Stronger than lover's love is lover's hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make ― EURIPEDES

Earlier, when she'd kneeled down to give him a blowjob, her mind had flashed back to another place and another time when she'd been hit repeatedly and left half dead, forced to swallow some asshole's cock. Just for a second.

But then, she'd heard Alex's groan, felt him tremble beneath her grip and the incredible lust she'd felt looking up at him had swept away those horrible images. She'd managed to defeat the shame and fear those men had made her feel with Alex's help.

God knows she'd tried to feel something, even a modicum of what she'd felt with Alex after recovering from her ordeal. But had only managed to run away when the guy she had picked up in a random bar had simply kissed her. Cat felt lighter now...somehow, as if the act had freed her senses and emotions.

Experiencing a sense of utter calm and safety settle around them, Cat looked up to find his face hovering just inches above her own. Only a few breaths separated her lips from Alex's. A thousand questions were asked and answered in that single gaze. Their rough pleasure-taking just hours before should have been a travesty, compared to this vulnerable moment out of time, where two souls fought against incomparable odds to just... be together. But ironically, it seemed just right.

His lips brushed hers in a soft whisper. She wanted to soothe and comfort him, completely forgetting her resolve to stay away from him and the power he held over her. Nothing else mattered at that moment. Cat slowly licked his sensuous lower lip and sipped at his tongue. In slow, deliberate movements, she kissed him until she felt the pain and sadness slowly bleed out of him. Cat pulled away to stare into his beautiful green eyes.

"Catriona, I'm..."

"Shh... it's all right. Let it all go."

This time it was he who kissed her as if apologizing for earlier. Slowly and reverently, Alex traced her mouth with his tongue. He gently kissed away the hurt and rejection he'd dealt earlier. Cat didn't know why he had this power over her or how Alex was able to affect her so totally and effortlessly. But she didn't want this to end. They were just holding each other and making out like they used to in school when a knock intruded on their idyll.

They slowly separated just far enough away that they still brushed up against each other. Talwell was in his mid-thirties with a head of wavy brown hair, piercing dark eyes and a nose that had been broken a few times. With a thin, unsmiling mouth and a strong personality, he wore a white T-shirt with the logo of Acme security and black trousers as he strode in. Broad-shouldered and muscular, he looked like he could take on an army of men and not break a sweat.

I bet he had a lot in common with Jason.

"Sir, I just brought up the logs and records you requested-"

He stood inside the door looking from Alex to Cat, and then quickly to the ground as he realized he'd interrupted.

"I'm sorry. I should have waited. I'll come back later."

"No. Just show me the logs."

The way in which Alex answered Jerry felt like he hadn't been affected at all. But then, Alex looked over the ledger and raked his hands over his hair. Causing the silky, russet mass to stand on end somehow making him look even more handsome. Even more so than when she'd woven her fingers through it while she-

Cutting that thought off at the knees, Cat tuned into what Jerry was telling Alex.

"...So the last person to leave the floor was Mr. Nathan Hollis. He generally stays in till late, but today he left a few minutes right after working hours. I didn't think anything of it at the time. But he did appear to be a bit flustered and worried, as I bid him good night."

"Are you sure about this?"

"Yes, sir."

"What do you think?"

"I don't think he was responsible for that girl's death."

"Why?"

"It's just that Claire was such a nice kid and Nathan may be a bit too charming and popular for his own good, but there's no reason why he would hurt her. Also, to be honest, he doesn't seem the type."

"I think that anybody is capable of hell when properly motivated," Alex looked right at Cat as he said it. She returned his accusing stare with a blank calm she didn't feel.

"I think that Jerry means Nate didn't have any reason to hurt her."

"But we all know how passion can induce a man to do things he never dreamt of doing before. Isn't that right, Cat?"

"So you're saying Claire and Nate were-?"

"They went out for a couple of months before you came here," Alex snapped the logbook shut and glanced at his security chief. "I'll talk to Nathan tomorrow. In the meantime, keep all this between us. I'll go see if the forensic guys have finished up."

"Sure, sir. I think this is a tragedy everyone could have done without," Jerry's mouth twisted at the edges as he turned to leave.

"Alex, I think-"

"I want to talk to the Detective before he leaves. We'll talk later."

He ran out the door so fast she didn't have a chance to say anything else.

Disappointed and feeling more than a little annoyed at being cut off again, Cat still had some warm feelings left over from their last kiss to give him some time. But she knew that they couldn't keep doing this for long. Whatever secrets she was trying to cover up and Alex was trying to avoid, were soon going to be out in the open. Time was running out and she didn't have a clue how she would fare in the aftermath of it all blowing up in her face.