6. Alec

Chapter 6

Alec

W ithout thinking, his hand reached up, tracing the line of her jaw. She didn't pull away, didn't recoil, didn't run. He knew this was a bad idea. She'd made it clear in Chicago that she wanted nothing more to do with him, and yet, she'd haunted his dreams for months. Her lips had parted effortlessly when he'd fused his mouth to hers, slipping his tongue past her teeth to explore the recesses within. Grier moaned as he did so, her fingers wandering down his neck, over the expanse of his chest hidden beneath the heavy sweater he wore.

"Alec…" she moaned, his name on her lips feeling like a jolt of electricity.

The sizzle of arousal that surged through her seemed to frighten her. Alec knew he should back off, knew he should leave her alone and let her pull away, but he couldn't. His hand clamped around hers, guiding it insistently towards the growing hardness between his legs. A gasp escaped her lips, both from shock and the undeniable thrill that coursed through them both.

"Alec, I didn't mean…" But the words died in her throat. There was no denying the raw desire in her eyes as they fixed on his, dark and hungry.

"Shh." It was a whisper, and it was a command.

She seemed lost in the heat of the moment, her hand betraying her inner turmoil as it plunged into his jeans to wrap around his engorged length. He was hard, impossibly so, and the reality of what he was planning to do struck him with a dizzying force.

"I want you, Grier. I'm going to have you unless you tell me right here, right now, to stop."

Did he want this? Did she? Alec realized the answer to the first was obvious, the answer to the second was not nearly as important as it should have been. She'd wanted him that night in Chicago; she wanted him now. He could smell her arousal, feel her nipples stiffening beneath the thermal shirt she was wearing. The questions swirled in his mind, tangled up with the adrenaline that had kept them alive thus far. But as her grip tightened and a low moan reverberated from his chest, the answers seemed to matter less and less.

"Alec, we can't just have sex here in the wilderness."

"Can't we?" he rumbled, cutting off her protest.

Her fear was palpable, seeming to choke her with its thick fingers. Instead of pushing him away, her fingers betrayed a curiosity that had been building since their harried escape. She struggled with the waistband of his jeans until he reached between them to unbutton the fly, allowing his thick, hard cock to fully scape the confines of his jeans. His groan vibrated through the cold air, and something within her seemed to unfurl, hungry, and wanting—something he'd had a glimpse of that night when he'd used his flogger to take her to the edge of bliss.

"Grier," he growled softly, as his hands found their way under her shirt, rough and warm.

The touch of his fingertips against her sensitive skin forced a cry from deep within her. It was madness, this conflagration of need amidst the shadows of the extreme danger they were still in. Not only did they need to make it out of Russia alive, but they also needed to uncover the mole or moles Grier had discovered. Alec's hands moved lower, one pressing on her stomach to hold her in place while the other slid beneath her leggings, straight to the spot he wanted to touch the most.

His breath hitched as his fingers teased her, the heat of his skin and the roughness of his touch making her shiver beneath him. Alec had never felt so alive, so vulnerable, and so reckless. The thought of how dangerous this was only seemed to heighten the intensity of the moment.

"Alec, we shouldn't…" she murmured, the words catching in her throat.

"Is that a no, Grier?"

The primitive need that had taken hold of him wouldn't be denied, and his body craved the connection that only she could give him.

Silence was his only answer.

"Then I'll take that as a yes. Your safeword is ‘red.'"

He tugged her leggings down to her knees, exposing her sex to the cold Russian air, but he knew she wouldn't feel it, not really. The heat between them burned bright and would keep them warm. As his fingers slipped deeper, his thumb now strumming against her clit, she arched into his touch, each movement drawing a low moan from her. It was clear that her resistance was waning, and Alec knew that the line between life and death had never felt so thin. The kisses between them became more fervent, interspersed with nips.

She'd left him in Chicago with no word or warning. A little bit of payback was in order.

He was on fire, every touch sending sparks skittering across his skin, igniting something primal within him. Something that had been lying in wait since he'd discovered she'd run off into the night. His jeans clung to him, a reminder of their reality, even as he lost himself to the sensations overwhelming his senses.

Alec splayed her labia, increasing the pressure and speed with which he played with her clit, before inserting two fingers deep inside her core and stroking, mimicking what he planned to do with his cock. She was tight, but her moan of pure pleasure told him she found the feeling as intoxicating as he did.

"Show me how you come, Grier. Show me how your body moves. Let me hear the sounds you make."

Harder and faster he stroked her, curling his fingers up as he dragged them back. He gazed into her eyes, dark green pools reflecting back his own desire, as her body shuddered with a small release. The sounds she made might not have echoed through the wilderness around them, but they filled Alec's mind with a sweet pleasure so intense it bordered on pain. In that moment, it wasn't about anger or fear, it was about being alive, here and now, with her.

His cock was heavy in her hand, and she ran her fingers up and down its length, feeling the tension and the heat radiating from him. He was certain she could feel his urgency, the desperation behind her eyes as she watched him touch her only made him more aroused, more eager to satisfy this craving they shared.

Panting, her stare locked onto Alec's eyes, dark and intense, the same eyes that wanted to watch her unravel. Her breath came out in ragged pulls, each one syncing with the erratic beats of his heart. Then his lips crashed against hers, raw and urgent.

"Alec," she murmured against his mouth as the world exploded, feeling her body tense as if her own voice was a trigger. She shook against him, her body wracked with the pleasure sparking from his fingers up into her brain. She arched her back as his lips pressed into hers, but she was gone, lost to him and only him.

He didn't think, didn't question any of it as she came down. He tugged her closer, his hands shoving down his jeans with a swift movement. In the space of a heartbeat, he thrust up into her, joining their bodies, filling her completely as her pussy spasmed with need. There was no hesitation, no second-guessing. It was just the two of them and this primal need neither could deny. Alec's movements were sure and relentless, pounding into her with a rhythm that matched the hammering of his heart within his chest.

"Again, for me, Grier," he breathed out, an order wrapped in velvet. His hand found its way to her still-vibrating clit, chasing another rush, another high. His name fell from her lips like a chant, spurring him on. "Come for me again."

His hands slipped beneath her, grasping the globes of her ass roughly as he thrust into her, sparking bright spots of pleasure. Alec drove himself so deep inside of her, it was as if she became one with him.

The forest echoed with their primal cries as they surrendered to their raw desires. The danger they were in seemed to melt away, replaced by a fierce, all-consuming passion that left no room for fear or doubt. Her hands clung to him beneath his sweater and clawed at his back, desperate to pull him closer, her nails leaving trails of blood and lust.

Their bodies moved in a frenzy, their pace matching the wild beating of their hearts. Sweat glistened on their skin, mingling their scents into a heady cocktail. The cold walls of the night melted away under her touch, replaced by the fire that blazed between them.

Her pussy pulsed with each thrust, each gasping breath, each ragged moan. He was lost in the rhythm, in the fire that burned within their joined flesh and in the desire that coursed through his veins. She arched against him, her back bowing, as the sensations started to build into something that made his breath catch in his chest, as the base of his spine began to tingle, and the world narrowed down to a single pinpoint.

"Alec!" she gasped out his name once more, everything sharpening into vivid sensation as she clamped down around him, triggering his own release, his motions growing more frantic until he stilled, his release hot and sudden before he collapsed on top of her.

He lay there for a moment, savoring the pleasure before reality crashed back down on him. They weren't out of danger, and she wasn't a trained operative. She needed to rest. With a groan of regret, he withdrew from her and pulled their clothing back into place. Grier tried to pull away, but Alec prevented her from doing so. Spooning up against her back so she was between him and the fire, he soothed her with word and touch until, exhausted, she fell asleep.

Alec woke with a start, the morning light filtering through the dense canopy of trees above, casting dappled shadows across his makeshift bed of leaves and branches. He blinked, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep, and instinctively reached for his weapon. His senses, honed by years of training and combat, were immediately on high alert. But the forest around him was still, the only sounds the distant chirping of birds and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.

He turned his head and saw Grier sitting a few feet away, her back against the rough bark of a tree, her laptop balanced on her knees. Her brow was furrowed in concentration, her fingers moving rapidly across the keyboard as she pored over the data she had been working on. Alec watched her for a moment, the morning quiet broken only by the faint tapping of keys.

She hadn't noticed he was awake. Alec could see the intensity in her eyes, the way she was completely absorbed in her work. It was a side of her he hadn't fully appreciated before—the analyst, the thinker, the one who could see patterns and connections where others saw only chaos. He knew she was trying to piece together the identity of the mole, using every scrap of information she had. It was impressive, really. But it also worried him.

People like Grier had a tendency to overthink, to get lost in the details. Alec knew that in their line of work, too much analysis could be just as dangerous as too little. In a situation as fluid and dangerous as theirs, there wasn't always time to dissect every piece of data, to explore every theory. Sometimes, you had to trust your instincts, make a decision, and move.

He sat up slowly, his movements careful so as not to startle her. But Grier was so engrossed in her work that she didn't even look up. Alec sighed inwardly, running a hand through his hair. He needed to bring her back to the present, to make sure she was focused on the immediate danger they were in—not just the puzzle she was trying to solve.

"Have you been at it all night?" he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

Grier's head snapped up, her eyes widening in surprise before they softened in recognition. "I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No," Alec replied, pushing himself to his feet and stretching out the stiffness in his muscles. "But you should have gotten some rest."

"I'll sleep when we're safe," Grier said, her tone dismissive as she turned back to her screen. "I think I'm getting close. There are patterns here—communications that don't add up. If I can just figure out who's behind them…"

Alec walked over to her, crouching down beside her to get a better look at the data on her screen. It was a mess of encrypted messages, timestamps, and IP addresses—information that meant little to him but was clearly significant to Grier.

"I don't doubt you're onto something," Alec said carefully. "But we can't afford to get bogged down. We need to stay mobile, keep ahead of whoever's hunting us."

Grier frowned, her fingers pausing over the keys. "I know that. But this is important, Alec. If we can identify the mole, we can stop them. We can end this."

Alec sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He could see how much this meant to her, how determined she was to solve the mystery. But he also knew that in their current situation, time was a luxury they didn't have.

Before he could respond, his satellite phone buzzed in his pocket. Alec's hand shot out, and he quickly checked the screen. The secure channel indicator flashed—a call from Cerberus. His stomach tightened as he glanced at Grier, who was watching him with a mixture of curiosity and concern.

Alec stood up, turning away from Grier as he answered the call. "McKennon."

"Alec, it's Seth," came the familiar voice of Seth Newcomb, one of the senior operatives in Cerberus. His tone was tense, urgent. "We've got a situation. You and Grier are in deep. The CIA and the FSB are both on your trail. They're closing in fast. I don't know that you can trust the Agency."

Alec's grip tightened on the phone. He had known they were being hunted, but hearing it confirmed by Seth sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. "How close are they?"

"Too close," Seth replied. "The CIA's got a team sweeping the area, and the FSB is using every resource they've got to track you down. You need to move, now."

Alec's jaw clenched. This was exactly what he had feared. They were being squeezed from both sides and staying in one place—even for a few hours—was no longer an option. "Understood. We'll be out in five."

"One more thing, Alec," Seth added, his voice lowering. "Be careful who you trust. We believe Cerberus has been compromised."

"What do you mean?"

"We're pretty sure we have a mole. We don't know who it is yet, but they've got resources. They're feeding information to both sides. When you have an extraction location, send it to me, King or Fitz only. We want to keep the circle small on this one."

Alec's chest tightened at the implication. Someone within Cerberus, someone they knew and trusted, was pulling the strings. It was a chilling thought, but there was no time to dwell on it. "Thanks for the heads-up."

The line went dead, and Alec shoved the phone back into his pocket, turning to face Grier. She was already on her feet, her expression tense.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"We've got company—both the CIA and the FSB," Alec said tersely. "We need to move."

Alec didn't wait for her to agree. He grabbed their gear, his movements quick and efficient, but he couldn't shake the nagging feeling in the back of his mind. Grier was smart, dedicated, and damn good at her job—but she wasn't a field operative. She wasn't used to this kind of pressure, this kind of danger. And the fact that she was still pushing herself, even after everything they had been through, worried him.

He rummaged around in his pack, finding a smaller knapsack for Grier to carry. He put her laptop in it but kept the flash drive. When she quirked her eyebrow at him, he answered her unasked question. "Just in case we get separated. If that happens, keep heading toward the coast. I'll find you. Do whatever you have to do but stay alive and keep moving. Trust me."

As they packed up, Grier spoke, her voice calm but determined. "Alec, I don't know that we shouldn't be trying to hook up with the Agency. They have the resources, the reach. We need their help to take down the mole."

Alec froze, his gaze locking onto hers. "The Agency?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. "Grier, they're the ones hunting us."

"Not all of them," Grier argued. "There are people in the Agency who can be trusted. If we could get to them, if we could convince them of what's really going on, we'd have a better chance of exposing the mole."

Alec shook his head, his frustration mounting. "And what if there's more than one mole? What if there's a whole damn nest of them working from inside Cerberus and the CIA? What if the Agency is compromised all the way up? We can't risk it."

"We can't do this alone, either," Grier countered, her eyes flashing with determination. "Cerberus is good, but they're not infallible. We need allies, Alec."

Alec clenched his fists, his mind racing. He understood Grier's point, but the idea of putting their trust in the CIA, an organization that had already proven to be riddled with corruption, didn't sit well with him. He had seen too much, experienced too much, to believe that they could rely on anyone but themselves.

"We stick with Cerberus," Alec said firmly. "There's nobody at the Agency I trust—present company excepted."

Grier opened her mouth to argue, but then seemed to think better of it. She sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "All right," she conceded, though her tone was far from convinced.

Alec turned away, not wanting to get into a debate about it. They didn't have time. As they prepared to move out, he glanced at Grier, noticing for the first time the dark circles under her eyes, the lines of exhaustion etched into her face. She looked worn out, physically and mentally, and Alec's gut twisted with guilt.

The night before had been intense, passionate, and Alec had given in to the heat of the moment, losing himself in her. But now, in the cold light of day, he couldn't help but feel like he had taken advantage of her vulnerability, of the stress and fear they were both under. She needed rest, not more pressure, and he had pushed her even further.

"Grier," he began, his voice softer now, "you're exhausted. You need to take it easy."

Grier shot him a surprised look, then shook her head. "I'm fine, Alec. We need to keep moving. I can handle it."

Alec frowned, her words doing little to ease his concern. He felt a surge of protectiveness, a desire to shield her from the dangers they were facing, and it caught him off guard. He wasn't used to feeling this way—his focus was always on the mission, on getting the job done. But with Grier, things were different.

It both comforted and unsettled him, this unfamiliar urge to look out for someone other than himself or his team. He didn't want to see her hurt, didn't want to push her to the breaking point. But at the same time, he knew they didn't have the luxury of slowing down, not with the walls closing in around them.

"Just promise me you'll speak up if it gets to be too much," Alec said, his tone more insistent. "I don't need you pushing yourself to the point of collapse."

Grier met his gaze, her gaze softening. "I promise," she said quietly.

Alec nodded, knowing she was right, even if he didn't like it. They had to keep moving, had to stay ahead of the forces hunting them. But as they set out into the forest, Alec couldn't shake the worry gnawing at the back of his mind. Grier was strong, smarter than most people he knew, but she wasn't invincible. And the thought of losing her, of failing to protect her, was something he couldn't bear.

He pushed those thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. They had a long road ahead of them, and the stakes were higher than ever. Alec had to stay sharp, had to keep them both alive. But as they made their way through the dense undergrowth, Alec found himself glancing at Grier more often than he would have liked, the protectiveness he felt for her growing with every step.

And that, more than anything, made him uneasy.