Fifty Shades Freed Read online

  "That's a matter of public record, Miss Steele." My voice is arctic. She

  should know this shit. Now she looks contrite. Good.

  "You've had to sacrifice a lamih life for your work."

  "Thai's not a question," I snap.

  She blushes again and bites down on that damned lip. But she has the grace

  to apologize.

  "Have you had to sacrifice a familv life for your «orkT

  What do I mint with a fucking family?

  "I have a family, i have a brother and a sister and two loving parents. I'm not

  interested in extending my family beyond that."

  "Are you gay, Mr. Grey?"

  What the fuck! I cannot believe she's said that out loud! The unspoken ques-

  tion that my own family dares not ask, much to my amusement. Hmv dare she! 1

  have to fight down the urge to drag Iter out of her scat, bend iter across my knee,

  and spank the living shil oni of her. then fuck Iter over m> desk with her hands

  lied light i 1 i I u I 11 1 Thai w it s h qi lion I I In mating

  this female? 1 take a deep calming breath. To my indiclivc delight, she appears to

  be acutely embarrassed by her own question.

  "No, Anastasia, I'm not." I raise my eyebrows, but keep my expression im-

  passive. Anastasia. It is a lovely name. I like the way my tongue rolls around it.

  " I apologize. It's um . . . written here." Nervously, she tucks her hair behind

  her ear.

  She doesn't know her own questions? Perhaps they're not hers. I ask Iter, ami

  she pales. Fuck, she really is very attractive, in an understated sort of way. I

  would even go so far as to say she is beautiful.

  "Er ... no. Kate— Miss Kavanagh— she compiled the questions."

  "Are you colleagues on lite student pane: ?"

  No wonder she is all over the place. I scratch my chin, debating whether to

  give her a really, really hard time.

  "Did you volunteer to do this interview?" I ask, and I'm rewarded w itlt her

  submissive look: eves large, nervous about in; reaction. I like the effect 1 have on

  her.

  "1 was drafted. She's not well," she says softly.

  "That explains a great deal."

  There's a knock at the door, and Andrea appears. "Mr. Grey, forgive me for

  interrupting, but your next meeting is in two minutes."

  "We're not finished here. Andrea. Please cancel m next meeting."

  Andrea hesitates, gaping at me. I stare at her. Out! Now! I'm busy with Little

  Miss Steele hen vt i i I scarlc I til ecovcrs quickly.

  "Very well, Mr. Grey," she says, and turning on her heel, she leaves us.

  I turn my attention back lo ih v - inlrigning. frustrating creature on nt conch.

  "Where were we, Miss Steele?"

  "Please don't let mc keep you from anything."

  Oh no. baby. It's my turn now. I want to know if there are any secrets to un-

  co er behind those beautiful exes.

  "I want lo know about you. I think that's only fair." As 1 lean back and press

  my fingers to my lip-., iter eve-, Hick lo nn mouth and she swallows. Oh, yes — the

  usual effect And it i n i i i kin ntplelely oblivious to my

  charms.

  "There's not much to know shcsixs her I It retui ig I'm intimidaling

  her. Good.

  "What arc your plans alter you graduate?"

  She shrugs. "1 haven't made any plans, Mr. Grey. 1 just need to get through

  my final exams."

  "We run an excellent internship program here " l-iick. \ hal possessed mc lo

  n " I" king this She lo rpriscd. a id h i elh in -v into that lip again.

  "Oh. I'll bear that in mind," she mumbles. Then as an afterthought she says.

  Why the hell not? What's wrong with my company'.'

  "Why do you say that?" 1 ask.

  "Not to me." I'm confounded by her response.

  She's flustered again as site reaches for the mini-disc recorder. Shit, she's go-

  ing. Mentally I ran through my schedule for that afternoon — there is nothing that

  "Would you like me to show you around?"

  "I'm sure you're far loo busy. Mr. ( irey. and 1 do has e a long drive"" You're

  driving back to WSU in Vancouver?" I glance out the window. It's one hell of a

  drive, and it's raining. Shit. She shouldn't be driving in this weather, but I can't

  forbid her. The thought irritates me. "Well, you'd better drive carefully." My

  She fumbles with the mini-disc. She wants out of my office, and for some

  reason 1 can't explain. I don't want her to go.

  "Did you get c entiling ou need'.'" I add in a transparent effort to prolong

  "Yes, sir," she says quietly.

  Her response floors me — the way those words sound, coming out of that

  smart month and briefly ! imagine that mouth al m beck and call.

  "Thank you for the interview, Mr. Grey."

  "The pleasure's >eei id mine [i spoil trulhfull bei iusc I haven't been

  this fascinated b an) one in a long v Idle. The thought is unsettling

  She stands anil I extend m hand, eager to touch her

  "Until we meet again, Miss Steele." My voice is low as she places her small

  hand in mine. Yes, I want to II, i i i playroom Have her

  bound and wanting . . needing me. trusting me. i swallow /; am 't going to hap-

  I i 1 i thd I h d quid U too quickly.

  Shit, I can't let her go like this. It's obvious she is desperate to leave. Irrita-

  "Just ensuring ou make il through the door. Miss Steele."

  "That's very considerate, Mr. Grey," she snaps,

  liss St I 1 1 i i 1 I n behind h i i ind 1 ollovv in her wake.

  Both Andrea and Olivia look up in shock. Yeah, yeah. I in just seeing the girl out.

  "Did you have a coal?" I ask.

  "Yes."

  I scowl at simpering Olivia, who immediately leaps up to retrieve a navy

  coat. Taking it, I glare at her to sit down. Christ, Olivia is annoying— mooning

  Hmm. The coat is from Walmart. Miss Anastasia Steele should be better

  dressed. I hold it up for her, and as I pull it over her slim shoulders, I touch the

  skin at the base of her neck. She stills at the contact and pales. Yes! She is affected

  b i ilu ii lv pleasing. Sirol er to the elevator, I

  i ih 1 lii i I I i I i I 1 in i

  Oh, I coul I

  i ill ii ltLii turns to face me.

  "Anastasia." I uirm r. s ing g d-bc

  "Christian," she whispers. And the elevator doors close, leaving my name

  hanging in the air, sounding odd, unfamiliar, but sexy as hell.

  Well, fuck me. What was that?

  I need to know more about this girl. "Andrea," 1 snap as I stalk back into my

  office. "Get me Welch on the line, now."

  As I sit at my desk and wait for the call, I look at the paintings on the wall of

  my office, and Miss Steele';. words drill back u> me. "Raising the ordinary to ex-

  traordinary Slice I 11 i I nbingheiclt

  My phone buzzes.

  "I have Mr. Welch on the line for you."

  "Put him through."

  "Yes, sir."

  "Welch. 1 need ,: background check "

  Scilwckiy. Mar 14. 201 1

  Anastasia Rose Steele

  DOB:

  Mobile No:

  Social Security No:

  Banking Details:

  Occupation:

  GPA:

  Prior Education:

  SAT Score:

  Employment:

  Sept 10, 1989, Montesano, WA

  1 1 14 SW Green Street, Apartment 7,
<
br />   Haven Heights, Vancouver, WA 98888

  360 959 4352

  987-65-4320

  Wells Fargo Bank, Vancouver, WA 98888

  AcctNo: 309361: S683. 16 balance

  Undergraduate Student

  WSU Vancouver College of Liberal Arts

  - English Major

  4.0

  Montesano JR-SR High School

  2150

  Clayton's Hardware Store,

  NW Vancouver Drive, Portland, OR (part-time)

  Franklin A. Lambert

  DOB: Sept 1, 1969, Deceased Sept 11, 1989

  Carla May Wilks Adams

  DOB: July 18, 1970

  Religious Affiliations:

  Sexual Orientation:

  Relationships:

  in Frank Lambert

  -March 1, 1989, widowed Sept 11, 1989

  m Raymond Steele

  - June 6, 1990, divorced July 12, 2006

  m Stephen M. Morton

  - August 16, 2006, divorced January 31, 2007

  m Robbin (Bob) Adams

  - April 6, 2009

  None Found

  None Found

  Not known

  None ind

  I pore over the executive summary for the hundredth lime since 1 received it

  two days ago, lool i t n nsighl i i i lal Wiss -nastasia Rose

  Steele. I cannot gel the damned woman out of m mind, and it's seriously begin-

  ning to piss me off. This pasl week, during particular!} dull meetings, I've found

  myself replaying the interview in my head. Her fumbling lingers on the recorder,

  the mi she tucked lie' hair behind Iter ear. die lip biting. I t v The fucking lip bit-

  Andnow, here I am. parked outside Clayton'?,, the modest hardware store on

  the outskirts of Portland where she works.

  I knew it would lead to this. All week ... I knew I'd have to sec her again.

  I'd known it since she uttered my name in the elevator and disappeared into the

  see if I'd forget about I i i n i ing for anything.

  I've never actively pursued a woman before. The women I've had understood

  what I expected of them. My fear now is that Miss Steele is just too young and

  that she won't be interested in what I have to offer . . . will she? Will she even

  make a good submissive? I shake my head. There's only one way to find out . . .

  so here I am, a fucking ass. sitting in a suburban parking lot in a dreary part of

  Portland.

  Her background check has produced nothing remarkable — except the last

  fact, which has been at the forefront of my mind. It's the reason I'm here. Why no

  hoy/fiend. AZ/v.s Steele? Sexual orientation unknown perhaps she's gay. I snort,

  thinking that unlikely I recall the question she asked during the interview, her

  acute embarrassment, the \a her -.kin Hushed a pale rose . . . Shit. I've been suf-

  fering from these ludicrous thoughts since ! met her.

  That ,v why you 're here.

  I'm itching to see her again — those blue eyes have haunted me, even in my

  dreams. I haven't mentioned Iter to Flynn. and I'm glad because I'm now behav-

  ing like a stalker. Perhaps I should let him know. I roll my eyes — I don't want

  him hounding me about his latest solution-based shit. I just need a distraction . . .

  and right now the only distraction I « ant is « orking as a salesclerk in a hardware

  You >e come till this way. Let's see if little Miss Steele is as appealing as vou

  /■ciiicml : Shown'/ < I climl ut I i i nil icross the lot to the

  front door. A bell chimes a. Hal electronic note as 1 w alk in.

  The stoic is mu 1 i Mini 1 ! nl md ilthough it is al-

  most lunchtimc the | is quiet, hot i i i lislcs and aisles of the

  usual crap you'd expect I'd forgotten the possibilities that a hardware store could

  present to someone like me. I mainly shop online for my needs, but while I'm

  here, maybe I'll stock up on a few items . . . Velcro, split rings — Yeah. I'll find

  the delectable Miss Steele and have some fun.

  It takes me all of three seconds to spot her. She's hunched over the counter,

  stunt intend} t i i i i i -a bagel. Unthink-

  ing, she wipes a crumb from the corner of her lips and into her mouth and sucks

  on her linger. My cock twitches in response, l-)ttk: What ant I. fourteen? My reac-

  tion is fucking irril in I escent res| I stop if I fetter, fuck,

  and flog her . . . and not necessarily in that order. Yeah. That's what I need.

  She is thoroughly absorbed in her task, and it gives me an opportunity to

  study her. Salacious thoughts aside, she is attractive, seriously attractive. I've re-

  membered her well.

  v k I i ii, i ! cs. pinning n elligei lisccrnfng eyes — the

  bluest of blue that seem to sec right through me. It's as unnen ing as the first time

  I met her. She just stares, shocked 1 think, and I don't know if this is a good re-

  sponse or a bad response.

  "Miss Steele. What a pleasant surprise."

  "Mr. Grey," she win ers. I i md 111 od Ah ... a good response.

  "I was in the area. 1 need to stock up on a few things. It's a pleasure to see

  you again, Miss Stu 1 I pic r, She's drc cd light T-shirt and jeans,

  not the shapeless shit she was wearing earlier this week. She's all long legs, small

  waist, and perfect tits. She continues to gape, and I have to resist the urge to reach

  out and tip her chin i i to close her moul llown •> mle just to see you,

  and the way you look right n