Grey #VisualRetelling #Grey1 #AU

Chapter 23 - Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

As has become usual when I sleep with Anastasia, I don't have any nightmares and I sleep really well, although when I wake up in the morning it's still quite early. That's just my natural sleep pattern I guess. My leg is hooked around hers, my arm is round her waist, and my head is next to hers. I gently kiss the top of her head, but she doesn't wake. Of course I have an erection, and I consider putting it to good use to wake her in the best way known to man, but I reluctantly decide against it because she needs her sleep. It was pretty late last night by the time I finally let her get some rest. Don't wear her out Grey. She's not just some new toy.

She murmurs as I extricate myself from her, and starts mumbling. I hear a few words. I think I catch 'Christian', and 'silver balls', which makes me smile, but when I hear 'crack whore' and 'dead mommy', I'm not happy. This is just what I didn't want; my sick shit going round in her head. I lean down to kiss her cheek, and she smiles in her sleep. Better.

I call Taylor and instruct him that I'm heading down to the gym for a quick session, so I want him to stay behind to monitor the apartment as Ana will be there alone while I'm gone. And it's because I feel so protective of her that I instruct Taylor to meet me in my study once I've returned and taken a quick shower. I want an update on the instructions I gave him last night.

Anastasia is still sleeping deeply after I've returned and showered. Clearly, she is not a morning person. I sit on the edge of the bed to study her, watching the steady rise and fall of her chest as she breathes. She looks so young and innocent lying there, her chestnut hair spread out over the pillow. Looks can be deceiving though, because now that I've taken her virginity and awoken her sexuality, she's quickly becoming increasingly bold and adventurous. It makes me hopeful that my plans to train her to be a really good sub can become a reality, and I can't wait to get her in my playroom again. Last night's scene in my bedroom was nothing like I'd normally play with a sub, but I have to say I really enjoyed 'making love' with Anastasia after some kinky playing around. Compromise – yeah, I can do that.

Of course I can't deny that I've always really enjoyed BDSM with each and every one of my fifteen previous subs. On the whole, I've always been pleased with my selections, they were all pretty good girls, but with Ana there's just this extra connection between us that takes sexuality to a higher, more intense level. All previous fifteen would do absolutely anything I wanted, subject to the contractually agreed hard limits, and I can't deny that's still what I really want from Ana. It's just a deep seated need in me, part of who I am, the caning, the whipping, the hard shit that I love to deal out, to punish them with. But I can be patient. For her I must be.

I make my way to my study, where I see Taylor waiting for me.

"What's the status re the covert protective surveillance I ordered for Miss Steele? What have you and Welch put in place so far?"

"Well sir, coverage of the mark - Miss Steele - was already in place with regard to Seattle, so that remains active for today. For the new location in Georgia, we've completed the reconnaissance and threat assessment as far as we've been able within the tight time scale, and have assessed that any risk to her is very low indeed. Her mother and her stepfather have come up clean, nice neighborhood, nothing to raise any concerns. So a covert security presence consisting of one Close Protection Operative should be sufficient while she's there.