radiant,andtothinkthatonlyyesterdayafternoonshewassounsureofhim.
whatdidchristiancallhim?
lelliot.perhapsthat’safamilynickname?itwassweet,betterthan
manwhore.abruptly,elliotopenshiseyesandgazesstraightatme.iblush,
caughtstaring.
hegrins.“isureloveyourblush,ana,”heteases,stretching.kategivesme
herself-satisfied,cat-ate-the-canarysmile.officerbeighleyannouncesour
approachtosea-tac,andchristianclaspsmyhand.
~o0o~
297|page
fiftyshadesfreed
“howwasyourweekend,mrs.grey?”christianasksoncewe’reintheaudi
headingbacktoescala.taylorandryanareupfront.
“good,thankyou.”ismile,feelingshyallofasudden.
“wecangoanytime.takeanyoneyouwishtotake.”
“weshouldtakeray.he’dlikethefishing.”
“that’sagoodidea.”
“howwasitforyou?”iask.
“good,”hesaysafteramoment,surprisedithink,bymyquestion.
“realgood.”
“youseemedtorelax.”
heshrugs.“iknewyouweresafe.”
ifrown.“christian,i’msafemostofthetime.i’vetoldyoubefore,you’llkeel
overatfortyifyoukeepupthislevelofanxiety.andiwanttogrowoldand
graywithyou.”ireachoverandgrasphishand.helooksatmeasifhecan’t
comprehendwhati’msaying.gentlytakingmyhand,hekissesmyknuckles
andchangesthesubject.
“how’syourhand?”
“it’sbetter,thankyou.”
hesmiles.“verygood,mrs.grey.youreadytofacegiaagain?”
ohcrap.i’dforgottenwewereseeingherthiseveningtogooverthefinal
plans.irollmyeyes.“imightwanttokeepyououtoftheway,keepyousafe.”
ismirk.
“protectingme?”christianislaughingatme.
“asever,mr.grey.fromallsexualpredators,”iwhisper.
“asever,mr.grey.fromallsexualpredators,”iwhisper.
~o0o~
christianisbrushinghisteethwhenicrawlintobed.tomorrowwegoback
toreality—backtowork,thepaparazzi,andtojackincustodybutwiththe
possibilitythathehasanaccomplice.hmm...christianwasvagueabout
that.doesheknow?andifhedidknow,wouldhetellme?isigh.getting
informationoutofchristianislikepullingteeth,andwe’vehadsuchalovely
weekend.doiwanttoruinthefeel-goodmomentbytryingtodragthe
informationoutofhim?
it’sbeenarevelationtoseehimoutofhisnormalenvironment,outsidethis
apartment,relaxedandhappywithhisfamily.iwondervaguelyifit’sbecause
we’rehereinthisapartment—withallits298|page
eljames
memoriesandassociations—thathegetswoundup.maybeweshould
move.
isnort.wearemoving—we’reha一vingahugehouserefurbishedonthe
coast.gia’splansarecompleteandapproved,andelliot’steamstarts
buildingnextweek.ichuckleasirecallgia’sshockedexpressionwhenitold
herthati’dseenherinaspen.turnsoutitwasnothingbutco-incidence.
she’dcampedoutatherholidayplacetoworksolelyonourplans.forone
awfulmomenti’dthoughtshe’dhadahandinchoosingthering,but
apparentlynot.butistilldon’ttrustgia;iwanttohearthesamestoryfrom
elliot.atleastshekeptherdistancefromchristianthistime.
ilookoutatthenightsky.iwillmissthisview.thispanoramicvista...
seattleatourfeet,sofullofpossibilities,yetsofarremoved.maybethat’s
christian’sproblem—he’sbeentooisolatedfromreallifefortoolong,thanks
tohisself-imposedexile.yetwithhisfamilyaroundhim,heisless
controlling,lessanxious—freer,happier.iwonderwhatflynnwouldmakeof
allthat.holycrap!maybethat’stheanswer.maybeheneedshisownfamily.i
shakemyheadindenial—
we’retooyoung,toonewtoallthis.christianstridesintotheroom,looking
hisusualgorgeousbutpensiveself.
“everythingokay?”iask.
henodsdistractedlyasheclimbsintobed.
“i’mnotlookingforwardtogoingbacktoreality,”imurmur.
“no?”
ishakemyheadandreachuptocaresshislovelyface.“ihadawonderful
weekend.thankyou.”
hesmilessoftly.“you’remyreality,ana,”hemurmurs,leansforward,and
kissesme.
“doyoumissit?”
“misswhat?”heasks,perplexed.
“youknow.thecaning...andstuff,”iwhisper,embarrassed.hestaresat
me,hisgazeimpassive.thendoub一tcrosseshisface,hiswhere-is-shegoing-
with-thislook.
“noanastasia,idon’t.”hisvoiceissteadyandquiet.hecaressesmy
cheek.“dr.flynnsaidsomethingtomewhenyouleft,somethingthat’s
stayedwithme.hesaidicouldn’tbethatway,ifyouweren’tso299|page
fiftyshadesfreed
inclined.itwasarevelation.”hestops,andfrowns.“ididn’tknowanyother
way,ana.nowido.it’sbeeneducational.”
“me,educateyou?”iscoff.
hiseyessoften.“doyoumissit?”heasks.
oh!
“idon’twantyoutohurtme,butiliketoplay,christian.youknowthat.ifyou
wantedtodosomething...”ishrug,gazingathim.
“something?”
“youknow,withafloggeroryourcrop—”istop,blushing.heraiseshisbrow,
surprised.“well...we’llsee.rightnow,i’dlikesomegoodold-fashioned
vanilla.”histhumbskirtsmybottomlip,andhekissesmeoncemore.
~o0o~
from:anastasiagrey
subject:goodmorning
date:august29,201109:14
to:christiangrey
mr.grey
ijustwantedtotellyouthatiloveyou.
thatisall.
yoursalways
ax
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
from:christiangrey
subject:banishingmondayblues
date:august29,201109:18
to:anastasiagrey
mrs.grey
300|page
eljames
whatgratifyingwordstohearfromone’swife(errantornot)onamonday
morning.
letmeassureyouthatifeelexactlythesameway.sorryaboutthedinner
thisevening.ihopeitwon’tbetootediousforyou.
x
christiangrey,
ceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
ohyes.theamericanshipbuildingassociationdinner.irollmyeyes...
morestuffedshirts.christianreallydoestakemetothemostfascinating
functions.
from:anastasiagrey
subject:shipsthatpassinthenight
date:august29,201109:26
to:christiangrey
dearmr.grey
iamsureyoucanthinkofawaytospiceupthedinner...yoursin
anticipation
mrs.g.x
anastasia(non-errant)grey
commissioningeditor,sip
from:christiangrey
subject:varietyisthespiceoflife
date:august29,201109:35
to:anastasiagrey
mrs.grey
iha一veafewideas...
301|page
fiftyshadesfreed
x
christiangrey
ceo,greyenterprisesholdingsnowimpatientfortheasadinnerinc.
allthemusclesinmybellyclench.hmm...iwonderwhathe’lldreamup.
hannaknocksonthedoor,interruptingmyreverie.
“readytogothroughyourscheduleforthisweek,ana?”
“sure.sit.”ismile,recoveringmyequilibrium,andminimizemyemail
program.“i’vehadtomoveacoupleofappointments.mr.foxnextweekand
dr.—”
myphonerings,interruptingher.it’sroach.heasksmeuptohisoffice.
“canwepickthisupintwentyminutes?”
“ofcourse.”
~o0o~
from:christiangrey
subject:lastnight
date:august30,201109:24
to:anastasiagrey
was...fun.
whowouldha一vethoughttheasaannualdinnercouldbesostimulating?
asever,youneverdisappoint,mrs.grey.
iloveyou.
x
christiangrey
inawe,ceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
from:anastasiagrey
302|page
eljames
subject:iloveagoodballgame...
date:august30,201109:33
to:christiangrey
dearmr.grey
iha一vemissedthesilverballs.
youneverdisappoint.
thatisall.
mrs.g.x
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
hannahtapsonmydoor,interruptingmyeroticthoughtsoftheprevious
evening.christian’shands...hismouth.
“comein.”
“ana,mr.roach’spajustcalled.he’dlikeyoutoattendameetingthis
morning.itmeansiha一vetomovesomeofyourappointmentsagain.isthat
okay.”
histongue.
“sure.yes,”imuttertryingtohaltmywaywardthoughts.shegrinsandducks
outofmyoffice...lea一vingmewithmydeliciousmemoryoflastnight.
~o0o~
from:christiangrey
subject:hyde
date:september1,201115:24
to:anastasiagrey
anastasia
foryourinformation,hydehasbeenrefusedbailandremandedincustody.
he’schargedwithattemptedkidnapandarson.asyetnodatehasbeenset
forthetrial.
303|page
fiftyshadesfreed
christiangrey
ceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
from:anastasiagrey
subject:hyde
date:september1,201115:53
to:christiangrey
that’sgoodnews.
doesthismeanyou’llightenuponsecurity?
irealydon’tseeeyetoeyewithprescott.
anax
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
from:christiangrey
subject:hyde
date:september1,201115:59
to:anastasiagrey
no.securitywillremaininplace.noarguments.
what’swrongwithprescott?ifyoudon’tlikeher,we’lreplaceher.
christiangrey
ceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
iscowlathishigh-handede-mail.prescottisn’tthatbad.
from:anastasiagrey
subject:keepyourhairon!
304|page
eljames
date:september1,201116:03
to:christiangrey
iwasjustasking(rolseyes).andi’lthinkaboutprescott.stowthattwitchy
palm!
anax
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
from:christiangrey
subject:don’ttemptme.
date:september1,201116:11
to:anastasiagrey
icanassureyou,mrs.grey,thatmyhairisveryfirmlyattached—hasthisnot
beendemonstratedoftenenoughbyyourgoodself?
mypalm,however,istwitching.
imightdosomethingaboutthattonight.
x
christiangrey
notbaldyetceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
from:anastasiagrey
subject:squirm
date:september1,201116:20
to:christiangrey
promises,promises...
nowstoppesteringme.iamtryingtowork;iha一veanimpromptumeeting
withanauthor.willtrynottobedistractedbythoughtsofyouduringthe
meeting.
ax
305|page
fiftyshadesfreed
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
~o0o~
from:anastasiagrey
subject:sailing&soaring&spankingdate:september5,201109:18
to:christiangrey
husband
yousureknowhowtoshowagirlagoodtime.
ishallofcoursebeexpectingthiskindoftreatmenteveryweekend.
youarespoilingme.iloveit.
yourwife
xox
anastasiagrey
commissioningeditor,sip
from:christiangrey
subject:mylife’smission...
date:september5,201109:25
to:anastasiagrey
istospoilyou,mrs.grey.
andkeepyousafebecauseiloveyou.
christiangrey
smittenceo,greyenterprisesholdingsinc.
ohmy.couldhebeanymoreromantic?
306|page
eljames
from:anastasiagrey
subject:mylife’smission...
date:september5,201109:33
to:christiangrey
istoletyou—becauseiloveyou,too.
nowstopbeingsosappy.
youaremakingmecry.
anastasiagrey
equallysmittencommissioningeditor,sip
~o0o~
thefollowingday,igazeatthecalendaronmydesk.onlyfivedaysuntil
september10—mybirthday.iknowwearedrivingouttothehousetosee
howelliotandhiscrewareprogressing.hmm...iwonderifchristianhas
anyotherplans?ismileatthethought.hannatapsonmydoor.
“comein.”
prescottishoveringoutside.odd...
“hi,ana,”sayshanna.“there’saleilawilliamsheretoseeyou?
shesaysit’spersonal.”
“leilawilliams?idon’tknowa...”mymouthgoesdry,andhanna’seyes
widenatmyexpression.
leila?fuck.whatdoesshewant?
307|page
fiftyshadesfreed