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Part III Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

“You think?” Christian asks, surprised.

“It’s the line of his jaw.” I point at the screen. “And the earrings and the shape

of his shoulders. He’s the right build, too. He must be wearing a wig—or he’s

cut and dyed his hair.”

“Barney, are you getting this?” Christian puts the phone down on his desk

and switches to hands-free. “You seem to ha一ve studied your ex-boss in some

detail, Mrs. Grey,” he murmurs, sounding none too pleased. I scowl at him,

but I’m sa一ved by Barney.

“Yes, sir. I heard Mrs. Grey. I’m running face recognition software on all the

digitized CCTV footage right now. See where else this asshole—I’m sorry

ma’am—this man has been within the organization.”

I glance anxiously at Christian, who ignores Barney’s expletive. He’s studying

the CCTV picture closely.

“Why would he do this?” I ask Christian.

He shrugs. “Revenge, perhaps. I don’t know. You can’t fathom why some

people beha一ve the way they do. I’m just angry that you ever worked so

closely with him.” Christian’s mouth presses into a hard, thin line and his arm

encircles my waist protectively.

“We ha一ve the contents of his hard drive, too, sir,” Barney adds. What?

“Yes, I remember. Do you ha一ve an address for Mr. Hyde?”

Christian says sharply.

“Yes, sir, I do.”

“Alert Welch.”

“Sure will. I’m also going to scan the city CCTV and see if I can track his

movements.”

“Check what vehicle he owns.”

“Sir.”

“Barney can do all this?” I whisper.

Christian nods and gives me a smug smile.

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“What was on his hard drive?” I whisper.

Christian’s face hardens and he shakes his head. “Nothing much,”

he says, tight-lipped, his smile forgotten.

“Tell me.”

“No.”

“Was it about you, or me?”

“Me.” He sighs.

“What sort of things? About your lifestyle?”

Christian shakes his head and puts his index finger against my lips to silence

me. I scowl at him. But he narrows his eyes, and it’s a clear warning that I

should hold my tongue.

“It’s a 2006 Camaro. I’ll send the license details to Welch, too,”

Barney says excitedly from the phone.

“Good. Let me know where else that fucker has been in my building. And

check this image against the one from his SIP personnel file.” Christian

gazes at me skeptically. “I want to be sure we ha一ve a match.”

“Already done, sir, and Mrs. Grey is correct. This is Jack Hyde.”

I grin. See? I can be useful. Christian rubs his hand down my back.

“Well done, Mrs. Grey.” He smiles and his earlier rancor forgotten. To Barney

he says, “Let me know when you’ve tracked all his movements at HQ. Also

check out any other GEH property he may ha一ve had access to, and let the

security teams know so they can make another sweep of all those buildings.”

“Sir.”

“Thanks, Barney.” Christian hangs up.

“Well, Mrs. Grey, it seems that you are not only decorative, but useful, too.”

Christian’s eyes light up with wicked amusement. I know he’s teasing.

“Decorative?” I scoff, teasing him back.

“Very,” he says quietly, pressing a soft, sweet kiss on my lips.

“You’re much more decorative than I am, Mr. Grey.”

He grins and kisses me more forcefully, winding my braid around his wrist

and wrapping his arms around me. When we come up for air, we are both

breathless.

“Hungry?” he asks.

“No.”

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“I am.”

“What for?”

He blinks down at me. “Well—food actually, Mrs. Grey.”

“I’ll make you something.” I giggle.

“I love that sound.”

“Of me offering you food?”

“You giggling.” He kisses my hair then I stand.

“So what would you like to eat, Sir?” I ask sweetly. He narrows his eyes. “Are

you being cute, Mrs. Grey?”

“Always, Mr. Grey . . . Sir.”

He smiles a sphinxlike smile. “I can still put you over my knee,” he murmurs

seductively.

“I know.” I grin down at him. Placing my hands on the arms of his office chair,

I lean down and kiss him. “That’s one of the things I love about you. But stow

your twitching palm—you’re hungry.”

He smiles his shy smile and my heart clenches. “Oh, Mrs. Grey, what am I

going to do with you?”

“You’re going to answer my question. What would you like to eat?”

“Something light. Surprise me,” he says, mirroring my words from the

playroom earlier.

“I’ll see what I can do.” I sashay out of his study and into the kitchen. My heart

sinks when I see Mrs. Jones is there.

“Hello, Mrs. Jones.”

“Mrs. Grey. Are you ready for something to eat?”

“Um . . .”

She is stirring something in a pot on the stove that smells delicious.

“I was going to make subs for Mr. Grey and me.”

She pauses for a heartbeat. “Sure,” she says. “Mr. Grey likes French bread

—there is some in the freezer cut to sub length. I’d be happy to make it for

you, ma’am.”

“I know. But I’d like to do this.”

“I understand. I’ll give you some room.”

“What are you cooking?”

“This is a bolognaise sauce. It can be eaten anytime. I’ll freeze it.”

She smiles warmly and turns the heat right down.

“Um—so what does Christian like in a, um . . . sub?” I frown, struck by what

I’ve just said. Does Mrs. Jones understand the inference?

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“Mrs. Grey, you could put just about anything in a sandwich, and as long as

it’s in French bread, he’ll eat it.” We grin at each other.

“Okay, thank you.” I skip to the fridge. In the freezer compartment I find the

French bread cut to size in Ziplock bags. Taking out two, I place them on a

plate, pop them into the microwa一ve and set it to defrost.

Mrs. Jones has disappeared. I frown as I return to the fridge to search for

ingredients. I suppose it will be up to me to set the parameters by which Mrs.

Jones and I will work together. I like the idea of cooking for Christian on the

weekends. Mrs. Jones is more than welcome to do it during the week—the

last thing I’ll want to do when I come home from work is cook. Hmm . . . a bit

like Christian’s routine with his submissives. I shake my head. I mustn’t

overthink this. I find some ham in the fridge, and in the crisper a perfectly ripe

a一vocado. As I am adding a touch of salt and lemon to the mashed a一vocado,

Christian emerges from his study with the plans for the new house in his

hands. He puts them on the breakfast bar, saunters toward me, and wraps

his arms around me, kissing my neck.

“Barefoot and in the kitchen,” he murmurs.

“Shouldn’t that be barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?” I smirk. He stills, his

whole body tensing against me. “Not yet,” he declares, apprehension clear in

his voice.

“No! Not yet!”

He relaxes. “On that we can agree, Mrs. Grey.”

“You do want kids though, don’t you?”

“Sure, yes. Eventually. But I’m not ready to share you yet.” He kisses my neck

again.

Oh . . . share?

“What are you making? Looks good.” He kisses me behind my ear, and I

know it’s to distract me. A delicious tingle tra一vels down my spine.

“Subs.” I smirk, recovering my sense of humor.

He smiles against my neck and nips my earlobe. “My fa一vorite.”

I poke him with my elbow.

“Mrs. Grey, you wound me.” He clutches his side as if in pain.

“Wimp,” I mutter disapprovingly.

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“Wimp?” he utters in disbelief. He slaps my behind, making me yelp. “Hurry

up with my food, wench. And later I’ll show you how wimpy I can be.” He slaps

me playfully once more and goes to the fridge.

“Would you like a glass of wine?” he asks.

“Please.”

Christian spreads Gia’s plans out over the breakfast bar. She really has

some spectacular ideas.

“I love her proposal to make the entire downstairs back wall glass, but . . .”

“But?” Christian prompts.

I sigh. “I don’t want to take all the character out of the house.”

“Character?”

“Yes. What Gia is proposing is quite radical, but . . . well . . . I fell in love with

the house as it is . . . warts and all.”

Christian’s brow furrows as if this is anathema to him.

“I kind of like it the way it is,” I whisper. Is this going to make him mad?

He regards me steadily. “I want this house to be the way you want. Whatever

you want. It’s yours.”

“I want you to like it, too. To be happy in it, too.”

“I’ll be happy wherever you are. It’s that simple, Ana.” His gaze holds mine.

He is utterly, utterly sincere. I blink at him as my heart expands. Holy cow, he

really does love me.

“Well”—I swallow, fighting the small knot of emotion that catches in my throat

—“I like the glass wall. Maybe we could ask her to incorporate it into the

house a little more sympathetically.”

Christian grins. “Sure. Whatever you want. What about the plans for upstairs

and the basement?”

“I’m cool with those.”

“Good.”

Okay . . . I steel myself to ask the million-dollar question. “Do you want to put

in a playroom?” I feel the oh-so-familiar flush creep up my face as I ask.

Christian’s eyebrows shoot up.

“Do you?” he replies, surprised and amused at once. 121 | P a g e

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I shrug. “Um . . . if you want.”

He regards me for a moment. “Let’s lea一ve our options open for the moment.

After all, this will be a family home.”

I’m surprised by the stab of disappointment I feel. I guess he’s right . . .

although when are we going to ha一ve a family? It could be years.

“Besides, we can improvise.” He smirks.

“I like improvising,” I whisper.

He grins. “There’s something I want to discuss.” Christian points to the

master bedroom, and we start a detailed discussion on bathrooms and

separate walk-in closets.

When we finish, it’s nine thirty in the evening.

“Are you going back to work?” I ask as Christian rolls up the plans.

“Not if you don’t want me to.” He smiles. “What would you like to do?”

“We could watch TV.” I don’t want to read, and I don’t want to go to bed . . .

yet.

“Okay,” Christian agrees willingly, and I follow him into the TV

room.

We ha一ve sat here three, maybe four times total, and Christian usually reads a

book. He’s not interested in television at all. I curl up beside him on the

couch, tucking my legs beneath me and resting my head against his

shoulder. He switches on the flat screen with the remote and flicks mindlessly

through the channels.

“Any specific drivel you want to see?”

“You don’t like TV much, do you?” I mutter sardonically. He shakes his head.

“Waste of time. But I’ll watch something with you.”

“I thought we could make out.”

He whips his face to mine. “Make out?” He gazes at me as if I’ve grown two

heads. He stops the endless flicking, lea一ving the TV on an over lit Spanish

soap opera.

“Yes.” Why is he so horrified?

“We could go to bed and make out.”

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“We do that all the time. When was the last time you made out in front of the

TV?” I ask, shy and teasing at the same time. He shrugs and shakes his

head. Pressing the remote again he flicks through another few channels

before settling on an old episode of The X-Files.

“Christian?”

“I’ve never done that,” he says quietly.

Oh! “Never?”

“No.”

“Not even with Mrs. Robinson?”

He snorts. “Baby, I did a lot of things with Mrs. Robinson. Making out was not

one of them.” He smirks at me and then narrows his eyes with amused

curiosity. “Ha一ve you?”

I flush. “Of course.” Well kind of . . .

“What! Who with?”

Oh no. I do not want to ha一ve this discussion.

“Tell me,” he persists.

I gaze down at my knotted fingers. He gently covers my hands with one of his.

When I glance up at him, he’s smiling at me.

“I want to know. So I can beat whoever it was to a pulp.”

I giggle. “Well, the first time . . .”

“The first time! There’s more than one fucker?” He growls. I giggle again.

“Why so surprised, Mr. Grey?”

He frowns briefly, runs a hand through his hair, and looks at me as if seeing

me in a completely different light. He shrugs. “I just am. I mean—given your

lack of experience.”

I flush. “I’ve certainly made up for that since I met you.”

“You ha一ve.” He grins. “Tell me. I want to know.”

I gaze into patient gray eyes, trying to gauge his mood. Is this going to make

him mad, or does he genuinely want to know? I don’t want him sulking . . .

he’s impossible when he’s sulking.

“You really want me to tell you?”

He nods slowly once, and his lips twitch with an amused, arrogant smile.

“I was briefly in Vegas with Mom and Husband Number Three. I was in tenth

grade. His name was Bradley, and he was my lab partner in physics.”

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“How old were you?”

“Fifteen.”

“And what’s he doing now?”

“I don’t know.”

“What base did he get to?”

“Christian!” I scold—and suddenly he grabs my knees, then my ankles, and

tips me up so I fall back on to the couch. He slides smoothly on top of me,

trapping me beneath him, one leg between mine. It’s so sudden that I cry out

in surprise. He grabs my hands and raises them above my head.

“So, this Bradley—did he get to first base?” he murmurs, running his nose

down the length of mine. He plants soft kisses at the corner of my mouth.

“Yes,” I murmur against his lips. He releases one of his hands so that he can

clasp my chin and hold me still while his tongue invades my mouth, and I

surrender to his ardent kissing.

“Like this?” Christian breathes when he comes up for air.

“No . . . nothing like that,” I manage, as all the blood in my body heads south.

Releasing my chin, he runs his hand down over my body and back up to my

breast.

“Did he do this? Touch you like this?” His thumb skims over my nipple,

through my camisole, softly, repeatedly, and it hardens under his expert

touch.

“No.” I writhe beneath him.

“Did he get to second base?” he murmurs in my ear. His hand moves down

across my ribs, past my waist to my hip. He takes my earlobe between his

teeth and gently tugs.

“No,” I breathe.

Mulder blurts from the television something about the FBI’s most unwanted.

Christian pauses, leans up, and presses mute on the remote. He gazes

down at me.

“What about Joe Schmo number two? Did he make it past second base?”

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His eyes are smoldering hot . . . angry? Turned on? It’s difficult to say which.

He shifts to my side and slides his hand beneath my sweatpants.

“No . . . ,” I whisper gazing up at him, trapped in his carnal gaze. Christian

smiles, wickedly.

“Good.” His hand cups my sex. “No underwear, Mrs. Grey. I approve.” He

kisses me again as his fingers wea一ve more magic, his thumb skimming over

my clitoris, tantalizing me, as he pushes his index finger inside me with

exquisite slowness.

“We’re supposed to be making out.” I groan.

Christian stills. “I thought we were?”

“No. No sex.”

“What?”

“No sex . . .”

“No sex, huh?” He withdraws his hand from my sweatpants.

“Here.” He traces my lips with his index finger, and I taste my slick saltiness.

He pushes his finger into my mouth, mirroring what he was doing a moment

earlier. Then shifts so he’s between my legs, and his erection pushes against

me. He thrusts, once, twice, and again. I gasp, as the material of my

sweatpants rubs in just the right way. He pushes once more, grinding into

me.

“This what you want?” he murmurs and moves his hips rhythmically, rocking

against me.

“Yes.” I moan.

His hand moves back to concentrate on my nipple once more and his teeth

scrape along my jaw. “Do you know how hot you are, Ana?”

His voice is hoarse as he rocks harder against me. I open my mouth to

articulate a response and fail miserably, groaning loudly. He captures my

mouth once more, tugging at my bottom lip with his teeth before plunging his

tongue into my mouth again. He releases my other wrist and my hands tra一vel

greedily up his shoulders and into his hair as he kisses me. When I pull on

his hair, he groans and raises his eyes to mine.

“Ah . . .”

“Do you like me touching you?” I whisper.

His brow furrows briefly as if he doesn’t understand the question. He stops

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Ana. I’m like a starving man at a banquet when it comes to your touch.” His

voice hums with passionate sincerity.

Holy cow . . .

He kneels between my legs and drags me up to haul off my top. I’m naked

beneath. Grabbing the hem of his shirt, he yanks it over his head and tosses

it on the floor, then pulls me onto his kneeling lap, his arms clasped just

above my behind.

“Touch me,” he breathes.

Oh my . . . Tentatively I reach up and brush the tips of my fingers through the

smattering of chest hair over his sternum, over his burn scars. He inhales

sharply and his pupils dilate, but it’s not with fear. It’s a sensual response to

my touch. He watches me intently as my fingers float delicately over his skin,

first to one nipple and then the other. They pucker beneath my caress.

Leaning forward, I plant soft kisses on his chest, and my hands move to his

shoulders, feeling the hard, sculptured lines of sinew and muscle. Jeez . . .

he’s in good shape.

“I want you,” he murmurs and it’s a green light to my libido. My fingers move

into his hair, pulling his head back so I can claim his mouth, fire licking hot

and high in my belly. He groans and pushes me back onto the couch. He sits

up and rips off my sweatpants, undoing his fly at the same time.

“Home run,” he whispers, and in one swift move he’s inside me.

“Ah . . .” I groan and he stills, grabbing my face between his hands.

“I love you, Mrs. Grey,” he murmurs and very slowly, very gently, he makes

love to me . . . until I come apart at the seams, calling his name and wrapping

myself around him, never wanting to let him go.

I lay sprawled on his chest. We’re on the floor of the TV room.

“You know, we completely bypassed third base.” My fingers trace the line of

his pectoral muscles.

He laughs. “Next time, Mrs. Grey.” He kisses the top of my head. I look up to

stare at the TV screen where the end credits for The X- Files play. Christian

reaches for the remote and switches the sound back on.

“You liked that show?” I ask.

“When I was a kid.”

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Oh . . . Christian as a kid . . . kickboxing and X Files and no touching.

“You?” he asks.

“Before my time.”

Christian smiles fondly up at me. “You’re so young. I like making out with you,

Mrs. Grey.”

“Likewise, Mr. Grey.” I kiss his chest, and we lie silently watching as The XFiles

finish and the commercials come on.

“It’s been a hea一venly three weeks. Car chases and fires and psycho exbosses

notwithstanding. Like being in our own private bubble,” I mutter

dreamily.

“Hmm,” Christian hums deep in his throat. “I’m not sure I’m ready to share

you with the rest of the world yet.”

“Back to reality tomorrow,” I murmur, trying to keep the melancholy from my

voice.

Christian sighs and runs the hand that is not holding me through his hair.

“Security will be tight—” I put my finger over his lips. I don’t want to hear this

lecture again.

“I know. I’ll be good. I promise.” Which reminds me . . . I shift, propping myself

up on my elbows to see him better. “Why were you shouting at Sawyer?”

He stiffens immediately. Oh shit.

“Because we were followed.”

“That wasn’t Sawyer’s fault.”

He gazes at me levelly. “They should never ha一ve let you get so far in front.

They know that.”

I flush guiltily and resume my position, resting on his chest. It was my fault. I

wanted to get away from them.

“That wasn’t—”

“Enough!” Christian is suddenly curt. “This is not up for discussion,

Anastasia. It’s a fact, and they won’t let it happen again.”

Anastasia! I am Anastasia when I am in trouble just like at home with my

mother.

“Okay,” I mutter, placating him. I don’t want to fight. “Did Ryan catch up with

the woman in the Dodge?”

“No. And I’m not convinced it was a woman.”

“Oh?” I look up again.

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“Sawyer saw someone with their hair tied back, but it was a brief look. He

assumed it was a woman. Now, given that you’ve identified that fucker,

maybe it was him. He wore his hair like that.” The disgust in Christian’s voice

is palpable.

I don’t know what to make of this news. Christian runs his hand down my

naked back, distracting me.

“If anything happened to you . . . ,” he murmurs, his eyes wide and serious.

“I know,” I whisper. I feel the same about you.” I shiver at the thought.

“Come. You’re getting cold,” he says, sitting up. “Let’s go to bed. We can

cover third base there.” He smiles a lascivious smile, as mercurial as ever,

passionate, angry, anxious, sexy—my Fifty Shades. I take his hand and he

pulls me to my feet, and without a stitch on, I follow him through the great

room to the bedroom.

The following morning, Christian squeezes my hand as we pull up outside

SIP. He looks very much the powerful executive in his dark na一vy suit and

matching tie, and I smile. He’s not been this smart since the ballet in

Monaco.

“You know you don’t ha一ve to do this?” Christian murmurs. I am tempted to roll

my eyes at him.

“I know,” I whisper, not wanting to be overheard by Sawyer and Ryan in the

front of the Audi. He frowns and I smile.

“But I want to,” I continue. “You know this.” I lean up and kiss him. His frown

doesn’t disappear. “What’s wrong?”

He glances uncertainly at Ryan as Sawyer climbs out of the car. “I’ll miss

ha一ving you to myself.”

I reach up to caress his face. “Me, too.” I kiss him. “It was a wonderful

honeymoon. Thank you.”

“Go to work, Mrs. Grey.”

“You, too, Mr. Grey.”

Sawyer opens the door. I squeeze Christian’s hand once more before I climb

out onto the sidewalk. As I head into the building, I give him a little wa一ve.

out onto the sidewalk. As I head into the building, I give him a little wa一ve.

Sawyer holds open the door and follows me in.

“Hi, Ana.” Claire beams from behind the reception desk. 128 | P a g e

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“Claire, hello.” I smile back.

“You look wonderful. Good honeymoon?”

“The best, thank you. How’s it been here?”

“Old man Roach is the same, but security has been stepped up and our

server room is being overhauled. But Hannah will tell you.”

Sure she will. I give Claire a friendly smile and head to my office. Hannah is

my assistant. She is tall, slim, and ruthlessly efficient to the point that

sometimes I find her a little intimidating. But she’s sweet to me, in spite of the

fact that she’s a couple of years older. She has my latte waiting—the only

coffee I let her get for me.

“Hi, Hannah,” I say warmly.

“Ana, how was your honeymoon?”

“Fantastic. Here—for you.” I pop the small bottle of perfume I bought for her

onto her desk, and she claps her hands with glee.

“Oh, thank you!” she says enthusiastically. “Your urgent correspondence is on

your desk, and Roach would like to see you at ten. That’s all I ha一ve to report

for now.”

“Good. Thank you. And thanks for the coffee.” Wandering into my office, I rest

my briefcase on my desk and gaze at the piled up letters. Jeez, I ha一ve a lot to

do.

Just before ten there’s a timid tap on my door.

“Come in.”

Elizabeth looks around the door. “Hi, Ana. I just wanted to say welcome

back.”

“Hey. I ha一ve to say, reading through all this correspondence, I wish I was

back in the South of France.”

Elizabeth laughs, but her laughter is off, forced, and I cock my head to one

side and gaze at her like Christian does to me.

“Glad you’re back safely,” she says. “I’ll see you in a few minutes, at the

meeting with Roach.”

“Okay,” I murmur, and she shuts the door behind her. I frown at the closed

door. What was that about? I shrug it off. My e-mail pings—it’s a message

from Christian.

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From: Christian Grey

Subject: Errant Wives

Date: August 22, 2011 09:56??

To: Anastasia Steele

Wife

I sent the e-mail below and it bounced.

And it’s because you ha一ven’t changed your name.

Something you want to tell me?

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Attachment:

From: Christian Grey

FW Subject: Bubble

Date: August 22, 2011 09:32??

To: Anastasia Grey

Mrs. Grey

Love covering all the bases with you.

Ha一ve a great first day back.

Miss our bubble already.

x

Christian Grey

Back in the Real World CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Shit. I hit reply immediately.

From: Anastasia Steele

Subject: Don’t Burst the Bubble

Date: August 22, 2011 09:58

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To: Christian Grey

Husband

I am all for a baseball metaphor with you, Mr. Grey. I want to keep my name

here.

I’l explain this evening.

I am going in to a meeting now.

Miss our bubble, too . . .

PS: Thought I had to use my Blackberry?

Anastasia Steele

Commissioning Editor, SIP

This is going to be such a fight. I can feel it. Sighing, I gather up my papers

for the meeting.

The meeting lasts for two hours. All the commissioning editors are there, plus

Roach and Elizabeth. We discuss personnel, strategy, marketing, security,

and year-end. As the meeting progresses I grow more and more

uncomfortable. There’s a sub一tle change in how my colleagues are treating

me—a distance and deference that wasn’t there before I left for my

honeymoon. And from Courtney, who heads up the non-fiction pision,

there’s downright hostility. Maybe I’m just being paranoid but it goes some

way to explaining Elizabeth’s odd greeting this morning.

My mind drifts back to the yacht, then to the playroom, then to the R8

speeding away from the mystery Dodge on I-5. Perhaps Christian’s right . . .

perhaps I can’t do this anymore. The thought is depressing—

this is all I’ve ever wanted to do. If I can’t do this, what will I do? As I walk

back to my office, I try to dismiss these dark thoughts. When I sit down at my

desk I quickly check my e-mails. Nothing from Christian. I check my

BlackBerry . . . Still nothing. Good. At least there’s been no adverse reaction

to my e-mail. Perhaps we’ll discuss this tonight as per my request. I find that

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my uneasy feeling, I open the marketing plan I was given at the meeting.

As is our ritual on a Monday, Hannah comes into my office with a plate for my

packed lunch courtesy of Mrs. Jones, and we sit and eat our lunches

together, discussing what we want to achieve during the week. She brings

me up to date with the office gossip, too, which—

considering I’ve been away for three weeks—is pretty thin on the ground. As

we’re chatting, there’s a knock on the door.

“Come in.”

Roach opens the door, and standing beside him is Christian. I’m

momentarily struck dumb. Christian shoots me a blazing look and stalks in,

before smiling politely at Hannah.

“Hello, you must be Hannah. I’m Christian Grey,” he says. Hannah scrambles

to her feet and holds out her hand.

“Mr. Grey. H-how nice to meet you,” she stutters as they shake hands. “Can I

fetch you a coffee?”

“Please,” he says warmly. With a quick puzzled glance at me, she scuttles

out of the office past Roach, who stands as dumbstruck as me on the

threshold of my office.

“If you’ll excuse me, Roach, I’d like a word with Ms. Steele.”

Christian hisses the S sibilantly . . . sarcastically. This is why he’s here . . .

Oh shit.

“Of course, Mr. Grey. Ana,” Roach mutters, shutting the door to my office as

he departs. I recover my power of speech.

“Mr. Grey, how nice to see you.” I smile, far too sweetly.

“Ms. Steele, may I sit down?”

“It’s your company.” I wa一ve at the chair Hannah vacated.

“Yes, it is.” He smiles wolfishly at me, the smile not reaching his eyes. His

tone is clipped. He’s bristling with tension—I can feel it all around me. Fuck.

My heart sinks.

“Your office is very small,” he says as he sits down facing my desk.

“It suits me.”

He regards me neutrally, but I know he’s mad. I take a deep breath. This is

not going to be fun.

“So what can I do for you, Christian?”

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“I’m just looking over my assets.”

“Your assets? All of them?”

“All of them. Some of them need rebranding.”

“Rebranding? In what way?”

“I think you know.” His voice is menacingly quiet.

“Please—don’t tell me you ha一ve interrupted your day after three weeks away

to come over here and fight with me about my name.” I am not a freaking

asset!

He shifts and crosses his legs. “Not exactly fight. No.”

“Christian, I’m working.”

“Looked like you were gossiping with your assistant to me.”

My cheeks heat. “We were going through our schedules,” I snap.

“And you ha一ven’t answered my question.”

There’s a knock on the door. “Come in!” I shout, too loudly. Hannah opens

the door and brings in a small tray. Milk jug, sugar bowl, coffee in a French

press—she’s gone all out. She places the tray on my desk.

“Thank you, Hannah,” I mutter, embarrassed that I ha一ve just shouted so loudly.

“Do you need anything else, Mr. Grey?” she asks all breathless. I want to roll

my eyes at her.

“No, thank you. That’s all.” He smiles his dazzling, panty-dropping smile at

her. She flushes and exits simpering. Christian turns his attention back to

me.

“Now, Ms. Steele, where were we?”

“You were rudely interrupting my work day to fight with me about my name.”

Christian blinks once—surprised, I think, by the vehemence in my voice.

Deftly, he picks at an invisible piece of lint on his knee with long skilled

fingers. It’s distracting. He’s doing it on purpose. I narrow my eyes at him.

“I like to make the odd impromptu visit. It keeps management on their toes,

wives in their place. You know.” He shrugs, his mouth set in an arrogant line.

Wives in their place! “I had no idea you could spare the time,” I snap.

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His eyes frost. “Why don’t you want to change your name here?” he asks, his

voice deathly quiet.

“Christian, do we ha一ve to discuss this now?”

“I’m here. I don’t see why not.”

“I ha一ve a ton of work to do, ha一ving been away for the last three weeks.”

He gazes at me, his eyes cool and assessing—distant even. I marvel that he

can appear so cold after last night, after the last three weeks. Shit. He must

be so mad—really mad. When will he learn not to overreact?

“Are you ashamed of me?” he asks, his voice deceptively soft. What? “No!

Christian, of course not.” I scowl at him. “This is about me—not you.” Jeez,

he’s exasperating sometimes. Silly overbearing megalomaniac.

“How is this not about me?” He cocks his head to one side, genuinely

perplexed, some of his detachment slipping as he stares at me with wide

eyes, and I realize that he’s hurt. Holy fuck. I’ve hurt his feelings. Oh no . . .

he’s the last person I want to hurt. I ha一ve to make him see my logic. I ha一ve to

explain my reasoning for my decision.

“Christian, when I took this job, I’d only just met you,” I say patiently, struggling

to find the right words. “I didn’t know you were going to buy the company—”

What can I say about that event in our brief history? His deranged reasons

for doing so—his control freakery, his stalker tendencies gone mad, given

completely free rein because he is so wealthy. I know he wants to keep me

safe but it’s his ownership of SIP that is the fundamental problem here. If he’d

never interfered, I could continue as normal and not ha一ve to face the

disgruntled and whispered recriminations of my colleagues. I put my head in

my hands just to break eye contact with him.

“Why is it so important to you?” I ask, desperately trying to hold on to my

fraying temper. I look up at his impassive stare, his eyes luminous, giving

nothing away, his earlier hurt now hidden. But even as I ask the question,

deep down I know the answer before he says it.

“I want everyone to know that you’re mine.”

“I am yours—look.” I hold up my left hand, showing my wedding and

engagement rings.

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“It’s not enough.”

“Not enough that I married you?” My voice is barely a whisper. He blinks at

me, registering the horror on my face. Where can I go from here? What else

can I do?

“That’s not what I mean,” he snaps and runs a hand through his overlong hair

so that it flops onto his forehead.

“What do you mean?”

He swallows. “I want your world to begin and end with me,” he says, his

expression raw. His comment completely derails me. It’s like he’s punched

me hard in the stomach, winding and wounding me. And the vision comes to

mind of a small, frightened, copper-haired grayeyed boy in dirty,

mismatched, ill-fitting clothes.

“It does,” I say without guile, because it’s the truth. “I’m just trying to establish

a career, and I don’t want to trade on your name. I ha一ve to do something,

Christian. I can’t stay imprisoned at Escala or the new house with nothing to

do. I’ll go crazy. I’ll suffocate. I’ve always worked, and I enjoy this. This is my

dream job; it’s all I’ve ever wanted. But doing this doesn’t mean I love you

less. You are the world to me.” My throat swells and tears prick the back of

my eyes. I must not cry, not here. I repeat it over and over in my head. I must

not cry. I must not cry.

He stares at me, saying nothing. Then a frown crosses his face as if he’s

considering what I’ve said.

“I suffocate you?” His voice is bleak, and it’s an echo of a question he’s

asked me before.

“No . . . yes . . . no.” This is such an exasperating conversation—not one that I

want to ha一ve now, here. I close my eyes and rub my forehead, trying to

fathom how we got to this.

“Look, we were talking about my name. I want to keep my name here

because I want to put some distance between you and me . . . but only here,

that’s all. You know everyone thinks I got the job because of you, when the

reality is—” I stop, when his eyes widen. Oh no . . . it is because of him?

“Do you want to know why you got the job, Anastasia?”

Anastasia? Shit. “What? What do you mean?”

He shifts in his chair as if steeling himself. Do I want to know?

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“The management here ga一ve you Hyde’s job to babysit. They didn’t want the

expense of hiring a senior executive when the company was mid-sale. They

had no idea what the new owner would do with it once it passed into his

ownership, and wisely, they didn’t want an expensive redundancy. So they

ga一ve you Hyde’s job to caretake until the new owner” —he pauses, and his

lips twitch in an ironic smile—“namely me, took over.”

Holy crap! “What are you saying?” So it was because of him. Fuck!

I’m horrified.

He smiles and shakes his head at my alarm. “Relax. You’ve more than risen

to the challenge. You’ve done very well.” There’s the tiniest hint of pride in his

voice, and it’s almost my undoing.

“Oh,” I murmur incoherently, reeling from this news. I sit right back in my chair,

open-mouthed, staring at him. He shifts again.

“I don’t want to suffocate you, Ana. I don’t want to put you in a gilded cage.

Well . . .” He pauses, his face darkening. “Well, the rational part of me

doesn’t.” He strokes his chin thoughtfully as his mind concocts some plan.

Oh, what is he thinking? Christian looks up suddenly, as if he’s had a eureka

moment.

“So one of the reasons I’m here—apart from dealing with my errant wife,” he

says, narrowing his eyes, “is to discuss what I am going to do with this

company.”

Errant wife! I am not errant, and I’m not an asset! I scowl at Christian again

and the threat of tears subsides.

“What are you going to do?” I incline my head to one side, mirroring him, and

I can’t help my sarcastic tone. His lips twitch with the hint of a smile. Jeez—

change of mood, again! How can I ever keep up with Mr. Mercurial?

“I’m renaming the company—to Grey Publishing.”

Holy shit.

“And in a year’s time, it will be yours.”

What? My mouth drops open once more—wider this time.

“This is my wedding present to you.”

I shut my mouth then open it, trying to articulate something—but there’s

nothing there. My mind is blank.

“So, do I need to change the name to Steele Publishing?”

136 | P a g e

E L JAMES

He’s serious. Holy fuck.

“Christian,” I whisper when my brain finally reconnects with my mouth. “You

ga一ve me a watch . . . I can’t run a business.”

He tilts his head to one side again and gives me a censorious frown.

“I ran my own business from the age of twenty-one.”

“But you’re . . . you. Control freak and whiz-kid extraordinaire. Jeez Christian,

you majored in economics at Harvard before you dropped out. At least you

ha一ve some idea. I sold paint and cable ties for three years on a part-time

basis, for hea一ven’s sake. I’ve seen so little of the world, and I know next to

nothing!” My voice rises, growing louder and higher, as I complete my tirade.

“You’re also the most well-read person I know,” he counters earnestly. “You

love a good book. You couldn’t lea一ve your job while we were on our

honeymoon. You read how many manuscripts? Four?”

“Five,” I whisper.

“And you wrote full reports on all of them. You’re a very bright woman,

Anastasia. I’m sure you’ll manage.”

“Are you crazy?”

“Crazy for you,” he whispers.

What? And I snort because it’s the only expression my body can make. He

narrows his eyes.

“You’ll be a laughing stock. Buying a company for the little woman, who has

only had a full time job for a few months of her adult life.”

“Do you think I give a fuck what people think? Besides, you won’t be on your

own.”

I gape at him. He really has lost his marbles this time. “Christian, I . . .” I put

my head in my hands—my emotions ha一ve been through a wringer. What is

he thinking? And from somewhere dark and deep inside I ha一ve the sudden,

inappropriate need to laugh. When I look up at him again, his eyes widen.

“Something amusing you, Miss Steele?”

“Yes. You.”

His eyes widen further, shocked but also amused. “Laughing at your

husband? That will never do. And you’re biting your lip.” His eyes darken . . .

in that way. Oh no—I know that look. Sultry, seductive, salacious . . . No, no,

no! Not here.

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“Don’t even think about it,” I warn, alarm clear in my voice.

“Think about what, Anastasia?”

“I know that look. We’re at work.”

He leans forward, his eyes glued to mine, molten gray and hungry. Holy shit! I

swallow instinctively. “We’re in a small, reasonably soundproofed office with

a lockable door.”

“Gross moral turpitude.” I enunciate each word carefully.

“Not with your husband.”

“With my boss’s boss’s boss,” I hiss.

“You’re my wife.”

“Christian, no. I mean it. You can fuck me seven shades of Sunday this

evening. But not now. Not here!”

He blinks and narrows his eyes once more. Then unexpectedly he laughs.

“Seven shades of Sunday?” He arches an eyebrow, intrigued. “I may hold

you to that, Ms. Steele.”

“Oh, stop with the Ms. Steele!” I snap and thump the desk, startling us both.

“For hea一ven’s sake, Christian. If it means so much to you, I’ll change my

name!”

His mouth pops open as he inhales sharply. And then he grins, a radiant, allteeth-

showing, joyous grin. Wow . . .

“Good.” He claps his hands, and all of a sudden he stands. What now?

“Mission accomplished. Now, I ha一ve work to do. If you’ll excuse me, Mrs.

Grey.”

What? Gah—this man is so maddening! “But—”

“But what, Mrs. Grey?”

I sag. “Just go.”

“I intend to. I’ll see you this evening. I’m looking forward to seven shades of

“I intend to. I’ll see you this evening. I’m looking forward to seven shades of

Sunday.”

I scowl.

“Oh, and I ha一ve a stack of business-related social engagements coming up,

and I’d like you to accompany me.”

I gape at him. Will you just go?

“I’ll ha一ve Andrea call Hannah to put the dates in your calendar. There are

some people you need to meet. You should get Hannah to handle your

schedule from now on.”

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“Okay,” I mumble, completely bemused, bewildered and shellshocked. He

leans over my desk. What now? I am caught in his hypnotic gaze.

“Love doing business with you, Mrs. Grey.” He leans in closer as I sit

paralyzed, and he plants a soft tender kiss on my lips. “Laters, baby,” he

murmurs. He stands abruptly, winks at me, and lea一ves. I lay my head on my

desk, feeling like I’ve been run over by a freight train—the freight train that is

my beloved husband. He has to be the most frustrating, annoying, contrary

man on the planet. I sit up and frantically rub my eyes. What ha一ve I just

agreed to? Okay, Ana Grey running SIP—I mean, Grey Publishing. The man

is insane. There’s a knock on the door, and Hannah pokes her head around.

“You okay?” she asks.

I just stare at her. She frowns.

“I know you don’t like me doing this—but can I make you some tea?”

I nod.

“Twinings English Breakfast, weak and black?”

I nod.

“Coming right up, Ana.”

I stare blankly at my computer screen, still in shock. How can I make him

understand? E-mail!

From: Anastasia Steele

Subject: NOT AN ASSET!

Date: August 22, 2011 14:23

To: Christian Grey

Mr. Grey

Next time you come and see me, make an appointment, so I can at least

ha一ve some prior warning of your adolescent overbearing megalomania.

Yours

Anastasia Grey <-----please note name.

139 | P a g e

Fifty Shades Freed

Commissioning Editor, SIP

From: Christian Grey

Subject: Seven Shades of Sunday

Date: August 22, 2011 14:34??

To: Anastasia Steele

My Dear Mrs. Grey (emphasis on My)

What can I say in my defense? I was in the neighborhood. And no, you are

not an asset, you are my beloved wife. As ever, you make my day.

Christian Grey

CEO & Overbearing Megalomaniac, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

He’s trying to be funny, but I am in no mood to laugh. I take a deep breath

and go back to my correspondence.

Christian is quiet when I climb into the car that evening.

“Hi,” I murmur.

“Hi,” he responds, warily—as he should.

“Disrupt anyone else’s work today?” I ask too sweetly. A ghost of a smile

crosses his face. “Only Flynn’s.”

Oh.

“Next time you go to see him, I’ll give you a list of topics I want covered,” I

hiss at him.

“You seem out of sorts, Mrs. Grey.”

I glare steadily in front of me, at the backs of Ryan and Sawyer’s heads.

Christian shifts beside me.

“Hey,” he says softly and reaches for my hand. All afternoon, when I should

ha一ve been concentrating on work, I was trying to figure out what to say to him.

But I became angrier and angrier with each passing hour. I’ve had enough of

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E L JAMES

beha一vior. I snatch my hand out of his—in a ca一valier, petulant, and childish

manner.

“You’re mad at me?” he whispers.

“Yes,” I hiss. Folding my arms protectively across my body, I gaze out my

window. He shifts beside me once more, but I will myself not to look at him. I

don’t understand why I’m so mad at him—but I am. Really fucking mad.

As soon as we pull up outside Escala, I break protocol and leap out of the

car with my briefcase. I stomp into the building, not checking to see who is

following. Ryan scuttles into the foyer behind me and dashes to the elevator

to press the call button.

“What?” I snap when I’m alongside him. His cheeks redden.

“Apologies, ma’am,” he mutters.

Christian comes and stands beside me to wait for the elevator, and Ryan

retreats.

“So it’s not just me you’re mad at?” Christian murmurs dryly. I glare up at him

and see a trace of a smile on his face.

“Are you laughing at me?” I narrow my eyes.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he says, holding his hands up like I’m threatening him at

gunpoint. He’s in his na一vy suit, looking crisp and clean with floppy sex-hair

and a guileless expression.

“You need a haircut,” I mutter. Turning away from him, I step into the elevator.

“Do I?” he says while brushing his hair off his forehead. He follows me in.

“Yes.” I tap the code for our apartment into the keypad.

“So you’re talking to me now?”

“Just.”

“What exactly are you mad about? I need an indication,” he asks cautiously.

I turn and gape at him.

“Do you really ha一ve no idea? Surely, for someone so bright, you must ha一ve

an inkling? I can’t believe you’re that ob一tuse.”

He takes an alarmed step back. “You really are mad. I thought we had sorted

all this in your office,” he murmurs, perplexed.

“Christian, I just capitulated to your petulant demands. That’s all.”

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Fifty Shades Freed

The elevator doors open and I storm out. Taylor is standing in the hallway. He

takes a step back and quickly shuts his mouth as I steam past him.

“Hi, Taylor,” I mutter.

“Mrs. Grey,” he murmurs.

Dropping my briefcase in the hallway, I head into the great room. Mrs. Jones

is at the stove.

“Good evening, Mrs. Grey.”

“Hi, Mrs. Jones,” I mutter once more. I head straight to the fridge and pull out

a bottle of white wine. Christian follows me into the kitchen and watches me

like a hawk as I take a glass down from the cupboard. He removes his jacket

and casually places it on the countertop.

“Do you want a drink?” I ask super sweetly.

“No thanks,” he says, not taking his eyes off me, and I know that he’s

helpless. He does not know what to do with me. It’s comical on one level and

tragic on another. Well, screw him! I am ha一ving trouble locating my

compassionate self since our meeting this afternoon. Slowly, he removes his

tie then opens the top button of his shirt. I pour myself a large glass of

sauvignon blanc, and Christian runs a hand through his hair. When I turn

around, Mrs. Jones has disappeared . Shit!

She’s my human shield. I take a slug of wine. Hmm. It tastes good.

“Stop this,” Christian whispers. He takes the two steps between us so he’s

standing in front of me. Gently he tucks my hair behind my ear and caresses

my earlobe with his fingertips, sending a shiver through me. Is this what I’ve

missed all day? His touch? I shake my head, causing him to release my ear

and gaze up at him.

“Talk to me,” he murmurs.

“What’s the point? You don’t listen to me.”

“Yes I do. You’re one of the few people I do listen to.”

I take another swig of wine.

“Is this about your name?”

“Yes and no. It’s how you dealt with the fact that I disagreed with you.” I glare

up at him, expecting him to be angered. His brow furrows. “Ana, you know I

ha一ve . . . issues. It’s hard for me to let go where you’re concerned. You know

that.”

“But I’m not a child, and I’m not an asset.”

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“I know.” He sighs.

“Then stop treating me as though I am,” I whisper, imploring him. He brushes

the back of his fingers down my cheek and runs the tip of his thumb across

my bottom lip.

“Don’t be mad. You’re so precious to me. Like a priceless asset, like a

child,” he whispers, a somber reverent expression on his face. His words

distract me . Like a child Precious like a child . . . a child would be precious

to him!

“I’m neither of those things, Christian. I’m your wife. If you were hurt that I

wasn’t going to take your name, you should ha一ve said.”

“Hurt?” He frowns deeply, and I know that he’s exploring the possibility in his

mind. He straightens suddenly, still frowning, and glances quickly at his

wristwatch. “The architect will be here in just under an hour. We should eat.”

Oh no. I groan inwardly. He hasn’t answered me, and now I ha一ve to deal with

Gia Matteo. My shitty day just got shittier. I scowl at Christian.

“This discussion isn’t finished,” I mutter.

“What else is there to discuss?”

“You could sell the company.”

Christian snorts. “Sell it?”

“Yes.”

“You think I’d find a buyer in today’s market?”

“How much did it cost you?”

“It was relatively cheap.” His tone is guarded.

“So if it folds?”

He smirks. “We’ll survive. But I won’t let it fold, Anastasia. Not while you’re

there.”

“And if I lea一ve?”

“And do what?”

“I don’t know. Something else.”

“You’ve already said this is your dream job. And forgive me if I’m wrong, but I

promised before God, Reverend Walsh, and a congregation of our nearest

and dearest to cherish you, uphold your hopes and dreams, and keep you

safe at my side.”

“Quoting your wedding vows to me is not playing fair.”

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“I’ve never promised to play fair where you’re concerned. Besides,”

he adds, “you’ve wielded your vows at me like a weapon before.”

I scowl at him. This is true.

“Anastasia, if you’re still angry with me, take it out on me in bed later.” His

voice is suddenly low and full of sensual longing, his eyes heated.

What? Bed? How?

He smiles indulgently down at my expression. Is he expecting me to tie him

up? Holy crap! My inner goddess removes her iPod earbuds and starts

listening with rapt attention.

“Seven shades of Sunday,” he whispers. “Looking forward to it.”

Whoa!

“Gail!” he shouts abruptly, and four seconds later, Mrs. Jones appears.

Where was she? Taylor’s office? Listening? Oh jeez.

“Mr. Grey?”

“We’d like to eat now, please.”

“Very good, sir.”

Christian doesn’t take his eyes off me. He watches me vigilantly as if I’m

some exotic creature about to bolt. I take a sip of my wine.

“I think I’ll join you in a glass,” he says sighing, and runs a hand through his

hair again.

“You’re not going to finish?”

“No.” I gaze down at my barely touched plate of fettuccini to a一void Christian’s

darkening expression. Before he can say anything, I stand and clear our

plates from the dining table.

“Gia will be with us shortly,” I mutter. Christian’s mouth twists in an unhappy

scowl, but he says nothing.

“I’ll take those, Mrs. Grey,” says Mrs. Jones as I walk into the kitchen.

“Thank you.”

“You didn’t like it?” she asks, concerned.

“It was fine. I’m just not hungry.”

Giving me a small sympathetic smile, she turns to clear my plate and put

everything in the dishwasher.

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E L JAMES

“I’m going to make a couple of calls,” Christian announces, giving me an

assessing look before he disappears into his study. I let out a sigh of relief

and head to our bedroom. Dinner was awkward. I’m still mad at Christian,

and he doesn’t seem to think he’s done anything wrong. Has he? My

subconscious cocks an eyebrow at me and gazes benignly over her halfmoon

glasses. Yes, he has. He’s made it even more awkward for me at

work. He didn’t wait to discuss this issue with me when we were in the

relative privacy of our own home. How would he feel if I came barging into his

office, laying down the law? And to cap it all, he wants to give me SIP! How

the hell could I run a company? I know next to nothing about business. I gaze

out at the Seattle skyline bathed in the pearly pink light of dusk. And as usual,

he wants to solve our differences in the bedroom . . . um . . . foyer . . .

playroom . . . TV room . . . kitchen countertop . . . Stop! It always comes back

to sex with him. Sex is his coping mechanism.

I wander into the bathroom and scowl at my reflection in the mirror. Coming

back to the real world is hard. We managed to skate over all our differences

while we were in our bubble because we were so wrapped up in each other.

But now? Briefly I am dragged back to my wedding, remembering my

But now? Briefly I am dragged back to my wedding, remembering my

concerns that day—marry in haste . . . No, I mustn’t think like this. I knew he

was Fifty Shades when I married him. I just ha一ve to hang in there and try to

talk this through with him. I squint at myself in the mirror. I look pale, and now I

ha一ve that woman to deal with.

I’m wearing my gray pencil skirt and a sleeveless blouse. Right! My inner

goddess gets out her harlot-red nail polish. I undo two buttons, exposing a

little clea一vage. I wash my face then carefully redo my makeup, applying more

mascara than usual and putting extra gloss on my lips. Bending down, I then

brush my hair vigorously from root to tip. When I stand, my hair is a chestnut

haze around me that tumbles to my breasts. I tuck it artfully behind my ears

and go in search of my pumps, rather than my flats.

When I reemerge into the great room, Christian has the house plans spread

out on the dining table. He has music playing through the sound system. It

stops me in my tracks.

“Mrs. Grey,” he says warmly then looks quizzically at me. 145 | P a g e

Fifty Shades Freed

“What’s this?” I ask. The music is stunning.

“Fauré’s Requiem. You look different,” he says, distracted.

“Oh. I’ve not heard it before.”

“It’s very calming, relaxing,” he says and raises an eyebrow. “Ha一ve you done

something to your hair?”

“Brushed it,” I mutter. I’m transported by the haunting voices. Abandoning the

plans on the table, he walks toward me, a slow saunter in time to the music.

“Dance with me?” he murmurs.

“To this? It’s a requiem.” I squeak, shocked.

“Yes.” He pulls me into his arms and holds me, burying his nose in my hair

and swaying gently from side to side. He smells his hea一venly self.

Oh . . . I’ve missed him. I wrap my arms around him and fight the urge to cry.

Why are you so infuriating?

“I hate fighting with you,” he whispers.

“Well, stop being such an arse.”

He chuckles and the captivating sound reverberates through his chest. He

tightens his hold on me. “Arse?”

“Ass.”

“I prefer arse.”

“You should. It suits you.”

He laughs once more and kisses the top of my head.

“A requiem?” I murmur a little shocked that we are dancing to it. He shrugs.

“It’s just a lovely piece of music, Ana.”

Taylor coughs discreetly at the entranceway, and Christian releases me.

“Miss Matteo is here,” he says.

Oh joy!

“Show her in,” Christian says. He reaches over and clasps my hand as Miss

Gia Matteo enters the room.

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E L JAMES