Hello Readers-

I have been working on this story for a long,long time and I am glad that you are still reading and looking forward to chapters. We have reached a part of the story that I could do a time jump and write and epilogue or I could write 10 more chapters. Part of me would feel good about finally marking this story as complete. But another nagging part of me wants to go in depth on Ana and Christians HEA. Please let me know in the reviews or PMs what you'd like to see. And if you'd like me to restart any of my other fics that are in progress.

Thank you for sticking with me.

Xxx PPP

I watched Ana as she slept. It broke my heart to see her in so much pain. All she wanted was to get to Olivia, that was her sole focus. We boarded Gideon's plane within the hour of her finding out about Olivia. I wanted to crush Gideons skull for letting her go through those files. It took every ounce of control not to confront him. I wanted to keep as much of this away from her as I could until I knew more.

"Is she asleep?" He asked as he poured us both a whiskey. I nodded yes and to the glass that he handed to me. "I'm sorry, if I would have known what was in those files I never would have let her look at them. I was just so angry I wasn't thinking clearly."

As much as I wanted to unload on him I could see he was beating himself up enough. "She would have found out eventually. " I finally said.

"You would have told her?"

"Yes. Once I wrapped my head around it. I promised her no secrets. I would have told her. I would have hated it but I would have." He nodded, I could see him processing the information. I hated that he knew so much about my relationship with Ana. That she had chosen to confide in him of all people. "Are you going to tell, Eva what's going on?"

"We are not speaking, she has gone zero contact. I don't know. Maybe when I know more."

"My sister, Mia knows Eva. I could have her reach out…"

"No, thank you but no. Eva is in a good place. I don't want to fuck that up for her." There was a sadness to his voice that I understood and I wondered if Eva's good place involved another man. I didn't ask him though. I wouldn't want to be questioned.

We arrived at my parents house and Ana had one single goal. It was a relief when Olivia came running down the stairs and flung herself into Ana's arms.

"I missed you so much, monkey."

"I missed you too." After a few minutes, Olivia separated herself from Ana and climbed into my arms. She smelled of strawberry shampoo and I inhaled deeply as she burrowed I to my neck. How could anyone want to hurt her? It just didn't make any sense to me. My blood began to boil at the thought.

"Who is that?" She asked pointing at Gideon.

"That's my friend. Gideon. Gideon this is Olivia." He held out his hand and gave her a small bow.

"You're so pretty." Olivia said and I couldn't help but burst out laughing. My parents stood there quietly watching us, we gave them no reason for our visit. Olivia went back into Ana's arms and I gave my mother a hug. She had head about what happened in Mexico and was confused about so many things.

"Are you okay, Christian."

"I am, it's been a crazy few days."

"I bet."

"Let's so someplace quiet and talk."

Ana stayed with Olivia while Gideon and I filled my parents in on Stanton and what we were planning. Carrick had know of Stanton but they had never interacted closely.

"Christian, he's friends with Kate's parents. He coming to the wedding." My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Gideon and I locked eyes.

"Mom, I know this is very short notice but can you add Gideon Cross to the guest list?"

And just like that a plan began.

Xxx

I was finally home in Boston. I flew home alone, Gideon and Christian had work to do on the sale and I had to get back to work. I hated to leave Olivia and I wished I could take her with me, far away from everyone and everything that hurt her. Grace and Carrick reassured me that she had security and they would keep her safe. I trusted that.

I picked up my furry dog Teddy from my dads and he knew something was off but he didn't press me on it. I didn't tell him about what happened in Mexico or that I was engaged to Christian again. I wanted to ease everyone into that information. Christian was hurt when I told him that I didn't want people to know yet. But we had ruined Kate and Elliot's trip, I didn't want them to hate me for saying yes now. And my parents still didn't like Christian. His parents were all ready knee deep in Elliot's Wedding. The timing was not right. After the wedding, after the sale of GEH and after Stanton was behind bars we would tell everyone. He reluctantly agreed. I did my best to try and pretend that the last week had not happened. I tried to forget about Olivia and Stanton. But no matter how hard I tried I the anger just wouldn't go away. I was distracted at work and everyone took notice. I blamed jet lag and did my best to get back into the swing of things. I just couldn't do it. Work seemed so insignificant when there was so much I could be doing to nail Stanton. It's all I could think about.

"Hey, baby." Christian sounded exhausted.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, we have just been finalizing the details of the sale. We make the announcement tomorrow."

"Is Gideon with you?"

"Hey Ana." I heard him call out from a distance.

"You're on speaker." Christian said.

"Good, listen I want you to send me all the files and Intel you have on Stanton."

"What? Absolutely not."

"You can't shelter me from this."

"No, I can't but I don't need to shower you with it either. It won't be good for you."

"Maybe it won't but I need to do something. I can't sit at my desk editing a risotto recipe when I can be spending my time figuring all this out. Remember when we were going over videos of GEH when Hyde broke in? I see things that maybe you won't see. Things Welch won't see. And I'm not asking you, I'm telling you to send me the files."

"Ana… no."

"Gideon."

"I'll get the files out to you tonight. You'll have them in the morning."

"What the fuck, Cross?"

"It's funny how he only calls me Cross when I've pissed him off? If Ana wants the files then she can have the files. She's a big girl."

"Thank you, Gideon. I'll call Welsh myself if I have to. He likes me better than you anyway."

"Fine, I'll send the fucking files."

"Don't be mad."

"I'm not, I just wish I could keep you away from all of this. And keep you safe."

"I know. But you can't. But I have noticed the security that has been tracking me."

"Ana, I don't have any security on you?" I could hear fear in Christian's voice.

"Oh, that would be me. Taylor thought it would be a good idea."

"You could have told me!" Christian roared.

"I'm sorry. He just told me this morning. We've had so much going on. It slipped my mind. He didn't even ask me. He just did it in his own."

"Okay, I am fine with the security. It's a comfort actually." Christian was silent but I could feel the tension even over the phone.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. We are closing this deal tomorrow and I'll be on a plane and back to Boston."

"I can't wait. I miss you."

"I miss you too, baby."

"Do you miss me, Ana baby?" Gideon called out.

"Fuck off, Cross."

"There he goes calling me Cross again."

Xxx

The boxes arrived as promised and it was more than I expected. I sat on the floor of my living room, my back and I the sofa, Teddy nestled beside and got to work. Photos, thumb drives, printed emails, surveillance photos as recent as last night. I started with Welch's report. It was fifteen pages long and gave detailed information of what he had learned and concluded. The Broker had been in business for over a decade and their client list was extensive. But not all of their clients seemed to secure children. It appears that it started out an an escort service that devolved over time to human trafficking - which had started around two years ago. The flow of money was via wire transfer and while Welch was trying to trace them he was not confident that they would. His reports were through and his line of thinking was sound. I started from the beginning and laid out every email between Stanton and the Broker. They went back about eighteen months.

Subject : California September 18th

As requested here are 3 options for delivery.

Pet 1: Puppy - F - unfixed - 14 - brown/blue/white

Pet 2: Foster - M - well trained -16 - blonde/brown/ white

Pet 3: Adult - F - broken - 18 - black/brown/brown

Photos are attached.

Subject: New York December 22nd

We are so happy that you are choosing to foster over the holidays. As requested here are 3 options for delivery.

Pet 1: Puppy - F - unfixed - 11 - brown/brown/black

Pet 2: Puppy - F - fixed - 13 - brown/brown/brown

Pet 3: Foster- F - well trained - 15 - blonde/green/white

Photos are attached.

It was all in code as if they were running a pet shelter. I shuttered when I realized what the codes meant in relationship to the children. I noticed that the email that contained Olivia's information had been removed and I was grateful for it. I think that piece of paper would have paralyzed me. When laid out chronologically you could see a pattern to Stanton's choices. I tracked the dates of the emails to news stories about him in the press. Anytime he had bad press there would be an email request to the Broker which would be responded to within the hour with details and photos. Another thing that struck out is that he always chose girls that looked looked like Eva. Blonde hair and blue eyes. It made my stomach sick.

And why was Stanton trying to buy GEH in the first place? What could possibly be his connection to Christian. I just couldn't make sense if it at all.

Hours passed as I poured through the files and thumb drives until my back ached and Teddy begged for a walk. I put the collar around his neck and had a flash of Elena putting a collar around mine. It paralyzed me. That fucking women held such a power over me. Even on death. My back began to burn, feeling the slice of a whip on my bare skin. I could feel myself spiral again. I wasn't in my apartment anymore. I was in Escala with Hyde and Elena. I was cold and naked and bleeding. Christian was there and the fear overtook my consciousness. Hot tears steamed down my face. I wanted to scream. In the distance I could hear Teddy barking and then his rough wet tongue on my face. It was whimpering now and the sound of his sadness tore through my panic. I was back in my apartment. Slumped on the floor my the front door, Teddy's body covering mine. I couldn't move or stop myself from shaking. I don't know how much time passed as we sat like that. Teddy, my sweet boy protecting me. Maybe Christian was right. Maybe this was too much for me. I stood slowly, decision made. I started packing up the papers and photos. I wasn't sting enough to do this Christian and Gideon were paying professionals large sums of money to figure this out. It wasn't my job…

My eye caught the last email the Broker sent Stanton.

Subject: March 23rd - Los Angeles

We don't have any fosters available on such short notice. We could accommodate you tomorrow.

March 23rd - Los Angeles

March 23rd - Los Angeles

"What are good,Pet." Elena's voice in my head. "Now, now, Pet. Behave."

March 23rd. That was the day Hyde and Elena took me hostage. That was the last email that was ever sent between the Broker and Stanton.

And then it all clicked into place. Elena was the Broker. Elena was trafficking women and children. She had done it for Christian when he was looking for subs. Maybe when he cut her off she needed to explore other ways to make money. Yes. It all made perfect fucking sense. And it even connected Stanton to Christian. Maybe he was trying to buy GEH as some sort of revenge because Elena was dead.

I picked up the phone frantically.

"This is Welch."

"I need you to find any connection between Richard Stanton and Elena Lincoln."

"Okay, why?"

"I believe that Elena was the Broker." His side of the line is silent for a moment.

"That… that would make a lot of sense. I'll see what I can find."

I feel depleted of all will and energy. Every truly bad thing in my life leads to Elena. I want this to finally be over. I want her to be the broker so badly I can taste it. I want to nail Stanton to the wall. I just don't know how we are going to do it. An hour later I receive an email from Welch.

Ana-

Elena and Stanton were introduced seven years ago through her husband Linc. They had business dealings. After that introduction they started an affair that lasted a little over a year. After that she supplied him with subs and then as time went on… well you know. With this new information I was able to trace an account of Elena's that Christian used to send her money for her services. From there I was able to track transfers to a Swiss account. I can confirm that Elena was the Broker. Well done. I am sending this report to Mr. Grey and Mr. Cross. I will await further instruction.

Welch

I read his email over and over again. A wave of relief crashing over me. We had what we needed. We could give all the files over to the FBI and this could all be over. The client list, the emails, he bank accounts. They had to be enough to put all of these people away and get some kind of Justice. They could access all the clients emails and connect them to the Broker. We could get Justice for Olivia. My poor sweet, Olivia.

Moments later my phone rang.

"Christian!"

"Ana, I just spoke to Welch… I have no words."

"We did it."

"You did it, baby. You did it."

"When are you coming home. I… I need you here."

"I'm heading to the airport now. I will be there as soon as I can. I love you, Ana."