Page 17 of Tempting Alec

“There’s another thing, Alec. Deputy Director Mendelson reached out—he’s offering a different extraction point, says it’s safer. But I don’t like the timing of it. We’ve already got Kane in play, and I trust him a hell of a lot more than Mendelson. It’s your call.”

Alec’s instincts screamed at him to follow Seth’s advice. He trusted Kane, knew the man would get the job done. But when he looked at Grier, he could see the conflict in her eyes, the loyalty she felt toward Mendelson warring with the trust she had begun to place in Alec.

“Mendelson’s offering us an out,” Alec said to Grier, his voice low. “But Seth’s got one of our people—a man I know and trust—ready to extract us. We need to decide now.”

Grier hesitated, her brow furrowing in thought. “Levi’s always been there for me,” she said softly, the weight of her words evident in her tone. “But if you think Cerberus is the safer option, then I say we go with Cerberus. I trust you, Alec.”

Alec nodded, his decision made. “We stick with Cerberus. We’ll go dark until we can rendezvous with Kane.”

“I’ll let him know to expect you. Once you rendezvous with Kane, he’ll get you out to Chicago—we’ll bypass London altogether. There are more restrictions on the CIA operating in the US than in the UK. It’ll buy us some time.”

Alec didn’t argue, just nodded in agreement. He felt a mix of relief and something else, something deeper. She was putting her trust in him, fully and completely, and that meant more than he could put into words.

They didn’t waste any more time. Alec led Grier through the village, their pace quick and cautious as they navigated the narrow streets. The tension between them was palpable, not from fear or uncertainty, but from the unspoken connection that had grown stronger from the moment he’d entered the Moscow safehouse. Alec couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted between them—something that went beyond the mission, beyond survival.

As they neared the outskirts of the village, Alec glanced at Grier, his mind racing with thoughts he had long tried to suppress. He needed to focus on the mission, to keep his emotions in check, but it was getting harder with every passing moment. Finally, as they ducked into the cover of the forest, Alec couldn’t hold back any longer.

“Grier,” he said, his voice strained as they slowed their pace, the sounds of the village fading behind them. “There’s something you need to know.”

Grier looked at him, her eyes wide with curiosity and concern. “What is it?”

Alec took a deep breath, the words catching in his throat. He had spent years burying his past, keeping his emotions locked away, but with Grier, he couldn’t do that anymore. He owed her the truth, if nothing else.

“I have feelings for you. You need to know I resigned my commission to join Cerberus,” he began, his voice rough. “I was a Navy SEAL, but I left it all behind because I couldn’t stand the bureaucracy, the way the system was failing people on the ground. My father—he’s a retired Admiral, Navy through and through—he didn’t take it well. My family…they’ve never forgiven me for leaving. I lost them when I made that decision.”

Grier’s expression softened, a look of understanding crossing her features. “I have feelings for you, too. Truth to tell, you haven’t been far from my thoughts since that night in Chicago. I owe you an apology for that.”

Alec flashed her an evil grin. “Yes, you do, and believe me, I mean to make you pay for that.”

She grinned back with nothing but lust in her expression. “I’m going to hold you to that.”

“You can count on me. I’ve spent years trying to bury my need for a connection that’s deeper than just control and pleasure,” Alec continued, his gaze fixed on the ground in front of him. “But with you…it’s different. I can’t keep pretending it doesn’t matter—that you don’t matter. I don’t know if I can go back to the way things were before.”

Grier reached out, placing a hand on his arm, her touch grounding him in a way nothing else could. “You’re not in this alone, Alec,” she said softly. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together. I don’t want to be alone anymore, either.”

Alec looked at her, his chest tightening with emotions he had long tried to ignore. He had always been the one to protect, to lead, but with Grier, he felt something different—vulnerable, exposed, but also…connected, stronger.

“Thank you,” Alec said, his voice barely above a whisper. It was all he could manage, but it felt like the most honest thing he had said in a long time.

Grier gave him a small, reassuring smile, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Alec allowed himself to hope. Hope that maybe, just maybe, they could make it through this together, and that he didn’t have to face the darkness alone.

They continued their journey toward the extraction point, their steps in sync as they moved through the forest. Alec’s mind was still focused on the mission, on getting them out safely, but the weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter. He had shared a piece of himself with Grier, something he had never done with anyone else, and it had changed something between them.

As they reached the rendezvous point, Alec’s phone buzzed again. It was Seth, confirming that Kane was in position and ready to extract them. The relief that washed over Alec was palpable, but it was tempered by the knowledge that this was just the beginning. They still had a long way to go, and the road ahead was fraught with danger.

But as Alec looked at Grier, standing by his side, ready to face whatever came next, he felt a surge of determination. They would get through this, together. And whatever happened after that, he knew one thing for sure—he would fight to keep her safe, no matter the cost.

They made it out of the forest and into the clearing to find a small, fully-armored and armed helicopter with stealth capabilities. Alec was certain he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his life.

Kane Chaplin hopped out of the pilot’s seat, sliding open the side entry. “Alec? You ready to go?”

“I’ve never been so ready. Grier Marsden, Kane Chaplin.”

“Good to meet you, Ms. Marsden, but how about we save the happy reunion until we can do it properly at Club Southside?”

“Sounds good to me,” said Grier, who was trying to hide her fear of the chopper.

Alec took her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her fingers. “It’ll be all right, baby. Trust me.”

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