I Ran So Far Away - Complete

Chapter 29

Lying on my side watching Teddy play, I could just hear Kate's whispered conversation with Ana.

I understood Kate was hurting. Consciously, or not, Elliot had been an ass – but that was no excuse for Kate to take it out on Ana, and frankly I was over it! My wife was the kindest most loving woman God put breath into, and I was done letting her be Kate's verbal whipping post. I'd been patient and given Ana a chance to rectify things; now it was my turn. Standing up, I picked up Teddy, kissing his sweet little nose before taking him over to Ana.

"I'll be back soon. It's time Kate and I have a talk."

Ana bit her lip nervously, and damn if it didn't have its usual effect on me. One look at my wife was enough to have my dick twitching.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" she asked. "I'd really prefer you left it for now..."

"This needed to be done some time ago," I declared, kissing Ana's temple and dropping a kiss on Teddy's curls. "I'll be back in a bit."

I climbed the stairs, stopping outside the room Ana had said was Kate's. Knocking with two short raps, I waited until Kate opened the door, her eyes red and tears on her cheeks.

"Yes, Christian?"

In two words she expressed utter contempt.

"We need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you," Kate said, going to shut the door.

"Good," I replied, stopping the door with my foot. "Then I'll talk, and you can listen." Pushing my way into the room, I indicated she should sit. Since there was only one bedroom chair, I stood by the window, moving the curtain so I could gaze at the valley below.

"You might not believe it, but I understand how you feel about your father and the constant parade of women he's cheated with."

"Oh? Has Carrick cheated on Grace?" Kate's voice mocked, anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Let's face it – nothing like that would have gone on in the perfect world of the Greys!"

"You're right. As far as I'm aware my father has kept it in his pants, but my birth mother had a revolving door of Johns in and out of our apartment before she died. I fucking hated it, and I hated them. Just as cheating is a hard limit for you because of your father, prostitution is something I can't abide by because of my birth mother. Taylor and I didn't know your father had paid those dancers for sex, and I don't believe Elliot did either."

"It didn't stop him taking advantage," Kate spat.

"That's something you'll have to speak with him about," I said, refusing to rise to her bait. "What we need to talk about is the way you treat Ana. Your bitchy comments and snide remarks have not gone unnoticed - and I don't just mean recently. Ever since we met, I've observed that when you're unhappy, or when things aren't going well for you, you do your best to undermine Anastasia's confidence in herself or make her second guess her decisions. Well it stops here. My wife has been nothing but kind to you; she doesn't deserve to be repaid that way."

I turned to stare at Kate who looked gob smacked.

"What, Grey? Can't cope with the fact I tell it as I see it? Yes, I've told Ana you're controlling. You're possessive to the point of being fanatical about her, and yeah – I think she should have dated and experienced life a bit more before she got married and settled down. Because while she might not recognize guys like you, I do. You will chip away at her independence and spirit, locking her in your gilded cage until she's a shell of the woman she once was. And that's when you'll find a new woman to prey on..."