Fifty Shades Trilogy 02 - Fifty Shades Darker

tone clipped.
    “Leila?”
    “Yes.”
    “The place looks very new.”
    “It’s been refurbished recently.”
    “I see. So Mrs. Robinson met all your subs.”
    “Yes.”
    “Did they know about her?”
    “No. None of them did. Only you.”
    “But I’m not your sub.”
    “No, you most definitely are not.”
    I stop and face him. His eyes are wide, fearful. His lips are pressed into a hard, uncompromising line.
    “Can you see how fucked-up this is?” I glare up at him, my voice low.
    “Yes. I’m sorry.” And he has the grace to look contrite.
    “I want to get my hair cut, preferably somewhere where you haven’t fucked either the staff or the clientele.”
    He flinches.
    “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”
    “You’re not running. Are you?” he asks.
    “No, I just want a damn haircut. Somewhere I can close my eyes, have someone wash my hair, and forget about all this baggage that accompanies you.”
    He runs his hand through his hair. “I can have Franco come to the apartment, or your place,” he says quietly.
    “She’s very attractive.”
    He blinks. “Yes, she is.”
    “Is she still married?”
    “No. She divorced about five years ago.”
    “Why aren’t you with her?”
    “Because that’s over between us. I’ve told you this.” His brow creases suddenly. Holding his finger up, he fishes his Blackberry out of his jacket pocket. It must be vibrating because I don’t hear it ring.
    “Welch,” he snaps, then listens. We are standing on Second Avenue, and I gaze in the direction of the larch sapling in front of me, its leaves the newest green.  
    People bustle past us, lost in their Saturday morning chores. No doubt contemplating their own personal dramas. I wonder if they include stalker ex-submissives, stunning ex-Dommes, and a man who has no concept of privacy under United States law.
    “Killed in a car crash? When?” Christian interrupts my reverie.
    Oh no. Who? I listen more closely.
    “That’s twice that bastard’s not been forthcoming. He must know. Does he have no feelings for her whatsoever?” Christian shakes his head in disgust. “This is beginning to make sense . . . no . . . explains why, but not where.” Christian glances around us as if searching for something, and I find myself mirroring his actions. Nothing catches my eye. There are just the shoppers, the traffic, and the trees.
    “She’s here,” Christian continues. “She’s watching us . . . Yes . . . No. Two or four, twenty-four seven . . . I haven’t broached that yet.” Christian looks at me directly.
    Broached what? I frown, at him and he regards me warily.
    “What . . . ,” he whispers and pales, his eyes widening. “I see. When? . . . That recently? But how? . . . No background checks? . . . I see. E-mail the name, address, and photos if you have them . . . twenty-four seven, from this afternoon. Liaise with Taylor.” Christian hangs up.
    “Well?” I ask, exasperated. Is he going to tell me?
    “That was Welch.”
    “Who’s Welch?”
    “My security advisor.”
    “Okay. So what’s happened?”
    “Leila left her husband about three months ago and ran off with a guy who was killed in a car accident four weeks ago.”
    “Oh.”
    “The asshole shrink should have found that out,” he says angrily. “Grief, that’s what this is. Come.” He holds out his hand, and I automatically place mine in his before I snatch it away again.
    “Wait a minute. We were in the middle of a discussion, about us. About her, your Mrs. Robinson.”
    Christian’s face hardens. “She’s not my Mrs. Robinson. We can talk about it at my place.”
    “I don’t want to go to your place. I want to get my hair cut!” I shout. If I can just focus on this one thing . . .  
    He grabs his Blackberry from his pocket again and dials a number. “Greta, Christian Grey. I want Franco at my place in an hour. Ask Mrs. Lincoln . . . Good.” He puts his phone away. “He’s coming at one.”
    “Christian . . . !” I splutter, exasperated.
    “Anastasia, Leila is obviously suffering a psychotic break. I don’t know if it’s you or me she’s after, or what lengths she’s prepared to go to. We’ll go to your place, pick up your things, and you can stay with me until we’ve tracked her down.”
    “Why would I want to do that?”
    “So I can keep you safe.”
    “But—”
    He glares at me. “You are coming back to my apartment if I have to drag you there by your hair.”
    I