Disobey Me (Christian & Anastasia-snippet)
Crime and Punishment
...
“Good morning Seattle! Those of you who are just waking up or joining us during your drive to work, welcome! It is a rainy day in Seattle. The local forecast indicates rain all through the afternoon. Current temperature is 58 degrees and the temperatures will be 67 degrees in the highs today. Jenny Hughes and John Clark are on Chopper 7 covering the traffic in Seattle and the Puget Sound area beginning at 4:30 a.m. Now for the traffic and local news, let’s tune in to Chopper 7. Jenny, what can you tell us?
Thank you Robert. Good morning Seattle! We are on Chopper 7 right now over I-90 ...” I hear the local news radio. I blink my eyes open to look into Anastasia’ smile. The light outside is muted, and gray, unlike my mood. “Good morning,” says Anastasia as she leans in and kisses me, caressing my face with her fingers.
“Good morning baby. I usually wake up before the alarm goes off,” I murmur. I have had an uninterrupted sleep. No nightmares, no disturbances.
“It’s so early.”
“It is, Miss Steele, but I have to get up,” I say grinning and kissing her. She murmurs something about being tired, and closes her eyes, and goes back to sleep. I’ll let her sleep until I get ready. I go shave and shower, and dress in my white shirt and black suit. When I get back into my bedroom, Anastasia is still sleeping.
“Come on sleepy head. Time to get up,” I say leaning over her. She inhales deep, and her eyes take a salacious look.
“What?” I ask.
“I wish you’d come back to bed,” she pleads instantly making me desirous for her. What have I created here? A greedy goddess! My lips part to exhale.
“You’re insatiable Miss Steele. As much as the invitation is appealing, I have an eight thirty meeting, which means I have to leave shortly.”
“What?” she exclaims and jumps out of bed like a bat out of hell, and runs into the bathroom full speed making me smile in amusement. The next thing I hear is the shower water running, and Anastasia squealing “ow, hot, hot!!” in protests to the shower water.
I walk into Taylor’s office, and all the security detail that are with him stand up as I enter.
“Taylor, after you drop me off this morning, I want you to come back, and take Miss Steele to work. Sawyer is to ride with you. Miss Steele doesn’t want security detail with her, but we’ll have to provide her security without her knowledge.” I say. Taylor nods knowing.
“Sawyer, after Taylor drops Miss Steele off, let him drop you off at a convenient distance. I want you to watch the SIP building like a hawk, and the second she leaves the building, or if there is anyone who is not supposed to be entering the building, you are to call me. Understand?”
“Yes, sir,” he says firmly. I nod.
“Taylor, I need a word with you,” I say, and he follows me out.
“Yes, sir?” he asks.
“I need you to drill into Sawyer the importance of him following Anastasia, and that he is not to be seen, but always have an eye on the building. I don’t want fuck ups. The second she steps out of the building, he must call me, but must continue to follow her to ensure her safety. Got it?”
“Perfectly sir,” says Taylor in a firm voice.
“Great, take me to work in about 10 minutes.”
“Yes, sir.”
I make my way out to the kitchen area. Mrs. Jones is fixing breakfast. “What would you like this morning Mr. Grey?” she asks.
“I’ll have egg omelet with fruits Mrs. Jones. And can I also get a cup of coffee?”
“Certainly, sir,” she responds.
“You can make pancakes and bacon for Miss Steele, and she would like to take lunch from home today,” I add.
“Yes, sir.”
My breakfast is served, and I polish my plate up clean. Mrs. Jones pours my second cup of coffee, and Anastasia appears from the doorway all dressed in a fitted gray pencil skirt with pale gray silk shirt, and completing the wardrobe with high heeled black pumps. Her hair is all pulled up. She is one sight for sore eyes, taking my breath away. I get up as she approaches the breakfast bar.
“You look lovely,” I can barely murmur. I wrap my arms around her, and kiss her right under her ear at the crook of her neck.
“Good morning Miss Steele,” says Mrs. Jones politely, and places her breakfast in front of her.
“Oh, thank you. Good morning!” she replies Mrs. Jones.
“Mr. Grey says that you’d like to take your lunch with you to work. What would you like to eat?” Anastasia turns to look at me, and by the way she’s scrutinizing me, I try very hard not to smirk.
“A sandwich...salad. I really don’t mind.” She smiles at Mrs. Jones.
“I’ll rustle you a packed lunch in no time, ma’am.”
“Please call me Ana, Mrs. Jones.”
“Ana,” she says smiling, and starts making Anastasia’s tea.
I see Taylor standing by the entryway. I turn to Anastasia and say, “I have to go to work baby. Taylor will come back and drop you at work with Sawyer.”
“Only to the door.”
“Yes. Only to the door,” I say rolling my eyes at her. “Be careful, though.”
I grasp Anastasia’s chin and kiss her.
“Laters, baby,” I say.
“Have a good day at the office dear,” she calls after me, completely stopping me in my tracks. Dear? I can get used to the terms of endearment. I turn to Anastasia and give her a big smile.
Taylor and I make our way down to the garage. He opens the door to the SUV, and we drive out of the garage, and merge into the Seattle traffic.
“Once you drop Miss Steele at SIP and Sawyer at the vicinity, come back to GEH.”
“Yes, sir.”
“If for any reason Sawyer can’t reach me, he is to contact you immediately should Miss Steele leave the SIP building. You know the protocol.”
“Understood, sir,” he replies.
I take out my Blackberry and write Anastasia an e-mail.
____________________________________________
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Boss
To: Anastasia Steele
Good morning Miss Steele,
I just wanted to say thank you for a wonderful weekend despite all the incidents.
I just hope that you never ever leave.
And just to remind you that the news of SIP is embargoed for four weeks. Delete this message as soon as you’ve read it.
Yours,
Christian Grey,
CEO & Your boss’s boss’s boss.
____________________________________________
Will she understand my message? I want her to stay with me...indefinitely. But, I don’t want to ask that outright, making her run away. Can she figure out what I’m trying to ask her? I hope so. Taylor drops me off to GEH, and I quickly make my way to my office.
Andrea greets me at door.
“Good morning Mr. Grey! Your 8:30 is already here. I’ve taken the liberty to put them in the conference rooms. Ros is already with them.”
“Thank you. Bring my laptop,” I say as I make my way into the conference room. With my entry everyone stands up. A collective, “good morning Mr. Grey,” comes out of them automatically. I feel like a principal who entered into a high school classroom for inspection.
“Good morning, everyone!” I respond. A few minutes later Andrea comes in knocking.
“I apologize for my intrusion Mr. Grey,” she says and set my laptop before me.
“Thank you. You may bring my coffee Andrea,” I say after seeing all the participants are properly supplied with both coffee and water.
After greeting and introductions to some of the new members of the finance team, we dive into our meeting.
I feel the buzz of my Blackberry in my pocket, and I eye my e-mail on the screen. There is a message from Anastasia which brightens my day already.
____________________________________________
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Bossy
To: Christian Grey
My dear Mr. Grey,
Are you asking me to move in with you? I of course remembered the evidence of your epic stalking capabilities is embargoed for another four weeks. Please don’t delete this email. Please respond to it.
ILY xxx
Anastasia Steele
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP
____________________________________________
How does a man supposed to concentrate when she’s like that? Yes, yes, yes! Move in with me! Stay with me, always! I quickly type her response.
____________________________________________
From: Christian Grey
Subject: Me, Bossy?
To: Anastasia Steele
Yes. Please.
Christian Grey,
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
____________________________________________
As I hit send, the meeting is getting into full swing.
“Mr. Grey, as you have requested, we have completed the emerging market analysis and the results show us that there are a few very viable options for GEH. If things turn bad in Spain for instance, they sell Russian assets. In fact that is the case for any Euro zone country. Whenever bad news from one of the Eurozone countries emerges, selloffs are triggered in such markets as Central and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, or even Latin America.”
“How is that good news for GEH?”
“Price is the driving reason Mr. Grey. We predict that the global investors will get more risk-averse in the next six months, and this may trigger them selling of more Russian assets, because they’re worried by the US budget deficit, they may sell Russia because they’re worried about Spain. The way it works is sir, is that in order to protect their capital, they buy Northern European bonds, which promise to take away your capital rather than your Russian or Asian stocks for instance. This means that the emerging market assets are undervalued because of the fear of risk,” says Ipkins, a skinny man with receding hairline in his 50s with a shrewd eye in business and money market with little fashion sense and all too large glasses for his face with no smile that I can recall as long as I’ve known him.
“Mr. Ipkins, I know that in the north of the European continent, the recent yields went negative resulting in investors paying for the privilege of buying the debt. I don’t consider that much of a privilege, but I digress. They now hold government paper with maturities of less than two years in Austria, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, Germany and Netherlands.”
His eyes gleam with excitement and that’s the happiest I’ve seen this man in ages.
“Yes, sir! This is the key attraction of emerging markets for us, because it continues to be stronger growth outlook. I strongly suggest that we stay committed to our preference for emerging markets over developed markets,” he says.
“I admit that there is a bigger potential in growth in emerging markets than in developed markets. So, what it boils down finally is choosing my markets carefully. I want to see a steady growth in the last 3 years, even if it is infinitesimal. Have you done research on that field?”
“I’m glad you asked sir,” says Mr. Ipkins quickly gesturing his assistant a bookish type young man who quickly goes through some reports under his hand.
My Blackberry buzzes again. I open my e-mail on my laptop.
____________________________________________
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: Flynnisms
To: Christian Grey
Christian, we're supposed to walk before we run? Can we please just talk about this tonight?
I’ve also been asked to go to a conference in New York on Thursday which requires an overnight stay on Wednesday. Just wanted to let you know.
A x
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP
____________________________________________
What the fuck! What trip? What travel? With whom? I leave this woman for what, half an hour, and she’s off to New York with God knows who! Do I take off someplace without letting her know? Why is she doing that to me?
____________________________________________
From: Christian Grey
Subject: WHAT?
To: Anastasia Steele
Yeah. Let’s talk this evening. Is this a trip you'd be taking on your own?
Christian Grey,
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
____________________________________________
You better tell me it’s all by your little self, and not with that jerk of a boss, the fucking panty eyeing dickhead!
No answer comes back.
“And this is what we concluded. What do you think Mr. Grey?”
“What?”
Ros eyes me carefully with my changed demeanor.
“What Mr. Grey is trying to say is that he needs to evaluate all your reports. Such large investments cannot be decided in one meeting or without going over all aspects of business. You are after all asking him to invest a substantial amount of money.”
“That’s why it’s a great market for you sir,” adds Ipkins. “Cash is king, and you can buy any of them you want.”
Mr. O’Connell, another business associate of Ipkins’ jump in. “Mr. Grey, other analysts, including myself concur that developing countries are the place to be for the long terms, especially as in some of them valuations are really cheap.”
“I realize that, but I think there are better places to invest, as I too have done my research. Among the better placed, I have an independent group of analysts mentioned China, where bank loans have risen, and of course Russia is still ‘very cheap’ in terms of valuation, and even some Central and Eastern European countries and Turkey as well placed to withstand the storm. So, I want you to all bear in mind, that I employ independent analysts to verify all the facts you’re presenting, and expect, the best financially viable list to be presented to me. Said that, I want you to all to go over the list of countries where you think the investment is a good idea, and why. Impress me,” I say leaning back in my chair my arms crossed with an impassive face.
My rising anger towards Anastasia changes my mood in the meeting. My Blackberry buzzes again, and my hand moves the mouse to open the message she sent me on my laptop.
____________________________________________
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: No Bold Shouty Capital on a Monday morning!
To: Christian Grey
Can we please just talk about this tonight?
A x
Assistant to Jack Hyde, Commissioning Editor, SIP
____________________________________________
She’s evading me! Fuck! Fuck! I need to hit something and I’m in a fucking meeting! One single fucking line form her can boil my blood to dangerous levels! It is with that dickhead of a boss she has.
____________________________________________
From: Christian Grey
Subject: You haven’t seen SHOUTY yet.
To: Anastasia Steele
Tell me, Anastasia, will you be taking this trip with that sleaze ball you work with, then the answer is no. OVER MY FUCKING DEAD BODY!
Christian Grey,
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
____________________________________________
What the hell is she trying to do to me? The man is going to use any means to get into her panties. I’ve seen it in his eyes. I know the type. It takes one to know one!
My hands start shaking almost in utmost anger, and I have to hide it under the table, try to calm down myself. Luckily, Mr. Ipkins’ assistant is going through a PowerPoint presentation of various emerging markets, so all I have to do is to listen to him to distract myself. Anastasia responds in about ten grueling, stretching minutes.
____________________________________________
From: Anastasia Steele
Subject: No YOU haven’t seen shouty yet!
Date: June 13, 2011 09:45
To: Christian Grey
Yes. It’s with my boss Jack. I really want to go. It’s an exciting opportunity for me. And I’ve never been to New York. I want to see it.
Don’t get your knickers in a twist just because I'm taking a business trip.
A x
____________________________________________
Shit Ana! Does she not realize that the jerk wad of a boss she has is a womanizer? I can tell that I’ve only met the guy once! That guy has no boundaries, and he made sure to insinuate that to me during the pissing contest. He wants what is mine!
____________________________________________
From: Christian Grey
Subject: No YOU haven’t seen shouty anything yet.
To: Anastasia Steele
Anastasia, it’s not my fucking knickers I’m worried about.
The answer is an ABSOLUTE NO.
Christian Grey,
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.
____________________________________________
The fucking meeting is going on, and I’m boiling mad. I’m ready to burst out of here to SIP and sling her over my shoulder with a big swat on her ass, and take her home to keep her safe!
Ipkins’ assistant in babbling about China, now. Ros is paying attention for both of us; God knows I can’t when my mind is giving Anastasia the spanking of her life! Her message buzzes once more.
She sends me a response some shit about trusting. I trust her, I don't trust him!
.....
(continued on the blog...)