Chapter 1

"Ready baby?"

I nod and begin to walk up the stairs to Christian's private jet. It's three weeks after Christian's 28th birthday and we're on our way to visit my mom and Bob. We're going to be there for a week, and I'm kinda nervous having Christian there with me – I've never had a boy in my old room before. It will be weird having Christian there for a week. After a chat with my mom, we decided that we wouldn't stay at a hotel, but we would stay at Bob's and mom's house.

Inside the jet, we're welcomed by the pilot, Stephan, and his co-pilot. It's an early Saturday morning, and I'm definitely not a morning person, so therefor I keep yawning. Behind my, I can hear Christian chuckle and I know it's because of me. "You're definitely not a morning person, baby," he says and puts his arms around me and inhales deeply in my hair. "Let's sit down."

Christian follows me to the seat and he buckles me up. "You'll always love to tie me to something, wont you?" I ask and look him in his beautiful gray eyes.

He gives me a chaste kiss on my lips. "Always baby, always," he says with a big grin. "That's never gonna change." When he's done with me, he places himself in the seat next to me and fastens himself.

A few moments later we're airborne and we're allowed to walk around freely in the cabin. I'm resting my head on Christian's shoulder and I have my left hand on his thigh. Christian is reading the Financial Times and sometimes he just looks down at me, takes my hand and kisses the knuckles and then my engagement ring. "I can't wait for you to be mine," he says quietly and then continues reading his paper.

"Christian, I've been yours since the day I said yes to be your submissive," I say with a giggle.

Christian looks up from his paper and give me his new shy smile. "That doesn't count," he says and kisses my head. "You're not mine, yet. Not before you bear my name."

I can't help but roll my eyes and Christian narrows his eyes. "Oh, put that twitching palm away, mr. Grey," I say and give him a quick kiss on his cheek. "You're such a control freak, you know that?"

He gives me a smile and nod. "I know that baby. You're control freak. And that's never gonna change." And with that, he continues reading his paper.

Oh yes, my control freak. I really do love his I'm-master-of-this-universe personality, and I wouldn't change if for something else. I continue resting my head on his shoulder and slowly I drift into a deep sleep.

"Baby, Stephan is about to land. You have to fasten your belt," Christian says and wakes me up. Reluctantly I open my eyes and do as I'm told.

"Nervous for meeting my mom and Bob?" I ask to make myself think of something else, than the landing. I hate the take-off and the take-down, and Christian knows that. That's why he's holding my hand and gently strokes my knuckles in relaxing patterns.

"I would lie, if I said no," he says. "It's another first baby."

"So you have never meet some of the other 15's friends or family?" I ask even though I already know the answer.

Christian looks at me with a little wry smile and then he shakes his head. "No baby, and you know that. It's only been you. You're the only one that I wanted more with."

Even though I knew his answer, it's making me feeling a little bit proud of myself. I have something the other 15 don't have – I just wonder what. Maybe I'll find out during this week. The last time Christian was in Savannah he was very open.

As soon as we're out of the jet, my hair began to protest against the moist heat. Christian looks down at me and smirks. "You know Ana, even with your hair looking as funny as now, you're still beautiful."

I feel how I'm getting some colors in my cheeks. It's amazing how far Christian has gotten over the past weeks. Just a month ago, he wouldn't have shown me any affection out in the public, and now – wow, he says the most romantic things to me and I love it.

We're walking through the airport. Christian is carrying all my luggage, the gentleman he is, I'm not allowed to carry it myself. And then... there they are. My mom and Bob. As soon as I see them I run up them. My mom just manage to open her arms before I'm in them and I'm crying. My mom just hugs me tight and rocking me from side to side, just like when I was a small child. "Shhhh... Honey." When I'm calmed down again, Christian is by my side. I step out of my mom's arms and Christian wraps his arm around my waist. He then offers his right hand to my mom and then to Bob.

"Carla, mr. Adams."

"Please, call me Bob," Bob says and shakes Christian's outstretched hand. "Do you need a hand with the luggage?"

"Thanks, but no thanks. I've got it under control," Christian says and we all starts to walk out to Bob's car. My mom is looking at me and then down to my left hand and then she looks at Christian.

"I knew there was something about the two of you, the last time you were here in Savannah," she says and I can feel my cheeks getting red again. Last time Christian were here, he was in denial about his feelings for me, and wanted me primarily as his submissive. "But I must say, it came as a big surprise, when you called me and said Christian had proposed," my mom continues. I look up at Christian, and he gives me his shy smile and then he looks at my mom.

"What can I say, Carla," he says with a shrug. "Anastasia is the one for me. There will never be anyone else. She's the one that I want to grow old with."

I look at my mom and she just look like she's seen a monkey with two faces. "Wow," my mom finally says. "Not even Bob have ever said that to me." Both her and I look over at Bob, next to her, and he has turned all crimson in his face.

We all walked up to Bob's Chevrolet Tahoe SUV in silence. I still think that Bob's a little bit embarrassed from the episode with my mom – the two of them have something to talk about. Bob opens the trunk and Christian is putting our luggage in it.

Bob has opened both rear doors and him and my mom is sitting in the front. I look up at Christian and he frowns. "What is it?" I ask.

Christian looks down at me. "I really don't like to be driven," he answers and frowns some more. I can't help but giggle. "You find me funny miss. Steele?"

I nod. "Yes mr. Grey, I do. It would seem that it doesn't bother you when Taylor is driving," I say and look at Bob and mom, who both is looking at us.

Christian shrugs. "I trust Taylor's driving skills, Ana."

I roll my eyes at him and give him a quick kiss on his cheek. "Don't worry. Bob is a skilled driver too.

"Did you just roll your eyes at me, miss Steele?" Christian ask and raises his one eyebrow. I can see how the color in his eyes is changing. Oh boy, how can he do that here on a very public parking lot? "My palm is suddenly beginning to twitch, miss Steele."

"Oh, you and your twitching palm, mr. Grey," I say and take a quick look inside the car again. I catch Bob's gaze and he's showing his wristwatch. "Pack your twitching palm away, mr. Grey. Bob has to get back to work, so get in the car please."

"I wondered how you room looked like," Christian says when we're standing in my old room. Christian would have booked a hotel suite, but I wouldn't. We're here for visiting my mom and Bob, and I feared that we wouldn't see them if we stayed at a hotel.

My room is approximately the same size as my old room in the Portland-apartment. There's a bed with a lot of stuffed animals on it, a bookshelf with many books, a desk and a chair. Furthermore there's a big wooden chest of drawers. Why mom kept it, I don't know, because it's empty. When I still lived here, I had all my clothes in it, but I took all my clothes with me when I moved to Portland. I know how much Christian hates living in a suitcase, so now I'm happy that the chest of drawers is here. Just as I'm about to begin unpacking, Christian is at my side.

"Is there something you have forgotten to tell me?" he asks and gives me a strict glare.

I look up a him, totally confused. "What are you talking about?"

"This," he says with an ice cold voice, and he then shows me a picture in a silver painted frame. I look at the picture, and it's a picture of myself and a boy on my age. The picture was taken five years ago. The boy is my cousin, Carmine, and he has his arm around my neck. We're both looking at each other, and we're laughing over one of his stupid jokes. My mom took that picture to his 17 years Birthday party. I look up at Christian.

"Control your jealousy, Christian," I snap at him. How dare he think, that every picture he sees with me and a person of the opposite sex, that I had something going on with that person.

"I demand to know who the fuck this person is," Christian continues. "Did you date? Did he kiss you? Tell me Anastasia. Tell me now."

I place myself on my bed, and give him an angry gaze. "He's my cousin, Christian. For heavens sake, is this how it's going to be? You freaking out every time you see me together with other men," I put my head in both of my hands. I feel the mattress move and I know that Christian's sitting beside me. I hear him letting out a big sigh and I also know he's regretting his outburst.

"I'm sorry baby," he whispers. "You know that around you, I can't control myself. I want to be the one and only man in your whole world. Seeing you with another man, makes my mind go crazy." He then touches my knee and gives it a gentle squeeze. "Baby, can you forgive me?"

For the first time in several minutes, I look up at him. I can see the pain in his eyes and he looks like a little lost boy. I slowly move my hand up to his cheek and gently strokes it. "Christian, you are the only man in my life – the one and only." Christian leans his head against my palm and then he takes my hand and kisses every knuckle and then my palm. "I love you with all of my heart, but Christian, this has to stop. Your jealousy is killing me," I continues.

Christian's mouth catches mine and he starts to really kiss me – like I'm a much needed lifeguard of some kind. I can almost taste his eagerness to seek forgiveness and eagerness to make everything right between us again. Just as we're both begins to deepen the kiss, there's a knock on my door.

"Darlings," my mom says and then she opens the door ajar.

Christian stops kissing me and I can see that his eye color is like melted iron. Now I wish that we stayed at a hotel. I quickly shakes my head to clear it. "Yes mom," I say, just as she pops her head into the gap between the door and the door frame.

"I just wanted to check if you settled in alright," my mom says and looks from me to Christian.

I smile at my mom. "We're fine mom," I say and gives Christian's knee a gentle squeeze. "We were just talking about the picture of Carmine and me." I hand the picture to my mom and she joins us on the bed.

"I remember when I took this picture," my mom says and her eyes is getting all dreamy. "Carmine have always been like a older brother to you. He loved you for the person you are, and didn't look at you as some bookworm."

Christian looks at my mother and I can feel his whole exterior changes significantly; from relaxed to tenseness in a nanosecond. This is something I haven't talked to Christian about – my school years. Christian looks at me, and when I don't comment he looks at my mom. "What do you mean, Carla?" he asks a bit harsh.

"Well, growing up, Anastasia didn't have many friends," my mother says with a small voice. "Her first real best friend was Katherine. When Anastasia went to elementary school, junior high school and high school, she was considered to be a nerd and a bookworm, just because her great passion was, and still is, reading. She had some girls she talked to, other outsiders primarily. Carmine was always there for her. He could always cheer her up by telling some stupid joke and how ignorant the others would be when they would grow up. Even though Anastasia moved to Portland, Carmine would check up on her, up until she moved in with Katherine."

While my mom talked, Christian tightens his grip around my waist. I know he will be pissed at me for not telling him about my past. But I don't dwell on it and therefor I can't see the point in telling Christian about my lack of real friends when I was younger. It's the future that's important.

My mom gives me back the picture. "I think Carmine would be glad if you visited him one day," my mom says and pulls me into a hug and then she gives me a kiss on my cheek before she leaves the room.

I release myself from Christian's grip and walk up to my desk and put the picture on it's place. Before I can turn around, Christian is by my side, pulling me into his body. He inhales deep down in my hair and kisses the top of my head. "Why didn't you tell me, that you were bullied in your school days, Ana?" He sounds disappointed.

"I don't dwell on it Christian. It's in the past and you couldn't change it," I say and let my hands slide down his back pocket. "Let's get our stuff unpacked, and then I can show you around the neighborhood. What do you say to that?"

Christian just look at me, and I can see the doubt in his eyes. It's like he's trying to look into my soul – trying to find some signs of whether I should be broken or not.

"Christian, I'm fine. Trust me. The past is in the past. I now have you and you siblings and Kate. It's more than I ever have wished for," I say and presses his body into mine.

Christian sighs. "I love you baby, and the mere thought that someone did hurt you, even in the past, makes me angry. I want you to be pure, Ana. I want to protect you from getting hurt."

"Oh... Christian," I sob and I can feel some tears running down my cheeks. "In your own way, you have protected me since I've met you."

How long we just stood there, holding each other, I don't know. We just stood there and enjoyed the warmth from each other. I'm still amazed sometimes, of how quick Christian has gotten under my skin and how much I love him.