Read Online Darker by E. L. James - Free Book Online

incorporate them into the entire casing of the tablet, even into the screen?” I ask.
    Seven heads turn my way in unison.
    “Not the screen, but a cover…maybe?” says Fred.
    “Expense?” Barney pipes up at the same time.
    “This is blue sky, people. Don’t concern yourselves with the economics,” I answer. “We’ll sell it as a premium brand here and practically give it away in the third world. That’s the point.”
    The room erupts in creativity and two hours later we have three ideas about how to cover the device in solar cells.
    “…Of course we’ll make it WiMAX-enabled for the home market,” Fred states.
    “And incorporate the capability for satellite Internet access for Africa and India,” Barney adds. “Provided we can get access.” He looks quizzically toward me.
    “That’s a little down the line. I’m hoping we can piggyback on the EU GPS system Galileo.” I know this will take a while to negotiate, but we have time. “Marco’s team is looking into it.”
    “Tomorrow’s technology today,” Barney states proudly.
    “Excellent.” I nod in approval. I turn to my VP of procurement. “Vanessa, where are we with the conflict mineral issue? How are you dealing with it?”
    LATER, WE’RE SITTING AROUND the table in my boardroom and Marco is running through the modified business plan for SIP and their contract stipulations following the signing of our revised heads of agreement yesterday.
    “They want to embargo the acquisition news for a month,” he says. “Something about not freaking out their authors.”
    “Really? Will their authors care?” I ask.
    “This is a creative industry,” Ros says gently.
    “Whatever.” And I want to roll my eyes.
    “You and I have a call scheduled with Jeremy Roach, the owner, at four thirty today.”
    “Good. We can hash out remaining details then.” My mind drifts to Anastasia. How is her day going? Has she rolled her eyes at anyone today? What are her work colleagues like? Her boss? I’ve asked Welch to investigate Jack Hyde; just reading Hyde’s employee file, I know there’s something odd about his career trajectory. He started in New York, and now he’s here. Something doesn’t add up. I need to know more about him, especially if Ana is working for him.
    I’m also waiting for an update on Leila. Welch has nothing new to report on her whereabouts. It’s like she’s disappeared completely. I can only hope that wherever she is, she’s in a better place.
    “Their e-mail monitoring is almost as stringent as ours,” Ros says, interrupting my reverie.
    “So?” I ask. “Any company worth its equity has a rigorous e-mail policy.”
    “It surprises me for such a small operation. All e-mails are checked by the HR function.”
    I shrug. “I don’t have an issue with that.” Though I should warn Ana. “Let’s go through their liabilities.”
    ONCE WE’VE DEALT WITH SIP, we move to the next item on the agenda. “We’re going to make a tentative inquiry about the shipyard in Taiwan,” Marco says.
    “I don’t see what we’ve got to lose,” Ros agrees.
    “My shirt and the goodwill of our workforce?”
    “Christian, we don’t have to do it,” Ros says with a sigh.
    “It makes financial sense. You know it. I know it. Let’s see how far we can run with this.”
    My phone flashes, announcing an e-mail from Ana.
    At last!
    I’ve been so busy I haven’t managed to contact her since this morning, but she’s been hovering at the edge of my consciousness all day, like a guardian angel. My guardian angel. Ever present but not intrusive.
    Mine.
    Grey, get a grip.
    As Ros lists next steps for the Taiwan project, I read Ana’s e-mail.
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    From: Anastasia Steele
    Subject: Bored…
    Date: June 10 2011 16:05
    To: Christian Grey
    Twiddling my thumbs.
    How are you?
    What are you doing?
    Anastasia Steele
    Assistant to Jack Hyde, Editor, SIP
    Twiddling her thumbs? The thought makes me smile as I recall her fumbling with the tape recorder