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Fifty Shades of Grey

Chapter 5

ExcerptCar-race scene

Whats wrong, Christian?!st "oo# where yo!re going, $a$y, he says soft"y%

&' heading for the on-ra'p of the 5() in the direction of Seatt"e% When & g"ance at

Christian, hes staring straight ahead%& dont want yo! to panic, he says ca"'"y% *!t as soon as were on the 5() proper, &

want yo! to step on the gas% Were $eing fo""owed%

Followed! +o"y shit% y heart "!rches into 'y 'o!th, po!nding, 'y sca"p pric#"es and

'y throat constricts with panic% Fo""owed $y who'? y eyes dart to the reariew 'irror and,s!re eno!gh, the dar# car & saw ear"ier is sti"" $ehind !s . Fuck! Is that it? & s.!int thro!gh the

tinted windshie"d to see whos driing, $!t & see nothing%

/eep yo!r eyes on the road, $a$y, Christian says gent"y, not in the tr!c!"ent tone he

nor'a""y !ses where 'y driing is concerned%Get a grip! & 'enta""y s"ap 'yse"f to s!$d!e the dread thats threatening to

swa'p 'e% S!ppose whoeers fo""owing !s is ar'ed? 0r'ed and after Christian1Shit! &' hit $y a wae of na!sea%

+ow do we #now were $eing fo""owed? y oice is a $reathy, s.!ea#y,

whisper%2he 3odge $ehind !s has fa"se "icense p"ates%

How does he know that?

& signa" as we approach the 5() fro' the on-ra'p% &ts "ate afternoon, and a"tho!gh the

rain has stopped, the roadway is wet% Fort!nate"y, the traffic is reasona$"y "ight%4ays oice echoes in 'y head fro' one of his 'any se"f-defense "ect!res% Its the panic

thats gonna kill you or get you seriously hurt, Annie. & ta#e a deep $reath, trying to $ring 'y$reathing !nder contro"% Whoeer is fo""owing !s is after Christian% 0s & ta#e another deepsteadying $reath, 'y 'ind $egins to c"ear and 'y sto'ach sett"es% & hae to #eep Christian safe%

& wanted to drie this car, and & wanted to drie it fast% ell, heres "y chance. & grip the steering

whee" and ta#e a fina" g"ance in 'y reariew 'irror% 2he 3odge is c"osing on !s%& s"ow right down, ignoring Christians s!dden panic#ed g"ance at 'e, and ti'e 'y

entrance on to the 5() so that the 3odge has to s"ow and stop to wait for a gap in the traffic% &

drop a gear and f"oor it% 2he 4 shoots forward, s"a''ing !s $oth into the $ac#s of o!r seats%

2he speedo'eter whips !p to seenty-fie 'i"es per ho!r%Steady, $a$y, Christian says ca"'"y, tho!gh &' s!re hes anything $!t ca"'%

& weae $etween the two "ines of traffic "i#e a $"ac# co!nter in a ga'e of chec#ers,

effectie"y 6!'ping the cars and tr!c#s% Were so c"ose to the "a#e on this $ridge, its as if weredriing on the water% & st!dio!s"y ignore the angry, disapproing "oo#s fro' other driers%

Christian c"!tches his hands together in his "ap, #eeping as sti"" as possi$"e, and in spite of 'y

feered tho!ghts, & wonder ag!e"y if hes doing it so he doesnt distract 'e%Good gir", he $reathes in enco!rage'ent% +e g"ances $ehind hi'% & cant see the

3odge%

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Were right $ehind the !ns!$, r% Grey% Sawyers oice co'es thro!gh the hands-free%

+es trying to catch !p with yo!, sir% Were going to try and co'e a"ongside, p!t o!rse"es

$etween yo!r car and the 3odge%#nsu$? What does that 'ean?

Good% rs% Grey is doing we""% 0t this rate, proided the traffic re'ains "ight7and fro'

what & can see it is7we"" $e off the $ridge in a few 'in!tes%Sir%

We f"ash past the $ridge contro" tower, and & #now were ha"f way across 8a#e

Washington% When & chec# 'y speed, &' sti"" doing seenty-fie%9o!re doing rea""y we"", 0na, Christian '!r'!rs again as he ga:es o!t the $ac# of the

4% For a f"eeting 'o'ent, his tone re'inds 'e of o!r first enco!nter in his p"ayroo' when he

patient"y enco!raged 'e thro!gh o!r first scene% 2he tho!ght is distracting, and & dis'iss it

i''ediate"y%Where a' & headed? & as#, 'oderate"y ca"'er% & hae the fee" of the car now% &ts a 6oy

to drie, so .!iet and easy to hand"e its hard to $e"iee how fast we are going% 3riing at this

speed in this car is easy%

rs% Grey, head for &-5 and then so!th% We want to see if the 3odge fo""ows yo! a"" theway, Sawyer says oer the hands-free% 2he traffic "ights on the $ridge are green7than# heaens

7and & race onward%& g"ance nero!s"y at Christian, and he s'i"es reass!ring"y% 2hen his face fa""s%

Shit1 he swears soft"y%

2here is a "ine of traffic ahead as we co'e off the $ridge, and & hae to s"ow% G"ancinganxio!s"y in the 'irror once 'ore, & thin# & spot the 3odge%

2en or so cars $ac#?

9eah, & see it, Christian says, peering thro!gh the narrow rear window% & wonder who

the f!c# it is?e too% 3o we #now if its a 'an driing? & $"!rt o!t toward the crad"ed *"ac#*erry%

;o, rs% Grey% Co!"d $e a 'an or wo'an% 2he tint is too dar#%

0 wo'an? Christian says%& shr!g% 9o!r rs% 4o$inson? & s!ggest, not ta#ing 'y eyes off the road%

Christian stiffens and "ifts the *"ac#*erry o!t of its crad"e% Shes not 'y rs%

4o$inson, he grow"s% & haent spo#en to her since 'y $irthday% 0nd E"ena wo!"dnt do this%&ts not her sty"e%

8ei"a?

Shes in Connectic!t with her parents% & to"d yo!%

0re yo! s!re?+e pa!ses% ;o% *!t if shed a$sconded, &' s!re her fo"#s wo!"d hae "et F"ynn #now%

8ets disc!ss this when were ho'e% Concentrate on what yo!re doing%

*!t it 'ight 6!st $e so'e rando' car%&' not ta#ing any ris#s% ;ot where yo!re concerned, he snaps% +e rep"aces the

*"ac#*erry in its crad"e so were $ac# in contact with o!r sec!rity tea'.

%h shit. & dont want to ratt"e Christian right now % % % "ater 'ay$e% & ho"d 'y tong!e%Fort!nate"y, the traffic is thinning a "itt"e% & a' a$"e to speed oer the o!nt"a#e intersection

toward the &-5, weaing thro!gh the cars again%

What if we get stopped $y the cops? & as#%

2hat wo!"d $e a good thing%

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;ot for 'y "icense%

3ont worry a$o!t that, he says%

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+ead straight to Esca"a, sir%

& s"ow, chec# 'y 'irrors, signa", then 'oe with s!rprising ease across fo!r "anes of the

highway and down the off-ra'p% erging onto Stewart Street, we head so!th% 2he street is .!iet,with few ehic"es% here is e+eryone?

Wee $een da'ned "!c#y with the traffic% *!t that 'eans the 3odge has, too% 3ont

s"ow down, 0na% Get !s ho'e%& cant re'e'$er the way, & '!tter, panic#ed $y the fact the 3odge is sti"" on o!r tai"%

+ead so!th on Stewart% /eep going !nti" & te"" yo! when% Christian so!nds anxio!s

again% & :oo' past three $"oc#s $!t the "ights change to ye""ow on 9a"e 0en!e%4!n the', 0na, Christian sho!ts% & 6!'p so hard & f"oor the gas peda", throwing !s $oth

$ac# in o!r seats, speeding thro!gh the now red "ight%

+es ta#ing Stewart, Sawyer says%

Stay with hi', 8!#e%8!#e?

2hats his na'e%

0 .!ic# g"ance and & can see Christian g"aring at 'e as if &' cra:y% Eyes on the road1

he snaps%& ignore his tone% 8!#e Sawyer%

9es1 +e so!nds exasperated%0h% +ow did & not #now this? 2he 'an has $een fo""owing 'e to wor# for the "ast six

wee#s, and & didnt een #now his first na'e%

2hats 'e, 'aa', Sawyer says, start"ing 'e, tho!gh hes spea#ing in the ca"','onotone oice he a"ways !ses% 2he !ns!$ is heading down Stewart, sir% +es rea""y pic#ing !p

speed%

Go, 0na% 8ess of the f!c#ing chitchat, Christian grow"s%

Were stopped at the first "ight on Stewart% Sawyer infor's !s%0na7.!ic#7in here, Christian sho!ts, pointing to a par#ing "ot on the so!th side of

*oren 0en!e% & t!rn, the tires screeching in protest as & swere into the crowded "ot%

3rie aro!nd% !ic#, Christian orders% & drie as fast as & can to the $ac#, o!t of sightof the street% &n there% Christian points to a space% Shit! +e wants 'e to par# it% rap!

!st f!c#ing do it, he says% So & do % % % perfect"y% >ro$a$"y the on"y ti'e & hae eer

par#ed perfect"y%Were hidden in the par#ing "ot $etween Stewart and *oren, Christian says into the

*"ac#*erry%

=#ay, sir% Sawyer so!nds irritated% Stay where yo! are@ we"" fo""ow the !ns!$%

Christian t!rns to 'e, his eyes searching 'y face% 9o! o#ay?S!re, & whisper%

Christian s'ir#s% Whoeers driing that 3odge cant hear !s, yo! #now%

0nd & "a!gh%Were passing Stewart and *oren now, sir% & see the "ot% +es gone straight past yo!, sir%

*oth of !s sag si'!"taneo!s"y with re"ief%

We"" done, rs% Grey% Good driing% Christian gent"y stro#es 'y face with hisfingertips, and & 6!'p at the contact, inha"ing deep"y% & had no idea & was ho"ding 'y $reath%