Chapter 17 (1/2)

“How are you getting home?” I pinch the bridge of my nose in the vain hope that the action will distract me from my fraying temper.

“I’ll find a way.”

What the hell? Will she drive? I ask her again which bar she’s in and she ignores my question.

“Why did you send me the books, Christian?”

“Anastasia, where are you? Tell me now.”

How will she get home?

“You’re so…domineering.” She giggles. In any other situation I would find this charming. But right now—I want to show her how domineering I can be. She’s driving me crazy.

“Ana, so help me, where the fuck are you?”

She giggles again. Shit, she’s laughing at me!

Again!

“I’m in Portland…’s a long way from Seattle.”

“Where in Portland?”

“Good night, Christian.” The line goes dead.

“Ana!”

She hung up on me! I stare at the phone in disbelief. No one has ever hung up on me. What the fuck!

“What’s the problem?” Elliot calls over from the sofa.

“I’ve just been drunk-dialed.” I peer at him and his mouth drops open in surprise.

“You?”

“Yep.” I press the callback button, trying to contain my temper, and my anxiety.

“Hi,” she says, all breathy and timid, and she’s in quieter surroundings.

“I’m coming to get you.” My voice is arctic as I wrestle with my anger and snap my phone shut.

“I’ve got to go get this girl and take her home. Do you want to come?”

Elliot is staring at me as if I’ve grown three heads.

“You? With a chick? This I have to see.” Elliot grabs his sneakers and starts putting them on.

“I just have to make a call.” I wander into his bedroom while I decide if I should call Barney or Welch. Barney is the most senior engineer in the telecommunications division of my company. He’s a tech genius. But what I want is not strictly legal.

Best to keep this away from my company.

I speed-dial Welch and within seconds his rasping voice answers.

“Mr. Grey?”

“I’d really like to know where Anastasia Steele is right now.”

“I see.” He pauses for a moment. “Leave it to me, Mr. Grey.”