you don't expect to be working here much longer? Christian innocently inquired.

"Sir, working for GEH is a dream come true for me."

"Really? Hmmm…how long have you been with GEH, Mr. Hyde?"

"Approximately eight months, sir."

"And before GEH?" Grey said, baiting the trap.

"Ah, hmmm, Raddix Technology, sir."

"Was this job a step up for you, Hyde?"

"More a lateral move, Mr. Grey, but for a better company."

"Is it a coincidence that Raddix was also in the running to purchase Coleman Software?"

Now Hyde began to become uncomfortable. He loosened his tie and broke a sweat.

"I didn't realize that, sir. I guess that I was just so fixated on GEH acquiring Coleman that I ignored all other comers."

"I see," Christian said. Then, as if to move on, he explained to all those present that the problem with the contract was found and that a secretary in Seattle was found to be both negligent and criminal in her actions. In a few hours, it would be 8 am in Seattle and this woman would arrive at her desk to find officers of the law waiting for her with a warrant for her arrest. He said all this while looking around the room, leaving Hyde to believe that he was off the hot seat.

"Mr. Hyde!" Grey bellowed. "Please do not play candy crush on your phone during a meeting!"

"Oh, no, sir. I wasn't playing a game on my phone. I was just checking my messages."

"Or, perhaps, sending one," Grey bore down on him now, "to a certain Roberta Cousins of Seattle, WA, eh? Perhaps advising her to get on a Grey Hound bound for Mexico?"

Hyde looked stunned. He was certainly speechless. Everyone in the room was now staring at him. He sputtered something unintelligible in his attempt to answer Grey. Grey just stared him down, enjoying the misery he was inflicting on Jack Hyde. Hyde jumped to his feet and ran for the door. He was a skinny little man and no match for Grey. He just ran into a brick wall. He tried to push Grey aside but Grey couldn't be budged.

Grey instructed the office manager to call the police. By now they would have the necessary warrant to take Hyde into custody. Grey dismissed the rest of the room. Hyde backed away, heading toward the back wall as if there were a hidden exit door there. When it was just the two of them left, Grey closed the door and took a seat.

"Why, Hyde? You had a great job with GEH. Why throw that and your freedom away? What did Raddix offer you? Help us get Raddix and maybe we'll go easier on you. Did you need the money? You make an excellent salary here."

Hyde was visibly shaken, his eyes darting around the room. Grey waited. He hoped that Hyde had a sick relative, was being blackmailed, anything that would explain his disloyalty. Grey honored his employees and hoped to be honored in return. This was an emotional loss for him.

"Well?" he asked again.

"Because I hate you!" Hyde spat at him. "You're a rich man whose always gotten exactly what he wanted. I could have been you. I was supposed to be you. I was supposed to be Jack Grey."

Now it was Christian who was stunned. He tried not to let it show.

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, of course, you don't remember me. I was just another nobody in foster care. You were the foundling prince. The Greys came to take me away, out of the system and into their mansion. I have an IQ of almost 160 and you were just a scrawny kid who couldn't talk. Once they saw you and how pathetic you were, they changed their minds. You needed them more. So you got a family and I got 18 years in the foster care system. They paid for Harvard. I got a scholarship to the UW.

"You stole them from me! So I waited for my chance to fix you good. This scam was only the beginning. I planned on taking everything you have. Send me to jail. It won't be for long and I'll be out again and I'll be coming for you. Never rest easy, a**hole. Spend your life looking over your shoulder."

"You're not as smart as you think you are, Jack. With all the charges I'm bringing against you, you'll get at least a decade in jail. Actually, probably more if we can find a federal offense and I'm sure that my brilliant attorney father will see to it. Plus, he'll use his connections to see that you live in misery in jail."

Grey dropped his voice to a whisper. "People get killed in jail all the time, Jack. Someone as charming and entitled as you is bound to piss off plenty of lifers. You're older than me, aren't you? What? Six, eight years maybe? You won't get out until you're in your fifties, Jack. Kinda late to start over, eh? And who's gonna hire you after this? What'll you do for money when you're an old man, Jack? After all that time in the state pen, will you even know how to function in the real world? Do you have any family, Jack? Any friends who'll be waiting for you? And I'll know precisely where you are at all times. You think you're the only one capable of violent revenge? I'll see to it that you just drop off the face of the earth and no one will notice and no one will care."

Hyde was sweating profusely and shaking furiously. His eyes shot from Grey to the police waiting at the door. Grey stood up.

"Enjoy the ride to jail, Jack. Look around you at the sky and grass for one last time. Today is the first day of the rest of your miserable life." Then Grey turned his back on Jack Hyde and opened the door. An officer shouted, "Down!" and fired. Grey turned to see Hyde clutching his bloodied chest with one hand and a letter opener with the other. He was now lying critically wounded at Grey's feet. Grey turned back to the officer. Without his quick thinking, that letter opener would now be in Grey's back.

"I'm sorry that you had to do that, officer, but you saved my life."

The officer was pale. It was the first time he'd ever fired his gun. The second officer took his gun and led him to a chair.

Grey called Ana. "Honey, I won't be able to get home for a couple of hours. Yeah, everything is okay. Ana? I love you."

CHAPTER 23

It didn't take long for the shooting to make the news. Ana watched as Christian emerged from the building next to a police officer. She saw that he was unharmed, that she could breathe again. Neither one of them had expected a violent response from the accused. He didn't even have Taylor in the room with him.

"Ros? Are you watching the news? You'd better have the police pick up Cousins before she gets to the office. Jack Hyde tried to kill Christian. He got shot by a police officer. I'm sure that this will be on the morning news in Seattle. Yes, I'll have Christian call you."

Then she sat in her chair by the window…waiting. Christian would have to be questioned. He would have to make a statement. He would want to speak with his staff. She tried to concentrate on her book but she just kept rereading the same paragraph.

It was mid-afternoon in London. Ana needed to hear Alphonse's voice.

"Ana, dear, are you all right? I've just been watching the news. Horrible, horrible," said Alphonse.

"Yes, I'm fine, Alphonse. I'm here in Christian's apartment, just waiting. He won't be back for a while and I'm on pins and needles. How are you? Are you taking your medication?"

"Yes, I promised. Remember? I'm feeling fine. What happened?" Alphonse's voice was strained with worry.

"Quite an eventful visit, thus far. We discovered that two of GEH's new employees were attempting to subvert an important acquisition that Christian and his number 2, Ros Bailey, had been working on for months. They very nearly succeeded. One of the perpetrators is in Seattle and the other is here, working in Christian's office. When Christian confronted him this morning, the man tried to stab him in the back. Luckily, a police officer was present and he shot the man. Now, I wait. We didn't expect violence. I'm going to have you surrounded by men with bazookas when you tell the employees about the upcoming changes.

"That is, assuming that there are changes. Have you made any progress toward a decision?"

"Well, I've studied Christian's proposal quite thoroughly. There's no denying that he knows what he's doing. And that he's correct in his thinking. It's clear that I've been slack, going along as I always have, ignoring the need for change. It's also clear that the company has been losing ground for several years. Now, no need for "I told you sos". All the patches we put on the cracks are not enough."

"Alphonse, stop. I can read your mind from here. You're thinking that you're a feeble old man who can no longer think straight. If I thought that were true, I'd have taken over Potter, Inc. years ago. You still have a first-rate mind. Christian thinks so, too. You're just not as driven as you used to be and that's good. Your ability to take things in stride is why blood pressure meds are the only meds you need. Most men approaching 90 years are making their chemists rich. You are a marvel, Alphonse."

"You're very kind, my dear, but what shall I do with myself without a company to run? What will be my purpose?" Alphonse despaired.

"Well, you have worked for years now to improve the schools, the infrastructure, many things that need your leadership. You spend at least half your time on the problems of the villages. The company has been running on autopilot for some time now. You're needed as a community leader. How about that water project that you've been talking about for some time? You know that village councils are a joke. You need to get them to take their jobs seriously."

Alphonse was silent for a while. Then, in a quiet voice, he asked Ana if he had enough time to make a difference.

"None of us know how much time we have. We have to live in the present. You have a lot of time in the present, Alphonse. I'll be home in a few days and I'd better see some inroads.

You know, Alphonse, god willing, I'll be 90 someday and I want to have a hero to inspire me to keep moving. Don't let me down," Ana implored.

Alphonse chuckled. "It's hard to think of you being old."

"Well, I won't be old. I'll just be 90," Ana retorted jovially.

They said their goodbyes and Ana went back to waiting for Christian.

.+.

It seemed as though the morning would never end but the police had a lot of questions to ask and a lot needed explaining. Internal affairs needed to know every detail of how a citizen had come to be killed by a rookie cop. The mere suggestion that the billionaire would be monetarily grateful for having his life saved would be seen as unseemly…almost a bribe, of sorts. Christian would be expected to return to New York for the inquest into Hyde's shooting. Grey was, therefore, careful to forestall any hint that his millionaire status granted him special treatment.

His legal team did garner him permission to leave New York so long as he remained in the states. As he rode with Taylor back to his apartment, he dreaded the thought of being without Ana for any length of time but he knew that she didn't want to leave Alphonse for long.

As soon as he opened the door, Ana flew into his arms. He clasped her tightly to him, his head down and buried in her shoulder. As Ana leaned back to look into his face, she put her hands on his cheeks. She immediately began shaking and screaming. Christian was baffled…until he looked at her hands. There was blood on them. Hyde had been within inches of Grey when he was shot and the blowback had splattered his blood on Grey's suit. It took Christian several minutes to calm Ana, to get her to see that he was uninjured. He removed his jacket, turning his back to Ana to show that he hadn't been hurt. Then relief kept Ana shivering for several more minutes.

Grey carried her to a chair and sat with her, rocking her and murmuring reassurances until her breathing relaxed.

"I'm sorry for the hysterics, Christian. I thought that I was okay. I didn't realize that I was so shaken."

"Baby, we're both shaken. Thank god, you're weren't with me. I still can't believe that Hyde tried to kill me." Grey took a deep breath or two and kissed Ana's lip gently.

"He told me that he hated me! I was dumbstruck. He went on to say that I'd stolen his life from him…that he was supposed to be a Grey, not me."

"That's crazy!"

"And, indeed, he did seem to be. I've never heard of him or met him. Yet, he said that he was meant to have the Grey parents, the Grey mansion, the Harvard education and, presumably, the Grey money.

"Honey, the police are allowing me to leave town for now. I need to go to Seattle and speak with my parents…not only about Hyde's ravings but for my mother. She's going to be really upset." Grey looked into Ana's eyes. "Will you come with me…please?"

"I spoke with Alphonse earlier. He's already seen all this on the news. He's feeling okay. Still dealing with the idea of giving up his company and the changes you purposed but a few more days without me won't hurt him. Can we leave soon?"

"Taylor is making arrangements for a charter flight asap. I knew that I should have purchased a jet last year."

Ana giggled. "Yeah, I've been kicking myself for forgetting to get that done, too."

CHAPTER 24

As Grey felt the clunk of the wheels coming down, he gently lifted Ana from his lap and settled her into her own seat, buckling her belt. Between his brief illness, sussing out the sabotage within his company and being shaken by the attempt on his life, Ana had had an exhausting couple of days. The moment they were aloft, he'd unhooked her seatbelt and settled her on his lap and in his arms. She'd slept peacefully for the entire cross country trip. He wished that he didn't have to wake her now.

He tried to carry her to the car but she woke as he crossed the tarmac.

"I can walk, Christian," she said sleepily.

"I know. Go back to sleep."

And, to his relief, she did. He buckled her into the middle seat and put his arm around her as she snuggled into him. It would be at least 30 minutes from the airport to Grey Manor so he closed his eyes. Taylor looked at them sleeping in his rearview mirror, thinking that he himself couldn't wait to pass out. Maybe he could get a nap before dinner. He was, to tell the truth, quite bothered with himself for allowing Grey to be alone in the conference room when he fired Hyde. He felt that he should have anticipated a violent reaction from a disgruntled employee. Grey hadn't blamed him…hadn't said anything, as a matter of fact. Didn't matter. Taylor felt he'd failed.

As he pulled into the drive, Christian's parents opened the door and waited in the doorway. Taylor could see the siblings, Elliot and Mia, towering over Grace and Carrick behind them. Taylor chuckled to himself. Wait'll they get a load of tiny Mrs. Steele.

"Sir, we've arrived. Are you awake, sir?"

The entire Grey horde had descended on the car so if Grey wasn't awake yet, he would be in a moment or two.

"Christian! Christian! Taylor, is he all right? Why is he sleeping?"

"I'm awake. Stop yelling," Christian groaned. His mother was attempting to embrace him as he sat in the car and his father was crowding around her, leaving Christian no room to move.

"Let me get out of the car, please?" The family backed up a few feet. When Ana opened her eyes, she saw a tight knot of people and four pairs of eyes looking down at her. They were all bug-eyed and staring. It was a strange sensation. She smiled shyly and pushed herself off of Christian who reached over and unbuckled her after himself. He stepped out of the car and was instantly crushed in the embrace of his family. He tried to be patient. He endured his mother's kisses and his father's and brother's slaps on his back while Mia had a strangle hold on his neck.

Meanwhile, Ana stepped out of the car behind him and stood aside with Taylor. She thought that it was lovely the way his family clung to him. For a moment, her heart clenched as she thought of Daniel and Lilibet. Taylor walked around the huddle to the trunk. Ana followed to get her cases.

Grey, still trying to extricate himself, saw Ana lifting a suitcase and told her to let Taylor get it.

"Why?" she huffed. "I can carry my own suitcase."

Greys didn't carry their own suitcases so this alone caught their attention. They, as one, released Christian and turned to take note of this strange little being in their driveway. Christian saw that in another few seconds, they would surround her so he made a preemptive move to save her being knocked accidentally into the open trunk.

"Family, this is my girlfriend, Ana Steele. Ana, these are my parents, Grace and Carrick. This is my brother, Elliot, and my sister, Mia."

Ana reached out a hand….to no avail. Grey's family wanted to embrace Christian's girlfriend. So Ana endured the warm embrace of Grace and Carrick, as one. Then Elliot picked her up, commenting on her size…or the lack thereof. Lastly, Mia pulled Ana against her ample bosom. To top off the hug, Mia screamed with delight. Ana's head was ringing. Thankfully, as Mia let go and Ana fell back, Christian was there to catch her.

"Elliot, Carrick, help Taylor with the bags. Christian, I'll bet you're both hungry, aren't you?" said Grace.

"Come in and sit. I'll make up plates for you both and Taylor, of course. We tried to hold dinner but you know your brother. The best we could manage was to save something for you."

"Still eating the folks out of house and home, El?" Christian snarled.

"Still employing a housekeeper/chef/laundress, Chris?" Elliot snarled back.

"At least, I pay the woman. You're almost thirty and you run a million dollar business," Christian pointed out.

"Yeah, I prefer Mom's cooking."

"Uh huh. And her laundress, too."

"Okay, that's enough, boys. I don't want Ana to think that all we do is bicker in this family."

"I don't bicker, mom," Mia protested. "I discuss…like an adult." This last remark was widely mocked. The entire time, Ana said nothing. She just smiled. She thought it was nice the way they carried on…arguing without malice.

Christian looked down at the small woman he held his arm around. He liked that she was smiling. He leaned over and kissed her tenderly. Her lips were warm and soft.

"I must apologize for my children's bad manners," said Grace as Mia again protested that she'd been behaving just fine.

"I find it all rather lovely," Ana replied.

"I love your British accent," exclaimed Mia.

"Oh, I'm not British, Mia. I guess that having lived in the country for nearly a decade, I've just picked up the lilt. I sometimes forget how I sound."

Grace's notion of leftovers would be anyone else's idea of a small feast. Ana picked at bits and pieces as usual while Christian and Taylor piled in. They hadn't eaten since breakfast…long ago, it seemed. Ana noticed Elliot's attention to her slice of cherry pie so, unobtrusively, she slid the plate in front of him…earning his lifelong devotion. Truth to tell, Ana loved cherry pie but her appetite had faded due to the day's upsetting events. All she really wanted was a warm shower and comfy bed…and Christian. Even though she'd slept her way from New York to Bellevue, WA, she was having trouble keeping her eyes open.

Grace had been watching her, thinking what a sweet little thing she was. How had her son the good sense to choose her for a girlfriend? Now, if only Elliot would stop…well, Grace hated to use the word but it certainly fit…whoring around all of Seattle.

Grace wanted to spend a long evening talking with Christian but something told her that he would want to be with Ana. He was probably tired as well even though he was eating with gusto.

Taylor got up and thanked Mrs. Grey for dinner and then asked to have a private word with Christian before he went back to Seattle and Gail.

Christian closed the study door behind him and turned to Taylor. "What is it, Taylor?" Good lord, he thought, I don't need any more news, good or bad, tonight. I'm just too tired to deal.

"Sir, I'd like to offer my resignation."

"What the hell?! Look, if this is about being away from Gail for too long, you can stay here and I'll take Ryan with me when I return to Britain."

"No, sir. It's about my failing to do my job properly today. I should have insisted on being with you when you were in that room with Hyde. His attempt on your life was completely my fault."

"Really? I didn't see you hand him a knife. And I recall requesting to speak with him alone. If anyone is to blame for that mess, it's me."

"Sir, my job is to protect you and sometimes that means going against your specific wishes."

"Well, we could argue about this all night but I will not accept your resignation. I have enough problems right now without losing my chief of security. Now, go home to Gail and I don't want to hear another word about it, understand?"

"Very well, sir. Good night." Grey was afraid that any second Taylor was going to salute so he turned and left the study first. Taylor could spend the rest of the night whining to Gail about his perceived incompetence if he wished but Grey had no complaints. He just wanted to shower and go to sleep with Ana in his arms. He hoped that his mother didn't insist on separate bedrooms because, if so, Ana would insist on being respectful.

When he returned to the dining room, Ana was missing. Grace was touched to see the look of dismay in her son's eyes. She hadn't dared to dream that he would one day no longer be alone and now he was obviously a man in love.

"Christian, I've made up the downstairs guestroom for you and Ana. It will be more private and I don't think the dear thing could have made it up the three floors to your old bedroom. She appeared ready to drop over. We'll see you in the morning." Grace embraced him again and whispered in his ear, "We all think that Ana is just lovely." Christian smiled and kissed his mother.

As he headed for the bedroom, everyone called goodnight. Elliot, of course, had to have the last word. "Good going, bro. Can't believe you didn't screw that up."

Christian, out of respect for his mother, did not flip his brother the bird.

CHAPTER 25

Although the day was bright and the curtains were open, Christian and Ana slept well into the morning. Despite the weight of last night's weariness, they had not been able to rest until they made love. They needed the solace of each other to shut out the disquiet of the day. It was a slow, gentle kind of love. They curled into themselves, hardly moving…coming with soft groans and then going to sleep still connected. Giving themselves the peace the world was denying them.

For the world would always be out there, beyond the bedroom doors. This morning, it would take the form of Elliot Grey, 6'3'' and 240 lbs. of muscle, pounding on the door and loudly demanding that they come out and talk to him. Also, mom refused to feed him until they got up.

Grey was about to let loose with a string of obscenities until Ana claimed his mouth and eased him into obliviousness. With Grace threatening to send him off to his construction site without breakfast or lunch, Elliot grumbled his way back down the hall and into the dining room. After a while, the lovers emerged and drowsily stumbled their way toward food.

"Did you sleep well?" Grace smiled at her son and his girl.

"Who cares how they slept?" growled Elliot. "I'm starving and I was supposed to be on site an hour ago."

"MacDonald's has a drive-through, son," chided Carrick. "Now, we have a guest. Let's act like it."

Christian and Ana flopped into their chairs. Ana tried to wake up and look cheery for her hosts.

Grace called up the stairs for Mia to come join them and finally all were assembled as Margaret served breakfast. Grace and Carrick looked at their children and smiled at each other. It wasn't often that they were all together. This morning reminded them of when the kids were younger.

"Well, I'm feeling nostalgic, Grace. How about you?"

"They're a bit older but not much else about them has changed, has it, Cary?" Grace chuckled.

"Nope. Christian still does bedhead best but Elliot's temper still wins first place. As always, Mia is the last to wake up."

"Why should she wake up at all, Dad? Is she ever going to get a job?" Elliot sneered.

"Coffee," Christian mumbled. Ana poured him a cup.

"Ahhh," Christian moaned as he held the steaming mug under his nose. Gazing adoringly at Ana, he said, "I like you," before drinking as much as possible at once without burning his mouth.

"Yeah? I like you, too," Ana beamed.

They were too cute for Elliot at this hour and on an empty stomach so he let it pass while he stuffed a waffle down his gullet. Margaret handed him a lunch bag as he grabbed several more waffles and ran out the door without a goodbye. Grace sighed as she watched him go and then turned her attention to Mia who was simply sitting and staring at her plate.

"Darling, Margaret can put food on the table but I refuse to ask her to feed you."

"Well, Ana, you seem to be the only one of the children to be alert."

Ana blushed at suddenly being the center of attention. "Margaret is a good cook, Mrs. Grey. Our cook at home is excellent, too, and, coincidentally, her name is also Margaret.

"Where is home for you, dear, and, please call me Grace?"

"I live just outside of London on the estate of my employer, Alphonse Potter. We live in the center of a collection of tiny villages. They all have different names but the locals mostly call the area Potterville."

"The estate is quite beautiful, Mom. You'd go nuts over the flower gardens," said Christian.

"Do you garden, Ana?" asked Carrick.

"Well, I help choose flowers but I have a black thumb, I'm afraid. I could kill a cactus."

"Now, horses. That my Ana knows," Christian began before Mia interjected, "My Ana….so cute."

"We have stalls for 20 but we only keep a few. I'm the only one who rides besides our groom and he only rides to exercise the horses. Alphonse is quite elderly now and he claims that his bones rattle enough just walking around the house," Ana laughed. Christian just looked at her. Grace and Carrick exchanged knowing glances.

"Christian rode when he was younger. My parents used to keep a couple of old mares when the children were little," remarked Grace.

"Before my time," Mia muttered.

"Christian can still ride well," smiled Ana as Christian snorted.

"I don't call not falling out of the saddle 'riding'. Now, Ana, you should see her fly. She rides Devil and he is exactly like his name…except with her. She's really something to see," he smiled.

"I hate to interrupt this chat but it is imperative that Christian and I discuss some legal business to do with yesterday's events. Would you excuse us, Ana?" asked Carrick.

"Dad, it's too early for this."

"I'm getting calls from the GEH legal team and they need answers. Let's get it done so you can have a quiet day with the family afterward, okay?"

Begrudgingly, Christian agreed. He kissed Ana and left for the study, the site of so many father-son "chats"…most of which Christian and Elliot dreaded. At least during this one he wouldn't get a lecture on his bad behavior.

"How could you let this happen, Christian?" Carrick glared at his son. Well, okay, so this would be another lecture on his bad behavior.

"I know that I should have had Taylor with me but I just didn't expect Hyde to be a maniac. And I need to ask you some questions about him."

"Me? Why would I know anything about Jack Hyde?" Carrick was flummoxed.

"He told me that he hated me, that I had taken his place with you. He said that he was supposed to be adopted by you but I stole you from him."

Carrick looked down for a moment, thinking. Then he popped up his head, looking startled by a memory. "There was a boy in the foster home where you lived before we were able to take you home. Older kid, around 12. He was real rough around the edges, you might say. Very angry. Whenever we came to visit you, he would shove you aside. If we were sitting with you on the couch, he'd worm his way right in between us. And he'd go and on about what a great son we'd be getting with him…how he was so smart and tall and good looking…how he'd make us so proud. Then he'd tell us that you were just a skinny, mute and stupid little kid.

"We tried to deal nicely with him. We'd tell him that since he had all these advantages that he would be okay but that you really needed us. We told him that we'd decided on you since Grace saw you at the hospital and we weren't going to change our minds. He'd start yelling that he was owed, that we were supposed to be his.

"The foster parents told us that other couples had been interested in him but that he didn't think that they were good enough, rich enough, important enough. He was immensely entitled in his mind. When we showed up for our first visit with you, he saw Grace's elegance and my Mercedes and decided that we'd do. When we bypassed him and headed straight for you, he had such a hissy fit that the foster parents had to send him to his room.

"After that, he never stopped picking on you. He'd steal your food, throw dirt on you, push you and knock you down. You spent all your time hiding from him. It was, apparently, a terrible six weeks for you. Constant torment…worse than the pimp."

"Didn't the foster parents try to protect me? At least tell you?" Christian said, aghast.

"They tried but there were several children under their care and it was hard to keep up with it all. Every time they caught him pulling something, they'd punish him but he never learned. I'm sure that there was something wrong with him, something psychotic. The day we left with you, he stood on the front porch and screamed "you'll pay for this. I won't forget this".

"For years we kept track of him because we were afraid that he would make good his threat but after a decade, we lost him. Then we just forgot about him. I'm sorry, Christian. We should have told you so that you could be prepared."

Christian took out his phone and called Welsh, his private investigator. He asked a few questions and rang off.

"Not a problem any longer, Dad. Hyde died about an hour ago."

Carrick grew very quiet. Then he asked Christian to say nothing to his mother. "She seems to have forgotten all about the boy and hasn't paid much attention to the name of your attacker so let's just let it be." Christian nodded.

"Is there anything else, Dad?"

Carrick chuckled. "No, no. Go on back to your girl. Oh, wait. I was just curious about her husband. Is she divorced?"

Christian sighed. "Ana is a widow…five years now."

"Oh, my. So young. Well, she seems like a real fine young woman, son. You chose well."

"Oh, I didn't choose, Dad. I was just knocked off my feet and swept away," Christian smiled.

CHAPTER 26

As soon as Ana was left alone with Christian's mother and sister, she knew what was coming next. The interrogation. Mia jumped right in but Grace stopped her mid-sentence.

"Now, Mia. Ana is our guest. We're not going to grill her. We should wait until Christian returns so we can grill them together." Ana laughed as Grace smirked.

"It's really okay. I know that Christian, at the ripe old age of 27, is finally bringing a girl home to meet his mother. I must look like a proverbial unicorn to you. So, go ahead Mia. Ask me anything you want to know."

"Well, first, Taylor called you Mrs. Steele. Did I just hear that wrong?"

"No, I was married to Daniel Steele. I've been a widow for 5 years now. He was a wonderful, amazing man. I seem to have excellent taste in men," Ana beamed.

"Ana," Grace said gently. "That must have been a terrible time for you. I'm so sorry, "Grace said as Mia nodded, looking solemn.

"Yeah," Ana choked a little, "Daniel was coming to the hospital. I was in labor. A drunk ran a red light and Daniel was gone before he knew what hit him. He didn't suffer. That is a real comfort."

"You have a child?" Mia asked excitedly. "When can we meet him?"

"Yes, I had a daughter, Lilibet. She was stillborn. I'm grateful that Daniel wasn't alive to endure the pain of that loss. He was over the moon about her." Ana dabbed a napkin at the tears beginning to brim. Grace and Mia sat dumbstruck. Finally, Grace spoke words of sympathy and concern. Ana smiled in gratitude.

"Alphonse Potter kept me alive after that but I didn't really come back to life until I met Christian. Before him, I was just numb. I'd ride Devil at a full, mad gallop to feel something, anything at all. Alphonse feared that I'd break my neck…but I didn't care about living so it was easy to take chances.

"Oh, you asked about my meeting Christian. Well, Alphonse sent Collin and me to the airport to collect a Mr. Grey and bring him back to the estate. Collin is Alphonse's Taylor, you might say."

"How big is Mr. Potter's estate?" inquired Grace.

Ana looked at Grey Manor. "Well, this is a big house. Could probably fit a few of these in the Potter house. I haven't even seen all the rooms. There are a couple that are locked up. I suspect that they are storage for all the things that remind Alphonse of his late wife. He tells me that while he was saving me, I was also saving him. He says that he was just letting go about the time that I lost my husband and child but then he knew that he had to stay long enough to keep me alive. I'm a little afraid, to tell the truth, that once he sells his company that he might give up again.

"I want him to work now for the community that more or less bears his name. The estate is thousands of acres if you count all the villages surrounding it. Many years ago, Alphonse gave the land to the people who live on it. Other rich land owners charge their villagers rent. Now Alphonse can help the people improve their lives, too. He has a lot to live for."

"So, what do you do for Mr. Potter, Ana?" asked Grace.

"I was hired as an executive assistant but I'm also sort of his personal caretaker, looking after his health and so forth. He's been so wonderful to me. Literally saved my life. Gave me something and someone to live for when all I could see in front of me was a black wall."

"Can we go back to the Devil for a minute?" asked Mia. "I've always wanted to learn to ride. Did you already know how?"

"No, and I learned on Devil. He's a stallion and quite temperamental. I didn't know anything about him when I wandered out into the stable one day early on in my employment. I think that not having a preconceived notion of him made me just accept him as he was. I had watched Pete, the stable hand, saddle horses so I just did that and, because Devil is almost 18 hands high, I had to throw myself up on my stomach to get on the saddle. Devil didn't complain. I just nudged him a bit and off we went. I discovered by accident how to get him to canter and how to get him to gallop. When I returned to the stable, Alphonse and Pete were outside, wringing their hands, frantic. They couldn't believe that Devil hadn't thrown me off…which, I guess, he did with anyone who tried to ride him. Alphonse was about to sell him."

"Mom, we have a lot of land here. Can I get a horse?" Mia pleaded.

Grace burst out laughing. "Darling, from the age of 5 you begged for a pony. Every Christmas you'd run down the stairs and look out on the patio. You'd be so disappointed. One Christmas Cary and I almost gave in because we couldn't stand to see you so sad on Christmas morning. That was the Christmas you didn't mention a horse. You wanted the latest in Parisian fashion."

"I did kind of switch my priorities around age 13, as I recall. After that, I started wanting a boy for Christmas." Ana and Grace laughed loudly.

"Do you have a boyfriend right now? " Ana asked.

"No, I just broke up with Ethan Kavanaugh. He was skittish about a permanent commitment and I was tired of his shilly-shallying. I miss him, though. He said that I wasn't grown up enough. I know that he's right. I'm 23 and I still live with my mommy. I also don't work."

"What do you for money?" Ana asked in surprise. She could tell just by looking at Mia's pajamas that she wasn't shopping at a discount store.

"Well, that's a sensitive subject around here," Mia grimaced, looking at her mother. "Christian gave me a credit card and he never pays the slightest attention to the balance…even after I went to Aruba on his dime. I know he spoils me but I like it."

"Ethan," said Grace, "knows that he can't give Mia the haute couture that she's used to buying. He felt that he just couldn't compete with Mia's brother and Mia was not willing to give up that card and live on what Ethan makes. Ethan is a psychologist with a good practice here in Seattle but, of course, he'll never be rich like Christian. You lost that man because you want a rich one, Mia."

"Mom," Mia whined, "I was raised rich. I can't help it if I don't know any other way to live. I mean, I was poor for the first six months of my life but after you adopted me, well….So, it's your fault as well." She ha-rumped and crossed her arms and sat feeling defiant.

To change the subject, she hoped, Grace turned back to Ana.

"How about you, Ana? What was your upbringing like?"

"No silver spoon. I was abandoned by my mother when I was 3 so my grandmother took me until I was 5 and after she died my only living relative was an uncle who was just finishing college and who didn't feel that he could take on the responsibility of raising a child. Yet he didn't want me to be adopted because I was his only family so I went into the system," Ana explained.

"What's a system?" Mia wondered.

"Foster care, dear," answered Grace. "Both of Mia's brothers were adopted as well. How long we're you in foster care, sweetie?"

"Until I was 14. Then I got a job, a studio apartment and a pro bono lawyer who got a judge to grant me emancipation. I had a social worker to whom I had to report once a month but otherwise I was on my own. I loved it. For the first time, I had a home that was mine.

"I studied hard in school and won a scholarship to college and then a Rhodes Scholar fellowship at the University of Oxford. That's where I met Daniel. He was one of my professors. He waited until the day I graduated and then let his feelings be known. I was only 19 and I'd been secretly in love with him. When I got the job with Alphonse, he informed me that I was expected to live on the estate so Daniel had a commute every day. He never complained, however. He just wanted to make me happy." Then Ana paused for a moment. " I had a perfect life."

Ana was smiling as she told the story and her voice was light and happy. She didn't realize that tears were rolling down her cheeks as she talked. Grace and Mia just listened, entranced. Then Grace took a napkin and wiped away Ana's tears.

"So, you were on your own as a freshman in high school," Grace noted.

"No, I was a junior. I was jumped ahead. Academics have always been easy for me. My favorite subjects were literature and math."

"And I thought Christian was smart. Geez, even he never skipped ahead," said Mia in awe.

"Ana, you amaze me. You're such a brave, intelligent woman. You've been through so much and yet you demonstrate no bitterness or anger about any of it," Grace remarked.

"Most people have troubles, Grace…and mine led me each time to something wonderful. All I've been through made me the person I am and led me to Christian Grey. What's that song?"

And then Ana sang in a sweet voice, "God bless the crooked road that led me straight to you…"

Without a word nor a sound, Ana could feel Christian was quite near. She turned and smiled as she sang…smiled at Christian standing with the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up, his body leaning against the doorjamb with hands in his pockets…he took her breath away.

CHAPTER 27

It seemed so much longer than 30 minutes since Ana had seen Christian. She ached to touch him. She could see by the way his gray eyes darkened as he looked at her that he ached to touch her as well. The pull between them was so strong. She couldn't fight it. She didn't want to fight it. Consequences be damned. Still, there were, indeed, consequences. England was her home and her home was with Alphonse whose very life depended, she felt, on her. He would not stay healthy long if she left him alone. How could she be responsible for his death when he had saved her life?

"Let's go for a walk down by the water, Ana." Christian wrapped his arms around her and kissed the back of her head. Mia sighed. Christian took Ana's hand as she left her chair and waved a goodbye to Grace and Mia. Then she walked with Christian out to the patio and down toward the dock. It was a glorious day in usually rainy Seattle and the sun felt good on her bare arms. Christian's hand felt good around hers. She leaned slightly against his arm and fretted. How could she ever give this up?

The water reflected the blue of the sky and sparkled from the sunlight dancing on it. In the distance, she could see the skyline of Seattle. It was a nice city, she thought, and she knew that she could be happy living there. She silently chastised herself for thinking of a future with Christian. They hardly knew each other, really. Perhaps the attraction between them wasn't love but novelty or a fleeting physical draw. If so, it wasn't rational to think of leaving England. Besides, it wasn't as if Christian had even mentioned the possibility of marriage. Perhaps I'm getting way ahead of myself, she thought.

"Everything okay with you and your father?" Ana asked.

"Yeah. He just wanted to talk to me about Jack Hyde. He remembered him. Seems Hyde and I shared a foster home for a while. Hyde was hoping to be adopted by a rich and prominent family and I was standing in his way. He stayed in the system and made his own way in the world. Bright guy but he believed that his life would have been much better if I hadn't stolen his perfect family out from under him. He'd been carrying a grudge since he was 12 and he got himself hired by GEH with the sole purpose of wrecking my business. If you hadn't discovered that decimal point out of place, he would have moved on to his next bit of sabotage."

"He spent his whole life trying to ruin yours?" Ana was taken aback.

"Crazy, eh? What a waste. Dad said that he was a real strange kid, creepy. He was probably psychotic even back when he knew me in the foster home. I wonder what made him that way. I guess I could have been him if Mom and Dad hadn't rescued me."

Ana snuggled closer to Christian. "Let's forget about him. I'd like to spend some time with your family before Alphonse makes his decision and summons us home."

"You think he's still mulling things over?"

"He's worried about what he'll do without the company to occupy him but even he admits that it runs now on autopilot pretty much. I've been encouraging him to take more of a leadership role in the community. Those villages need a lot and they haven't been very good at making improvements themselves."

Christian embraced Ana more closely and kissed her head resting on his chest. Alphonse was also most likely worried about losing Ana to Seattle while Christian wondered what he would do without her when he returned.

.+.

That night, their love-making had a sadness to it, a grieving even. After Ana went to sleep, Christian lay awake, holding her and staring at the ceiling. Ana had had Daniel. She knew what it was to be consumed by love and the need for another. She knew loss and how to survive it. Christian felt all at sea. He tried to recall how he'd lived and breathed before he'd met the comely Mrs. Steele. It was hard for him to remember how he felt back then…just a few short weeks ago. He knew that he'd gotten along just fine, hadn't he? He didn't recall loneliness or emptiness. He wasn't bored. His work consumed him, made his engine rev. He tried to think back to the thrill of closing a deal. He and Ros would stay up all night, much to Gwen's chagrin, exchanging ideas on how to grow the company and getting giddy thinking about the future and going global.

Ana stirred in her sleep and cuddled into him. Sometimes she had restless sleep…once calling out to Daniel. Maybe she was like him. Maybe she thought back to life before Christian, when she had Daniel. Suddenly, Grey was overcome with gratitude that Ana had had the courage to move on and that Daniel had given his blessing…or at least, that Ana thought he had. Christian, himself, didn't believe in spirits or an afterlife but he could understand how Ana would. If he lost Ana, he'd sure as hell need to believe that they'd meet again.

He'd been over and over it in his head but he couldn't think of a way for them to stay together. It was eating him up inside. He didn't want to put Ana on the spot by asking her to leave Alphonse and move to Seattle with him. Heck, maybe after all her years in England, Ana wouldn't want to leave "this blessed plot, this realm, this England" even if Alphonse wasn't an issue. After all, what could Grey offer her that she didn't already have in Britain. All her friends lived there. Her horse. Her beautiful estate. All he had was a cold and sterile apartment. She'd have to have security all the time. No more privacy. No more leisurely bike rides down charming country lanes. Seattle traffic. No charming pubs, greeted by all her admiring chums. Hordes of paparazzi. She didn't even know about that yet. And, as delightful as he found the estate and the countryside to be, he'd miss the hustle and bustle of Seattle. London was too far away to enjoy it much but just far enough away to make for a boring commute.

Everything, it seemed, stood in their way. He would have to concede that love was not enough. It wasn't and it wouldn't be. He'd keep his concerns to himself until the last moments of his stay in England and then he'd talk with Ana. She'd agree….even as his heart shattered at the truth…she'd have to agree. Then they'd part.

He'd keep her. He'd love her…until the last moment. Then, somehow, he'd return to his first love…GEH.

CHAPTER 28

After spending the evening with his family at Grey Manor, Christian and Ana left for Escala. They'd had wonderful time with his parents and Mia and Elliot. There was a lot of teasing and bickering and laughter. As soon as Ana and Christian were out the door, the family all looked at each other with big smiles. It was clear as day that the couple were in love. Mia was already planning the wedding in her head and Elliot was thrilled to see his introverted little brother shining and happy. Only Grace and Carrick were wise enough to see the problems. Their son, after all, had not fallen in love with the girl next door. Ana's life was so far away. There was sorrow to this love.

A big city was nothing new to a woman accustomed to London but still Ana spent the trip to Escala staring out the car window, admiring Seattle's lights. As she remarked on the beauty of Escala, Christian told her that there was a heliport on the roof and that he used it frequently for his own helicopter. She was quite impressed that he could fly and he was glad that she couldn't see him blush in the dark of the car. He liked that he'd impressed her. Up to now, she'd dazzled him. It was nice to dazzle her a bit.

The moment they stepped off the elevator Ana flew to the balcony, gasping at the brilliance of the Seattle-lit night below them. Christian's arms surrounded her from behind as she exclaimed over the beauty of the city. It was a bit cool so they retreated to the great room to cuddle on the sofa in front of the fire. Ana was used to the crackling wood fires of her home but she thought that the dancing flames of the six foot long gas fireplace were beautiful, too. Christian turned on a hidden system that played music and they danced to old slow tunes from the 40's. Then, at Ana's urging, Christian sat at his piano and played for her. There was a baby grand in Alphonse's parlor but Grey had never touched it. Until Ana saw the Fazioli in Christian's penthouse, she didn't know that he could play. He was able to impress her again. She fell asleep on his shoulder as he played and sang to her. He sat for a while longer, an arm around her delicate shoulder, wishing this could last…before he picked her up and carried her to bed.

He gently undressed her and then climbed in beside her, gathering her into his arms and imagining that this was an ordinary night, like the hundreds to follow. And how tomorrow they would wake and make love to start their day. Maybe they'd go out to a favorite café for a late breakfast and then take a sail on his catamaran. He smiled to himself. Ana didn't know yet about The Grace. She didn't know yet that he could sail. He loved that he could impress her. He loved knowing that she'd loved him before he had to impress her. All she knew about him was that he was wealthy and that didn't impress her at all. Yet, she loved him…just for being him. He remembered what she'd said to Daniel…that Christian made her heart beat again….that he'd given her life again.

How could he go back to the nothing he'd lived before? Back to the nightmares and mornings of waking alone? That was all he'd ever expected out of life. Now, he knew so much more was possible….and he would have to give it all up.

.+.

Elliot flew in the front door of Grey Manor, looking for his breakfast and lunch. Margaret smiled as he plunked himself down at the breakfast bar, looking expectant. Feeding everyone was her job but Elliot made it a special delight. He was sooo appreciative.

"So," said Margaret, "you must be thrilled about your brother getting married. Though I do wish he'd been married here in your parent's backyard."

Elliot looked up in surprise. "What are you talking about, Margaret?"

Margaret, in her turn, also looked surprise. She put her morning's copies of the Seattle Nooz and You Heard It Here First down the counter in front of Elliot. Both had stories on the front page about Christian and Ana getting married in England.

The sound of hearts breaking could be heard clear across the Atlantic

as Christian Grey ended his reign as the most eligible bachelor in the

United States.

Elliot almost choked on his omelet as he laughed at the lead line in the Seattle Nooz. He next picked up the other tabloid.

You heard it here first, folks. Playboy multi-millionaire, enigmatic Christian

Grey has lost his heart to a winsome English lass who was seen wearing a

6 carat diamond ring and a wedding band shortly after touching down at

Sea-Tac yesterday afternoon. According to our source, he was seen carrying

his bride across the threshold of the airport entry into a waiting limousine.

"Margaret, you've got to stop reading this crap. Go on…name for me the last story you read in one of these tabloids that turned out to be true," challenged Elliot.

"Hmmm…give me a second. That giant snake that ate the alligator!" she announced smugly.

"Okay, Margie," laughed Elliot, "you win. However, my brother is not married. That lovely woman that he brought home whom he referred to as his girlfriend, Ana, is a widow, I gather."

"A widow! Gosh, she seemed so young," gasped Margaret.

"Yeah, well, she's only 26 and she's been a widow for five years. May I ask about your husband, Margaret?"

"Sure you can. I'm 61 and my husband died of pancreatic cancer almost 10 years ago."

"You never wanted to remarry?" Elliot asked.

"No. He was the love of my life and still marriage was hard work. I don't think that I could love that hard any more. Wouldn't mind a boyfriend, tho'. You still available?" Margaret smirked.

Elliot blushed and Margaret roared. She loved to tease Elliot. She knew that she was one of the few people who could embarrass him. She was still laughing as Grace walked in, Elliot grabbed his lunch, kissed his mother and ran out the door.

Grace looked down at the tabloids and sighed.

"You know, Margaret. I don't know whether to be pleased that Christian didn't run off and get married without us or to be disappointed that he isn't really married."

"Well, he brought a woman home and from what I could see before I left, he was smitten."

"Yes, well, she lives in England and he lives in Seattle. Cary says that I shouldn't get my hopes up."

"I respectfully disagree with Mr. Grey. That boy has always gotten what he goes after and he certainly appeared to be after Mrs. Steele. I think it's safe to get your hopes up."

"Really, Margaret?" Grace looked considerably cheered. When Carrick walked into the kitchen, Grace repeated Margaret's thoughts and Cary just smiled. "I know better than to disagree with the woman cooking my meals."

Margaret smiled back at him. "That's some sensible thinking, Mr. Grey."

CHAPTER 29

Ana woke to sunlight and was surprised to find Christian still asleep. She didn't know that he'd been awake most of the night enjoying the warmth of her in his arms and wondering how he could keep her with him. He hadn't drifted off until dawn. She tried to go back to sleep but her body was awake so she eased out of Christian's arms and pulled on her robe and slippers.

It was nearly 8 a.m. and usually she'd be saddling Devil. She brushed her teeth, combed her hair and wandered out into the great room. The view again dazzled her. 30 stories above Seattle was a very long way up. It was too high up to hear the traffic but there was a constant rush of wind. It reminded her of the wind in the English countryside.

She heard pans and pots banging about in the kitchen so she ambled over to say hello to whomever.

"Hi," she smiled at the housekeeper, a pretty blonde woman with a motherly way about her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Steele. I'm Gail or Mrs. Taylor, whichever you prefer. Mr. Grey prefers Mrs. Taylor. He's a very kind and thoughtful employer but he likes a certain formality with the staff."

"Really. How much staff are we talking about?" asked Ana.

"Well, I'm the only permanent housekeeper and then, of course, there are a number of security."

"You take care of this place all by yourself?" Ana blinked startled.

"We have a crew in once a month to do a really thorough cleaning and with only Mr. Grey here, the place doesn't need a lot of cleaning. I'm getting ready for breakfast. What do you fancy, Mrs. Steele?"

"Fruit and pancakes. I enjoy watching Christian frown at my carb intake," laughed Ana.

"Is he still sleeping?" asked Gail.

"He was restless last night. I don't think he got much sleep." As she said this, Christian shuffled in wearing pajama bottoms. They were hanging low and Ana couldn't take her eyes off of the V running down from his six-pack abdominals. Lord, he was a beautiful man.

Christian looked up through sleepy eyes at the woman sitting at his breakfast bar. He melted a little. Her glossy hair, her bright hazel eyes darkening as they looked at him. He had to get her back into bed as soon as possible.

"Are you hungry or do you want to wait a while?" he asked hopefully.

"I could sleep some more, I guess. You haven't started cooking yet, have you, Mrs. Taylor?" Ana asked just as hopefully.

"I'm just making breakfast for my husband. Holler when you wake up again," Mrs. Taylor said, diplomatically. She knew full well that neither was interested in sleep just then. She would have plenty of time with Jason.

Ana hopped off the stool and hopped up on Christian's back. It was the first time Christian had ever given a woman a piggy-back ride. He loved it. He let Ana ride him into their bedroom where he let her off on the bed while he went in to brush his teeth. Then he returned, naked, so that Ana could see the destination of that wonderful V.

She loved the destination. Christian loved what she could do to him. Daniel had never invited nor asked Ana for oral satisfaction. He was shy and new to sex and had never gotten old enough to expect more than the most vanilla of sex. Ana had discovered the joys of sucking on Christian's dick early on. She thought that his dick was stunning…so long…so thick. She liked to explore his body and ask him questions about how it worked. Her curiosity and naiveté both amused him and aroused him. 'Course, all she had to do was walk in the room and he was aroused. He was thrilled with whatever she did to him so he didn't mind that she needed practice. Her goal was to get his dick to the back of her throat because she knew that he'd really like that. She needed time to learn to not gag. She licked his little cap and sucked hard on it and then rolled her tongue around his shaft down as far as she could go and then back up again. Sucking hard was tiring but it was all worth it to watch Christian fall apart in ecstasy. She didn't particularly like the taste of his semen but if she could get his dick to the back of her throat and past her taste buds, that would solve that problem.

Christian recovered quickly. That was also different from Daniel. With him, he and Ana would make love once and they would go to sleep. Ana had discovered that she needed more sex than she had…not that she was ever dissatisfied with Daniel. She just didn't know any other way. Christian was rather insatiable and, soon enough, Ana had discovered that she was as well. She didn't get sleepy. She got revved up and usually wore out Christian.

And, so, this morning they made love over and over until she finally tired him out and Christian fell asleep, clinging to her. That he always needed. He had to hold her. And she needed to be held. Ana also liked the way that Christian would stay awake to talk most nights. That was different from Daniel, too. Poor Daniel, she smiled to herself…he would try but after he came he'd just conk out. Orgasms didn't knock Christian out usually. Often they would stay awake and talk and it was then that they would have their most intimate conversations. Sometimes they would talk about sex but mostly they would talk about their lives, the world, politics (on which they agreed, thank goodness). It was also when they would reveal the most of what they felt for each other.

Christian would wonder how he compared to Daniel and Ana would be honest with him. Then she would wonder how she compared to all those highly experienced women that he knew. Sometimes he'd simply say "no contest" but other times he'd marvel at the differences. He'd never made love with any one before Ana. He was rather jealous that Ana had made love with Daniel. The sex he'd had with other women had been so impersonal and even cynical. He could tell when they were trying to overwhelm him with their skills. Ana never did that. Everything she did was out of love. With all those other women, he'd be planning his escape even as he was coming. With Ana, for the first time, he was always in the moment. He looked back on 12 years of having sex and felt cheated somehow. He cheated himself and was cheated by the women.

He told Ana about Elliot's happy sex life. He thinks he's happy, he told her, but he doesn't know any better. He hoped that Elliot would fall in love someday and realized how empty it had all been before.

Ana asked Christian how he got so good at sex. Did Mrs. Lincoln teach him techniques? She asked the question nonchalantly so that Christian wouldn't hesitate to tell her yes. She didn't want to hear yes. Christian was honest with her. Mrs. Lincoln had indeed taught him a lot about technique and how to pleasure her. It was Mrs. Lincoln who taught him to find a woman's g-spot. She'd put up with a lot of poking around until he got good at divining its location quickly. Ana was grateful that Christian was able to find Ana's because orgasms from that little spot were explosive but she hated that he'd learned from his pedophile.

"In a way, having my first sexual experiences with a person like Elena was good," he allowed. "With her there was no emotion, none. In fact, had I shown any affection or attachment, she would have beaten me with a cane. Emotion wasn't allowed. Elena didn't believe in love. She'd had other young lovers like me and dismissed them because they got attached. But I didn't. I just used her to learn all I could. Funny thing tho'….I never expected or wanted attachment…until you. That first night with you, a woman I'd known for two days, I was desperate for you and, more than anything, I wanted you to be just as desperate for me. It was as though I'd somehow stumbled on something that I needed so badly…just to breathe. I didn't understand it. And sex completely changed for me."

"I'd always had sex with emotion, attachment, love. I didn't know that there was any other way," said Ana. "And as inexperienced as I was compared to you, it was the same as with Daniel except that I am older, more a woman than a child. I could tell that you were deeply in need of me."

"I was. I was attracted to you, to be sure, but I thought you had a husband somewhere. That first night I think I would have sunk into a pit of despair if you had said no to me. I remember begging you to have me and feeling such gratitude that you wanted me…because I knew that you truly wanted me…not just the experience but me. For the first time in my life, someone wanted me for me. I was 27 and I'd been having sex since I was 15 and never before had I felt wanted. And I didn't even know that I was missing that. Sex was never the same after that. After it was always a way to be with you…as deeply as a conversation or a look or, well, any exchange with you."

"Do you think, Christian, that after people have sex for years, they lose the intimacy. Does it all become so humdrum and usual?"

"I can't imagine that with you, Ana, because it's never just a way to get off, to get a physical release. It's always a way to get closer, to learn more, to communicate with you. I've never been close to anyone as I am to you. And I only want to get closer. It's as though I'm driven to be one with you and that can never be so I'll just keep trying."

Ana burrowed in closer to Christian. He was truly her soulmate, she felt. God bless Daniel. Such a good man who'd given her love and taught her to love and to trust for the first time in her life. He was meant, she believed, to be her teacher. But Christian wasn't her teacher. If anything, she was his but she didn't want to teach him for someone else. She wanted to keep him for herself. It was the only way he could be, she knew. He was her destiny. Right then, realizing that, she no longer feared separation from Christian. It wasn't possible.

CHAPTER 30

That afternoon, as Christian and Ana sailed the sound, Carrick called. Something odd was going on, he told Christian. He wanted his son and Ana to have a relaxing day, just being together in the sunshine but he felt that he had to prepare him. Leila Williams was causing trouble…big trouble. She was talking to news outlets about their relationship, making wild accusations and stirring up a lot of paparazzi interest…interest that would be waiting back at the dock as soon as he and Ana landed.

Christian and Ana had left the boat to just drift along while they cuddled on the cushions near the bow…talking…dozing…taking in the beauty of the horizon. He would have kept his phone turned off but Ana was concerned that she might miss a call about Alphonse. Thus, when Carrick called, he immediately apologized.

"I was hoping to leave just a message, son. I could still do that," Carrick offered.

"No, Dad. You sound upset. What's wrong?" When Christian learned that it wasn't about Alphonse, he relaxed. As long as it wasn't something to upset Ana, he was okay with it.

"Your former, hmmm…'girlfriend'…? Leila Williams? She is giving interviews to anyone who'll listen. News rags, television, radio. She claims to be available for tell-alls about you and your former lifestyle and, well, anything that will interest the public. It's for you and Ros to decide how bad this is. I don't know if any of it is real.

"Your mother and I are trying to be open minded but, I'll confess, we're a bit shocked by some of it."

Ana was looking up at Christian who had the call on speaker. She looked concerned. She moved still closer to Christian and kissed his temple. Her mind was whirling with the possibilities and how they'd affect both Christian and Alphonse. The truths that Christian had revealed to her hadn't bothered her but Alphonse was quite protective of her and was also quite conservative. Also, the deal with Coleman Software was not quite finished.

"Ana and I will come by the house, Dad. We'll see what we have to deal with and discuss how, okay? Try not to worry. I'll get Taylor and Welsh on to Leila and see what we're dealing with. Leila has never been entirely stable so I don't know what she'll do. Thanks for calling, Dad." As he rang off, Christian tightened his arm around Ana protectively. Taking care of her was the first place his mind went to without consideration of anything else. Even though he worried, in some ways it was easier, simpler. Nothing else mattered as much as Ana's safety and happiness.

"Do you want to go back right away, honey?" Ana asked softly.

"Worried about me?" Christian smiled down at her.

"Uh, huh." She replied simply. "Let's go back rather than let this hang over us, please?"

"Whatever you want, sweetie," Christian responded. "I've been in tough spots before. You, too. We'll be fine."

"You betcha," Ana asserted firmly. "We're the rock of Gilbraltar."

As they approached the dock, their resolution weakened a bit. There was a massive crowd of gawkers and photographers squeezed together on the boardwalk by the moorings. Taylor and a contingent of security personnel had formed a space for Ana and Christian to walk but it was going to be a gauntlet all the way to the parking lot anyway. Christian threw his windbreaker over Ana to shield her from the photographers. The din from the crowd, the screaming of questions, the flashing of cameras was overwhelming. As the couple settled in the back of the car, even the tinted windows didn't stop the people from climbing all over the car…yelling for answers.

Taylor informed Christian that his parents and siblings were waiting at Escala since Grey Manor was inundated. Gail had converted the windows from clear to frosted to deter helicopters from hovering outside. It wasn't the first time that she'd had to do so to protect their privacy but she had never seen it this bad. She was worried that helicopters would crash into each other in their frenzy to get pictures.

As soon as Christian and Ana entered the penthouse, the family rushed up to them and wrapped them in a warm embrace. Christian would not have welcomed such a display in the past but he knew that this warmth was inspired by Ana and so he accepted it. He knew that Ana was tough...tougher than him. Her life had been rough, so rough but she'd used every painful moment to become stronger. This, however, was her first experience with massive exposure. He felt guilty that after all she'd come through, it was he who was forcing her to adapt to a whole new agony. He couldn't seem to let her go, to stop holding her close. She didn't object. She'd never been the object of public scrutiny and the crowds at the pier and outside Escala were frightening.

Gail immediately set to work putting out refreshments and snacks on the breakfast bar. Naturally, Elliot was first to dig in for solace. Mia picked a little but everyone else was trying to keep their stomachs settled. The whole family looked to Christian. No one asked questions. They just waited.

Christian settled Ana on the couch between Mia and Grace who instantly wrapped their arms around Ana's shoulders. He knelt before her and took her hands, looking into her frightened eyes.

"I'm going to go into the study with my father and Taylor. I'll try not to be long. Then I'll come out and talk to everyone. If you need me, you just come right in, promise?" he gazed up into her bright hazel eyes. She nodded and smiled bravely at him. He leaned over and kissed her sweetly.

"Taylor, Dad…let's see with what we're dealing." As the three men strode into the study, Elliot looked up from his plate of food and wondered aloud if he shouldn't be joining the men. His mother said that it was security stuff and Elliot simply shrugged as he scarfed down another crab cake.

The room grew quiet. The only sounds were Elliot chewing and the incessant noise of helicopter rotors outside the window.

"Ana, did you know that Christian flies his own helicopter?" asked Grace proudly.

"Is there anything the man can't do? He is ridiculously talented. He sails. He plays piano and sings beautifully."

Elliot stopped eating long enough to exclaim, "He sings!?"

"Yes, quite well. I didn't know about the piano until we arrived here. We have a baby grand at the estate but he didn't go near it."

"We knew he played, of course. He started lessons when he was just six but he's never sung a note in front of us," Mia said softly. "You sure do bring out the best in him. He seems so much more at ease with all of us since you came into his life." Mia hesitated a moment and then hugged Ana.

"Thank you." Ana didn't know how to respond. She didn't know that she necessarily deserved the praise. Perhaps loving him made him feel safer. It certainly did her.

The room went quiet again until Grace asked if Ana played an instrument. When Ana acknowledged that she played the piano as well, everyone begged her to play something. They needed the distraction.

Ana felt shy even though she'd played in public many times but she drew herself up and sat at the piano. "This is my employer's favorite…La vie en rose." She began playing, confidently because she'd played it so often but her voice was tremulous….only because she was nervous about its quality. The result was that she sounded more than ever like Edith Piaf.

Hold me close and hold me fast
The magic spell you cast
This is "La vie en rose"
When you kiss me, heaven sighs
And though I close my eyes
I see "La vie en rose"

When you press me to your heart
I'm in a world apart
A world where roses bloom
And when you speak, angels sing from above
Everyday words seem to turn into love songs
Give your heart and soul to me
And life will always be
"La vie en rose"

No one applauded. Everyone stared and then broke into smiles.

"Ana, that was extraordinary," marveled Elliot and everyone soon joined in. Ana glanced toward the study and saw Christian, his sleeves rolled up, hands in his pockets and leaning against the door jamb. Whenever she saw him like that, her heart beat so hard. Somehow he seemed so incredibility sexy. His eyes didn't darken this time, though. They were clear and bright and full of pride and amazement.

"She's really something, isn't she?" he said to his family. They all enthusiastically agreed. Another new thing to discover about the woman who'd just walked into their lives and changed so much.

Ana blushed and took a deep breath. "As I said, that is my employer's favorite song. It reminds him of his late wife and their love for one another. I sing it for him a lot. You should have Christian sing for you sometime." As everyone turned to him, he waved them off.

"First things first. I have something to tell all of you before we deal with Leila Williams and the damage she plans to inflict. I've kept a deep and ugly truth from you for 12 years. I'm afraid, Mom, that this will be hardest on you. I can only say that I'm sorry and ask your forgiveness."

Then, Ana rose from the piano and wait to his side, sitting next to him and holding his hand and his arm. He needed all her strength now as he looked into the sweet, loving eyes of his mother. He was about to ruin her 20 year friendship with Elena Lincoln and expose himself as a deviant. Her little boy…the pervert. No matter that Ana disagreed. His mother was a conservative woman who'd been sheltered from many ugly things in life. Carrick sat next to her and took her hand.

Slowly, with devastating detail, Grace's little boy revealed his decade long relationship with the pedophile next door. He tried to leave no stone unturned to avoid questions. His brother and sister stared at him, astonished and bewildered. His mother's expression was harder to read. He discerned anger, yes, but something else he couldn't decipher. Not disappointment. No. Horror. No. More disbelief… as if he were telling her that he was not her son but a replica who'd replaced her real boy when he was 15.

Throughout his tale, all was quiet. It was if they'd all gone deaf even though the rotors outside the window were as loud as ever. The shock had deafened them. Gail, who of course had known that Christian had once been a dominant who kept a "playroom" upstairs, looked sadly at her husband and Taylor reached for her hand. They'd known Christian all through the "strange" years, as they called them, and they'd put up with the awful Mrs. Lincoln and her flock of subs coming and going. When Christian had abandoned BDSM and later brought home a truly lovely young woman, they felt a joy no one else could know.

As Christian finished, he looked from face to face with difficulty, hoping for some sign of understanding, forgiveness. Everyone was still too astonished, each thinking of their own part in his decade of deviance. Elliot blaming himself for not seeing what his little brother was going through and not protecting him. Mia feeling wounded that the man she thought she knew so well was keeping such a horrible secret from her. Grace stunned that she'd helped her so-called BFF perpetrate this crime against her child. She felt shame and anger. Carrick had learned first, in the study, of his son's secret and was still reeling.

As no one spoke for minute after agonizing minute and no one would look at Christian, he could only feel that he'd lost their love and certainly their respect. They would never look at him the same if they'd even look at him at all. He gripped Ana's hand to keep from falling off the earth.

"Christian told me all of this one day as we sat out in the meadow. He called it the "blackness of his soul". I didn't agree then and I don't now. Perhaps it is because I lived in ugliness all my childhood. I was fortunate that I was never the target of a pedophile for I was certainly vulnerable enough to be taken in by one. But, unlike Christian, I didn't have a family who loved me and so I was always on guard. I was able to protect myself. I was, unlike Christian, completely mistrustful of everyone and so no one could put anything over on me.

Then, as if able to read their minds, Ana spoke reassuringly. "Christian was loved and trusting. He hadn't built up a shell of self-protection and, as with children who are lovingly cared for by their families, he had no reason to believe that he was being taken advantage of by a friend of the family. Pedophiles are the most clever and manipulative of all criminals. They know how to build barriers between victims and their families. They groom children to trust only them and to fear them at the same time. Victims feel that their only recourse is to obey or they'll destroy their families. And, unfortunately, a lack of understanding of pedophilia in society often does destroy families.

"Christian did not become a pedophile as so many victims do. He didn't know how to accept love in any way but the one that Elena Lincoln taught him and so he himself became a dominant. BDSM is practiced around the world by individuals of every class and for many couples it is not torture and punishment but a loving way to enjoy their sexuality. Long before we met, Christian had decided that the practice was no longer for him. I believe that he was able to gradually see that he wanted to love in a different way.

"You didn't fail him. Grace, being friends with Elena was her gateway to Christian's psyche but she manipulated you as well. And, probably enjoyed it. She is an evil and sick woman. None of you could have stopped her unless you physically happened upon her dungeon. Christian was well trained to protect her. But now that you know the truth, you need to step up, avoid self-blame and place it where it truly belongs…within the black soul of Elena Lincoln."

Christian's eyes were shining as he looked at Ana.

CHAPTER 31

Despite Ana's cautioning, each of the Greys felt that they'd failed Christian in some way. Even Mia, who was just a little girl during his sub years, felt a responsibility. Christian had always been her greatest fan, greatest protector and somehow she'd let him down when it was her turn. Again, as the cacophony of sobs, curses, apologies and assertions of love and loyalty rained down on Christian, Ana watched as he tried to hold it together. He gripped her hand 'til it hurt but she didn't let on.

He tried, several times, to rebut their claims of responsibility but they didn't let him get a word in as they reassured him over and over that they loved him, thought that he was wonderful, didn't blame him in any way but it all sounded false to his ears. Ana could tell that he didn't believe anyone and that he was close to cracking. She needed to speak again.

"Stop. Please stop. This isn't helping although I know that is what you intend. The trouble with claiming responsibility is that it gives you the false impression that you could actually have done anything to help Christian."

Everyone stared at Ana in dismay and even anger. How could she say that none of them could have saved him?

"Sometimes, like now," she said gently, "we try to take blame because it gives us comfort. It gives us the illusion of being in control. I'm sorry…but you weren't in control…no more than Christian was in control. Elena was in charge.

"When I woke up in that hospital bed to find that my husband and daughter were both dead, I took the blame. I told myself that I'd done something wrong during my pregnancy or I hadn't been strong enough during labor to protect my child. I told myself that if I'd done everything right that Daniel would have come home earlier and we would have driven to the hospital together and then he wouldn't have been on the road when that drunk ran the red light and if he'd been with me during labor that I wouldn't have been so stressed and Lilibet would have been born alive.

"You see, I thought that accepting all the blame that I could believe that I was in control. After a lot of therapy, I finally had to understand that I was powerless…that I couldn't do anything to keep my husband and child alive. It was a terrible understanding that I had to accept if I was to go on. I wanted so badly to think that I could make things the way I wanted them to be." As Ana talked, she didn't realize that tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"So, you, too, must accept that you had no control over what Christian went through. He doesn't need apologies. He needs acceptance. That's all. Just accept him as he is and remember that all he went through and survived made him the man that he is today."

Ana was perplexed when Grace leaned over and dabbed at the tears on her cheeks. It was a kind and maternal gesture…something new to Ana.

"Okay, Ana, maybe you're right. Maybe we couldn't do anything 12 years ago but what about now?" Elliot's face was red with anger. "Can we get her now? Dad?"

"I've already spoken with Christian's private investigator," said Carrick.

"You have?" Christian wasn't aware that his father and Welsh were that connected.

"Yes, son. Taylor gave me his number and we had a long talk. There is no statute of limitations on pedophilia in the state of Washington. We can press charges against Elena at any time. However, Christian's case has some obstacles. Had we known of the molestation when he stopped being Elena's sub, we could have proceeded. However, the fact that Christian went on to become a dominant…." Carrick ceased speaking for a moment. Elliot jumped in.

"Dad, Chris's BDSM lifestyle was legal. It is legal. He even had contracts with his subs."

"I'm aware, El. However, most juries would not be able to discern a difference between Elena's actions and Christian's. That is the unfortunate truth."

"El, I don't want to make my connection with Elena public. I couldn't do that to any of you or to myself. It could really make your lives miserable and my business would be adversely affected."

Christian looked at Ana for reassurance that he was making the right decision. She bowed her head for a moment to think. Everyone remained silent, watching her. Then she looked up.

"Christian is right. The repercussions for all of you would be varied, long-lasting and painful." She stopped but everyone could see that she had more to say.

"However, pedophiles don't ever stop. Christian was not Elena's only victim, I'm sure. I'm also sure that to this day she is grooming young people for herself and others. Despite the consequences we'd all face if Christian came forward, we have to consider the other children who have not come out of Lincoln's dungeon in as good a shape as Christian and all those she will molest in future. I'm not suggesting that Christian go forth with a case alone. I think that we need to find all victims, past and present, who will testify."

Carrick seemed to be mulling over Ana's words. He nodded in agreement. He suggested that he speak again with Welsh and perhaps other investigators in order to find Elena's other victims. There was a chance that with the Grey's assurance that the victims would be protected and helped that many would agree to speak up. Yes, he said, he felt that they had to try to save as many past and present victims as possible and stop Elena from continuing to ruin lives in the future.

"If someone of your success and influence comes forward, we stand a far greater chance of stopping her, Christian. What do you say, son?"

Ana reached up and turned Christian's face toward her. "This would be the finest thing you've ever done. Think back to all those awful times in her dungeon and how now you could shut her down. Maybe the powers-that-be allowed you to go through that hell because they knew that only you could stop her one day and save others.

Christian chuckled ruefully. He kissed Ana's hand. "There's an interesting viewpoint. You're right, I know, and I know that you'd be proud of me. I would do anything to make you proud of me, Ana. How about the rest of you? Are you prepared to be known as the pervert's son and brother. Are you prepared to be ostracized by your social crowds? Mia, this could be especially hard on you. Maybe I could send you to Paris for a year."

"Like hell, you will. Okay, may be a short trip to refresh my wardrobe…but then right back home to face the demons. Sure, we'll get ripped to shreds in the papers. And yes, we'll be followed by packs of paparazzi. I'm sure that there will be times when we become discouraged and maybe resentful. You'll have to be prepared, too, for feeling guilty for putting us through all the misery but yes, Ana is right. This is a fight that we Greys have to take on…all of us…as a family."

Christian's eyes sparkled. Elliot gaped at his little sis. Grace and Carrick beamed with pride. It was decided. Carrick got up from his seat and went into his study to call Welsh and to plot the takedown of Elena Lincoln.

Grace was very quiet.

"Mom, are you all right?" Christian worried.

"Yes, I am. I am completely with all of you. I'm just sad to lose a friend, even one it seems that I never really had. It leaves a bit of an ache in my chest. On the other hand, I want so badly to slap her from here to next week. I suppose that I'll have to pretend until we're ready to strike. She expects me to meet with her next week for our regular lunch. How will I get through that?"

"An excuse. Your son's new girlfriend is a handful. Besides, reminding her that Christian is no long a dominant and that he has a girlfriend will drive her crazy. Be sure that you play it up big. Knowing that you're upsetting her will help you," Ana encouraged.

"Ana, this could be worldwide news. Perhaps we ought to alert Alphonse. He isn't going to be happy about my past as a dominant…contracts or no. He'll probably refuse the deal and order you home to safety and sanity. In fact, I would have to agree with him that you being safely tucked away on the estate would be best."

"You think Fleet Street couldn't find me? You think that the Daily Mail wouldn't be calling and begging for interviews and then making them up when I refuse? Our English press has a big head start at digging up dirt for sale…hundreds of years. No, I'll be safer with you. I go home and they'll follow me to Alphonse's door. I will, however, call to warn him when the time comes.

"If you'd rather I left, I did see a small motel a few miles back. I could get out of your hair," Ana giggled as she tried to get to her feet. Christian pulled her back and onto his lap.

"You'll go nowhere. You belong with me and I with you," he mumbled in her ear as he nuzzled her neck and held her close to him.

CHAPTER 32

Grace smiled at her children. She was so proud of all of them. They were willing to go out on a limb not just for their brother but for all the young boys out there who'd been victims of Elena Lincoln.

And Ana. What a special person her son had found after years of keeping company with women who asked to be beaten and tied up. Well, "keeping company" was certainly the wrong term but she could barely bring herself to conceive of what Christian had been doing much less use the correct words. She didn't understand. She just didn't. She loved that boy so much that it almost overwhelmed her. Her children meant everything to her and her sons' behavior with women both confounded and disgusted her. They had a little sister and a mother and a grandmother! How could they mistreat women in a way that they would never think of mistreating their loved ones?

Elliot spent every Friday and Saturday night bedding women he had just met…women he'd never call again. Women were nothing but…well…bodies to him. Every Sunday brunch he'd waltz in with a big grin on his face…well-satisfied and ready to eat pot roast. It broke her heart a little more each time. And now to learn about Christian's taste in carnal activity….

She felt that she ought to be happy now that at least one of her boys had fallen in love but her happiness was clouded by the knowledge of all that had been done to him and by him. She wondered if she'd ever be able to get past the hurt of it all.

She had wanted children all her life. All the miscarriages that she had suffered had almost broken her. And then the joy of finding Elliot. He was the perfect son. Such a lightness of being he brought to the house. She'd spent hours sitting by his bed watching him sleep, wanting to push his curls off his forehead but fearful of her touch waking him. She and Cary had been so happy with Elliot that they hadn't yet thought of another adoption on the night that she walked through the emergency room on her way to her locker. She heard a child crying in terror and looked to her left to see two nurses wrestling with a tiny boy. They were trying to remove his filthy clothes and he was terrified.

Grace ran over to them and ordered them away. The little boy jumped off the gurney and ran into a corner where he huddled, trembling. Grace sat on the floor a few feet from him. She pushed a cup of cold water over to him. He hesitated. Then he reached out and grabbed it, gulping it down. She asked if he wanted another. He pushed the cup back at her. They played this game for 30 minutes. Then she asked a nurse to bring a couple of sandwiches and a couple of puddings. The game continued. The tiny lad was so hungry that he fairly shoved the food down his gullet. Grace feared that he'd choke but she didn't interfere.

While he ate, Grace asked the nurse for the information about him. Approximately four years old. Found with his dead mother in a rotting tenement apartment. Probably 3-4 days deceased. Grace winched. She knew what a dead body looked like after several days. The child was severely malnourished. Grace shouldn't have given him so much food. It should have been introduced slowly in liquid form. He needed to be on a IV drip to rehydrate. Still, after the food and the water, he was calmer and had ceased shaking. As Grace sat on the floor, talking gently to him, assuring him that he was safe, he was able to slip into sleep.

The nurses removed his rags and bathed him. They gasped at the bruises and the welts and the burns on his tiny body. They treated the injuries as best they could. Still, the latest of the burns were going to hurt for some time to come. Then they put him to bed. Grace wanted to hold him in her arms and rock him in the chair but it was clear that he was afraid of being touched and she didn't want him to wake up in the arms of a stranger…so she simply sat by his bed all night.

She called Cary and told him about the little boy. She said that she wouldn't be home that night. She wasn't home for the next several nights either. The police came and told her that they had no information about the boy. No papers found in the apartment identified him or a father. The social worker arrived. Grace thought that she was terribly officious and cold. She almost demanded that the child tell her his name even though anyone could see that he was shrinking away in fear. Finally, Grace said that she would take him home with her but the social worker refused.

Grace was stupefied. "I'm a pediatrician, for heaven's sake. I know how to take care of a child. The president of this hospital will vouch for my character," she protested. But no. Rules were rules. Unless she was a licensed foster parent, the child would have to be placed in the system with the proper home.

Grace had been at his side for four days. She understood his horror of being touched. She knew how to feed him. He allowed her to wash his hands and his face. Only Grace was allowed to help him off the bed and into the bathroom. He would not adapt to a strange place with strange people. They would try to make him talk. The specialist had told Grace that there was nothing physically wrong with him and the social worker had been angry with him for not talking to her and maybe the foster parents would hit him. Foster parents were sometimes terrible people who took in children just for the money.

Grace was almost hysterical when she called Cary that afternoon. He assured her that he'd speak to a judge. When he returned the call, the best he'd been able to do was get the name of the foster placement and permission to visit a couple of days a week.

"I want him, Cary," Grace sobbed into the phone.

"Darling, are you sure? He's deeply damaged from what you've told me. We both work at high stress jobs as it is. This child is not going to be easy like Elliot."

"Come to the hospital. Meet him, please," Grace begged.

"Of course, of course," Carrick replied. Besides, he hadn't seen his wife for days.

As Carrick walked into the hospital room, his eyes went first to his beloved wife. They were still young and passionately in love as only young people can be. He'd slept alone for too many nights and he missed her so much. Thus, he was surprised to find that as soon as she stepped aside, his eyes involuntarily alighted on the little boy in the bed. He stopped in his tracks. Grace smiled. She knew that he, too, was immediately taken with the child because he hadn't even pulled her into his arms yet.

Carrick walked haltingly up to the bed. The little boy had the most beautiful face he'd ever seen on a child. Tousled auburn hair, bright grey eyes and so serious. Carrick felt the way he had the first time he laid eyes on Elliot. Love at first sight. He was stunned. He couldn't imagine that he felt any differently than any biological father felt when he first saw his newborn.

He smiled down at the boy. "Hello, little fella, I am so delighted to meet you. This pretty lady who hasn't left your side is my wife." The little fella looked up at Grace and almost, not quite, smiled at her. Carrick reached out and pulled Grace to his side. She had tears in her eyes.

"Well, if two highly educated people, one of them a doctor, can't be parents to this boy, then no one can. I'll get started on the papers right away, honey. You say that he doesn't like to be touched?"

Grace reached down and stroked his little head. He didn't smile. He closed his eyes and seemed to hum. Carrick did the same. The heavier hand startled the boy but he didn't swat Carrick's hand away at least. Boy, Carrick thought, it's going to be a long road. He had no idea now long. He didn't know that it would be nearly 30 years before his son would seek out his parents' embrace.

CHAPTER 33

"I think I'd better call Alphonse tonight," Ana said. They were in the back seat of the car as Taylor drove them home to Escala. Christian was holding Ana on his lap, his face nuzzled between her breasts and his hand between her legs. Ana thought she'd better let Christian know about the call before they reached the penthouse and he began ripping her clothes off.

Christian groaned. "Can't you call in the morning?"

Ana giggled. "In the morning, you'll have other plans. Then you'll ask if I can't let it go until the afternoon."

"Yeah, Tomorrow afternoon sounds good," mumbled Christian as his fingers slipped under her panties. Ana was getting heated and beginning to find it hard to talk. She had just enough blood left in her brain to avoid cuming with Taylor a foot away. She swatted Christian's hand and pushed herself off his lap. He looked wounded. Ana looked in the rearview mirror. Taylor looked relieved.

"Neither of us ate dinner at your folks. I am starving. So, I'll make the phone call while you heat up whatever is left over in the fridge, okay?" Ana asked as Christian grumbled.

The rest of the way home he kept his arm around Ana but just stared out the window. He was kind of hungry but he could always eat in an hour or so after his other appetite was tamped down a bit. He was also fearful that Ana's chat with Alphonse would spoil her appetite for sex. He couldn't imagine that Alphonse would be happy to hear about his precious Ana being in the clutches of a pervert…even a reformed pervert.

He kept his arm tight around Ana all the way up in the elevator but still couldn't bring himself to speak. When they walked off the elevator and Ana headed for the study to make her call, he stopped her.

"Promise me that no matter how appalled, disgusted, horrified, repulsed and terrified for you that Alphonse is, you'll come back out here to me," pleaded Christian.

"I'm yours, baby," Ana beamed at him. He quickly felt better. Ana's word was good but he knew it would probably be tested by Alphonse's alarm at what she had to tell him.

Taylor and Gail were embracing and kissing in the kitchen. They broke apart upon Grey's entrance. Taylor groused…something about privacy…but Gail pushed him toward their quarters while she headed for the warmer.

"It's okay, Gail. Ana told me to just warm up whatever is in the fridge."

Gail laughed. "Mr. Grey, when have you ever warmed up anything? I dare you to look in the fridge and decide upon something to "warm up". Grey affected an aggrieved expression. Then he looked relieved when he realized that Gail was going to feed them. He hoped that Ana wouldn't come in just then because he fully intended to very nonchalantly hand her a plate of food that he presumably had prepared. Gail heated up two bowls of mac and cheese with peas. She'd pre-cooked a large pot full of it so that Christian and Ana would have something with which to fortify themselves for a long night of having a go at each other. Taylor thought it hilarious that well into her second marriage, Gail still had difficulty saying the word sex…much less fuck. Sometimes, he'd tell her that he wanted to fuck her just to get a rise out of her. 'Course, then he'd have to spend a considerable amount of time calming her down enough to…well…have a go at her.

.+.

It was a while before dinner time in Potterville when Alphonse picked up the phone. Alphonse was missing Ana and still disturbed about the news from America. The news from America was usually unpleasant considering the character of the United States government, Alphonse thought. When the colonies had broken away from the motherland, they had not taken the good manners of the English with them. It was one of Ana's favorite things to watch parliament with Alphonse and to tease him about those manners when members in parliament were screaming at the members across the aisle. However, it wasn't the government's behavior that bothered him now. It was Christian's. Alphonse found it difficult to reconcile the man he knew with the man he was reading about now in the tabloids. Not that he sought out his news from the rags but he certainly couldn't help it if his staff liked to leave them lying around for his perusal.

"Anastasia Rose! Why have you taken so long to call?" Alphonse accused.

"It's only been a day or so, hasn't it, Alphonse? What have you been up to in my absence? I told you that I expected to see some progress in your dealings with the village councils," she scolded.

"Oh, now. I'll get to it. I just need my executive assistant to carry some of the load."

"Nonsense, you old warhorse. Summon the lot up to the house and lay down the law."

"Speaking of the law, what is happening regarding the shooting of that man in Christian's office?"

"The man who tried to kill him, you mean. He died from his wounds. It turns out that he knew Christian back in the day when they shared a foster home. He hated Christian because he thought that he should have been adopted by the Greys. He was rather crazy."

"That is crazy. Is Christian well?" Alphonse decided to ease his way into less comfortable territory.

"Yes, he is, as a matter of fact. We've just arrived back at his home after spending much of the day with his family. He has two sibling, Elliot and Mia. His parent's names are Grace and Carrick. Grace is a pediatrician and his father is an attorney."

"My. I can understand why that other fellow was jealous. Did you like everyone? Did they treat you well?"

"Yes, you old dear. Of course, they did. Listen, it was a very difficult afternoon for Christian. He had to come clean about secrets he'd been keeping. They were awful secrets and his family had a tough time with them but in the end they all came together to support Christian and what he has to do next. They are really remarkable people, Alphonse. You would like them."

"Awful secrets? Did you just learn about these secrets this afternoon as well?"

Ana steeled herself. If she didn't handle this just right….

"No, Alphonse. Christian told me everything while we were still in England. He was terrified, Alphonse. He thought so badly of himself…although he wasn't really at fault. He was so afraid that I'd be repulsed and want nothing more to do with him."

"This is beginning to worry me terribly, Ana. I know you. You're much too kind, understanding and forgiving. Maybe you should be repulsed." Alphonse knocked back a pill and a gulp of water. He could feel his chest tightening.

"Alphonse, it is repulsive information. It was incredibly brave of Christian to tell me…but he did because he is an honest man, a good man, and he'd never let me love him without telling me the truth about his past. He was prepared for me to hate him. He could have waited until he had me trapped in his penthouse but he wanted me to be able to tell him to go. And then today, he had to tell his family. Oh, Alphonse, my heart just bled for him. He's never felt that he deserved to be loved. He's actually never quite believed that his family could love him and he felt certain that once they knew the whole truth, they'd reject him."

"Did they?" asked Alphonse who suddenly felt quite protective of this man his Ana loved. He decided, without realizing that he had, that whatever Christian had done, he'd reformed and was no longer that man. Ana was a very smart cookie. She understood people in a way that often amazed Alphonse. She would never have cared for Mr. Grey in the slightest if he were the wrong sort of character. So, he sat back in his chair to listen.

CHAPTER 34

Christian sat on his stool at the breakfast bar, staring morosely at his congealing mac and cheese and peas. Ana had not yet emerged from the study. He hadn't heard anything and he was tempted to put his ear to the door. Instead, he sat still. Waiting. She was going to come out and she'd look solemn and sad and tell him goodbye. Their dinner was probably inedible now. Christian spooned a bit into his mouth and made a face. Yep, perhaps reheating in the microwave would help. He dumped all the mac and cheese and peas back into the big container and put it in the microwave, pressing in 4 minutes. That ought to be enough time. He'd press start when Ana was ready to eat. Then he went back to sitting on his stool.

It was almost 30 minutes before the study door opened. Christian sat up, alert. Ana walked toward him and stood between his legs. She stood on her tiptoes to wrap her arms around his neck and kiss him softly on his lips. She was smiling. She still loved him! Rejoicing, he tried to hide his relief but nothing got past Ana. He grasped her tightly to him, his nose in her neck. He breathed a sigh. It felt like it was the first time he'd taken a breath in half an hour.

"I'm starving. What's for dinner?" She asked.

Christian squeezed her one more time and then jumped down to heat their mac and cheese and peas. He pressed start and turned back to the breakfast bar to lean over and kiss Ana for a while. He'd save questions until they were both fed enough. Although, he thought that he could have lived on Ana's lips alone. He was in the middle of those lips when he heard crackling and spitting noises behind him. He looked around and the microwave was shooting off sparks and smoking. He wondered if that was normal. This was a man who'd never used a microwave…who was completely at sea in a kitchen. He was barely capable of opening a fridge.

He was also a man who was about to be in big trouble with his housekeeper. She considered all of Escala to be his with the exception of the kitchen. When he moved into the penthouse and interviewed housekeepers, Gail had gently but firmly informed him that the kitchen was separate from the rest of the home. The kitchen may have been his on the deed but if he were to hire her, he would be ceding ownership of all but the breakfast bar to her. She also informed him that the kitchen was woefully inadequate for her needs and would have to be redone before she could cook in it.

Christian, already a dominant in and out of the bedroom, might have reflected that Gail was a foreshadowing of a woman in his future who would also challenge his control over all things but at the time, he was simply a bit cowed. Gail came with the finest of references and he liked the look of her. She was blonde. Most of his employees were blonde. He was a brunette man. Blondes left him cold.

"Your references, which I will be calling, are excellent…on paper, Mrs. Jones. May I ask why you left the employ of the Garrisons. They're one of the finest families in the Seattle area."

"I found them to be intractable," Mrs. Jones said simply. She never took her eyes off of his which he found unnerving. His subs were never allowed to look into his eyes without his permission and his employees just didn't want to…except for his #2, Ros Bailey, who considered herself to be his equal.

"Intractable?"

"Yes, it means…." Christian interrupted. "I know the definition of the word, Mrs. Jones. I was asking what you meant with regard to the Garrisons. I've met them many times at my parents' charity affairs. They're always quite generous with their donations and seemed to be nice people."

"Good. However, they are not generous with their employees…with time or money. I have a sister who is suffering with a chronic illness. No need for details. I, on occasion, need time off to take care of her. This time-off usually last no more than a week. I'd always leave plenty of ready to eat meals that merely need reheating. The Garrisons felt that they were entitled to round the clock cooking and serving. They also docked my pay during my absences."

Christian was kind of with the Garrisons on this one but something in the look on Mrs. Jones' face forbade disagreement.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that your sister is ill, Mrs. Jones. My own grandmother is beginning to suffer from dementia. She is aware that she is losing her mind and it is hard on me to watch her hurting." He'd no idea why he was sharing private matters with this strange woman but she had a mothering effect on him. Maybe that was it. Mrs. Jones had a bit of Grace Trevelyan Grey about her."

Mrs. Jones smiled at him. A big, genuine smile. He smiled back. A rare expression on his face.

"Were they "intractable" about anything else?" he asked…carefully.

"The kitchen is my kitchen. Of course, people may come and go. The refrigerator and such. If asked, I always allow someone with the skills to use my kitchen but it must be understood that it is my kitchen."

Christian considered this for a moment. He knew how to open the refrigerator but that really was about as much as he knew about a kitchen.

"The Garrisons paid you quite generously as well," he noted. Mrs. Jones just looked at him as if waiting for a question. The ball was still in his court.

"Was this wage the result of increases or was it your starting wage?"

"My starting wage is quite a bit higher than the Garrison's allowed but I took the job because they had an autistic child whom I felt was not receiving enriching care from his parents. I worked there for five years in order to provide for the child."

"That is quite commendable," Grey marveled. "but you left."

"Yes, Peter had progressed enough to attend a mainstream school. He was doing very well. His parents merely needed proper direction."

Again…Grey stared at Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Jones stared back. He felt rather on the hot seat with a mother superior.

"The Garrisons, I must tell you, asked that I not hire you. They want you back and are willing to accede to any demands you have."

"Yes, they were quite upset when I tendered my resignation. I should tell you that my leaving was not a long thought-out process. It was rather spur of the moment which is unlike me. My sister's husband had called…frantic. Delores had taken a fall and was unconscious in the hospital. I informed the missus that I needed to leave immediately and she insisted that I stay through the evening's dinner party. Do you have many dinner parties, Mr. Grey?"

"No. I've never had a party of any kind. My siblings have the elevator code and drop by without calling rather regularly, I'm afraid. Mia is usually exhausted after a day of shopping and lunching and she'll usually go straight to her room for the night. She still lives in Bellevue with my parents but I feel that it's too far to drive when she's tired. Elliot spends his weekends drinking in bars and whoring around the city so he often winds up here, too. Usually around 2 in the morning. He's liable to be loud, banging into things while he heads for the fridge. He's a good cook."

"Not in my kitchen."

"So, you left the Garrisons to tend to your sister. I hope she recovered?" Mrs. Jones smiled warmly at Grey. She thought it kind of him to inquire about Doe.

"Yes. She's fine. A mild concussion only, thank the lord. Are you religious, Mr. Grey?"

"Ah…no." Grey confessed. "My parents dragged us to Sunday services but I'm afraid that none of us really stuck with it. I'm agnostic."

"Well, that's sensible."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is impossible to know, don't you think? I'm a pragmatic sort of person and, without empirical evidence, I find it hard to believe in spiritual fairy tales."

"Well, let's see what else needs to be covered. We've established that I own the penthouse but the kitchen is your domain. I don't have gatherings. I will pay you 20% more than you earned at the Garrisons. If ever you need to tend to your sister or have any other personal matters to attend to, you are free to go, without a dock in pay, provided you leave something for me to reheat. There are 10,000 square feet in this place but I require that you clean only my bedroom, study, playroom and great room on a regular week. Mia's room and Elliot's will need tending to after they've "visited"."

"Don't your parents ever drop by?" Mrs. Jones inquired.

"My mother will occasionally pop in, insisting that I take her to lunch. Back to cleaning…once a month a cleaning service will come in and give the whole place a thorough going over. There is only one room that they will never go into and now we come to the heart of the matter. After I tell you this, I fully expect that you will refuse my offer but….to tell you the truth, you are the first interviewee who has gotten this far."

"Why is that, Mr. Grey?" Mrs. Jones facial expression had taken on a suspicious tone.

"You are the first person I felt answered all of my requirements, for one thing. For another, I feel that you are discreet."

"I am absolutely discreet, Mr. Grey!" Mrs. Jones looked insulted…as if her discretion was a foregone conclusion.

"Well, I hope that you won't be too offended if I ask you to sign a non-disclosure agreement. I do believe that you are discreet but my lawyers insist that I get it in writing. What I have to tell you could ruin me should you let it slip."

Mrs. Jones looked blank. Grey slid the paper over to her. She read the whole thing…slowly. Grey waited. Finally, she looked up. "Am I to refrain from revealing anything illegal, Mr. Grey?"

"No, Mrs. Jones. Just a personal habit of mine that you'll undoubtedly find offensive."

To his surprise, Mrs. Jones smiled. She signed the NDA and slid it back to him. Then she leaned forward in a conspiratorial fashion and whispered, "I'm listening."

Grey laughed. He then told her of his Friday evening through Sunday morning BDSM activities and his subs. She gasped and put a hand over her mouth in dismay. "What do you do when your siblings drop by…unannounced?"

"First of all, you will begin your weekend at 6 pm Friday and return to work at 6 pm Sunday. I'd prefer if you stayed in your quarters and used the servants entrance during that time to come and go. The main elevator will be locked during that time so that if I have unexpected company, I will be alerted to their presence and my sub will be confined to her room."

"So, no one knows about all this," Mrs. Jones summarized.

"My housekeeper, security personnel and a friend, Mrs. Lincoln. Well, Mrs. Jones, would you like to work here?" Grey so hoped that she'd say yes because he was very hungry and tired of take-out.

Mrs. Jones had said yes and had been an invaluable addition to his staff. Although once he had more or less blown up her kitchen, he worried that he'd need new staff.

The room filled quickly with smoke. The microwave crashed, it seemed. Mac and cheese and peas splattered out of the door and landed on every surface in the kitchen and there was the smell of "burnt" in the air. Christian had leapt over the counter and taken Ana off the stool and to the floor. The microwave grew quiet. Gail did not. Christian felt it better to stay down until the worst of Gail's fury subsided.

"My kitchen!" she cried. "Holy shit!" Taylor yelled. As Gail's cries wound down to whines of despair, Christian and Ana stood up. Ana immediately threw Christian under the bus.

"Christian was reheating the mac and cheese," she announced as Christian glared at her.

"You put a large metal bowl in the microwave?!" Gail was aghast. "Look at this place. It will take me the rest of the night to clean all the food off all the surfaces. The microwave was built in so a service person will have to come. We'll have to paint. Christian!"

He stared in amazement at the damage done and tried to look contrite. In truth, a man of his wealth didn't worry about the cost of repair but he knew how much Gail's kitchen meant to her.

"Gail, first thing in the morning, I'll have people in here to clean up, repair and replace. If you want, we'll have the entire kitchen rebuilt…from the studs on up." There, he thought, that's a decent offer.

"And how will you eat while all that is being done?" She demanded to know.

"Take-out. Just the way I lived before you. And this time you could have the kitchen rebuilt exactly as you like. Remember all those niggling little details that you wished you'd taken care of the first time?" Yes, when he'd hired Gail, she'd thought the kitchen was, again, woefully inadequate for her needs and he'd just hired an expert who helped her rebuild it. No big.

Gail seemed to consider the matter. "All right. Here," she said as she handed him a cheese encrusted take-out list, "call in the morning." Then she turned on her heel after giving him one last nasty look and went back to her apartment.

Taylor looked sourly at Grey. "By call in the morning, you mean Taylor call in the morning, right?"

"Well, keeping me fed and healthy is part of security, isn't it?" Grey had the gall to claim. Taylor grumbled and turned to go back to Gail. He considered keeping her happy more important than guarding Grey. Of course, now he'd have to deal with an unhappy woman all night.

"Chinese?" Christian asked Ana.

CHAPTER 35

The next few days were tense and disturbing in many ways for Christian. Ana wanted to explore Seattle all the while Taylor's security team were reporting dozens of sightings of either Elena Lincoln or Leila Williams in Ana's vicinity. If Ana was in a lingerie boutique, one of the two were sighted in among the crowd of paparazzi waiting outside for photographs. Ana was flawless in her dealings with the paparazzi. She'd ask them to wait quietly for her and when she came back out of a shop, she'd pose for a few photos and take any polite questions they asked. This gambit worked time and again.

"Look at this one, Cary. Ana is holding up a couple of the shop's bags and smiling. And get this, one of them asked her if she's Christian's beard and all the others told him to shut up." Grace held out the morning's copy of the Seattle Times for Carrick.

"She's really good at this, isn't she? Did you see the one where she was shopping with Gail for groceries? She sent Gail into the store, posed for pictures and took questions and then, as per their deal, they all went away. Who knew paparazzi could be trained?" he chuckled. "Must be a great relief for Christian."

"It's creepy to think that Elena and/or Leila could be in that crowd, taking pictures and spying on Ana." Grace sighed.

"Well, Taylor has more people watching those two than he does watching Ana. They can't make a move without a covert being right on them. Christian is terribly afraid that one or the other will try to harm Ana. He doesn't think that either is playing with a full deck. I tend to agree. And if they're deranged, they're not going to be thinking about Ana's bodyguards being a problem. They'll just do what they want to do. I'm concerned as well, Grace."

"You mean that you'd rather I didn't have lunch with Elena, don't you? You know that I have to, Cary. Her need for my social influence is the only thing keeping her from going rogue. Our lunch tomorrow is going to be interesting. She, as per usual, will try to finagle information out of me and this time I'll have to avoid doing that without her catching on."

"Well, maybe I can help you out with that, Grace," sang out a sweet voice.

"Ana! We didn't expect to see you today! What a nice surprise," Carrick exclaimed. Grace hugged her while Carrick kissed her cheek. "What are you doing here? Is Christian with you?"

"No and he doesn't know yet that I'm dropping by. I'm sure Ryan will be informing him. Grace, I had an idea. I know how much you dread lunching with Elena so I thought that I would join you," Ana beamed.

"What!?" Grace seemed horrified.

"Now hear me out," Ana implored. "All that Elena knows of me is what she reads in the paper and what Leila has told her. I'll bet she'll be thrilled to meet me. I'll tell her that you and Christian thought it a good idea for us to meet what with her being such a good friend of both of you. It will take the heat off you because she'll be able to size me up all on her own. Of course, I'll be less forthcoming than she'd like, to be sure, but after a minute or so, she'll forget that you're even there. I'll also be able to size her up. I think I'll enjoy this lunch."

"Oh, darling, Christian will never allow this," said Grace.

"He will certainly fight me on it but I'm used to doing as I please. Remember? Emancipated at 14? Letting Elena get a good look at me and seeing that I'm no shrinking violet may give her pause about sic'ing her dog, Leila, on me. If nothing else, meeting her will quell some of my curiosity about this heinous creature. Now, what time shall I just happen to run into you or even better, we should go together…thus convincing her that you know nothing of what she did to your son. My being there will also keep you from whacking her." Ana smiled. She really was looking forward to this lunch.

Grace looked doubtfully at Carrick as he just shrugged. "I wish I could be there when you tell our son," he chortled.

.+.

"NO WAY IN HELL! OVER MY DEAD BODY! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!?" And so it went for almost an hour. Ana simply told Christian about her Tuesday lunch plans and off he went. She didn't argue.

They were in the bedroom where Ana was picking out a proper luncheon outfit. "Sweetie, what does one wear to meet one's lover's pedophile? Is black appropriate or perhaps something in red?"

Christian's bellowing was just background noise for Ana while she tried on several outfits to check out in the mirror. She couldn't decide whether to go for Grace-like elegance or more of a slut-in-training look. Asking Christian for his opinion only set him off again.

"I'LL LOCK YOU UP FIRST! I'LL HAVE TAYLOR SITTING ON YOUR LAP!" and the pie'ce de re'sistance… "I ABSOLUTELY FORBID IT!" For this last one, he earned a blazing side-eye.

Ana took several deep breaths and then sat on Christian's lap. "Darling, how many coverts do you have tailing Elena? How many do you have tailing me? Never mind. I'm sure that Elena is aware of your security detail and expects you to have several minding me at all times. I'm not even going to try to pretend that I don't know that they are there. I do draw the line at having Taylor sit on my lap, however. I don't have enough lap for him anyway."

She kissed him quickly and stood again to peruse dresses. She left him panting and decided on a lovely red dress, off shoulder with a tight skirt and a wide black belt. It should get a snarl out of Elena. She called Grace to tell her what she was wearing so that they didn't both wear red. Christian snapped the phone out of her hand and began yelling at his mother.

"Mother, what can you be thinking to go along with this cockamamie idea?" He listened in astonishment as his mother told him that she concurred with Ana. "I'm going to hang up on you now, Mom."

He turned to Ana who stood before him in bra and panties, smiling sweetly. "No fair," he growled as he pushed her up against the wall and began to ravish her.

Thirty minutes later he was panting again but this time it was not from raging at Ana but from fucking her into oblivion. Ana was gasping for breath.

"I think I like when you're mad at me," she giggled.

"No fair. No giggling," he muttered back at her. He turned to his side and she to hers to look into each other's eyes…his grey now growing lighter and her dark brown turning back to light hazel. He loved looking into her eyes. There were so many colors…flecks of gold and brown and black and green in those hazel eyes. He held her head with his hand and studied her.

"You are the most wondrous and beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. You are endlessly fascinating to me. I've never spend a moment in your presence when I wasn't lit up inside. I don't know how to tell you…I mean…I…do you have even a clue as to how much I love you?" he stumbled as he tried to express his feelings for her. It was a hopeless task. He could never think of the words.

He drew his finger over her soft lips. She kissed the finger as she ran hers through his hair.

"I'm as helpless as you, my love. Every day, before you come home, I try to think of a new way, a better way, to tell you all that you are to me and every day I fail. I will always fail but I will always try. Now make love to me again before we sleep. I have a big day tomorrow."

CHAPTER 36

Christian did make love to Ana…once again trying to impress upon her the depth, the fierceness of his feelings for her. She fell asleep within minutes as he held her. He couldn't sleep, however, consumed as he was with schemes to keep her from Tuesday's lunch with Elena.

Carrick was looking at every legal angle and Welsh was investigating the names and whereabouts of other victims. Christian had told them that Elena had a safe built into the rock walls of her basement dungeon and that was probably where they'd find all the evidence they needed but getting into the house was the problem. A warrant was required for the evidence to be admissible in court and they hadn't yet thought of a way to get that warrant. Someone would have to bring charges, convince a judge to issue a warrant on the word of that person and then pretend to search the house and just happen to stumble upon the hidden safe.

Christian and Carrick knew that if he came forward, they could certainly find an agreeable judge. They also knew that others might come forward once word got out about Christian. However, the time lapse between getting a warrant and getting the safe open would give Elena time to dispose of the evidence or hide it elsewhere. Christian was still leery of being the first complaining witness given his years of being a dominant. He worried for his company, the job security of his employees, the embarrassment for his family, for Ana, even for Alphonse who could get dragged into this mess.

Alphonse had taken Ana's revelations rather well. He'd not only heard of BDSM but claimed that the British invented it. Seemed rather proud of that. He knew of some fine families amongst the nobility who practiced BD without the SM. Still, he was relieved to know that Christian had given it up and had no intention of leading Ana down that road. She wouldn't take that road anyway. She was too proud, too independent and her need for control was as strong as Christian's.

Thus, Christian felt that he'd really dodged a bullet. For his love's employer/family, a man in his 90th decade, to be so open-minded was astonishing good luck. He and Christian had spoken since and all was well. Alphonse was far more concerned about any blowback on Ana. He called every day to report a news article about the prince of Seattle and his…well, whatever they were calling her that day. Sometimes, for instance, the Daily Mail thought her to be charming and kind but other days she was a gold-digging harlot. The Mail had dug up her past as wife and mother and public sympathy was strongly in favor of her because of the tragedy that she'd had to endure.

Tomorrow, while Elena was at lunch, Elliot was going to put a tracking device on her vehicle and break into her house to plant a couple of cameras. They needed to keep an eye on her and to know when she was gone and where. Still, none of that was admissible in court either. Their best hope was to find some of her past victims and even better, minors currently under her thrall. With any luck, they'd find a minor in her dungeon on Elliot's camera footage.

Christian enveloped Ana in his arms and kissed her hair. She smelled like vanilla. At least, Ana would be able to record her conversation with Elena and a covert would record a visual. Christian felt that Ana didn't understand what she was getting herself into. Elena was cunning and vicious. If things turned sour, Christian had warned Ana that he would charge in like the cavalry.

.+.

Elena was already at her table, waiting for Grace. She liked to get there a bit early to garner all the attention before the refined Dr. Trevelyan arrived. Once could feel the atmosphere change when a woman of Grace's stature appeared. She brought that refinement to Elena's table and everyone saw Grace bestow her imprimatur on the more humble Elena Lincoln, a woman of no stature really…only a businesswoman who owned a few beauty salons…salons patronized by the Grey women...but still.. it was Grace's respect for Elena that gave Elena her only entry into society.

So Elena waited, posture perfect but still dressed, as always, in black. Her hair waso, as always, a brilliant yellow pile on her head. Much of it was no longer her own. One couldn't bleach one's hair for 40 years and expect it to retain its strength, thickness and luster. Still, Elena didn't seem to see herself as others did no more than she realized that her makeup was too much and her red nails too much like knives. She was still dressing as she did when she'd come to Seattle as a young and beautiful woman and her look was new and daring and appealing to all the men. Now she was more a caricature than a real person.

She felt the atmosphere change in the room…a sort of electrical charge sweep through. Grace didn't cause that. Elena looked up to see Grace dressed like a society matron arm in arm with a stunningly beautiful young woman who smiled at everyone as Grace introduced her. She was small but wearing 6 inch heels which made her legs go on forever. Her off-the-shoulder dress and its bright red color emphasized her alabaster skin and the black belt showed off her slender waist and hips. Her hair, a glossy mahogany curling over her naked shoulders and bright hazel eyes completed the picture of a gorgeous woman. Elena looked around. Everyone was staring at her…women as well as men. Whispers and gasps filled the room. Elena had no trouble recognizing Ana Steele, Christian Grey's woman.

CHAPTER 37

As they approached the table, Elena stood up just long enough to air kiss Grace before quickly sitting again when Grace introduced her to her son's girlfriend, Ana Steele. Elena reached up a hand, palm down, as if she expected Ana to kiss it. Ana did not. The manager raced over to pull out both Grace's and Ana's chairs. It was clear that he was dazzled. Elena snapped her fingers at him and ordered a martini. He turned to Grace, said how nice it was to see her again and took her order of a cosmopolitan. Then he turned to Ana, made some remark about her being a wonderful addition to the Tuesday lunch and took her order of ice water.

"You don't drink, Ms. Steele," Elena spoke in surprise.

"I don't hold my liquor well, Mrs. Lincoln. I don't want to fall into my mother-in, I mean Grace's lap." Of course, Elena caught the slip and wondered if Ana was indeed married but decided to let it go.

"Well, now, Ms. Steele, how are you finding Seattle after merry old England? You must feel like a fish out of water in a plain old American town after residing on a British estate for so many years."

Grace feigned surprise that Elena knew about Ana's background. "I didn't think that you read the tabloids, Elena. You always said that it was trashy reading for trashy minds."

"Really?" questioned Ana, "I've always enjoyed the gossip and the fantastical stories of aliens and two-faced snakes in the grass." She smiled charmingly at Elena who didn't quite know how to take the comment.

"Well, Ana has been featured also in the Seattle Times and other reputable media. I believe that you were on the television recently giving an interview. I'm surprised that Christian would allow that. He is so dignified and private."

"It was a brief interview given in exchange for privacy while Mia and I shopped. Besides, I am not dignified nor necessarily private. My life has always been an open book. Christian seems comfortable with my openness."

"In Christian's eyes, Ana can do no wrong," beamed Grace. "We feel so fortunate that Christian has finally found a good woman with whom to share his life. The whole family is thrilled with Ana. We've never seen Christian happy. He's always been so closed off and cold but since Ana, he is warm and inviting and interested in everyone. His life for so long seemed filled with so much toxicity."

"Wonderful, wonderful, of course," Elena grimaced. Grace was having a real good time. She decided to continue.

"He's never know a woman of such accomplishment, either." Elena finished her martini and ordered a double. "All of his past women he kept hidden from us for the most part. I think that he was ashamed because they were only sexual partners. When he walked into the house with Ana, it was clear that here was someone special.

"Do you know that Ana was a Rhodes Scholar? She earned a summa cum laude from Oxford University in Business Finance. She is really a wiz…even found an issue with a contract that could have derailed a whole deal but she fixed it."

"Oh, now, Grace. I played only a small part in that." Ana spoke modestly.

"Well, not to hear Ros Bailey tell the story. Without your expertise, the entire deal would have gone south. And not only is Ana good with numbers, she is an excellent pianist and singer. Perhaps we can persuade her to perform at our annual Coping Together Gala. That could be one of the items we put up for auction." Grace grew more excited while Elena knocked back her double martini and order another. She was chomping away at her salad like a cow chewing its cud.

Grace and Ana exchanged sly looks. Boy, were they getting under Elena's skin. Ana's phone buzzed. She looked at it and was about to shut it off when Grace urged her to take it. "It's probably Christian. Honestly, Elena, he has to check in with Ana every half hour or he gets frantic about her safety. There are coverts everywhere."

"Yeah. I noticed. It's a little claustrophobic," Elena growled.

"Hi, honey," Ana said. Elena cringed. "We're having a lovely time. How sweet of you to ask. Your mother's been bragging me up to Elena but I'd like to know more about her. Say what? Now why would I ask that? Oh, all right. Whatever you wish, my dearest. I love you, too."

"Such a sweet man. Treats me like a princess. Thinks that I'm flawless…but we all know that no one is, don't we, Mrs. Lincoln?" Elena looked up sharply. What did Ana mean by that?

"Christian wanted me to ask you a strange question but I don't know what it means. Have you collared any ten year-olds lately? Now why would Christian think that you were doing police work? Is that a sideline for you? I thought that you owned several elite beauty salons."

Ana put on her most innocent perplexed look as she stared at Elena who didn't know how to explain Christian's question. "Well, I was having some trouble with children egging my house. Perhaps he means have I caught any of them."

"Oh, that could be it, sure. That's a shame. What would the neighborhood adolescents have against you?

"You know, I remember as a little girl that we had a neighborhood witch. You know how children can be. She was simply an elderly woman who lived alone with her cats in an otherwise empty old house. There were all sorts of unsubstantiated rumors about ghastly activities going on at her place. Some kids swore they knew other kids who'd been lured inside and tortured and made to do awful things. She was ugly and mean and would yell at us as we walked by so in turn, we egged her house. I'm sure that she was just lonely and unloved. Quite sad, really."

Yes, Grace agreed. Then she patted Elena's hand and said that "we" older gals have to stick together, don't we? Elena did not consider herself older. Despite being older than Grace, Elena believed herself to be still a spring beauty. She still, in fact, considered herself to be worthy of Christian Grey.

"But Elena, we've been talking all about me," Ana said. "Please tell me all about you. You've been Grace's friend for so many, many years. How did you meet?"

Many, many, Elena huffed inwardly. "Grace and I met when my ex-husband and I moved in next door."

"Oh, so you live in that cute little house next to Grey Manor. It's so charming," exclaimed Ana.

"It isn't so little, just a bit smaller than Grey Manor. Anyway, I walked over one day to introduce myself to the neighbors and there was Grace. It was friendship at first sight, wasn't it, Grace?"

"Well," Grace chuckled, "not quite. I was a little taken aback at first. Elena is so much more extroverted than I am. But she was persistent and soon I came around," Grace allowed, thinking that she should have kicked her out onto the gravel driveway. Would have saved so much trouble.

Elena was a bit embarrassed by Grace's remark. She liked to believe and have everyone else believe her version of events. The way that Grace told the story it seemed as though Elena groveled for Grace's friendship. Nevertheless, now she had it.

"Good neighbors are just gold, aren't they, Elena. Someone next door looking out for you, ready to pitch in and help in difficult times. Grace told me that you've been a shoulder to cry on for many years. Christian wasn't always the easiest child. However, he's always been brilliant and eventually, he decided to grow up and when he did, boy, did he do it well. He pulled himself up, worked hard and became a business wunderkind. He tells me that he couldn't have done any of it without the love and support of his family."

Elena knocked back a third double martini and was losing control of her anger. The love and support of his family…my aunt fanny, she thought. She made him the man he is today. She taught him to hold himself above all others.

"You know, Christian alluded to people, toxic people, in his life. He had to free himself from those people and fight their influence to make himself the man he is today. Have you had a similar experience, Elena? I know I certainly have."

Elena didn't answer. She was busy with her fourth double martini. Toxic! How dare he refer to her as toxic. She was his only friend. She'd seen to it.

"Christian and I have that in common. Both of us lacked friends. Christian certainly wishes that he'd had male companions. He's working on that now. He will succeed at friendship just as he has at everything to which he's put his mind. He and his brother are closer than ever. I suppose that you and Grace have a large circle of society friends."

Well, Grace did but they only tolerated Elena. That fourth double martini was doing her in. She was now sloppy drunk. Ana and Grace had finished their salmon and were talking to each other about getting back to their men. Ana reached across the table and took Elena's hand to shake and said how lovely it was to meet Grace's good friend. She hoped to see her again. Perhaps at the upcoming Coping Together Gala.

Grace's and Ana's departure drew looks of admiration as had their entrance. No one looked at Elena as she tried to stand up and could not. The manager suggested that she might prefer to take a taxi home since she was in no shape to drive. He would go out and hail one for her. Elena stumbled to her feet and wobbled out of the restaurant under the disapproving eyes of the other patrons.

"Good timing, Grace. Elliot texted that he tagged her car and planted listening and video devices around her house. Looks like the manager is getting her a cab. Good."

"Four double martinis! I've never seen Elena drink like that. You are a vile woman, Ana Steele," Grace laughed hysterically.

Christian, who listened to the entire lunch, expressed shock that his sweet little woman could put so many knives into a little old lady. Then he texted that he needed her home right away. He missed her, her smart mouth and her bangin' body. Ana giggled and rolled her eyes.

CHAPTER 38

Elena woke up the next morning, having passed out on the couch, still dressed. Much of her hair was now on the floor and her makeup was smeared all over her face. She couldn't recall getting out of the cab and into the house. A jack hammer was pounding away in her head. As she lay on the couch, details about the previous day's lunch kept slapping back at her.

She'd gone to that lunch intending to grill Grace about Ana Steele. Instead, she'd been made to feel like the old maiden aunt sulking in the presence of the young beauty who'd stolen her nephew's heart. Damn…Grey belonged to Elena. She'd raised him to worship her, a woman experienced and wise. Ana could play the piano…la de da. She despised the girl before they even met face to face but Elena felt that she'd been played. She went over the conversation in her head, her ire rising anew at all the innuendos Ana so subtly lobbed at her. And Grace! Good grief! Elena had wanted to smack her mouth shut as she blithered on about all of Ana's fine qualities.

The girl was a beauty, Elena had to admit, but then being so young made it easy to be pretty. Elena had to try harder but she certainly succeeded. She knew that she was a stunning woman. Ana had a callow kind of beauty…no depth, no rich patina of age. Elena was looking forward to the ball in little more than a week's time. Ana wouldn't be able to outshine Elena. She was far too plain.

Christian would surely be embarrassed to be seen with such a shallow, lifeless doll trying to dress up like Mommy.

Elena would also be bringing a plus one…Leila Williams. Leila would knock his socks off. Leila knew Christian intimately and she was a pro. The tiny country bumpkin would be a dim bulb next to a brilliantly shining Leila. Between the two of them they'd keep Christian spinning dizzily all evening. Leila's body and Elena's brain…Ana would be no match for such a double threat. Besides, they were fixtures on the society circuit while Ana was just an untested and recent addition. Seattle society was quite particular about interlopers. Even an association with the Greys couldn't win her acceptance in the rarefied social air of Seattle's elite.

With great effort, Elena rose to her feet, swaying back and forth. She held on to furniture and walls as she made her way up the stairs to her master suite. Little house, Ana had called her mansion. She stripped off her clothes and ran a bath. She first got a look at herself in the mirror and groaned. Lipstick smeared, mascara running down her rouged cheeks, missing one fake eyelash, prominent bags and dark circles under her watery blue eyes. When had her deep blue eyes become so faded? Her collar opened to reveal her wrinkled and scrawny neck. For the gala, she'd wear a diamond choker and a push-up bra…a devastating combination.

She crawled into her warm bath, sprinkling oils into the water. She felt relaxed. Content. Ana, she told herself would be only a short-term threat…a dull thing who would soon bore a man used to a sophisticated woman of the world.

.+.

Christian couldn't seem to pull Ana close enough to him as he spooned with her after making love all afternoon. He buried his nose in the crook of her neck and breathed in her scent. She was sleeping, exhausted. He was a selfish son-of-a-bitch, he told himself. He just couldn't get enough of making love to her. After all the sex, he now wanted to talk to her. When they talked, he liked to watch her mouth move, her eyes flash with fire about some topic dear to her, her laugh, her giggle.

Even though he had listened in on her lunch with Elena, he had listened enraptured as she repeated everything. She was so animated. Each turn of phrase was unique. Her descriptions of Elena and her reactions were better than the tapes turned in by the covert. Christian didn't think he'd ever had such fun talking with anyone…even Elliot, who could be very funny. He wanted to talk with Ana for the rest of his life.

Ana mumbled and turned over, burrowing into his chest. Wake up and talk to me, he thought. I want to hear your voice. I want to hear you do your impression of Elena again. I want to watch all the colors of your eyes as you laugh. I want to hold you forever. I want. I want. I want. And yes, I'm greedy, unapologetically greedy.

I'm afraid, Christian thought, that I'll wear you out, become too much for you. I'll never get enough. Can you hear my heart thumping in my chest, wild and crazy for you, Ana? In her sleep, she kissed his chest. He sighed with contentment, with joy. And, then, he melted into sleep.

CHAPTER 39

Carrick had something approaching good news that morning. Welsh had located several young men who knew Elena Lincoln. Two were incarcerated for assault on women…older women. Carrick would be meeting with them in a day or two. Perhaps they would want to cooperate with him in a case against Elena. Then again they might want to forget the whole thing or they'd believe the lies she told them. Carrick's main concern was that Christian not have to go it alone. He would, Carrick knew, if it meant saving the next boy but he would do everything he could to protect his son.

Grace wasn't sleeping well. Carrick would wake in the middle of the night and find her gone. He was like his son in that respect. He needed Grace to be near and even in the depths of sleep he always felt her absence. He'd find her sitting in the great room, drinking wine. He worried. In the early years of their relationship, she was under unbelievable stress. Her internship, her residency…36 hour shifts with little to no rest. And then, the miscarriages. She'd endure two to three months of morning sickness and hormonal changes and then the payoff would be yet another loss. Except for the actual months of pregnancy, Grace would drink to deal with the stress. She only stopped when they adopted Elliot.

Now, with Christian's newfound happiness on shaky ground due to dealing with Elena and Leila and the possibility of losing Ana to England, Grace was back to sipping wine in the middle of the night. Carrick would remind her that her children needed her to be solid, to prop them up. Grace would nod…understanding…and return the bottle to the wine cooler. She'd return to bed but she still didn't sleep well. She'd lie in bed, dwelling on the harm done to her son by her false friend and plotting ways to make the old crone pay…and pay dearly.

Ana seemed to sense Grace's fragility. She would meet her for lunch several times a week. She would reassure Grace that both she and Christian were strong people, that Grace need not fear so much for them. She'd make Grace laugh by mocking Elena. Once a week, she would take Grace and Mia for an afternoon at a spa. God bless her, Carrick thought. Ana did them a world of good. She was an exceptionally strong woman…at least, for other people. She often reminded Grace that she'd taken care of herself most of her life and that Grace herself was a very strong woman. Grace needed to hear that.

Christian would take Friday afternoons off to spend with Ana. They would go for long walks or out on the boat. He took her up in his helicopter, Charlie Tango, but heights were really not in Ana's comfort zone. She tried to not let her fear show because she knew how much Christian loved to fly and that it meant a lot to him to share flight with Ana. Still, Christian was highly attuned to Ana's moods and her pale face, tight with apprehension, did not go unnoticed. Yet, it was Ana herself who insisted that they fly because she knew how much it meant to him. I'll adjust, she'd promise.

Every night she called Alphonse and he would tell her to stay in America with Christian for as long as necessary. He needs you, he'd tell Ana. Yes, I'm talking my pills. Yes, I'll have the doctor call you next time he comes by. Devil is fine. We're all fine. I'll call Ros Bailey and get started on the sale of Potter, Inc. Yes, yes, I'll convene a meeting with the village councils soon. I've been out to talk with Delilah and she wants me to stay here and take care of business. I left flowers with Daniel and Lilibet and Pete is going to plant pots of petunias around the stones.

After talking with Alphonse, Ana always felt better…for a while.

"Christian, can we talk a bit?" Ana asked one night after they'd settled in bed.

"Sure, honey. About anything in particular?" Christian asked.

"Alphonse always reassures me that all is well. Your deal is going through. He's healthy."

"But you're not sure. You need to see for yourself, don't you?" Christian's heart beat a little harder at the thought of being without Ana.

"I wouldn't stay long. A few days, perhaps. Just to look in on things. I hate to leave you and your family, especially Grace, but I'm feeling anxious. Do you understand?" Ana looked into Christian's crystal gray eyes. He smiled down at her, smoothing her hair.

"You know, I own a jet now. I should fly back with you anyway now that Alphonse has agreed to the deal. There is a lot to do. Dad and Welsh have to handle all the legal issues we're facing. Would you mind my coming along or do you feel it's best if you go alone?" Grey tried to sound casual. He didn't want Ana to feel pressured. It turned out that he needn't have been concerned about that. A great smile spread across her face and she encircled his neck, squealing with delight.

"Oh, thank god. I was so afraid that you'd have to stay back and work and I'd miss you so and worry so. I wish we could take Grace with us, too."

"Well, why not? I'll call her in the morning and have her arrange a vacation. She never takes the time off that she's due anyway. Mind you, I don't know if she'll feel comfortable leaving Dad and Mia. She worries. This Elena mess has her nerves on edge all the time. I think that a change of scenery would be great for her mental health."

"I'd ask but I'm pretty certain that Mia wouldn't want to leave Carrick. She's quite the daddy's girl, isn't she?" Ana giggled. "Besides, did you know that she's been back in touch with Ethan? I don't know that she'd want to leave town if it meant leaving Ethan."

"Now why is he back?" Christian growled. "Mia is still unemployed, living with her mommy and no closer to being grown up than when they were dating before."

"He missed her. I think that Mia has matured some since this whole thing with Elena started. I think that he can hear it in her voice. She doesn't talk so much about clothes and girl lunches and such. She just wants to help you and her folks. He's been helping her with that. Explaining feelings and situations. And about a job…well…Mia doesn't want to be away from her parents or you or be distracted just now. And, I know that you're going to say that she's just making excuses but I don't think that she is. I really do believe that she is respecting her priorities right now."

Christian looked doubtful but Ana was good with people so maybe she was right. He leaned down and kissed Ana's soft shoulder and inhaled her essence. She always smelled so good. "Are you very tired, love?" he asked.

"Not as tired as I could be," she giggled. "I could use some nice relaxing physical activity. Were you thinking of a round of scrabble or perhaps ping-pong?" she teased.

Christian pushed the bed clothes aside and lowered himself down to Ana's legs. "I was thinking of having my mouth all over your thighs and then asking you to open your legs. I want to suck and lick and bury my tongue in your folds."

He began to suck on her legs and Ana began to moan. She automatically spread her legs, inviting him in. He slipped two fingers inside her while he tongued her clit. He felt her arching her back off the bed until she cried out his name over and over. God, how he loved it when she called his name. He lifted her knees over his shoulders and slipped inside her. He moved slowly. He wanted to revel in the feel of her soft walls tightening around him. Sometimes, she squeezed his cock over and over like an embrace. Oh, lord. There was nothing like it and he felt swept away in a tsunami of orgasmic convulsions. They were so overpowering that he'd see stars. He'd call out her name, too, although he didn't seem to hear himself. When, finally, he felt the spasms subsiding, he'd have to wrap her securely in his arms to keep them both from falling…falling. In that moment, they were both all they had and all they could hold on to and sleep took them both at once.

CHAPTER 40

As the Grey jet touched down at a private airport outside London, Christian reflected on the last time he'd arrived here. Not only had he been on a commercial flight but he had been empty inside, consumed with spreadsheets and acquisitions. Now he looked next to him, at Ana and his mother, chattering away. Grace looked better already. She had color in her cheeks and a light in her eyes. Ana was good for her. She was good for everyone.

Taylor had stayed back in Seattle, working with Carrick to build a case against Elena. He was happy to be staying with Gail, as well. Mia had promised to keep her father from feeling too deeply the absence of his wife and Grace would Skype with him every day.

There was only one thing to bother Grey. After finishing the deal for Potter, Inc. and putting into place all the updates, would he be flying home without Ana? He quickly shook the idea out of his head. To dwell on it for even a moment made his heart hurt. It seemed an unendurable notion yet it was a black cloud hanging over him from the beginning. As if she could read his mind, Ana took his hand and smiled at him. She was in an impossible position and could find no way through to an answer.

Ryan exited the jet first, making a visual sweep of the area before allowing his charges to disembark. A black limo pulled up to the jet. David got out and opened the door for Alphonse who grumbled something at him and then walked quickly to the stairs. Ana came out first and Alphonse lit up. He enveloped her in his arms and then looked her over quickly to assure himself that she was fine. She did the same before introducing Grace. Grey stood at the top of the steps, happy to see Alphonse and yet feeling saddened by the obvious joy both he and Ana felt upon seeing each other again.

Alphonse bowed to Grace and kissed her hand. She was already completely charmed by the old man. When Grey approached, Alphonse was gracious and seemed pleased but Christian detected a bit of reluctance. He was a threat to Alphonse as much as Alphonse was a threat to him…rivals for Ana. Grey hoped that his mother could distract Alphonse and vice versa.

Grey figured that he had a month's worth of work…at most…to integrate Potter, Inc. into GEH. He needed to settle on a central location, an onsite manager, a few firings and a few hires. He'd done this many times. Perhaps, considering the local reaction to an outsider, he would need more than the usual amount of time but still… He'd already concluded that Ana would be the perfect CEO if she refused to leave Alphonse. At least that way she'd be employed and he would have an excuse to keep in touch. It was really all a matter of what Ana herself decided was her place to be. He knew that her place was with him but it wasn't his decision to make. The lead in his chest felt heavier.

The trip to the estate was full of Alphonse's usual backseat driving, Grace's constant swiveling to see out every window, the tension rippling off of Ryan who felt that one CPO for three people called for his rigid attention to every possible problem. Ana took advantage of the time to curl up close to Christian, happy in his arms. Soon, they began kissing but no one seemed to take notice, busy as they were with their own interests.

Unsurprisingly, the trip home took more than the necessary amount of time, thanks to Alphonse's sense of direction. Grey didn't notice. He was too busy with Ana's lips. When they finally arrived, everyone, with the exception of Ana and Christian, got out of the car. Grace took Alphonse's arm and gushed about the beauty of the manor and the land. Alphonse was thoroughly enjoying showing off his estate to new eyes. He was also completely charmed by Grace. Her beauty, her charisma…he hadn't been so bedazzled since Delilah. They climbed the stairs into the house where Alphonse began to give Grace a tour.

Ryan and David gathered up all the luggage and followed them inside, leaving Ana and Christian to continue kissing in the car. They didn't feel the car stop or the time pass until Ana began straddling Christian's lap.

"Sweetie, I think we've arrived," murmured Christian.

"Oh. Yes. Do you think anyone would notice if we went to our room for an hour or so?" Ana's question was answered when there came a knock at the window. They looked to see David motioning for the window to be rolled down.

"I have to put the car in the garage. Do you two want to stay put or get out?" he smirked. "Thanks to the boss's driving directions, we're 30 minutes late to dinner."

"Oh, dear. Cook will be quite put out if we don't get in and eat. She's probably gone all out for tonight's dinner," said Ana.

"Of course," allowed Christian. As they walked up the stairs, he whispered, "I do think that we'll have to retire early, however. I'm bushed." Ana giggled in agreement.

Dinner was a noisy affair with everyone speaking at once. The staff wanted to hear all about America and Grace and Ryan wanted to learn all about the estate and its history.

"You were gone far longer than we anticipated," chided Pete. "Devil has been in a sour mood since around day 2. And he's had no exercise. Next time you leave, you'd better take him with you. I'd like to live to a ripe old age."

"First thing tomorrow morning, I'll take him for a gallop. Grace, do you ride?" asked Ana.

"Lord, no, dear. Carrick always tried to get me on one of my parent's mares but I've no feeling for horses. The children would ride with their father but I'd prefer to watch them from the porch."

"I'm with you, Grace. You know, I bought this place and the horses came with…which delighted my wife but even her gentle nature could not tame Devil. Ana is, in fact, the only person who has ever been able to ride him." Grace shot a surprised look at Ana.

"Well, Ana, you'll have to introduce me to Devil tomorrow. Just a look, you understand. How is it, do you think, that you can ride him when no one else can?"

"I was just so taken with his beauty and wanted to ride him so much that it never occurred to me that I was in danger. Mind you, he initially tried to throw me. He'd buck and rear high in the air but somehow I stayed on. I didn't have the sense to understand that he could kill me."

"I rode him once," said Christian, "in a thunderstorm, holding on to Ana for dear life. He's so big, so tall, that it was scary to even look down. But you should see Ana on him. She's just a wonder…incredible!"

Grace watched Christian's face light up with pride. She saw, in fact, that his wasn't the only admiring look. Alphonse and Pete were both beaming at their girl. It suddenly hit her that this was Ana's home…that she might want to stay. Funny, she thought, that that possibility had never occurred to her. Grace was sad and afraid for Christian. She didn't know that he'd be able to handle losing Ana. What if he decided to stay in England? It was only since he came to Seattle with Ana that he'd come back to his family.

In that moment, Grace felt immensely weary. "Would it be terribly rude of me to say my goodnights now? I think that the day has caught up to me. I can't keep my eyes open."

"Of course, you're all tuckered out, my dear. It's a long flight. A big day crossing a continent and then an ocean. I might turn in early myself. Christian and I have a lot to discuss in the morning. Ryan has already taken your things to your room and his room is close by. Breakfast will be whenever you rise," Alphonse said with an indulgent smile.

Christian pulled out his mother's chair and kissed her goodnight. Affection. Only since Ana. Grace squeezed her eyes tightly to hold in tears. If Christian had to return to Seattle without Ana, he might disappear back into GEH and his penthouse.

Alphonse stayed for a while, making plans for him and Christian in the morning. While they talked, Ana decided to visit Devil for a bit. Pete was right. He was in a foul temper. He was banging about in his stall and didn't seem to recognize Ana right away. She reached up and took hold of his face, blowing gently against his muzzle. He tried, at first, to pull away but then stopped. Ana sang to him and petted his cheeks and he quieted. He buried his nose in her shoulder and nickered. Then Ana picked up a brush and entered his stall. She spoke softly to him and groomed him for a while before she took a handful of apple pieces out of her pocket and fed them to the stallion. He plucked them gently from her small hand. She was kissing his nose when she felt a presence in the stable.

Christian stood with his hands in his pockets, leaning against the stable door. Ana caught her breath. His grey eyes had darkened the way they did when he wanted her. He seemed so calm and cool but she knew her man by now. He might appear at ease but she knew that inside he was as charged up as a lightning storm. She patted Devil one last time and left his stall.

Christian was trying to catch his breath as Ana walked to him. He crushed her to him as if the night's breeze might tear her away. "I need you," he groaned.

"I know," Ana replied. The stairs, their bed…seemed so far away. They clung to each other as they walked to the house.

CHAPTER 41

Christian made love to Ana that night with a strange combination of profound tenderness and desperation. She let him do as he wished. She somehow knew that he was helpless, unable to save himself from the fear that gripped him. She was home now. He understood this. She was protecting herself from her own fear by denying it. Denial had kept her from wading into Delilah's lake with rocks in her pockets after she'd lost everything. Perhaps it was the coward's way…avoiding the feeling of the truth. Christian was braver than her, she believed. He faced up to the potentiality of loss. She forced herself to avoid thinking about tomorrows. Of course, for most of her life, she hadn't considered that she had any. She made it through…day by day. She'd never had much and what she had, she lost.

When he at last wore himself out, Ana wrapped herself as tightly around him as he usually did around her. Even spent, he muttered in his sleep. She felt his tears on her skin and she tried to comfort him as he slept restless and uneasy. Tonight, when she walked off the plane into Alphonse's arms, she'd felt such joy. She'd missed the old man beyond all expectation. To leave him again seemed unbearable. It would hurt but she could leave England. She could leave Devil. She could start all over again in Seattle. But, how, how could she leave Alphonse?

The two people she loved most. She couldn't do without either man but all too soon, she would have to decide who to give up. It was an impossible choice. She was going to lose again.

.+.

While Christian and Alphonse made plans, Ana and Grace rode Alphonse's old golf cart around the estate. This kept them quite busy for days as the estate was comprised of several thousand acres. There was so much to see and Grace was flummoxed by the immensity of it all. After several days, Ana brought her to the hill above Delilah's Lake. Grace was almost brought to tears by the beauty of the view. Ana told her the story of the lake's origins and then drove down to the boathouse. She and Grace sat on a bench on the dock, looking over toward the island.

Ana spoke in deeper detail about her youth in foster care, her teen years taking care of herself and the joy of finding Daniel and becoming pregnant with Lilibet. She tried to express the horror of her loss and the way that Alphonse had saved her. It was only when she began to talk about the unfair choice she faced that she began to cry.

"Grace, what am I going to do? Can you tell me, please, what to do? I love them both so much. I fear that leaving Alphonse will be his end. Leaving Christian, however, will likely end me."

"Oh, Ana. Alphonse may be almost 90 but he seems to be quite hardy and could live to 100. You can't put off your life with Christian for another decade even though I know that he'd wait for you. He won't say goodbye to you and move on. He'll fly back and forth forever but I know being without you will age him. He may seem to be an aloof and solitary individual, incapable of needing anyone. That's how he'd always seemed to be to us but that was before you. I don't know if he can go it alone anymore. Not that he'd ever seek out another nor accept anyone else no matter how many beautiful women throw themselves at him. You know, we've always thought that he simply didn't need anyone but without you, Ana, I just fear for what will happen to him.

"Darling, I know that I've been no help at all. I'm sorry but I just don't know what to tell you."

"Tell me, Grace, what would you like me to do?"

"Oh, that's an easy choice for me. Be with my son. I know, however, that my choice is biased. Could you consider flying once a month for a week with Alphonse? Would that be enough for Alphonse to carry on? Christian might barely function but knowing that you're coming home to him might be enough. Nothing you do will be a enough for both."

Ana began to cry harder. Her sobs shook her shoulders. Grace tried to embrace and console her but knew in her own breaking heart that she was failing Ana. The two women sat, Ana in Grace's arms, for a long time until the day began to fade into night. Ana dried her tears, took a deep breath and sat up straight. She had to be stoic, as she'd been all her life. She had the deep, abiding devotion of two wonderful men and still she felt alone.

"I'll figure it out, Grace. Nothing is clear to me now but I'll keep it together and decide a course of action. Let's leave it for now. We'll spend the rest of your week traveling the estate and perhaps we could go into London. Do you like to shop?" Grace smiled and nodded. "Good, you're here to relax and relax we shall."

At that, Ana put the pedal to the metal and headed quickly for home before it became too dark. Her problem couldn't be solved now and thinking about it didn't help so she slipped back into denial and living in the present.

CHAPTER 42

Soon enough, the week was over and Grace had to get back to Seattle. Her annual charity gala would be held two nights hence and she needed to be there to host with Carrick. She was very grateful that all the arrangements had been finalized before she left for England. The time with Alphonse had made all the difference to her state of mind. She was actually looking forward to her hosting duties.

"Alphonse, I was wondering if you would allow me to have you as my guest? I would love you to come to the ball. You could stay as long as you like or Christian could fly you back the next day although I would love you to stay a while."

"Ana, what say that you and Christian fly back with Grace and me tomorrow. I would like to take in a bit of Seattle society. Christian, you can check in with GEH and settle up some of your plans for Potter, Inc. while Ana and Grace show me the town."

"Great idea. Ana, you in?" asked Christian.

Ana laughed. "Oh, you three go on and have a good time. I'll just stay here and run up some numbers." She laughed again at the crest-fallen looks on their faces until they realized that she was just teasing. "Of course, I'll come along. Grace and I already bought dresses in London yesterday."

Christian good-naturedly scowled at her. His heart had stopped for a moment. And he really liked the idea of Ana showing Alphonse around Seattle. Maybe she'd remember all she loved about it and be more encouraged to stay. He'd take any advantage he could get.

So, it was decided. He had Ryan make arrangements for the jet to leave in the morning. Things had gone well in Potterville. He had settled on two buildings instead of one for the Potter division of GEH which meant less of a change for the workforce. He had several new hires and the couple of employees he'd marked for firing had been surprisingly sanguine about their dismissals after being gifted with generous severance packages. The remaining employees, it turned out, were happy to see them go. This was a relief because Grey certainly didn't want to begin with disgruntled employees who resented him for firing their friends. Those he'd fired, lazy and incompetent, had been dumping their work on the others.

Grey figured that if he dragged his feet a little…due diligence and all…he could stay in England for at least two more weeks. He was also looking forward to taking Ana to the ball. There was a sticking point, however. Carrick, while making headway in his investigation into Elena's activities, was not yet ready to ask a judge for a warrant. Elena, having no idea that her days as a practicing pedophile were nearing an end, would be coming to the ball and, as usual, would be sitting at his parent's table. She would undoubtedly attempt to charm the very rich, very elderly gentleman coming as Grace's special guest. Of course, finding that Alphonse belonged to Ana would be a disappointment.

.+.

Touching down in Seattle, everyone on board was happy. Alphonse was excited. Christian was pleased to have Ana back in his realm and Grace was thrilled to see her husband and children again. Taylor and Baxter were waiting with two SUVs. Alphonse behaved like Grace had when arriving in England, swiveling from window to window and marveling at the land's resemblance to England. Fog, rain, too little sunshine and so much green.

"Well, if I didn't know better, I'd say that your pilot had turned the plane around and we'd landed back home. I thought it was always sunny and warm on the west coast," commented Alphonse.

"That would be southern California," said Christian. "The Pacific Northwest is grayer but the temperatures are cooler ."

All the way out to Grey Manor, Grace and Alphonse talked and Christian and Ana kissed. Grace and Alphonse just shook their heads. At the house, Carrick was out the door and pulling his wife out of the car and into his arms in a heartbeat.

"Oh, Gracie. I've been inconsolable since you left. And, listen, your happy burbling on the phone every night was a bit discouraging. Did you miss me even a little?"

Grace giggled like a girl and kissed her husband soundly. Alphonse coughed discreetly until Carrick turned to him and glowered a bit. "So, you're the reason my wife didn't mourn my absence to my satisfaction, eh?"

Alphonse knew that he was being baited so he nodded vigorously and pumped Carrick's hand enthusiastically. "Well, I certainly had to hear enough about you, Carrick, so we're even, I'd say."

"Where are the children?" asked Grace.

"Elliot is inside eating pie and Mia went out clubbing with her girlfriends. I think that she got wind of Ethan being in some club. Elliot, of course, is building up his strength for his weekend activities."

Grace shook her head in dismay. She certainly approved of Ethan but she was beginning to despair of Elliot ever finding a woman to keep. She'd invited every appropriately aged girl in Seattle to the gala. Hope springs eternal.

"Christian! Stop that and get out to say hello to your father," scolded Grace. Reluctantly, Grey pulled his lips away from Ana's and helped her out of the car. Both hugged Carrick and then everyone went inside to eat what was left of all the pies that Margaret had made. Thank goodness they'd eaten a good dinner on the flight in because Elliot had thoroughly demolished everything but dessert.

"I don't suppose that you've left any cherry pie, El," Christian growled.

"Margaret only made two cherry pies, Chris, sorry," Elliot grinned insincerely.

"Three, Elliot," Carrick chortled. "I've learned to hide food from you." Carrick went into his study and returned with a cherry pie. Elliot looked stricken. Christian looked triumphant.

Everyone sat down at the dining table as Grace dished up slices of cherry pie to one and all with the exception of Elliot who decided to just sit in a blue funk. He looked meaningfully at Ana who ignored him. No one, it seemed, was going to take pity on him.

"Elliot, you have terrible eating habits. You're going to pile on the pounds and completely blow your career as the premier man whore of Seattle," Christian warned.

"I have a very physical job, Chris. I work off every bit of it."

"Yeah, well, you're almost 30, bro and your metabolism is gonna be slowing down and your gut is going to grow…" Christian warned his brother.

"That is enough!" Grace chided. "Honestly. We have a special guest, Alphonse Potter, and I'd rather you didn't snipe away at each other while he's sitting at our table."

"Sorry, Mr. Potter. My perfect brother gets on my nerves sometimes. I'm his elder by 2 years but he acts like I'm the little brother."

Grace and Carrick lowered their heads in embarrassment but Alphonse just roared with laughter. At everyone's surprised expressions, he said that he had had a brother with whom he fought constantly and this gathering sounded so familiar. With him and his brother, he said, the problem had been lemon cake.

"I never understood why my mother kept baking it," he laughed.

CHAPTER 43

The family spent the rest of the evening listening to the brother's squabble, talking with Alphonse about life in England and discussing the latest in the Lincoln case. Alphonse was warned that Elena, Christian's tormentor, was not yet aware of the case building against her and so would be attending tomorrow night's ball.

"Hmmm….well, I'm of two minds about that. On the one hand, I don't relish sitting near a pedophile, esp. Christian's. On the other hand, I'm curious. I've never met someone like her and it's hard to imagine her as human."

"Physically, she's quite a sight and has no idea that she is no longer a beauty in her mid-thirties. She'll probably flirt outlandishly with you, Alphonse," warned Grace, "on the off chance that you can be conned out of your money in some way. I've told her that Ana's employer is a widower of many years who is still quite devoted to his wife and she instantly remarked that she was sure that she could easily distract you from your sad memories."

"Oh, my goodness! She is a predator of more than children, then." Alphonse frowned.

"Elena is just plain and simply a predator," grumbled Christian. "All she knows is using people." Ana, holding his hand, reached over to grasp his arm as well.

"I wish that I'd not been so selfish. I wish that I'd sic'd my father on her long ago. I just know that there are boys out there I could have saved. There are girls out there I could have saved as well by not allowing Elena to recruit subs for me."

"If not Elena," Alphonse replied, " those girls would have found someone else to pimp them out. It was completely their choice."

Ana was gaping at Alphonse. "My dear, I've not always been a kindly old man. Before Delilah, I was quite the randy youth, you know."

Elliot laughed and added to Alphonse's comment. "Al is right. Those girls were predators as much as Elena. They wanted to sub for the very rich, very handsome, very important Christian Grey. They wanted to use you, bro. They probably never spoke a word of truth to you."

Christian looked stunned and grateful at Elliot's defense of him. He offered a small smile to Elliot who simply shrugged in return. He figured that he was just pointing out the obvious.

"Well, if Mrs. Lincoln does attend tomorrow, I shall look forward to our dueling wits. Ana, fair warning. Try to remember that I am very old and a man of experience who has dealt with manipulative liars throughout my business career and I can surely handle an old strumpet like Elena Lincoln. Do not leap across the table at her throat."

Ana blushed. "I can be cool, Alphonse. Grace tell him how I handled Elena at our lunch."

"She's right. She had Elena on the ropes. However, everyone in this room must be cognizant of that woman's instability. Confronted with Christian's obvious love for Ana, she might lose all sense of reason. I've come to see that she lives in a world all her own. Her mindset is that she is always in the right and that, no matter her behavior, there should be no consequence. She is fearless."

The talk continued for a while until Christian yawned and Ana suggested that they get some rest. Alphonse remarked that he'd need a good night's sleep just to manage donning all the complexities of a tuxedo. Elliot inquired as to the left-over status vis a vis cherry pie and then everyone bid goodnight.

Ana fell to sleep in Christian's arms on the way to Escala. He would have liked to make love when they got to the penthouse but he figured that Ana had had a long day. Maybe she'd surprise him when she woke up. However, waking her for sex would make her mad but she knew that Christian could be woken at any hour, interrupted during any activity….he was always in the mood. In his defense, he pointed out, he did not become insatiable until he met Ana. Now he needed constant connection.

He gently undressed Ana and tucked her under the bed clothes. Then he brushed his teeth and took a shower before crawling into bed beside her. He slipped his arm under her and pulled her closer with his other arm. She murmured something unintelligible and settled in on his chest. He knew that he'd wake with an arm gone numb but he didn't mind.

He lay there for a time trying to think up a way to keep Elena away from the ball. He could certainly have an army of coverts watching her, his family and mostly Ana but Elena was crazy and devilishly clever. She was convinced that Christian belonged to her and she would never quit trying to acquire that which she believed to be hers.

Ana sighed. He could smell the scent of Ana, the scent of Ana's hair. He felt her soft, warm skin. Everything about her was a soothing balm. No matter his worry, she drew him down into comfort and slumber.

.+.

Christian woke in a dream. Ana nuzzling him close in his neck and around to his ear. She was straddling his hips and easing his dick inside of her. She was carefully rising up and down, squeezing her sugar walls tightly around him, then releasing him and rising up until she was almost out. Again she buried him deep inside her, caressing him again. She continued this over and over. It was a wonderful dream.

"Oh, my, Christian. I love you so very much. Can you feel how deeply I need to convey my need of you?"

Christian popped open his eyes to realize that he was wasn't dreaming. He raised his head back and groaned as spasms of pleasure ripped through him. As his explosion slammed through him, he opened his eyes to look into Ana's eyes gone dark hazel. He loved when it seemed that her hazel eyes were almost deep green just as well as he could marvel at her golden, green, brown and colors he couldn't identify flickering through her irises.

Ana gasped and shuddered as her own orgasm consumed her. She collapsed as he secured her to his chest. One of his favorite things was to grasp Ana's skin and suckle her as he worked his way down her body. The soft, firm flesh of her legs and thighs as he took them into his mouth and listened to Ana gasp and groan. By the time he'd reached her pussy, she would be writhing beneath. He'd wrap his mouth completely around her sex and slip his tongue inside her. Finally, she couldn't hold out any longer and she'd call his name, just as he lifted her legs over his shoulders and plunged fast and deep inside her vagina over and over until he called out "Ana!".

Lord, how he loved to make love to this woman. His other experiences…even the first time...had never come close to love with Ana. All those times before were mere mechanics. A simple orgasmic shudder. Over in seconds and then he'd fall off the woman and go to sleep.

Now he embraced her limp body, whispering tender words of adoration into her dainty ears. He always worried that he'd pounded too hard into her. It was only because he needed to bury himself and he couldn't seem to stop. He always asked her forgiveness, asking if he'd hurt her, and always she insisted that…if need be….she'd retaliate by squeezing his cock into mush.

.+.

"Today's an important day for your mother and father, sweetheart," Ana reminded Christian. "Mia's expecting me and Kate for a mani-pedi and whatever refitting our dresses need. I'll be gone until later. What will you and the boys do all day?"

"I'm going to get in a workout…boxing, weights, swimming. Then I'll go over to the house to dress and help Alphonse."

"Oh, he isn't has been in the dark as much as he pretends. He's dressed in formal clothes many a time. He's a country squire, you know. He's really dashing in his tux. What time will you come for me?"

"What time will I come for you?" Christian growled, crawling menacingly toward her. "I will come for you day and night. I will always come for you." He wrestled Ana for a bit.

Ana giggled. "I get it. Down, boy. Let's get showered and dressed. Don't whine. I'm going to be late for Mia and then she'll be up here, barging in on us."

Grey carried his girl into the bathroom and under a hot shower. He thought about all the single males who would be at the gala tonight. No, Ana is mine, he thought. Mine.

CHAPTER 44

The day without Ana seemed to drag. Grey enjoyed his workout. He'd been too busy to put the time in lately. Later, showering alone, dressing alone, being without Ana, felt strange and empty. He should have gone over to Grey Manor. With all the women and Elliot, especially, there would have been mayhem which normally he would have avoided but now, alone, it sounded like fun.

At last, he checked himself out in the mirror. He wished Ana were present to tell him if he looked okay. She would have teased him about doubting his good looks. Lord knows, he'd been hearing it all his life. Still, to him the compliments were just words. It was only when Ana admired him that he felt secure. From anyone else, he reasoned that the words were just because he had money or his mother loved him and was, therefore, biased. He supposed it was the same with Ana. He thought her the most stunning woman he'd ever met while she believed that he was just looking at her through the eyes of love. She didn't notice the stares of other men…the way their jaws dropped when she walked into a room. She didn't recognize the way they talked with her as flirting. She was quite simply oblivious to her beauty. And if, indeed, she would ever realize that a man thought her bedazzling, it truly would not mean anything to her. It wasn't so much that she cared if she was a beauty. It was only that she was a pragmatic person and beauty was nice but unnecessary. Daniel had once told her that she was pretty and that he liked to look at her. Well, that was nice to hear but changed nothing about their lives.

Followed by a large Mercedes, Grey's SUV pulled up to the front door of Grey Manor. Grey waited patiently for Taylor to open his door. The door-opening was not just the act of a servant but the work of a security detail who looked around for potential dangers before allowing his charge to leave the vehicle. By the time Taylor was at his door, so was Ryan…also surveying the area…and both men escorted him to the door. Taylor accompanied Grey while Ryan moved the car into a secure area where it would be guarded by two agents for the entire evening.

As he entered his parent's home, he immediately looked around for Ana.

"Hey, there, my gorgeous man," he heard from the top of the stairs. He quickly swiveled, his smile fading into a thin-lipped grimace, to see a gorgeous woman smiling down at him. She was wearing a shimmering silver jumpsuit with a décolletage slit to her waist, shinning hair piled on her head with diamond earrings and an elaborate diamond necklace. She began to undulate her way down the stairs, never taking her eyes off of his. When she reached the step above him, she wove her arms around his neck and leaned into kiss him even as he quickly took two steps back from her. He reached for her arms and pulled them from his neck.

"Good evening, Leila. You look lovely tonight. However, I'm certain that your escort would not appreciate your blatant overtures toward another man." Grey moved even further away from Leila.

"Ah, he's elsewhere, flirting." She pouted, with slightly downturned eyes. "Aren't you happy to see me, darling?"

"I'm surprised to see you. I'd no idea that you'd been invited this year. My mother didn't mention it."

"Oh, I'm a plus-one, Christian. You didn't think that I would miss the event of the season, did you? Besides, I knew that you'd be here and, of course, you would want to see me." She was closing in on him again and he was about to shove her into a chair when he felt an electric jolt go through him.

He swiveled about and there was his Ana at the top of the stairs. Lord, there were no words...at least none he hadn't said a hundred times before. His breath became ragged as he stared. He was only vaguely aware that Leila was still talking to him. He could only drink in the magnificence of the woman smiling shyly down at him. Her glossy mahogany hair was falling around her naked shoulders, pushed back just enough to reveal tiny sapphire stones surrounded by tiny diamond chips in her earrings. She was wearing a pale pink shimmering dress perfectly encompassing her petite hour-glass figure. She was also wearing a modest diamond necklace…the one he'd purchased for her in London…and simple ballet slippers rather than the spindly six-inch stilettoes adorning the feet of every other woman in the place.

Holding her hem up a few inches to avoid tripping, she hurried down the stairs to Christian who caught her in his arms and swung her around, both beaming with joy. Christian bent down to land a kiss on Ana's lips and then her shoulders. They then stood smiling at each other, taking no notice of the rest of the guests milling about them. Leila, with disgust and fury in her eyes, whipped around and went out into the tent to mingle with the guests and dancers and to have a stiff drink.

Christian and Ana yattered away for several minutes and then turned to go into the main tent to find their tables. Grace came rushing up to them.

"We wondered where you were. Leila has been looking for you. She does not give up, does she?"

"Don't care, Mom. You look exceptional tonight," Christian said while kissing her check.

"Oh, yes, Grace. That elegantly brocade dress is stunning. Now, where are our other handsome men?"

"Let's see. Elliot is off hunting down 'fresh meat', I believe it's called. Carrick is speaking with the emcee. Alphonse is sitting at our table and, so far...knock wood…Elena has not shown her face. Mia, Ethan and his sister are keeping Alphonse company. I suppose that we'd better take our seats.

"Ana, dear, are you still planning on allowing your performance to be auctioned off."

"Yes, Grace. I promised both you and Alphonse. I'll just keep my eyes on the keys...or maybe closed. You're going to get awful tired of hearing me play his song."

Everyone exchanged hearty hellos. Grey's parents had been throwing these galas since he was 8 years-old. Of course, he and Elliot had been sent to bed early in the evening though that hadn't kept them from sitting on the third floor landing…listening and watching what they could see. Waves of perfume wafted up the stairs, old people music assaulted their ears…but still they could see that it was all glamorous. Grace and Carrick would inevitably find them asleep after the guests had finally gone and would pick them up and put them back to bed.

For the beginning of the evening, there was a delicious dinner served. Elliot ate most of the cherry pie. Mia and Ethan seemed to be truly enjoying each other's company which pleased Ana. Meanwhile, Ana and Christian fed each other. Alphonse, Grace and Carrick held a lively discussion. All was going well except for the daggers being aimed at them from Leila's table. Grey and Ana scarcely noticed.

The orchestra began playing dance music toward the end of dinner as Alphonse stood, flipping his coat tails behind him and bowing to Grace. "My dear, may I have the first dance of the evening while I still have the energy."

Grace winked at Carrick who pretended to be jealous. Then Alphonse and Grace swept unto the floor. Alphonse was remarkably light on his feet, sweeping Grace about the floor with enthusiasm and skill. Christian teased his father. "Definitely got some competition, pops." He turned to his brother expecting Elliot to have something to say only to see that Elliot was putting a full-court press on Ethan Kavanaugh's younger sister. She was quite beautiful….curly blond hair tickling her shoulders, a sweet face with dimples, large blue eyes and neat little figure.

"Did you notice Elliot's interest in Kate Kavanaugh?" he asked Ana.

"Yes, I certainly did. Wouldn't you say that she has quite a resemblance to Shirley Temple?"

"The child star of the 1930's?"

"Yes, and he hasn't taken his eyes off her all night. Very interesting."

"Let's dance. I want an excuse to told you in my arms."

"You never need an excuse. Just grab me," Ana beamed up into his bright grey eyes.

Christian pulled her close with his arm around her waist and her hand curled in his against his chest, her other arm around his neck. Their dancing could more generously be called 'swaying in place'. Didn't matter. Grey just wanted to hold her, smell her and feel her warmth against him.

CHAPTER 45

After dinner and a period of dancing, the emcee announced the night's auction. The items being auctioned were not small or cheap. A weekend at the Grey's ranch in Montana. A full week at Christian's chalet in Aspen. An original Camille Pissarro. Grey saw how Ana's eyes lit up at the sight of the Pissarro. He nodded discretely at the auctioneer until he brought the gavel down, declaring the painting sold to Mr. Christian Grey. Ana's eyes bugged out and she threw herself into his lap, lavishing little kisses all over his face while the crowd cheered. How had he known, she asked. I know you, he answered.

The auctioneer had come to the last item. A personal concert by a very talented pianist, Mrs. Ana Steele. Christian and Alphonse got into a bidding war until the auctioneer suggested that Mrs. Steele simply play for everyone. The crowd cheered again. Grey had never brought a woman to the gala…that was intriguing enough…but now she was going to play the piano. The fascination with her only increased. Christian smiled and squeezed her arm.

"I'm so proud to be seen with you, Ana. Please play the Good Ship Lollipop." Ana's jaw dropped until she saw the twinkle in his eyes. She laughed and no longer felt shy. She stood and beamed at Alphonse as she took her seat at the baby grand. In a moment, she slowly began to play Le Vie En Rose. After a few introductory bars, she began singing in French. Grey looked over at Alphonse who was singing along. The room was completely silent and entranced as Ana held the last note. Grey was fit to burst. His girl was beautiful, so talented. He wasn't the only one who thought so, either. The piano was now surrounded by handsome young men, begging for dances.

Grey strode purposefully across the room to the pack amassed around Ana and the piano. He stood for a moment, listening to their demands and pleas that Ana have a drink, have a dance, come sit at their table with them. Ana looked bewildered by the attention and couldn't get a word in. Grey worked his way through the horde until he reached Ana. He bent over her and whispered…"You are mine….mine." Ana breathed in and stood up. She smiled at all the men and then excused herself, linking an arm through Christian's…he with the smug Cheshire cat grin on his face.

As Christian and Ana reached their table, they saw that Alphonse was being engaged in a cheerful and admiring conversation with Elena Lincoln. Grace and Carrick were dancing as were Elliot and Kate, Mia and Ethan. Elena must have just arrived or they would not have left their guest to the machinations of Mrs. Lincoln.

Alphonse was behaving as if he was thoroughly delighted with Mrs. Lincoln's company. She kept insisting that he call her Elena but he gently assured her that in his country women of a certain age were always treated with respect. From the unsure look in her eyes, it was clear that Elena didn't quite care for being referred to as being "of a certain age". She had gone to a lot of trouble tonight.

She'd decided to dress a little differently from her usual black, piled yellow hair and red talon nails. Tonight she would dress more conservatively, more like Grace. Christian couldn't fail to notice her and the difference between her womanly beauty and that bland little country girl. She couldn't wait to see his jaw drop.

She'd toned her hair down to a soft ashy blonde. Her nails were shorter and painted pink. And the piece de resistance was the simple suit with a long skirt. She felt plain and dull but tonight she didn't want to stand out and outshine every other woman in the place like she usually did. She wanted to appear demure. Christian seemed to like demure.

When she arrived at the table, she found no one there but an elderly, obviously well-off gentleman. Hmmm…she thought. This has possibilities. She didn't notice when Ana and Christian walked up. Alphonse certainly did. He jumped to his feet and embraced Ana.

"You were wonderful, my dear. Not a nerve showed. Delilah would have been thrilled to hear you sing her song."

"Thank you, Alphonse. I see you've met Mrs. Lincoln."

"Christ, Elena," Christian cringed, "what in god's name are you wearing? Where's the black leather catsuit, the blood red talons? And it looks like you left half your hair at home.

"Christian," Ana chastised, "I think that Elena looks lovely. I really love the makeover, Elena."

Elena didn't give a crap if the country mouse approved of her appearance. She had no taste so Elena ignored Ana and turned back to Alphonse.

"Would you excuse me, Alphonse? I'm going to get myself a nice, stiff drink."

"Christian, she really did look exceptionally nice tonight. You needn't have been so rude."

"Ana, you forget who we are dealing with. Pedophile, remember? Alphonse, are you okay? We shouldn't have left you alone."

"Now, Christian, I am not ignorant of the ways of the world. I was in no danger. In fact, I was rather enjoying myself. Mrs. Lincoln is quite the sparring partner. One has to keep up with a mind like hers. She's probably spent her lifetime manipulating people. She was actually trying to finagle an invitation to the Potter estate! I just kept pretending to be clueless," Alphonse laughed.

"Would you gentlemen excuse me? I'm going to freshen up. I won't be long," Ana said, putting her hand on Christian's shoulder as he began to get up from his chair. "And I don't need help, either. She leaned down and kissed his cheek before she walked away.

Alphonse chuckled. "You never hear a man allude to "freshening up". We just get up and go pee!"

Someone, Ana thought, ought to invent cosmetics for men and make them work harder in front of mirrors. As she was reapplying her lipstick, someone came up behind her. Ana felt that she was being observed.

"Well, Christian brought a date. That's a first. Poor Leila thought that this year she had a real shot at being that date."

"It is my understanding that Christian broke things off with Leila more than six months ago. Tell me, Elena, why does she persist in throwing herself at him?" Ana was genuinely curious.

"Because she is a silly girl who believes that she can make Christian love her. He'll never, of course. There's been only one woman he's truly bonded with in all his life. He may dally with others but in the end he'll come back to the woman who owns him."

"Owns him. What an odd thing to say. Of course, he has told me that I own him body and soul but that's just poetry. You make it sound as though he's property. Who is this deluded woman who thinks she owns him?"

Ana saw Elena sneering at her in the mirror's reflection...a sneer filled with hate.

"He'll never marry you, Ana. People like us don't marry. We mate."

"People like you, Elena? People who have chosen torture as a way of life?" Ana said with scorn. No hiding it anymore.

She turned back to the mirror to check her hair and waited for Elena's rebuttal.

"He's only pretending with you. He thinks that he can leave the life. He even thinks that he wants to live a vanilla life. But, he won't be able to hold out for long. It's in his blood, his bones. It is who he is and will always be. Let him go, Ana. Set him free, if you truly love him."

Ana twirled around to stare at Elena in astonishment. "Why Mrs. Lincoln. I thought that love was for fools. Isn't that what you tried to brainwash Christian into believing? Nice speech, Elena, but you completely misunderstand Christian. He isn't any of the things that you so desperately want him to be and you've lost him...you never even truly had him. He'll never come to you, Elena."

Ana gave Elena one more determined look and then left her standing in front of the mirror, in front of the truth. Elena's eyes were blazing with hatred as she removed her phone from her clutch.

CHAPTER 46

As she came down from the stairs, Ana found Ryan waiting for her. She smiled and took his arm as they walked down the path back to the tent.

"When you became a bodyguard, did you dream of escorting your clients from the loo?"

Ryan laughed. "Well, the pay is generous, the company is divine and at the end of my shift, I'm still alive. Decent deal, I'd say."

"How about a life of your own? Do your hours leave opportunity to meet girls?"

"Well, between me and you, my time in England afforded me the chance to get to know Mr. Potter's maid, Beth."

Ana grinned widely. "You're sweet on Beth! Oh, wonderful. Excellent choice, Ryan. I've known her for many years. She's whip smart. She's got a big heart. Did you know that she supports her parents? She was a late in life child and her parents are more like grandparents. She never complains about her lot. Alphonse was always trying to get her to go to village dances to meet young men but she didn't want them. She said that they'd expect her to abandon her family to keep house for them.

"I know a little something else, too. Alphonse's driver wants to move to London and Alphonse will be needing a new driver and all round bodyguard."

"I know," Ryan grinned, "the old man caught us damn near flagrante delicto one night. He sat me down and demanded to know if my feelings for Beth were meaningful and what were my intentions. Then he told me that he might be needing a replacement for David. While I sat there on the hot seat, he waved me off to bed. It was pretty intense."

"Well," Ana remarked, "he'll see to it that you are well-compensated if you're going to be taking care of his little Beth."

As they approached the table, Alphonse was smiling and Christian was steaming. "I asked you to keep an eye on Ana….not flirt with her."

Before Ryan could defend himself, Ana stepped up to Christian. She put one small hand on his cheek and a small kiss on his other cheek. "Bugger off, my darling. You think anyone having a pleasant conversation with me is making plans to run off with me. Have you done anything but snarl since I left? You were supposed to be entertaining our guest of honor."

"I saw Elena coming down the stairs after you. I should have known that she'd pick a spot to ambush you." Christian took Ana by the shoulders and looked her over. "Did she hurt or upset you? Are you all right?"

"I left her in a puddle of furious self-doubt after she asserted that she owned you and that you were only toying with me but you'd soon return to your mate."

"She called me her mate!?"

"Yes, and I don't think that she meant in the pub sense. She is quite delusional. Why are so many women delusional about you, dear? I've noticed that most of the women at this ball can do little more than gape at you. Is it the money or the face or that deliciously cool manliness about you?"

"What is it for you, my love?" he whispered.

Ana smiled enigmatically. Then, with a wink, she said, "Your heart, my man. Only your heart."

While Alphonse and Ryan talked, Christian and Ana cuddled for a moment or two. "Well, now I must 'freshen' up. I think that my lipstick has faded. Maybe Alphonse would like to dance again." He kissed Ana sweetly on the lips, unaware that they were being watched by the envious and the vengeful. Alphonse was ready to 'trip the light fantastic' one more time and he got a big kick out of twirling Ana around the floor. Several young men tried to cut in and each time the old man sent them on their way. Then he gathered Ana close and they swayed back and forth to the tunes he remembered from the last world war.

"Oh, dear, Alphonse. I'm afraid that I'll have to rescue Christian. I see that Leila is heading for the men's restroom."

"That's fine, dear. I'm getting a bit winded." He took his seat and Ana dodged eager young men as she headed for the only woman leaning against the wall outside the men's room.

"Hello, Leila."

"Oh, crap. How did you find me or are you following me? It's a big place and a thousand people. Are you stalking me?"

"If I were following you, it wouldn't be difficult. That outfit reflects off every surface in the place. Besides, there's only one reason that you'd be loitering around the men's toilets. Christian will not be happy to see you, you know."

"He might be if you weren't lurking around while we tried to meet up. He's having a very difficult time getting away from you." Leila's face was etched with frustration. "You keep him on a real short leash. He can barely breathe." At that Leila whirled on her stilettoes and headed quickly for the bar.

Ana returned to the family table. As she talked with Alphonse, they gradually became aware of a commotion coming from the direction of the men's restrooms. Ana turned her head to look and caught a flashing glimpse of a blinding silver gown running through the tent and out into the parking lot. Her blood ran cold. She stepped away from Alphonse and ran like an NFL quarterback, weaving through the hordes of young men attempting to get her attention.

Pushing through the crowd, she found Christian lying on the floor in the corridor, blood puddling all around him. He was holding something in his side. A knife. She quickly tore a strip of her hem and wrapped it around the knife, securing it. Then she tore more material to form a pressure bandage. Suddenly, Grace was there. Ana quickly took her phone and dialed 911. She yelled for Ryan to go out to the parking lot to greet the EMTs. Then she implored the crowd to back and clear the way. Even though she and Grace were doing everything right, it seemed that they were mired in chaos.

Christian's eyes were glassy. He seemed unable to comprehend. He kept trying to get up. He kept calling for Ana without understanding that she was right there by his side. The ambulance seemed to take too long. When they did load him on a stretcher, Ana insisted that Grace go with him. He had a better chance, she believed, having a doctor with him. So, she climbed into the Mercedes with Taylor while the others went with Ryan. Taylor's face was quite grim.

"Is he going to be all right?" Ana asked.

"There was an awful lot of blood, Ms. Steele. That usually means shock…maybe septicemia."

Ana stared out the window. Were they over before they'd barely begun? And she couldn't get that flash of silver lame' out of her head.

.+.

"Ana?" Christian felt very heavy. He fought to take control of his body, to keep it awake. He looked to his right and saw Ana sitting next to him, sleeping, holding his hand.

"Ana?" His voice was strained after days of lack of use. He tried to use however much pressure that he could muster to squeeze her hand to get her attention.

"Christian! Oh, my god, you're awake." Ana leaned over and kissed his forehead. When he touched his finger to his lips, Ana laughed and kissed his lips.

"You've been out for days. Oh, my darling, you're back!

"Christian, do you remember anything of what happened to you…sounds, fragrance, colors?" Christian seemed thoughtful for a few moments but then he shook his head.

"People. Lots of people and noise."

"Okay, that's all right. Now you should go back to sleep for a while longer. Please."

"Stay?"

"I've been here. I'll be here when you waken. Go to sleep now." As Christian closed his eyes, the detective in charge of his case opened the door and popped his head in. He gestured to Ana that he needed to speak with her in the corridor.

"Yes, detective. Anything new?"

"We checked into Leila Williams. She said that she left you at the restroom door and she went to the bar. The bartender vouched for her and there were no blood splatters on her clothes."

"Was there a blood trail?"

"A short one that ended at the door to the garden. The perp must have either wrapped his suit jacket into a ball or her dress so that blood didn't spill. We found nothing outside. I understand that Carrick Grey was working on a case against Elena Lincoln of which she was unaware. Do you think that she could have learned about this threat to her?"

"Elena is a pedophile who used BDSM to torture her victims. Even though BDSM is legal, society does not look kindly on its practice. Elena knew everyone in the community and always told Christian that she was not concerned with exposure because she had plenty of blackmail material on everyone of importance….politicians, judges, law enforcement.

"On the night of the attack, just a few minutes before, she had accosted me in the restrooms to tell me that I wouldn't be able to keep Christian. She said that he would come back to her. There wouldn't have been time, I wouldn't think, for her to activate an assassin whom she was blackmailing."

"All right, Mrs. Steele. That will be all for now. I'm glad to hear that Mr. Grey is doing better."

"Thank you, detective." Ana watched him walk back down the hall. She smiled at the two men standing guard at Christian's room.

Back in Christian's room, Ana sat in a chair and dropped her face into her hands, overwhelmed with weariness and stress. She kissed Christian again and then pulled up another chair to form a makeshift bed. She took up his hand again and let the tears fall.

CHAPTER 47

"Time for your pills, Christian," Ana said. Christian was relaxing on the balcony off the great room at Escala. He still tired easily and his wound caused him some discomfort. He refused to take pain pills but there were antibiotics and medications to help his wound heal and these Ana would not allow him to refuse. Grumbling, he took the pills and the glass of water. Ana sighed and reflected that she always seemed to be cajoling some stubborn man into taking his pills.

"How much longer do I have to take these things?" he griped.

"As long as I have to listen to you bitch about it," Ana answered. "And before you even begin, no you cannot lift weights, do pullups or handstands on the pommel horse. And until your stitches are removed and your wound heals….no swimming."

None of this was news to Christian but he still wanted to complain about it. What really bothered him was the doctor feeling that he was not yet strong enough to make love to Ana. She tried to keep him happy with blow jobs and he spent a ridiculous amount of time between her legs. He loved to make his way from her toes to her folds, sucking on her delicious legs. She'd usually be on the verge of coming before he even had time enough to pleasure her with his tongue. But nothing made him as happy as being inside her. She was home and happiness and he needed to be connected to her to feel safe and sure. And having her on top of him was great, too, but it wasn't the same as the exquisite feel of burrowing into her. Sometimes he had to laugh at himself. If anyone had told him a year ago that he'd become a big fan of missionary sex…..but he couldn't help it. He loved to feel her beneath him, to look down into her loving eyes, to have her run her hands through his hair and, finally, to watch her head arch back as she came.

And he still didn't know who'd knifed him and he so badly wanted to make them pay.

.+.

"Good morning, Jason. How's your patient doing today?" inquired Carrick.

"He isn't my patient, Carrick, and thank god for it. I think that Ana is about to toss him off the balcony."

Carrick laughed. "Well, remind her that not so long ago, she was weeping at his bedside because his chances didn't look so good."

"You remind her. I'm not sticking my neck in that noose. She isn't in such a good mood either. She's even growling at Gail on occasion. But, let's get down to business. I'd sure like to give the boss some good news about Elena Lincoln."

"In addition to the two men in jail, we've got several promising leads on three others. Welsh and his investigators are sure that they will be able to pinpoint their locations today. And these three are not currently incarcerated so their credibility cannot be questioned on that account. The D.A. says that if we get two of the three, along with Christian's testimony, he can bring charges."

"All I know for sure, Carrick, is that with all the law enforcement she probably has in her blackmail files, we have got to wrap this up soon before someone talks. I can't believe we've gotten this far without Lincoln getting wise."

"Has she been hassling Ana about visiting?"

"Everyday. And every day Ana tells her that just has soon as she has the doctor's okay, she'll let her in."

"With the bad blood between them, you'd think that Elena would assume that she's being shut out. She's been insisting that Grace take her along on her visits but Grace just keeps telling her that she's allowed only because she's acting as Christian's doctor. I'm really proud of her, Jason. She's still having weekly lunches with that old crone to keep her in the dark."

"Strong stomach," Jason agreed. "Well, we'll talk later. I'd sure like to tell the boss something to cheer him up. Ana, too. You know, despite all evidence to the contrary, he still thinks that Leila Williams attacked him."

"My money is still on Lincoln but Ana is so sure that Elena wouldn't hurt Christian because she thinks she's going to get him back one day. Heck, maybe she's right. Maybe it's someone we haven't even considered. While I'm waiting for Welsh to call, I think I'll go through the files on everyone who might have a score to settle with Christian."

With that, Carrick rang off and back to work. Jason took a breath and walked out into the kitchen to see how his wife was doing. She'd been rattled since the attack on a man she considered to be like a son. She'd seen him through so much…those awful "playroom" years had brought her close to leaving. He'd no idea, of course, but he given up BDSM just on the brink of losing her…and Jason, too.

He glanced out to the balcony. Ana sat as close as possible to Christian, his arm around her. Jason knew that were it not for the hole in his side, Ana would be on his lap. One more reason for Grey to be grumpy. Ana sure had her work cut out for her.

Jason leaned down to kiss the top of Gail's head. Gail stopped her work and leaned back into her husband's arms, wondering how she'd have made it through this latest catastrophe without him. He was always so unflappable…except, she giggled, in bed where he was very flappable.

"What's so amusing?" Jason said. He hadn't heard her laugh in a while.

"Oh, nothing much. Just thinking about how hard poor Ana is working to keep Christian happy. And yet, failing. I'm thinking that I ought to tell him to grow up and stop whining about being lucky enough to live. And I'm certain that he doesn't realize the hell Ana went through sitting by his hospital bed."

"Okay, sweetheart, while you tell off the boss, I'll be hiding in the shower. What's for lunch?"

"You just had breakfast!"

"I'm a growing boy."

"I hope not. You're already twice my size." Gail stood on her tiptoes and kissed Jason…then shooed him from her kitchen. She looked out toward the balcony again. Ana had curled into Christian while he wrapped both arms around her. Every few seconds he'd kiss her.

Gail was pleased that it was a rare sunny Seattle day. Otherwise they'd be necking on the couch right across from her as she worked in the kitchen.

CHAPTER 48

The golf cart wasn't moving fast enough. Ana was galloping toward Christian as fast as she could but they were still so far from each other. Christian stopped the cart and ran. Ana reined in Devil, jumped off and ran as fast as she could manage to Christian but neither seemed to get any closer. Ana stumbled, fell and cracked her head on a rock. It stunned her for a moment but she struggled to her feet and continued running. Wait, where was Christian? Ana stopped and looked all around but she couldn't see him in any direction. And where was the golf cart?

Ana screamed his name over and over but no one answered. She ran in the direction where she'd last seen him. She came across grass stained red and then small patches of grass tamped down by puddles of red and then a pond of blood. And she screamed and screamed in terror and pain. The golf cart was mostly submerged. Ana dove in, going under over and over trying to find Christian but the deeper she went, the deeper the blood pond seemed to be and when she emerged to catch her breath, she saw that the pond was growing wider.

"Ana! Ana! Baby, wake up!" Christian tried for minutes to rouse Ana but she was deep in the nightmare. She was thrashing madly and every few seconds she would stop breathing for so long that Christian would push his breath into her. Finally, her eyes flew open, wild with fear.

He enveloped her in his arms, holding her steady until she ceased moving except for trembling. She seemed to come to her senses then and began sobbing into Christian's chest while he rocked her back and forth, desperate to calm and soothe her.

"Baby, baby," he cried along with her. "Please, be okay, please."

Finally, she seemed to hear him and fully leave her dream world. It took her a while to stop shaking but then she put her arms around him and asked his forgiveness. In the light from the window she could see the tears in his eyes and how shaken he was.

"I had a dream. We couldn't reach each other. Then I came to a pond of blood and I knew that you were in there and I kept diving but I couldn't find you. I've never in my life had such a wretched dream. Why would I dream that, Christian?" she asked in a quavering voice.

"Maybe it's a delayed reaction to the attack on me. You've been so serene and unruffled in the face of this chaos and I know that I've been demanding. Perhaps you've never had a chance to deal with your own feelings."

"But I did! Until you woke up and it was apparent that you were going to be all right, I was in a constant state of anxiety. I didn't eat. One day one of the doctors insisted on putting me on an IV drip to rehydrate me because I wasn't drinking and I was always upset. After you woke up, I could breathe again and I just concentrated on helping you get your health back."

"You never talked to me about all that. You buried it all inside you and maybe tonight, now that it's safe to let go, you did…in a dream."

"Maybe. I guess that's possible. But why did the dream take place in England? Oh, I don't want to think about it anymore. I just need to hold you close and smell your skin and feel your strong arms around me. Just hold me, please."

Christian did as she asked and listened for her breathing to even out….a sign that she was going to sleep. Even then he wouldn't let himself fall asleep. He didn't sleep much the next few nights…so afraid that she would have another terrible dream and he wouldn't catch it quickly enough to spare her terror.

Because he understood. Nightmares of Ana disappearing, of Ana being hurt, of Ana needing him and he not being able to get to her….yes, he was familiar all right. Usually, he awoke before she realized what was happening. He'd just wake up and wash his face and get a drink until he calmed himself. He caught his distressed expression in the mirror. He'd never seen that look before he met Ana. He supposed that it was the price he had to pay for needing someone so much.

He didn't want Ana to experience the same hellish nights that he did. He wanted her to sleep without fear, without demons coming for her. He loved her so. He would do whatever he had to do to be certain that Ana's nights were safe and peaceful.

.+.

"Let's go for a walk after breakfast. We've been stuck in this house since I was released from the hospital." Christian lay in bed, propped up on one elbow, watching Ana getting dressed. He liked to watch her dress. It was such an intimate thing…to observe one's girl getting dressed for her day. It made him smile to see her sucking in her nonexistent belly while bouncing up and down and trying to zip up her jeans. She said that tight jeans reminded her to watch her weight. Then she'd kneel on the closet floor to choose footwear and then more bouncing around as she tried to put on shoes while standing on one foot. The best part was watching her toss her hair upside down, brush it and toss her head back again. He couldn't tear his eyes away and Ana was oblivious to the effect she had on him.

Her beauty knocked the breath out of him but all she saw was a contented smile on his face. She beamed at him and then threw herself on the bed, propping herself on her own elbows.

"Okay. Were you planning on walking around naked? You do have the cutest tushie in Seattle and we'd be mobbed by every breathing female within sight."

"You think that I need to get dressed, too, huh?"

Ana leaned up and kissed him soundly on the lips. "Yeah, and brush your teeth, too. Even the world's most perfect man does not have minty fresh breath upon waking. So, if you wanna get bussed a lot on our walk, you'd better brush."

Christian reached over and gently cupped her cheek. "Do you have any idea of how much you mean to me, Ana?" His voice choked a bit. She kissed the hand on her cheek and hugged him tight around his neck.

"Ditto, baby," she whispered softly in his ear. When he got up to get dressed, she slapped his bottom and he laughed, wiggling the cutest tushie in Seattle at her.

CHAPTER 49

After eggs and fruit and after rallying the troops, Ana and Christian took the elevator down to the garage and Taylor drove them over to the Riverwalk. It was usually Grey being overprotective but today it was Ana who requested all possible manpower to cover them on their walk. She didn't want to let Christian be aware of her fear but she wanted as many eyes as possible on them. Her fragile nerves saw snipers in every bush, in every tree and in building windows. Ana hid her fear so well that only Taylor understood how scared she was on that walk. His admiration for her grew stronger as he watched her hold Christian's arm and listened to her laugh. It was a sunny day, just cool enough for a jacket with a light breeze moving them along through the park. The water gleamed in the light. No one approached them and if someone appeared about to, one of Taylor's men would unobtrusively redirect them. Of course, there were the usual paparazzi standing a few hundred feet away using high zoom lenses to capture all the money shots. Ana and Christian paid them no mind.

Ever since the night of the gala, photographers were hot on Ana's trail. She and Christian dominated the front page, above the fold. The most obscure photo of Ana was valuable. Ana thought all the attention was just because of the man she was with that night. Christian knew better. His brief relationship with Leila Williams hadn't been of as much interest but the moment he stepped off the plane with Ana, the press went wild. How the press knew that this girl was different, Grey didn't know but then photogs seemed to have a sixth sense about these things.

This outing was the first since the attack on Christian and word within the paparazzi world had spread like wildfire. Their editors had been forced to rerun the same pictures and the same articles, rewritten and rehashed, for weeks and readership had been declining as people longed for original news. Taylor's men kept the reporters well at bay to avoid bothering the couple with questions. Christian and Ana were insulated by love. They could only see each other and hear each other's voices. When Ana saw that Christian was tiring, she asked to sit on a bench so that they could look out at the water. For a few moments, Christian forgot that he was breathing too hard. He swept Ana up in his arms and set her down on a park bench. Ana giggled. They would sit there and cuddle and talk until she heard his breathing ease.

"Elliot and Mia called earlier. They want to take us out to dinner."

"Do you want to go? You've never been to the Space Needle." Christian suggested.

"It whirls round and round. How do people not upchuck their dinners? I mean, who eats on a merry-go-round?

"Anyway, I invited them over to the penthouse. Gail and I are going to make your favorite, pot roast. I'm so happy to see your appetite has improved."

"Why don't we invite the whole family?"

"Elliot and Mia specifically requested a night without "the old folks". However, this weekend, We're having everyone over. Alphonse will be leaving on Monday."

Christian became very quiet. He just stared out at the water. Ana knew what he was thinking.

"I'm not leaving with him. His idea. He thinks I ought to stay with you for a while longer…until you're quite well."

"Yeah? Could be years and I'll never recover from you." He kissed her forehead and she leaned against him. She didn't even like to make idle jokes about Christian being unwell. He'd come so close to…he'd lost so much blood…she leaned in tighter still.

By the time they returned, Gail was bustling about the kitchen, preparing for lunch to be followed by dinner. She had to make at least three cherry pies…one for all, all for one and one for Elliot to take home. When Ana and Christian walked in, she could tell that both were worn out. She'd heard Ana's nightmare and she knew that Christian had probably not gone back to sleep.

"You two hungry? Come have grilled cheese sandwiches and a salad and then I want you both to sleep the rest of the afternoon before Elliot and Mia arrive. Those two will wear you out."

"Gail, I was going to help with dinner," protested Ana.

"Nonsense, this kitchen isn't big enough for two cooks. Besides, I'd like you both awake to eat my cooking. Now sit down."

"Yes, ma'am," Christian obeyed, winking at Gail. Seems he didn't have a dominant bone left in his body.

.+.

They did nap some. The rest of the afternoon, they lay on their sides looking at each other. Occasionally, something occurred to them to say but mostly they just looked into each other's eyes. Christian had never before been able to just look into someone's eyes. He found it physically difficult.

"Do you think that Elliot and Mia would mind eating without us?"

Ana giggled. "Maybe Elliot but Mia would be in here sitting on the bed with a plate on her lap."

"Did you know that Gail is making three pies? One for the four of us to share, one just for Elliot and one for Elliot to take home." Christian shook his head in disgust.

"I think the one he takes home he might share with Kate Kavanaugh," Ana said.

"What! He's still seeing her? He never sees a woman more than once, maybe twice. So, this is a thing?" Christian was gobsmacked at the idea of his randy older brother being faithful to one woman.

"Wait. He's still seeing Kate in addition to at least one new woman a week, you mean."

"Nope. It's Kate and only Kate since the night of the gala. Not only that, Mia swears that Kate wouldn't even sleep with him for the first three weeks and told him that if he tried to make do with other women until Kate caved in, she'd bite off his dick."

"Wow. You've got to get me some alone time with El tonight. His balls must have turned purple."

Ana giggled. "Yes, well, not every woman is as easy as I am. Second night, you said "Please" and that's all it took. You're lucky I'm a slut."

Christian looked serious as he replied. "We weren't dating or even just getting to know each other. We were immediately meant to be. Although I did check first with Alphonse as to the whereabouts of your husband. If you hadn't been a widow, I would have somehow restrained myself.

"I never did ask. Why did you let me make love to you so soon?"

Ana looked just as serious. "You weren't a stranger just because we'd just met. It was more like we'd been separated for a long time and now you were home. It was the most natural thing in the world in that moment…although I'll admit that later I stopped to wonder what I'd done and why. I knew it was right. That's why I had to talk to Daniel, to explain and get his permission."

"As I recall, right after you asked, a breeze blew through as if Daniel were answering. I was eavesdropping, you know."

"Yes, when you stepped out into the path, I realized. It was okay, though. I was just so grateful that you were okay with Daniel. It would have been a real dilemma for me if he hadn't approved."

"I was pretty relieved, too, even though I'm not a spiritual man…or wasn't."

"Do you mean you are now?" Ana looked puzzled.

"Well, when you have nothing to lose, it's easy to be a non-believer. But if I lost you and truly believed that we'd never meet again, I'd just drive my car off a cliff road. There wouldn't be any reason to keep living or to try to earn the chance to be with you again."

"I guess I know what you mean. I never gave an afterlife much thought until it was the only way I'd ever see Daniel or meet my daughter."

"Did you get to see either of them before they were interred?"

"No, I was out cold for three days and by the time I awoke, Daniel's family had buried him and Lilibet. I wish they'd taken pictures of them like they did a hundred years ago."

"They did that?" Christian was astonished.

"Yes, sometimes they'd sit the dead up in a chair or reclining on a chaise lounge. Other times on their deathbed. Child mortality was so high that photographs would be taken of the mother holding the baby.

"When photography was invented around 1840, it was only available from professionals and was expensive so the cost was only justified if it was the only tangible memory of the deceased. It's still done occasionally, usually for children who are stillborn. Daniel's family probably thought that having a picture of Lilibet would only prolong my pain. They were wrong, of course. One never forgets."

Christian knew that there was nothing to say to ease Ana's pain so he remained quiet and just held her. After a bit, they fell back to sleep.

Ana dreamt of Daniel and Lilibet walking hand in hand down a forested lane. She could see Daniel's face but Lilibet's would always be just a soft light.

CHAPTER 50

"When do we eat?" Elliot and Mia had only just left the elevator. He was disappointed to see that the dining table was food-free.

Gail chuckled. "Did you eat lunch, Elliot?"

"Yeah but I've only had a couple of sandwiches and a half a pie since," he complained.

"Cherry pie?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, dear. Well, I'll have to freeze the one I made and make something else then," Gail teased.

Elliot's eyes bugged out and then, catching on, he narrowed his eyes at Gail and warned her not to toy with him. Gail used real cherries. Her pies were no laughing matter. They were practically a religion with Elliot.

"Bro, you don't look half-bad. You finally have some color back in your cheeks," Elliot noted when Christian walked into the room. "Where's Ana?"

"She's trying to decide what to wear. Mia, why don't you give her a hand?" Mia yelped with pleasure and disappeared around the corner.

"Ana fussing about what she's going to wear? That doesn't sound like her," Elliot remarked.

"It isn't. I just needed to get you alone for a few minutes." Christian looked carefully at his brother.

"What are you looking at?"

"Oh, I was just wondering how blue they got?" Christian mused.

Elliot cocked his head, like a puppy trying to understand "go potty". "Oh, you heard about me and Kate. Yeah, once she gave me the all-clear, I drained the pond. She was walking funny for days," he laughed. Christian shook his head.

"Yeah, I know. I'm crude…but, geez, bro, you got to understand. Three weeks! I hadn't gone that long without sex since I was 15. I couldn't sleep. I came this close to cheating on Kate a few times."

"So, why didn't you? You probably could have kept it on the down-low."

"Nah. I couldn't lie to her or rather, I could lie to her but I would never have gotten away with it. The woman reads me, Chris. Within a week, I knew that I would never be able to put anything past her. I mean, she is scary. And I was already in love and confused. I've never been, you know."

"Oh, I know, all right. First time out, those emotions really do a number on you…especially when you kind of know that the first time is the only time. So, are you all in?"

"Quicksand, man. I'm never seeing daylight again. And I'll confess to you…I don't want to. I didn't pick the easiest woman. If I had a checklist of what I want in a woman, Kate wouldn't tick many boxes. Beautiful...check. Great sex…check. Accepts me just as I am…even likes me…check. Cooks, cleans…no. Spoiled…check."

"I'm truly happy for you, El. Do the folks know that Seattle's man whore is in love with a woman who possesses no domestic skills and will bite off your dick if you cross her?"

"They know that I'm in love, yeah. The rest…no. Mom is so over the moon about her two sons being super-attached, like crazy glued, that she sings and dances around the house. Dad says that he hasn't seen her that happy since they adopted Mia."

"Did I hear my name?"

"We were just discussing Elliot's new relationship," said Christian.

"Yeah…ain't that a hoot. At first, I gave it a week, then two, then three…and now that he's getting it regular? Wait'll you get to know Kate better. You'll realize that El got lucky. You both did and neither of you deserve it. Meanwhile, I'm still pining for a man who can't buy me a mansion. It's beginning to look like I'm going to have to make my own millions," Mia sighed.

Christian threw an affectionate arm around his little sister's shoulder. "I'll buy you a mansion, sis."

"Then you don't know Ethan. He's a good man…damn it."

Right then, Ana strolled into the room. Jeans, white t-shirt and cotton socks. Elliot and Christian looked at each other and laughed.

"Don't look at me. She had that on when I walked in. Wasn't interested in anything else," Mia groaned.

Ana stood on her tiptoes while Elliot leaned down to receive a welcoming peck on the cheek. Gail announced dinner and Elliot swooped past the others to start serving himself. It was a great meal…the food, the conversation. Elliot had never seen his brother so relaxed, so animated and engaged. Furthermore, El knew that he had a good shot at Ana's pie.

After the dishes had all been cleared away, they pushed some furniture aside and turned on dance music. Ana, it turned out, had two left feet. Christian had two right feet, however, so it all worked out. Elliot and Mia, long-time vets of clubbing, knew their way around a dance floor so they just danced and rolled their eyes at the slowly swaying lovers.

When the evening began to wind down, everyone sat down to drinks and discussion. Elena, Leila, the 'case', Elliot's growing business, England, Mia's wardrobe, family memories.

During the England part of the conversation, Christian grew quiet but with everyone talking over each other, it wasn't noticed.

"Okay," Christian said after summoning the elevator, "I guess we'll see you and everyone else Sunday afternoon around 1 pm. I'm looking forward to getting to know Kate better. Oh, I forgot to ask. How did Tuesday's lunch go?"

"By the time mom got home, she'd almost chewed her own tongue off…but don't worry. Elena got nothing out of her. Except for a couple of great lies and a whole lot of 'Ana this and Ana that'." Mia laughed.

"Ooh, things are not going Elena's way. We have to be careful. Mia, yes, you in particular, stick close to your CPOs. I would not put it past Elena to send me a message via harming my family."

"Yes, big brother," Mia rolled her eyes.

"Mia, I've got about 120 lbs. on you," warned Elliot, "and I'm looking over my shoulder. I've known Elena longer than you and I really wouldn't put anything past her. She is flat out cray-cray and thinks that she is invincible. You understand? If she thought that hurting you would hurt Ana and Christian…."

"All right! My CPO is kinda cute, anyway. You should see him, Ana. He's a wall of muscle."

"AND, he is off-limits. Keep it professional. No flirting. He has to be on his game at all times. No distractions," warned Christian. "He's reporting back to me. You want to hang on to that Amex, right?"

"Yes. Yes, yes, and more yes's. Stick close, no flirting. Geez."

Christian and Ana hugged their guests and watched them until the elevator doors closed.

Ana giggled. Christian looked at her with surprise. "What's so funny?

"Oh, it just struck me that your front door is an elevator."

"Well, sweetheart, you can always take the stairs if you crave a normal front door," Christian smirked. "It's only 30 flights." "

This mutual mocking continued unabated as the lovers got ready for bed…right through splashing in the shower, spitting toothpaste foam at each other, towel slapping and chasing each other around the bedroom. In the middle of the pillow fight, Ana held up a hand and, with a solemn expression, said that they should stop acting like kids. Christian agreed and dropped his pillow ...whereupon Ana walloped him right across his head with her pillow.

"Sucker!" She cackled. "You must be punished," he glowered menacingly. "Screw doctor's orders."

Ana shrieked in surprise as Christian grabbed her and threw her down on the bed and began to madly lick and nibble and suck her pussy. She was already so turned on that it took just a minute for her to come, gasping his name. Then he threw her legs over his shoulders and drove into her like a man possessed, pounding her into oblivion over and over until her voice was raw.

The moment he rolled off of her, she jumped him and began to suck his dick…starting and stopping…over and over until he was begging her to let him come and when he did, she started all over again. He came so many times he actually pleaded for release.

"I think I'm completely dehydrated, Ana," he whined. Finally, she took pity on him. Her jaw was sore anyway. Still, concerned, she had to check out his wound. Thankfully, the stitches had held.

They lay gasping for breath, soaked with sweat. They wanted to shower again but couldn't manage the walk into the bath. So, instead, they rolled into each other and went to sleep in seconds.

CHAPTER 51

Ana woke before Christian, twisting around to check his wound again. She was relieved that it was still holding. She went into the bath to get fresh bandages and tape. The dressing was pretty messed up after last night's sex fest. Gosh, she thought as she cleaned and rewrapped the wound, that man was really wound up. It was like he was trying to drill his way to China. And, she had to admit to herself, it was wonderful. Of course, now he would think that he could disobey orders every night. She dreaded having to tell him that last night would have to hold him for another week or two. Even as she was delirious with passion, she was worried that he was exerting himself too much. She feared finding blood on the sheets. She considered that they got lucky and would have to be careful from now on.

After completing her task, Ana checked the time. It was only a bit after 8 but she was wide awake and hungry. She'd shower later with Christian but she needed buttered toast. Donning her robe, she headed for the kitchen. Naturally, Gail was up, prepping something.

"Good morning. I thought I was going to have to call you two into the great room last night and tell you to behave. Jason was grumbling about the racket, going through his old army footlocker looking for earplugs. You'd never believe that that room is soundproofed."

"Sorry, Gail," Ana blushed. " We started squabbling at the elevator and just kept going. We even had a pillow fight… which I won!"

"Tricked him into giving up, eh?" Gail laughed.

"Yes! How'd you know?"

"That boy is the most competitive person I've ever known. Tricking him into giving up his pillow is the only way you could have beaten him."

"I'm pretty competitive myself, I'll have you know. Anyway, with his wound, we shouldn't have been playing so rough."

"He's okay, though?" asked Gail.

"Yeah. I changed the dressing. I thought that I'd just get some toast and juice and then go back to bed. Maybe sleep. Maybe read."

"Well, here's your toast, butter and orange juice. Why don't you take the tray with you along with an extra glass. Just in case. I'm making an omelet for Jason. He's a bit ornery this morning," she smiled.

Christian was still lying in the same position when Ana returned. She slipped quietly into bed so as not to disturb his rest.

"You left." He was barely intelligible as he talked into his pillow. Ana smiled. She should have known that he'd wake within a minute of her being gone.

"Go back to sleep," she said softly.

"You getting up?" he mumbled.

"No, I'll be right here. Promise."

"m'kay." He lay on his stomach, facing her, with an arm thrown across her lap.

.+.

Later, as Ana washed his hair in the shower, Christian grumbled about his head hurting.

"What did you do to me last night anyway?"

"I allowed you to jackhammer me into a half dozen orgasms which, mind you, were very nice but left me very sore and your strength depleted. I also blew you until you entreated me to climb off you. We really overdid it."

"No such thing," Christian said as he wrapped his arms around her and nibbled her earlobe.

"I think we'd better take it easy today. Perhaps just spend the day reading or watching movies."

"Yeah. Let's hang out in the library and then we can fool around on the couch."

Ana chuckled. "Resting. No fooling."

"You're mean." Then Christian was quiet while he washed Ana's hair, rinsed it and then towel dried them both. He sat her down on a stool while he carefully blew her hair dry. She loved when he tended to her hair. She could have just floated away.

"Ana?" Christian said as he rested his forehead against the back of her head.

"Hmmm…?"

"Please don't leave me."

CHAPTER 52

Christian lay sleeping with his head on Ana's lap as she watched the movie with the captions on. She gently smoothed his hair and listened to his soft breathing. It was a good movie, whatever it was. She wasn't really paying attention. She had been distracted from everything since that moment in the bathroom when he'd beseeched her to stay with him. It wasn't as if she didn't know that he worried about her going back to England. The attempt on his life and concern for his recovery had simply put thoughts of leaving on the backburner for a time. However, he didn't really need nursing anymore and Alphonse was returning to England in a few days. True, Christian would be coming along to complete the handover of Potter, Inc. but that would take a week at most. Ros and Gwen hadn't complained but Ana had caught bits and pieces of conversation from the study…enough to know that they were weary of being apart, of Ros working 70 hour weeks. And recently they'd adopted a baby and, naturally, Ros wanted to work less and bond with her son. As it was, she was missing not only her CEO but her key financial director who'd been fired.

Christian's sleep had been more and more restless as the days wore on and the clock ticked down. Ana had tried to ease Ros's burden by doing some of the financials and Ros swore that she had a job if she wanted one. Once the transfer of Potter, Inc. was completed, her initial contract with Alphonse would no longer be in force. She'd be staying on only to look after Alphonse and to help him adjust to retirement. She'd intended to support him as he took on a stronger leadership role in the community…a position that she felt was essential for the wellbeing of the villages. David would soon be moving to London. Collin had been acting as bodyguard and caretaker of the affairs of the estate but he had accepted Christian's offer to be CEO of the new Potter division of GEH. Tom Ryan had accepted Collin's old job so that he could be with Beth. Ana's new job, she guessed, would be looking after Alphonse. It wasn't really enough to fill her time or use her brain but her position with Alphonse had long ago ceased to be one of an employee. Leaving him would be like leaving her own father.

Before someone, someone who was still out there and might try again, had tried to kill Christian, Ana had imagined that she would fly back to the states for a week a month to be with the man she loved but nearly losing Christian had made the reality of being without him for three weeks at a time an excruciating thought. She felt that her place was with him now. She considered asking Alphonse to move to the states but that, she knew, was crazy. He would soon be 90 years of age. Asking him to leave his country, his home of 60 years, his beloved wife's grave, the servants who were his family…it would be like putting one's parent in a nursing home. He'd do it, she knew. He'd do anything to make her happy but she'd never be able to live with herself. For that matter, neither would Christian.

Christian had, at one point, proposed that they take turns…a week in England for him and a week in the states for her and they'd never have to be apart. But Ana knew that that would be too much time away from Alphonse and Alphonse would feel that he ought to just die to free up the "kids" to live their lives without a tired old man holding them back.

Christian suddenly awoke. Ana hadn't realized that she was dropping tears on his face.

"Oh, baby," he quickly sat up and pulled her onto his lap. "We'll figure it out. I promise." He held her fast and rocked her as Ana sobbed in sadness and aching.

.+.

All too soon, it was Sunday and the family would be arriving for dinner. Ana wished that she'd scheduled it for Saturday instead so that she and Christian could have spent Sunday just holding each other. It was of some comfort that he would be flying home with her and Alphonse but the week ahead would be filled with work for both of them. At least they would have the nights.

"Gail, in case I forget to say it later, I want to thank you for making me feel so welcome, so at home. You've been wonderful to me and it helps me to know that you'll be here for Christian."

"You've no idea how wonderful it has been to have you here. Christian is dear to me and I've prayed for his happiness every night for years. With that awful Mrs. Lincoln in his life and his belief that love was not for him, I feared my prayers were for naught. When he came home with you…." Gail stopped her work, choked up and bowed her head, trying not to cry. Ana embraced her until Gail got control again.

"He's a different man, now. He's happy…for the first time in his life, he's happy. Thank you, thank you!" Gail gave Ana one last squeeze and then picked up her work again. "Now, shall we have any other flavor of pie besides cherry," she laughed.

"Does anyone like any other kind?" Ana giggled.

"Elliot has everyone rather brainwashed. I don't think that they know that there are other kinds. Christian doesn't eat sweets. Mia is usually watching her weight. Mrs. Grey used to favor lemon meringue and Mr. Grey loves apple but I don't have any fresh apples."

"Well, that's no problem. Christian and Taylor are on a call with Ros so I'll just slip on down to the market. Don't worry. I'll hurry and he won't even know I'm gone."

"Get Honey Crisp," Gail called out as the elevator doors were closing.

Down on the street, Ana took in a deep breath of the fresh air. She loved the scent of the grass after a rain and since being in Seattle, she'd discovered that she also loved the scent of the wet city streets. She fairly skipped down the avenue, putting sad thoughts aside for now. It would be a nice evening with the Greys. Carrick rather reminded her of a younger Alphonse which was good because one day she would need someone like him.

Ana liked Escala's neighborhood. Even though it was posh, there were small mom and pop stores and some cafes. She'd been on the lookout for a pub-style bar. She wanted to make pub-mates like she had in England. She could bicycle down the road to The Boar's Head and there would always be people inside who'd known her for years. She never had to do without company. It was warm and fun and she wanted that for Christian, too. He needed friends. Thank goodness for Elliot.

This was her first time out alone…although she suspected that there was a covert or two lurking nearby. She missed her independence sometimes. Usually she was in a car with Christian and they were usually kissing. Today she felt alone and adventurous. Maybe she'd buy her apples at Eddie's and then walk a little further.

At the grocery, she bought a bag of Honey Crisp and asked the proprietor if there was a small bar in the area…a friendly little gathering-sort of place. He looked at her oddly.

"Well, there are bars, to be sure, but most are fancy places. The others are shabby and not meant for ladies to be drinking alone."

"Too bad. May I ask you an intrusive sort of question about this grocery?"

"Intrusive, eh? Oh, sure. Go ahead."

"It's unusual to find a small grocery in an upscale area like this. I mean, the rent must be prohibitive, I would think. Are you grandfathered in or something like that?"

Eddie laughed. "Aren't you the lady who comes in with Mr. Grey's housekeeper sometimes?"

"Yes, she loves to shop here. Hates the supermarket."

"Well, there's your answer. Mr. Grey is our landlord and will never raise the rent as long as his housekeeper shops here. If it weren't for him practically subsidizing me, I'd have been forced out long ago."

"Huh. That's interesting. Well, thank you, Eddie. I'm Ana, by the way."

"Oh, of course. Grey's girlfriend. Should have known you from the tabs. Welcome to the neighborhood."

Ana smiled and waved goodbye. That was nice, she thought. Now, where were those "shabby" bars?

She hadn't walked far when she spotted a rather run-down tavern that she thought had possibilities. She was about to walk in to take a look around when she heard footsteps running behind her. She turned around and ran smack into a breathless Christian. She dropped the apples and the bag split open with fruit rolling in all directions.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Christian hollered.

At first Ana was only concerned about her apples. "Oh, Christian, now we'll have to stop back at Eddie's again. He told me that you subsidize his rent. That's my sweet man," she grinned as she gave him a little peck on the lips. Then she saw the look on his face. She'd never known his anger. At first, she was startled and a little frightened but then she got her back up.

"Don't you snarl at me, mister. I'm your guest, not your prisoner."

"I ought to take you over my knee. You wouldn't be able to sit for a week," Christian gripped Ana's shoulders and refused to let her move.

"Release me," she said coldly, "or you'll be sorry." He didn't. He was. Ana kneed him in the crotch hard enough to take him to the sidewalk. Several people who'd observed this through the tavern window came out to watch close up.

"When he's ready, please pick him up." The onlookers nodded obediently. "I'm going back to Eddie's for apples."

A few minutes later, Ana was gathering apples when Christian limped in and stared at her. Ana paid for her purchase and, snubbing Christian, left the store. He followed her back down the street, making no attempt to catch up. When they entered Escala, instead of getting into the elevator, Ana headed for the stairs. Fuming because she knew that he'd follow, Christian dragged himself up 30 flights.

"You do remember that I was almost stabbed to death a while back, right?"

"Then take the elevator, Mr. Macho." Ana taunted.

By the time that Ana arrived back in the kitchen, Gail was frantic.

"Where is Mr. Grey? He was so upset. He came out looking for you and when I told him that you'd be right back, that you'd gone to the store, he flew out of here like a man on fire."

"He might still be on fire," Ana huffed, putting the apples down on the counter. Then she removed herself to the library. Perhaps a good book would soothe her fury. And it did until Christian roared into the room, gasping for breath and dripping sweat.

"Do you know what could happen to you all alone on the street and THEN I catch you going into a dive bar!? You always take a CPO with you…always! I express my concern for your safety and you knee me in the groin!? You make me walk 30 flights!?"

"I was fine and obviously I can take care of myself. YOU have a glass groin AND you could have taken the elevator! How dare you threaten me? Some protector you are! Turn to the side, now!

Christian obeyed without thinking while Ana checked his dressing. "Now you've gotten it all soaked with sweat. Go take a shower. I'll have to fix the bandage again!"

Ana followed him into the bath just as the family was arriving and Gail was frantically peeling apples. Grace rolled out a crust. Everyone could hear Christian and Ana yelling at each other in the bath.

"Jesus H. Christ," Elliot whistled.

"Elliot!" snapped Grace.

"Sorry, mom, but listen to that. Maybe someone should intervene before blood is shed. What did Chris do?"

"What makes you think it was Christian?" Mia protested.

"Because Ana could burn the house down and Chris would only worry about her getting burned."

"Well, that's it then," said Carrick. "Ana must have put herself in danger somehow and you know Christian. He goes berserk when someone he loves could be hurt."

"Gail, do you know?" Grace inquired politely.

"Ana went to Eddie's for apples without an escort. I didn't even think about that when she left. When they returned, she'd made him walk up 30 flights. She's mad. He's mad. It might be an interesting dinner. And it's Carrick's fault."

"What!? What did I do?" Carrick said, looking wounded.

"I needed apples to make you a pie."

"We're having apple pie, too? Cool," Elliot said with a big smile on his face.

Finally, Alphonse spoke up. "I love apple pie. My favorite. Ana makes them all the time from our own orchard. What kind of apples, Mrs. Taylor?"

"Alphonse!" Grace chided. "I think that you're missing the point. Ana and Christian never argue, much less scream at each other. Would you listen to that noise?"

"She lets me peel and chop. Can I help you, Mrs. Taylor?" Alphonse seemed unconcerned about the ongoing brawl. He set to his task, thoroughly enjoying himself.

CHAPTER 53

"Don't towel yourself off. You're too rough. You could tear your stitches." Christian stood still as Ana gently dabbed at the wound site until the moisture was gone before redoing the dressing.

"You can get dressed now. Go down and greet our guests while I clean up." With that Ana wheeled on her heel and turned to the shower. She left Christian to brush his teeth while he watched her undress in the mirror. As she stepped under the pouring water, throwing her head back to wet her hair, her nipples pointed skyward. Christian stopped mid-brushing and groaned.

No, he stopped himself, I'm mad. I am justified in being mad. She doesn't get to be mad because I'm….Christ, look at her. Stop it. He finished brushing his teeth and towel-dried his hair. Then he wished that he'd waited for Ana to dry his hair. That felt so good.

He returned to the bedroom and chose his clothes for the evening. He heard the water stop. He waited. Ana came marching through wearing a towel…on her head. He sat on the bed watching her getting dressed before she returned to the bath to dry her hair.

He followed and took the hair dryer out of her hand. "I'll do that. You do it too quickly. It has to be done gently on the cool setting."

"That takes too long."

"Yes, but it is better for your hair. Sit still."

"All right. You do know best, I'm sure. How did I ever dry my hair before you came along?"

"Badly."

Ana crossed her arms and glared at Christian in the mirror. However, gradually she relaxed, let her hands fall into her lap, closed her eyes and began to involuntarily hum.

As he completed his work, Christian leaned down to kiss the top of her head. "I'm sorry, Ana. Try to understand. I was terrified. I gave up being a dominant a long time ago but suddenly, the thought of you being hurt made me desperate to be in total control again."

"I know, dear. And I'm sorry that I kneed you in the crotch. Was it terribly painful?"

"I was on the ground, crying in front of a crowd of drunks. And you were off again."

"I did tell them to help you up and tell you where I'd gone."

"That was considerate until you made me walk up 30 flights of stairs."

"You are out of shape. You need to exercise more."

"You won't let me!"

"You have a point."

"Well, finally, I get to have a point. Baby, please don't go places without a CPO."

Ana shrugged, leaving Christian frustrated.

As they walked out to greet their guests, they were still bickering. Everyone was staring at them. Mia burst into tears while Kate tried to comfort her. "Don't worry, sweetie, sometimes mommies and daddies fight but it doesn't mean that they don't love you."

"What's Mia bawling about?" demanded Christian.

"Ana, dear. Look. I'm making pie," Alphonse grinned as he crimped the edges of the crust.

"Oven's ready. Just load it up, Mr. Potter. It can bake while you eat dinner. Everyone sit down," ordered Gail. She was about fed up. While those two had been fighting, she'd been trying to finish dinner, teach Potter to bake, entertain the guests, keep Elliot out of the food, maneuver around a not-so-helpful Grace and coax Carrick out of the liquor cabinet. Every once in a while, Jason would peek out, wince…and then sneak back into their quarters.

Gail decided that perhaps she'd pay a visit to the liquor cabinet herself before joining Jason.

CHAPTER 54

Dinner was quiet. The tension was palpable…except for Alphonse who didn't seem to notice or perhaps care about Ana and Christian squabbling. He and Delilah used to argue just to rev up for makeup sex. Finally, however, Elliot had eaten enough to stop and take an interest in the company around him.

"So, Ana, what did Chris do now?" Elliot grinned wickedly. He loved to get his brother going.

"Fuck off, El," Christian snarled.

"Ooh, that good, eh?" Elliot laughed.

"She tried to kill me for trying to keep her from getting killed, that's what."

Ana sighed and rolled her eyes, knowing how Christian hated that. "I simply went out to buy apples for Alphonse's pie and then took a little walk around the neighborhood and Christian went berserk."

"Yeah. That sounds about right," agreed El.

"She was alone! And by the time I caught up to her, she was about to go into some dive bar!"

"I was simply looking for a nice, little pub-like place. He grabbed me and acted like I was entering an opium den. I told him to unhand me or else. He choose the "or else". Thus, I kneed him in the family jewels."

At this, the table erupted. Grace put a hand to her face and gasped. Carrick bowed his head in an effort to hide his laughter. Mia and Kate stared. Elliot, of course, roared with laughter.

"It isn't funny!" Christian declared. "She maimed me, for Christ's sake…and if that wasn't enough, she wouldn't take the elevator. She wanted to walk 30 flights. She won't let me exercise but she made me walk 30 flights of stairs."

"You could have taken the elevator at any floor but no. You had to follow me to protect me from all the bad guys loitering in the stairwell."

"You climbed 30 flights! Yike," Elliot said, "you're a tough lady."

Christian exploded. "She's tough?! I climbed 30 flights, too, with stitches in my side. How come you're not impressed with me?"

"Oh, darling," soothed Grace, "you are always doing impressive things. I guess we just take it for granted. And Ana was carrying a heavy bag of apples."

Christian threw down his napkin and stormed off to his bedroom…immediately followed by Ana and the two resumed their fight.

Gail returned to serve dessert and sighed. "Elliot, you'd better look into double soundproofing that room."

Alphonse just sat eating his apple pie and humming his approval. "Oh, they'll have sex for a while and then they'll be fine."

Six heads snapped around to stare at the old man. "What? I've lived, you know."

Carrick shrugged in agreement while Elliot dug into his pies, a cherry on one side and an apple on the other. The women all looked at the men and then each other before bursting into laughter.

"Well," said Kate, "you're an interesting bunch. I'm going to enjoy Sunday brunches. Mia, let's go shopping for all things pink tomorrow."

Mia bobbed her head up and down while Elliot frowned. "I was kinda planning on sleeping in late tomorrow." Kate didn't take the hint. "Sure, honey. I'll be quiet and let you sleep." Elliot groaned.

Grace leaned her head on her hand as she looked around the table. "I'm exhausted. If those two are going to bellow at each other all night, then I'm going home and watch television. Carrick?"

"Sure, honey. Hang on while I wrap up some pie to go. Gail, incredible meal as always. Thank you and good luck," Carrick smiled.

When Ana and Christian emerged, having agreed to be good hosts upon their return, they found the dining room empty and Gail loading the dishwasher.

She smiled kindly at the couple. "I think you'll need to work on your hosting skills."

CHAPTER 55

Alphonse was correct, of course. At some point in the evening, Ana and Christian were so heated that they grabbed each other and kissed as if they were trying to devour each other. The sex went on for hours until both were too exhausted to do anything but lie and stare at the ceiling. Once he had his breath back, Christian turned to Ana and enveloped her in his arms, murmuring her name and his love for her. She noted that his groin seemed to have recovered and he said that he was powering through the pain. She giggled and his heart clenched. "I adore you, Ana."

"And I so love you, Christian." And then they couldn't keep their eyes open anymore.

.+.

As they touched down in England, Christian watched for reactions from Alphonse and Ana. If either of them...but especially Ana...had said something about it being so good to be home, he might crack a little. He had little to do on this trip. No excuses for staying longer than a few days. The looming separation from Ana had raised his anxiety level to defcon 1. He did take some comfort in knowing that when Elena went to trial, Ana would be far from the chaos. If she were there, there would be a bullseye on her back.

The following morning Christian and Alphonse lingered over breakfast while Ana went for a ride on Devil. Grey and Potter still had some details to work out.

"If I may, Christian, I'd like to recommend Collin to be your CEO at Potter, inc. He's quite intelligent and has done a perfect job managing this estate for the last decade. He knows all the employees and is well liked."

"Oh, he didn't say anything to you. Well, perhaps he thought that you'd be upset. You see, I've already hired him. Now, may I make a suggestion? Tom Ryan will do a good job as your CPO but having him restricted to that would be a waste of a good mind. He has his MBA. He could be your estate manager as well as bodyguard and driver."

"MBA, eh? Why did he take a job with you on your security staff?

"He always said that it was just temporary. When he felt ready, I was going to find a position for him at GEH. Now, however, he wants to live here and he's in love. He sees a future with Beth."

"Yes, that I know. I caught him and Beth canoodling on the front parlor sofa. I sat him down and asked about his intentions. He assured me that they were entirely honorable and that he envisioned his future with Beth. He seems a competent sort of fellow so I will take your suggestion under advisement. I don't have anyone else in mind anyway. Besides, Beth wants a large family and she wants it soon...so Tom will have to earn more than he'd make driving me around." Alphonse smiled. "It would be nice to have children running around the house."

They talked some more about the merging of Potter, Inc. into GEH. Lots of smaller details. Alphonse wasn't looking forward to his retirement speech. He wanted to just be done with it.

"Ana has been gone a long time, Alphonse. I'm getting worried," Christian remarked.

"Oh, she's with Devil. She's fine. I'm sure that with all that's weighing on her mind that she just needed to get away from us for a while to get some perspective. Christian, don't pressure her. This situation is really tearing her up."

"No, I haven't been trying to persuade her. Let me ask you, Alphonse. Where do you stand?"

"She's a young woman who deserves happiness. She isn't going to be happy if she's apart from you. I've already advised her to leave but she is so torn. She just burst into tears. Of course, I want her to stay. It would be a great adjustment to live without her but I think that going with you is best for her. Still, it's her decision."

Christian patted Alphonse gently on his back. "I understand how hard this is for you as well."

At this point, Pete ran into the room, panting and alarmed.

"Devil just came back...without Ana."

"Oh, now, Pete, settle down. He probably just uprooted that hitching post. We'll get the cart out and go pick up Ana." He didn't believe a word of what he said but he didn't want to upset Grey.

"Sir, there's more. He limped all the way home. He's been shot in his left rear flank and running on it has shattered the bone. And sir, you know that he'd never leave Ana. Also," Pete gulped, "there was blood on the saddle."

Christian ran for the cart while Alphonse called for an ambulance. The cart was slow and Grey was frantic. He drove over a rise and spotted Ana limping toward him. He drove the cart up to her and jumped out to catch her just as she collapsed. There was blood running down her face. There was a bullet hole in her skull. Grey forced himself to be calm.

He put Ana in the cart and drove back to the house with one hand on the wheel and the other arm around Ana as she leaned against him. When he arrived at the mansion, paramedics were already there. They immediately hovered over Ana, forcing Grey out of the way. He did insist on riding in the ambulance with her. Alphonse would follow.

The local hospital was small and ill-equipped to deal with the seriousness of Ana's injuries. They did find that she'd also been shot in the leg. They advised Christian that they were having her medivaced to London but it would take a while to find a pilot. Christian scooped Ana up in his arms and carried her out to the helicopter all the while explaining that he was a licensed pilot.

Not in England, they pointed out. Then call the police and have them meet me in London, Grey spat back at them. At that he took the bird into the air forcing himself to remain calm. 20 minutes later, he touched down at the Royal London Hospital landing pad and the helicopter was swarmed by white coats. They told him that all he could do was go to the waiting room and sit.

He looked around for the men's restroom and then retreated inside. He couldn't deal with all the stares. Yes, I'm good looking. Now leave me the fuck alone. Standing in front of the sinks, he stared at himself in the mirror. His visage was different. It took him a minute to realize that he was looking at a dominant. Impassive, stern, no emotion. Shifting into dom-mode was the only way he could get through this. And he knew that if Ana died, he'd never shift back.

Back in the waiting room, he choose a chair far from the others. Their idle chatter about broken ankles and tennis elbow enraged him but he didn't let it show. He'd been sitting there for a while when two uniforms and a detective entered the room. They spotted Grey immediately...from the blood on his shirt. They approached him with caution...as though they sensed what he was.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Yes."

"Sir, we need to talk with you a bit about the events of this morning."

"The "event" of this morning was that Ana Steele was shot in the head and the leg."

"Yes, sir. We are sorry to have to bother you at this time but the sooner we get all the information the sooner we can apprehend this scoundrel. Can you tell us what happened, as far as you know?"

Heaving a great sigh, like that of a man dead to the bone, Christian ran his hand over his face and began to relate the "events" of that morning.

"You commandeered the hospital helicopter and flew it here, sans license or permission?"

Christian slowly raised his face to look at the detective. The detective felt a power surge from somewhere and let the question drop.

"It's been almost two hours, detective. What have you found in the way of evidence?"

"Well, sir," the detective said nervously. We found a spot just inside the tree line where someone apparently spent days. There were wrappers for all kinds of food lying about. The area was flattened and we found three indentations in the ground. We believe that these were from a tripod that the shooter used to steady his gun. We also found several shell casings indicating that he or she fired several times. The shell casings also indicate that the gun was a high-powered rifle of the sort that is illegal, a black market buy. There was a well-trod path leading down along the tree line to the road. The shooter must have parked his vehicle on the side of the road but the rain washed away any tire marks.

"We've begun to canvas the area for anyone who might have noticed the car or a person. Sir, do you know of anyone who might have wanted to harm Mrs. Steele?"

Grey thought a moment. Harm Ana? What kind of monster would that take?

"No. As far as I know, everyone around Potterville loved Ana." Grey reached into his pocket for his wallet and retrieved a business card. He handed it to the detective and instructed him to keep Grey in the loop. The detective merely nodded in agreement and then slowly backed away while thanking Grey for his help. The man made him feel small and useless. He'd never before met a dom and didn't know that he was meeting one now. All he knew was that this man made him cower.

Alphonse, Pete and Ryan had just arrived. Questioning them was a cake-walk compared to the vibe the detective got off of Grey. Soon, they left and then everyone just waited.

CHAPTER 56

"Hello, Ros. Yes, the acquisition is completed. We have a CEO and everything ready to go. You should receive the signed documents in a couple of days. I know that you expected me back soon and that Gwen would not appreciate me staying longer and leaving you with all the responsibility of running GEH but recent events have made it impossible for me to leave. Indeed, I have no idea of when that will be.

"Ana was shot this morning. She is currently at Royal London Hospital. I know that she is in critical condition with bullet wounds in her skull and her leg. She's lost a lot of blood. I believe that she is in surgery right now but no one has come out to talk with us as yet.

"No, we don't know who or why. We do know that someone stalked and ambushed her. It appears that they lay in wait for her for several days. I have Welsh looking into the men I had to fire from Potter, Inc. They appeared to take it well but that could have been a cover.

"No. There isn't anything you can do as far as I know. It's just a waiting game now. I've spoken with Scotland Yard. No leads. I'm not even sure if Ana was the target or if it was just a way to get to me. Try to keep this on the downlow although I'm sure that news of a shooting on the estate of Alphonse Potter will leak quickly.

"I have to call the folks now. I'll be in touch as soon as I have something to say. Thanks, Ros."

After, Grey immediately called his parents who wanted to fly over but Grey asked them to be patient and wait for news from him. He didn't tell them that the Dom in him had risen and needed to be solely in control. Dom do not require or want the care of others. That would weaken him.

He supposed that he ought to get up and move over to Alphonse and Pete but he didn't need their comfort and didn't want to give his. His Dom persona breaking through was protecting him from weakness and fear. He had to keep it for himself.

He got up and strode purposefully to the reception desk and demanded information about the condition of Ana Steele. At first, his soft voice did not move the nurse. She continued to look down at her paperwork. Then he spoke again in a deeper and more intimidating tone and she looked up into a pair of black eyes and a clenched jaw. She had probably never in her life been confronted by a dominant but this first encounter left her quite shaken. She said that she'd find out what she could and left the desk. Christian stood casually with his hands in his pockets. He would give her a few minutes and then he would barge through the double doors and seek answers for himself.

Just as he felt that he waited long enough, a doctor came in and called out for Alphonse Potter who fairly ran to Christian's side. The doctor himself felt the power of Grey's dominance and naturally turned to him instead of Potter.

"Mrs. Steele is in critical condition in the ICU. We were able to remove both bullets although she does have a skull fracture due to the bullet's impact. She will be in the ICU for several days...if she survives. That is not a certainty. What the impact of the bullet will be on her mental status is also unknown. I know that you were hoping for better news but, trust me, we didn't expect her to live. This is the good news.

"I'm afraid that we'll need some paperwork filled out since Mrs. Steele is not a British citizen. We'll need to ascertain who will be taking responsibility for her, any future treatment options, billing and so forth. I'm given to understand that she is an employee of yours, Mr. Potter?"

Before Alphonse could leap in to say that he'd assume responsibility for Ana, Grey interrupted to say that Ana was his responsibility. He would complete the paperwork and pay the bills.

"Were you her surgeon?" he asked the woman standing before him in blood-stained scrubs.

"Yes. I'm Dr. Spencer. I'll be one of her attending physicians."

"Then we offer you our greatest gratitude," Alphonse said. Christian asked her to keep them well informed and handed over his business card.

"When can she have visitors?" Christian's dom began to waver.

"One at a time for just a few minutes," Dr. Spencer warned. Grey graciously pushed Alphonse ahead of him.

Alphonse gratefully squeezed Grey's arm and hurried after the doctor. Christian excused himself to Pete to go into the men's loo. He went into a stall and sat down, putting his face in his hands, shaking badly. After a few minutes, he splashed water on his face again and glared into the mirror.

He knew, despite his dom's reappearance, that once he saw Ana he could no long count on being stoic and unaffected. With Ana, he was just an ordinary guy... devastated.

CHAPTER 57

Several minutes later, Alphonse returned...pale and looking scared. He tried to hide it from Grey but the old man's tired visage was easy to see through. The gentle old fellow gave Grey a hug and urged him to get to Ana.

Grey walked down the corridor, struggling to hold on to his Dom but it was fading fast. He knew that he'd lose control the moment he saw the woman who could bring him to his knees. He could never be a dom to Ana.

Her head was bound in bandages. A ventilator was hanging out of her mouth. She looked sooo white against the hospital linens. A rush of powerful anxiety surged through him. A nurse observed him through the glass wall and saw him standing frozen. She took pity on him and entered the room.

"Hello, now which relative are you?"

Grey turned to her, his face ashen, tears brimming. The nurse touched him lightly on his arm and tried to say comforting words.

"Your Ana is really something, you know. I saw her when they brought her in. The blood loss, the hole in her head...we all thought that she didn't stand a chance. Well, she sure fooled us. Usually during surgery like she had, we'd have to restart her heart once and even twice...but not Ana. She powered through like a freight train. Her strength shortened the surgery by an hour at least which bodes very well.

"I know that her current appearance is frightening but it's just an appearance. She's doing well and the ventilator can probably be removed in a few days. If the sheets weren't so white, she wouldn't look so white. We talk to her all the time. Now you sit here, hold her hand and tell her that you're waiting for her."

Then she patted his arm again and returned to her station.

Christian did as he was told and sat down as close as possible to Ana. He held and kissed her hand. He whispered gently to her. He said that he knew that she was feeling terrible but that he also knew that she wanted to come back to him. I'll wait as long as it takes, he told her, but asked that she try hard because he was weak. He was struggling to be strong for her and he'd never quit. He wanted to see her beautiful hazel eyes, all green and gold and brown sprinkles.

"Ana, I'll never give up on you. Please don't leave me."

The nurse came in and sadly told him that he'd have to leave now but that he could return in the morning. He nodded, leaned down and kissed Ana's forehead, wondering if she could feel his lips through the bandages. He kissed her hand and pressed it to his cheek.

Then he turned to the nurse and handed her his card, telling her anything, anything at all, please call. He thanked her for her kindness.

As the nurse watched him walk away, she turned to her colleague and said that this was really a hard one. The other nurse nodded her sympathy.

Back in the waiting room, Grey smiled weakly at Alphonse and Pete.

"The nurse says that Ana is strong." They nodded and then they headed back to Potterville.

.+.

That evening, Grey rode Daisy out to the campsite mentioned by the detective. Ryan followed in the cart and the two of them inspected the area. It was roped off by the police and the two men were careful not to disturb the evidence.

"Taylor will be here in the morning with an expert team to go over the site themselves. Not that Scotland Yard isn't competent but I figured that you'd want people you really trust to check this out, too."

"Thanks, Tom. You're right. I'll feel better after Taylor takes a look. See the holes in the ground from the tripod? They're deep...like the shooter was here a lot, just lying in wait for his moment. Who would hate Ana or me so much that they'd spend days out here, lying in the dirt, eating Twinkies, for Christ's sake?

Ryan took out a notebook. "I'm going to note all the different wrappers. We could ask around for someone who has a particular love of these different snacks. Sir, we're going to get them. We are."

Grey sighed. "I'm going to take a ride on Daisy for a while. Call me if need be." Then he headed for Delilah's Lake. He took the motorboat over to the island and walked up the path to Daniel's monument. He stood for a few moments looking down at the marker, the picture of a man and a little girl.

"Hello, Daniel. I'm Christian Grey. I'm deeply in love with Ana. You probably know that she is in trouble. I've come to ask a favor of you. I know that you miss her and this seems like a lucky break for you. Maybe you can be together again. But, Daniel, I need her. I won't survive without her. She barely survived without you and she is much stronger than I am. I'm asking you, Daniel, to let her go, to let her stay with me.

"I know that I'm asking a lot of you. I'm a selfish man. I'm a desperate man. Without Ana, I'll break. There'll be no going on without her. Please, I'll beg. Let me keep Ana. Please, Daniel. Don't take her away from me."

Grey stood there a while longer. He thought that it would help to talk to Daniel but he didn't really believe Daniel could hear him. Ana believed, however, and that was enough for Christian.

CHAPTER 58

The next morning, while Christian sat with Ana, Taylor and an elite forensic team combed through the shooter's camp. Taylor was grim and on fire. He wanted this person caught asap. He composed a line-up of suspects including even Elena and Leila. He wasn't taking anything for granted. He and his team canvased the area for miles around, every village, every house, every person. Everyone was helpful. No one hedged or refused to talk. They all loved Ana. He paid particular attention to the men that Grey had fired but they insisted that they felt no ill will toward Grey or Ana. The severance packages that Grey awarded them were exceedingly generous and they already had new jobs.

None knew of anyone who kept weapons beyond hunting rifles which they all produced for inspection. Taylor showed them pictures of the type of gun believed to have been used and no one recognized such a weapon. No one had noticed any strangers hanging about or any strange cars. They all had tales of the goodness bestowed upon them by Ana and Alphonse.

Taylor was frustrated. He was missing something. Whoever had lain in wait for Ana had spent a considerable amount of time watching and learning her routine. Therefore, he concluded, it was not someone familiar with her or the area. He began looking into the possibility of an outsider, even a foreigner. Someone from the states who knew Grey. This brought him back to Elena and Leila. It would be nothing for Elena to hire or blackmail someone to do her bidding.

He had 24/7 surveillance on both women but they knew Grey well and no doubt surmised that they were being watched. Still, Elena probably had a cache of burner phones and a dozen or so henchmen that she could call upon to do her dirty work. Leila was, of course, just plain crazy...a real loose cannon. He, however, had received no reports that she had made any trips. No, Taylor's money was still on Elena but with her there were so many possibilities. He needed, he thought, to concentrate on the weapon...one easy to acquire in the States and one a shooter would certainly not register. Still, he figured that the shooter would have had to purchase the gun in England or have private transportation. He put out the word to any shooting ranges within 50 miles of Seattle. Perhaps his shooter had been practicing and someone would recognize the weapon.

.+.

The ICU had strict rules about visitors but a multi-billionaire like Grey paid no attention to rules. He showed up early, took a chair and Ana's hand and sat for hours. He talked to her...even sang to her. He found a book in her former bedroom, the one she used before coming to share Christian's bed, and he brought it to the hospital to read to her.

The doctor frowned at the nurse's leniency and put it down to Grey's good looks. However, the head nurse set her straight in a rather angry encounter and she backed down. The ICU was their bailiwick and they could make things difficult for her. Besides, she could tell from Ana's blood pressure that she was calm and steady when Grey was with her. Perhaps his presence was best for her.

Grey told Ana that he'd been to see Daniel and begged him to let Ana stay with Christian. Then he begged Ana to return to him. He knew he was asking a lot. Was she with Daniel and Lilibet? How could he ask her to leave them...but he did, over and over. They were safe and at peace, Christian told Ana. He was in hell. He couldn't do without her.

The third day the doctor told him that Ana's vital signs were improving steadily. She'd had no setbacks. Christian smiled and squeezed Ana's hand. For the briefest moment, he felt pressure. She'd squeezed back. The doctor smiled, patted him on the shoulder and left the room.

Ana did seem to have a tiny bit more color in her face, unless Christian was just hoping. Perhaps tomorrow, he'd been told, they would try removing her ventilator. It would be wonderful if she could breathe on her own. Maybe, if that worked out and her vitals improved a bit more, she could be moved out of ICU and into her own room. Then Christian could stay with her around the clock. Leaving her alone at night had given him a whole new kind of nightmare.

Ana smiled sweetly at him but there was sadness in her eyes. Far behind her, Christian could see a man and a little girl...waiting. Ana looked back at them and then again at Christian. She seemed lost and confused. Then she suddenly seemed to be farther away from him...fading, fading.

It was then that Grey would jerk awake, soaked in sweat and anxiety. Every night he'd get, at most, 3 hours sleep. He'd never needed as much rest as other people seemed to but now he was fatigued all the time. Weariness and worry were his constant companions.

He fretted about Alphonse, too. He was able to spend an hour or so a day with Ana but after each visit, he looked more tired. Grey tried to boost his spirits but there was too much all at once to wear the old man down. Even though Collin was doing fine as CEO of Potter, Inc., there were the inevitable glitches and problems with employees adapting to a new boss and new ways. Collin was ambitious and Grey liked that. Alphonse, however, found himself having to lend a sympathetic ear to grumbling employees.

Then there was the heartache he dealt with every year around this time. Delilah's birthday and death happened within the same week and all Alphonse could do was sit by her grave and talk to her in order to get through it...except this year, Ana wouldn't be waiting at home with hot chocolate and cookies.

And, when Ana could come home, god willing, he'd have to somehow tell her that Devil was gone. His injuries were too severe. There was nothing to be done and his heart gave out. Alphonse knew that Ana would blame herself, would be sure that if she could have been with him, he would have held on. Maybe that was true.

And Christian. Alphonse heard his nightmares...knew that he wandered the house most of the night.

Yes, it was all a lot for a man of his years to deal with and he was so very tired.

CHAPTER 59

"Now when we take Ana off the ventilator, she'll slowly come out of the coma. She may be confused, even frightened. We don't know how much of her recent memories that she'll retain. If her blood pressure suddenly climbs, we may have to sedate her."

"What about pain?" asked Christian. "Will she have much pain?"

"That we don't know either...but we are prepared to handle it. Some discomfort is probable but too much could, again, raise her BP.''

"What should we say," asked Alphonse, "if she asks questions with difficult answers...answers that will upset her?"

"You know Ana better than I, of course, so use your own judgement. Lie. Hedge. Just try to keep her calm," the doctor answered.

"Now this may be a little hard to watch. Perhaps you should step out of the room until we're done," the doctor suggested.

Christian insisted that Alphonse leave with him. He feared that Alphonse could not handle Ana gagging. Fifteen minutes later the doctor called them back in. Christian could see Ana's face again. She looked peaceful. He choked back tears. He leaned over and kissed her lips and whispered in her ear.

"She looks good, doesn't she?" said Alphonse. Alphonse himself looked a bit better. Relief was in the air. Ana was breathing on her own. Now to wait until she opened her eyes. It would be some time before that happened and Grey didn't want Alphonse there at the time in case Ana had a bad reaction. He signaled to Ryan to take Alphonse home and Alphonse surprisingly did not argue.

Christian sat down to watch, to wait. He took Ana's hand and stroked her cheek. It could be hours before she woke. She was almost back, he thought. For better or worse, soon she could open her eyes, see him, talk with him. Maybe tonight he could get 4 hours of sleep.

At the very least, her prognosis for staying alive was good.

"Mr. Grey. You have a call. Mrs. Steele won't be awake for a while yet. If she should wake, I'll come for you immediately."

Grey reluctantly stood up, kissed Ana and left for the waiting room.

"Sir, we have a couple of developments."

"Go ahead, Taylor."

"First, Leila Williams has gone missing."

"What!? How did she slip away from surveillance?"

"We think that she used a double to lose her coverts. Knowing Leila, we don't think that she had the resources or the brains to do this on her on."

"Elena?"

"She hasn't left her house in days, sir. She must have quite a cache of burner phones. We'd love to get in there."

"Okay, what is the other development, Taylor?"

"Ros's idea. She suggested that we look into Francis Stewart, the employee she recently fired for embezzlement. He told her that he needed the money for a sick child but Ros just found out that he stole the money to pay off gambling debts. Now he's a ghost...but don't worry, boss. We'll find him."

"Taylor," Grey said, "Ros said that Stewart was very grateful that we didn't call the cops on him and he seemed genuine."

"Sir, suppose someone who resented Ana and knew a gambler who needed money..."Taylor trailed off.

"Talk to my father about the case against Elena. I haven't spoken to him about it since Ana's been hospitalized. They just took Ana off the ventilator and I want to get back to her. Work with Dad. Do you think that it's possible that someone has tipped off Elena about the pedophilia charges against her?"

"It's very possible, sir. I'll call Mr. Grey right now. Oh, and I'm very pleased for you, sir," said Taylor.

"Thanks. Keep me informed. Ana is being moved to a regular room soon so I'll be able to take calls."

Christian returned to Ana's bedside and took up his post. The moment he clasped her hand, he forgot everything else.

.+.

At some point, exhaustion overtook Grey and his chin dropped to his chest.

Ana was walking toward him, beaming. She sat down on the bench, cuddling close to Christian. He could see the man and the little girl in the distance. He wanted to wave, to be friendly but his fear was so great. He turned to Ana, tears brimming. He asked her if she came to say goodbye. She nodded yes. Just before he crumbled, she held up her arm and waved to the man and the child...now far in the distance. They faded into the light. His breath shaky, Christian put his arm around Ana and blinked back the tears before they fell.

Christian shot awake. Ana had turned her head just enough to see him. She smiled and squeezed his hand. He dropped his head to rest on her belly and let the tears fall. Ana pulled her hand from his and gently stroked his head.

He looked up into her hazel eyes and kissed her lips. She tried to speak but only a rasp emerged from her sore throat. The nurse came in and helped her eat some ice chips, telling her that it would be a while before she could sip water.

"We're going to get her ready to be moved now. Mr. Grey, could you wait in the corridor and then you can follow us to her suite. What do you think of that, Mrs. Steele? Your boyfriend got you the best digs in the hospital."

Ana was still just looking at Christian. "I'll see you in a few minutes, honey." Ana raised a hand and whimpered. "It's okay, baby. You're being moved out of the Intensive Care Unit into a regular room and I'm kind of in the way but I'll be here, right here. Just a few minutes. I'm not going anywhere. I love you. I'm not leaving."

Ana still looked fearful but she nodded. Christian certainly hoped she understood. He backed out of the room and down the hall.

She was alive. She was awake. Ana had come back to him.

CHAPTER 60

"Hi, boss. How is Mrs. Steele doing?"

"Good, Taylor. The doctor says that she is doing exceptionally well. She sleeps a lot but when she's awake, she's lucid and doesn't seem to have any memory problems as yet."

"And Alphonse?"

"Kind of worried about him. There's been so much for him to deal with lately and he's pretty worn out. He's doesn't make it to the hospital as much as he'd like. Ana asks for him every day. She'd worry if she knew that he hadn't been able to come so I tell her that he was here while she was sleeping."

"Well, I have some good news. We've got our man. Well, that is to say that we know who he is. Remember Francis Stewart?"

"Yeah, Ros fired him but we didn't press charges and he seemed grateful."

"He's ex-army, sniper."

"Geez."

"Yeah. A couple of weeks ago he left Seattle on a flight bound for Heathrow. We still don't know how he got that gun through unless he found a way to buy one in England. I suppose there are crooks in London, too. We had widened our search and found several people who recognized his photo. He rented a car but get this..The reason we didn't find any tire tracks and no one saw a strange vehicle is because he rented a horse!"

"A horse!" Grey almost jumped up, momentarily forgetting that he was sitting on Ana's bed with Ana leaning against him.

"Yeah, just rode it down the road and up into the woods. It rained so much that any horse tracks were melted into the dirt. Besides, we didn't look because we never suspected. Anyway, he checked out of his B & B one step ahead of us. Nothing yet on flight times but we're looking into anything by boat, including freighters. He could have gotten himself hired on. We're checking on everything leaving from public and private docks and their destinations. The coast guard is being real helpful.

"We're gonna get this guy, sir. And we're gonna find out who bankrolled him. I already have my suspicions," growled Taylor.

Grey wrapped his arms around Ana a little bit tighter and kissed her hair.

"I've been talking to Dad. He says that an arrest of Elena is imminent. He has four solid depositions, not including mine."

"Then you won't have to testify?"

"Not unless I want to...and I want to. My testimony will encourage even more victims to come forward and not just victims of Elena but of all the sadists operating underground. We're even talking human trafficking, Taylor. She runs with a real rough crowd. My celebrity is essential to calling attention to BDSM being used as an excuse for torture. And I really want to help anyone who went through what I did. They'll need therapy.

"Anyway, pretty soon Dad will be able to get a warrant to search her house, find the dungeon and the safe with all the pictures."

"Well, give Mrs. Steele my best. I'll be in touch."

Christian had always needed to be in control, complete control. He didn't feel that way anymore. He trusted Taylor to do his job and do it well. He trusted Ros to be CEO and maybe not just temporarily. He knew that he wasn't going to leave England without Ana. He had to protect her. Even if Elena was responsible for the shooter, being incarcerated wouldn't make her any less dangerous. Even in solitary confinement, she'd find a way to get someone to kill for her.

Ana's skull fracture was healing nicely but it would still be months before her injuries were completely healed and she had her health back. He was also concerned about her mental health. Devil was gone and Alphonse was weakening more every day.

He would never leave her while Stewart was still out there. What if he wasn't trying to flee the country? What if he was hiding out until he had a chance to attack Ana again? Grey had a lot of coverts roaming the estate but it was a huge mansion and the grounds were full of outbuildings. Stewart could hide anywhere and bide his time. Grey couldn't take Ana back there until Taylor had swept the house and grounds. Even then, he wouldn't feel it was safe. He'd find somewhere else.

"And the wheels on the bus go round and round,"...he was startled to hear Ana softly singing.

He moved around to look her face. "I could hear you thinking," she giggled.

"How do you feel?" he asked, studying her.

"Achy, tired, same old, same old," she smiled up at him. "I'm bored with being here. Can I go home?"

"Ah, baby. You've only been out of the ICU for a few days. The doctors are still worried about your skull fracture. You may be something of a miracle but let's not push it. Besides, I can protect you here better in one room."

"I was shot, right?" She'd asked him the same question several times now. She was still puzzled to find herself in the hospital. She kept thinking that Devil had thrown her and she'd bumped her head.

"Yes, that's right. Now we know by who but we haven't caught him yet."

"Odd," she said, her eyes already beginning to close again. "Devil's never been able to throw me before. Don't be mad at him, Christian. The thunder scared him, that's all."

"Okay, honey. Go back to sleep," Christian kissed her lips softly. He wondered how long before she retained the reality of what had happened to her.

.+.

That evening Alphonse came by with Ryan. Grey was alarmed by his appearance. He was wan and shaky on his legs. Ryan had to hold him up. While he visited with Ana, Grey hunted down a doctor and asked him to take a look at the old man. Even Ana noticed that he didn't look well and she was terrified. By the time Grey returned with a doctor, Ana was nearly hysterical. She was trying to sit up in bed and she was screaming for Christian.

"I'm here, sweetheart, right here. Alphonse, I want you to go with this doctor for an examination. Don't even try to argue."

It frightened him that Alphonse did not fight him. He sat down in a wheelchair and let himself be pushed down the hall. Ana cried for Christian to go with him. He left Ryan to watch Ana and followed Alphonse down to an examination room. Alphonse said nothing. Christian could tell that the doctor was concerned as well. A couple of nurses helped him into a gown and onto a table.

"Tell Ana not to worry. I've just not been sleeping well lately. So much to worry about. Does she know yet about Devil?" he rasped out.

"No, she isn't ready to deal with that yet. She also thinks that you've been coming every day while she sleeps. She's still too fragile to handle bad news. Now let the doctor check you out." Grey stayed in the room with Alphonse and held his hand. After the exam, the doctor informed them that he wanted Alphonse to stay overnight for observation. Again, Alphonse didn't even argue.

"Doctor, is it as bad as it looks?" Grey asked when they convened in the hallway.

"Impending heart failure. A few days...maybe a week. I believe that he is a patient of Dr. Fordham's, isn't he?"

"Yes. He comes by every week and Alphonse has always been relatively strong but, you know, he's had so many difficult things to deal with in such a short time."

"It isn't unusual for an elderly person like Mr. Potter to take a turn for the worse rather suddenly. I've given him something to help him sleep. Perhaps he'll feel better in the morning but I'm afraid that we're looking at the end soon. I'm very sorry."

As Christian dragged himself back down the hall to Ana's room, he wondered what he could possibly say to Ana. She was so weak and now she was going to face the loss of both Devil and Alphonse. He was terrified for her. He'd lie through his teeth until he absolutely had to help her face the truth.

When he entered her room, he found Ryan sitting next to her, holding her hand and trying to reassure her that everything would be all right. She looked up at Christian...her hazel eyes so filled with fear. He smiled at her and lied.

"Well, Alphonse apparently overdid it today so the doctor gave him a sedative so that he'd get a good night's rest. He wants to keep him overnight and, of course, Alphonse is giving him a hard time about it. I got him to settle down by threatening to tattle on him."

Ana relaxed and laid back. Almost immediately she fell back to sleep.

"Liar," smiled Ryan.

"He's dying, Tom. Doc says a few days. We will not be telling Ana, understand?"

"Respectfully, Mr. Grey. Ana would want to be with him as he goes. She won't forgive you easily if you keep her away."

He was right, of course. Grey sat heavily in a chair and buried his face in his hands.

"Sir, why don't we have a bed brought in so that you can get a decent night's rest. You don't know how bad you look."

"You don't have to call me 'sir' or 'Mr. Grey' anymore, Tom. Now I'm just your boss's friend. It's Christian. No, I'd rather sleep with Ana as I have been."

"All right, Christian. I'm going down the hall to spend the night with Alphonse."

"Let me know, you know, if anything, well, you know..." Christian stumbled over his words. He'd never felt so weary.

"Of course. Good night." With that, Ryan took his leave.

Christian kicked off his shoes and climbed up on the bed next to Ana, throwing his arm over her and burying his face in her neck. He was fast asleep in minutes.

CHAPTER 61

Christian leaned against the door jamb, sleeve rolled up and hands jammed into the pocket of his jeans, as he watched Ana. Normally, the sight of him looking this way would have her hot and bothered and launching herself at him but she simply sat in the window seat, staring out a the country side. It had been 2 weeks since they'd buried Alphonse next to his beloved Delilah. Alphonse had arranged for Devil's ashes to be buried next to Daniel and Lilibet with a sweet memorial marker. Every day Christian found Ana gone when he awoke and he knew where she'd gone...out to the island to visit the graves. When she returned, she'd sit at the window for hours. Sometimes, Christian would sit with her, wrapping his arms around her. Other times, he knew that she wanted to be alone.

The doctor had said that she would need quite a while yet to completely heal. She limped on her wounded leg and she still experienced confusion and some difficulty with speech. She didn't require therapy...just time. Ana was self-conscious about how she sounded and so avoided speaking at all much of the time. When she did speak, it was slowly and quite carefully. Christian was frustrated with his inability to help her. He wanted to use his billions to fix everything but instead he felt that he was useless.

He couldn't fix the real problem. Ana had lost again. He also sensed that she was putting distance between the two of them. She expected to lose Christian as well.

Finally, talking to her couldn't be put off any longer. He approached her softly and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Ana, the attorney will be here in a few minutes. You have to be there for the reading of the will."

Ana shivered beneath his hand. "No, y..you talk...s..see him." Christian sat down on the window seat facing her. He tried to get her to look directly at him.

"Darling, Alphonse's last words to you that day were to be brave, as you've always been. He told you that he would always be with you. This will is like his last letter to you. He's said things that he wants you to hear. Don't you owe him his chance to be heard?"

Ryan walked into the room just then to announce that everyone was gathered in the front parlor and were only waiting for Ana. He waited a moment and then took his leave.

Ana sighed. It seemed to take every bit of strength she had left to stand up and walk toward the parlor. Christian wanted to put his arm around her but he refrained as he knew that she wanted to walk alone.

All the staff were gathered together. They all rose as one when Ana entered the room. She was mistress of the manor now. Besides, they loved her. Ana simply sat down. As expected, Alphonse had left generous bequests to each and every one of his servants. They would be able to retire now but none would. It would mean leaving the Potter estate, leaving home.

Also as expected, Alphonse left the bulk of his estate, including, of course, the house and all the grounds, to the woman he considered a daughter, Ana. He'd left to her a private letter, as well. Ana took the letter back to her window seat, her hands shaking as she unsealed the envelope and began to read.

My dearest Ana,

My time is nearly done. I can feel it. I feel no sorrow to be giving up this life. Soon I'll be with my darling Delilah once again. I had once thought that I'd be with her nearly a decade ago but a sweet young woman entered my life and brought color to it once again...and she needed me. And, soon, I needed her as well. Now someone new has come into your life, my lovely Ana, and he needs you as much as you need him. You mustn't think of my leaving as yet another loss in your life. You haven't lost me. I've simply gone to be with Delilah and now you need to be with Christian. Without you, he will be lost and I know that you'd be lost without him. Do with the estate whatever you wish, my dear, but don't do without Christian.

My devotion always,

Alphonse.

Ana crumbled, trembling and sobbing. Christian rushed to her and gathered her up in his arms, cradling her on his lap and against his chest. She couldn't stop herself as Christian rocked her like a child. Only with Grey had she ever allowed herself to completely collapse. Only with him did she trust that she didn't have to be strong. She knew that he would take care of her. He would take care of everything and, finally, she could let go and be weak.

She cried until she had no strength left to do so...until she found it hard to breathe. Grey grew frightened as he listened to her gasping for air. He stood up and walked to the stairs, whispering to her as he carried her to theier bedroom. He undressed her...then he undressed himself and lay down next to her, pulling her close. He could feel her heart racing. She was hyperventilating as well. He just kept holding her tighter, kissing her hair, begging her..."baby, baby, I'll never leave you"...over and over until she stopped breathing as hard and she slowly slipped into sleep.

Grey couldn't sleep, however. What if she woke up? What if she had a nightmare? He had to be on guard. And he worried about the next day. Would she go back to staring out the window? Would her eyes be dead again? What could he do for her? He felt helpless. The great Christian Grey, youngest self-made billionaire in the world, wunderkind and titan of industry, who had never in his life had anyone depend on him emotionally and now he floundered as he tried to save the only woman he'd ever loved from losing herself in an abyss of grief. He knew that if she drowned, he'd drown with her.

.+.

Despite his best efforts to stay awake to protect Ana, exhaustion took him into a deep sleep before morning. The dawn woke him and he immediately knew that Ana was gone. He jumped out of bed. He knew she'd gone to the lake and he was terrified of what she would do there. He was prepared to jump on Daisy, wearing nothing but pajama pants and race for the lake. As he dashed into the dining room on his way to the back door, he stopped short.

Ana was sitting on the back steps, feeding her rabbits. One of the rabbits was standing on its back legs, leaning on Ana's leg and reaching a soft paw up to touch her. Ana turned and bent down to the little one for a kiss on the nose. Panting, Christian slowly walked to the door and stepped out.

"They've missed you," he said to Ana.

"Yes, I ne..neglected those, them," she said, looking up him. "I have neglect lot of things. I sorry." Christian sat down next to her and kissed her cheek.

"Why you practi...practically naked?...although I not really com...complaining," she smirked as she eyed his V line.

"I woke. You were gone. I was going to go find you...on Daisy. I didn't have time to do more than grab my pants and slippers."

"I...I sorry. You sleeping so deeply. I know you were be..beyond tired dealing with me so did not want wake you."

"Did you sleep at all well?" Christian asked as he stroked her hair.

"Not much... well enough. I only been up short while. Was going come back to bed after feed the animals. Want to give apples to horses?"

"Sure." he grinned. They walked down to the stables and distributed the apples until they reached an empty stall. There was a new sign over the door..."Devil's Door. Finest Stallion and Ana's Hero".

"That's nice," Christian commented. "He really did save your life." Christian put his arm around Ana's shoulder. She was weeping quietly but she was all right.

Christian turned her around and walked her back inside. It was far earlier than he'd realized. It was just sunrise and no one had stirred as yet. He and Ana climbed the stairs to their room. He dropped his pj bottoms and then undressed Ana and they climbed back under the covers.

"I've missed you so, my love," he said, looking into her beautiful hazel eyes.

Ana smiled at him. "Please make love to me."

CHAPTER 62

It was a wonderful morning. After making love for a couple of hours, Ana and Christian slept a couple more hours, awakened by a quiet knock on the door.

"Mr. Grey, there is a call for you on the house phone. Will you take it?"

Christian mumbled something that sounded like "just a minute" so Beth went back downstairs. "Who'd call me on the house phone at this ungodly hour?" he moaned.

"After 10," Ana mumbled. Christian literally fell out of bed, pulled on his pants and ordered Ana not to move. She'd already gone back to sleep anyway.

Beth was holding the phone for him when he appeared. She blushed and dropped her eyes when he and his V line walked up. He was too groggy to notice.

"Hello?"

"Good morning, son. How are things going there?"

"Dad? Did you call me just to ask me how things are going?"

"Weird, eh? Listen, Elena has been arrested. We found her stash of pornographic materials and we've taken all necessary depositions. We have a line-up of witnesses and charges. She's trying to plead out but the prosecutor is going forward. The only plea deal he'd give her is 50 years, no parole. She'd die in jail."

"I'll get back as soon as I'm needed, Dad. Just say when."

"No, the prosecutor doesn't want you to testify."

"What? Why not?"

"He feels that while your name would encourage others to come forward, your experience as a Dom would lessen any sympathy for your position. The trade-off isn't worth it. We've got Elena any way."

"What if she tries to bring me into it as a defense witness?"

"She already did. She thought the threat of exposing you would scare the prosecutor but we simply pointed out that we already had your testimony and that you were itching to talk. She's probably going to sell exposes to some of the tabloids anyway to raise money. Stay in England until all the dust settles, son."

"And leave you and the rest of the family to face the paparazzi? No way. You're not going to pay for my sins, Dad."

"We've discussed it and made our decision, Christian. And after the way we saw Ana suffering at Alphonse's funeral...well, we can't subject her to any more heartache. Ros has already let us know that GEH is fine. Now go turn on your phone, please. Take care of Ana. How is she, by the way?"

"Better, Dad. It's been a real rough couple of weeks but we've turned a corner. Physically, she's still limping and her speech is still screwy but it's all getting better. Dad, thanks for everything."

Back in his room, Grey found his phone, dead, on the floor. He plugged it into its charger and called Taylor.

"Sir, you were incommunicado," Taylor chided accusingly.

"Sorry, Taylor. It's been tough around here and I didn't even notice. Anything to report?"

"Welsh has a line on Stewart. He's been trying to get to a non-extradition country but he's been turned away from several so far. One of the problems with those countries is that they pretty much hate Americans and aren't inclined to offer hospitality to any American fugitive unless they're wanted for political crimes. Trying to murder sweet little English country girls doesn't qualify.

"We also have pretty much confirmed that he was being paid by Lincoln. She's furious that he blew the job, took her money and ran. We have extra security on Ros and Gwen, by the way. We're concerned that he'll get frustrated and try to return to Seattle for payback. Stay in England."

"Well, what makes you think that he won't return to Potterville and take more potshots at my girlfriend?"

"You think that she might be safer at Escala?"

"Maybe. Every time she takes off on a little ride, my heart stops."

"Sir, we have a covert on every tree on that estate," Taylor chuckled. Grey was not amused.

And so it was decided that for the time being, everyone would stay put. One night in bed, Grey broached the subject of returning to the states. He didn't really think that Ana was ready for that but he felt that they should talk it out anyway.

They lay in the bed, in each other's arms, talking of this and that when Grey finally got up his nerve.

"Ana, you know that I'm desperately in love with you, don't you?"

"Uh huh. Why "desperately"? she asked.

"Oh, well, I can't tolerate being without you, even if you're just in the next room. I feel a compulsion to be touching you in some way all the time. If I'm not inside you at least once a day, I'm off balance. That sounds desperate, doesn't it?

"Yep. Ob...sessive. I...love you, too, y..you know?"

"Yes, although hearing it several times a day would be good. I counted once. I average "I love you" about a dozen times a time to your 10 times a day."

Ana giggled which had its usual effect on little Christian but he had things to say so he took a deep breath and tamped down his urge.

"I'd like to talk about our future. That's the kind of love I'm in...the kind where we're together for the rest of our lives."

"Huh? You propos..ing me?" Ana sat up and stared down at Grey, amazement in her face.

"Do you want me to propose to you?" he nervously asked.

"No fair. You s..sss...said first," Ana asserted.

Christian laughed. "This discussion has detoured from my original path but that's a good thing. Of course, I'm proposing although I intended to do so in a romantic setting with a ring. Post-coital proposals seem tacky somehow."

"That's o..okay. I good with tacky," smiled Ana.

Christian got down on his knees beside the bed and reached for Ana's hand. They were both sticky and sweaty. Neither noticed.

"Anastasia Rose Steele, you are my heart, my every breath, my raison d'etre for living. Will you go ring shopping with me? Will you wear my ring? Will you please marry me and soon?" His face was a picture of love and longing.

"Yes, my br..breath, my heart. I will marry you. You and me, always." Her face so earnest and her feelings so strong that for a moment she could speak clearly and without hesitation.

Christian beamed as he kissed her hand and then launched himself at her as she giggled. Some lovemaking was called for, they felt. Christian momentarily reflected that they had not had the discussion he'd planned on but he got the girl so it could wait.

CHAPTER 63

The next morning Ana and Christian felt that the purchase and bestowal of an engagement ring called for a christening of sorts so they made a thorough mess of the bed and each other before taking their shower. As Christian dried Ana's long mahogany locks, Ana looked through the doorway to their bed and gasped.

"I don't w..want Beth t...to deal with that. Gosh, bodily fluids are... disgusting."

Christian laughed. "I happen to love your bodily fluids. You taste delicious. Hmm...how do I taste? I've never asked?"

"A bit salty a..and me..metallic." Ana replied. Christian cringed. "That sounds awful."

"I...have gotten used t..to it," Ana answered casually. "Be..sides when you cum y..y...you're usually at t...the back of my th..roat, past my t..taste b..uds."

Christian made a mental note to google how to have good tasting semen.

At breakfast, Christian informed Sawyer that he and Ana needed to go to London to do some shopping. Sawyer looked up in surprise. The boss never shopped. He ordered. And Ana had no interest in shopping. That he knew for sure.

"I'll get the tank ready, sir. Margaret, another incredible breakfast." Margaret blushed. Sawyer was always so appreciative. "Just text me, sir, when you're ready to hit the road." With that Sawyer went out to ready the car. He kept it locked up securely in one of the garages and had outfitted it with alarms in case anyone tried to tamper with it. It was a state-of-the-art SUV, bullet-proof and able to be knocked off the road only by an 18-wheeler. It would do zero to 60 in 20 seconds and had a top speed of 180 miles an hour. Sawyer wasn't taking any chances with his charges.

"Hey, Ryan," he said, stopping by Tom's office. "I'm driving our boss's into London today to go shopping."

"Shopping? You sure he said shopping?"

"Yep. I'd appreciate you coming along. Can you get away?"

"Yeah, sure. I'll meet you out front. My first ride in the tank," he grinned.

Ana and Christian fed the rabbits who had now come to accept Grey as well. Then they visited the horses with apples. Ana didn't stop by Devil's stall. She didn't want to start such an important day with memories and tears. Then, hand in hand, she and her new fiancé headed out to meet Sawyer.

"Yikes." Ana looked up Christian. "What is...is this?"

"The finest in safe conveyance, my dear." It was so big that Christian had to lift Ana into it. With her bad leg, she couldn't manage the step up. She doubted that she could climb up on two good legs. Even Christian and Sawyer had to use the running board. The interior was so plush that she knew she'd probably fall asleep during the 30 minute trip to London.

Ana hadn't been off the estate in so long that she was quite excited about this trip to the big city. Maybe they could go around and visit some of the sights that she hadn't seen in quite some time.

Christian buckled Ana into the middle seat so that he could put his arm around her and snuggle for the entire drive into London.

As they approached the city, Ana squealed with delight as she spied The Tower of London.

"Okay, first the ring. Then the Tower of London." he grinned. Ana beamed with her delight. Christian hadn't seen such joy on her face since he first saw her on Devil. He decided right there that he'd find her a horse, a great horse who could make her smile like that again.

Sawyer pulled up to the back door of Ingle and Rhode, jewelers who specialized in ethical, non-conflict stones. Ana would never want a diamond that had been dug out of the ground by underpaid miners who worked in dangerous conditions for owners who exploited them. No blood diamonds for her. Funny...all the jewelry he'd bought over the years for his subs and neither he nor they had ever considered where the stones came from or who might have died digging them out.

"Christian, I don't want anything real big. I'd ...only bang it into things and...and it would be too heavy to h..haul around all the time. In fact, I don't... even really need... an engagement ring...just a wedding ring would do...do."

"Ana, I'm putting my foot down. No engagement ring...no Tower of London," Christian said sternly. Of course, he didn't let on that anything Ana wanted or didn't want he'd say yes. And who did he think he was fooling?

"Oh, Christian. All you...had to say was that...you need me...to...wear a ring so that...everyone knows that I belong to you."

"I do, Ana. You're mine and I'm bursting with pride and I just want everyone who sees you to know that you chose me."

Ana wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard. Then she pointed to a dainty pink diamond. Ana had no idea that she'd inadvertently chosen one of the most expensive stones in the shop.

"Madam has excellent taste," noted the very happy proprietor. Ana smiled and kissed her fiancee' as he placed the ring on her finger. He thought that his heart would burst with happiness.

Christian liked it that Ana kept looking at the ring as Sawyer drove them to the Tower of London. He didn't know that Ana spent all that attention on the ring for his benefit. It seemed to mean so very much to her man and she wanted him to be happy. Ana hugged his arm, held her hand in the air to watch her diamond shine and sang "Sadie, Sadie, married lady" as Christian laughed. Then they sat there making out in full view of the London public and not caring a whit.

When they finally came up for air, they walked about, under the watchful eyes of Sawyer and Ryan, until they found a small pub where they had fish and chips for lunch, laughing and talking about nothing in particular. Christian's heart was overflowing with love and joy and contentment and gratitude...emotions he'd never dreamt he would be able to feel. It seemed that all his future was before him in the person of one small woman who was chattering away about beheadings at the Tower of London.

The only glitch was that they still had to discuss where that future would be. He had to get back to running GEH but he didn't want to spoil Ana's happiness by taking her away from her home.

He didn't realize that Ana was a grown woman who taken care of herself all her life and not just the sweet little person he'd decided that he'd take care of for the rest of it. She understood that by accepting Christian's proposal she would also have to accept a life in Seattle, WA. And she wondered what she should do with the estate. Alphonse had already given her his blessing in his letter to her. He'd told her that she belonged with Christian. Unfortunately, he didn't tell her what to do with his home...her home.

CHAPTER 64

Ana was sleeping in Christian's arms as Sawyer pulled into the drive of the Potter mansion. Grey looked up in surprise as he saw all of the staff gathered on the front steps. They had big smiles and were cheering and applauding as Christian carried Ana out of the car. The group gathered around and demanded to see the ring. Some were of the opinion that the stone ought to be bigger but Christian argued that he didn't want a wife with a sprained finger and a hand she could barely lift.

Margaret had prepared a special engagement dinner for the couple to celebrate with the whole staff and when they went to their bedroom, they found a bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket and a red velvet heart shaped cake for two waiting on their balcony table with the room lit by a dozen candles. By the time they finished making love, the ice was melted and the candles were down to nothing. So, they sat in bed eating cake and drinking warm champagne.

"What a day!" Ana exclaimed.

"Would I spoil it if I wanted to talk about our future?" asked Christian.

"No. I know that we have to discuss a lot of things. Tough...things," Ana sighed. "I..I've been married and...I know that there are a lot of...of compromises. I know that the first one... is on me. We'll have to live in Seattle because that is... where your family is and the... company you built from scratch. It's o...kay, Christian. I...I...I've known since our first night to...gether that someday I would...have to choose. It...isn't really a choice if I want to...be with you."

Christian bowed his head. He felt like shit. He wanted to make Ana as happy as she made him but right out of the gate she had to make the biggest sacrifice. These people in this house...the people in the villages...they were her family. Her home was a beautiful estate and he was taking her to an apartment in the sky where she would have to have bodyguards to visit a park up the street. His heart ached.

"Ana, let's get married here. My family can fly over. And, you know, I own one jet and I'm getting another so we can come for visits whenever we want.

"After all this mess with Elena and Stewart is over, we can look into finding a real house...a place with a lot of land and stables and horse trails. We can make this work, honey." Christian looked anxiously at Ana. Her speech was getting better and he was afraid all these changes would set her back. She'd been through so much. Every protective instinct he felt was magnified ten-fold. He didn't want to suffocate her. He knew that she was independent and more than capable of taking care of herself...but he wanted to take care of her. He needed her to need him. He hadn't felt that anyone truly needed him since Mia was a baby.

"Don't... fret, Christian. It's true that this... been my home for a... long time and holds so many memories but I... adapt. I've always had to adapt. My first home that was all mine... was that studio apartment with the murphy bed and the...the..shared bath. I spent hours at the Goodwill thrift story buying things to make it homey and by... the time I had to leave for college, I was in tears. This house and its people will... always be here for me but you're my home now...so...so I'll be...fine.

"I will take you up on the stables and riding trails, however...and...and I want to ride in your helicopter," she grinned.

Christian held her fast in his arms and silently promised her the world.

.+.

After they'd made love and napped for a while, Christian was awakened out of a deep sleep by Ana shaking him vigorously.

"Christian, Christian! I...I know...what to do with... house! Christian, are you awake?" Ana was nearly yelling in his ear.

"Darling, I'd have to be awake or dead. I'm awake. I was having a lovely dream...something about those little pink buds on your breasts," he sighed.

"Oh, you can see them... anytime. I'll have to get ... okay from the staff but...Christian, this...is a huuuge house. We could make it into a B...B & B & L & D!"

"A what?" Christian was only half-awake and bleary eyed and exhausted. He'd really gone to town on Ana and every time she giggled at his enthusiasm, he'd only renewed his efforts to sex her into oblivion.

"Or maybe that...would be a B&B&D&S."

"Ana! What are you talking about?" he replied impatiently. He was getting aroused again and wanted to get back to his quest.

"A...B & B...only we'd serve lunch and dinner, too. We could have a... dozen guests or more and... still have a wing all to ourselves. It would give the staff something to... do and raise revenue to maintain the estate. Ryan would have more work and he...he'd love that. So? What do...do you think?" Ana's excitement excited Grey so he could do nothing more than get himself back inside her as quickly as possible. She protested but was soon moaning and clawing his back. God, he loved those scratch marks on his back. 'Course, it was lucky that she had short nails.

"Oh, god, Ana...it is so good inside you. It's every kind of wonderful."

"Poet," was all Ana could gasp.

.+.

"Sometimes, it seems like you are...trying to climb right up inside of me. Back...to the womb," Ana giggled. Christian looked sheepish. She wasn't far off.

"Don't worry, Christian. I'll always keep...you safe. Besides, you'd...get bored lying around all day inside of me."

"Doubtful. If I could find a way to stay inside of you all the time, I'd do it."

"Whoa, woul...wouldn't that be a sight!" laughed Ana. "I once saw...saw a couple of dogs going at it when the female got...got distracted and took off af...after a squirrel, dragging the male along behind her. I'll bet...bet that put him off sex for a while."

Christian groaned. "That is not a picture I want to have in my mind. I hope you never get "distracted" because you clench so hard around me that...well, you're too tiny to drag me around anyway."

"Let's get some rest," Christian suggested. "He was still well aware that Ana was still healing and he, the selfish son of a bitch, was wearing her out.

"I..I'm not tired." Ana protested.

"It's 3 a.m., my love. Sleep. We'll talk in the morning." Christian pulled her back down to him and was out cold within minutes while Ana lay awake planning her B & B & L & D.

CHAPTER 65

"So," Ana concluded, "what... do you think?" She looked around the table at the staff, trying to divine their thinking from their facial expressions. Some were easy to read. Beth, for instance, was an open book. She and Ryan gazed at each other and she knew they liked the idea. Margaret looked doubtful.

"We'd have to have at least one more cook and I'm not crazy about sharing my kitchen," she whined.

"We'd need more horses which means another groomer and I'm not crazy about sharing my tack room," Pete whined.

The general feeling was of possessiveness about a house and routine that had always been theirs and their reluctance to share. Christian knew how to handle that.

"Well, you wouldn't be sharing." All eyes turned to him. "You'd be supervising subordinates. Of course, such an increase in responsibilities would also come with a raise in wages."

Pete perked up immediately. "Sir, Mr. Potter, god bless him, left each of us enough to live well the rest of our lives. I, myself, certainly don't need more money."

"Well, you're single, Pete and stop calling me sir. You may want to marry one day and have children. Children are very expensive." He noted that Ryan and Beth were beaming at each other.

"And Margaret, the kitchen will always be yours no matter how many helpers you have. Ryan, you'll have to hire more staff for Beth to supervise. In fact, we'll have to get in a temporary crew to open up that closed wing. It's probably in need of renovation at this point."

Reassured that the house would still be theirs as it always had been, the staff looked more relaxed and interested.

"Would you be staying then?" Margaret asked hopefully.

"We'll be here frequently, Margaret, and we'll always give notice so that you have time to get our room ready. Actually, that would be Beth's bailiwick."

After more haggling and hesitating, everyone was finally in agreement and rather excited to be part of this new stage in the life of the Potter house.

While Christian went off to call his parents, Ana took the key to Alphonse's secret rooms. They were adjoined and quite spacious. Ana suspected that this was Alphonse's and Delilah's mastersuite. When she unlocked the door and turned on the light, she found much as she expected. It wasn't exactly a shrine to Delilah but a keeper for all the life she brought to her husband's life. Her clothes. Her jewels. Her paintings. Even the wedding clothes that she and Alphonse had worn. It wasn't a sad room but it brought up emotions that Ana didn't want to feel. She recalled how Alphonse had struggled to survive without Delilah. She thought of Daniel and Lilibet but mostly she thought of Christian.

She turned off the light and locked the door behind her. It would remain as is. Perhaps in the future, there would be something she wanted. She pocketed the key. She would keep that and she told Ryan that the room was to be left as is.

Christian had finished his call and reported that his family, Ros, Gwen and Andrea and his entire security team would be coming to the wedding. He smiled, realizing how many people he would have on his side of the aisle. Of course, Ana's side would overflow his side. All of Potterville was invited. Ana knew everyone in the villages. She'd been in their houses. She had all her pub mates. She and Alphonse had been to every community event, every wedding, funeral, christening. There would be hundreds of people filling the gardens next to the house.

Ana and Christian had ridden their bikes down the country road to Ana's favorite pub where Christian had climbed up on the bar and announced to everyone that the beautiful Mrs. Steele had consented to be his bride. All the drinks were on him for the rest of the night.

Well, the news spread quickly throughout the villages and the other pubs. Their owners shooed everyone out and soon the streets and yards and fields around the pub were filled to bursting with people offering their congratulations to the happy couple. It was a grand night and Christian was amazed to find himself thoroughly enjoying what he would have once considered an unruly mob.

Concerns about arrangements being possible for a wedding in two weeks were soon dismissed. The locals didn't need to make appointments for cakes and flowers and wedding planners. This was Potterville...not New York. They would handle everything as they did for every event. The baking, the dinner, the chairs, the decorations, the officiants, etc. All Christian had to do was wait around until he could don his tux and watch for Ana coming down the aisle to the rose-covered arbor being constructed for their stage.

Three days before, Ana decided to take a final ride on Daisy. She didn't know when she'd again have the chance. Christian was so blissed out that he simply waved goodbye. He figured that she would be visiting Delilah's Island one last time and would need to be alone.

Daisy obligingly galloped along for Ana. It wasn't the same as Devil but it still felt like heaven. She let the reins fall, threw her arms and face and hair out into the wind. It was glorious.

Until Daisy jarred to a sudden halt, throwing Ana. Dazed but unhurt, Ana looked up to see a strange man approaching. He was holding a revolver by his side and wearing a strange grin on his face. She got to her feet and inched toward Daisy who was quivering. Ana had assumed that Daisy saw a snake because even harmless garter snakes frightened her.

Ana was not initially alarmed because the man was smiling, if oddly, and the villagers were welcome to hunt on Potter land. She patted Daisy to try to calm her and blew on her nose but Daisy continued to shake.

"Hello," she said to the stranger. "I..I am Ana Steele. This is my land but... you're welcome to hunt here."

"Oh, my hunt is over. I've found what I've been waiting for all this time."

His grin was, Ana realized, rather crazy.

"I've spent days lying in the mud waiting for you, Mrs. Steele...soon to not be Mrs. Grey," he laughed.

Ana's mind whirled as she tried to make a plan for escape. Keep him talking, she thought.

"I'm afraid that I d...don't understand. Who are you, sir?"

"Francis Stewart. I used to work for your fiancee' until he fired me and ruined my life."

"Why did he fire you?" 'Cause you're a crook, she thought to herself.

"I stole a few hundred thousand from him. Surprised he noticed. That's a few hours of his day for him but the greedy bastard wrecked my life over it. My wife took the kids and divorced me. She got full legal and physical custody. I'll never see them again because I'm a thief, according to her."

Ana continued to pat Daisy who was feeling the tension around her and was growing increasingly fearful.

"I'm sorry...but..but you shouldn't give up on your kids. It may take some... time and a little... legal help but you can still have a relationship with them."

"Why are you talking like that?"

"Oh, I had a little... head injury. It's getting better... all the time."

"Huh. Elena was furious that you lived. I told her that I put a bullet right through your skull. That should have done the trick. Instead, here you are."

"Elena?"

"Yeah, she paid me. God, she hates you more than I hate Grey. What a hag, too. Broken down, old, bleached hair, scrawny and skanky. You know that she actually believed that with you dead, Grey would go running to her for comfort?" Stewart threw his head back laughing which further frightened Daisy.

"Yeah, yeah. She said that she made him, owned him and was going to, get this, marry him! I laughed so hard I thought I'd piss my pants! She tried to reach out and scratch me with those claws of hers but she was chained to the table at the time. When they led her away, she was still screeching at me to finish the job and do it right this time. If she'd known that it was me who stuck it to him at that fancy party, she'd have found someone to kill me first. He didn't die either. After you survived a bullet to your brain, I was really concerned that I was losing my touch. But, I figure after I finish this job, Grey'll put a bullet in his own brain...happy ending!

"So, this time I go for the heart since your head seems to be impervious to bullets. I was a little dismayed that I failed so this time I wanted to go for it up close so I could look into your eyes as you realized what was happening to you."

"Christian will find you," Ana answered nervously.

"Nah. He's got people everywhere and no one's caught me. It's been a while so he should come looking for you soon. I'll be hidden back there with a pair of binoculars. I don't want to miss a second of witnessing his pain, his anguish when he finds you."

Then he raised the gun, smiling gleefully, as he took aim. Daisy, terrified, reared up and knocked the gun from his hand just as Stewart pulled the trigger. The shot went wide but it was enough to drive Daisy wild with fear. She brought her hooves down on Stewart again and again. By the time she was calmer, Stewart was broken...his face smashed and his chest caved in. Daisy was splattered with blood and Ana as well. She wrapped her arms around the mare and hugged her tightly until she felt her breath slowing. Then she mounted her and turned for home, walking slowly.

Meanwhile, Christian was getting worried. It had been over an hour and he wanted Ana home. He'd give her fifteen more minutes and then he'd get the golf cart out and go looking. He stood next to the cart. He paced around it. He almost got in when he saw a rider in the distance.

He waved and Ana returned the wave. As she moved closer, Christian began to notice something was off about the way she was sitting the saddle. Alarmed, he saw her sway. He ran up to Daisy, horrified to see that she was covered in blood. Ana fell out of the saddle into Christian's arms. She, too, was bloodied. Christian screamed for Pete who came running. He looked over Daisy and, while there was plenty of blood, she was uninjured. Christian was doing the same with Ana but could also find no wound.

Ana opened her eyes and smiled at Christian.

"I'm okay, sweetie. Daisy took care... of me. She killed Stewart. He's a real mess," she said softly as she fainted.

.+.

"I'm going to take care of Daisy, sir. You tend to your girl." Christian nodded and lifted Ana, cradling her against his chest as people began streaming out of the house. Grace ordered Christian into the house when he laid her gently on a chaise lounge.

Grace looked Ana over thoroughly and took her blood pressure and heart rate.

"Well, she has a couple of scrapes and areas that are going to bruise but other than that, she has no serious injuries. I think she's just in shock. Why don't you get her cleaned up and put to bed? I think someone ought to go out and find the source of all this blood."

Taylor and the other security detail had already left, tracing Ana's trail. They found a man, smashed up badly, with a revolver nearby. Taylor called the local sheriff while they tried to figure out what had happened. Searching around, they found a nest of sorts where they understood someone had lain in wait.

"My god, that mess is Francis Stewart!" Sawyer exclaimed as he looked through Stewart's wallet. "Daisy did kill him." Everyone stood around, breathing heavily.

CHAPTER 66

Christian undressed himself and Ana and carried her into the shower. He sat on the bench and washed her hair. As he continued down her body, she began to wake up.

"You're okay, baby. You're not hurt."

"Daisy killed Stewart," Ana repeated.

"Yes, we know. That horse is getting a bucket of apples...no...carrots. Are carrots okay?"

"Too much of anything can cause problems. Except hugs."

"We'll take her home with us."

"No, I'm not her home. This is her... home. Besides, she loves Pete. She didn't kill Stewart for me. She... was fighting him off because he scared her. Pete understands her better...better than me. He'll take care of her."

"Okay, honey. Whatever you want."

"It was...was gruesome, Christian, but, boy, is he ever dead." Christian almost laughed.

He wrapped Ana in a towel and dried her hair as she hummed contentedly. Then he put her to bed, pulled up a chair and just watched her.

Stewart was no longer a threat. Elena was still alive, however. What was he going to do about her? Taylor had traced Leila Williams to a small town in Maine. She was living with her parents. Hopefully, she'd stay away.

Grace knocked softly and asked if she could come in. After donning a robe, Christian opened the door and embraced his mother. He'd become so affectionate since Ana. He liked touching people now. Grace thought it was a miracle...one called Ana.

"I've brought antiseptic and bandages for those lacerations." Grace went right to work while Christian told her what Ana had said.

"The sheriff is downstairs and wants to question her but I'll let him know that that isn't possible right now. Taylor and his crew looked a little green when they returned from seeing the body. The sheriff said something about possibly having to put Daisy down because she's a killer but I don't think he's going to get through that stable hand," Grace smiled.

"He also wants to question you. You go ahead and get that over with. I'll stay with Ana," Grace offered. Christian reluctantly left Ana in Grace's care while he went to be interviewed.

The sheriff was still rather obsequious in Grey's presence, this time thinking him the lord of manor since his engagement to Mrs. Steele. Grey himself didn't much notice. He was used to people being obsequious toward him.

"Mr. Grey, may I ask after the health of Mrs. Steele?" he said, almost bowing.

"She's resting and will not able to answer questions until tomorrow at the earliest."

"Of course. May I make inquires of you then?"

"There isn't much I can tell you but please ask away."

"If you could just start at the beginning. Did you know the man who was killed?"

"Yes. His name is Francis Stewart, a former employee at my company, who was fired for theft, embezzling. He didn't take it well and so twice tried to murder my fiance'. As you are aware, he shot her and we've been on guard and hunting for him since."

"Yes, I know the case. And he tried again today, you say?"

"Apparently. His body was found with a gun that had been fired once. Mrs. Steele had gone for a ride on her horse, Daisy, when she was ambushed by Stewart. He tried to shoot her but the horse was so frightened, she reared and, apparently, stomped the man to death. I was here and about to go looking for Ana when I saw her very slowly riding toward me. When I reached her, she fell out of the saddle. She'd been through a terrifying experience, was covered in blood splatters and had some cuts and bruises from being thrown. She said that Daisy had killed Stewart and then she fainted.

"I guess he came back to finish the job. I thank god for Daisy."

"You don't think that the horse is dangerous?"

"No. NO. I've ridden her. She is quite gentle. I think a stranger approaching her with malicious intent scared her. Horses, my fiance' tells me, are quite intuitive."

"Thank you, Mr. Grey. That'll be all until we can speak with Mrs. Steele."

Grey went back upstairs and replaced Grace by Ana's bedside. Ana's blood pressure and heart rate had gone down and now she was just sleeping peacefully. He didn't know all she'd been through today so he'd have to watch for nightmares. He suddenly felt quite weary himself...the shock of seeing Ana covered in blood finally crashing in on him. He undressed and got into bed, wrapping himself around Ana.

.+.

Well, thought Ana, that was unpleasant. The sheriff had not been obsequious with her as he had been with Christian. He had, in fact, been rather accusatory, insinuating that she somehow instructed her horse to beat a man to death simply because he'd been holding a gun. Ana had had to hold Christian back from beating the sheriff. As soon as the sheriff understood that Grey was very angry, he backed down and slunk away.

Later, Carrick called his son and Ana into a private room.

"Well, you two have certainly been through the ringer of late. However, I may have some comforting news for you. I just spoke with the warden at the jail where Elena has been living. I know that you, especially Christian, have been quite concerned with how much damage she could do from jail. Getting Stewart to return here to finish the job when he was really trying to escape is an example of her range.

However, she got into a fight with another inmate and took quite a beating. She's in a coma and isn't expected to survive much longer. Jail house care is not the best and no special measures are being taken to prolong her life."

"Hang on. Maybe that's the warden now. He told me that he'd let me know asap." Carrick turned away for a moment, muttering into the phone, then hanging up and turning back to his son.

"Elena died a few minutes ago. So, as far as I know, we're down to just one potential killer... the person who stabbed you, Christian."

"Oh...I just..remembered," said Ana. "Stewart stabbed Christian but...but that wasn't ordered by Elena. He laughed. Said that she'd have him killed if he...h..harmed Christian be..cause she was going to..to marry him after he turned to her for comfort. You...You know..after my death."

Christian's eyes bugged out and he and Carrick roared with laughter.

"Good lord, Carrick. They may have been terrible people but laughing about their violent deaths is unbecoming," Grace scolded from the doorway.

"Now, Gracie. It wasn't the violence of their deaths so much as the fact that they are now out of our hair," Carrick shrugged.

"Yes, thank the lord," said Gracie, as the others stared after her.

Christian turned to Ana. "We're getting married tomorrow," he beamed. "Yep", she agreed.

"Have you seen how much cherry pie is in that kitchen? Margaret won't let me have even a little bit of it," Elliot whined.

Carrick sighed. "Guess we should have closed the door. Elliot, Margaret doesn't want to serve a half a pie. Does that make sense to you?"

"Well, there's enough pie for a hundred people," Elliot pointed out.

"There's an entire... commun..munity coming to..tomorrow, El," said Ana. Elliot sighed and accepted his pieless fate.

"I'm afraid to ask...where is Mia?" scowled Christian. When he saw Beth wander by, he asked if she'd seen Mia.

"Yeah, she said that she was going plubing with Kate. I don't know what that means. She was wearing quite the outfit. She asked me to come along but after seeing that dress, well, Ryan was not happy. He went with her to keep her out of trouble, he said."

"Ana, how many pubs are there around here?"

"Depends on how far out you go. 6 close by. 20+ if you're willing to go a few miles."

Christian took out his phone. "Ryan, where is she? How is she and how much help do you need?" He listened for a bit and then told Ryan that Sawyer was on his way. "She's apparently taking the loooong way around."

"Well, don't worry. The people around her are really nice."

"They've never met Mia...and her wardrobe." Then he called Sawyer and told him to call if he needed reinforcements.

The house was bedlam. All the staff and half the town scurrying around the house. Grace was in the way being helpful in the kitchen. Carrick was wandering, his phone to his ear and bumping into people. Elliot was being a pest, looking everywhere for food and now Mia was probably raising havoc at the area pubs. Hopefully, Kate could keep her in line. Christian and Ana retired to their room.

CHAPTER 67

The day was perfect. The weather was wonderful. The setting was charming. Everyone was beautiful. At least, Ana and Christian supposed it must have been like that. However, all they could really see was each other. Everyone said that Ana was a breathtaking bride in the most stunning dress they'd ever seen. Christian could see in the wedding photos and videos, much later, that it was a gorgeous gown but all he saw that day was Ana's face with her hazel eyes shining into his gray eyes.

Every female gaped at the devastatingly handsome Christian Grey and Ana knew, of course, that he was all that and more but all she saw that day was the devotion and depth of his love for her shining from those bright grey eyes.

He told her that before her he lived an empty life but he didn't know that he was wasting so much of it. It took a him day to fall in love and he could kick himself for being so slow. He said that he would always take care of her, would always support her in her dreams and troubles, would be endlessly and deeply grateful to have her in his life and in his arms.

She said that she loved him beyond measure, beyond sense and meaning. That sometimes she just had to stop and take a deep breath and hold onto a chair when she caught him looking at her. That she would never understand how or why she deserved such a love and that she would spend the rest of her life trying to love him as much in return. And that she prayed that some day she would find the right words.

He put his hand to her cheek and told her that he knew that there were no right words or he would have already spent his billions to find them and give them to her.

As evening settled on the estate and people mingled and laughed and talked about how it was the most beautiful wedding and loveliest coming together of the community, Ana and Christian danced under the twinkling white lights, looking at each other and kissing. They were reminded frequently by their elders that it was their hosting duties to go from table to table to thank their guests but somehow they always wound up dancing in each other's arms again.

Christian had wanted to be the one to take Ana out of her dress but they both knew that undressing each other would not lead to redressing and catching a plane. It would lead to staying in bed until morning while all their guests waited downstairs to wish them well on their way to their honeymoon destination. It really wouldn't go over with Grace and Carrick. So, while it took them a while to separate in the hallway to undress in different rooms, they managed to emerge an hour later to a loving gauntlet of family and friends drenching them in bird seed on the way to the Tank.

EPILOGUE

There were adjustments for both parties upon their return from their honeymoon. Christian had to adjust to shorter days, no leaving for the office before 8 a.m., arriving home no later than 5 p.m., no working at home with the exception of emergencies, no weekends or holidays. These seemed small adjustments compared to Ana having to adapt to a whole new way of life. She had to give up her pub mates, her horses, her house family, so many things. Christian was well aware of the sacrifices she was making for him. She wasn't able to always disguise her fears and sadness and it just killed him to see her hurting. He found a riding school that was thrilled to have a new instructor. He bought her a horse...a magnificent stallion. He found a 1000 acre waterfront estate 30 minutes outside Seattle. It more than doubled his commute time but he worked on his laptop in the car and made it home by 5 p.m. reliably. Taylor made certain that the house and estate were as secure as possible. Because of the house design, the land and the water, it was quite like a mini-Potter estate. Christian was scared to death that he'd made a mistake and she'd hate it and he should have asked first...but Ana felt at home immediately.

He taught her to sail and together they spent many Saturdays on the water. Sundays were usually brunch with the "bunch" as Ana referred to the Greys. She and Grace became quite close and Ana loved having a mother...and sisters. Mia and Kate were great fun to pal around with...urging Ana to go clubbing with them which meant that Christian found himself clubbing often on Friday nights. Saturday nights were date nights. Christian loved seeing Ana dressed up and men eyeing him jealously. He was amazed that he didn't care if they stared. It didn't matter. Ana didn't notice anyone else and she was going home with him.

Every couple of months, the two would take a four-day weekend to spend at Potterville. The B & B was doing wonderfully. It even had a waiting list. The staff were loving all the company and the compliments. Ryan was constantly coming up with new amenities...another reason that Christian and Ana liked to drop by often. The visits became less frequent after a couple of years when Ana became pregnant. And two years after that. And two years after that, etc. Christian found that being a father came naturally to him. Whoda thunk? he thought.