A Forbidden Love (10 page)

"There you are," a shorter, dark haired man who sat at one of the desks said. "They just left with the prisoners." He nodded in the direction of the broken door.

"Good riddance," Jamie remarked.

Alison watched as Jamie walked right across the office, stepping over papers and other things that littered the floor. Nobody batted an eye. Aidan and that Heidi woman were sitting together at one of the other desks sorting through piles of loose paperwork, and the man who Jamie had just spoken to was already focused on his computer screen again.

"Kyle, what's the damage?" Jamie asked the man, while opening the bottom drawer of his desk and pulling out some sweat pants and a T-shirt, putting the former on first.

"Managed to retrieve the hard drive. Data's fine. Your monitor is cracked, but we've got a spare. Whatever papers they had planned to take, the Alliance guys handed 'em over to us before they took them all away."

Jamie nodded, then pulled the T-shirt over his head and returned to Alison who still stood awkwardly by the door.

"Guys, listen up," Jamie raised his voice slightly.

Aidan and Heidi looked up in his direction, as did the other guy he'd just identified as Kyle.

"What happened today was extremely unfortunate. I know you all have your own theories about how our location was compromised, but I just want to say that I take full responsibility. It was my job to keep this place safe, and I've failed you. The Alliance council will investigate, and Adrian Blacke will probably want to question every one of you individually. I can't tell you what to say, but-"

"Now hang on." Aidan got up. "They knew our faces from Heidi's rescue. They could have followed any one of us here."

"They could have, but they didn't." Jamie looked serious.

Alison's heart was hammering in her chest. Was he going to tell them everything? Could they trust these people to keep their secret? It was bad enough that Alison had lost everyone from her past, would the same happen to Jamie if his people disapproved of their relationship?

"Boss," Heidi said.

Jamie nodded at her. "Yeah?"

"I know what we said earlier, but it's obvious that Alison's help was instrumental in keeping us all safe. Aidan said as much already."

"Thanks," Alison mumbled.

"I agree. And that's what we'll tell Mr. Blacke if he asks. Unless the prisoners talk, we'll never find out how exactly they managed to track us down," the other man, Kyle, said.

"Glad to hear it. Thanks, Kyle. Heidi." Jamie nodded at all three of them, and they settled back into whatever it was they'd been doing before Jamie had interrupted them.

What the hell had just happened? That was it? That was the entire briefing?
Alison couldn't believe her ears.

Not wordy enough for you?
Jamie smiled at her.
They're good people. It'll be fine.

"Okay then. Carry on while I make sure Alison gets home safely, all right? It's the least I can do after all she's done for us."

"No problem, Boss," Heidi responded. "We've got this."

The other two men remained silent. All the while when Jamie was talking, so much was left unsaid their chat had been downright vague and confusing. Alison wished she could listen in on everyone else's heads too. Perhaps it was for the best that she couldn't, though, because finding out everyone's true feelings might just make things even weirder.

Still, Alison was kind of glad that the talk hadn't dragged out further. She needed to leave this place urgently and figure out what was next for her. For them.

Let's get the hell out of here,
Alison thought.

Jamie grabbed his coat and marched straight to the door, Alison followed. She still couldn't believe that everyone had just accepted Jamie's non-explanation, after everything that had happened during the fight. Gareth had spelled out exactly what was going on between her and Jamie, and yet it hadn't made any difference?

These people were weird. Either very trusting, or very indifferent.

Outside, the weather was as nice as it had been all morning. As if nothing had happened. Clear blue skies, bright sunshine that even managed to warm Alison's back as they walked. Jamie seemed in a rush to get away from the Alliance building, as was Alison.

They walked at a brisk pace, turned a few corners away from the quiet streets of the warehouse district until finally risking a bit more affection.

"How do you know they're okay with us being together?" Alison asked. "The way you'd talked about it earlier, it seemed like we were breaking all your rules?"

"Heidi and Aidan have enough problems of their own to bother with ours. Aidan shared their secret with you during the rescue, so it's understood that I'd come to know. Kyle... I don't think he really cares, to be honest."

"What about that other guy, Blacke?" Alison asked.

"He's a problem, both for us as well as for Aidan and Heidi if he ever finds out about them. We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"And now?" Alison thought aloud.

"Now..." Jamie turned to her and cupped her face in his hands. "Now I take you home and we forget about all that's happened today."

"Okay," Alison whispered. "Not my place, though, I don't think I can stand going back there now, after everything..." The mere thought of it hurt and she again felt the prickle of tears in her eyes.

Her little flat was full of reminders of Gareth and her dad. Exactly the kind of things she needed some time and space from. It would take a while for her to get used to her new situation, no matter how much she believed that she'd done the right thing.

Jamie rested his arm on her shoulder and Alison felt at least some of her pain melt away under his touch.

"No problem. Stay with me." He leaned down and kissed her cheek, then the side of her neck.

His affections as well as his offer made Alison smile despite herself.

"I'd like that."

With Jamie's hand traveling up and around her neck, guiding their lips together, things didn't seem so bad anymore. For all that she'd lost, she'd gained something too. A future, with the boy she'd first met so many years ago and whom she'd never managed to completely forget.

He'd explained bears believe that fate brings couples together. It was tempting to think that everything that had happened, including his brother's abduction and her own crazy upbringing, had somehow served a greater purpose. She would have never met him if it hadn't been for her dad and his radical affiliations.

He kissed her intensely, his hunger for her fanning her own.

Not here,
she thought, and grabbed his other hand, running her fingers across his. His hand was so much bigger, stronger, and yet so very gentle and comforting as well. He managed to make her feel small, protected and safe at last.

Jamie's eyes darkened as he stared at her. His mind grew clouded with the possibilities that lay ahead once they reached his place. Glimpses of the imagery in his mind spilled over into hers: their naked bodies entwined, doing what they did best.

He didn't need further encouragement. Resolutely they started to walk again, keen to reach their destination only a few blocks away.

It didn't take them long, and they already had their hands all over each other by the time they reached the front door of his apartment. The first items of clothing ended up in the hallway, the rest were discarded by the time they'd reached the bedroom.

Jamie knelt down on the ground and forced her down onto her knees on top of the edge of the bed just in front of him. He dove into her without warning, tasting her sweet essence, covering her already wet lips with his mouth.

Alison grabbed handfuls of the pillow, moaning loudly as he explored her depths with his tongue. "Oh god, Jamie!"

He didn't pause or hesitate, instead licked her even more deeply.

Alison's legs threatened to buckle with the intensity of his affections. Out of breath and control, her mind went blank and she closed her eyes to focus on the pleasure he was intent on giving her.

I'm sorry everything happened the way it did, but I love you,
she heard Jamie's voice in her mind.

She wanted to respond, to say that things would work out somehow and she loved him too, but she couldn't muster the energy. Every fiber in her body was primed, so ready to let go.

When he reached around and started to manipulate her clit, with his tongue still inside of her, it was all she could take. His hands were electric, his mouth was magical. He knew how to please her instinctively, effortlessly. She'd never had a lover like him before.

Her release sneaked up on her, making her knees shake until she sunk down into the soft mattress, shivering and moaning in between labored breaths.

I love you too,
she finally responded, when she found her wits again.

He turned her over so they were facing each other and climbed on top of the bed as well. His hands cupped her face as he gazed into her eyes. His eyes were so blue, full of love and hope. In some ways he was still that wide-eyed boy from twenty years ago.

"Crazy to think we've only been together for a few days," he whispered. "I can't imagine a life without you anymore."

All the hairs on her arms stood up as he spoke.

"I know. Tell me this won't change. Tell me our feelings will never fade..." Alison demanded.

She knew what he was going to say, and that her question was unnecessary, but she couldn't get enough of his voice.

"Never. Our bond will grow every day, the longer we are together. Every day we spend together will be better than the last."

Alison closed her eyes and smiled, when his lips found hers once more.

They spent the rest of the night making love, until inevitably, the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms.

"Morning, sleepyhead." Alison greeted Jamie with a smile on her face and steamy mug of coffee in hand.

Jamie smiled, and stretched out the lethargy from his limbs. What a night.

"You're up early," he remarked, stifling a yawn.

"Not quite. But I couldn't bear to wake you earlier, you really are too cute when you're asleep."

Jamie propped himself up on his elbows and gave her a sideways look. "If you say so. What's the time?" He leaned over and checked the alarm clock on the bedside table.

"Whoa, eight already?" Within a split second, he was up and halfway across the room, heading straight for the en-suite.

"At least have your coffee," Alison called after him.

"Okay."

He didn't have much time. Normally he'd have turned up at work by now. The others would be wondering where he was and what he was up to. It was one thing for him to be involved with a human, another to rub it in people's faces.

Jamie rushed through his morning routine and was ready in record time, though he did stop to take a big gulp from the mug Alison had poured for him. Extra sugar, just how he liked it. It was still hot, but just the right fuel to keep up his momentum.

He gave her a quick peck on the cheek, grabbed his coat and was halfway out the door when he noticed someone waiting by the front steps.

"Kyle! I was just heading out," Jamie said.

Kyle brushed away his explanation with a casual hand gesture. "We need to talk."

Shit, he wasn't about to get a lecture from a most unlikely source, was he? Jamie took a deep breath and straightened himself, well aware that with his shoulders pushed back, he towered over the man by at least a foot.

"You know that thing you asked me to look into?" Kyle asked, retrieving the brown paper dossier from his shoulder bag. The same one Jamie had given him just days ago.

"Yeah."

"I've made some progress."

Jamie allowed himself to relax a bit, though he couldn't quite read Kyle enough to figure out whether whatever he'd found out was good or bad news.

"Not here. Please come in," Jamie said.

Kyle nodded and followed him inside, waiting until the door had safely shut behind the two of them before continuing. "I've updated the file as you can see. Found a location."

He handed it to Jamie right there in the hallway.

"That's brilliant, great job!" Jamie eagerly took the file and started leafing through the new pages.

There was a map of a residential area in Glasgow with a red circle in the center, presumably the exact address, as well as pictures of the same area downloaded from Google street view.

There was also a photograph. It looked very recent. A pair of brilliant blue eyes that rivaled his own, the same shade of brown hair as Jamie remembered. It was unmistakably him.

"That's him. Matthew Brown," Kyle spoke deliberately, maintaining eye contact with Jamie throughout, which was unusual for him. "It took me a little while, putting two-and-two together. But here ya go."

Jamie looked down at the photo again. Despite the passing years there was no doubt in his mind that this was his little brother. He flipped the page over to find a print-out of an old newspaper article detailing the disappearance. The highlighted portions attracted his eye immediately.

'... Matthew (Matty) Brown, vanished from Applecross...'