Fifty Shades of War

A good husband?

After the children died, he'd played the dutiful husband for a few weeks; he lavished attention on her and held as she wailed with the aching wounds of a heart torn asunder. After that, he just expected her to get over it and go on with her life. To smile and dress pretty, to make him laugh, to hang on his arm, to take her when and wherever the mood struck him.

Now that her youthful beauty was fading, her innocence completely shattered, and her drive, her zest was quickly waning she was beginning to realize what a mess she had made of her life. It was a well-known but unspoken fact that upon their 30^th birthdays, the women in Christian's office were given fat checks and a pink slip. Ana wondered when she would be getting hers after all her own 30^th birthday was just around the corner. Then she wondered if she would be happy or sad and what her own severance check would look like. What price would he put on their relationship and her unending silence?

No matter the consequence, Ana yearned for something more than being his little toy, his arm candy, and tension reliever. That did not make the painful truth of her being stuck with him any easier to take. Even though they didn't have a pre-nuptial agreement, she knew that if she tried to leave him that he would wipe the floor with her in divorce court with his connections and his high-powered lawyers. She'd been so thrilled when he said that he loved her and they'd get married without a pre-nup, even though he reminded their non-disclosure agreement would remain intact throughout the rest of her life, she thought for sure that all her hard work was paying off and her dreams were coming to fruition. That Happily Ever After was within her grasp.

In hindsight, she could see it was just a trick. Another little illusion, a little power play by the Master Manipulator of the Universe, to make her think he really loved her. The truth was, without a pre-nup, she had no protection and if she filed for divorce, she would be lucky if she ended up with a small stipend while he went jetting off to parts unknown with his newest flavor of the month.

With his power and persuasion he would black list her all over the world just as he had done to dozens of women before her. (And of whom she had once been so naive as to think 'he won't do that to me'). She'd never get a job as anything other than a waitress let alone pursue the journalism career she'd set out upon with such aspirations so long ago.

She thought again of her Life the Cliché and snickered a little as she shook her head wishing she had known then what she knew now. That, most of the time, the Dark Prince is actually the Prick You See but don't want to believe exists. Now that she could look back upon her history with him, she realized that her husband, Christian Grey, was no different. Underneath all of the layers and trappings, illusions, and his manipulations, he wasn't a Misunderstood Damaged Boy at all. In fact, he wasn't anything more than a narcissistic egocentric psychopath with misogynistic tendencies in an expensive silk suit. She was his exotic pet bird, perched upon his arm when she wasn't living in her gilded, if somewhat painful, cage.

Still, her inner goddess longed to be free of the trappings of his world and his manipulations. She screamed at Ana that it wasn't too late to get out. If she wanted, if she really desired it, she would find a way to free herself from Christian Grey.

"A cheesy dime store novel has a better plot," she told her reflection. Dabbing at her watery blue eyes so as not to mess up her make-up, Ana did as Christian told her, in the end, she always did as she was told, and she slipped into the rather tasteless dress that put her breasts on display. Taking a deep breath and one last look in the mirror to be sure her appearance would meet his standards, she walked out of the bedroom to stand before him, twirl, and wait for his approval.

"Better," Christian announced, "don't defy me like that again. The last thing I need is have you making me looking bad in front of these people. Don't you know important tonight is? The future of my entire company could be resting on this shitty dinner." Chapter Five
Sympathy for the Devil

At 7:01 the front desk called up to their room letting them know that Mr. Grey had arrived. Alena took one last look at herself in the full-length mirror of the dressing room in the fancy suite. "I should have told you to kill him," she huffed plucking at the shoulders of the long lace sleeves of her champagne colored gown. Behind her, reflected in the mirror, Ares straightened the cuffs of his sleeves but didn't say a word. "Presentable?" She asked as she turned around for him.

"Stunning as always, my darling, very classy," he complimented taking her in standing before him in the floor length dress with its over layer of lace and underskirt of silk both just two shades darker than her skin. It had a small train reminiscent of a mermaid's tail that swirled about her tiny feet and a very revealing slit up the front that ran to just above her knees. Like her, the gown was sexy and elegant. "And me? Do I pass muster?"

Rising up on her tiptoes even in the stiletto heels, she had to reach further still to straighten out the collar of his black suit jacket, "You know, I rather like seeing you in a suit and tie, it's a nice change from your usual leathers."

"Yeah? Well, in that case, I did pack my Red Sox jersey," he said slyly, "Maybe I'll put it on for you later."

Even though she was completely satisfied from their long session in the bath, Alena quivered with delight as her moist tongue ran along her upper lip, "I'd like that. Oh, come here," she motioned for him to bend forward so she could fix his tie. "You never do get this right."

"That's only because I like it better when it's around your wrists." Ares crooned but then pulled at his collar.

"Me too," Alena confessed, "now sit still." She looped the end through the knot.

"I feel like I'm being choked by a very small person with a weak grip. Why do they do these things to themselves? "

Alena snickered, "Because they're into self-torture, at least a little bit." She stepped back to look at him, "There. Perfect."

"Thank you." Ares looked her up and down before frowning and putting his index finger to his full lips, "You know I do believe there's something missing."

Alena turned back to the mirror, "What?"

Behind her Ares reached into the pocket of his black linen slacks to produce a box covered in purple velvet, "I was going to wait but, here, for you." He passed it over her shoulder and watched her in the mirror as she opened it.

Pulling open the box she stared down at a pair of teardrop shaped ruby earrings encrusted in diamonds each one larger than a quarter, "Oh! They're gorgeous!"

"Put them on for me, let's have a look," he encouraged then stood back as she slid them onto her dainty ears. "Perfect," he proclaimed, "they go very well with your necklace."

Alena's fingers went to her wedding necklace with its three tiers of diamonds and rubies and lovingly traced along the glittering stones. "I'll never forget the day you put this on me, you were so handsome standing there on the beach of our island in your white slacks and billowing shirt," she smiled as her brows raised and her gray eyes sparkled at him with adoration.

"I was handsome?"

She threw her silver head back and laughed, "Oh stop it, you know you're the most exquisite thing I've ever seen or will see."

"Yes, well, in that case, you know, we could just blow off this windbag. We could stay here; we could get back in that bed, bury ourselves deep under the covers and let room service bring us whatever we want. Tomorrow I'll yank the money out from under him."

That was a good idea and Alena almost went for it. "Do you think I can't handle Christian Grey?"

"I would never think or say such a thing," Ares admitted as he gazed deeply into her stormy eyes. "I know you too well."

"I want to meet his Ana."

"And then?" Ares encouraged. "I think you already see too much of yourself in a woman you've never met."

"No, I see too much of the men I've known in him. I'm looking forward to tonight."

"In that case, let's get this over with so we can get back here while the night is still young," he encouraged taking her arm and leading her out of their room for the night.

Downstairs a stretch limousine awaited them. The chauffer opened the back door, Ares allowed Alena to climb in before him. As the door closed, they were face to face with Mr. Grey and his companion, Ana. A rather young and attractive in the girl-next-door, type of way dolled up for the night in a gown of nearly equally color to Alena's. However, Ana's plunged to her belly button revealing everything but the nipples of her firm young breasts. It was cut so short that if she shifted just the slightest bit, Ares was certain he would be looking at her crotch.

As the car pulled away from the curb, Christian introduced them, "Ana, this is Mr. and Mrs. Papathanassiou."

Ana reached out an uncertain hand to shake with Ares and then Alena who took her chilly hand in a warm embrace, "Alena, please, call me Alena," she insisted.

Mr. Grey continued before his companion could speak, "Alena and..."

"Mrs. Papathanassiou to you, Mr. Grey," Alena shot coolly as she sat back in the comfortable leather seat.

Cut off by the woman again who was again uncorrected by the imposing man at her side, Grey shifted gears, "They're big investors in Grey Enterprises," he finished cordially.

Looking at the young woman whose blue eyes tried to sparkle but still seemed sad, Alena corrected Mr. Grey, "Actually my husband, Ari, is the major investor in Grey Enterprises. As for myself, I don't care about money." Letting go of the young woman's hand, Alena felt sorry for her. Unlike the bombshell harlots back at Grey's office, this one was mousy and undoubtedly overlooked by most of the world because of it. It was already easy to see how someone like Grey hooked the girl and just as readily distasteful.

"Must be nice," Grey quipped with a sharp tongue.

"It is," Alena agreed with simplistic but authoritative grace.

"Yet you married him."

Ares leaned back on the bench seat and put his arm around Alena, "She had no idea of my worth when we married."

"That's not true," Alena contradicted, "I know exactly what you're worth to me." She nuzzled her head against his beard while staring at Mr. Grey, "More than your weight in gold and diamonds."

"That's a lot of shiny rocks," Grey chirped. In a movement that looked pained to those watching, Grey put his arm around Ana and crossed his thin legs, "Must be a hell of a pre-nup with all your money, Ari. May I call you Ari?"

"We don't have a pre-nup and yes you may."

Grey was stunned, he wouldn't even fuck a bitch if she didn't sign a non-disclosure contract first how could someone who was richer than God let his fortune ride on the whims of something so fickle as love? It was true that he married Ana without one, a fact that he chose to now proudly announce, "Us either." But it was only because he knew he had her right where he wanted her and that no matter how hard she might try she would never be free of him while he still drew breath or until he became bored and tossed her aside for something better.

Something like the woman nestled across from him leaning against the mountain of a man. Grey would love to get her into his new Red Suite of Pain and teach her some respect. Then again, that would mean revealing his secret to Ana. Christian wasn't sure he was ready for that, she certainly wasn't. Six months ago an apartment on a lower floor opened up and Christian Grey rented it under the name of the shell corporation. He had it completely redone all in red, each room with a different theme, there was the Wax Room, the Ice Room, and the Torture Chamber where he took the really bad girls he came across. Now that he was not limited to one measly room for indulging his special activities he could stretch out and really get down and dirty whenever he wanted.

What he wanted was to see the smart-mouthed woman across from him, who undoubtedly wouldn't be so disrespectful to him without that behemoth she was cuddled up to, hanging in chains, dripping in hot wax, and to hear her begging him to stop as she squirmed like a worm on a hook. But he wouldn't, not until he broke her and she called him Master.

Sitting on the bench seat in the back of the stretch limo, Christian had to readjust his position for comfort and to keep hidden the hard cock below his silk slacks. Chapter Six
Scenes from an Italian Restaurant

The stretch limo pulled to a stop in front of The Pink Door Restaurant, an unassuming grey concrete block building with, of course, a pink front door. It didn't look like much to Alena or Ares but the place must be good as there was a long line from the door to nearly the street corner of people waiting to get in. Rather than take his place in line, Christian Grey walked straight inside the door with Ana one-step behind him and marched right up to the Maître D' station where a beautiful young woman in a golden corset greeted him with a pearly smile.

"Mr. Grey, so nice to have you with us again," she cooed, "Mrs. Grey, don't you look lovely tonight?" The hostess knew Mr. Grey and his party did not have a reservation but she led them through the restaurant to a quiet corner table by the picture windows overlooking the Elliott Bay.

Alena and Ares exchanged a brief glance each seeing their own thoughts expressed in the other's eyes. This place was right up Mr. Grey's alley, it was beautiful in its way, and obviously expensive. The throngs of people gathered sat at square tables covered in the finest pink linens where candles glowed bright, mounds of food overflowed the plates upon which they sat, and the wine was consumed like water. Most of all, above their heads (not quite above Ares' head, he had to duck) there were women doing trapeze acts over the dinner tables. On perches of thin wood board or nothing more than a wide strand of red ribbon, they twirled, summersaulted, held their firm bodies in suggestive positions in midair, to wow the crowd that clapped and oooed at their acrobatics.

Careful not to bump into any of the attractive ladies as he wound his way through the tables, Ares kept his voice low and whispered, "Do you know what this reminds me of?"

Alena was certain there was only answer to that question, "Ancient Rome?"

Patting her hand wrapped around his forearm and sucking on his bottom lip Ares' dark head nodded. There was something else to be seen here and neither of them missed it. As they walked through the crowd to their table, heads turned and took in Mr. Grey. They nodded, they smiled, some of the men held out their hands and Mr. Grey shook with them but he did not stop to speak to any of them. It was easy to see that Mr. Grey was a well respected, or at least well-know, man here. Just after Grey passed, Ana did the same, they smiled, they said hello, as she passed the men openly appraised her in her miniature white dress.

When those very same eyes turned to scan the rest of his party and in took in Ares they all swallowed hard, their eyes widened, and then cast down toward their plates. Not one of them looked him in the eye for long and they did not eyeball his wife. In fact, they did not raise their gaze to look at Alena at all until she was past them. That's when the chatter began circulating around the room. The voices were low and discreet but Ares' ears never missed anything. It seemed to him the people here had seen him on something called YouTube and something else called Facebook. They had seen him take Grey down and put the boy billionaire in his place. They whispered about Alena, how beautiful she was and how they could see why Grey hit on her. It seemed to Ares that everyone in the room except for Ana knew what happened earlier in the day. It was only a matter of time before Ana found out but Ares knew it would not be Alena who told her. His wife had too much class as to tell a woman she did not even know about her husband's faux pas. Ana would get to see on the YouTube for herself. Ares would like to be a fly on Grey's wall when that happened.

Guided to their table, Ares took Alena's wrap from her shoulders and pulled out the chair for her. Sliding it under the firm round butt he loved to grab so much, Ares placed her wrap on the back of the chair as he waited for Ana to sit. Grey sat himself first then pushed the empty chair towards her with his foot. Ana sat, pulled the chair into place and then Ares took his seat between the two women with Grey directly across from him.

"Bring us a bottle of Barolo 2007," Grey ordered of the hostess then spoke again, "make it two." The big Greek looked like he could put away several bottles of the expensive wine, "and I think we'll start with three dozen oysters. Bring it and then give us a few minutes."

"Of course, Mr. Grey," she said politely even though she wasn't the server and didn't necessarily take orders.

Grey looked at Alena, "I hope the whimsical atmosphere of this place doesn't offend you, Mrs. Papathanassiou."

"No, the atmosphere of this place doesn't bother me at all, Mr. Grey."

"It's rather jovial, we've been to many places similar in Italy," Ares agreed, "and the food smells delicious."

"It is. I'm sure you'll enjoy the wine and the oysters."

Picking up the menu, Alena look at Grey from over the top of it, "Yes, thank you for ordering for us, how kind of you." She wasn't surprised to find he had ordered two bottles of the most expensive wine on the list along with three orders of the most expensive appetizer the Pink Door had to offer. For him money talked but for her it didn't necessarily say anything good.

Even though her mouth was covered, Grey didn't miss the chilly disapproving tone in her voice. It seemed she was just as accustomed to getting what she wanted as he was and didn't appreciate someone telling her what it was that she wanted.

Wine and oysters arrived; Grey put three on Ana's plate without a word. Then he put four on his own. Ares asked if Alena wanted any but she declined as she reached for a fresh warm bread stick. From the look in Grey's gray eyes, Ares believed the man thought his wife was being obstinate but he knew the truth was Alena hated seafood and was unwilling to suffer through the ingestion of one oyster for Mr. Grey.

While the nubile women hung and posed in the air above them, the foursome made painfully awkward small talk.

Finishing off her second glass of wine, Alena looked across the table to the younger woman who had sat there so silently as she ate her oysters and then pushed her plate away. "So, Ana, how long have the two of you been married?" She didn't miss it nor mistake it when Ana so swiftly glanced to her husband and Grey gave the slightest of nods before she replied.

Sitting up straight with her hands in her lap, Ana met Alena's stare, "Eight years, you?"

Every muscle in Alena's slender body tightened and she wanted to punch the smug man sitting next to her. Finding it too difficult to keep the anger out of her voice, she looked to her own husband with a forced grin. Ares took over without having to be filled in first, "If I get this wrong, she'll kill me," he joked and watched gratitude flash in her stormy eyes, "twenty-two years."

"That's impressive in this day and age," Grey added to the conversation wondering how they kept it together and kept it from getting boring, what they did to spice things up and make it all interesting in the bedroom. "Kids?"

Alena found her voice, "Two, Raven our son is the oldest and we have Rose our daughter, she's seventeen. You? Do you have children?"