Title: "Darker"
(1/3)
Written by: Shawn30

Summary: Ward began working undercover with S.H.I.E.L.D again seven months ago after brokering a 'desperate deal'. Daisy is finally seeking answers, and at last accepting the dark emotion that still lives between them. All while navigating the perilous waters of a maddening case in Russia.

Spoilers: Up to and including Season 3-ep7 "Agents of Shield." AU after that. Story picks up Fall of 2016.

Category: Angsty Romance - Erotica - Drama - Violence - Action Rating: MA Ship: SkyeWard Authors Notes: Angry, jealous, raw, complicated, risque, desperately provocative smut. Enjoy :)

In order to heal, you have to first be broken. ~ Renee Dyer "Eyes Wide Open"

"Matryoshka Manor"
30,000 square foot, eleven bedroom mansion sitting on nine acres of wooded land.
Owned by billionaire Vladimir Volkoff.
5th floor suite Friday, October 3rd, 2016 - 11:20 PM Moscow region, Odintsovo area, Gorki-2

Quietly locking them in, Daisy paused at the elegantly decorated doorway. Her nerves were dancing on a razors edge as she swallowed hard in the back of her throat. Thunder boomed in the distance. Her heartbeat was racing a mile a minute, as it had all throughout the seemingly never-ending welcoming dinner party. Never mind the impeccable poker-face she wore as perfectly as the tight red-wine colored dress clinging to her slender frame.

Reaching inside her small black purse, the leader of the Secret Warriors double-clicked her key-chain, activating a mobile signal scrambler in case any listening devices were present. A faint shiver crawled over her when she felt Ward's dangerous presence erase the distance between them from behind. The air around her was tinged with the dark woods scent of his cologne, tempting her. He'd invaded her personal space again, as he had all evening, forcing the issue between them head-on.

To a degree Daisy appreciated that. She had zero patience for small-talk these days. She demanded answers and she was going to get them or he was going to need medical attention A.S.A.P.

That they were working together again on a mission after all this time was absolutely shocking enough. Second thoughts and third thoughts and fourth thoughts roared through her mind as she slowly turned around to face him. To face the darkness of their private suite and all that had ever been between them. She tossed her purse on a nearby nightstand, followed by her keys. Her gaze met his head on as her voice ebbed low and deadly. "Start talking. Now!"

Heavy droplets of rain pelted the nearby windows as Ward sighed, head bowed, and then took a step back just to collect his thoughts. They hadn't said much outside of mission briefing on the long flight to Russia this morning, and had been 'in character' all day and tonight during dinner with Vladimir and his inner circle. But all false pretenses died as he now had to face her. She was owed this and so much more than he feared he could ever repay her. But here and now, he would try. "Where would you like me to begin?"

With heavy rainfall falling in heavy sheets against the roof, Daisy's words hit like a fist. "How in the fucking hell did you convince Coulson and Nick Fury to let you back in S.H.I.E.L.D with full Level 7 clearance after every damn evil thing you've done?"

Ward's jaw tightened at her coldness, though he knew it was well deserved. She glared at him like a rattlesnake coiled to strike. He'd expected no less, despite her A+ acting the last forty-eight hours to the contrary. Her unwavering, righteous anger deserved the truth more than anyone else. "To sum it all up, I gave them Hydra on a silver platter and a way to get rid of me anywhere in the world at anytime." A sudden flash of lightening ignited their tense mood as they faced off. "I made them a deal they couldn't refuse."

"Bullshit!" Daisy snarled as she circled him. Fuck how good he looked in that tailor-made black tux, they weren't pretending here. At least not yet, she swallowed ominously. "You betrayed your whole team and everything the organization stood for. You nearly killed your friends and tortured Bobbi. You killed innocent people and then kept right on killing as the head of Hydra. How in the world could you convince them to let you back in? It makes no sense at all to me."

"I gave them something they knew I would never betray."

Her eyes narrowed. "And what was that?"

"My daughter."

The foreboding storm clouds of her eyes matched the relentless downpour outside. She was frozen with emotion, unblinking. All the air in her lungs fled in a rush. She simply could not fathom what she just heard. "Tell me everything."

To the point, as was her way these days. They would need to work together until this mission, suicidal as it was to begin with, was over. To that end she would need to know exactly who and what she was dealing with. Deep down he was viciously sick of keeping her in the dark. Sick all of the ruin he'd committed by his own hands. Giving a damn was hard work, and he was still coming to grips with it. "Several years ago I was working a deep-cover ops case in Washington."

"For S.H.I.E.L.D or Hydra?"

Ward rubbed at his eyes in a tired way. "Does it really matter?"

"Yes."

Her arms crossed her chest as she waited. "Both, in a sense," he replied, walking over to the suite's private bar to pour himself a drink. Vodka seemed most appropriate given the country they were in. And his nerves, now that he felt things again, craved the liquid courage to set the record straight with her. "I needed to get close to the CEO of a high-tech research company, so I seduced his secretary." He gave a small shrug, then continued, "It was par for the course, nothing really special at the time. And once the mission was done I disappeared and never looked back." He shook his head, the whole thing unimaginable now. "It was only one time and we used protection, but she got pregnant and gave birth to Mila, my daughter."

Daisy's stomach tightened until she could barely breathe. Ward was a father echoed in her mind, even as the thought was unfathomable to her. "How long have you known?"

"Eight months," he explained to her in a drained tone of voice, resigned to his fate. That cool bravado of his was ever present, but he knew better than to play games with her. "Hydra knew all along about her. They kept tabs on her and her mother. A fail-safe to use against me if I ever betrayed them."

"Yeah, so nice of you to save all your fucking betrayal for us." And then in a very low voice, "For me."

As the wind whispered against the windows her words left her lips like poison. He didn't visibly recoil, but the sentiment hit its mark. So much had passed between them, and then the huge gap of time where they had no contact at all. And yet still she felt something for him, even if it was hate. It was better than nothing at all. "When I took over Hydra I began looking into everything they knew about everyone. It was then I found out about Mila and that she had Acute myelogeneous leukemia."

Daisy's eyes softened, but she said nothing. She just listened.

"My daughter was very ill and needed a bone marrow transplant. Hydra already knew I was a match. They'd already tested me secretly." He half-laughed at the insanity of it all. The unmistakable cruelty. "They were always prepared to use that knowledge against me if they had too. They weren't sure I would care, but it was still an option."

Daisy's gaze remained fixated on him, as if willing the truth to come forth. "Go on."

"Would you like a drink?"

Thunder throttled the sky in the distance. "Yes."

Well, she hadn't shot him yet or cracked all his bones with her powers. It was a start at the very least. He made her a Screwdriver and handed it over. "I don't think I would have ever turned off the ugly path I was on had it not been for Mila," he explained as they drank in the dark. "My life is what I have made of it. A spectacular disaster of horrific choices. I own each and every one. I pulled every trigger and destroyed every friendship." He paused, gazing at her. "I lost you."

Her eyes were unreadable. She moved in a circle around him around him, trying to decipher fact from fiction. Ward continued, "My parents visited horrors on my brothers and I. Our upbringing created the atmosphere to grow into the monsters we became. But when I learned that I had a daughter it was like something in my brain snapped. That there was a part of me out there in the world untouched by the evils of my family. By all the wrongs I've done."

What Daisy felt for him was scattered and broken, yet the fragments remained. The faint memories of what might of been had it all not been a lie. She just couldn't trust the note of sincerity she heard in his voice. What was worse, she wasn't sure she could trust herself. "So you double and triple checked out everything, right?"

"To the letter," he nodded. The burn of the alcohol soothed him. "I confirmed it all myself, and then realized what I had to do. I had to protect her. I had to help her. To give some meaning to my existence," he spoke straight-forward. "It was the most terrifying realization of my entire life. It just wasn't about me anymore. No more blaming S.H.I.E.L.D or Garret or Hydra or anyone else. It was all on me to make sure she never went down the dark road I've been on all my life. Make sure self-loathing didn't dominate every choice she made. At the end of the day I never wanted her to hate herself the way I do. That thought burned me alive for weeks until I made my decision."

"So you had a Darth Vader watching his son be electrocuted by the Emperor moment, right?"

There was a ghost of a smile tugging at her mouth. God how he'd missed that. "You are such a geek," he snickered, almost eliciting a smile again. Almost. "Something in me shattered... or awakened, I'm not sure. But I knew that to save her I had to destroy Hydra. She would forever be a target to use against me, so I sent a secret communication to Coulson via snail mail as I didn't trust anything else."

Daisy blinked. "Seriously?"

"I'm that paranoid, Skye."

"Daisy," she corrected him, leaving no room for debate.

He still liked 'Skye' far better, but let it go. "We met in Mexico in late January and I confessed everything. I gave him records. Computer files. Names. Encryption keys. Data storage. He held me captive for two days while he confirmed everything, and then we came up with a plan. But he had one iron-clad condition."

"And that was?"

"Same time as the surgery to harvest the bone marrow, S.H.I.E.L.D surgeons placed a small device near my heart. For tracking and a remote way to kill me if I ever betrayed S.H.E.I.L.D again."

That was cold-blooded, even for Coulson. But Ward was guilty of so much. She needed to do some digging to get the specifics, but Coulson had told her many times since Ward's shocking return that they could easily end him if need be. "Hydra isn't gone though."

Ward gave a half-grin, and then poured her and himself another drink. "I gave Coulson nineteen key Hydra head targets and killed half of them myself. I handed him the entire infrastructure of Hydra. I gave him access to monitor and augment Hydra financial accounts totaling over a hundred billion dollars. Lists of dozens of Hydra sympathizers throughout various governments worldwide. Every secret vault, every hideout, all their research, just everything," he explained, almost looking pleased. "See, we didn't destroy Hydra in a traditional sense. We now have eyes and ears everywhere without those who are left even being aware."

When it dawned on Daisy she felt her blood boil. "S.H.I.E.L.D. infiltrated Hydra. Controls them the exact same way they once controlled us."

"Exactly," he replied. "With me, Coulson, Nick Fury and a secret team we have Hydra under complete control. We have the money, the contacts, blackmail information, dummy corporations, operatives, bases of operation, technology, you name it. I gave Coulson everything. In exchange he agreed to make sure Mila received the best of care. And for the rest of my life I would work for S.H.I.E.L.D to repay my debt to my country. I was a more valuable asset out in the field than behind bars or in a coffin. Till my dying day I will be repaying this debt."

The bottom of her glass glared at her with unfinished business. A pleasant buzz warred with her nerves over being so close to Ward again. "Another," she called out. He quickly complied, making a third for himself as well. A flickering stutter of lightening flashed through the windows as the storm outside picked up in intensity. She downed half her glass in one long pull, attempting to bury her conflicted emotions. "So I'm supposed to believe you're one of the good guys again?"

Ward frowned, looking away thoughtfully. "I doubt I'd ever call myself one of the good guys. I'm just a man who is trying to do right by the one person who is owed my very best in this world." He walked toward her and she did not step back. She was so damn beautiful to him it almost hurt to look at her. "I don't have a time machine," he spoke apologetically, hands at his sides. "I can't undo all the pain and suffering I have caused. But I have made my line in the sand and I'll die by it. I'm going to try and be a better man going forward, for Mila."

Daisy seriously thought about shooting him again. And giving him a hug. And breaking every bone in his body with her powers. Yes, she needed and intended to get specific confirmations on every single thing he told her. But Coulson would not have let him back in if it were all a lie. No matter the vehement protests and bad-blood the team voiced over his decision, of which was still ongoing. But to have the means to infiltrate and control Hydra was a a massive worldwide advantage for S.H.I.E.L.D. The lives that have been and will be saved balance out making a deal with Ward. Still, it was a lot to take in. More than she ever imagined. "That's a nice, neat little package you got there."

"I can never be a part of my daughter's life," Ward concluded darkly, his jaw tightening. Swallowing his deepest regret, he continued. "Coulson's last condition. I can't ever know her. I was an anonymous donor. Partly because my presence could put her in danger. Also penance for all my crimes," he downed the last of his glass, enjoying the burn. "Its not a black and white deal, but Mila is alive and doing much better. Any deal I had to make was worth that."

Daisy gave a slow nod, and then finished her third drink, feeling the effects drain a bit of her fury. "So you won't know anything about her?"

Ward gave a tense shake of his head. "I'll get a few photos a year and a vague update, is what I was told. Of course I could find her, but she would be in danger if any of my enemies knew she existed. I have to stay away for her sake, though it kills me more than you will ever know."

Watching him closely, this was all so surreal. His pain and regret over all the devastating choices he'd made. "Do you have a picture?" her words barely audible above the noise of the pouring rain. She watched Ward retrieve his cell phone from inside his jacket, scroll through a couple of screens, and then show her a photo of a little girl with curly dark hair on a swing. She was smiling brightly, but her skin was a bit pale. "She's beautiful, Ward. She has your eyes."

"Thank you," he sighed heavily, recognizing the resemblance and the sorrow that he will never truly know her. Whenever he looked at any one of the five pictures he owned, his heart ached for this little girl. "She was six when it was taken, and just starting to get sick. Her mom never married, so she faced everything alone. And even though I never loved her, I failed her too. But we arranged for her to 'win' two million dollars in a sweepstakes. Financially she'll be able to take care of Mila for the rest of her life. And from what the background reports of her say, she appears to be an amazing mother."

Daisy's brown eyes narrowed with sympathy, but she shook it off cause how could she care for him? He'd caused so much pain and suffering. But he was paying for it now, and would for the rest of his life. Yes, he deserved it, but her heart still... she couldn't quite give voice to what she truly wanted to vent. There was just no place for it. "So is this all real?" she asked in a quiet tone. "We're trying to save nine lives here and I can't be looking over my shoulder waiting for you to deliver the ax blow."

"I'm sure you will make Coulson confirm everything I've said twice. I have no doubt about that, and even though you don't trust me, you do trust him."

He knew her that well, though she wasn't surprised. Gazing at him in the dark, the unpleasant memories dwarfed the good ones where this man was concerned. "So now what?"

"Look, I'm sorry for breaking your trust and your heart," Ward confessed to her face, as serious as he had ever been. "I know you weren't in love with me yet or... I know you had feelings for me, and I was falling in love with you. I knew it. I felt it. I just couldn't see past my loyalty to Garrett. I'd told so many lies and betrayed so many people that I didn't see any way out. I was barreling downhill fast and just went with it. Drowned myself in this misguided obsession for vengeance," he ran a weary hand over his face. "Against my family and against S.H.I.E.L.D. Any and everything thing was against me. I had zero personal accountability."

His chest hitched with emotion as he gazed into her beautiful eyes, trying to make some sense of the insanity of his actions. "I was wrong and I regret my actions now. I can't change them, and I have to live with the consequences. That's all on me. But I am sorry."

"I was falling in love with you," she softly confessed as well, now pouring herself and him a fourth drink as the storm raged outside, flashes of lightening illuminating their suite. Outside the States, her friends, and S.H.I.E.L.D she had no censor for her thoughts as this talk was a long time in the making. "I shot you in the chest all of those times out of pure rage. I just couldn't shoot you in the head even though I hated you. I just couldn't end it."

If he closed his eyes and concentrated he could hear the gun going off even now. "I gave you every reason to hate me."

"And I wish I could have seen your humanity sooner," she practically swore at him. Their eyes locked, the tension between them like a coiled fuse attached to a time bomb. And then her face softened ever so. "For what its worth, I'm sorry about Mila. I hope she recovers fully and has a wonderful life."

"She's doing great so far," he smiled warmly, and then it faded as if he felt he had no right to the emotion. He gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Thank you."

Unable or unwilling to see him for who she hoped he was after so much hurt and betrayal, Daisy avoided his gaze. And hated the slight tremble of her voice. "Time to talk business."

Understanding her subtle nod to shift gears, Ward took her glass from her out-stretched hand and set it down on the bar. He trailed behind her in step as she begin to tour the massive private suite they would call home for the next ten days. God, how incredible she looked in that tiny wine-red dress. V-neck exposing a hint of delicious cleavage and in high heels she was a fucking wet dream on two gorgeous legs. His cock twitched at the sexy sway of her ass. The confidence and ease of her every step. He tried to ignore the swell of arousal at being so close to her again... and what else tonight may hold as he feared that as much as he secretly craved it with every fiber of his being.

"We have no idea where Vladimir Volkoff has the Inhuman girls. And he won't play his hand until the day of sale," Ward stated, internally hating the thought that anyone could be 'sold' in this day and age. But he knew all to well that the world was far more barbaric than kind. "We need more than his trust. We need a bit of his obsession."

The neo-classical style of the entire massive estate and their private suite was amazing to Daisy. Natural parquet and marble floors throughout screamed limitless luxury. Tailor made Italian leather furniture designed for careless comfort and likely costed more than everything she owned in this world greeted her as she walked with Ward. "He was staring at me throughout dinner," Daisy recalled, and didn't need to see Ward to know he had noticed. "I made sure to save a little shy smile or two for him whenever you looked away."

"Nice touch."

They had a fully-furnished expansive living room with a massive stone fireplace. A fully stocked bar, balcony dining enclosure, and a elaborately decorated bedroom Daisy was sure they could land a Quinjet in. Extravagance was the norm here, with lavish excess dripping from every corner of the room. She stopped at the doorway before turning to face Ward head-on. To his credit he kept his distance an arms length away. But she was sure he could hear her heart pounding. Hands on her slender hips, she stood her ground. "I'm going to ask you this one time and one time only because I need to stay razor sharp and focused on this mission. I want to go full steam ahead if we are going to save those girls lives. So here goes."

Daisy peered into his dark stare in the dim shadows of their bedroom hallway. "Can I trust you?"

She was equal parts furious, determined, and anxious. He had hurt her deeply and everyone she cared about. Had become a monster she fired six shots into, and then walked away. But he had his line in the sand now. And if what might of been was dead, the here and now was still open for debate. "Yes, you can trust me. But coming from me those words are without worth. I know that there's no trust between us. This is a clean slate we're are starting on. But on my daughter's life, you can trust me now. I have your back come what may. I'm dedicated to saving those girls lives and putting Vladimir in a cold grave."

"Why should I believe you?"

Ward couldn't answer that one. "You don't ask the easy questions, do you."

"When you have to place your life in the hands of a man who has betrayed you in every way possible then you can't afford to be subtle."

As if his respect for her already wasn't high enough. Ward gave a slow nod, peering into her lovely eyes. "First off, I promised you that I wouldn't lie to you again. What I do have is my word to Coulson that if he helped save and protect my daughter's life, then I would dedicate the rest of mine to protecting and serving my country." Her expression seemed to gauge every little nuance of his words.

He continued, "Someday when I die my daughter may want to know about her father, and Coulson promised when she becomes an adult if she looks into it, the information will made be available to her. All of it, and not just the abridged version. And when that happens I don't want her to read that the sum total of my entire life was a horror movie. I want her to know that from the moment I learned she existed, I gave my everything to being a better man for her. To make up for all the love, affection, protection, and caring she will never get from me." He was nearly trembling with emotion, and so was she. "So you can trust me because all of that matters more to me than my own life."

Giving a slow nod, her Face softened to an almost gentle expression. She couldn't believe him because the Ward she'd come to loathe in recent years was all she knew, but she had no choice at all. They were all alone in Russia on this mission and she was going to have to give him something he had not earned. Her trust. "There are nine Inhuman girls below the age of twenty being held captive by Vladimir at an unknown location. You read the reports, they have been brainwashed somehow to be obedient and will be sold to the highest bidders. They will be used in every way possible and I will not allow that to happen!" she spat out in a venomous tone. "I will literally do anything to save their lives. This is personal for me. As a Inhuman and as a woman."

"We won't be going in all guns blazing," Ward chimed in, knowing that would lead to disaster. "Vladimir isn't some mustache twirling villain of the week. He is a very powerful player in the Russian government and the Solntsevskaya Bratva criminal syndicates. Human trafficking is a business he has been in for nearly thirty years. He's a monster and his connections are global. He employs people with abilities and trusts no one but his own inner circle. So we will have to play the long game with him. Infiltration and manipulation will be our greatest weapons."

"I want to tear his heart out," Daisy seethed, willing her anger to subside. Clearer heads would prevail.

"In the end," Ward promised her. "But for now we need to get our eyes and ears in his organizations infrastructure. We need to mark a target in his inner circle and track everything he or she does. And we need Vladimir's eyes on us so closely he won't suspect we're here to take him out."

"Last time he got a whiff of someone betraying him he had forty-seven people beheaded just to prove a point," Daisy recalled reading in his profile report. She could only hope the girls would live long enough to be rescued. "He's paranoid, but that could work to our favor in the end. For now though we need to gain access to his network. Hacking his system won't be easy, but I have some new tricks up my sleeve that I've been saving for a rainy day."

"You're as capable as they come."

His compliment settled a warm feeling over her, but she had to quickly dismiss it. She just had too. But how was she supposed to hold onto that considering what else the night held for them? She gently nibbled at her bottom lip to settle herself. "Look, I think its time we address the massive elephant in the room." To his credit, and that was saying allot, Ward didn't feign ignorance. Instead his arms crossed his broad chest, the storm outside steadily picking up steam.

"Look, we both know there are cameras in our bedroom. Vladimir thinks I'm just your flavor of the week, but his interest in me can be used." Before he could interrupt, she pressed on, "Judging by his profile, we know he likes to watch his guests. Its a fetish. It gives us a in."

A heavy pause settled between them. Intensely emotional and complex as their eyes clashed.

"We could fake it," Ward spoke quietly, running a hand through his short dark hair as heavy rainfall outside fell.

"If his interest in me, in us, grows; then that's to our advantage." Her pulse was racing at the forbidden implications. Thank God for the alcohol loosening her nerves. Daisy was a full-fledged S.H.I.E.L.D agent and leader of the Secret Warriors. Lives were at stake. From the pit of her gut she knew there was no line she wouldn't cross to see this through. She'd mentally prepared for that on the long flight over here. "Vladimir has bought and sold lives for decades. He ruins everything he touches. What we are here to do is save nine girls lives and prevent their abilities from being abused. So when I weigh that versus 'anything' we have to do, I just don't care. Their lives matter more to me."

"What about Lincoln?"

While watching Ward closely, her face betrayed none of what she was thinking. And damn if there wasn't a tiny spark of delight in her at his obvious impatience with waiting for her reply. That little tick of his jaw. Twitch of that gorgeous mouth. "Like you give a fuck."

He did. More than he could say. More than he knew he had a right to feel. And her non-answer didn't help. She was tap dancing on his last nerve, and what was worse, she knew it. "Is that your final answer?"

"This isn't Jeopardy, Ward. I said I'd do anything to save those girls. There is no asterisk by that statement. I meant anything."

Ward respected the hell out of that, even as his traitorous body responded to the implications of her words. Even as his heart ached for a number of painful reasons. Nonetheless her steely drive was damn inspiring. "Inviting his obsession puts you in greater danger."

"Or gives us a better shot at saving those girls and embedding a bullet in his skull. It's a risk, and we have to take it." When Ward shook his head in pure frustration she could tell that he was upset for her sake. And she had no clue what to do with a caring Ward. She truly felt he was only an illusion she once dreamed of. Still dreamed of. "We knew this was an option."

His voice rose, "Only an option."

"Before the mission began," Daisy corrected him as thunder rattled a nearby window. "But judging by the way he was staring at me, constantly engaging me in conversation tonight and his past history, I think its a shot worth taking." Conflict was written all over his face. "As it stands we have zero intell on where he is keeping or how he is controlling those Inhuman girls." She stilled, needing to face this head-on. "We are going to have sex and let him watch. And then judge his behavior towards me tomorrow. And if nothing changes then we forget it ever happened and never look back. But if his interest in me makes him drop his guard then its a chance I am willing to take."

Ward suddenly felt her invade his personal space. So close he could smell the faint vodka on her breath. So close his cock throbbed violently in response. This was so fucked up and he knew if he were a better man he would find a way resist this. But deep down he understood her reasoning. And craved her desperately. It only took a few months of being anywhere near her again and she was coursing through his bloodstream as if she'd been a part of his D.N.A all his life. "I never wanted it to be like this," he admitted quietly, unsure if she would even believe him.

"Neither did I," she half-smiled in the shadows, allowing her thoughts a little trip down memory lane. A shattered, broken memory lane of yesteryear. "I always thought we'd have that drink, and then you'd walk me to my room all gentleman like and I'd pretend I was gonna do the whole 'five-date' rule thing, only to drag you inside and fuck you so hard you lost your mind."

Ward's mind just about detonated that very second, his blood pressure rising. Suddenly his gaze fell to her lush mouth. "Your kiss alone made me lose my mind."

Daisy visibly struggled with that admission, mentally challenging what she hoped was the truth versus his immense track record of betrayal. Could she accept 'this' Ward? Because dammit all to hell, a part of her wanted too. They couldn't fake love. But anger and lust, that they could do in spades. Thankfully or not, she was still attracted to him. Could still feel that ethereal draw that linked them in spite of everything.

Taking the bull by the horns, Daisy pressed a well-manicured finger in his chest, her tone as deadly as it was sensual. Her voice dripping with temptation. "What happens in this bedroom between us doesn't go in any report, ever. It'll never be spoken of. Stays between us. Dies between us. Is a means to a end, nothing more. Got it?"

"I want you!" Ward fiercely declared, erasing the space between them, forcing her back to the bedroom door with a audible thud. His hard body pressed into her, eyes bearing hungrily down at her with an intent to devour. She smelled so fucking good and looked even better. "I've always wanted you."

"I want you too," Daisy admitted softly because to do this she had to go all-in. To live in the moment, bull-dozing anything non-essential aside. No, she hadn't forgotten one single thing he'd done, nor the hurt in his eyes when he spoke of his daughter. The obvious pain. The regret. All of it could be used. "Rules?"

Ward's chest was heaving, lust roaring through him for her after all this time. His most treasured, most deeply buried fantasy. Skye. Always Skye. "Leave them at the door."

Reaching down between them, Daisy confidently grazed her hand over his thick, hard cock, cupping the length. Her caress elicited a husky hiss from his lips. On tippy-toes, she leaned to his ear, breathing softly, and whispered, "Can you make me forget every other man who's ever touched me?"

In a flash as a powerful boom of thunder rattled the walls, Ward captured her seductively parted mouth with a savage, predatory kiss. His hands locked on her wrists, lifting them up above her head, and then he lost his mind when her tongue pushed wetly at his lips, seeking entry. He sucked at the tip, drawing hungrily as their bodies rocked against each other.

There was an animalistic quality to their violent kissing. Hard and desperately intense, as if nothing in existence could sate their angry hunger for each other.

Ward released her wrists, his hand reaching round her hip to turn the door knob, granting them entrance to the luxuriously spacious bedroom. They lustfully kissed their way inside, gracefully edging backwards toward the bed as she slipped out of her heels.

Moaning softly from the seductive heat of his warm mouth sucking at the side of her neck, Daisy felt his fingers caress her thighs as he began lifting her dress up over her head. The decadent piece dripped from his fingertips to the hardwood floor, a pool of wine-red.

Ward's dark eyes drank in the exquisite sight of her figure. Her muscle definition, no doubt from hard gym training and field work, only added to how incredibly alluring she was. The gentle swell of her breasts encased in black satin lace, its matching thong crippled what was left of his sanity as he ached for this woman like no other. "You're a masterpiece," he declared while staring into her beautiful eyes.

And then she silently mouthed something incredibly private to him. Something cloaked by the storms growing downpour pelting the windows. 'Call me Skye'

That was for him, for her, and likely for more reasons than Ward cared to think about to deeply right now. But what he was sure of was that it wasn't for Vladimir. And that was all that mattered. He shrugged off his expensive suit jacket, letting it fall to the floor. He began tugging at the knot of his tie. Once done, a small hand deftly slid it from around his neck, tossing it aside.

Daisy stepped forward, undoing the first three buttons of his tailor-made dress shirt until her impatience kicked in and she ripped it down the center, buttons now falling to the floor. He had the nerve to smirk. She suppressed a grin of her own. "Don't you dare say someone's anxious."

"And yet that fact remains," he playfully teased her while tearing the shirt off, followed by the undershirt.

Her nipples tightened at the vision of his hard body, and even the lines of scars marking his toned chest and belly. "I can work with this," Daisy she teased right back.

Ever silent under her appraisal, Ward followed her gaze to the bullet wound scars she'd inflicted across his stomach. Gentle fingers slowly traced over the raised skin before she rose to kiss him hard, as if to drive away any real intimacy for the sake of lust. Following her lead, his strong hands grabbed her ass tight, squeezing the supple cheeks that had driven him crazy all night, drawing her ever closer. She did away with his belt while he finished the rest. "Turn around, Skye. Face the bed."

Unconsciously, Daisy did as she was told, walking away from him. Even though she wasn't naked yet she felt his eyes ferociously undressing her. Felt the fire in his eyes all over her body. The slick, needy throb between her thighs was all because of him. Her tongue wet her lips, appalled at her own lust. "What's next?"

"I'm going to suck your pussy until you scream my name."

Glancing at him from over her shoulder, her knees went weak at the ravenous expression he wore. She delivered no snarky reply cause her brain stopped functioning entirely. The forbidden disbelief of this moment was shocking to her. And then he was behind her, his warm body flush against hers, skin to skin, and she couldn't remember any other man making her feel this way. He drew her shoulder-length hair aside, now pressing lush kisses to the nape of her neck. Kisses she arched into, giving herself over to this rush of passion. Felt him flick the clasp of her bra, slipping it off her slender shoulders.

And then his embrace captured her around her waist, hands rising to firmly cup the swells of her breasts. She moaned, grinding her ass back against a very hard cock. Feeling its hot throb against her skin, she panted, "Look, I'm on the... We both had blood-work done before... We're clean, so... yeah..."

"Fuck!" Ward firmly kneaded her breasts, swiping his thumb over erect nipples while sucking hungrily at her pulse. The little whimpery sounds escaping her were the most erotic noises he'd ever heard in his entire life. "You trying to kill me, Skye?"

"Already tried that. Thought I'd... thought I'd vary my approach to taking you down." She felt him grin evilly over her shoulder, and then the erotic nip of his teeth at the side of her neck. Talented fingers rolled a tight nipple, while his other hand descended inside her panties, stroking her bare sex until she was grinding violently against him. Her head resting over his shoulder, humming shamelessly when he cupped her slick mound.

Unable to wait a second more, Ward drew her thong down her thighs and off to the side. The softness of her skin was as intoxicating as the scent of her arousal. "Bend over."

That gorgeous ass of hers left him spellbound as Daisy spread her smooth legs and bent over the bed. Caressing his hand over a rounded cheek, Ward fell to his knees, chest heaving at the womanly scent of her and the luscious glistening rose between her thighs that drove him crazy with desire. "So perfect."

"Ward," she shivered mightily, and then gasped when his tongue lashed a juicy trail down her slit, and then slowly back up, before descending lazily once more. Over and over and over again the wide flat of his tongue parted her folds, nibbling softly, lapping at her with firm wet strokes. Her thighs trembled, nipples tightened in approval. Slicking his chin as he drowned in the flavor of her sex, breathing hotly over her sensitive flesh.

"Yesss... Mmmm, Godyes!" Daisy's back arched when his fluttering tongue pushed at her entrance. Waves of pleasure coursed through her, the sheer thrill of his lust for her amplifying her own. Even if she regretted this tomorrow she intended to revel in it tonight. Red fingernails dug hard into the beige bed sheets as he began sucking her cunt with such a desperate hunger, causing her to twist and shift over the bed. Her breasts tingled as she listened to the primal, husky growls he made. The perfect smooth rhythm of his tongue left her shivering as she had never been so wet for a man.

So bare and beautiful over his tongue, Ward groaned at the sweet taste of her sex. Her wetness coated his lips, his heart racing, blood pumping hard through his body. The sheer adrenalin rush of having her at long last was beyond intoxicating. He was already fantasizing about the next time he could make love to her with his mouth while doing it in real-time. He was that far gone for this woman.

His tongue whirled round and round her weeping slit, overcome by the passion this woman created in him. Lashing wetly over her sensitive clit until she quivered, he fell in love with the erotic sounds ripped from her throat. Sucking greedily at her clit, his hands braced on her thighs, face buried between her legs, devouring her pussy. "Can't... can't get enough of you," he declared huskily. "God, you taste so fucking good!"

"Fuck, Ward... God... ahh... ahhh!" Insatiable heat coiled in her belly, curling her toes at this man's incredible skill and passion for her. She felt his warm hands canvass her backside, squeezing her ass, holding her where he wanted her. Wincing lustfully, her forehead dipped to the mattress, eyes squeezed shut as her pussy was sucked from behind by a man relentlessly intent on making her cum so damn hard. "Uhhnn... Don'tstop... so close," she hissed, trembling over the bed.

Flicking his tongue madly over her clit as she thrust her sex against his face, the writhe and twist of her hips signaled how close she was to the edge. He wanted her flying off so hard she couldn't think straight. He soaked his tongue in her wetness, reveling in the husky groans he loved hearing her make. As turned on as he had ever been, he began sucking her clit hard. Her sensual cries filled the air around them.

"Ward... I'm, fuck... OhGodOhGod! Ward!" Skye's mouth opened in a wild silent cry, her face contorting lustfully as she jerked hard. Wailing as she came in his hungry sucking mouth. Through it all he never stopped, feasting loudly as she shivered all over through one of the most violent orgasms of her entire life. And when she was finally sated, she slumped forward on the bed, boneless and grinning.

Feeling quite playfully evil, Daisy gave a seductive smirk her shoulder. Her beautiful face flushed a faint pink as she panted, "Hail Hydra."

On his knees still brushing his lips over her heart-shaped ass, Ward found her devastatingly charming. "And I thought I couldn't get any harder."

"We'll see about that," she whispered to him, rising up on her forearms, legs spread ever so, and gave a little seductive sway of her ass back and forth. "See something you like?"

Erotically hypnotized, Ward pondered in the back of his mind how much of this was the 'real' Skye versus a show of provocative bravado for the sake of 'who' might be watching. He could eat the small ache of caring silently tomorrow. For now he just needed her more than he needed to breathe. Always needed her. He dropped his briefs, brushing them away with the side of his foot.

Finally seeing all of him for the first time, Skye blinked cause Ward was more than a man and a half. More man than she had ever been with before. So damn beautiful she felt her sex clench at the sight of him naked. Bared for her eyes to drown in. It was beyond comprehension that this was going to happen with him at all, much less in this way. But riding the wave of dark emotion and lust, she wanted it and wasn't feeling apologetic about it at all. "Don't keep a girl waiting."

"Skye," he softly chanted her name as the storm raged outside, and then swatted her ass hard, watching the cheek redden ever so. She bit her bottom lip, glaring at him from over her shoulder. "Skye," he spoke her name again in reverence, moving behind her, pressing the head of his cock at her slick entrance. "God, Skye," he swore as he pushed deep inside her in one long thrust, loving the way her head bowed to the mattress. Closing his eyes at the delicious sensation of her tight heat around him, his pulse thumping so hard it made his vision blur. He grasped her slender hips, drawing back almost to the tip before gliding forward hard, loving the sharp cry that ripped from her lips. "God, Skye... fuck..."

Her breasts swayed with the motion of Ward's body rocking into hers from behind. Eyes squeezed shut, the erotic fullness of having all of him inside her, Daisy was immersed in fiery pleasure. The deep, jolting thrusts pushing her forward on the bed, her inner muscles clenching wildly around him, her hips moving to match his pace. She had never wanted a man this badly before. This bone-deep thirst to claim him as hers. The primal grunts he made behind her were more animal than man, and she loved his incredible desire for her. How he couldn't seem to get enough of her, swearing her name and how good she felt around him. Nails dug into the sheets, she whimpered, "Fuck me hard, Ward."

The way she bucked her hips back at him with an insatiable need drove him mad with desire. This was Skye. His Skye, the only woman that had ever made him feel anything good... anything genuine... Fuck, he'd lost her and now if this was anything at all close to a shot at a second chance he was going to be a better man for her. Their first time could never have been soft music and sweet lovemaking cause their history was drowned in blood and betrayal. It called for hot lust that drove them crazy, as that was how he felt right now while taking her deep and hard from behind.

Grinding against each other now, with his large frame draped over her back as they fucked violently. Ward grabbed a handful of her hair, drawing it back in his fist, while her nails dug into his hips when she reached behind her. He was pounding into her so possessively, and she matched his aggression, grunting and swearing as they moved as one.

"Goddammit, Ward... Wardfuck!" Daisy bucked hard, suddenly coming around him, her sex clutching rhythmically as a howl tore from her throat. Panting and squirming as he fucked her with deep, impacting thrusts. Her nipples tingled over the sheets, her face near buried against a pillow as aftershocks trembled through her. She was breathing so hard she couldn't speak when he pulled out of her, flipped her over on the bed and covered her a second later.

Nothing ever was more beautiful that a sweaty-faced, post-orgasmic Skye. Her gorgeous hair softly matted to her forehead, mouth gently parted, kiss swollen lips begging for attention. Every damn thing his soul ever wanted was the erotic expression she wore. His quiet voice was laced with emotion. "Garrett said you were my weakness."

Unconsciously raising a hand to his cheek, she lovingly caressed the light stubble there. "He was a monster that wanted to bring the monster out of you. And he did. But not forever. Love isn't a weakness. The love you have for your daughter released the real you."

"And for you," Ward said before he could catch himself. Blinking, she stared deeply into his eyes as if searching for sincerity, and then gave a slow nod. He bent to kiss her, not willing to risk anymore tonight, and then slowly pushed back inside her. A gushing breath escaped them both, their eyes locked as they began to move. In the center of the bed, kissing with such hunger, fucking each other.

With one small lamp barely lighting the room, and the sprinkling of a fading thunderstorm tapping the windows, Ward and Daisy engaged in a mad, sultry, lust-filled coupling. Kissing deeply, gasping and panting over the sweat-dampened sheets, her legs wrapped around his back. His hips snapping into hers, knees digging into the mattress.

Conflicting emotions wrecked havoc with their hearts, but damn it all to hell, this moment was worth everything.

Their foreheads pressed together, gazing into each others eyes. The bed shook, rocking backward with the force of his urgent, deep thrusts. Her fingers skimmed across his hips before grabbing on as he drove as deep as he could into her, taking her hard. Delicious waves of pleasure cascaded over her as her legs locked tightly around him, drawing him in deeper, giving all of herself to him. Her hips bucked as she squeezed around him, crying out, "Don't stop!"

"Never!" Ward promised, now French kissing her neck with teeth and his tongue, marking her skin. And then he dared to ask, "Better than Lincoln?"

Daisy found the depths of his challenging gaze held a glint of mischief. In response her pretty mouth curled into a hint of a daring smile, "I plead the fifth." The sudden flash of jealousy, intense and real, that scowled over his face was priceless. Her nails dug into his shoulders as she aggressively met every one of his long, deep thrusts. Her tightness selfishly drawing around him, eyes fluttering shut, arms wrapped around his neck like a vice. Waves of pleasure built once more as she bit at the shell of his ear, panting, "And where do I rank?"

Ward gazed down at her strikingly beautiful face, her eyes dark, pupils wide, losing himself in the slick depths of her. His mouth claimed hers in a deeply, soulful kiss so enticing he could barely stand it. Where they began and the mission ended could be debated for another day. But for now, in this moment, he felt content for the first time in his whole life. He nibbled at her bottom lip, thrusting hard enough that her expressions were so deliciously erotic he knew he would never get over this woman. "Best I ever had," he admitted as she began to buck and tremble beneath him.

"Ward,fuck...I'm gonna...OhGoddammit!

His own control slipping fast, their bodies slapped against each other, moving across the sweat-soaked sheets half clinging to their skin. Suddenly Daisy gave a deafening inarticulate cry as she came hard. She bucked wildly beneath him...

God, he'd made her cum hard again, as the bewitching sight of her face wincing lustfully combined with the loud, rhythmic smacking sounds of flesh mating frantically. Suddenly her name roared from his lips as she felt him stiffen, thrust deep, and then the wet heat of his climax erupting inside her in long thick satisfying bursts. Her sex drew around him tightly until she had it all. Until he had no more to give, now spent and gasping for air.

Long, quiet moments later as their breathing settled there was an emotional, monumental, life-altering, can't-ever-go-back-from this sense they both felt. This wasn't happily-ever-after lets go buy a house and have kids, but it felt like a genuine first step. Even though they were chipping away at the mountain of their issues with a toothpick, there was unmistakable meaning behind what just took place here.

As her heart began beating at a normal pace, Daisy grinned up at Ward. "You're heavy."

He smiled down at her. "But you feel so good."

Daisy tried not to beam a smirk that matched his own. Instead she attempted to return to the reason why they were in Russia, but her heart wasn't having it. Not just yet. She sighed when he gently pulled out of her, now lying close beside her as he drew the covers around them. Close enough that their faces felt the warmth of the others breathing. And she had never felt more at peace and at war with herself at the same time. She moved in closer, whispering for his ears only, "I want to believe everything you told me tonight, but you've given me a world of very good reasons to distrust you."

Ward couldn't argue the point, nor would he insult her with his defense. "Trust is earned, and I have a very long way to go. I understand that, Skye. I don't expect anything."

"You've hurt allot of people. I can't and won't forget that." To his credit there was no wounded puppy dog expression or anything like that. His expression was weary and a bit somber, but honest. Was he truly grasping how far he had fallen and how far he still had to go? Or was she just hoping for it to be real?

"But..." she sighed to gather her thoughts and try to make sense of them. "I know Coulson, and if he verified everything you said, then I want to help you." Surprise, at least momentarily, lit his gaze. "I want to give you the benefit of the doubt. But you have one shot, and I mean only one."

"I understand," he nodded, suppressing the desire to hold her again.

"As for you and I," she pointed her finger between them, "I don't know what we could... I don't even know if I..."

"I won't fail you again," Ward interrupted her, knowing it was far, far to soon for that talk. "And I promise that I will never lie to you."

"We're square, for now." She thought of offering her hand to shake, but that didn't make sense considering they were both naked after having the best sex of her entire life.

"You never did answer my question?"

Ward was a dick. And he was consistently a dick. "Didn't my three orgasms stroke your ego enough?"

"Why won't you answer the question?" he grinned evilly.

"Cause you want me to so badly." There was more she wanted to say and even more, very scary things she felt for him already. But right now she needed space. Distance so she didn't do anything stupid like climb back in his lap and ride him all night long. Unsure of what they were supposed to do now, she simply excused herself from the bed, slipping out from under the covers. "I'm gonna go grab a shower."

"What, no cuddling?" He had the nerve to appear wounded.

Ward was teasing her and Daisy knew it. But did he know her body was still craving his even now? She shook her head, but offered him a small smile as she walked away. And she felt his eyes all over her.

And she liked it far more than she could say.

"Matryoshka Manor"
30,000 square foot, eleven bedroom mansion sitting on nine acres of wooded land.
'The back of the house' - Private Security Control Room 4th floor Saturday, October 4th, 2016 - 12:50 AM Moscow region, Odintsovo area, Gorki-2

Vladimir Volkoff was a man of many faces.

While nursing Moskovskaya Vodka from an antique crystal glass, Vladimir reclined before a vast array of internet-connected 24'inch high-definition monitors. Collectively there were well over seventy, offering him full reign over his massive empire. Each screen revealed a different shade of the reclusive silver-haired billionaire the Russian press secretly dubbed 'The End All'.

With a rousing symphony of Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakovmusic playing, his possessive gaze fell upon 20th screen from the far right revealing twenty-year old daughter Katra Volfoff's dorm-room at Lomonosov Moscow State University. The world history major's sleeping form offered him the only true peace he required in this world, with being her father the sum total of his connection to the human race. She was his treasure, though at no time did less than five of his men let her out of their sights. He would protect her with his dying breath as she was all the family he had left in this world.

Then there were the multiple screens offering clear glimpses from the largest airport in Russia, Domodedovo International Airport. He owned and controlled it with the unspoken of blessing of the government, and it was a great aid to both his legal and underground business interests. It was worth over two billion dollars a year to him, and strategically kept a stranglehold on businesses that worked in the former U.S.S.R. If you did business in Russia, then you were forced to do business with him.

Then there were the tracking screens that even his vaunted Inner Circle were not aware of. Information was power and he was always informed of their activities. Their communications and lies. They existed to serve him, and were greatly reward with power and influence. Anastasia, Victor, Silas, and Karloff were loyal. Blood debt loyal. Had all proven themselves trustworthy a thousand times over. All had blood on their hands on his behalf. But were still assets at the end of the day. And he kept a watchful eye over all of his assets.

Total control of all he commanded, the innocent beauty young women, and old money drenched in blood defined his very existence.

Ever focused on staying one step ahead of the entire world, Vladimir observed like-minded politicians, both here and abroad, that he'd had dealings with over the years. And their families. Accountants. Business partners. Mistresses. Whores. Anyone who might someday be useful to him via manipulation and blackmail. Anyone who could enhance his control over them.

Threaten a man with a gun and his fear might someday turn to rage for being sick and tired of being afraid. But threaten his family and his pride, those traits were the most useful of all. They cut the deepest. Everyone on the planet loved something. And if they didn't, they wanted too. He only needed to figure out what that was, and he always did.

From his private team of computer hackers to a small armada of high-tech drones and deadly field agents who carried out his every command, his global reach was staggering. There were screens dedicated to tracking his enemies, members of the Russian government, military leaders, and the remnants of the Russian mafia. Terrorist organizations. Banking institutions. All of them, he watched closely, ever aware.

At age 57, his rugged body still required less than five hours sleep a day. He could rest when he was dead, he'd told his 'Right Hand' some time ago. From the moment he woke up each morning he oversaw a vast public and private empire he'd built with his own two hands. Hands covered in a great deal of blood for certain, but far superior than the coal dust from the Siberian mines he worked in his youth.

Seated back in his luxurious leather office chair, Vladimir listened as the rain pounded down again, with blasts of wind rattling the windows. In the midst of the storm he found it oddly soothing. Behind his broad communication terminal, he reveled in the sounds of an angry Mother Nature while pondering his immense good fortune of late.

While human trafficking had made him rich and powerful due the the lustful, undeniably forbidden needs of the masses. The addition of enhanced people throughout the world, especially those Inhumans, have granted him untold opportunities to expand and future-proof his empire in ways he'd never imagined.

Yes, he'd made a spiritual deal with the devil years ago when he set about this path of ruthlessness, but it was a debt he could rationalize. He wanted far more than a early grave from near slave labor just to make enough money to eat each day. He craved a life of control and influence. And to know that he could take the world by the throat and choke it until he had everything he wanted was an undeniable high even the best cocaine could not reach.

Now that Vladimir had Gallic by his side he could locate Inhumans anywhere on the planet. And until or if this Killgrave person was ever proven to exist, he possessed the next best thing. Though far from perfect, his scientists and surgeons have the "Lullaby" technique fully active and operational. Gallic could find Inhumans wherever they hid and now Vladimir had the means to control them once his extraction team acquired the asset. At the end of the day they were all assets.

It was business, never personal.

To say that Inhumans were different was a vast oversimplification of their very existence. Their powers were astounding. Beings able to phase through solid objects, project themselves across a room, alter their appearance, and even fly. Vladimir was truly seeing the signs and wonders of this present day. And whatever he saw, he controlled.

Which brought him back to the sixth screen from the far left. An incredibly beautiful woman in the shower, dripping wet beneath the hot spray, no doubt washing away her lover's scent after a night of hard fucking. Gallic informed him after dinner that she was Inhuman, but her exotic part-Asian features reminded him of his deceased wife Pilar. And that jarring fact captured his inner most thoughts more than Gallic's revelation.

Her name was Skye, and even his vast database and advanced facial recognition software couldn't find a match for her in all the world. Intriguing to say the least, as were her powers. She belonged to Grant Ward, new Head of Hydra. A secretive, very powerful organization that had undergone massive restructuring due to the mass killing of nearly all of its leadership.

He knew that Grant Ward was a former agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. before betraying them for Hydra. Highly trained and considered one of the worlds most dangerous men. He was a cold blooded killer, clever, and extremely capable. Possessed a slippery intellectuality that likely kept him alive, and a streak of luck that was all his own. Vladimir considered how he accepted the invitation and arrived in Russia with only the woman. No doubt despite his best security, Mr. Ward had Hydra agents on standby, ready to move in and kill everything.

Vladimir detested drawn out wars, and didn't seek one with Hydra as they were prone to bouts of madness. His brutality was more subtle. There were heads of Hydra who dreamed of old-school world domination, likening them to characters from a James Bond movie. For Vladimir, he wanted the world to keep right on spinning the way it always had. And in the background he would pull the strings. Though he did not fear Hydra, they worked far better as allies than bitter enemies. And this Grant Ward could become a valuable asset provided their business dealings went smoothly. Still, he would be watched closely.

As he was tonight.

Having spilled his seed all over his hands watching that incredible creature known as Skye, he coveted Mr. Ward's woman with a simmering need. That she was Inhuman and untraceable amplified his interest in her. She had his attention. Her sexual allure was devastating as he couldn't keep his eyes off of her. His thoughts. Perhaps he would even trade her for one of the Inhuman girls he possessed. Perhaps she was Mr. Ward's body-guard, and possessed some incredible ability.

More and more by the second his interest in her accelerated. And now, as he watched Skye in the shower, his thoughts strayed ever so from business and towards what would it take to acquire her as well. Twenty-five billion and a world of favors from extremely powerful organizations worldwide were on the line in the next two weeks.

And yet this bewitching woman had already captured his most private thoughts with an incontestable power.

The End of Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Ward and Daisy find their target amongst Vladimir's Inner Circle, even as they navigate their very intense feelings for each other.