Christian Grey is the male protagonist of the trilogy that serves as Anastasia Steele's primary love interest with whom he discovers real love. Young, handsome, intelligent, business-savvy, and charming, he at first glance appears to be a suave but private business mogul with an irresistible allure. Upon further acquaintance with him, and later on a relationship, Anastasia finds out that there is a darker side to "control freak" Christian, quoted as being "fifty shades of fucked up." (Hence the title of the first book in the Fifty Shades Trilogy.) Christian is tall, muscular, has copper "sex hair", and gray eyes. He is the father of Theodore Raymond Grey and Phoebe Grey.
History
Before his adoption, Christian had spent some time starving and suffered through repeated traumatic experiences with his crack-addict mother and repeated beatings (and implied burnings) from her pimp which is the reason for his distaste of being physically touched. It is also hinted at that this is the reason that he likes to tie up his Submissives since it gives him a sense of control.
At the age of fifteen, he was coaxed into an affair with one of his mother's close married older friends, Elena (whom Anastasia semi-jokingly dubs "Mrs. Robinson" in the first book). Elena was Christian's first sexual experience and, according to him, introduced him to the world of BDSM by making him her submissive. It was when Christian was working part time cleaning the rubbles at the Lincoln's new extension, when he made a smart-ass remark at Elena, she then slapped him so hard, grabbed his face and kissed him passionately (without touching him), sparking feelings of teenage arousal in Christian. He came back the next day to her house and the affair began between the two. The affair lasted until he was twenty-one when her husband found out, and although they are no longer sexual, they still remain close friends (that is until Fifty Shades Freed when she makes a pass at him and he states that he loves Ana). According to Christian, his family still does not know of the affair although he reveals that it ruined "Mrs. Robinson's" marriage. (Though his mother finds out in the second novel when overhearing the two talking about their past BDSM relationship.)
When his affair with "Mrs. Robinson" ended, he continued exploration into the BDSM world by going to clubs specifically operating for the purpose or by hiring sexual services for the next two years. After that, he made the proper touches to his personal home, including the infamous "Red Room of Pain." He then continued this lifestyle up to Fifty Shades of Grey.
The Contract
For the last four years of Christian's life, he has entered into contractual sexual partners with fifteen women, signed, sealed, and delivered for them to be his "sub" for a 90 day period though he only sees them during the weekend. He has a "playroom" in his home at Escala, that contains toys and whips and such. Christian is what he calls a "Dominant ," someone who takes pleasure in owning, possessing, and controlling every aspect of a "Submissive's" life, most importantly their sexual life.
In 50 Shades Darker, Grey admitted he's a SADIST and lied to Ana that he's a Dominant.
The women he brings into his life are always there willingly, and according to him, already knew and enjoyed the BDSM lifestyle. Christian even has a written agreement for his woman to sign, especially a non-disclosure agreement which makes it legally impossible for women to discuss the private natures of their time at Christian's suite. His contract ranges from eating habits, exercising, what they can wear, safe words, "hard limits" (sexual acts that Submissives absolutely will not do) and "soft limits" (sexual acts that Submissives may/may not be interested in exploring) and beyond. Christian states multiple times that he does not look for love during these relationships; they remain purely sexual and for his satisfaction. This is also the only relationship that satisfies him, according to his wording in Fifty Shades of Grey; his Dominant/Submissive nature (which later becomes a source of tension between he and Ana). Although this changes when he meets Ana.
In The Series
Fifty Shades of Grey
Christian is accustomed to his BDSM Dom/Sub lifestyle. However, when he meets Anastasia Steele during an interview, a shy and awkward young woman, he finds himself utterely attracted and bewitched by her. He soon decides that he wants her to become his next submissive and is confused as to why getting the hint that she is inexperienced sexually and unlike his other Subs.
Soon though, their relationship begins and Christian finds himself constantly breaking his own rules of the contract for Anastasia, including some of the contractual agreements (i.e. controlling her eating habits, her exercising habits, her sleeping habits, and her clothing). Anastasia Steele, unaccustomed to the lifestyle of a Submissive, defies him frequently which both arouses and frustrates Christian in a way he has never before experienced with any other woman. Soon he realizes he is developing feelings for Ana that he has never felt before which spirals his life in ways he is not prepared for due to his past and nature.
Fifty Shades Darker
After the disastrous end of his relationship with Ana, Christian finds himself broken by Ana leaving him. But soon, after unable to deny their feelings for each other, the two rekindle their sensual affair. Christian, desperate to keep Ana in his life, wrestles with his inner demons.
However, when someone from Christian's past pops back up in his life and threatens Ana, Christian must make choices fast.
Fifty Shades Freed
When unworldly student Anastasia Steele first encountered the driven and dazzling young entrepreneur Christian Grey it sparked a sensual affair that changed both of their lives irrevocably. Shocked, intrigued, and, ultimately, repelled by Christian’s singular erotic tastes, Ana demands a deeper commitment. Determined to keep her, Christian agrees.
Now, Ana and Christian have it all—love, passion, intimacy, wealth, and a world of possibilities for their future. But Ana knows that loving her Fifty Shades will not be easy, and that being together will pose challenges that neither of them would anticipate. Ana must somehow learn to share Christian’s opulent lifestyle without sacrificing her own identity. And Christian must overcome his compulsion to control as he wrestles with the demons of a tormented past. Just when it seems that their strength together will eclipse any obstacle; misfortune, malice, and fate conspire to make Ana’s deepest fears turn to reality.
Relationship with Ana
Anastasia Steele is the first woman with Christian whom he has had real genuine feelings for. In a bonus chapter in Fifty Shades Freed where the first chapter of Fifty Shades of Grey are told from his point of view, it is revealed how Christian, upon their first meeting, developed an instant attraction to Ana and looked up her job occupation just to "stumble" into her again and see her. The two continue to develop an attraction to each other and Christian decides to make her his next Sub saying how he "had" to have her.
When he shockingly finds out how Ana is still a virgin when the thing him completely broken. This in which serves as his "wake up call" and his determination to change so he can keep Ana in his life since she wants more than just a sexual relationship.
Ana has been shown to be the one person is capable of breaking Christian as shown twice in the series - all of these times being when he believes her to be leaving him. The most shocking scene, perhaps, being in the second novel where Ana is prepared to leave, drunk, to her apartment from Christian's home after one of Christian's previous Subs broke into Ana's apartment in a psychological break down due to her unrequited love for Christan and jealousy of Ana. Christian had angrily demanded Ana to leave duing the break in and when she wouldn't the two fought, leaving Ana to worry she may not be what he wants/needs and that only a submissive can fully satisfy him. Christian, mistaking that she is leaving him again, in a desperate attempt to keep her from leaving him, submits to her getting on his knees and bowing his head to her, leaving Ana speechlessly shocked. (Since Christan is all about control and being dominant.) Christian's controlling attitude and easily sparked jealousy also causes many problems for him and Ana since she wants her own personal space and for him to trust her.