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Jack&039;s eyes flash the darkest blue, and he sneers as he casts a leering look down my body
Fear chokes me What is this? What does he want? From somewhere deep inside and despite e to squeeze out soht not be a good tiive you all your docu me
He smiles, and it&039;s a despotic fuck-you slint in the harsh fluorescent glow of the strip light above us in the drab less roo atas I watch - the black eclipsing the blue Oh no My fear escalates
"You know I had to fight with Elizabeth to give you this job" His voice trails off as he takes another step toward y wall cupboards Keep-hi
"Jack, what exactly is your problerievances, then perhaps we should ask HR to get involved We could do this with Elizabeth in a "Where is security? Are they in the building yet?
"We don&039;t need HR to overe this situation Ana," he sneers "When I hired you, I thought you would be a hard worker I thought you had potential But now, I don&039;t know
You&039;ve become distracted and sloppy And I wondered is it your boyfriend who&039;s leading you astray?" He says boyfriend with chilling conteh your e-mail account to see if I could find any clues And you knohat I found, Ana? What was out of place? The only personal e-mails in your account were to your hot-shot boyfriend" He pauses, assessingwhere are the e- So what&039;s going on, Ana? How come his e-mails to you aren&039;t on our system? Are you soanization? Is that what this is?"
Holy shit, the e-mails Oh no What have I said?
"Jack, what are you talking about?" I try for bewildered, and I&039; as I expected, but I don&039;t trust hihtest Soh alert This ry, volatile, and totally unpredictable I try to reason with him
"You just said that you had to persuade Elizabeth to hire me So how could I be planted as a spy? Make up your mind, Jack"
"But Grey fucked the New York trip, didn&039;t he?"
Oh shit
"How did he ue boyfriend do?"
What little blood re to faint "I don&039;t knohat you&039;re talking about, Jack," I whisper "Your cab will be here shortly
Shall I fetch your things?" Oh please, letmy discomfort "And he thinks I&039;d make a pass at you?" He smirks and his eyes heat "Well, I want you to think about soave you this job, and I expect you to show ratitude In fact, I&039;et you Elizabeth wanted so in you So, we need to work out a deal A deal where you keep , Ana?"
Fuck!
"Look at it as refining your job description, if you like And if you keepany further into how your boyfriend is pulling strings,in soue frat-boy sycophants"
Myme For sex! And what can I say? News of Christian&039;s takeover is eoed for another three weeks I can barely believe this Sex -
with ht in front ofsweet cologne invades- and if I&039;m not mistaken, the bitter stench of alcohol is on his breath Fuck, he&039;s been drinking when?
"You are such a tight-assed, cock-blocking, prick tease, you know, Ana," he whispers through clenched teeth
What? Prick tease Me?
"Jack, I have no idea what you&039;re talking about," I whisper, as I feel the adrenaline surge throughto ht me what to do Ray knows his self-defense If Jack touches me - if he even breathes too close to me - I will take him down My breath is shallow I must not faint, I iveslook "You&039;re so turned on, I can tell You&039;ve really led me on Deep down you want it I know"
Holy fuck The man is co to overwhelm me "No, Jack I have never led you on"
"You have, you prick-teasing bitch I can read the signs" Reaching up, he gently strokes my face with the back of his knuckles, down to er strokesreflex He reaches the dip at the base of my neck, where the top button of ainst my chest
"You wanton what I have to do - rather than ently over his in a caress
He ser, and twist it back, pulling it sharply down backward to his hip
"Arrgh!" he cries out in pain and surprise, and as he leans off balance, I bring roin, and e deftly to roan onto the kitchen floor, grasping his
"Don&039;t you ever touch ain," I snarl at hied onhoet your own da bitch!" he half screaroans at me, but I am already out the door
I run full pelt to rabthefrom the bastard still prostrate on the kitchen floor
I burst out of the building and stop for a moment as the cool air hits my face, take a deep breath, and compose myself But I haven&039;t eaten all day, and as the very unwelcoive out beneath round
I watch with mild detachment the slow motion movie that plays out in front of me: Christian and Taylor in dark suits and white shirts, leaping out of the waiting car and running toward me Christian sinks to his knees at my side, and on some unconscious level, all I can think is: He&039;s here My love is here
"Ana, Ana! What&039;s wrong?" He scoopshis hands up and downray eyes into ainst hiue Oh, Christian&039;s arms There is no place I&039;d rather be
"Ana" He shakes ? Are you sick?"
I shake
"Jack," I whisper, and I sense rather than see Christian&039;s swift glance at Taylor, who abruptly disappears into the building
"Fuck!" Christian enfolds me in his arms "What did that sleazeball do to you?"
And frole bubbles in rabbed his finger
"It&039;s what I did to hi and I can&039;t stop
"Ana!" Christian shakesfit ceases "Did he touch you?"
"Only once"
I feel Christian&039;s h him, and he stands up swiftly, powerfully - rock steady - with me in his arms He&039;s furious No!
"Where is that fucker?"
Fro Christian sets me on my feet
"Can you stand?"
I nod
"Don&039;t go in Don&039;t, Christian" Suddenly my fear is back, fear of what Christian will do to Jack
"Get in the car," he barks at rab his aroddamned car, Ana" He shakes me off
"No! Please!" I plead with him "Stay Don&039;t leave me on , Christian runs his hand through his hair and glares down atinside the building escalates, and then stops suddenly
Oh, no What has Taylor done?
Christian fishes out his Blackberry
"Christian, he has my e-mails"
"What?"
"My e-mails to you He wanted to knohere your e- to blackmail me"
Christian&039;s look is murderous Oh shit "Fuck!" he splutters and narrows his eyes at me He punches a number into his Blackberry
Oh no I&039;?
"Barney Grey I need you to access the SIP main server and wipe all Anastasia Steele&039;s e-mails to me Then access the personal data files of Jack Hyde and check they aren&039;t stored there If they are, wipe them Yes, all of them Now Let me knohen it&039;s done"
He stabs the off button then dials another number
"Roach Grey Hyde - I want him out Now This minute Call security Get him to clear his desk i in the ive him his pink slip Do you understand?"
He listens for a ly satisfied
"Blackberry," he hisses at h clenched teeth
"Please don&039;t be mad at ht now," he snarls and once h his hair "Get in the car"
"Christian, please - "
"Get in the fucking car, Anastasia, or so help me I&039;ll put you in therewith fury
Oh shit "Don&039;t do anything stupid, please," I beg
"STUPID! " he explodes "I told you to use your fucking Blackberry Don&039;t talk tocar, Anastasia - NOW! " he snarls and a frisson of fear runs through ry Christian I&039;ve not seen hi on to his self-control
"Okay," Ihiether in a hard line, he points angrily to the car, glaring at e
"Please be careful I don&039;t want anything to happen to you It would kill me," Ihis arm while he takes a deep breath
"I&039;ll be careful," he says, his eyes softening Oh, thank the Lord His eyes burn into er door, and climb in Once I&039;m safely in the co, andto do?
I sit and wait And wait And wait Five eternal minutes Jack&039;s cab pulls up in front of the Audi Tenin there, and how is Taylor? The wait is agonizing
Twenty-fivea cardboard stor-age box Behind hiuard Where was he earlier? And after theht for the cab, and I&039;rateful for the Audi&039;s heavily tinted s so he cannot see me The cab drives off - presumably not to Sea-Tac - as Christian and Taylor reach the car
Opening the driver&039;s door, Christian slides smoothly into the seat, presuets in behind me Neither of them says a word as Christian starts the car and pulls out into the traffic I risk a quick glance at Fifty His mouth is set in a firs
"Grey," Christian snaps
"Mr Grey, Barney here"
"Barney, I&039;m on speaker phone, and there are others in the car," Christian warns
"Sir, it&039;s all done But I need to talk to you about what else I found on Mr Hyde&039;s computer"
"I&039;ll call you when I reach my destination And thanks, Barney"
"No probleer than I expected
What else is on Jack&039;s co to lances athis eyes back on the road ahead, and I can tell he&039;s still mad
"No," he o how childish I wrapout thePerhaps I should just ask him to drop me off at my apartment, then he can
"not talk" to me from the safety of Escala and save us both the inevitable quarrel But even as I think it, I know I don&039;t want to leave him to brood, not after yesterday
Eventually, we pull up in front of his apart with easy grace around to my side, he opens my door
"Come," he orders as Taylor clambers into the driver&039;s seat I take his proffered hand and follow hirand foyer to the elevator He doesn&039;t let go of me
"Christian, why are you so mad at me?" I whisper as ait
"You knohy," he mutters as we step into the elevator, and he punches in the code to his floor "God, if so had happened to you, he&039;d be dead by now" Christian&039;s tone chills me to the bone The doors close
"As it is, I&039;e of young women anymore, miserable excuse for a rabsme in the corner of the elevator
His hands fist in my hair as he pulls my face up to his, and his mouth is on mine, a passionate desperation in his kiss I don&039;t knohy this takes me by surprise, but it does
I taste his relief, his longing, and his residual anger while his tongue possesseshis weight againstto hi up into that beautiful face etched with determination and without any trace of hu had happened to you If he&039;d harh him "Blackberry," he commands quietly "Fro, unable to break eye contact frohtens, releasing me as the elevator comes to a stop "He said you kicked hihter with a trace of adiven
"Yes," I whisper, still reeling from the intensity of his kiss and his impassioned coht lad he did," he breathes and adds, arching a brow, "I&039;ll need to re my hand, he leads me out of the elevator and I follow, relieved I think that&039;s as bad as his et
"I need to call Barney I won&039;t be long" He disappears into his study, leavingthe finishing touches to ourto do
"Can I help?" I ask
She laughs "No, Ana Can I fix you a drink or solass of wine"
"White?"
"Yes, please"
I perch on one of the bar stools, and she hands lass of chilled wine I don&039;t knohat it is, but it&039;s delicious and slides down easily, soothingabout earlier today? How alive I have felt since Idays?
What if I&039;d neverit through with Ethan, co I would have to face the sleazeball again on Friday As it is, there&039;s every chance I&039;ll never set eyes on hiain
But ill I work for now? I frown I hadn&039;t thought of that Shit, do I even have a job?
"Evening, Gail," Christian says as he cohts Heading straight to the fridge, he pours hi, Mr Grey Dinner in ten, sir?"
"Sounds good"
Christian raises his glass
"To ex-hters well," he says and his eyes soften
"Cheers," I ?" Christian asks
"I don&039;t know if I still have a job"
He cocks his head to the side "Do you still want one?"
"Of course"
"Then you still have one"
Simple See? He is master of my universe I roll my eyes at him and he smiles
Mrs Jones makes a mean chicken potpie She has left us to enjoy the fruits of her labors, and I feelat the breakfast bar, and despite , Christian won&039;t tell me what Barney has found on Jack&039;s computer I drop the subject, and decide to tackle instead the thorny issue of Jose&039;s i visit
"Jose called," I say nonchalantly
"Oh?" Christian turns to face me
"He wants to deliver your photos on Friday"
"A personal delivery How acco of hio out For a drink With me"
"I see"
"And Kate and Elliot should be back," I add quickly
Christian puts his fork down, frowning at ?"
I bristle "I&039; you of my plans for Friday Look, I want to see Jose, and he wants to stay over Either he stays here or he can stay at my place, but if he does I should be there, too"
Christian&039;s eyes widen He looks dumbfounded
"He o He was drunk, I was drunk, you saved the day - it won&039;t happen again He&039;s no Jack, for heaven&039;s sake"
"Ethan&039;s there He can keep him company"
"He wants to see me, not Ethan"
Christian scowls at me
"He&039;s just a friend" My voice is emphatic
"I don&039;t like it"
So what? Jeez, he&039;s irritating sometimes I take a deep breath "He&039;s my friend, Christian I haven&039;t seen him since his show And that was too brief I know you don&039;t have any friends, apart fro her," I snap
Christian blinks, shocked "I want to see him I&039;ve been a poor friend to hi your little foot? Steady now!
Gray eyes blaze at me "Is that what you think?" he breathes
"Think about what?"
"Elena You&039;d rather I didn&039;t see her?"
Holy cow "Exactly I&039;d rather you didn&039;t see her"
"Why didn&039;t you say?"
"Because it&039;s not my place to say You think she&039;s your only friend" I shrug in exasperation He really doesn&039;t get it How did this turn into a conversation about her? I don&039;t even want to think about her I try to steer us back to Jose "Just as it&039;s not your place to say if I can or can&039;t see Jose Don&039;t you see that?"
Christian gazes at ?
"He can stay here, I suppose," he mutters "I can keep an eye on him" He sounds petulant
Hallelujah!
"Thank you! You know, if I a to live here, too" I trail off Christian nods
He knohat I&039;ot the space" I s at et up just in case his pal, clear our plates, and then load them into the dishwasher
"Gail will do that"
"I&039;ve done it now" I stand up and gaze at hi me intently
"I have to work for a while," he says apologetically
"Cool I&039;ll find so to do"
"Come here," he orders, but his voice is soft and seductive, his eyes heated I don&039;t hesitate to walk into his ar him around his neck as he perches on his bar stool
He wraps his arms around me, crushes me to him, and just holds me
"Are you okay?" he whispers into my hair
"Okay?"
"After what happened with that fucker? After what happened yesterday?" he adds, his voice quiet and earnest
I gaze into dark, serious, gray eyes Ahten around me, and I feel safe, cherished, and loved all at once It&039;s blissful Closingin his arth, his ht," he murmurs He kisses my hair and inhales deeply "You smell heavenly as usual, Ana"
"So do you," I whisper and kiss his neck
All too soon he releases me "I should only be a couple of hours"
I wander listlessly through the apart I have showered and dressed in some sweats and a T-shirt of my own, and I&039;m bored I don&039;t want to read If I sit still, I&039;ll recall Jack and his fingers on me
I check out my old bedroom, the subs&039; room Jose can sleep here - he&039;ll like the view
It&039;s about eight fifteen, and the sun is beginning to sink into the west The lights of the city twinkle below lorious Yes, Jose will like it here I wonder idly where Christian will hang Jose&039;s pictures ofat myself
Back down the hallway I find , I try the door handle Christian normally keeps it locked, but tolike a child playing hooky and straying into the forbidden forest, I walk in It&039;s dark I flick the switch and the lights under the cornice light up with a soft glow It&039;s as I remember it A womb-like room
Meh s innocently, lined up with others, on the rack beside the door Tentatively I run ers, the paddles, and the whips
Sheesh This is what I need to square with Dr Flynn Can someone in this lifestyle just stop? It see over to the bed, I sit on soft red satin sheets, gazing around at all the apparatus
Beside me is the bench, above that the assorth? Well, the less said about that the better And the large table We never tried that, whatever he does on it My eyes fall on the chesterfield, and Iextraordinary about it - nothing to fasten anything to, not that I can see Glancing behind me, I spy the museum chest My curiosity is piqued What does he keep in there?
As I pull open the top drawer I realize h my veins Why am I so nervous? This feels so illicit, as if I&039;, which of course I am But if he wants to marry me, well
Holy fuck, what&039;s all this? An array of instruments and bizarre implements - I don&039;t have a clue what they are, or what they&039;re for - are carefully laid out in the display drawer
I pick one up It&039;s bullet-shaped with a sort of handle Hles, though I think I have an idea Jeez, there are four different sizes!
My scalp prickles and I glance up
Christian is standing in the doorway, staring athas he been there? I feel like I&039;ve been caught with my hand in the cookie jar
"Hi" I smile nervously at him, and I know my eyes are wide and that I&039;?" he says softly, but there&039;s an undercurrent in his tone
Oh shit Is he mad? I flush "Er I was bored and curious," I mutter, embarrassed to be found out He said he&039;d be two hours
"That&039;s a very dangerous coer across his lower lip in quiet conte his eyes off me I s and my mouth is dry
Slowly, he enters the rooray fire Oh my He leans casually over the chest of drawers, but I think his stance is deceptive
My inner goddess doesn&039;t knohether it&039;s fight or flight time
"So, what exactly are you curious about, Miss Steele? Perhaps I could enlighten you"