Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian (28 page)

“Fred and Barney?”
My Flintstones.
I smirk at the thought.

“Yes, sir. And Ros, too.”

“Great. Thanks.” I’m breathless. I catch Andrea’s fleeting puzzled look and choose to ignore it. “Can you order me a toasted bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon and a coffee, black. Have it sent to my suite ASAP.”

“Yes, Mr. Grey.” She posts the link to the conference in the window. “Here you go, sir,” she says. I click the link—and I’m in.

“Good morning.” There are two executives seated at a conference
table in New York, both gazing expectantly at the camera. Ros, Barney, and Fred are each in separate windows.

To business. Kavanagh says he wants to upgrade his media network to high-speed fiber-optic connections. GEH can do it for them—but are they serious about buying in? It’s a big investment up front, but a great payoff down the line.

While we’re talking an e-mail notification with an arresting title from Ana floats onto the top right corner of my screen. As quietly as I can, I click on it.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
Assault and Battery: The After-Effects

Date:
May 27 2011 08:05

To:
Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Grey,

You wanted to know why I felt confused after you—which euphemism should we apply—spanked, punished, beat, assaulted me.

A tad overdramatic, Miss Steele. You could have said no.

Well, during the whole alarming process, I felt demeaned, debased, and abused.

If you felt that way, why didn’t you stop me? You have safe words.

And much to my mortification, you’re right, I was aroused, and that was unexpected.

I know. Good. You’ve finally acknowledged it.

As you are well aware, all things sexual are new to me—I only wish I was more experienced and therefore more prepared. I was shocked to feel aroused.

What really worried me was how I felt afterward. And that’s more difficult to articulate. I was happy that you were happy. I felt relieved that it wasn’t as painful as I thought it would be. And when I was lying in your arms, I felt…sated.

As did I, Ana, as did I…

But I feel very uncomfortable, guilty even, feeling that way. It doesn’t sit well with me, and I’m confused as a result. Does that answer your question?

I hope the world of Mergers and Acquisitions is as stimulating as ever…and that you weren’t too late.

Thank you for staying with me.

Ana

Kavanagh joins the conversation, apologizing for his tardiness. While the introductions are made and Fred talks about what GEH can offer, I type out my reply to Ana. I hope to those on the other side of the computer screen it looks like I’m taking notes.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
Free Your Mind

Date:
May 27 2011 08:24

To:
Anastasia Steele

Interesting…if slightly overstated title heading, Miss Steele.

To answer your points:

• I’ll go with spanking—as that’s what it was.
  
• So you felt demeaned, debased, abused, and assaulted—how very Tess Durbeyfield of you. I believe it was you who decided on the debasement, if I remember
  correctly. Do you really feel like this or do you think you ought to feel like this? Two very different things. If that
  is
  how you feel, do you think you could just try to embrace these feelings, deal with them, for me? That’s what a submissive would do.
  
• I am grateful for your inexperience. I value it, and I’m only beginning to understand what it means. Simply put…it means that you are mine in every way.
  
• Yes, you were aroused, which in turn was very arousing, there’s nothing wrong with that.
  
• Happy does not even begin to cover how I felt. Ecstatic joy comes close.
  
• Punishment spanking hurts far more than sensual spanking—so that’s about as hard as it gets, unless, of course, you commit some major transgression, in which case I’ll use some implement to punish you with. My hand was very sore. But I like that.
  
• I felt sated, too—more so than you could ever know.
  
• Don’t waste your energy on guilt, feelings of wrongdoing, etc. We are consenting adults and what we do behind closed doors is between ourselves. You need to free your mind and listen to your body.
  
• The world of M&A is not nearly as stimulating as you are, Miss Steele.
  

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Her response is almost immediate.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
Consenting Adults!

Date:
May 27 2011 08:26

To:
Christian Grey

Aren’t you in a meeting?

I’m very glad your hand was sore.

And if I listened to my body, I’d be in Alaska by now.

Ana

P.S.: I will think about embracing these feelings.

Alaska! Really, Miss Steele.
I chuckle to myself and look like I’m engaged with the online conversation. There’s a knock on my door, and I apologize for interrupting the conference while I let room service in with my breakfast. Miss Dark, Dark Eyes rewards me with a flirtatious smile as I sign the check.

Returning to the WebEx, I find Fred briefing Kavanagh and his associates on how successful this technology has been for another client company dealing in futures.

“Will the technology help me with the futures market?” Kavanagh asks with a sardonic smile. When I tell him that Barney’s hard at work developing a crystal ball to predict prices, they all have the grace to laugh.

While Fred discusses a theoretical timeline for implementation and tech integration, I e-mail Ana.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
You Didn’t Call the Cops

Date:
May 27 2011 08:35

To:
Anastasia Steele

Miss Steele,

I am in a meeting discussing the futures market, if you’re really interested.

For the record, you stood beside me knowing what I was going to do.

You didn’t at any time ask me to stop—you didn’t use either safe word.

You are an adult—you have choices.

Quite frankly, I’m looking forward to the next time my palm is ringing with pain.

You’re obviously not listening to the right part of your body.

Alaska is very cold and no place to run. I would find you.

I can track your cell phone—remember?

Go to work.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Fred is in full flow when I get Ana’s response.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
Stalker

Date:
May 27 2011 08:36

To:
Christian Grey

Have you sought therapy for your stalker tendencies?

Ana

I smother my laugh. She’s funny.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
Stalker? Me?

Date:
May 27 2011 08:38

To:
Anastasia Steele

I pay the eminent Dr. Flynn a small fortune with regard to my stalker and other tendencies.

Go to work.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Why hasn’t she gone to work? She’ll be late.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
Expensive Charlatans

Date:
May 27 2011 08:40

To:
Christian Grey

May I humbly suggest you seek a second opinion?

I am not sure that Dr. Flynn is very effective.

Miss Steele

Damn, this woman is funny…and intuitive; Flynn charges me a small fortune for his advice. Surreptitiously, I type my response.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
Second Opinions

Date:
May 27 2011 08:43

To:
Anastasia Steele

Not that it’s any of your business, humble or otherwise, but Dr. Flynn is the second opinion.

You will have to speed, in your new car, putting yourself at unnecessary risk—I think that’s against the rules.

GO TO WORK.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Kavanagh throws me a question about future-proofing. I let him know that we’ve recently acquired a company that’s an innovative, dynamic player in fiber optics. I don’t let him know that I have doubts about the CEO, Lucas Woods. He’ll be gone anyway. I’m definitely firing that idiot, no matter what Ros says.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
SHOUTY CAPITALS

Date:
May 27 2011 08:47

To:
Christian Grey

As the object of your stalker tendencies, I think it is my business, actually.

I haven’t signed yet. So rules, schmules. And I don’t start until 9:30.

Miss Steele

SHOUTY CAPITALS. I love it.

I respond.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
Descriptive Linguistics

Date:
May 27 2011 08:49

To:
Anastasia Steele

“Schmules”? Not sure where that appears in Webster’s dictionary.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

“We can take this conversation offline,” Ros says to Kavanagh. “Now that we have an idea of your needs and expectations, we’ll prepare a detailed proposal for you and reconvene next week to discuss it.”

“Great,” I say, trying to look engaged.

There are nods of agreement all around, then good-byes.

“Thanks for giving us the opportunity to quote for this, Eamon,” I address Kavanagh.

“It sounds like you guys know what we need,” he says. “Great to see you yesterday. Good-bye.”

They all hang up except Ros, who’s staring at me as if I’ve grown two heads.

Ana’s e-mail pings into my inbox.

“Hang on, Ros. I need a minute or two.” I mute her.

And read.

And laugh out loud.

From:
Anastasia Steele

Subject:
Descriptive Linguistics

Date:
May 27 2011 08:52

To:
Christian Grey

It’s between control freak and stalker.

And descriptive linguistics is a hard limit for me.

Will you stop bothering me now?

I’d like to go to work in my new car.

Ana

I type a quick reply.

From:
Christian Grey

Subject:
Challenging but Amusing Young Women

Date:
May 27 2011 08:56

To:
Anastasia Steele

My palm is twitching.

Drive safely, Miss Steele.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Ros is glaring at me when I unmute her. “What the hell, Christian?”

“What?” I feign innocence.

“You know what. Don’t hold a goddamn meeting when you’re obviously not interested.”

“Was it that obvious?”

“Yes.”

“Fuck.”

“Yes. Fuck. This could be a huge contract for us.”

“I know. I know. I’m sorry.” I grin.

“I don’t know what’s got into you lately.” She shakes her head, but I can tell she’s trying to mask her amusement with exasperation.

“It’s the Portland air.”

“Well, the sooner you’re back here, the better.”

“I’m heading back around lunchtime. In the meantime, ask Marco to investigate all the publishing houses in Seattle and see if any are ripe for a takeover.”

“You want to go into publishing?” Ros splutters. “It’s not a high-potential-growth sector.”

She’s probably right.

“Just investigate. That’s all.”

She sighs. “If you insist. Will you be in later this afternoon? We can have a proper catch-up.”

“Depends on the traffic.”

“I’ll pencil in a catch-up with Andrea.”

“Great. Bye for now.”

I close WebEx, then phone Andrea.

“Mr. Grey.”

“Call Dr. Baxter and have him come to my apartment on Sunday, around midday. If he’s not available, find a good gynecologist. Get the best.”

“Yes, sir,” she says. “Anything else?”

“Yes. What’s the name of the personal shopper I use at Neiman Marcus at the Bravern center?”

“Caroline Acton.”

“Text me her number.”

“Will do.”

“I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hang up.

So far it’s been one interesting morning. I can’t recall any exchange of e-mails being that fun, ever. I glance at the laptop, but there’s nothing new. Ana must be at work.

I run my hands through my hair.

Ros noticed how distracted I was during that conversation.

Shit, Grey. Get your act together.

I wolf down my breakfast, drink some cold coffee, and head into my bedroom to shower and change. Even when I’m washing my hair I can’t get that woman out of my head. Ana.

Amazing Ana.

The image of her bouncing up and down on top of me comes to mind; of her lying over my knee, ass pink; of her tethered to the bed, mouth open in ecstasy. Lord, that woman is hot. And this morning, waking up next to her, it wasn’t so bad, and I slept well…really well.

Shouty capitals.
Her e-mails make me laugh. They’re entertaining. She’s funny. I never knew I liked that in a woman. I’ll need to think about what we’ll do on Sunday in my playroom…something fun, something new for her.

While shaving I have an idea, and as soon as I’m dressed I get back on my laptop to browse my favorite toy store. I need a riding crop—brown plaited leather. I smirk. I’m going to make Ana’s dreams come true.

Order placed, I turn to work e-mails, energized and productive, until Taylor interrupts me. “Good morning, Taylor.”

“Mr. Grey.” He nods, looking at me with a puzzled expression, and I realize I’m grinning because I’m thinking about her e-mails again.