Chapter 47 - Hyde And Seek

I find it amusing watching Anastasia rushing around getting ready for work while I just lie back and relax in bed. 

Wouldn’t worry me if she pulled a sickie and stayed home; wouldn’t worry me if she got the sack, but I know her job is important to her, so I've put Taylor on standby to drive her to work as she’s still insisting on going, even though she must be really tired this morning. If anyone can cut through the busy traffic in record time, it’ll be him.

Late last night I sent a priority email to Andrea, ordering her to cancel my breakfast meeting this morning, and to push back all my other meetings until later in the day. 

I know she'll be very surprised as this is very unusual behavior for me, but for God’s sake, I’m the fucking CEO, so why the fuck shouldn’t I have a lie in with my girlfriend for once if I want to?  Especially as I'm still worried that she could be in a state of shock, after the very disturbed and disturbing evening and night we just had.

I’ve confessed everything there is about me for her to know, and I just want to spend some time with Ana, to make sure she doesn't have some kind of delayed adverse reaction that would stop her from agreeing to marry me, once she’s had time to properly process all the shit that surfaced. 

She has to say yes, and I’m determined to come up with another much more fitting proposal for my sweet Ana.  All I’ve got to figure out is what the fuck will constitute romantic hearts and flowers in her eyes, because I haven’t got a fucking clue. This is all new to me - I’ve never done anything of this kind in my life before.

These are areas Elena never schooled me in. She undoubtedly tutored me very thoroughly about how to fuck a woman in every possible way known to man, and then some. But romance doesn’t exist as far she’s concerned. I’m guessing Linc never went in for the hearts and flowers kind of thing. He certainly wouldn’t have gone down on one knee to propose to her. Is that what Ana would like me to do? I really don't know.   

That Anastasia is still with me, even after I’ve confessed my very worst depraved shit to her, is nothing short of a miracle. I’ve never told anyone before as much as I've told her, apart from Flynn, and he’s different because he’s a professional. He’s not fazed by hearing all that kind of heavy shit; it’s his job to listen and try to make sense of it all.

But as difficult as last night was, I feel an immense sense of relief this morning, as if a huge weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I feel purged and cleansed because Ana knows all there is to know about me, so now I don't have to live in fear of her finding out. Confession truly is good for the soul it seems.

And I can finally relax about Leila, because I know she is safe, and that Flynn will be ensuring she gets the expert help she needs. But most importantly, she will no longer be posing any kind of threat to Ana’s safety – her physical safety anyhow, although it seems she still has the power to pose a threat in terms of upsetting Ana. She fails to comprehend why I felt compelled to care for her in the way that I did.

Last night Ana was overwrought, which I think caused her to break down and sob the way she was when I found her on the floor in the bathroom. But I think maybe that was a good thing – it has to be better than keeping it all bottled up – so I just held her and let her cry herself out, until she’d got it out of her system. I hope she has anyway.

But I’m not going to apologize for my actions in bathing Leila, because Ana has to understand that I felt nothing other than compassion for a very disturbed young woman. There was certainly nothing sexual about my feelings at all. I just felt empathy for that dirty and confused individual, because I remember only too well how that feels. Making Leila feel clean and warm was the very least I could do for her, because I remember how soothing and comforting it was when my mother did it for me, when she adopted me.  

But I have to remember that Ana had a lot to deal with last night, so I guess her sense of balanced reason probably got lost somewhere along the way.

Then, on top of everything else, I experienced one of my nightmares last night, one of the worst I’ve had for a long time. No doubt it was triggered by the immense fear I experienced at the thought of Ana leaving me, causing all sorts of unwanted shit to resurface from where I normally keep it stashed away.

 It was such an immense relief to have Ana there with me as I came round from it. I normally feel so desperately alone in my terror, just as I did when I was that small boy whose own birth mother ignored him and did nothing to help, while he was being tortured and abused by her twisted sicko pimp.  

To be able to hold Ana and make love to her made the night terrors dissipate so much more quickly than usual, she truly is the best possible therapy for me. I know she struggled to find her release, but when I told her to touch me, I think it helped her to let go. She understood what a huge leap of faith it was for me to allow this, to let her touch me on my back this time. 

I’m discovering that each time I let her touch me, it erases a tiny fraction of my pain. So if I keep letting her touch me, however fucking hard it is, I’m hoping that eventually the pain will go away for good. That’s why I have to have her in my life forever. She can make me whole in a way that no one else possibly can.

So when Ana asked me to tell her what my nightmare was about, I told her everything. I have nothing to gain from keeping things like this hidden anymore; I know it’s best to come clean, even though hearing about my shocking childhood really upset her. At least it gave me the opportunity to reassure her that she is nothing at all like my birth mother, despite the fact that they look similar.

I was surprised when she asked if she could see Flynn, but I think that could be a good thing. I know Anastasia has her own self esteem issues and demons that she's not really opened up to me about properly.  There were snatches of conversation mingled in my nightmare last night, words that seemed to be coming from Ana that I’ve picked up on from somewhere. 

I think she was telling me that she was leaving because she wasn’t good enough for me, that she never understood what I saw in her.  If that is how Ana feels, then Flynn is the best person to try and get her to see how ridiculous that is. How can she not see that I'm the one who is not good enough for her, and that I’m going to have to work really hard at trying to be the man she truly deserves.

My only concern is that Flynn will urge us to be cautious and not rush into getting married. But I see no reason to wait once I get Ana to agree to marry me – and I won’t be giving up until she does agree, make no mistake about that. We can work it all out as we go along, just so long as we are together. 

Like I told her last night, maybe one day, somewhere in the distant future, we can even think about having kids, if that’s what she wants. We will have all the time in the world to figure things like that out, once I get her to agree to marry me and let me look after her. That’s what I can do for her. 

That’s what Flynn was trying to get me to see, when I couldn’t believe that I was worthy of her love, and I get it now. She doesn't understand yet that she is beyond good enough for me, but I will do everything in my power to make her realize it.

~~~

“Christian, it’s that time of year again,” Mia informs me.

Seeing as Anastasia went to work, once I’d worked out in the gym, and then rung Flynn’s office to make an appointment for us tomorrow evening, I headed on into the office after all, much to Andrea’s surprise. 

Perhaps she thinks I was trying to catch my staff out in some way by turning up unannounced, after saying I wasn’t coming in this morning, but she knows better than to question me - that’s why she’s remained my PA as long as she has. 

 So, having cleared my morning of meetings, I now have time to take my little sister’s call, although I already know what it’s about.

“What time of year might that be?” I play dumb.

“Why do you always do this?” she sighs. “You know darn well it’s your birthday on Saturday, same as it is every year on June 18th.”

“So? I don’t know why everyone has to make such a big deal about birthdays. It’s just a day like any other as far as I’m concerned, and all it means is that I’ll be one day older.”

Why the fuck anyone imagines I’d want to celebrate or even be reminded of the day the crack whore brought me into the world is beyond me.

“Christian! Every year it’s the same with you, and quite frankly I’m getting bored with it now. You know Mom and Dad like to make a big thing out of family birthdays, so why are you always so difficult about it? And what about Ana – I’m sure she wants to celebrate your birthday with you, doesn’t she?”

“Look, Mia, I’ve been kind of busy, lately, you know? So, I haven’t actually got round to…. you know…”

“You’re not saying you haven’t told her, are you? Oh for God’s sake, Christian, don’t you think Ana’s going to want to know? She’ll find out eventually, and then she’ll be hurt that you never told her. How are things between you two love birds anyhow?”

“Yeah, they’re good, thanks.” I smile at how Mia will react when I tell her Ana and I are getting married. My smile fades as I remind myself that I haven’t as yet got Ana’s agreement. 

Which in turn reminds me that I haven’t heard from Ana for a while now, not since our first flurry of emails this morning, when I got pissed at her for not using her cell. She really is hopeless sometimes, far too careless about security issues at work. 

But I hope she’s not been brooding about all the shit that hit the fan yesterday, and is now having second thoughts. I’m all too aware that she could still run. I decide I’d better email her when Mia’s done with her birthday inquisition.

“Well, I don’t care what you say, Mom and Dad want to have everyone over for a meal on Saturday to celebrate, so I’m going to turn it into a proper birthday party for you, whether you like it or not. I’m bored, so this will give me something fun to do. And of course I will be inviting Ana.”

I know better than to even attempt to argue with Mia once she’s set her mind to something, but it sets in motion a train of thought. I’ve been wracking my brain to come up with a suitable occasion for when I can propose properly to Ana, and my baby sister might just have provided the solution for me.

“Looks like it’s a fait accompli, so I guess I’ll just have to go along with it, won’t I?”

“Really?” I hear the surprise in Mia’s tone at my surprisingly easy acquiescence. “Well, I’ll need Ana’s number, so I can make sure she knows about your birthday and personally invite her to your party. So don’t think you’re going to get out of this, mister.”

“Don’t you trust me to tell her? Now I’m really wounded,” I feign hurt, not fooling Mia for one second.

“I know you too well, big bro. I remember how you’ve claimed to have forgotten about parties in the past, how you always sneak off early even if you do actually turn up. You are such a party pooper. If you’re not careful, Ana will soon realize that really you are dull as ditchwater, despite being as rich as Croesus. You need to learn how to start having some fun.”

“You sound just like Elliott, but then he’s the undoubted expert at having fun. Have you heard from him recently?”

“No, I think he’s far too loved up to think about anything other than Kate. He seems really smitten this time, and I think it’s sweet, don’t you? I mean, all credit to her if she’s actually managed to tame the Elliot man-whore.”

“Mia! That’s no way for you to talk about your brother,” I scold, as I don't like hearing my little sister talking that way, but I have to admit she’s right. I don’t like Kate, but she may just be what Elliot needs to change his ways.

“Oh come on, it’s no secret he’s pretty much worked his way through the entire good looking female population of Seattle. I know Mom is really pleased that he finally seems to be settling down, and Dad likes Kate too.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Our conservative father likes the fact that Kate comes from a good solid background, but at least he seems to have gotten over his initial doubts about Ana, thank God. I know it would really upset Mom if Dad and I were to have another disagreement, which we undoubtedly would if he were to react negatively in any way to the prospect of having Ana as his daughter-in-law.

At least I’ve proved to him that I was right in my decision to drop out of Harvard. I know it still rankles with him that I never completed my course, but he can’t argue with the fact that I’ve been pretty successful since then. 

I didn’t need to sit through a graduation ceremony wearing a stupid cap and gown to get a piece of paper, to prove that I’ve got what it takes to succeed. But I know that’s what Dad wanted me to do. 

Being a lawyer, he always likes things done in the proper way, whereas I’m much more of a loose cannon and a gambler, so it’s inevitable that we're not always going to see eye to eye. 

If I see what I consider a good opportunity, I don’t hesitate, I trust my instincts and I go for it. But Dad always has to think about things, weigh up all the pros and cons, take the cautious route, do things by the book. 

That’s the difference between us, I guess. The amount of grief you’ve caused your parents, Grey, they must bitterly regret the day they decided to adopt you, mustn’t they?

“And of course, they both totally love your Ana, because she is just the sweetest thing, totally adorable. I really want to be best friends with her; you wouldn’t mind that, would you Christian? Then I can show her around, take her to all the best places for shopping, all that kind of thing, seeing as she’s only just moved up to Seattle.”

“No, Mia, I don’t mind. Take Ana under your wing by all means, but be warned; I think you’ll find that unlike you, she’s not that keen on shopping.”

“Oh don’t be so ridiculous. She’s a girl, therefore she likes to shop. End of. Now, can you give me her cell number so I can get busy with these party preparations?”

“Okay, but you might want to leave calling her until this afternoon, because I know she was going to be really busy this morning.” That’ll be down to me making her late for work with all my shenanigans, as she told me in her email. 
Shenanigans. I do like that word. Emails from Ana are never dull. “I’ll text you her work number when I’ve got a free moment,” I suggest. 

I also want to make sure Ana really is okay, before I unleash the force of nature that is my sister upon her.

“Great. I’ll call Ana once I’ve spoken with Mom, run a few things by her. This is going to be so cool,” Mia agrees excitedly, before hanging up.

~~~

Anastasia has emailed me to collect her at six thirty, so we’ve pulled up outside SIP’s offices just a few minutes before then to wait for her as arranged. Taylor knows I don't do late, especially when it comes to Ana, so he's as punctual as ever. I’ll just be relieved when I can see her and talk to her to make sure she’s okay, although she seemed fine when I spoke to her earlier.

I was so fucking worried when I hadn’t heard from her all morning that I emailed her just to check. Although I was about to go into a critical meeting about the shipyard deal Ros and I have been working on when she rang me back, I delayed the start of the meeting to take her call, having earlier instructed Andrea to make sure she put through any call from Anastasia Steele immediately. 

When Andrea butted in to remind me I had people expecting me, I told her they could wait. No harm in keeping them on their toes; I don't want them assuming I’m desperate, or that it’s a done deal. Let them think I'm getting cold feet. 

Then I got really shitty with Andrea when she reminded me that I had already delayed this meeting before – of course I was fucking aware of that. But taking Anastasia’s call was far more important to me, and I felt so much better, calmer, after we’d spoken, and more able to concentrate.

And I know that Mia has made contact with Ana because she emailed me this afternoon, asking about my birthday – forgetting to use her cell yet again. Will she ever understand how easy it is for anyone with half a brain to hack into her work email account? Why does she think I gave her a secure cell? 

Anyway, I told her I don't like celebrating my birthday, but seeing as Ana has already changed the way I think about so many things, who knows, perhaps this year will be different.

Just as I'm thinking about this, I see Ana appear in the office doorway, but I’m immediately perturbed because she literally bursts out of the building, and then just stands there for a moment taking some deep breaths, as if she needs to regain her composure for some reason. I glance over at Taylor, and see by his frown that he has also noticed her odd behavior.

Then we watch as Anastasia just crumples, almost in slow motion, as her legs give way and she collapses to the ground. We both instantly leap out of the car in alarm and run over to where she’s lying on the sidewalk.

“Ana, Ana! What’s wrong?”

I sink down onto my knees by her side, and then scoop her up in my arms, as I frenziedly try to work out what the matter with her is. My first terrified thought is that somehow Leila has escaped, and that she’s shot Ana using a gun with a silencer. I see Taylor scanning the area, his hand already on his holster, so I'm guessing he’s thinking along the same lines. But thank God I don't find any obvious injury on her – no blood, no bullet wound, nothing.

So maybe she’s fainted because she’s unwell in some way. I can see she’s not completely out of it as she leans against me, so I try shaking her gently, to see if I can get some sense out of her.

“Ana. What’s wrong? Are you sick?”

She’s as white as a sheet as she shakes her head.

“Jack,” she finally manages to utter.

Fuck no! That piece of fucking shit hasn’t…? I glance over at Taylor’s furious face, and he’s already headed off into the building before I can say anything. Somehow I don't rate Hyde’s chances against him.

“Fuck! What did that sleazeball do to you?” I demand, as I fold Ana up in my arms. My mind has gone into overdrive. I feel white hot fury raging through my veins. I will kill him. The thought of that fucker touching her, doing things to her… I will fucking kill him, but only after I’ve beaten him fucking senseless.

Then Ana starts giggling. It must be hysteria, shock.

“It’s what I did to him,” she whispers, as she continues to giggle.

“Ana! Did he touch you?” I shake her again, trying to get her to talk some sense. I need to know exactly what he did, how far he went.  Maybe he just said something, maybe it wasn’t a physical attack.

“Only once,” she says, in a tiny voice.

Only once? So he did fucking touch her. The rage inside me explodes and sweeps through me virtually uncontrollably. How could I have let this happen?  I always fucking knew Hyde wanted into her panties and yet I continued to let her work for him. 

I put her at risk, because I was too soft in letting her talk me round about her job.  I have been weak, and now that piece of shit has touched what is mine. I don't need to ask any more details. That he has touched her in any way is all I need to know.

“Where is that fucker?”

The loud shouting from somewhere inside the building indicates that Taylor has wasted no time in finding the low life. I know that he is very protective of Ana, and from his livid expression as he went in, I don't think he’ll be worrying too much about the political correctness of beating the crap out of Hyde – and I can't wait to join him.

I gently set Anastasia on her feet, hoping she won't faint again. She still looks very pale.

“Can you stand?”

She nods, but as she sees my face and looks into my eyes, she freezes.

“Don't go in, don't Christian,” she begs. She has read the basic primal instinct that has been unleashed within me.  She has seen that right now, I am perfectly capable of killing another human being.

“Get in the car,” I order her. 

I need her safely out of the way, so I can make sure Hyde gets what is coming to him. He’s about to find out what happens when another man dares to make a move on what is mine.

“Christian, no.” Ana grabs my arm, and tries to hold me back. But I am compelled to deal with that piece of shit in there. Vengeance will be mine.

“Get in the goddamned car, Ana.” I shake her hand off.

“No! Please! Stay. Don't leave me on my own,” she pleads desperately.

Now I feel torn. I'm seething with rage, but I know I must look after Ana. But I can't let that fucker get away with what he’s done. The shouting inside the building gets louder, and then stops suddenly. I have to go and see what’s happening. I have no doubt that Taylor is more than capable of dealing with Hyde, but I have to be there to deal with him myself. 

I get my cell to find out what’s going on. But then I’m blown sideways by something Ana says.

 “Christian, he has my e-mails,” she confesses.

“What?”

“My emails to you. He wanted to know where your emails to me were. He was trying to blackmail me.”

“Fuck!” I explode.

So it’s even worse than I thought. I’ve suspected all along there was more to Hyde than met the eye, even though I’ve been unable to prove anything about him. So I’ve been unable to get him dismissed without causing more problems. 

Turns out my gut instinct was correct, as usual. So now this matter has to be dealt with and contained. If only Ana had used her fucking cell like I told her.

I get my head back into business mode. First I call Barney, and order him to clean up this mess. 

Next, I call Jerry Roach, Head of SIP. He’s argued all along that I can't get Hyde sacked without justification. Now he has all the justification he could possibly need. And I want that fucker gone, now, this instant, or so help me God, I will not be responsible for my actions. 

Roach certainly gets the message loud and clear when I threaten to liquidate the company first thing in the morning, if I don't get my way.  I am not renowned for making idle threats, as he well knows.

Then I have to somehow deal with the fact that I am fuckingly, incandescently furious with Ana, because it was her stupidity in failing to follow my simple instruction to use her cell that got us all into this predicament. 

So when she tells me to not to do anything stupid, I can barely hold onto my self-control.

“STUPID! I told you to use your fucking cell. Don't talk to me about stupid. Get in the motherfucking car, Anastasia – NOW!”

Anastasia just looks stunned.

“Okay, but please, be careful,” she whispers.

I don't trust myself to speak, so I just point to the car, and this time I expect her to just fucking do as she has been told for once, or I will fucking well put her there myself.

“Please be careful. I don't want anything to happen to you. It would kill me,” she murmurs. 

When she turns those big blue eyes on me, I can see the concern etched in them, because she knows I'm on the very edge of reason right now.

So Ana sweetly worries about me, just as I worry about her. I have to calm down. I should know by now that it isn’t enough for me to expect her to just blindly obey my instructions. 

She didn’t fully understand the implications of not using her cell because I didn’t spell it out to her - only because I was trying to shield her from the shadier side of my world, but I'm beginning to realize that this is maybe not the best way to handle things with Ana. 

“I’ll be careful,” I reassure her, as she climbs into the front of the Audi. Then I head into the building.

~~~

I find them in the kitchen area of the office, where Taylor’s got Hyde pinned to the floor with his foot as he stands over him, with the creep lying there groaning and clutching his groin.

I clench my fists to try and keep my rage under control, when all I really want to do is launch myself at Hyde.

“You fucking touch Miss Steele again, I’ll fucking kill you,” Taylor quietly informs him in a voice laced with pure menace.

I throw Taylor an approving look, as I glance at the fucker writhing on the floor.

“Not my doing, sir. It’s all down to Miss Steele, apparently.”

“Fucking prick teasing bitch kicked me in the balls,” Hyde groans.

“I thought I already told you to shut your filthy, fucking mouth,” Taylor grunts, as he expertly deals him a kick in the ribs.

“Grey, that little cock blocking girlfriend of yours was coming on real strong to me. Practically begging me for it, she was. Having trouble keeping her satisfied, are you? Not man enough for her? She’s only after you for your money, you know that. Maybe you are gay after all, just like everyone said, so you can't get it up, is that the problem? What she needs is a proper man to satisfy her instead, and I could sure fuck her sweet little ass, no trouble. I would have done too, if you hadn’t somehow fucked up the New York trip for us. Then I’d have shown that tight assed little prick tease what it was like to have a real man ride her hard all fucking night long.”

I start kicking him uncontrollably as I see red, and then grab him by the lapels of his jacket to pull him up so I can punch his disgusting, filthy mouth to shut him up. The stench of alcohol hits me, mixed in with some sort of cheap nasty aftershave. The thought of this piece of shit getting close enough to Ana to touch her makes me want to vomit, and I raise my arm ready to land a punch.

But Taylor steps in to restrain me.

“I know the bastard deserves the beating of his life for what he did to Miss Steele, but the fucker’s had enough. We need him to be able to walk away, and right now, nothing shows on his face. Be a lot harder to explain things if his face is beaten up. He's not worth the trouble. You have to know when to step back,” he murmurs in my ear. Then he adds, “That’s my recommendation, sir,” as he remembers his place.

Of course Taylor is an expert in all kinds of physical combat, and he would undoubtedly have been called upon to utilize that expertise to skillfully interrogate suspects when he was in the Special Forces. And even through the misty haze of my rage, I know he’s right. There are other ways I can get even with this piece of filth.

“Stand up, Hyde. You’re fired on the grounds of gross misconduct. You have five minutes to collect your things, then you'll be escorted from the building by security. Once you've left, you are not to return under any circumstances. And I will personally be ensuring that you never work anywhere in the publishing industry again.”

I see Hyde’s face blanch in shock.

“You can't do that, you don't have the authority,” he burbles.

“Call Roach. He’ll confirm everything I just told you,” I tell him coldly.

“I fucking knew something was going on. You fucking Harvard creep, using your Ivy League frat-boy connections to get what you want, just because of that fucking little bitch,” he screams at me.

I feel Taylor gripping my arm again, but this time it’s not necessary. An icy cold calm has descended on me.

“And don't even think about going public with any of the information you tried to blackmail Miss Steele with, or I'll instruct my legal team to sue you for Public Disclosure of Private Acts. Now get the security guys in here, Taylor. They can deal with this scum.”

~~~

Somehow, even as I drive away, I know that won’t be the last we’ll hear of Jack Hyde, so when Barney comes on the in-car speaker phone to confirm he’s carried out my orders, I'm not really surprised to learn he’s also uncovered something else on Hyde’s computer. 

But I don't want to discuss it in front of Ana, as I have no idea of just what type of shit it is, and she’s already had more than enough to deal with. She’s sitting up front with me, Taylor is in the back.  Driving is good; driving gives me something else to focus on for now.

“Are you talking to me?” Ana asks quietly.

I am still so fucking mad with her, mad about everything Hyde said. How close she came to him being able to… If he had actually attacked her, raped her, I would not have been able to walk away from him, whatever Taylor advised me to do. So I'm not sure I trust myself to talk to her right now.

“No,” I mutter.

So, it’s a quiet drive back to Escala, as Ana wisely holds her tongue until we’re getting into the elevator.

“Christian, why are you so mad at me?”

She has to ask? After everything that’s happened, after what could so easily have happened to her? I feel so scared and vulnerable because of the depth of my feelings for her. I want to lock her away to protect her from all the Jack Hydes in the world, and it frustrates me because I know that is not possible. So how the fuck am I supposed to cope with these feelings?

I look at my sweet Anastasia, and I have to kiss her, make her mine again, expunge the horrid visions of her with Hyde that have been playing in my mind, imagining what would have happened if he had succeeded in having his way with her.

It’s a deep, desperate kiss, and as I taste her, feel her, smell her, and hold her tightly against me to possess her once more, I’m finally reassured that she is mine, and mine alone.

“If anything had happened to you… If he’d harmed you….” I can’t vocalize my worst fears. “Your secure cell from now on. Understand?”

She nods, as we stare into each other’s eyes. She gets it. Finally.

I release her as the elevator comes to a stop.

“He said you kicked him in the balls.” I’m impressed. Little Ana bringing a big guy like Hyde to his knees.

“Yes,” she says rather proudly.

“Good.” Because if she hadn’t done that, he could have… I can't let myself think about what could have happened.

“Ray is ex-army. He taught me well.”

“I’m very glad he did. I’ll need to remember that.” 

I knew there was a reason I liked Ray. He’s the kind of protective father a girl should have, in my opinion. My respect for the guy has just increased tenfold. But I’ll have to be on my guard – I don't relish the idea of being kicked in the balls if he thinks I've got out of line with Ana in some way.

But for now, we’re both back safe and sound at Escala, much to my immense relief.

“I need to call Barney. I won’t be long,” I tell her as I head off to my study. I urgently need to find out what else he discovered on Hyde’s computer, what other damage limitation I need to set in motion.

Is there ever going to be a shit free day in my life?

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.