to the waiting in the SUV. Christian is quiet
as Sawyer drives us home. I a一void Sawyer’s gaze in the rearview mirror,
embarrassed that the last time I saw him was at the bank when I ga一ve him
the slip. I call my mom, who sobs down the phone. It takes most of the journey
home to calm her down, but I succeed by promising that we’ll visit soon.
Throughout my conversation with her, Christian holds my hand, brushing his
thumb across my knuckles. He’s nervous . . . something’s happened.
“What’s wrong?” I ask when I’m finally free from my mother.
“Welch wants to see me.”
“Welch? Why?”
“He’s found something out about that fucker Hyde.” Christian’s lip curls into a
snarl, and a frisson of fear passes through me. “He didn’t want to tell me on
the phone.”
“Oh.”
“He’s coming here this afternoon from Detroit.”
“You think he’s found a connection?”
Christian nods.
“What do you think it is?”
“I ha一ve no idea.” Christian’s brow furrows, perplexed. 451 | P a g e
Fifty Shades Freed
Taylor pulls into the garage at Escala and stops by the elevator to let us out
before he parks. In the garage, we can a一void the attention of the waiting
photographers. Christian ushers me out of the car. Keeping his arm around
my waist, he leads me to the waiting elevator.
“Glad to be home?” he asks.
“Yes,” I whisper. But as I stand in the familiar surroundings of the elevator, the
enormity of what I’ve been through crashes over me, and I start to shake.
“Hey—” Christian wraps his arms around me and pulls me close.
“You’re home. You’re safe,” he says, kissing my hair.
“Oh, Christian.” A dam I didn’t even know was in place bursts, and I start to
sob.
“Hush now,” Christian whispers, cradling my head against his chest. But it’s
too late. I weep, overwhelmed, into his T-shirt, recalling Jack’s vicious attack
— “That’s for SIP, you fucking bitch!”— telling Christian I was lea一ving—
“You’re lea一ving me?”— and my fear, my gutwrenching fear for Mia, for
myself, and for Blip. When the doors of the elevator slide o
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