Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told (Page 96)

Grey: Fifty Shades of Grey as Told by Christian(96)
Author: E.L. James

I put all thoughts of Miss Steele aside and start on a response to Elena.

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: The Weekend

Date: May 30 2011, 19:47

To: Elena Lincoln

Hello, Elena.

My mother has a big mouth. What can I say?

I met a girl. Brought her to dinner.

It’s not a big deal.

How goes it with you?

Best,

Christian

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

From: Elena Lincoln

Subject: The Weekend

Date: May 30 2011, 19:50

To: Christian Grey

Christian, that’s bullshit.

Let’s do dinner.

Tomorrow?

Ex

ELENA LINCOLN

ESCLAVA

For The Beauty That Is You™

Fuck!

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: The Weekend

Date: May 30 2011, 20:01

To: Elena Lincoln

Sure.

Best,

Christian

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

* * *

From: Elena Lincoln

Subject: The Weekend

Date: May 30 2011, 20:05

To: Christian Grey

Do you want to meet the girl I mentioned?

Ex

ELENA LINCOLN

ESCLAVA

For The Beauty That Is You™

Not at the moment.

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: The Weekend

Date: May 30 2011, 20:11

To: Elena Lincoln

I think I’ll let the arrangement I have now run its course.

See you tomorrow.

C.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

I sit down to read Fred’s draft proposal for Eamon Kavanagh, then move on to Marco’s summary of the publishing houses in Seattle.

JUST BEFORE 10:00 I’M distracted by a ping from my computer. It’s late. I assume it’s a message from Ana.

* * *

From: Anastasia Steele

Subject: Over-Extravagant Gestures

Date: May 30 2011 21:53

To: Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Grey,

What really alarms me is how you knew which flight I was on.

Your stalking knows no bounds. Let’s hope that Dr. Flynn is back from vacation.

I have had a manicure, a back massage, and two glasses of champagne—a very nice start to my vacation.

Thank you.

Ana

She’s been upgraded. Well done, Andrea.

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: You’re Most Welcome

Date: May 30 2011 21:59

To: Anastasia Steele

Dear Miss Steele,

Dr. Flynn is back, and I have an appointment next week.

Who was massaging your back?

Christian Grey

CEO with friends in the right places,

Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

I check the time of her e-mail. She should be on board right now, if her plane is on time. I quickly open Google and check departures from Sea-Tac. Her flight is on schedule.

* * *

From: Anastasia Steele

Subject: Strong Able Hands

Date: May 30 2011 22:22

To: Christian Grey

Dear Sir,

A very pleasant young man massaged my back. Yes. Very pleasant indeed. I wouldn’t have encountered Jean-Paul in the ordinary departure lounge—so thank you again for that treat.

What the hell?

I’m not sure if I’ll be allowed to e-mail once we take off, and I need my beauty sleep since I’ve not been sleeping so well recently.

Pleasant dreams, Mr. Grey…thinking of you.

Ana

Is she trying to make me jealous? Does she have any idea how mad I can get? She’s been gone for a few hours, and she’s deliberately making me angry. Why does she do this to me?

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: Enjoy It While You Can

Date: May 30 2011 22:25

To: Anastasia Steele

Dear Miss Steele,

I know what you’re trying to do—and trust me, you’ve succeeded. Next time you’ll be in the cargo hold, bound and gagged in a crate. Believe me when I say that attending to you in that state will give me so much more pleasure than merely upgrading your ticket.

I look forward to your return.

Christian Grey

Palm-Twitching CEO,

Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

Her response is almost immediate.

* * *

From: Anastasia Steele

Subject: Joking?

Date: May 30 2011 22:30

To: Christian Grey

You see—I have no idea if you’re joking—and if you’re not, then I think I’ll stay in Georgia. Crates are a hard limit for me. Sorry I made you mad. Tell me you forgive me.

A

Of course I’m joking…sort of. At least she knows I’m mad. Her plane should be taking off. How is she e-mailing?

* * *

From: Christian Grey

Subject: Joking

Date: May 30 2011 22:31

To: Anastasia Steele

How can you be e-mailing? Are you risking the life of everyone on board, including yourself, by using your BlackBerry? I think that contravenes one of the rules.

Christian Grey

Two-Palms-Twitching CEO,

Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.

And we know what happens if you contravene the rules, Miss Steele. I check the Sea-Tac website for flight departures; her plane has left. I won’t be hearing from her for a while. That thought, as well as her little e-mail stunt, has put me in a foul mood. Abandoning my work, I head into the kitchen and decide to pour myself a drink, tonight Armagnac.

Taylor pops his head around the entrance to the living room.

“Not now,” I bark.

“Very good, sir,” he says, and heads back to wherever he came from.

Don’t take your mood out on the staff, Grey.

Annoyed at myself, I walk toward the windows and stare out at the Seattle skyline. I wonder how she’s gotten under my skin, and why our relationship is not progressing in the direction I would like. I’m hoping that once she’s had a chance to reflect in Georgia, she’ll make the right decision. Won’t she?

Anxiety blooms in my chest. I take another slug of my drink and sit down at my piano to play.

TUESDAY, MAY 31, 2011

* * *

Mommy is gone. I don’t know where.

He’s here. I hear his boots. They are loud boots.

They have silver buckles. They stomp. Loud.

He stomps. And he shouts.

I am in Mommy’s closet.

Hiding.

He won’t hear me.

I can be quiet. Very quiet.

Quiet because I’m not here.

“You fucking bitch!” he shouts.

He shouts a lot.

“You fucking bitch!”

He shouts at Mommy.

He shouts at me.

He hits Mommy.

He hits me.

I hear the door close. He’s not here anymore.

And Mommy is gone, too.

I stay in the closet. In the dark. I’m very quiet.