Chapter 42 - Communicating

I’ve taken on board Flynn’s advice about communicating more effectively with Anastasia, so that evening, as we sit down together to eat the meal that Mrs. Jones has prepared for us, I tell her what I've been involved with at work today. 

I explain about the solar-powered cell phone my company has been working on, which I think has fantastic potential to help those in less developed countries that inevitably have unreliable power supplies. 

Ana listens intently as I talk, and then questions me about the vision I have for its development. It means a lot to me that she is so interested, that she wants to learn more about something that I care so passionately about. 

It seems that we share the same values about projects such as these, that can make such a difference to the more deprived areas of the globe, and that fact makes me love her even more. Not just the amazing sex you share, is it Grey? She really is a special woman. One in a million. A trillion. No, she is totally unique actually. You must never let her go. Ever. 

For some reason Ana seems relieved that I only have three properties – New York, Aspen and Escala. I also have my eye on the potential acquisition of the property overlooking the sound, but I’m not saying anything about that yet, as it may come to nothing.

Anastasia clearly still has some adjustments to make to get used to my kind of lifestyle, as she automatically starts clearing up once we’ve finished our meal, forgetting that I have staff to deal with all that. 

“Leave that. Gail will do it,” I remind her, so she reluctantly leaves the plates in the sink. 

“Well, now that you are more docile, Miss Steele, shall we talk about today?” 

“I think you’re the one who’s more docile. I think I'm doing a good job in taming you.” 

“Taming me?” I snort with derision. Well, not exactly the Dominant these days, are you Grey? “Yes, maybe you are, Anastasia,” I admit. 

“You were right about Jack,” she quietly concedes. 

I feel my blood run cold. I fucking knew it. I knew he was a sleazeball. What the fuck has he done to make her see him for what he really is? 

“Has he tried anything?” 

I’ll fucking kill him if he has. But not until I've beaten him to a pulp first. I can feel my temper about to explode and I know I could easily lose control, the way I used to when I was a teenager. But I work hard to contain my rage, and try to establish some facts first. 

Ana shakes her head. 

“No, and he won’t Christian. I told him today that I'm your girlfriend, and he backed right off.” 

That might be what she innocently believes, but I still don’t trust him one iota. 

“You’re sure? I could fire the fucker.” 

If that ass hole’s been hitting on Ana, he’s history, and I don’t fucking care what the legal implications of breaking the terms of his contract are – let him sue. 

But Ana is adamant that she can deal with him, that I have to let her fight her own battles and not stifle her. Remembering Flynn’s advice from this afternoon’s session, I listen and try to take account of her feelings and wishes, but it still takes all my resolve not to insist that either she leaves the job, or that I’m getting Hyde fired. 

She comes round and stands between my legs as I sit at the breakfast bar. She pulls my arms around her and then rests her hands on my arms, and I begin to feel a little calmer because of her touch, this close contact between us. 

“I don’t need you charging in like a white knight to save the day,” she tries to reassure me. Trust me, baby, I’m definitely the dark knight, the thoughts I'm having about what I’d like to do to Hyde. 
“You have to learn to let go. And if you can do that – give me that – I’ll move in with you,” she whispers, as she tenderly strokes my face. 

“You’d do that?” 

“Yes.” 

“But you don’t know me.” Because if you did, if you knew the whole sickening truth about me, trust me, you’d run. 

“I know you well enough, Christian. Nothing you tell me about yourself will frighten me away.” You really don’t know what you’re talking about, sweet girl. “But if you could just ease up on me.” 

Flynn’s words come back to me. ‘She’s clearly an intelligent woman, so explain to her more effectively why you have concerns about her safety’ 

“I'm trying, Anastasia. I couldn’t just stand by and let you go to New York with that… sleazeball. He has an alarming reputation. None of his assistants have lasted more than three months, and they’re never retained by the company. I don’t want that for you, baby. I don’t want anything to happen to you. You being hurt… the thought fills me with dread. I can't promise not to interfere, not if I think you’ll come to harm.” 

I know what I want to say next, what I need to say. It’s hard, but I take a deep breath. 

“I love you, Anastasia. I will do everything in my power to protect you. I cannot imagine my life without you.” 

Ana stares at me. Then a wonderful smile spreads across her face, as she gazes into my eyes. Her eyes are shining with unspoken emotion. 

“I love you too, Christian,” she whispers, then leans over to kiss me. It’s a special, perfect moment between us. 

The first time I’ve said those words to her. 

I. Love.You. 

But the moment is disturbed by Taylor discreetly clearing his throat, trying to get my attention and looking distinctly uncomfortable about it. Christ knows how long he’s been standing there waiting for the right moment. 

“Yes?” I bark at him, knowing he must have a good reason to interrupt. 

“Mrs. Lincoln is on her way up, sir.” 

“What?” 

Taylor shrugs apologetically. What the fuck can Elena possibly want now? I sigh as I shake my head. Of course she had to turn up just at the precise moment when things were developing nicely between Ana and me, before I've even had the chance to get my head around the fact that she’s agreed to move in with me. 

“Well, this should be interesting,” I mutter, knowing how Ana can't stand Elena. But I resign myself to dealing with the fallout from the woman of my past meeting up with the woman who is my present and hopefully my future too. 

I don’t own any of the Fifty Shades Trilogy or the characters therein. They belong to E L James. I’m just borrowing them for fun and not for profit. Please refer to the Legal’s page for further details. This work is not to be copied or reproduced in any way without permission.