The small rustling sound coming from the back of the sleazy hotel room would have gone unnoticed by most. Already on edge from the events of the day, she stealthily slipped from bed grabbing her 9mm from the nightstand. Cautiously she moved into position waiting at the entrance to the hallway. Listening for any indication as to her intruders position. A shadow appeared making its way towards her. She moved the gun into position and tried to control her breathing.
He felt the cold blunt end of a gun at his temple. Before she could utter a warning, he was speaking, "It's me, Jaime, it's just me."
Lowering her weapon, she released the breath she didn't know she had been holding.
"What are you doing here?" she asked betrayed by the shaking of her voice.
He grasped her upper arm pulling her towards him. He carefully guided them both towards the bathroom down the hallway. Once inside, he quietly closed the door behind them and flipped the light switch. The bright light flickering from the fluorescents above her caused an involuntary wince. The headache that had begun hours earlier came roaring back at full speed. Once her vision adjusted she glanced up at Dean, the look in his eyes making her wish they had remained in the dark. She quickly ducked her head but the damage was done. His hand reached out grasping her chin forcing her eyes back to his.
"Im fine" she spoke quickly, her eyes anywhere but on him.
His hand caressed her jaw running his finger over her swollen, cut lip. Her left eye was nearly swollen shut, sickly shades of purple, blue and green marring her porcelain skin.
He knew things had not went well this afternoon, but he had no idea it had gotten this out of hand.
Their current mark was a South Korean "businessman" collecting strippers as part of an international sex slave trade. Jaime was posing as a fresh faced naïve amateur hoping to strike it big as an actress but working the club for rent money. A perfect mark for a man like Sun Kim.
After her shift at the club she had a run in with one of Mr. Kim's associate more like his local talent agent. His job was scouting out girls and "testing" their resilience. Jaime stood up to the test, she faught back, she was feisty, just enough to win her a place on Kim's list of potential girls.
Dean had been less then thrilled with the plan, protesting Carter's decision to put Jaime under countless times. Jaime, true to her nature, fought for the assignment, always trying to prove herself to Carter, Ty and himself.
"Jaime—", his tone would wear her down if she let it, she needed to get a handle on this conversation and fast.
"I'm fine and we're one step closer to finishing this," a little bravado and a steely glance worked on most.
No such luck with Dean, "You're not fine, you can feed those lies to everyone else but not to me."
Her head snapped up meeting his eyes. Hers were seething, hating that he could read her so easily. His were filled with guilt, anger, kindness and lust. He was proud of her.
"I talked to Carter. I'm moving into play tomorrow. New night shift muscle."
"I don't know that that's necessary. If they stick with the pattern, we should be through by the end of the week."
"Maybe, maybe not. Either way you're not going back in there by yourself."
"Dean", her eyes daring him.
"Save it sweetheart, you won't win this."
She ducked her head knowing he had won this battle. He snaked his hand out slipping around her back gently pulling her towards him. The kiss was gentle at first but quickly became one of needing. She could feel all of his pent up emotions in that one kiss. His fear from seeing her hurt, his anger at the asshole who had inflicted it, his relief that she was ok, and his lust for how she handled herself. Their need for oxygen finally forced them to separate. His lips moved to her forehead leaving a kiss there.
"Let's get you to bed." He said grasping her hand.
She let him lead her out of the hallway, making sure to extinguish the light before opening the door. He pulled back the covers and guided her to the bed. Jaime gingerly slid into bed her body once again aching. Then Dean did something that surprised them both. He climbed in behind her. Being mindful of her injuries he slipped his arms around her and gently pulled her against him. With her back resting flush against his chest he kissed her forehead before whispering, "Get some sleep sweetheart."
"Will you be here when I wake up?" she asked her eye lids becoming heavy.
"There's no place else I'd rather be."