Chapter 57 - Bursting Bubbles


“Christian. Long time no see. Great to have you back. So tell me, how was the honeymoon?”  

John Flynn ushers me in to sit in my usual place on his dark green leather couch, while he sits opposite with his notepad at the ready. It’s kind of comforting to be back in our usual routine, after everything that has happened over the past few weeks - I have a lot to talk over with him.  

“We had a wonderful time. The best. Oh, and we brought this back from England for you, seeing as Rhian tells me you always insist it’s so much better than American chocolate.” 

I take out of my pocket a large bar of Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate and place it on the table - I happen to know he has a very sweet tooth.

 “How very thoughtful of you,” John laughs. “Are you trying to sweeten me up?”  

“Wasn’t my intention, but I don’t suppose it would hurt,” I shrug.

 “So, no doubt there will have been some issues that have presented over the course of the last three weeks, Christian. Adapting to married life presents quite a challenge to most couples, even when they have been living together for several years, and you…”  

“Yeah, yeah, I know, we didn’t exactly hang around. I’ve had all this shit from my dad, the ‘marry in haste, repent at leisure’ crap,” I mutter. “But like I told him – why wait when you know it’s right?”
  
“And has your father now accepted your decision not to put in place any kind of a prenuptial agreement?”  

I’d talked this over with John in the session we’d had right after my birthday party, when I told him about the shocking episode between Ana, Elena and Mom. I think he felt somewhat vindicated that Elena had shown her true colors as far as he was concerned, because we’ve always disagreed over our opinion of her.  

“He’s had to, because there was no way I’d do that to Ana. Tell her that I’ll love her forever, that everything I have is hers, but then get her to sign on the dotted line just in case I don’t actually mean any of it? Without Ana, everything material I have would be worthless, so what’s the point? Anyway, I think Mom has probably forbidden him to raise the subject again. She saw how it affected Ana’s confidence, even if Dad never gave that a thought before he opened his big mouth in front of her. He couldn’t resist getting back at me because he was sore after discovering my secret affair with Elena.”  

“As we discussed previously, your father was just being protective towards you, but I agree that it was unfortunate the matter wasn’t settled privately between you and your father without impacting in such a way on Ana’s confidence, because I don’t think for one minute he really sees her as any kind of a fortune hunter. But as I advised then, it’s not useful to brood over something that was brought up in the heat of the moment under stressful circumstances. Hopefully, in time, your father will win back Ana’s trust – he’s a decent man, Christian. Parents are only human and don’t always get things right, and they must have been very hurt and shocked to have discovered your deception over so many years regarding your affair with Elena,” he points out.

 “Yeah, I feel bad about that, and I wish they hadn't found out, but I can't change the past, can I?”

 “How do you feel now that the affair is out in the open with them?” John probes.  

“Well, they still don’t know the whole truth about it do they? It worries me that they are a step nearer, which I really don’t like. But I didn’t come here today to talk about that – it’s history and there’s nothing more to be done about it,” I insist.  

“Very well, Christian, but before we move on to other topics, just one final question. I take it you have now severed all links with Elena?” I nod my head in confirmation. “So how does that feel, after all these years of her being your sole confidante and directing your behavior in your personal life? Do you miss her input at all? Do you regret losing her friendship?”

 “No, most of the time, I don’t miss her input at all. Now I have Ana, I have no need of her guidance. I feel kind of sad at losing an old friend after so many years, but after the way she treated Ana…? No, I have no regrets at all.”  

“So now that you are happily in a very loving relationship, which Elena always insisted was completely impossible for you, can you perhaps accept that her influence over you for so many years was not the force for good that you were always so adamant it was? That perhaps she manipulated you for her own benefit rather than yours?”

John leans forward in his chair to study me intently.   
“You want me to admit that I’ve been wrong about Elena all along? Maybe, I guess, but all I can say is that at the time it didn’t seem that way, and I don’t think it’s as black and white as you’re making out. You can't really judge, because you weren’t there when I was the  angry and disturbed teenager that Elena dealt with, were you?” 
“Fair point I suppose, Christian,” he reluctantly concedes. “But can I ask, has Elena now accepted that you have moved on in your life with Ana? Has she tried to re-establish contact with you at all?”  

“She sent a wedding gift to my office but I sent it back unopened. No way would Ana want anything from her in our home.”  

“Which Elena would be only too aware of, and no doubt why she sent it to your office, wouldn’t you agree? So it seems that she still hasn’t given up on her relationship with you. I only bring this up as a warning to you, Christian, because I worry that you still have a blind spot where she is concerned. Someone as manipulative as Elena has been towards you over such a protracted period of time is unlikely to give up without a fight.”

 “Okay, I get what you’re saying, I suppose. But I sent her present back, didn’t I?”  

“Yes, but did you tell Ana about it? Or did you keep it secret from her so that she wouldn’t get upset? Either way, Elena would know that sending a gift could not possibly achieve anything positive between you and Ana, so why do you think she did it?”  

I look back at John as I consider his question for a minute, and work out what he’s getting at.  

“To make mischief, I guess. At the time, I just thought it was her way of trying to say sorry, but when you explain it like that…”

 Flynn always has this way of cutting through all the shit so I can see things more clearly, and he never hesitates to tell me how it really is.  He is one of the few people I am unable to intimidate or control, which I suppose is why I value him as much as I do. 

Even so I find it hard to accept that I have any kind of a blind spot, when I pride myself on being able to size people up accurately – that instinct is what I rely on so often in my business deals, and it rarely lets me down. 

But just like my mom, and just like Ana, John is adamant that Elena has been manipulating me all along. It’s a hard pill to swallow.

  “Okay, can we get on to what I really need to talk to you about rather than rehashing all this old shit?” I ask him testily, as I fidget impatiently in my chair.  

“Of course. What has you feeling so anxious Christian?” he asks, obviously having noticed my agitation.  

“Several things, John, but the worst is …. I hurt Ana while we were on our honeymoon. I mean I actually caused her physical harm. I fucking hurt the love of my life, John. What the fuck is wrong with me? Now I'm worried I don’t have myself as under control as I thought. I mean, virtually straight after I promised to cherish and protect her, I go and….”

 “Whoa, hold on there. Calm down and let’s start at the beginning. Tell me everything that led up to this incident,” John urges me as he raises his hand to stop me speaking.  

I take a deep breath as I collect myself.  

“When we were on the beach in the South of France, Ana asked how I would feel if she sunbathed topless, and I told her unequivocally that it was totally unacceptable behavior for my wife. Her body is for my eyes only, not for any other man to see. So she was in no doubt whatsoever about how I felt and yet she went right ahead and took her top off while I was swimming, so the whole fucking beach got to see her practically naked, including all of the security team.
For Christ’s sake, John, I overheard the French security guys whispering how Mme. Grey had the best tits on the beach, so I know they got a good look. And it was only sheer luck the paparazzi didn’t get a shot of her, because if they had, practically the whole fucking world would have gotten to see my wife naked. Ana said it was a mistake, that she’d turned over in her sleep, but if she hadn't taken her top off in the first place it couldn't have happened, could it?”  

“I see. So how did you react to Ana’s indiscretion?”  

“I was really fucking mad and wanted to punish her right away, but I managed to resist the urge and stay calm. I thought it through, and came up with the idea of punishing her by totally controlling her pleasure while we had rough sex. So I blindfolded her, and used two pairs of harsh metal handcuffs to restrain her, meaning she couldn’t see anything or move at all. Thing is, with what I had in mind, I knew she’d find it impossible not to struggle against the cuffs, and I knew they’d cut into her. I even made her drink plenty, knowing a full bladder would make her orgasm even more intense, and her punishment therefore that much harder to deal with.”  

John raises his eyebrows. A new one on you, John? You could maybe pick up a few tips here, because whatever else I may be, I really am a genius when it comes to sex.  

“Was this rough sexual episode fully consensual? Did Ana willingly let you restrain her in this way?” he queries.  

“Yes, but she had no idea what she was agreeing to, did she?” 
“She had a safe word, though?” 
“Yes, of course.”  

“But she didn’t use it?”

 “No, and afterwards she said the sex was great and her orgasm mind-blowing, but…”  

“But? What is the issue here?”  

“I was so fucking mad with her that while we were having sex I gave in to a sudden urge to cover her breasts with hickeys so she wouldn’t be tempted to expose herself again, which made her fucking mad with me when she saw them afterwards. But at least I know hickeys don’t actually hurt. 
What was far worse, what has got me so wound up, is the fact that the cruel unpadded metal handcuffs left these really ugly, nasty, red welts and bruises on her wrists and ankles where they bit into her delicate skin. 
And afterwards, every time I saw them, I felt so fucking guilty that I had inflicted this damage on my wife, when I’d only just vowed to protect her and look after her. She said they didn’t hurt, but they must have done, right? 
What kind of a husband does that make me? I never used to feel guilty when I caned a sub and saw the red marks on them; in fact I used to be proud of my handiwork.  But every time I saw those vile marks on Ana, I felt so remorseful, and yet at the time I’d been so sure she deserved to be punished, and I can't deny I enjoyed carrying it out. 
But then I felt so ashamed and confused, I just wanted to cover the marks up to hide them and make them go away. The whole experience has made me doubt myself, and wonder if Elena has been right about me all along; that I can't do without the hard shit because I am a sadist and always will be. 
It is in my nature to enjoy inflicting pain, even on my precious wife whom I love more than life itself.”  

I exhale loudly as I run my fingers through my hair now I've got this off my chest, and wait for John’s take.  

“Christian, you might be married, but you mustn’t forget that your relationship with Ana is still very new and that you both still have a lot to learn about each other. Possibly she needs to learn to be a little more sensitive to areas of her behavior that you feel very strongly about and will really upset you, and work out for herself whether it is really worth causing you so much anguish just by being careless or thoughtless. 
And I think you are already well on the way to working out that you don’t like living with the physical evidence of giving Ana this kind of punishment. 
You are both learning about dealing with the consequences of your actions. If you truly were a sadist, as you insist on labeling yourself, seeing the marks on Ana wouldn’t have worried you in the least, so I think we can rule out that theory of yours. 
It’s just a lingering doubt left by Elena’s malevolent influence, which is going to take some time to dissipate, after so many years of it being constantly drip fed to brainwash you.  I’m actually delighted by how you’ve reacted to your behavior, because it shows how far you’ve already come in such a short time.”  

“Really? Is that how you see it? It’s a good sign?” I'm relieved that John doesn’t seem to think I'm still an evil pervert. 
“Yes, these changes in your behavior won't happen overnight, but this response of yours in feeling such disquiet and remorse is another positive step along the way, and as I keep telling you…”  

“One small step at a time. Yeah, I know,” I sigh.

 “So what else did you want to discuss? You said there were several things?”  

“Something happened today when we both went back to work. See, I love that Ana is now Mrs. Grey, because it means the whole world knows that she is mine. And I thought she loved being Mrs. Grey, that she was proud to be my wife and take my name.”

 “Yes, I can understand how you would like that,” John smiles.

 “So why the fuck do I only find out today that apparently Ana’s decided not to change her name or use her married title at work? The first I knew about it was when the email I sent to Ana Grey first thing this morning bounced back. She’d not even mentioned this intention of hers to keep her single name, or discussed it the whole time we were away on our honeymoon, despite the fact that she had ample opportunity.”  

Barney has ensured all SIP systems have been fully upgraded while we’ve been away and now comply fully with GEH security standards, so I didn’t worry about using my cell when I emailed Ana soon after I got to work this morning to tell her I was thinking about her. I could not believe my eyes when it bounced back. 

I immediately had Barney check it out, and was fucking furious when he told me it was because Mrs. Grey hadn't updated her name on the SIP systems.  

By the time I did get in contact with Ana and found out it was intentional and not an oversight on her part, she casually said we should talk about it later, and that she was just going into a meeting. 

So I had to fucking wait to sort things out, and I really didn’t appreciate having to wait. I managed to resist the temptation to go over and haul her out of the meeting, because I had some really important security matters to organize in view of the information Barney found on Hyde’s hard drive.  

Welch has analyzed it and from what was there, he thinks all my family could be potential targets, so I’ve ordered round the clock security for all of them, much to their dismay. 

Luckily the panic room Welch recommended has already been installed in Taylor’s office, as it turns out Hyde had also been researching details of all the general security measures at Escala, indicating he knows where I live and could potentially be planning to try and gain access. 

I guess it’s not surprising that I'm feeling tense now that our honeymoon bubble has been well and truly burst, especially after the car pursuit as well. I’m sure Hyde must also somehow be involved in that, although we don’t have any hard evidence as yet.

 “And what would you say is the most likely reason for Ana’s reluctance to discuss with you her wish not to use her married name at work, Christian?”  

“I’m worried she’s already having doubts; that despite what she says, the way I acted in punishing and hurting her is making her regret marrying me,” I say quietly, as I confess my darkest fear. “I knew it was too much to ask of her, taking on a man like me, and I’m all too aware that I could still lose her.”  

“Christian, you are overreacting here. Many women prefer to keep their unmarried name in the workplace, as a way of separating their personal and professional lives. I think it most likely that Ana felt reluctant to discuss the issue of her not using her married name with you because she feared you would react negatively – as indeed you have - and so felt intimidated. 
However, I think she will have quickly realized that letting you find out her intentions the way you did, was not exactly the best way for her to handle things. This is exactly what I have just been telling you – learning the best way to deal with issues like this in your relationship is a steep learning curve for both of you. So, how did you handle the matter with Ana?”  

“I went over to see her as soon as I got word she was out of her meeting.”   

That’s one of the prime duties of her security detail – Mr. Grey is to be apprised of Mrs. Grey’s precise location at all times. Of course Jerry Roach came scurrying down to meet me the second he got wind of my arrival, and insisted on escorting me to Ana’s office, no doubt panicking that something must be wrong for me to have made an impromptu visit.   

“I see. And did you calmly and rationally ask Ana to explain her reasons for wishing to keep her unmarried name at her work place?” John asks as he raises his eyebrows at me questioningly.

 “Yes, I think I did, actually. I didn’t shout or holler in any way.  I just told her that I thought some of my assets needed re-branding. She got what I meant.”  

John winces and shakes his head.  

“Christian! I can't imagine Ana took well to being referred to as an asset.”

“No, you’re right about that. She got pretty angry about the whole thing, tried to tell me it was nothing to do with me, but how can she say that? We’re married; she’s my wife. Grey is her surname now, not Steele. She has to use it, that’s the whole point, because it tells everyone that she is mine.”

 “Having the same name isn’t what makes her yours, Christian. The love that you share is what binds you to each other,” John tries to explain.  

“Yes, but I need her to be mine in every possible way. Taking my name is a very important and visible way to prove this, because I want her world to start and end with me. I've never had anyone like her in my life before, and I want her to be as totally consumed with me in every way as I am with her.”  

“So how did Ana respond?”  

“She said that what she’s doing now is her dream job, but that she wants to be judged on her own merit and not because she’s the wife of the man who owns the company. Look, I admit I’ve told her I’d rather she didn’t go out to work – it’s not as if we need the money is it? But Ana insists she wants to work or she’ll feel suffocated, and I'm trying to respect that, despite the fact that with all the security issues at the moment it would be a hell of a lot easier if she stayed at home. But my gut feeling is that she will be very good at her job and part of me feels proud and wants to encourage her, which is why I was happy when SIP suggested she got promoted to caretake Hyde’s job as the cheapest stop gap until I took the company over. 
But Ana hadn't worked that out until I spelt it out to her, and then she hated the fact that basically she only got her job as a consequence of my actions. But the truth is it gave her a chance to shine – which she really has.”  

“So your simple discussion about her name evolved into another matter by the sound of things?”

“I guess so. I went on to tell her I’d decided that SIP was going to become Grey Publishing, and that as a wedding gift, I would give it to her to run in a year’s time. I thought this was the best way to show how committed to her I am, and how much faith I have in her abilities – she’s a very bright girl. So having told her all this, I asked her then if I should be renaming the company Steele Publishing.” Of course that was never going to happen, was it, Grey?  

“So you’ve gone from wanting her to stay at home, to giving her a publishing company to run. I'm guessing Ana was rather shell shocked at this point?”  

“Yeah, I guess, but at least I got her to agree to change her name at work,” I grin at him smugly.  

“You basically railroaded her to get your own way, didn’t you, Christian?” John states wryly.  

“Works for me. It’s how I operate. I just don’t get why Ana wasn’t going to change her name at work until I intervened.”

 “My guess is that maybe Ana, as a free minded, independent young woman, wanted to have one part of her life that wasn’t under your control, where you couldn’t railroad or influence everything around her. But you just couldn’t stand back and let it go, could you, Christian? You really need to learn to loosen your vice-like grip on her in at least some areas or you run the risk that Ana will start really resenting you and kicking back,” John sighs, as he writes something on his notepad. Probably that you are the most extreme control freak he’s ever dealt with, Grey.

 “But that’s what I mean when I say I want her world to begin and end with me. Ana is everything to me. I want to give her everything. I want to know about every part of her life. I want to understand everything about her, which brings me to another quandary I faced while we were away.”  

“Go on.”

 “You know I told you how Ana found the box of intimate photos that Leila took out of my safe? The ones of my subs that I kept for insurance purposes?”  

“Yes, I recall that incident.”  
“Well, I know Ana was shocked by them, that she looked on them as my private porn collection. Truthfully I’d forgotten I still had them, and I certainly didn’t need them anymore. So I destroyed them, not wanting anything that served as a reminder of how I used to objectify women.”  

“So why are we discussing them now?”  

“When we were on our honeymoon, Ana bought me a present. It was a camera, and I think she was maybe suggesting I should take those kinds of intimate pictures of her. So what I want is your opinion about whether you think Ana still worries she can't do everything for me that my subs used to. Was she suggesting I take porn pictures of her to compete with them in some way? Does she think I still need to objectify women?”  

“Did you try just asking Ana straight out what her intention was with her gift?”  

“I tried, but she clammed up on me, and then I got so confused I wasn’t sure what to say for fear of unsettling her and making her feel bad.”  

“So, did you actually use the camera?”

“Yeah, I took loads of pictures of her, but mostly when she didn’t realize. Like when she was sleeping, because she always looks so beautiful then. I didn’t take any porn type of pictures of her, because I don’t feel the need. But is that what she was expecting me to do? So is she feeling disappointed that I didn’t?”  

“I wouldn’t worry too much about what her original intentions or motives were. You’ve used her present to take special pictures of her that will give you great pleasure, and that’s all that really matters, isn’t it? They may not be pornographic, but pictures of someone sleeping are still incredibly intimate and personal. I would suggest you pick out your particular favorites, then show her and tell her how much you like them, to build up her self confidence.”  

“Okay, I'm happy to go with that. So, one last thing – I wanted to ask how Leila is doing now.”  

John shifts to sit back in his chair, as he rubs his chin contemplatively before speaking.   

“She’s making good progress, according to Doctor Phillips in New Haven. Leila reconciling with her parents in Connecticut, has proved to be hugely beneficial in her recovery. And enrolling her in art school in Hamden will give her new purpose and direction to focus on. It should help her to learn to control her unhealthy obsessive personality – I referred Leila to a female psychiatrist rather than another male doctor when it became apparent she was transferring her fixation from you to me.”  

“So she’s still got some issues to deal with by the sound of things?” I’d had no idea Leila had such complex issues when she’d been my sub, but then I never really delved too deeply into any of their personal lives.

“It’s not uncommon for obsessive personalities to misinterpret their true feelings. They fail to realize that what they see as undying love is actually a medical condition. It’s no secret that romantic fantasies and sexual attraction can often be so intense that a person’s judgment is clouded. Some believe that they are fighting for “the one”, suffering from unrequited love or desperately trying to work on their relationship, while in reality they are struggling with the demons of their own mind. But I'm confident that with continued support, Leila will get there in the end.”  

“Fine, John. Thanks for all your help with this, and please keep me updated with Leila’s progress.”  

“Of course. And I take it you are still happy to finance all her treatment and also her art course?”  

“Absolutely. It’s the least I can do for her.”

 “So, is that it for today?”  

“I think it is John.”
 ~~~

Ana is in a foul mood after work, even snapping at the security detail, much to their surprise. They are fast learning, as I did pretty soon after I first met my future wife, that although Ana may look small, meek and submissive, appearances can be very deceptive because she is anything but.

 I thought we’d got things sorted in her office when she’d agreed to change her name but she tells me that she didn’t like the way I handled the fact that she disagreed with me. However, after talking things through, we manage to retune ourselves to get back into sync again before Gia Matteo turns up to discuss the plans for our new home. Flynn would be so proud of you, Grey. Another small step. Pat on the back time.

Sometimes you have to deal with people you don’t like because they happen to be the best at their job, and a case in point is Gia Matteo. 

She’s undoubtedly a brilliant architect, but she’s also the type of woman I dislike intensely – an aggressive sexual predator. During my previous dealings with her regarding my place in Aspen, Elliot relished the way she openly flaunted her tits and ass at him and they ended up being fuck buddies for a while. 

So maybe it’s a good thing Elliot can be in little doubt this time round that Miss Katherine Kavanagh would not stand for him messing around with another woman. I think Kate would totally crush his balls, and I also think she’d give Ms. Matteo a proper bitch slapping for good measure, were she to get even the slightest hint that he’d rekindled their brief affair. I may not be Kate’s biggest fan, but I think she is a good influence in taming Elliot’s man-whoring ways.  

When Gia arrives, it’s apparent that Ana’s clearly got the measure of her as a man-eater, and she senses my unquiet at the way the woman keeps invading my personal space and touching me. I'm amused to see that Ana has made sure she looks stunning and sexy to meet the challenge she feels Gia sets. Baby, there is no contest. You win hands down every time.  


 After being told by Flynn in our session today that I need to try and resist my urge to control every aspect of Ana’s life, I decide to follow his advice and hand control over to her for all the final decisions regarding our new house. Naturally I have opinions and preferences, but basically I just want her to be happy in our future home, and so I'm thrilled she is taking such a positive interest in it, when I’ve had such difficulty in getting her to feel comfortable about sharing my wealth.

 Whatever Ana wants, she can have, and I’ll go along with it. I know I'm not really taking much of a risk, because she has innate good taste, even if she doesn’t realize it. Like the pictures of the peppers that we bought on our honeymoon – she instinctively picked out the most interesting and appropriate pictures without hesitation. 

I realized she had a good eye for art the very first time she came to my office, when she noticed my collection of thirty six small Trouton paintings. Her comment as she admired them  ‘Raising the ordinary to extraordinary” was exactly how I would have described them myself.



So when Taylor interrupts our meeting to call me away, I spell it out to Gia.

 “Mrs. Grey is in charge of this project. She has absolute carte blanche. Whatever she wants, it’s hers. I completely trust her instincts. She’s very shrewd.” So don’t mess with my wife, okay? She’s the boss lady.  

Taylor’s update is not what I wanted to hear. He informs me they haven’t been able to locate Hyde from any of the intel Barney downloaded from his hard drive. He hasn’t been at his apartment for weeks, apparently. Shit

I just want him caught now we have evidence implicating him in both the sabotage of Charlie Tango and the arson attack at Grey House. Hyde sure is one devious, slippery fucker, and I break out in a cold sweat just thinking about how closely he worked with Ana for a while. Taylor reports Welch will continue to search for new leads, which is all they can do for now. So fucking frustrating.

 When I rejoin Ana, it’s blatantly obvious that somehow my wife has put Gia very firmly in her place. Instead of calling us Christian and Ana as she had been, we are now Mr. and Mrs. Grey. I am very impressed and actually proud that Ana has shown her steely backbone and refused to be intimidated by this obnoxious but talented woman.  It seems the Grey influence is rubbing off to bring out her more confident and assertive side, and I couldn’t be more delighted. That’s exactly how my wife should feel as she takes her place by my side in the world.  

And by my side is where I wish she could be when I make plans to go to New York a couple of days later for a critical meeting that can’t be put off,  but Ana insists she can't take more time off work. As I'm trying to prove that I am taking her career seriously, I reluctantly have to accept she won't be coming with me. 

But I know I won't sleep well without her, because I never do now. I need to have my beloved wife next to me in bed, so she will be the first thing I see when I open my eyes in the morning.  

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. 


Chapter 56 - The Dirty, Dirty Couple





The day after we get back from our honeymoon, we’re invited over for a welcome home barbecue at my parents' place. Mom loves having the whole family around her, so naturally she’s happy to have an excuse to gather us all together. 

I notice with interest that Kate’s brother Ethan has also been included, much to Mia’s obvious delight. Apparently he’s got into the psych program at Seattle, which means he’s going to be sticking around rather than going off travelling overseas again. 

For him to have been included in our family gathering today, I’m guessing my parents approve of him. Of course he comes from the same ‘respectable’ family as Kate, so that no doubt reassures my dad.

Everyone wants to hear all about our trip, especially as my parents went to some of the same places on their honeymoon, and Mom even starts dropping hints to Dad about how much she’d love a second honeymoon in Paris and the South of France. 

From the look that passes over Elliot’s face, I guess he doesn't want to think about our parents getting all smoochy and romantic together any more than I do, so he changes the subject.

“How’s married life then, little bro? Is Ana getting used to your snoring and your smelly feet?” Elliot teases me.

“She seems to be tolerating all of my faults well enough,” I reply, refusing to rise to his bait, as I play with the rings on Ana’s wedding finger to help keep me calm.

“Now that you’re back, we can make a start with your new house. If you can get the plans finalized with Gia, I have a window September through to mid-November when I can get the whole crew on it,” Elliot suggests.

He might goof around like a big dick at times, but when it comes to building projects, my brother is the undoubted expert and knows what he’s doing, which is why Grey Construction is a very successful company. Just as I’ve ensured with my company, he has a great team working for him, and that’s a large part of his success. 

My brother is now a wealthy man in his own right, although not quite in the same league as me. There aren’t many who are.

I know he is doing me a favor and must be putting off other lucrative contracts to be able to offer to start work on our house so soon, so I feel obliged to make finalizing our plans a priority. And in any case, I’m really looking forward to Ana and I having our own home together, one that she has had a large input into. I want her to be happy in our forever house. I just want to make her happy, period.

“Gia is due to come over to discuss the plans tomorrow evening. I hope we can finalize everything then,” I tell Elliot, but Ana looks somewhat surprised when I turn to her for confirmation. 

Did I not run this by her?  I never waste time; I'm always decisive regarding all the deals I have in progress, so it’s still a new concept for me to have to remember to include Ana in this process. But it’s a courtesy I must remember in future, although I can't see why there should be any problem with her fitting into my arrangements, as I expect my wife to be able to do.

But she’s in a funny mood today, so she only picks at her food and seems distant. At least she ate well on our honeymoon and has definitely put back at least some of the weight she lost when she left me. 

But I don’t like seeing her moody like this, and I even whisper to her about taking her out to the boathouse and spanking her out of her bad mood, which gets her attention. I’m putting it down to jet lag. 

At least I hope that’s what it is and not that she’s worried about this arson incident at Grey House. I’m still fucking mad that it interrupted our honeymoon, and necessitated me having to spend time away from my new wife, so I’ve tried my best to shield her from all the details about it. 

She shouldn’t be concerned; it’s not her problem to deal with, it’s mine. I only finally conceded to her that it was definitely arson when she quoted her marriage vows at me to get me to open up to her. Part of me still thinks it would have been better if she didn’t know. Ignorance is bliss. The only upside is that she perhaps better comprehends the need for extra security now.

Welch has been left in little doubt that I'm furious that someone managed to gain access to the server room at Grey House – the very heart of my empire. 

For Christ’s sake, even though we’re meant to be on high alert, somehow this fucker managed to bypass all our supposedly foolproof security to start a fire. It was only a small fire, and thank fuck the Argon fire suppression system had been installed, because it prevented any major damage that would have been caused by any other form of fire control, so at least we suffered virtually no down time due to the incident. 

But what next? First Charlie Tango, then this. My major worry is that Ana is such a vulnerable target. I cannot bear to think of her being hurt in any way. I cannot let it happen.

So security has already been stepped up another notch, as we have now taken Ryan as well as Sawyer under contract. Ryan is ex FBI rather than military, so he brings another set of valuable skills and contacts to our security team. 

Extra vehicles have been ordered as well, but they will take a while to arrive, due to all the advanced security features that have to be installed. 

Taylor flew home from Europe ahead of us to finalize the details, before spending some quality time with his daughter, having been away from her for the best part of three weeks. At least with the extra security personnel, he should be freed up to spend more time with his daughter, although I can't deny I always feel happier when he’s around. But the man can't be expected to operate 24/7; it’s just not humanly possible.

I think Taylor wondered if he still had a job, after I bawled him out when  he let Ana go out on the Jet Ski by herself when she wanted to go shopping in Saint-Paul-De-Vence. 

But however furious I was, I quickly worked out that it wasn’t really his fault, because my defiant wife had hoodwinked him into thinking I’d okayed it.  I nearly had a heart attack when I saw her out there, but as she waved to me I could see she was really having fun, so afterwards when she begged me not to be mad at her, I tried my best to keep calm.





As worried as I am about her safety, the last thing I want to do is crush her adventurous free spirit, because it’s one of the things I love about her. 

It’s also typical of Ana that while I bought her a diamond cuff bracelet that cost an obscene amount of money, she chose for herself a little silver anklet that must have cost just a few Euros. 

I made no comment, because I love that she is still not materialistic, and it did look very cute and sexy on her, as well as helping to disguise the horrid red welt that I’d inflicted on her that keeps playing on my conscience.



Anyhow, I let Ana drive us both on the jet ski on our last day, and although she messed up and ended up getting us both thrown off and into the water, no harm was done, and she said she still had fun. 

No doubt I will be a total nervous wreck worrying about her when we eventually go skiing in Aspen, but I also know that she will love it as much as I do, and so I want her to learn to ski. More contradictory feelings for me to cope with.

There’s no question I’m finding it hard to balance my fervent desire to keep Ana safe, while wanting to indulge her every wish and let her have fun. 

I’m very glad I have a session with Flynn booked in for tomorrow to talk through all these issues I’ve been having. 

It was so sweet of Ana to be concerned for my welfare when she asked how long I’d gone without seeing Flynn before. I’m glad she gets how important he is for me, because I’m thinking it will also be a good idea for Ana to have some sessions with him to talk through some of her own issues.

While we were away, she bought me a camera to take pictures of her – I think she meant erotic pictures along the lines of the ones she found of my subs – the insurance pictures. 

Maybe it was also my interest in the naked female Florence D’elle pictures we saw in one of the galleries that prompted her to get me a camera. 

I tried to tell her that there is nothing wrong in appreciating the beauty of the female form, and as hers is the most beautiful form I’ve ever seen, she need have no worries.

FLORENCE D'ELLE PHOTO

So while I’m trying to leave my past behind because I know I used to objectify women, Ana still seems to be worrying about not being enough for me, trying to do something for me that my subs did. I wasn’t really sure if that was what her gift of the camera was about, so I just messed around and posed for her with my best Blue Steel pout.

 Later on I used my gift from her to take lots of pictures of my darling wife, mostly while she was sleeping, because I love seeing her so natural and unguarded. I'm looking forward to reviewing those pictures, as well as all our other wedding and honeymoon photos.

I also like to hear what Ana says when she talks in her sleep, as it’s like having a private connection to her innermost thoughts. So I know she is worried about all the shit that’s gone down, however much she tries to make out she isn’t. That’s why I have to make sure she is safe at all times. This is my duty as her husband. I have to try and stop her fretting and worrying.

Luckily we’ve just about finished eating when it suddenly starts to rain, so we all beat a hasty retreat indoors. It means my dad takes off his ridiculous chef’s hat and James Bond ‘Licensed to Grill’ apron, but at least seeing him like that seemed to amuse Ana and make her smile.




I know Ana’s still not totally at ease with my dad due to the whole prenup debacle, which I think he regrets, but it was all of his own doing. He should have just thought about keeping his mouth shut about it in front of her, instead of acting the big lawyer to score points over me following the whole Elena affair disclosure.

Neither my mom nor Ana has any idea that Elena attempted to send a wedding gift and card. She sent it directly to me at my office, no doubt in an attempt to bypass Ana, but I immediately returned it unopened once I realized who it was from when I saw her distinctive handwriting on the envelope. 

I can’t believe that she honestly thought it was appropriate or that I could possibly accept it. I know Ana would have gone totally apeshit if I had shown her, and there is no way I would ever want to upset her like that. I only want to make her happy.

I love seeing her smile. I loved watching her laugh uncontrollably as I tickled her when we were away, because she looked so happy and carefree just as she does in José’s pictures, and just so breathtakingly beautiful. 

It was a shame I couldn’t let her reciprocate, but that’s a step too far for me – I’ve never been tickled in my life. At least these days I can let Ana touch me, in fact I crave her touch, so that is huge progress.  I can even let my mom hug me, which I think she’s quite pleased about. Makes me seem more like her other children, I guess. I wouldn’t go that far, Grey.

I’ve missed being able to play my piano while we’ve been away on our honeymoon, so now I feel myself drawn to Mom’s piano. As I start to play, it brings back happy memories. Music is very important to me, it helps to soothe my soul, and I've always been very grateful that my mom introduced it into my life at a very young age. 

It’s very pleasing for me to see the close bond that’s forming between my mom and Ana, as they sit happily chatting together.



While I play, I’m thinking about my wonderful girl and I find myself gently crooning the words of a favorite track of mine by The Calling.

I'll go wherever you will go,
Way up high or down low,
I'll go wherever you will go’.

 I suddenly realize that everyone has gone silent, and is staring at me for some reason, so I stop.

"Go on. I've never heard you sing, Christian. Ever,” Mom whispers quietly as she stares at me.

I remember her singing to me all the time when I was a little boy, and trying to get me to join in. And I always used to, in my head anyway. But now the moment has passed, and I can't sing anymore, so I close the piano, then wander over to the French windows to look out, as Mom disappears off to make some tea, clutching a tissue to her eye for some reason.

Ana comes over to join me, and I shrug off her questions about my singing, not really getting what the big deal about it is with everyone. 

So then I ask if she’s ready to go. I’ve had enough of company. I want to have my wife all to myself, especially when she whispers in my ear asking if I'm going to spank her. Hell, yes. 

I’m happy to play if she is, but I will not be hurting her in any real way. That lesson has been reinforced to me only too clearly by our recent honeymoon handcuff punishment fuck. I’ve learnt that it hurts me afterwards far more than it does her, when I have to look at the ugly marks I’ve inflicted on my beloved wife, purely to indulge my sadistic nature.

~~~

In a moment of impulsive madness, I offer to let Ana drive the R8 home, because on the way over today she asked if I would ever let her, and I want to prove to her that I really mean it when I tell her that what’s mine is hers.

“Here,” I say as I throw her the keys. “Don’t bend it or I will be fucking pissed.”

 I’ll be upset if she damages it in any way, but it can be fixed. Or I’ll just buy another one. It’s a straightforward drive back anyhow.

Her face is an absolute picture as she beams back at me. To say that Ana is excited about driving the R8 is an understatement. Shit. She practically floors it as she drives away, and I’m suddenly reminded how much I hate other people driving unless I'm totally confident in their abilities, but it’s too late now. Today, it’s me who has to suck it up.

Sawyer and Ryan seem half asleep, they are so slow in following us as we leave. They should have known we were ready to head back, right?

But as Ana settles down to drive more responsibly, I'm not too concerned. That is, until I get a call on my cell from Luke Sawyer.  

“Mr. Grey, can I ask if you are driving?”

“No.”

“Mrs. Grey is driving?”

“Yes. She is.”

“It might be nothing, sir, but we’ve just run a check on the Dodge behind you, and it’s coming up as an unsub.”

“I see,” I sigh as I rub my forehead and try to think clearly. The last thing I want to do is panic Ana while she’s driving, and there’s nowhere we can stop and swap over while we are possibly being pursued. Sawyer and Ryan are too far back to be able to come between us and the unsub yet.

“The best option at this time is just to keep driving, sir,” Sawyer advises, which is the conclusion I’d just come to. “Is Mrs. Grey a competent enough driver to be able to outrun the unsub if necessary?”

“I don’t know,” I reply. But I realize there is no other option. I'm going to have to coax her through this, and just hope to God she rises to this challenge, in the same way as she has to every other that’s been thrown at her so far.

“We’re fine. Keep going,” I calmly try to smile at Ana when she looks at me curiously, as I hold the phone away for a minute before I resume the conversation.

“Mr. Grey, your car has the advantage over the Dodge for speed and maneuverability, so my recommendation is that as soon as you hit the 520, you instruct Mrs. Grey to drive at high speed to put as much distance as possible between yourselves and the unsub, while we concentrate on getting between you and the pursuer to take him out of the picture.”

“Okay, on the 520. As soon as we hit it.”

“Remain in constant contact to enable us to advise re the status of the unsub, and issue any revised instructions.”

“Yes.”

“And once you reach Seattle, instruct Mrs. Grey to head straight for Escala by the quickest possible route, so we can immediately evacuate you both to a known secure location.”

“I will.”

“What’s wrong, Christian?” Ana asks, turning to me as I put the phone in the speaker cradle on hands free.

“Just look where you’re going, baby,” I say as calmly as I can. I have to try and make sure she doesn’t lose her concentration when I tell her what she has to do. I just fucking wish I was driving. I just fucking wish Sawyer and Ryan had been doing their job properly so we hadn't ended up in this situation.

“I don’t want you to panic, but as soon as we’re on the 520 proper, I want you to step on the gas. We’re being followed,” I quietly inform her.

She gasps, and her hands grip the steering wheel tightly as her eyes immediately jump to the rear view mirror.

“Keep your eyes on the road, baby,” I order.

“How do we know we’re being followed?” she asks nervously.

“The Dodge behind us has false license plates.”

I see Ana squaring her shoulders and taking a deep breath to calm herself, and it seems she’s drawing on some inner strength from somewhere. Maybe Ray has given her some lessons on tactical driving? I doubt it, as I think he would have mentioned it to me before, when we were discussing Ana’s driving at the graduation ceremony. 

But I'm sure as hell getting her trained up at the earliest opportunity as soon as this is over, as had been my intention all along once we returned from our honeymoon. Now I wish I’d seen to it even sooner.

I hate not being in control with fuck all I can do about it, except put my trust in Ana’s dubious driving skills. But as always she surprises me. As we head towards Seattle and she follows my instructions, she surpasses herself to do very well. 

But even as I praise her, I still have to clutch my hands together tightly in my lap to keep my cool, as she weaves at speed between the two lanes of traffic, but then has to brake sharply to deal with a stupid fucking truck that decides to pull out in front of us.

In response to a query from Ana, Sawyer informs us they can't tell if it’s a man or woman driving the Dodge because it’s a tinted car. This information is a distraction that Ana could do without, because she starts speculating on the possibility of the pursuer being Elena or Leila, so I quickly take the phone out of the cradle to tell her to just concentrate on her driving, before replacing it.

Next Ana worries about being stopped by the cops for speeding. 

Like that’s our main concern right now - in fact I’d welcome their intervention. Speeding tickets can be made to go away, as I know from my own personal experience, although I don’t elaborate too much on this to Ana when she asks if I've ever been stopped.

“Flash the headlights,” I order when a stupid fucking Ford Mustang won’t get out of the way.

“But that would make me an asshole,” she protests.

“So be an asshole!” I snap. I just want to get Ana out of danger and in a place of safety, so I couldn’t give a fuck what some other stupid brain dead driver thinks.

Ana’s done incredibly well so far, but as we get off the 520, she suddenly panics as she can't remember the way to Escala. She’s not that familiar with the route because she hasn’t lived in Seattle all that long, plus she’s no doubt worried because she knows the Dodge is still on our tail. 

So I guide her in, instructing her to run the lights when they change to yellow, knowing we’ll be a sitting target otherwise. Having no idea of the intentions of the occupant of the Dodge, I really don’t want to have to test out how well the R8’s bullet proof glass holds up.

When Sawyer informs us that the unsub is picking up speed down Stewart, rather than risk it catching us up, I suddenly spot an opportunity for us to lose them, and make a snap decision.

“Ana – quick – in here,” I yell, pointing to a parking lot on the south side of Boren Avenue.

Ana swerves in sharply, making the tires squeal.  I see her panic as I point to a space to park in.

“Just fucking do it,” I yell again, knowing from Ray how bad her parking is reputed to be. But again Ana rises to the occasion. She parks perfectly so now we blend in inconspicuously.


“We’re hidden in the parking lot between Stewart and Boren,” I inform Sawyer.

“Okay, sir. Stay where you are; we’ll follow the unsub.” I can tell by his tone that he’s pissed.

Protocol under these circumstances is always that the Principal, i.e. me, follows the instructions of the security detail unquestioningly, to enable them to do their job effectively. 

Sawyer knows that here in this parking lot, we are totally helpless if we’re spotted, and they would not be able to protect us as they are still too far behind. Sawyer instructed me to head straight for Escala as it's the safest option for us to be secured, and now I haven’t complied with his instruction. 

But that’s only because they haven’t done their fucking job properly by being too far behind us, and he knows it. Rest assured, we will be having words later.

I can't deny I'm worried until Sawyer reports that the unsub has gone straight past the parking lot we’re hidden in, and I know my gamble has paid off.  We both sag in relief. As always, my girl has done so well, and I congratulate her.

“Does this mean you’ll stop complaining about my driving?” she cheekily asks, which makes me laugh out loud.

But now that we are safe, Ana confesses that her legs have gone to Jello. She’s been running on adrenaline to get her through the experience, but now she starts shaking and shuddering as she goes into shock. And then my poor baby bursts into tears, and I feel so upset and angry that she’s been put through this terrifying experience, despite all my attempts to keep her safe.

“No, baby, no. Please don’t cry,” I whisper. I pull her onto my lap to comfort her, as I gently kiss her. She curls her arms around me and sobs into my neck as we sit together.

“The unsub has slowed outside Escala. He’s casing the joint,” Sawyer reports via my cell.

“Follow him,” I order. How fucking dare the bastard follow us to our home. I want this piece of shit tracked down and dealt with.

Ana tries to subtly wipe her runny nose on the back of her hand as she takes a deep shuddering breath.

“Use my shirt,” I tell her, because I really don’t care if I get her snot all over my shirt, it’s just another of my wife’s bodily fluids.

“Sorry,” she mutters, embarrassed.

“What for? Don’t be.” She was really brave when it mattered, so she’s entitled to feel weepy and emotional.

She wipes her nose again, and then I tilt her chin up and kiss her gently on her mouth.

“Your lips are so soft when you cry, my beautiful, brave girl,” I whisper.

“Kiss me again,” Ana suddenly demands.

Can it really be that she’s turned on?

“Kiss me,” she says again, in her low, sexy, fuck-me-now voice. 

She is turned on, so I get an immediate hard-on.

I snatch the cell out of the cradle and toss it onto the floor. We don’t need Sawyer and Ryan listening in to this.

We kiss deeply, but she squirms on my lap, which is really uncomfortable when you have an erection as rock solid as mine.

“What?” she mutters, when I break away.

“Ana, we’re in a car lot in Seattle.” Fuck, I really wish we were back in the safety of Escala.

“So?”

“Well, right now I want to fuck you, and you’re shifting around on me…it’s uncomfortable,” I explain.

“Fuck me then,” she says huskily, as she kisses the corner of my mouth enticingly.

“Here?”

This is madness. Total and utter madness. And I fucking love it.

“Yes. I want you. Now.” Ana demands. My naughty, dirty, adventurous girl.

My mind quickly races through the practicalities to figure out if this is even possible in the R8. 



The car park seems deserted. Could we? Should we? No question it’ll be a challenge, but I fucking love rising to a challenge. And part of me has already risen, no doubt about that.

“Mrs. Grey, how very brazen. I’m so glad you're wearing a skirt,” I murmur, as my hand wanders under her flared skirt. That’s the deciding factor for me. If she’d been wearing skinny jeans, I would have had to regretfully turn down her request to take her right here. 
But now my hand on her thigh makes her squirm against my erection again, which is hell for me.

“Keep still,” I growl.

If we’re going to do this, it’s going to have to be one hell of a fast fuck. I have to make sure she’ll come real quick, so I slip my fingers into her panties to work her up, only to discover she’s already soaking wet.

“Oh. You’re so ready. Do car chases turn you on?” I slide my fingers in and out of her wet lusciousness.

“You turn me on,” she breathes.

I check again there’s no one around in the car park, knowing that the R8 is quite hard to see into. Then I maneuver Ana into the position I think we can manage to fuck in. I figure if I turn her to face the windshield, with her legs either side of mine, I can quickly take her from behind if she balances her hands on my knees and lifts her ass in the air. I undo my zipper to release my aching cock, tug her panties to one side, then wrap my arm around her body and up to her neck so I can hold her steady. 

Then I thrust into her. Fuck. That feels so good as she grinds herself down on me, and I find I can fuck her hard and deep this way. 
Another first for both of us. I buck into her while she braces herself against the hand brake and car door. Then I reach my free hand round to tease her sweet spot.

“Be. Quick,” I grunt. “We need to do this quick, Ana.”

Aside from the fact that anyone could turn up in the car park at any moment, I'm also aware that the Security team knows our location and will come looking for us shortly if we don’t return to Escala very soon. This has to be the quickest of quickies, so I increase the activity of my fingers inside her panties.

“Come on baby. I want to hear you,” I urge.

And she moans loudly and then comes, and with one final hard thrust I follow to climax deep inside her. Fucking like this is very intense in the narrow confines of my car, but very satisfying. Just what we both needed.

“Tension relieved, Mrs. Grey?” She collapses back against me, as I bite her soft little earlobe. “Certainly helped with mine.”



I shift her off my lap, tuck my now satisfied cock away and re-zip my pants. “Well aren’t you the wanton creature? I had no idea you were such an exhibitionist.”

Ana sits up alarmed, suddenly seeming to realize just where we are and what risks we’ve taken, but I had it under control.  

“No one’s watching are they?” She anxiously looks round. Bit late for that isn’t it?

“Do you think I’d let anyone watch my wife come?” For my eyes only.

“Car sex!” Ana exclaims as she turns to look at me, and I grin back at her. I always knew we’d do it in a car one day, but this wasn’t quite how I imagined it. It was fucking amazing though, thanks to the adrenaline rush.

But now we must get back, and I really want to find out where the Dodge has headed off to.

“I really like this car,” Ana murmurs, as I park up when we finally make it back safely to Escala. I got to drive the last few miles, as Ana agreed it was for the best.

“Me too. And I like how you handled it – and how you managed not to break it,” I praise her.

“You can buy me one for my birthday,” she smirks. “A white one I think.”

“Anastasia Grey, you never cease to amaze me,” I reply in astonishment, remembering how much she argued and protested when I bought her first Audi. 

Even now I’m still not sure she’s being entirely serious, but nevertheless I'm delighted my wife seems to be getting used to the fact that I can buy her whatever she wants. 

And I can't argue that she has more than proved herself capable of handling an R8, and as her birthday is coming up next month, I decide that I will get right onto it in the morning.
~~~

 “Well, did I fulfill the brief?”

“Brief?”

“You wanted rough,” I remind her as she lies curled up on my lap after our first session in our playroom since we got married.

“Yes. I think you did…” she grins up at me.

“I'm very glad to hear it. You look thoroughly well fucked and beautiful at the moment.”

“I feel it.”

“You never disappoint.”

 As well as something rough, Ana said she wanted me to surprise her. As it happened I already had something in mind, something I’d really wanted to do to her for some time that fitted the bill perfectly. Rough, but not too rough. Kinky fuckery that would definitely surprise her.

 Ana’s undoubtedly proved how adventurous and willing she is to try new experiences and push her boundaries, so I decided the time was right to hitch things up another notch. 

And I was happy that it was the right time for us to go back into our playroom, especially as all my canes and whips have been removed, so there’s no chance of me being tempted back into my more extreme sadistic ways. 

Instead, there are just lots of wonderful fun sex toys in there for us to try out, while indulging our mutual predilection for all kinds of kinky fuckery.

Including butt plugs.


I decided Ana was ready to experience some great anal fun. Despite her reservations at the beginning of our relationship, she was totally fine when I very carefully claimed her ass using just my little finger, because she discovered for herself just how immensely pleasurable it can be. 

So I judged she was now ready for the next step. But even so, I made her promise to say if it got too much for her, because I would have stopped immediately if she'd said so.

I just knew she was in the right kind of mood to push her boundaries when she said she wanted me to spank her. I love that she needed me to spank her to get her out of her peculiar mood, and I was only too happy to comply. 

I'm thrilled that we share this pleasure together now – she doesn’t just tolerate it for me, she actually chooses it for herself. We both enjoy it when I give her a good spanking.

We are so fucking good together. I’ve thought about this a lot while we’ve been away on our honeymoon, and I can't believe it was just chance that we were thrown together. 

Maybe I unknowingly sensed that she was perfect for me when she tripped into my office that first time, because I realize now that something instantly connected between us, even if I didn’t understand it at the time. 

Being a Dominant, I just assumed it was because she was a natural born submissive, which now I know she most certainly isn’t, but maybe on some deep subliminal level I sensed that we were perfectly matched and that was why I could not get her out of my head no matter how hard I tried.

The way I see it, she was still a virgin because she needed me to unlock her sexuality. She needed me as her tutor, and that’s what all my experience was for. And I needed Ana as the key to unlock my heart, to learn how to give and receive love, to help me on my way to becoming a decent human being.

That’s why it works between us, despite all our ups and downs, as we learn how to be a proper married couple.

And that’s why she trusted me enough to allow me to try some anal play with her and use a butt plug this evening, which worked fantastically well, to give her an amazing orgasm, just as I knew it would, once she was relaxed enough with me to let go of her inhibitions. That’s my role as her husband and her sexual mentor.

“How do you feel?” I check just to be totally sure.

“Good. Thoroughly well fucked,” she smiles.

“Why, Mrs. Grey, you have a dirty, dirty mouth.”
“That’s because I’m married to a dirty, dirty boy, Mr. Grey.”
See, we’re a perfect match, dirty as each other.

~~~

During our tense debrief in my study, Luke Sawyer calmly endures me bawling him out and demanding to know where the fuck they were, and why they were so far behind us. 


Then he looks me straight in the eye, and quietly points out that the security detail only belatedly learned of our intended departure from Bellevue when they were informed by Mr. Grey Senior, which caused them some initial delay in following us. 

He goes on to point out that I did not apprise the team in advance of our departure that Mrs. Grey would be driving back, so they were taken unawares by that situation. He then states firmly that bearing in mind our heightened security status, he would have strongly advised against this, at least until Mrs. Grey had received adequate training in evasive and tactical driving techniques.

I sigh.

Several fair points well made, Luke.

I’m so used to Taylor knowing my routine and seamlessly blending in that I forget that kind of rapport takes time to build up, and Luke Sawyer has only been with us a few weeks. Taylor always just seems to know that I'm leaving without me actually having to tell him.

And I have to concede that I foolishly acted on impulse in letting Ana drive, just to see her smile and make her happy, instead of which I put her at risk. I can't blame anyone else for that decision.

So Sawyer doesn't lose his job. I don’t fire him as I had been considering. And I have to reluctantly admire him for standing up to me and respectfully telling me a few home truths.

The next thing I have to deal with is a call from Barney.

He’s managed to get some CCTV footage of the arsonist in the server room at Grey House, which he pings over to me to take a look at, and while we’re discussing it, I’m surprised by Ana marching into my study and crawling onto my lap, where she curls herself up tightly as she wraps her arms around me. Shit. I know she usually does this when something has upset or worried her, so I ask Barney to hold on.

“Ana, what’s wrong?”

I tip her chin up to look into those lovely blue eyes, and I can see something is bothering her, but she won’t tell me what it is. Instead she just shakes her head and hugs me even harder, so I wrap her up in my free arm as tightly as I can and decide to press on with my call with Barney for now. 

Once he’s been dealt with, I can give Ana my full attention to find out what’s bothering her. I prop the phone up to my ear with my shoulder so I can continue to cuddle Ana, as that’s what she seems to need from me right now.

I’m trying to get Barney to enhance the grainy black and white picture of the fucker to see if there is any way we can get some clue about his identity.

Ana sits up on my lap to take an interest as she studies the screen of my lap top intently.“Is Barney doing this?” 
she queries.

“Yes,” I confirm. “Can you sharpen the picture at all?” 

He messes around for a while, and finally manages to sharpen the picture slightly.

Suddenly Ana sits bolt upright.

“Christian, that’s Jack Hyde,” she whispers in a shocked voice.
I’m not convinced, but Barney wastes no time in checking the image against the one in his SIP personnel file.

“Mrs. Grey is correct. This is Jack Hyde,” he soon confirms.

So that’s what this is all about. 

Revenge. 

That sleazeball fucker Hyde refuses to go quietly and has raised his ugly head again.

Well, thanks to Ana, at least we’ve got something to go on now.
We know who the enemy is. 

All we have to do is track him down and deal with him before he can do any more damage.


The Calling - Wherever You Will Go :
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57z95p_xwes

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.