Chapter Two
I don't know where the lights are taking us
But something in the night is dangerous
And nothing's holding back the two of us
But, baby, this is getting serious
David Guetta - Dangerous
They were standing together in a hallway inside that swanky upper class townhouse located deep in the middle of the suburbs. The scent of cigar smoke hung thick in the air, along with the sweet stench of marijuana. Maggie hated that smell, it nauseated her, clinging to her hair and clothes until she found time to take a shower. The living room was simply a meter away, hosting a high stakes poker game with some of the finest gentleman the city of Chicago had ever boasted. There was laughter in the air, both male and female, it was loud and full of unspoken intentions. The girls were part of the entertainment tonight, save the hostess who was serving up glasses of expensive bourbon behind the bar.
The party had already begun to get started, before they had left Maggie had witnessed a councilman snorting a fine line of coke directly off a hooker's bare chest before she'd had been requested to join in the fun. Dressed to the nines in those sexy little black spike heels of hers and a matching black bandage dress that left nothing to the imagination it was almost a given that she would be someone's top pick and her denials were met with aggression when she tried to walk away.
Masquerading as a defense attorney Antonio had taken off the glasses they were using to record the action, leaving them carefully placed upon the glass coffee table hosting a wicker basket full of condoms and a cache of the latest party drugs. She watched along with several other people in the room as he deliberately selected a condom before proclaiming that Maggie was already booked for the night. Maggie had always known he had her back but it was moments like this that reminded her just how clever he was. His ability to manipulate certain situations still surprised her despite the fact they had been partnered for almost a year. He could see it in her eyes as he held the condom up with a devilish smile for all to see.
A ripple of laughter erupted, along with catcalls as Antonio had taken her dainty hand in his and led her away from the action. They were still in view and he knew he had to make their disappearance look convincing. He surprised her when he backed her up against the wall in the hallway, his body pressed along the length of hers. He heard it in the hitch of breath that escaped her glossy lips when she stared directly into his eyes. It was times like that, that Antonio remembered how perfectly the two of them fitted together, her vibrant blue eyes never left his as his large hands came to rest upon her hips. His thumb lightly caressing along the sliver of skin accessible to him between the parts in her slinky black dress as her lithe thighs rubbed against the charcoal grey suit trousers he was wearing. His grizzled cheek rubbed along the length of jaw, his lips inches away away from her ear as he inhaled that rich floral scent of hers. It was intoxicating like a drug snapping through his synapses as his lips grazed her ear lobe causing her to shiver against him. Jesus Christ that almost broke him.
"Sell it." he murmured into her ear. "Act like I'm just another john."
Maggie's palms came to rest on his back, he could feel their warmth through his white shirt as her fingertips trailed along the taunt muscles of his ribs. He hissed through his teeth as her nails slightly raked his skin, his fingertips dug into her hips even harder, drawing her just that bit closer to his body. He wanted her, he wanted her more than he had wanted anything in his life.
It was the wedding ring that did it, the gold band dug into his finger as he held onto Maggie like some form of life line. It was that that made him take a moment to focus, to remember why he was here and what the hell he was meant to be doing.
He fumbled for a moment, his hand reaching out for the door next to them. He managed to twist the door handle at the same time flinging it open. It took no more than a second for the both of them to make it into that room. Maggie slammed the door shut as a loud rancorous cheer exploded from the hall. Antonio knew that they were applauding him and what they perceived to be happening in here. He switched his attention to Maggie and found the two of them standing inches apart. Her pale cheeks were flushed and her pert lips open as he stared back at her. He knew it would barely take a second to close the distance between them but this time Antonio stood firm. He had a duty, both to his job and to his wife.
That had been over four years ago when he'd been a Detective in Vice and Antonio had never been able to forget that night. The operation had been successful and it had given his career the boost he needed to take that step into Intelligence but it was also the first time he had realized that his marriage wasn't as solid as he had thought it was. During his time with Laura he had barely looked at another woman but that moment with Maggie had put his heart in dire straits. He had never meant for it to happen, he put it down to being caught up in his role and the two of them had never talked about it afterwards. However when he thought back over it, he realised that his reaction to her was never about the role he played, it had always about Maggie. The two of them had been partners for a couple of years before she got snatched up for the Oskar Bembenek operation and he had to admit he felt the absence in her life when she had vanished. His days had been a hell of a lot brighter when she'd been around. She made him feel worthy of being cared for, that he was more than just a cop or a father. He felt that he had lost part of his identity in his marriage to Laura, that for her he always had to be one or the other. His wife had never understood that being a cop was in his blood. It was more than a job for him, it was a calling and when she had asked him to give it up last year, it had all come to a head and he was forced to admit that with Laura he hadn't felt like himself in the longest time.
Sergeant Hank Voight was seated in front of him. The other man was reading the scrap of paper that Maggie had provided them, it was spread out on the surface of the standard issue oak desk that decorated his office as he bobbed his head taking in all of the details. Antonio allowed his gaze to stray as he took in the room around him. He had always thought of Voight's office as an extension of the man himself. It was furnished by the department in a simple and no frills kind of way. The only personal affects that Voight had added was the framed American flag on the shelf behind him and the seven by five inch silver framed picture of his late wife Camille. It made Antonio's heart pang just a little when he looked at that picture. Camille had been gone for a few years now and he couldn't imagine what it must feel like to watch the love of his life slip away like that, day by day being eaten alive inside by cancer.
Voight straightened his spine before clasping his hands together and reviewing Antonio with keen analytical eyes. Antonio seemed more reserved than usual and Voight didn't need to be a mind reader to see those cogs turning in the other man's head. Maggie O'Neill was important to the other man, he had known it the first time he had seen the two of them interacting together when they were partners in Vice. He'd been courting one of them for his team at the time and put them both through the operational ringer testing strengths and studying weaknesses before Maggie was offered the Bembenek operation. He felt like he'd gotten to know each of them pretty well in those few weeks so he had no qualms about approaching Maggie for information when he'd needed a break in a case. It was against protocol but she was more than happy to help if it got the bad guys off the streets.
He wondered what her father would have thought of all this if he had survived that gunshot to the abdomen he had taken in 98 during the same stakeout that had left Al with a bullet in the shoulder and himself pinned down trying to figure out a way to get to them. Voight didn't doubt that the other man would be pleased to know that someone was watching out for his daughter.
"The information's solid." Antonio told Voight, interrupting the other man's train of thought. Antonio's right fist was clenched, his knuckles rapping lightly against the arm of the chair as he spoke. It was a sign of tension, one that Voight had come to recognize during his time working with the other man. Antonio was one of the best detectives he knew and Voight felt lucky to have the other man on his team however he was far from infallible. Voight was aware that he was under a huge mental strain with a messy divorce hanging over his head, it didn't help that Laura was withholding custody of the children until the details were hammered out. The sergeant knew it had to be killing the other man deep inside not being able to see his kids. Both Ava and Diego were the light of his life, he hated that the other man was going through that. Voight knew a thing or two about feeling emotionally isolated. There hadn't been another woman in his life since Camille and as far as he was concerned there never would be.
"How's Maggie doing?" Voight found himself asking as he sagged back in his chair, his elbows resting upon the padded arms as he clasped his hands in front of him.
Antonio paused for a moment before answering. He considered the dark circles that had marred Maggie's pale skin this evening under the harsh florescent lights. Sleep didn't come easy when you were fearing constantly for your own well being . He knew from experience how life could become complicated once you went undercover. There were pieces of yourself that you could never get back once you had given them away. Two years under Oskar Bembenek had to take it's toll.
"She's tired." Antonio finally submitted into the conversation. "Two years is a long time away from your family. I see her brother sometimes at Sunday service."
"I'm guessing he's still praying for her." Voight responded knowingly with a ghost of a smile on his lips.
"He's a priest, it's what they do." Antonio said with a shrug of his shoulders before he reached for the piece of paper, holding it up between both of his fingers. "I guess we better get rolling on this."
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