need to free your mind and listen to your body.

• The world of M&A is not nearly as stimulating as you are Miss Steele.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

Holy crap… mine in every way.My breath hitches.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Consenting Adults!

Date:May 27 2011 08:26

To:Christian Grey

Aren’t you in a meeting?

I’m very glad your hand was sore.

And if I listened to my body, I’d be in Alaska by now.

Ana

PS: I will think about embracing these feelings.

From:Christian Grey

Subject:You Didn’t Call the Cops

Date:May 27 2011 08:35

To:Anastasia Steele

Miss Steele

I am in a meeting discussing the futures market if you’re really interested.

For the record - you stood beside me knowing what I was going to do.

You didn’t at any time ask me to stop – you didn’t use either safe word.

You are an adult – you have choices.

Quite frankly, I’m looking forward to the next time my palm is ringing with pain.

You’re obviously not listening to the right part of your body.

Alaska is very cold and no place to run. I would find you.

I can track your cell phone – remember?

Go to work.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I scowl at the screen. He’s right of course. It’s my choice. Hmm.Is he serious about com-

ing to find me, should I decide to escape for a while? My mind flits briefly to my mother’s

offer. I hit reply.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Stalker

Date:May 27 2011 08:36

To:Christian Grey

Have you sought therapy for your stalker tendencies?

Ana

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Stalker? Me?

Date:May 27 2011 08:38

To:Anastasia Steele

I pay the eminent Dr. Flynn a small fortune with regard to my stalker and other tendencies.

Go to work.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Expensive Charlatans

Date:May 27 2011 08:40

To:Christian Grey

May I humbly suggest you seek a second opinion?

I am not sure that Dr. Flynn is very effective.

Miss Steele

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Second Opinions

Date:May 27 2011 08:43

To:Anastasia Steele

Not that it’s any of your business, humble or otherwise, but Dr. Flynn is the second

opinion.

You will have to speed, in your new car, putting yourself at unnecessary risk – I think

that’s against the rules.

GO TO WORK.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:SHOUTY CAPITALS

Date:May 27 2011 08:47

To:Christian Grey

As the object of your stalker tendencies – I think it is my business actually.

I haven’t signed yet. So rules schmules. And I don’t start until 9:30.

Miss Steele

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Descriptive Linguistics

Date:May 27 2011 08:49

To:Anastasia Steele

Schmules? Not sure where that appears in Webster’s Dictionary

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Descriptive Linguistics

Date:May 27 2011 08:52

To:Christian Grey

It’s between control freak and stalker.

And descriptive linguistics is a hard limit for me.

Will you stop bothering me now?

I’d like to go to work in my new car.

Ana

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Challenging but amusing Young Women

Date:May 27 2011 08:56

To:Anastasia Steele

My palm is twitching.

Drive safely Miss Steele.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

The Audi is a joy to drive. It has power steering. Wanda, my Beetle, has no power in it at

all – anywhere, so my daily workout, which was driving my Beetle, will cease. Oh, but I

will have a personal trainer to contend with, according to Christian’s rules. I frown. I hate

exercising.

While I am driving, I try and analyze our email exchange. He’s a patronizing son-of-

a-bitch sometimes. And then I think of Grace and I feel guilty. But of course, she wasn’t

his birth mother. Hmmthat’s a whole world of unknown pain. Well, patronizing son-of-

a-bitch works well then. Yes. I’m an adult, thank you for reminding me, Christian Grey,

and it is my choice. The problem is, I just want Christian, not all his… baggage – and right

now he has a 747 hold’s worth of baggage. Could I just lie back and embrace it? Like a

submissive? I’ve said I’d try. It’s an awfully big ask.

I pull into the parking lot at Clayton’s. As I make my way in, I can hardly believe

it’s my last day. Fortunately, the store is busy and time passes quickly. At lunchtime, Mr.

Clayton summons me from the stockroom. He’s standing beside a motorcycle courier.

“Miss Steele?” the courier asks. I frown questioningly at Mr. Clayton, who shrugs,

as puzzled as me. My heart sinks. What has Christian sent me now? I sign for the small

package and open it straight away. It’s a BlackBerry. My heart sinks further. I switch it on.

From:Christian Grey

Subject:BlackBerry ON LOAN

Date:May 27 2011 11:15

To:Anastasia Steele

I need to be able to contact you at all times, and since this is your most honest form of

communication, I figured you needed a BlackBerry.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

From:Anastasia Steele

Subject:Consumerism Gone Mad

Date:May 27 2011 13:22

To:Christian Grey

I think you need to call Dr. Flynn right now.

Your stalker tendencies are running wild.

I am at work. I will email you when I get home.

Thank you for yet another gadget.

I wasn’t wrong when I said you were the ultimate consumer.

Why do you do this?

Ana

From:Christian Grey

Subject:Sagacity from one so young

Date:May 27 2011 13:24

To:Anastasia Steele

Fair point-well made, as ever Miss Steele.

Dr. Flynn is on vacation.

And I do this because I can.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

I put the thing in my back pocket, hating it already. Emailing Christian is addictive, but

I am supposed to be working. It buzzes once against my behind… how apt, I think ironi-

cally, but summoning all my willpower, I ignore it.