Fifty Shades Darker is a 2012 erotic romance novel by British author E. L. James. It is the second installment in the Fifty Shades trilogy that traces the deepening relationship between a college graduate, Anastasia Steele, and a young business magnate, Christian Grey. The first and third volumes, Fifty Shades of Grey and Fifty Shades Freed, were published in 2011 and 2012. The novel is published by Vintage Books and reached #1 on the USA Today best seller list.

Three days since leaving Christian, Anastasia "Ana" Steele has begun her job as personal assistant to Jack Hyde, an editor at Seattle Independent Publishing (SIP). He continually asks Ana out, making her uneasy, but writes it off. Christian emails her to see if she needs a ride to her friend José Rodriguez's gallery exhibit in Portland, which she had forgotten about until Christian emailed her. The pair attend the show together and later kiss in an alley. They have dinner in a restaurant and Christian reveals he wants her back. He later proposes that they resume their relationship but under Ana's conditions of no rules and no punishments. She agrees.

Christian reveals to Ana that he has bought SIP, but the deal must stay secret for another month. Ana is furious that Christian is interfering in her career, especially after he freezes the company's accounts preventing her from going on an overnight business trip to New York with Jack. Christian insists it was for her own protection, because Jack is a "known philanderer", as he apparently harassed his last five assistants. Those suspicions prove correct when Jack corners Ana after hours and blackmails her, demanding sexual favors. Ana's self-defense training allows her to escape. Christian has Jack fired and confiscates his work computer.