The Life of Mrs. Fifty Shades | Chapter 8

The Life of Mrs. Fifty Shades

Chapter Eight

Christian

“I’ll be right back. Just need to say a few words to Crow.”

Ever since our argument last night, Ana dropped her resentment toward me. Hurt I didn’t confide my secrets to her, she pushed me away. Without realizing what was happening, I distanced myself from the one woman who completed me.

I wish I could take it back.

The arrival of my birth father still left a bad taste in my mouth, and Ana’s optimistic belief that everyone was good was just irritating. There was no doubt that man only wanted one thing from me. I was tempted to write him a check if he just disappeared.

“Okay.” She kept her safety belt on and looked at me with a smile.

I still didn’t like the way she looked at Crow. I’d never experienced jealousy with anyone before Ana, but now I felt it at a high magnitude. Perhaps it stemmed from the fact she said he reminded her of myself—the darkness, the coldness. He and I really were similar. But I never wanted Ana to think of anyone but me in that way.

I left the car running and approached the front door. Lars saw me in and guided me to the waiting area in the entryway. A table with three couches sat off to the left. Lars immediately retrieved tea and coffee like it’d already been prepared before I arrived.

“He’ll be out in a moment,” Lars said.

“Thank you.” I crossed my legs and glanced at my watch.

A moment later, Crow emerged down the stairs in his sharp business attire. He always wore ties unique in their bright color. Today, the tie he wore was teal. It contrasted against his gray, crisp suit. “What a nice surprise.” He sat on the opposite couch, his face cleanly shaven. “And Mrs. Grey?”

           

“She’s in the car.”

Crow held my look with his typical stoic expression. “Is there something else you wanted to discuss?”

“Yes. But it’s about a different kind of business.”

He leaned back in the chair and crossed his legs. “This sounds interesting.”

“It’s about Mrs. Grey. I have a favor.”

He cocked his head slightly. “I’m listening.”

“I’ve had some recent developments in my personal life. Things aren’t clear at the moment, but there’s a possibility I may have a nemesis on my hands.”

Crow continued to listen, his dark eyes trained on me.

“I have my security detail, and I’m careful. But sometimes, things slip through the cracks.”

“What are you asking me, Christian?”

He always wanted to get to the point. “If something happens to me, I want you to take Mrs. Grey and my two children.”

His eyes narrowed at the revelation. “I didn’t know you had children.”

“Two. One boy and one girl.”

He nodded slightly. “That sounds nice.” He didn’t mean the words whatsoever. He didn’t believe in marriage, and he certainly didn’t want children. Perhaps if he had them, he would change his mind. But that was a conversation for another time.

“You’re the only person I trust to protect them. If Taylor fails me, he’ll fail them as well. You have the resources, the power, and the ability to extract them and keep them safe until I’m able to return.”

Crow soaked in everything I said without giving his thoughts away. “That’s a big responsibility.”

“Then you understand I don’t take it lightly.”

He rubbed his fingers across his chin. “I’ll take care of them. I have men near the ports in Escala. If something goes wrong, let me know, and I’ll get them here as quickly as possible.”

It was a testament to our business relationship as well as our personal relationship that he agreed. We’d been working together since Grey House got off the ground. We respected each other for our remarkable work ethics and commitment to financial domination. We were so alike that sometimes I thought I was speaking to myself. “Name what you want in return.” A smart man never did anything for free.

“Nothing.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll want something one day. I’ll save it for another time.”

I did favors for a lot of people, and I never forgot the debt they owed me. It came in handy when I wanted to conquer a new obstacle. All I had to do was ask and they would oblige immediately. Crow was doing the same thing. “Then we have a deal.”

“In the event something does happen to you, do you want me to retrieve you. Because that’s a separate favor.”

“No. All your focus needs to be on my family. I’m expendable. Do you understand me?”

The direct question rubbed him the wrong way. He stared at me coldly, his eyes dilating at the offense. He met force with force, and his jaw clenched in irritation. “Yes. I understand you’re worthless.”

Despite the seriousness of the situation, the corner of my mouth rose in a smile.

He mirrored the look. “Are you going to tell me who this enemy is? Might be useful if things go to shit.”

I didn’t talk about my past with anyone besides Ana. I didn’t dwell into the feelings hidden deep inside my heart. It was a frightening place, full of darkness and vulnerability. But it was necessary to tell Crow the facts. “I’m adopted. I’m sure you know that.”

“Yes. It’s on Wikipedia.” That arrogant smile was there again.

“Shortly before I left, my birth father tracked me down at my office in an attempt to rekindle our lost relationship.”

Crow kept a blank face, but his eyes were glued to mine in focus.

“He sent me a letter previously but I didn’t respond. Then he thought it would be better if he stopped by. I told him to fuck off and never show his face again. But with my luck, he’ll be back. When it comes to money, people are irrational. And if he went out of his way to corner me, then he’s definitely irrational.”

Crow finally nodded. “After twenty something years of absence, there’s only one reason why he would show up.”

I’m glad Crow understood me. Ana was dead wrong.

“You could give him a cut to get him to disappear.”

“I’m not doing that.” Whether it was out of pride or stubbornness, I wouldn’t give my hard-earned money to some jackass who did nothing to deserve it. He paid my mom money for a quick lay then took off. Maybe his DNA was inside me, but that was it—nothing more. “Besides, he might come back and ask for more.”

Crow nodded in agreement. He rested his hand on his thigh, his silver watch glinting in the limited light. He had a taste for the finer things in life. Despite his various professions and rugged interior, he had a particular desire for elegance and class—like myself. “Very true. You could just take him out.”

I understood what he was implying. “If he lays a hand on me or my family, yes. But I’m not going to preemptively strike when I’m not sure of his motivations.”

“So just be cautious?”

I nodded.

“How will you contact me? In the event this man does successfully contain you?”

I pulled a pen from my pocket and turned it so Crow could see the small button on the side. “I’ll have Mrs. Grey hit this button. You’ll be able to track her.” I tossed the pen toward him.

Crow caught it and examined it. It looked like a normal pen in every way. It even had ink. He tossed it back. “Handy device.”

“I suppose.”

“We have an understanding. If your family is ever in my hands, they’ll be taken care of.”

I had no doubt of that. Crow was above the law. He did things off the map and off the register. He knew all the right people in the right places. Since I owned one of the largest corporations in America, I was constantly in the media and obliged to obey the law—even when I didn’t want to. Crow was very different in that aspect. “When your time comes and you need a favor, I’ll pay the debt.”

“I know, Christian. I know.”


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