Thank you to Abby who bravely proofread the first draft of this chapter :)

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CONTAINS MATURE ADULT CONTENT

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Lucas stared back at Alexa as she pulled the trigger again, a pair of veins popping up from his forehead as he realized what she had just done.

Click.

"I think you forgot this," Lucas said coldly, holding up a gun magazine in his hand, and as he placed it on the table next to him, his fists clenched in anger. As he stood there in front of her, Lucas was shaking with a rage that rose from years enduring hell in Russia, hearing her words on the ship just before she fled away from him, looking at him as if he were a cancer.

All those years, he thought, his own screams reverberating in his ears as his interrogators tried to break him again and again, till he was nothing but a shell of the man he used to be, all those years for this. To be treated like a common criminal.

Lucas had had the foresight to remove the magazine from her gun, including the bullet in the chamber, while she was in the shower, lost in her thoughts as he heard her sobbing. How could he even have thought that she understood him, knew the dreams that haunted him and feel one with her again and again? How could he have thought those things?

Alexa's mouth turned dry as she stared at his eyes, seeing the shadow that slowly slid over them. She took a few steps to the side, not wanting to be caged in the bathroom, her fear building as Lucas took a step forward, his eyes pinning her, mesmerizing her like a predator hunting its prey. His jaw tightened, the veins on his neck evident now as Alexa watched him, as if in slow motion, come for her.

"Damn you!" Alexa screamed at him as Lucas lunged at her, slamming her against the wall with a force that knocked the wind out of her. Her gun clattered to the floor, useless now as she flailed against him, trying to push him away from her. Alexa kicked at him but Lucas wedged himself between her legs and she found herself kicking at nothing.

Lucas brought his hand up, his fingers circling the delicate slope of her neck and she gasped when he began to squeeze. Tears sprang to her eyes and she called out his name, her nails raking across his arms as she fought to loosen his hold on her.

His rage surprised Alexa, his eyes turning a dark shade of blue as he glared at her and she found herself turning away from him, partly to relieve the pressure of his fingers around her neck. She tried to scream but nothing came from her throat, only gasps and grunts as she continued to fight him.

"For eight years, Alexa," he breathed against her ear. "For eight years, they held me prisoner, torturing me for days and not once did I ever betray my country. Not once."

"Lucas, stop," Alexa whispered before he squeezed again and her vision began to fade as she gulped for air, her lungs screaming. Stars exploded before her eyes and Alexa realized that Lucas was going to kill her.

"And here you are, in your nice little flat, living your privileged life, having the nerve to tell me what the hell I am," he growled.

Lucas released his fingers around her neck slightly and Alexa took a deep breath of air, her vision as if clouded by a cold white sheet that covered everything around her like a film. She saw it in his eyes as he stared at her, the pain behind his gaze tearing through her. Lucas was telling the truth.

He had never been a traitor.

The sudden look in her eyes told Lucas to let go of her and as he did, he felt a knot in his stomach growing, twisting, making him weak on the knees as he leaned further against her for support. As she moved her body against him, feeling him increase the pressure of his body pinning her to the wall, Alexa felt it, too.

Their breaths, heavy and labored, mingled in the slim space between them, their chests rising and falling together. Suddenly Alexa realized what it was. The rush of something so utterly dangerous yet seductive, the gray area between fear and excitement, pleasure and pain. Alexa saw it in his pupils, dilating now as the sensation overcame him, and he inhaled the sweet scent of her skin, the aroma of something else, dark and primal between them.

It was a heat that grew from deep between both of them, beginning just below their bellies where her skin met the fabric of his shirt, just above his belt buckle. Struggling against him had caused Alexa's robe to hang open, and she found herself naked, the the gentle mound of her sex rubbing against the jeans that he wore.

Alexa's eyes flashed up at him. He was hard, his erection straining against his jeans. Lucas, realizing it, too, tried to move away from her, but his body refused. Instead, he pushed himself harder against Alexa, his chest crushing her breasts, feeling her nipples hard against his skin.

"Oh, god," she whispered, feeling her body betray herself as Alexa brought her arms up, her fingers twining themselves through his hair and she pulled his head down towards her. His hand around her neck loosened and drew away, moving down to the skin between her neck and her shoulder, pushing the robe off her shoulder, his other hand moving to circle the small of her back. Alexa found herself arching her back as Lucas muttered something she couldn't understand, adjusting himself so that while she was still pinned against the wall, his thigh kept her there, supported.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered huskily. "I really am."

Lucas bent down to kiss the soft skin between her neck and shoulder, his hand now caressing the slope of her breast, his fingers pinching her nipple, and causing Alexa to gasp as she clung to him. "I don't want your apology," he said as his lips left her neck and moved up, claiming Alexa's lips roughly, his tongue tasting her. "I want you."

Her legs encircled him and Alexa found herself moving her hips against him, feeling the hardness of him trapped in his jeans and she groaned as she began unbuttoning his shirt, pushing it past his shoulders. As Lucas freed himself from the confines of his jeans, Alexa hooked her toes along the top of his jeans, pushing them down to the floor.

She felt him hard and hot against the lips of her sex and Alexa moaned again as Lucas continued to assault her mouth with his tongue, the sensations driving her up along the first wave of her orgasm, hitting her hard. The adrenaline that had fueled her throughout the day had long gone but Alexa could still feel remnants of it coursing through her veins, driving her body to seek a release that only Lucas could fulfill.

"Tell me what you want," Lucas whispered, pulling his hips back as she groaned in frustration. Her fingers sought him out but he pulled her hand away as her hips rocked against him, her legs pulling him closer. "Beg for it."

"Please," she whispered.

His fingers trailed down towards her sex, slipping between the soft lips and feeling the wetness that coated his finger.  He slipped one finger inside her, caught by surprise at how much she wanted him.He felt her walls tighten around him, squeezing.

"You've got to try harder than that," Lucas growled as he slipped two more fingers inside her, feeling her inner walls spasm around his fingers. Alexa gasped, clinging to him and pushing her hips against him as he slipped his fingers out of her, teasing the nether lips before slipping inside again, feeling her body strain towards him, yearning for more. She begged him then, using words that inflamed him, her hips thrusting forward to meet his fingers.

She was so wet for him, his fury exciting her in a way that took Alexa by surprise. She pulled herself up, positioning herself over him, feeling him right there, so close. His thumb found the swollen nub of her sex and she moaned further, breathing heavily against his ear as he pinched and rolled the sensitive skin between his thumb and index finger, and she bucked her hips against him.

Suddenly Lucas slipped his fingers out of her, chuckling as he heard her whimper against his ear. She felt him position himself against her entrance, the swollen head teasing the sensitive folds of her sex and Alexa whimpered, pushing her hips closer towards him.

She begged for him again.

Suddenly he entered her, slamming her against the wall as Alexa cried out, her body spasming against the momentum of his initial thrust. She sucked on the skin of his shoulder as he began to move in and out of her, her legs wrapped around his hips, her body moving in unison with his, her hands wrapped around his neck as she held onto him.

Even Lucas found himself groaning as he felt the heat of her sheath surrounding him, coating him with her juices, squeezing him tightly, then releasing him ever so slightly as he pulled away. They stayed like that for a few minutes, matching each other's rhythm as Alexa cried out his name with each thrust, and with each drawing away.  He wanted to hear the sounds she made against his ear, pain and pleasure mingling together with each breath. 

So it had come to this, Alexa thought, as she held onto him, feeling his ragged breath against her neck, his hand squeezing her breast, pinching and pulling her nipple till she cried out, writhing against him as the second wave of her orgasm claimed her. Alexa shuddered, her head flinging back against the wall and Lucas nuzzled her neck, keeping her trapped in his arms. The walls of her sex tightened around him and Lucas fought back the waves of his own climax approaching, slowing down as he watched her, feeling her ride each crest of her release as she clung to him, calling out his name.

Still inside of her, he carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed. This time, Lucas was gentle as he made love to her, the urgency of their union just minutes earlier slipping away as he held her. He kissed Alexa with a tenderness that surprised her, his mouth playing with her lips before moving downwards to nuzzle her breast, teasing and sucking on her nipple as he moved in and out of her, feeling her walls squeeze him tightly. She moved with him, and when he began sucking the skin between her neck and shoulder, moving up to lick the skin behind her ear, a shudder went through her body and she cried out, her fingers twined in his hair.

Alexa groaned when his mouth left her neck to seek the warmth and solace of her lips as he continued to move inside her, finally welcoming his own release as his body stiffened above her, her legs pulling him deeper inside her as his body shuddered.

When it was all over, as he still lay above her catching his breath, Lucas turned Alexa's face towards him. His blue eyes sought her, studying her features. He could get lost in her eyes, Lucas thought. He wanted nothing more than to sink into a deep sleep, and rest his tired body next to her. He hated having to get out of bed, out of her arms and make their way back to the Grid, to Liam and Harry who were waiting for them. But they had to.

Lucas kissed her tenderly on the lips, his fingers touching the darkening bruise on her jaw. "Did I hurt you?" He asked, his fingers touching her neck, settling behind her ear, rubbing the sensitive skin behind the auricle and her body shivered so that he pulled his fingers away, giving her a chance to rest a bit.

She shook her head. "Not any worse than almost having killed you." She said quietly, looking away from him.

Lucas cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I may never forgive you for that, Alexa. Twice you pulled that trigger."

"And twice I failed," she smiled, raising an eyebrow playfully. "But you do know that it's impossible to remove a magazine and a spare bullet in the chamber of a gun without making any noise, not even with the shower running."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better," Lucas said as he pulled her closer to him, cradling her in the crook of his shoulder. Outside it was drizzling. "Now you're going to make it difficult for me to get all cleaned up. God knows I need a shower."

"Why do you say that? It's not like I charge for showers."

"No, I'm sure you don't," he smiled. "But I'm afraid that the moment I take my eyes off you, you're either going to run away again, or try to kill me again. And I'm too tired to decide which one it will be."

She chuckled. "We'll just have to think of something to resolve our dilemma, won't we?"

Lucas tugged a lock of her hair playfully, his face turning serious. "But enough about me, Alexa. It's time you tell me the truth. No more secrets."

She turned to look at him and Lucas could see a bruise that had began to darken along her jaw. He traced the outline of her jaw and Alexa winced, but she bit her lip, taking a deep intake of breath as Lucas withdrew his fingers.

"No secrets between us? None at all?"

Lucas looked at her, the word she needed to hear just about to leave his lips. But just when he hesitated, Lucas found himself forcing a smile.

"Of course," he said.

But in the end, Alexa decided that if she were to tell Lucas everything, it would have to be with Harry present. The last thing she wanted was to recount her ordeal more times than was necessary.

"Whatever I was activated to do, Lucas, I will say it to Harry and you together," she said. "I promise."

Lucas sighed. "That only means one thing then," he said, pushing himself up from the bed that had felt so inviting just minutes earlier. "I have to get myself into the shower and take you to the Grid with me tonight."

As Lucas padded naked towards the bathroom, he turned to look at her, as if making sure that she stayed where she was. Alexa smiled to herself as she watched him slip into the walk-in shower, the sound of the water spray drifting into the bedroom, steam filling the bathroom. He poked his head out one more time to check on her, and she laughed.

"I'm not going anywhere, Lucas North," she called out to him.

"Just making sure," he said from inside the shower.

A few minutes later, Alexa walked towards the bathroom and slipped into the shower just as Lucas was soaping himself, his back towards her. She brought her arms around his torso, her fingers spreading the soap across his skin.

"What are you doing?" He whispered, catching hold of her hand and interlacing his fingers with hers for a few seconds before letting them go, allowing her to run her hands freely over his skin.

"Resolving your dilemma for you,"Alexa whispered, taking the soap from his hand and proceeding to bring her hands down towards his belly, past his hips and along the front of his thighs. She circled the area above his knees and brought her hands towards the back, moving up along his taut hamstrings and up to his buttocks. She felt him tighten against her and he caught his breath as her fingers slipped underneath him, cupping him playfully.

"By keeping me busy like this, I won't be able to run away again - or try to kill you again," Alexa said. "Unless you want to stop. We are in a rush after all, aren't we?"

Alexa brought her hands back to the front of his thighs, her fingers encircling him, having grown hard and hot from her ministrations. Lucas groaned, his body tightening against her as her fingers held him, her body rubbing against his back. The soap tumbled from her hands but neither of them cared to retrieve it as the water soaked them both, washing the remnants of soap from the front of Lucas' body.

Alexa knelt in front of him, her hands still holding him, moving in a gentle rhythm along the length of him. "Do you want me to stop, Lucas?" She whispered as she ran her tongue along the length of him, from base to tip, her eyes looking up at him the entire time, her tongue lingering to spend more time along the sensitive head before taking him into her mouth.

And as her mouth enveloped him in a sheath of searing heat and wetness, Lucas could only gasp, grabbing her hair and pulling her towards him, feeling himself hit the back of her throat, and hearing her moan, vibrations traveling through her mouth and all around him.

He groaned, knowing that she didn't need to hear the words come from his lips as he pumped her face against his hips, feeling her hands around his buttocks, kneading them.

Don't stop. His body said. Don't ever stop.

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