Her Atonement

Chapter 6

Anastasia

I drag the last of the moving box out of Wanda, and I'm happy that my move to Seattle has gone smoothly. Kate and Jose proved to be their weight worth in gold by helping me find a place and move. I was lucky to be able to rent this apartment in a great neighborhood in Seattle for only 500 dollars a month. It belonged to a successful photographer friend of Jose who was on a yearlong assignment to travel all over the world, taking pictures for National Geographic.

He owed Jose a huge favor and was willing to rent me his apartment cheap, provided I took care of his cat who, ironically, was called Mouse. The apartment is fully furnished, so thankfully I do not need to buy anything. I simply could not spare the money. I only brought my own bed and the contents of my room from my shared apartment with Kate. Dread washes over me; I'm going to miss Kate so very much. I walk back inside the apartment building and press the elevator button. The door opens immediately and I enter swiftly.

"Hold the door sugar!" I hear a man's voice yelling at me. I quickly push my hand between the elevator doors and they open again.

"Thank you sugar, phew, that was close." He says with a smile as he enters the elevator. His voice has a warm and familiar southern drawl to it. He's small maybe 5.7 with soulful brown eyes and dark olive skin. His dark yet black hair is ordained with streaks of bright purple and he's dressed flamboyantly in a pair of bright red pants, a blue floral shirt, and a blue bow tie with matching floral patterned shoes. His entire personality is energetic, friendly and charismatic. The kind of person you immediately love at first glance.

"What floor do you need to go, sugar?" He asks.

"Uhm, fourth."

He gives me a beaming smile.

"So do I! I'm Jimmy Deveraux by the way." He says and offers me his hand to shake.

"Anastasia Steele. Very nice to meet you." I accept his extended hand and smile at him.

"It seems you're new here. What apartment are you moving into pretty girl?" He asks.

"Number fifteen."

"Oh, Rich's place. You're the Ana he was talking about renting his apartment to. We are practically neighbors! I live in number eighteen. Do you need help with the box?" He asks in a friendly manner and quickly takes the box out of my hands before I could reply.

"My momma always told me; "Always help a lady out"." He says and I can't help but smile at him.

"You are a true southern gentleman." I reply, making him scoff loudly.

"That is not what my ex-boyfriend told me." He says pointedly.

"Well, I guess that's probably why he is an ex-boyfriend." I chuckle, receiving a hearty laugh from him.

"I like you already. I think you and I are going to get along great Annie Steele."

The elevator doors open and we walk towards my new apartment and before walking in. I introduce Jimmy to Kate and Jose who are both taken by him almost immediately. He helps us unpack all my boxes and lends Jose a hand as he assembled my bed in the former guest bedroom, while Kate and I arrange my clothes in my very own walk-in closet.

Kate opens a box that I did not recognize and starts to hang clothes I have never seen before in my closet. Many of them still had the price tag attached to them further convincing me that they weren't mine. They were way out of my price range.

"Kate I don't think those clothes are mine." I say sounding a little puzzled even to my own ears.

"They are." She simply states.

"But I never bought them!"

"They are a gift Ana, you know my mom is a fashion designer right? Sometimes she gets stuff from other designers, and she gives away most of it. This time, we decided to give it to you. If you are going to work for GEH you need to look smart and professional. This is our way of helping you out." She replies resolutely.

I grab one of the blouses with a 400-dollar price tag.

"It is just too much. I can't accept this." I mutter under my breath.

"You can, and you will." Kate replies bluntly.

"But Kate..." I start to protest but she stops me immediately.

"Look, Ana, GEH is a cutthroat business. My father works with them and he knows that GEH has set a very high bar for the employees. The competition is a killer and every flaw you have will be scrutinized and judged. You need to look presentable, so you need these clothes. End of discussion."

I let out a sigh. Kate's right and it scares the hell out of me. I knew I wouldn't fit in. I never wanted this internship in the first place but it is the only way for me to graduate this year. I despise Grey and his ruthless business methods. He is the one to blame for Ray's illness and I hate him for it.

A tear slips from my eye but I quickly wipe it away with the back of my sleeve.

"Thank you, Kate, you are a great friend." I say earnestly.

"Hey, Ana please don't cry. I promise everything will be all right. This whole thing will be over in know time and you will have your diploma. Hell, you probably never even have to see that asshole." Kate says and pulls me in a warm embrace.

"Hey, you guys. I am ordering some pizza for dinner tonight and have asked Jimmy if he wants to stay. You don't mind Ana, do you?" Jose asks while peeking his head through the bedroom door.

"No, I don't mind. I would like a pepperoni, please. Kate and I will share?" I ask while I look quizzically at Kate.

"Sure I love pepperoni." She replies.

We make our way back to the living room where Jimmy and Jose were cheerfully chatting and sit down on the couch next to them. The doorbell rings and I got up to open it.

"Wow, pizza is fast here." Jose chuckles.

"Well, that's a first normally I always have to wait at least 30 minutes before they finally arrived. It must be because pretty girl here has moved in here; she is already working her Voodoo." Jimmy says cheerfully making Kate and Jose laugh.

"You, sir, are such a charmer." I smile at him and he winks.

I press the buzzer and a dull monotone male voice answers.

"Delivery for a Miss. Steele."

I press the button to let him in expecting the pizza guy. However, when I open the door a tall pimpled guy with a bright red nose carrying a large and a small brown box is standing in front of me.

"I need to see some ID, and you need to sign here." He says, pointing at the tablet in his hand.

"I think you have the wrong address I did not order anything." I tell him.

He lets out an annoyed sigh and looks at the tablet.

"Are you Anastasia Steele?" He asks again.

"Yes." I reply.

"Then this if for you. Please show me some ID and sign on the dotted line." He says sounding irritated.

I look at him feeling a little perplexed. The only people that know about my move to Seattle and new address were Kate, Jose, and my parents. I mutter some excuse and take out my license before signing on the dotted line of his tablet.

He pushes the boxes in my hand and disappears before I can even thank him. I walk back into the living room and put the boxes on the table.

"Wow, Steele I didn't know you ordered so much stuff." Kate says while looking questioningly at the boxes.

"I didn't. I have no idea who sent me this." I reply.

"There is an envelope attached to the big box." Jose points out.

I quickly snatch it off the box and rip it open.

Grey Enterprises Holdings.

455 5th Ave Z

Seattle, WA 98109

Anastasia. R. Steele.

89 Union St Apartment 15

Seattle WA 97102

September 27, 2015,

Dear miss. Steele,

Congratulations on obtaining your internship. We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you into the GEH family.

We strive to get the best out of our people and therefore offer the best resources available to achieve that goal. We at GEH believe that one of the keys to success is solid communication and expect that our employees are contactable at all times.

Enclosed in both of these boxes you will find an IPhone and a MacBook that should ensure that is the case.

We wish you luck on your internship and are looking forward to meeting you on Monday.

Yours sincerely,

Helen Crawford.

Head of Human resources Grey Enterprises Holdings.

"Wow, GEH moves fast and doesn't do cheap stuff. A MacBook and an IPhone? No wonder GEH is the number one place to work for according to Forbes and the CEO Christian Grey is one gorgeous piece of ass. Pity he turned out to be straight." Jimmy says without hiding his disappointment.

"Oh yeah. I remember reading about an ex-girlfriend killing herself in his apartment. The tabloids were filled with that story for weeks."

"Oh, yes that was the talk of the town for months. Poor girl's husband died in a car crash. After that, she wanted Grey back but he wasn't interested and allegedly threw her out of his apartment. A few days later, she came back and killed herself in front of him. It was all quite tragic. "

I am surprised to hear this now. I have read plenty about Grey on the internet but did not come across this story. He probably had it all erased so nobody would remember how he ruined yet another innocent life.

The bell rings again and I jump up to open it. Grateful that I don't have to listen to Jimmy and Kate's conversation about Grey anymore. I grab my wallet and pull out a 20.

"I've got this Ana." Jose says and opens the door before I have the chance. Moments later the pizza guy stands in front of us and Jose presses a 20 in his palm.

"Keep the change." He says and closes the door.

"Pizza is here." He yells and pulls out some plates. Thankfully, the conversation about Grey has seized.

Dinner turned out to be fun. Jimmy was animatedly talking about his family and his life before he moved to Seattle. He's originally from New Orleans born into a big creole family of six. He has three older sisters that he adores, and he recently followed his lifelong dream of becoming a chef and opening up his own restaurant. He was a corporate lawyer before he quit his job over a year ago. His father had always insisted that he got a good education and became a lawyer and he didn't want to let his father down, saying that it was a big enough shock for his father when he told him he was gay, and he did not want to disappoint him further. He sighs and looks at us with sadness in his eyes.

"I learned the hard way that you cannot live your life abiding by the wishes of other people no matter how much you love them or don't want to disappoint them. In the end, it will only make you deeply unhappy. Always stay true to yourself and make your own path in life by following your own dreams. I wish someone had told me that when I was your age. It would have saved me a lot of hurt and heartaches." He says smiling ruefully.

"Here is to our true selves." Jose says while holding up his glass of wine.

We clink our glasses and the conversation moves to lighter topics. The time was nearing eleven when Jimmy excuses himself and goes back to his apartment. Kate and Jose are leaving back to Vancouver tomorrow morning and I dread it. I unpack the boxes and pull out the Mac and the IPhone. I'm surprised to find that everything is installed and ready for use. I surf the internet a little then go to bed, and for the first time in a long while, I am not looking forward to the days to come.

Monday morning came all too soon and here I am, preparing for my first day as an intern at Grey Enterprises Holdings. Kate assembled my outfit for today, a gray pencil skirt, white blouse and black pumps. I petted and fed Mouse before grabbing the papers I need for today and shove them in my messenger bag. I make my way to Wanda, my blue VW Beetle. She luckily starts without hesitation today and I drive off to GEH without a hitch. I park my car in the underground parking garage and take the elevator to reception.

"Good morning. I am Anastasia Steele and I am here for the internship." I say while pulling out my acceptance letter from my bag.

The perfectly coifed blonde at the reception desk regards me coolly before handing me a form and a pen.

"Sign this please." She says tersely.

I do as I am told and hand the form back to her. She hands me a badge and a map of the building.

"This is your security badge, have it on you at all times. You need to go to conference room 201. Take the elevator to the 12th floor and then take a right." She says all business like.

I thank her and make my way over to the elevators. A tall, skinny guy with blond hair and black rimmed glasses is standing there as well. He smiles at me when I enter the elevator with him.

"Which floor?" He asks with a friendly smile.

"12th." I reply, not able to hide the nerves from my voice.

"Is this your first time at GEH?" He asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Is it that obvious?" I ask, making him let out a soft chuckle in response.

"Don't worry; it is my first time too. Nathan Combs, I am one of the lucky 6[HM2] to get accepted into GEH and WSU new internship program. I take it you are one of the remaining 5 interns." He says while holding out his hand for me to shake.

"Yes, I am one of the other five. I am Ana Steele nice to meet you." I shake his hand, and for the first time, I notice that he's cute in a nerdy sort of way. He has soft sparkling brown eyes and dimples in his cheeks that are visible when he laughs.

The ping of the elevator and the sight of the doors sliding open suddenly interrupt my musings.

"Ladies first." He says sweetly making room for me to get out of the elevator.

We walk towards the conference room and are greeted by six other interns. A bubbly brunette with bright green eyes named Emily Parker immediately introduces herself to me. The other interns are a broad-shouldered former quarterback named Carlos Herrera, and a stocky law student named Matt Durham. The last one to introduce herself is a tall beautiful blond beautiful but bitchy psychology major named Kylie Jordan[HM3] .

She has an air of superiority around her and manages to antagonize me in record time.

"Did you know that Mr. Grey personally asked me to take this internship? He was so impressed with my grades and work. I think he is totally into me. He is just so rich, gorgeous and dreamy. I think him and I would make a great couple." She blabbers inanely and I discreetly roll my eyes, making Emily and Nathan laugh.

"You mean you and his money make a great couple?" Nathan jabs at her.

She scoffs at him and arrogantly flips her blond mane away from us, turning her attention to Carlos who is chatting with Matt, when the door of the conference room opens and a sharply dressed woman strides in.

"Good morning everyone. I am Helen Crawford, head of human resources here at GEH. I would like to welcome and congratulate you all on earning this new and prestigious internship. I would first like to give a quick introduction about what we expect from you and what you can expect from us. After that, you all need to fill in these employment agreements followed by a tour of the building. At 11:30 sharp, we need to be back in this conference room to where Mr. Grey himself will be giving a welcome speech. After Mr. Grey's speech, Ms. Bailey, and Jack Anderson the dean of WSU will be explaining this internship in more detail and you will be introduced to the department heads. Any questions so far?"

I feel sick. I had hoped to fulfill this internship without ever seeing Grey. Now I'm going to be confronted with him face to face. I do not want to deal with that horrible man. I silently pray that his speech will be short and he wouldn't remember me.

Kylie Jordan raises her hand.

"Will we be working personally with Mr. Grey during this internship?" She asks.

A fleeting look of disapproval washes over Helen Crawford face.

"No, you will be working with your designated department head." She answers to the point.

Kylie looks like she swallowed a lemon.

"Shame." She murders under her breath.

"Ok, any more questions?" Helen asks.

"I have a question about GEH healthcare plan. Is that just for regular employees or do we get it as well?" Carlos asks.

"When you sign your employment contract you will become a GEH employee so yes we will cover your health care." Helen answers swiftly.

Carlos thanks her and when nobody has any more questions Helen starts handing out the forms. I sigh. This is going to be a long day.

Christian

I stare at the cup of coffee in front of me unable to take an another sip. My stomach is fluttering and flopping as if someone had set loose a million butterflies inside of me. It's a strange and novel feeling. Today is finally the day that I will see her again. These last few weeks without knowing who she was or where she was had been purgatory. Every waking thought was filled with her and every night I dreamed of her. Her intoxicating scent still lingers in my nostrils after I wake up. Yet, in some masochistic way, I'm grateful for those dreams. They provided a merciful respite from my horror filled night terrors that have plagued me for as long as I can remember. I scoff; the irony of it all was clear as day to me.

I wonder if she thought about me the same way I thought about her. I know she felt the connection between us that night. It was something so primal and powerful it had been impossible to forget. I let out a long drawn sigh. Maybe it was just wishful thinking on my part.

Helen Crawford informed me that all the laptops and IPhones had been sent out on Friday morning and would be delivered the same day. I asked Barney to put a secret keylogger on both Anastasia's IPhone and MacBook. Naturally, he complied with my request without question. I was curious to find out more about the enigmatic Miss Steele. Welch had followed her around for the last couple of weeks and compiled a manila file with basic information about her a month ago. For the millionth time this week I open it hoping to find something new. I knew it was a futile exercise; I knew everything that was in there by heart, yet I couldn't stop myself.

ANASTASIA ROSE STEELE

DOB:

Sept. 10, 1995, Montesano, WA

Address:

1114 SW Green Street, Apartment 7,

Haven Heights, Vancouver, WA 98888

Address:

89 Union St Apartment 15

Seattle WA 97102

Mobile No:

360-959-4352

Social Security No:

987-65-4320

Bank:

Wells Fargo Bank, Vancouver, WA:

Acct. No.: 309361:

$283.16 balance

Occupation:

Undergraduate Student

WSU Vancouver College of Arts and

Sciences

English Major (requested her enrolment terminated on sept 5, 2014 citing financial reasons.)

GPA:

4.0

Prior Education:

Montesano Jr. Sr. High School

SAT Score:

2150

Employment:

Clayton's Hardware Store, NW

Vancouver 46/1315

Drive, Portland, OR (part-time)

Father:

Franklin A. Lambert, DOB: Sept. 1,

1973,

Deceased Sept. 11, 1995

Mother:

Carla May Wilks Adams,

DOB: July 18, 1976

m. Frank Lambert March 1, 1994,

widowed Sept. 11, 1995

m. Raymond Steele June 6, 1996,

divorced May 12, 2011

m. Stephen M. Morton October. 16,

2011,

divorced Jan. 31, 2012

m. Bob Adams April 6, 2013

widowed June. 18, 2015

Political Affiliations:

None Found

Religious Affiliations:

Not Known

Sexual Orientation:

Not Known

Relationships:

None Indicated at Present

When Welch delivered this summary about Miss Steele three weeks ago, I was shocked to read about her dire financial situation. Miss Steele was unable to pay her college tuition. According to Welch, her request to increase her student loan had been filed too late . I still have no idea why she needed her student loan increased, and I had ordered Welch to find out. Miss Steele is smart, making the Dean's list every year and maintaining a GPA of 4.0 throughout her entire college career. I knew then that I just couldn't let her drop out and I wanted to help her.

But I just couldn't barge into her life and offer my help, knowing she probably would never accept that and even worse ask all kinds of uncomfortable question that I did not want to answer. No, I needed to come up with a smarter plan and I did. In a week's time, I set up a new internship program in collaboration with WSVU. It was an idea that had been floating around in my head for a while, but now was the perfect time to implement it. The only demand I made was that Anastasia was given a spot, which wasn't unreasonable since she fit the criteria we selected for the program perfectly. I made sure of that.

Now, she was finally here waiting in one of the many conference rooms here at GEH. I take a deep breath hoping to quell the butterflies in my stomach and make my way to the conference room where the interns, Ros, my department heads, and the dean of WSU are already waiting. I school my usual impassive demeanor; a look I have perfected since my heady days with Elena. Cool, Controlled and Calculated. I repeat the mantra over and over again and walk through the opened doors of the conference room.

I feel her presence before I even lay eyes on her. It's like a pulsating electromagnet pulling me to her. Good lord in heaven, my dreams have not done her justice. Here in the full light of day, she's even more beautiful than I remember. She's absolutely breathtaking and for a moment it feels like my heart has stopped beating. Her long chestnut hair forms a stark contrast to her smooth pale skin. In the light of day, it appears as if it was glowing like a halo on top of her head. Her big blue eyes are striking in her lovely elfin face, giving her almost a mystical appearance.

Her eyes lock with mine, and it feels like time stopped and everyone else in the room disappeared. For the first time since I last saw her, I felt alive again, like I have been woken from a long restless slumber. I could so easily drown in those large blue pools and I feel a sharp stab of disappointment when she turned her gaze away from me, breaking the spell. At the same time, a surge of happiness fills me; she recognized me! I stride inside with my usual confidence.

"Good morning all. I would like to welcome Jack Anderson from Washington State and our new interns to Grey Enterprises Holdings." I say curtly.

"Good morning." Everybody murmur back in unison.

I walk towards the head of the table, but I don't sit down. Instead, I remain standing behind the chair and look at all the new faces, lingering on Anastasia's.

"Here at Grey Enterprises Holdings, we believe that every talented student should be given the chance to get their diploma, excel at their chosen discipline and pursue their dreams. That is why I am proud to present our new internship program with collaboration with Washington State University. You six are the very first selected to participate in this program because you are all talented, dedicated and are the best in your chosen fields.

Here at GEH we want only the best, people that excel in everything we ask them to and don't back down from a challenge. We want not only the best people but we also want to get the best out of people because we believe in their abilities. That is why we feel that it is important to invest in each and everyone one of our interns and employees, because, at the end of the day, it is you that make this company the great company it is today. I am confident you will all perform exceptionally and prove to be a great addition to our company. Welcome to Grey Enterprises Holdings." I say and train my eyes on the stunning Miss Steele again, who quickly looks away. I wonder if she was shy or embarrassed and I resolve to find out after this meeting is over.

After I gave my short speech, the dean of WSU, Jack Anderson took over explaining the academic portion of the internship program. He spoke in a dull monotone voice, yet everybody was paying attention, scribbling down notes furiously. I look towards Anastasia, her eyebrows she is frowning and she is biting her plump bottom lip in utmost concentration. Why hadn't I noticed how juicy that lip was before? Holy f**k! That is one of the most arousing sights I have ever seen! I feel my c**k twitch in approval, and I shuffled in my chair hoping that nobody would see my discomfort. What the hell is this girl doing to me?

After the Dean was done, it was Ros's turn. Her charismatic and energetic personality drew everybody in immediately. Since she has become a mother, she seems even more confident and grounded than before. It's really odd how such a small thing could create such a huge impact on a person's life. I turn my attention to her and listen intently to what she has to say.

"Thank you, Jack, for your explanation of the academic side of things." She begins and he smiles and nods at her.

"As Mr. Grey already mentioned, we here at GEH believe that it is important to invest in people so they can cultivate their talents and grow to their full potential. This intern program has been designed to do just that. Each of you will be rotated throughout the different GEH departments so you learn and experience new things and discover new talents and interests. You will be divided into teams of two people and will directly work with the head of the department you are assigned to. The members of the teams will rotate with every department switch. Are there any questions so far?" Ros asked while looking around the group.

A blond haired good-looking hipster guy with trendy glasses immediately raises his hand in the air like he was still in third grade.

"Yes… Mr. Combs." Ros says after peering at the sheet in front of her.

"Miss Bailey ma'am, I understood from the brochure we were given that not every department is participating in this internship program. Can you please explain to us which departments we will be placed with?" He asks, and I can't help but be slightly impressed with his attention to detail.[HM6]

"An excellent question Mr. Combs. You all will rotate in the following departments. Public relations, Marketing, Research and Development, Mergers and Acquisitions, Finance, Legal, and finally IT. At the end of this meeting, you will be divided into groups and assigned to your department."

"Thank you." He says and turns towards Anastasia before smiling sweetly at her. To my utter annoyance, she shyly smiles back at him.

An unfamiliar feeling tightens my stomach. I do not like that. I do not like that at all. The strength of these feelings is both overwhelming and surprising. I never felt like this before. I glare at him and resolve to make sure he would not be grouped with Anastasia Steele.

"Any more questions?" Ros asks. When no more questions came, she continues her explanation of the rest of the program and then introduces the different department heads to the interns. She sits down next to me and I bend towards her ear.

"Ros, I want you to group the blond hipster with the jock." I say referring to the dark haired guy that was sitting next to Combs.

Ros raises a meticulously plucked eyebrow at me.

"Why?" She asks.

Fuck. I internally curse needing to come up with a good reason. I quickly scan the brief bios of the different interns that is placed in front of me. Carlos Herrera was the name of the jock.

"Carlos is a sportsman, an engineering major, the kind of guy that always wants to win and is used to make snap judgment decisions without thinking them through. Combs is a science major with a passion for fishing, is probably a thinker with a calm personality. I think they make a well-balanced team." I mutter to Ros.

The simple fact was that I do not want either of those pretty boys grouped with the stunning Miss. Steele.

Ros nods at me, seemingly satisfied with my reasoning.

"Good point Christian." She says and scribbles something down on the sheet in front of her.

After my department heads finish their introductions, Ros took over again.

"Thank you, Sam, for that great introduction of our PR department. I will now place you all into your respected group and assign you to the department you will start your internship with. Carlos Herrera and Nathan Combs, you will be working at IT. Emily Parker and Matt Durham will be working with at legal. Finally, Anastasia Steele and Kylie Jordan, you ladies will be working with Marketing. You will stay at this department for six weeks until you are rotated to a different one. After lunch, you will present yourself to your department head for further instructions. Any questions?" Ros asks again.

When nobody responds, Ros gives them a tight smile.

"Good. I want to thank you all for your attention and wish you good luck on your internship. Lunch has been provided for you today at the GEH restaurant. Enjoy."

Everyone gets up and mutter in approval. I swiftly follow suit hoping to catch a few moments alone with the lovely Miss. Steele. She is the last one to leave the conference room and I quickly catch up with her.

"Miss. Steele, a moment please." I say smoothly earning a puzzled look from Ros.

Anastasia halts mid-step and looks at me with a mixture of shock and surprise.

"Mr. Grey, sir?" Her voice is lyrical like a sweet siren's call. The way she enunciates "sir" travels right through my c**k and I shift uncomfortably on my feet. Yes, my libido is alive and kicking.

For months, I had dreamed of this moment, but now that it is finally here, I am at a loss for words. Was this a good idea? I have a few golden rules of business and number one has always been never f**k the staff. However, wasn't the point of all of this to see Anastasia again? To get to know her better and pursue a relationship with her? But what kind or relationship am I looking for? Do I want her as my sub? Or as a regular girlfriend? I never had a vanilla relationship before. Am I even capable of having a vanilla relationship in the first place?

She is pure and innocent; a bright star in a dark night and I am drawn to her light like a moth to a flame, even though she is way too good for me. Yet, I want her more than anything I have ever wanted in my entire life, and I am a selfish man. I always get what I want and I wasn't about to let Anastasia Steele slip through my fingers.

"What a lovely surprise seeing you again here at the headquarters of my company of all places. I trust you have been well?"

"Yes, thank you for asking sir." She replies flatly, the tone of her voice surprising me.

"Have you settled well in Seattle? I know it is a huge change from Vancouver."

"Yes sir, I have." She replies a little anxiously like she wants to get away from me ASAP. It irritated me. Had I misjudged her interest in me back in Portland? I severely doubted that I've always prided myself with how good I am at reading people; that is what made me so successful in the business world. Maybe she's shy or intimidated by knowing who I really am. Or maybe she sees the f****d up monster you really are Grey; a venomous little voice echoes through my head.

I smile at her hoping to ease the tension between us somewhat. I decide to be forward cutting right to the chase ending the small chat.

"I was wondering if you are free for coffee sometime?" I ask hopefully.

She visibly pales, and an alarming look appeared on her face completely startling me. This is not good.

"No sir, I don't think that's a good idea." She stammers a bit.

The sting of rejection felt like someone stabbed a knife in my heart and twisted it around. It was familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. What has changed over these months? I know she had been into me. I suck in a breath, hoping to calm the emotions whirling inside me. I open my mouth to ask for the reason of her rejection, but Ros interrupts me before the words leave my lips.

"Christian, Woods has majorly screwed up with implementing the new fiber optics network for Kavanagh media. Andrea has set up an emergency conference meeting now." Ros says, the irritation evident in her voice.

"f**k! I knew I should have fired that asshole months ago." I curse aloud. Kavanagh Media is a major client and a f**k up was the last thing I could use now.

I turn around to tell Ana that I wanted to continue this conversation some other time but she's already gone. What the f**k? Why was she acting this way? All these months of dreaming of her day and night, of fantasizing about what would happen when I would see her again. It all turned out to be an illusion. I resolve to find out after I deal with the mess Lucas Woods has created. I quickly send out a text to Welch to find out more about Miss. Steele before I walk back to the conference room.