Protecting You - Complete

Chapter 16 - Christian

Mom and Mia had been annoyingly close-mouthed about Anastasia's Coping Together gown. All I could get out of my mother was that Ms. Acton had outdone herself, and as far as she and Mia could tell, Ana did not know the dress was actually brand new. Thankfully Gail was a little more forthcoming, informing me that diamonds would be the best gemstone to complement the outfit. That did actually make my life easier and found me slinking out to Cartier with Taylor on Friday afternoon to select a pair of earrings. As the first time I'd be taking a date anywhere, I wanted Ana to have something special to mark the occasion.

I was playing with the red box in my pocket as Taylor drove Ana and me to Bellevue on Saturday afternoon. Mom planned to introduce Anastasia to Grandma Adele, then the four ladies would get ready with the team of beauticians and hairdressers at the house. While the women prepared themselves, I'd be going over security with Taylor and the other GEH operatives brought in for the occasion. Ever since GEH had made it big, I'd donated my security staff to oversee the event, saving Coping Together a considerable sum. Of course, my motives were not entirely altruistic—with GEH, and ultimately Taylor and Welsh coordinating everything, I could be sure my family and family home was well protected. And tonight, that meant there would be constant visual surveillance on Elena Lincoln, with dedicated staff ensuring her path would not cross Ana's or mine.

"Are you excited?" I asked. Dressed in a sweater dress, my girl was leaning against me in the back seat.

"More like terrified," she replied with a sweet giggle. "I'm not sure what I'm more worried about—meeting your grandmother or tripping over and making an idiot of myself on the red carpet!"

"Grandma Adele will love you. And don't worry about the red carpet... I'll make sure you stay upright."

Returning to my own thoughts, I stared out the window as we passed large stately homes on green, verdant blocks. The end of my week had been shitty. Thursday night I had the worst nightmare I'd had in years. A mashup of my birth mother and her pimp, Grace and Carrick refusing to see me after I told them about Elena, then Anastasia telling me I was a monster, and she could never love me. I woke up screaming, with Taylor shaking me awake. The only plus was that Anastasia had not heard me.

Consequently, on Friday I was tired and irritable. So much so that Ros suggested I invite Anastasia to the twentieth floor for lunch. However, that was not to be. When I rang her cell to suggest it, she was already in the staff cafeteria eating with some of her coworkers. Then, to top off my already shitty day, a deal in Taiwan was going south. Someone would have to travel there in the next few weeks, and given Ros's already massive workload, it would probably have to be me.

I'd hoped Anastasia might invite me to cuddle in bed with her on Friday night, but making out and kissing in front of the TV was as far as it got, so I'd walked her to her bedroom door just before eleven before retiring to my office hoping to wear myself out with work. I'd climbed into bed around three, and while my sleep was dreamless, I hadn't rested well.

"We're here," I said as we pulled into the long driveway of my parent's house. In sharp contrast with the last time Ana visited, there were vans, trucks, and people everywhere as the last-minute preparations for the gala took place. Pulling into a space in the eight-car garage, Taylor parked and opened our doors before grabbing our limited luggage, passing Anastasia a garment bag with her gown.

"Taylor. My bag can go to my bedroom. Anastasia—Mom has put you in a guest room on the second floor. Let me show you." I took her overnighter from Taylor and for a moment she looked disappointed, but quickly concealed it. I would have liked her closer, as in sharing my bed with me. For now, though, I'd be content we were sleeping under the same roof.