Plot: Marcus Pike heads a highly efficient task force for many years now and his career is going up and up. She on the other hand is trying to organize her life from a trying ordeal when an unexpected event put her life on a spin again.

AN: Marcus Pike was a guest character in the show The Mentalist. To that person who didn't like the character. I don't care if you like him or not. I will continue to write the story because THIS is MY story and you don't have the right to tell me what to post or not in MY own fanfiction page!

Music: Bob Moses & ZHU – Desire

WARNING: ADULT EXPLICIT SCENES

CHAPTER 13

I feel in love with him not because he silenced all of my fears

Or made me feel safe

I fell in love with him because he awoke a sleeping lioness with me—

A wild woman who knows only passion and freedom

And laughs away her fears.

~Beth Belleisle~

"Marcus?"

From within the warmth of his arm Tessa's whisper broke the quietness of the room. It just got quiet less than five minutes ago, give or take. Gasps of pleasure, moans of ecstasy, groans and whimpers of delight and of course, the unmistakable sounds of wild sex fill the chamber. "Hm?"

"Sasha. Who is she?"

Here we go. Marcus sighs as Tessa slowly removes her hand on his chest. This sword's been hanging over my balls. "She's a new co-worker..."

"Who is she?"

"She's the assistant of my new boss." Marcus hates it that Tessa's voice goes quieter.

"Do you see her every day?"

"Yes." He felt her take a deep breath and even without looking at her he knows she's frowning.

"I can't accept the job you offered me."

"Why?"

"I can't work where she is."

Shit! What the hell did Sasha say to her? "Was she rude to you?"

Tessa shakes her head slightly. "No, she was rather nice. Who is she?"

"She's also my assistant."

"So if I work for you she and I will see each other every day, right?"

"Yes. Yes, you will."

"You had sex with her, right?"

Fucking hell! She doesn't mince words, does she? "Goddammit..." Marcus groans, shaking his head. "Yes." He whispers.

She left the warmth of his embrace and faces him. "Is there a 'but' in there?" Tessa took another deep breath.

"Tessa…I was angry at that time…"

"Angry at me?"

"Yes."

"Marcus, would that be your scapegoat every time we'll have a fight or argument or an issue?"

"No. I…." Man, don't use the 'agent speak' on her. His first instinct is to fall back to his training. It's a challenge that he has never had to face, as a matter of fact, he had to dial back and even put the 'agent' away. Damn it! "Tessa, it's just…."

"It's just sex?"

"Yes."

"So 'it's only a towel', 'it's only a house' and this is 'It's only sex'?"

"Don't…." Oh fuck! He shakes his head. She's right. "She knew it wasn't serious."

Tessa raised both brows. "You and her, or, you and me?"

"Me and her."

"Is there a 'you and me'?"

"Yes, there is. This is us." Marcus went up to his side to face her but Tessa leans to the wall. She covers herself with the bodice of her dress.

"And there's still Teresa..."

"Teresa?"

"Will there be a 'you and her'?"

"No. I don't love her that way anymore. She's a friend."

She lowers her eyes, sighing, shoulders down. "I can't compete with her."

"You needn't." Marcus frowns at her words. He doesn't get it. Why she's so hung up on Teresa? She seems to be unhappy about Teresa than about Sasha. And she's becoming more and more fearful and distant.

"What are your plans for us?"

"Let me be direct; I've wanted you since I saw you...I want to be your lover and if you agree, more serious than that."

"I want that too." She took a deep breath. "Kids?"

Behind the lace and lame' he blindly trace his fingers in the curve of her waist. Marcus is confused at why it brought an opposite effect when she heard it. "Do you wanna have them?"

Tessa didn't look at him and turns away. "I can't have them..."

"Can't or don't want to?"

"Can't." With a glum face Tessa wraps her arms around herself as if she's bracing for something bad. "That's why I said I can't compete with Teresa and don't say we'll adopt."

"Tessa,' Marcus pulls her down with him on the ottoman; he's peeved. Tessa lost that post coitus sated look he worked so hard to give to her. "It's okay."

"You know, for the first time in my life I really want to have kids because of you."

Marcus felt her cry quietly. Hands cover her face as if she's ashamed of herself. As if she wants to exclude everything out, including him. She curls in that fetal position, on her side, legs up her chest like a hurt creature. "That doesn't lessen the way I feel about you. I don't feel that way." Gently, he takes her hands from her face and sweeps the hot tears from her cheeks.

Three weeks ago on the second day of his fever he overheard Tessa talking with one of her female students. The student must be her regular and their interaction was relaxed and a little informal. Tessa inquired about the student's appointment the previous day. From the discussion Marcus gleaned that the student is undergoing fertility treatments. Tessa went on with her other classes just fine but there's one thing that caught his attention, though; Tessa became a little withdrawn and quiet when they had dinner in her bed that evening. 'I envy her…' he remembers her saying about Teresa's son.

"You say that now but someday you might change your mind. Try to think about it."

"And you're trying to push me away?" He scowls at her words. "Is that it?"

"I just don't want you to regret it!"

"I won't."

"That's what you say. Now."

"Are you listening to me?"

"Derek said I'm useless."

Shit. Shit. Shit. "You're not! Do not believe that."

"Won't you need time to really think about this?" Instead of giving her an answer Marcus moves over her and pulls down the front of her dress. "Marcus…listen…no…" Tessa arches to him as he leisurely pluck a soft nipple with his lips and tongue until it wakes up to him. She makes those soft mewling sounds that woke him up again. He drapes one of her legs over his shoulder while he's half-hard. "Fuck!" His gasp harsh as there was a rush of wetness that touched his tip when he slid in halfway. It hardened him quickly when its warmth and slickness covers him. Fascinated, he looks down between their bodies as he moves in and out of her, as she moves her hips to meet him. It's mesmerizing to see her clasp his length as he slides out, her hips quiver when he comes back in her. He grasps her leg plunging in the deep recesses of that softness. The longer he watches the more he knew that he cannot keep this up for long.

There it is….it's happening. There comes the pull, the urgency from deep in her.

When she starts to lift her hips, muscles straining, he lets go of her leg. She wraps them around him. "Stay in me…" she breathed and all he needed to do is stay buried in her; wrapped in her heat and throbbing walls. He digs his fingers in the suppleness of her derriere like an anchor in the coming storm. She arches her back, mouth open in a soundless wail, eyes closed in supreme ecstasy. As Marcus holds her he becomes the participant and at the same time the spectator of Tessa's bliss as she pulls and clutches at his hardness. Deep in him he wants to join her but he knew that waiting until the tempest has passed is the best.

Then even before her climax wanes, as soon as her hold on him relaxes, he's on the move taking advantage that she's still sensitive and she would grip him again as he pulls back and rams himself in her. The reward he got was another pulse and a stronger one until the heat between their bodies feels like they'll melt as one. Their union is becoming noisier, more passionate as they repeat the same dance more than a few times now.

"You're unfair!" Tessa whines, breathing hard. Her legs are quivering against Marcus's hips as he collapses on top of her.

He lays his head in the middle of her chest, his own breathing ragged. "Why?" He continues to slide leisurely in her to draw out the last remaining pleasure.

"You fucked me just to avoid my question!"

He rises from her chest. "It was not a question; it was an unreasonable demand."

"Because…."

"Don't you wanna have me?"

"I do but you need to think about having a serious relationship with me."

"Tessa?" Marcus stops the kisses he was giving her neck. He rolls over taking her with him and settles her on top. "Shut up and fuck me."

-o0o-

"We have to go home."

Tessa snorts in amusement. "That was the plan, uh…" she grabs Marcus's left wrist, "two hours ago?"

"Shit!" Marcus checks his own watch too. "You're right." Marcus goes up on one elbow if he could still hear the party. In between their sex and relaxation they'll hear people shouting and laughing in the distance and the music became louder as the night went on.

Since people were going wild outside, it was their own cue to leave their inhibitions behind as well. Those two large ottoman footstools proved very sturdy despite the strain they put them in.

But of course they couldn't remain in that nook forever when it would be more confortable to continue back at home. They didn't mean to stay there that long but 'things' got out of hand and, well…

"I think it's safe to go out now." Marcus smirks as he grabs his boxers.

"You, sir, dragged me into your 'office'." Tessa quips.

"Shit, woman." Marcus whispers hoarsely when she stands up after putting on her lace undies and heels. The lust in his eyes threatens another session on the large square bench.

"Marcus! I wanna go home!" Giggling she tries to evade Marcus from carrying her back to the ottoman. It was making her hot again too. "No, no, no. Enough!"

"Says the woman who grabbed me from behind." The man grudgingly set her down on the floor, not the benches.

"Help me." She shows her back to him. "I need to use the washroom." Marcus kissed Tessa's back after he zips up her dress.

While Tessa uses the tiny toilet Marcus finished dressing. He found some paper towels and gave the leather a good wiping down. "Hey, you'll love my office. It has a bedroom." He said when she came out.

Tessa's movement slows down in fixing up her hair. "Is that where you had sex with Sasha?"

Fuck! Marcus looks up the ceiling and cursed his carelessness. "It didn't happen there."

"But it still happened." Tessa looks up at him as he holds her waist and brings her close to him.

"Tessa, I'm not proud of what I did but I promise you that it won't be repeated."

"You sure?"

"You can guarantee that." Marcus gathered her in his arms. "I'm yours now and that is all I ever wanted."

"Remember that. You said you are mine."

"Come. I wanna tell you something about me." Marcus sits back on the ottoman and invites her there. "I've been working for the government for a long time."

"Yes, you said that. For how long?"

"Around fifteen years but I've been at my previous job for eleven. I was my team's director." He nods to what's beyond the door.

"Director?"

Marcus nods to her. "FBI."

"What?!"

Marcus sighs. "Then I will be posted in your country indefinitely."

"As?"

"As the Interagency Attache' at the embassy." Tessa looks at him with a stunned expression. "It's a lot to take, I know."

Tessa nods in agreement, kinda shaken. "So you got the job already?"

"Yeah. The day I got the physical."

"I see…"

Marcus took her hand, "I was offered this job a long time ago. I wasn't very keen on it."

"So why did you accept it if you didn't like it?"

"You."

"Oh."

"Tessa, you're the only one I told. Only you. I trust you. You cannot tell Mel or your family."

""I…what shall I tell him and my family?" Marcus's thumb stroking her palm is so distracting and a turn on.

"The same thing you know before; I work for a tech company. This is just one of our many gigs."

"Let's hope Mel buys it." Tessa frowns but gave him a nod. "He's smart, though he doesn't look like it." Marcus chuckles at her eye roll. "I still wanna kill him, though. Do you have a weapon I can borrow?" she glances behind him.

Marcus chuckles, "I think you've scared him enough already."

-o0o-

The party is still going on but thankfully not as crazy as before. There are people still around talking but the music is less frenetic because most of the guests were way too drunk by this time.

"I like this one." Hand in hand they stop at the same mural Tessa and Mel were looking at earlier.

"It's a collage in mixed-media. The artist used local materials to create these ghostly impressions." Tessa reached up to point something on the canvas. "See that?"

"Whoa! You're blowing me away again. First that property law article and now…" Marcus scans the caption on the easel. "None of that's written here."

"The artist told me."

"The artist?" Marcus points to the picture on the easel.

"Yeah, I knew him."

"Whoa! How?" Marcus noted Tessa's fond smile when she looks at the artist's picture. The man was one of the country's revered and respected artist. He passed away five years ago.

"I met him quite a while ago."

"Where?"

"He was going to have an exhibition to this museum I used to work for. He supervised the installation then we talked about this painting."

"That's so awesome!" Marcus once more looks up at the mural, a little envious of Tessa. Though he and his team often save and rescue stolen art not a lot of them get the pleasure of talking or meeting the artist. It's not like on TV where there is an ending to wrap everything up.

"So how was he?"

"Oh, he's such a down to earth guy; soft-spoken and with a dry sense of humor."

"When did you used to work for a museum?"

She shrugs like it's no big deal. "Many years ago. I was the curator. Why are you looking at me that way?"

Marcus gave her a slow kiss. "You are such a surprise."

"It was a small museum and I think it didn't last long."

"My team and I hunt the criminals who sell artworks for weapons." He told her quietly almost in a whisper.

"Art for weapons?" She said, wide-eyed, she spoke as quietly as he. Marcus smiles as her astuteness.

"Yeah, my team and I were here because the courier…"

"Sorry. I know what a courier is but what does that mean?"

"It's someone who brokers a deal with those groups. The courier flew in a few days ago." Marcus led Tessa away from the painting. They walk unhurried through the halls admiring the art on the wall.

"Here? How did you know?"

"That was the emergency that I was called for, when I was sick. One of my staff got stuck in another country and couldn't follow the courier, I flew to Japan…"

"While you were sick?" she almost gasped at the idea.

"I've flown sick or injured before." Marcus shrugs. "I go where I'm needed. Sometimes my people cannot be where they need to be or that they do not have the authority that I have to get some answers."

"Untie it." She holds up her left wrist to him.

"What are you doing?"

"I want you to have it." Tessa gently thrusts her wrist to him until he took her hand.

"Why?" His face is almost on Tessa's wrist as he carefully releases the tiny knots that hold the red bracelet. Tessa oftentimes brush her hands over it or roll the string or the knots between her fingers.

"This is for your protection since you need it more than I do." Tessa took Marcus's left wrist. "Now as I tie it think of something positive, alright?"

"Alright."

Tessa bows her head as she whispers words he cannot catch while securing the string. Then she held his wrists in a special way and kissed the knot. "As it has protected me it will now protect you. What positive thought did you think of?"

"You." He cups her face in both hands and gave her a kiss that he hopes would convey his deep feelings for her.

"Marcus, in this new post you won't have to do these dangerous jobs, right?" she looks up at him full of concern.

"Yes, but coordinating missions between agencies is my job."

"But you won't have to fly, I assume, all over the world and be in danger?"

"Hey," they stop as Marcus pulls her to him. "You don't have to be worried."

"Answer me." She begs him, tugging at the sleeves of his jacket.

"Tessa, I cannot answer in absolutes. That is the truth. My job isn't like that."

"Damn it." Marcus got a glare from her. "I guess I'll have to chain you to the bed."

He got blown away again. "Whoa! I like that. Kinky! Will you be wearing all leather, my dominatrix?"

"I'm serious." She slaps him on the arm but he just chuckled.

"Again, I like your idea." Marcus whispers to her ear. "Permission granted to chain me to the bed."

-o0o-

"Bye! Goodnight!" Alone at the curb Tessa smiles and exchanges nods and waves at some of the party guests who recognized her as the 'auction' girl. Amusedly, Tessa looks down at the number of name cards people have handed to her. She has no idea what they want her to do with it. With a shrug she drops all of them in her clutch.

Look at that, she had a few messages on her phone. The reason why she couldn't answer her SMS made her bite her lower lip in chagrin; it was so easy to lose track of the time.

Oh my god….

Her breath came in a low moan when she was hit with a sudden hot rush of ecstasy. The memory of the way he moves inside her; slowly, taking his time, his eyes liquid pools of lust that ignites her as their eyes met. She heard herself moan for she couldn't stop herself from keeping it back. The sound is strange in her ears but he loves it and he'd do things to her so she'd moan for him again. He could make her whimper as if she's asking him for more as if he knows that is what she wants…what she needs. He'd move fast then, eyes closing in his own ecstasy of being a willing prisoner of her walls. And because she wanted to feel him more she'd wrap her legs tight around his slim waist. Her hands slide along his arms and chest, the flat of her palms rubbing against his nipples again and again because she wants to hear him moan for her too.

Fast, slow, hard and gentle. Under him, on top of him, he behind her, pleasuring him with her mouth as he pleasures her with his. A shaky moan escapes her lips as a wave of desire hits her quite strongly. Oh my god….

When they reach home….

-o0o-

Three weeks ago on the day Marcus left Tessa tossed and turned on her bed for hours. The house feels so empty without him. She stayed up late as much as she could, one ear on alert for the return of the SUV.

For Marcus.

This is insane. They just met barely a week ago and she didn't realize how much she missed him. How could she be so vested in the existence of someone she barely knew? He didn't even bother to say goodbye! Or leave his CP number!

Her steps led her to that area of the house. She leaned on Marcus's door trying to get some consolation from his absence.

The door opened! She was surprised when the door handle turned.

Marcus always keeps his door closed and locked. He must've left so fast that he neglected to click on the lock. Tearfully, Tessa slowly pushes the door open. Tears fell when she caught the lingering scent of the man. She quickly closed the door wanting to preserve his smell in the still air. Marcus's bed seemed to beckon her and without hesitation she removes her clothing and slid inside the sheets. The bedcovers comforted her in her yearning. If Marcus returns that night and finds her naked as a baby in his own bed then she'll let nature take its course. Filled with the comforting scent of the man she surrendered to sleep.

Day came.

Her hands reached out but found only a cold void beside her; the pillow empty, his side of the bed vacant. She called out his name. Her voice sounded forlorn. Maybe she slept far too long and he had gotten up early as his usual routine.

But Marcus wasn't back.

And when he didn't come back that day she spent another night deep in the covers of his bed, like a nest.

One day became two then three and a week had passed. The Davis's assured her that Marcus is fine although they haven't gotten any email or message from him. Just relax and do not be too worried.

A week became two and then three…

Then Mel caught up with her.

-o0o-

"Hi! Remember me?"

Tessa looks up and turns at the sound of her name. This night seemed to be the night where people like to call her with such familiarity. A man in black tux walks to her where she stands at the curb. He stops a few feet from Tessa. She takes a deep breath to try to banish the lingering images of Marcus to calm her down. "Yes, of course!" She nods with a smile. "James! The son of…"

"Yeah!" The man laughs. "I'm glad you remembered." He reeks of alcohol and his attitude seemed to be different than before.

"Of course!" she shrugs matter of fact. "We just met a few hours ago."

"Going home?"

"Yes, it's late." Tessa clasps the chain of the bag around her fingers.

"Can I take you home?"

"Oh, sorry. I'm just waiting for someone."

"Ah." James nods. "Mel?"

"Uh, no." She shook her head. "Not Mel."

"Ah. I see. Your escort is lucky." James smiles and then, "I almost won the bid for you."

She went wide-eyed. "Excuse me?"

"I was the second runner up for the bid. Sadly, I couldn't compete that high. I was pissed about that."

"I was entered in the auction against my will!" Tessa spit the words at him.

"I know."

It took Tess a few seconds to understand what he said. "You…what?" she turns back to James who is grinning at her.

"I asked Mel to enter your name." James gave her a wink.

"What are you saying?" her frown deepened.

The man reached out but Tessa backed away. "Your friend thought that it was a prank but not for me…" he snorts.

"Excuse me." Tessa looks up and decides to follow Marcus's steps to the parking area. What's taking him? "I need to go." She began walking fast but James footsteps are behind her.

James sprints and stops in front of her. When she stops he walks towards her…"Tessa, don't you wanna know what would've happened if I won?"

Her heart started drumming in her ears as she walks backwards. "I'm not interested." She sidesteps around him…he blocks her way with an arm. She turns around and stops, looking around. Tessa breathes fast as she looks for another way.

Like a sheep the man had steered her to the place where the AC and heater vents and machines were installed. It's a noisy place with many dark hidden recesses between machines.

"My yacht is better than the storage room."

Tessa stops and turns around. "What the hell do you mean by that?"

James taps his fingers on his ear. "Something I heard as I was passing by. The two of you were quite boisterous! Wow! Four? Six rounds?" The man walks around her, eying her lewdly, snickering at Tessa as she went wide eyed. "Fuck…if I had known you're good for the money I would've bid really hard for you."

"You don't understand…" Tessa moves away from him.

"Two million…" The man runs his tongue on his lips as he eyes her, smirking then grinning in a dark way. "Yeah, I'll also fuck you for two million." He drawls and sniggers as he maneuvers her to the wall.

She stabs a stiff finger in James' face. "Stay away from me!" But an iron grip kept her from leaving. "Let me go!" she levels furious eyes at him, pulling back at her arm.

"You're a fighter! Yeah!" James roughly jerks Tessa to him. "I like that…"

Tessa pushes against his pull. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Were you paying your dues to the winner?"

James is tall and a little muscular, Tessa couldn't escape his grasp. She winces as he tightens his fingers around her wrist. "That's not what it is! Let me go!" she scowls at him.

"You're coming with me." He breathes into her face.

-o0o-

"Marcus!"

"Sasha?" Marcus took a step towards the voice.

"Oh! It's good you're still here." The woman giggles.

"Why are you still here?"

"I bought some people with me. They're still partying."

"Are you drunk?"

"Yeah." She wrinkles her nose. "A little."

"Why are you out here?"

The woman opens her bag, "Just getting a smoke. Did you attend the party?"

"Kinda."

The woman had a small frown, thinking. "Oh? I didn't see you around there." Sasha's lighter illuminated her face for a moment. She offers the lit stick to Marcus but he declined with a shake of his head.

"I was with Tessa."

Sasha starts to smile then gasped. "Oh, my God! Did I fuck it up?"

"No, for some miraculous reason you did not."

A week after he came back to the country he found it better to stay at the embassy and sleep in his tiny room at his office. This mission is far too important for him to be distracted. He was already preoccupied thinking about Tessa and his abrupt departure. That was all in his mind as he boarded the plane to Japan.

During his illness Marcus was given a chance to get to know Tessa. While he stays in her room his eyes and ears were like hungry lions that couldn't get enough of their prey. Eyes closed he would listen to her classes sometimes floating between his fevered dreams and consciousness.

Tessa divided her time between taking care of him and teaching. He hates asking her for anything; he could see how busy she is with her work as a teacher and he had just added to her burden. She did not sign up to take care of him too.

Every time he needs her help or assistance she is there, gently helping him, talking to him in that gentle way of hers.

He wanted to blurt his guilt on what he did with Sasha. He felt such an asshole. The only reason he was not overly wracked with grief was because Sasha knows the score and it was just a casual encounter. It was actually a kind of relief that Paul called him for help because he was at the end of is tether and when it comes to Tessa he feels that he doesn't have the strength to lie to her.

"Aw. That means she loves you! But was she angry?"

"Well," Marcus sighs. He tosses the blue velvet jacket at the back of the SUV, "of course. Wouldn't you be?"

"Gods, I'm sorry!" She wails as she leans on the hood of the SUV. Marcus hopes she doesn't throw up there.

"It's all okay now. Don't think about it."

"I like her."

"You know, Tessa said you were nice but…" he looks back at her as he loosens the buttons of his shirt front.

"But?"

"She turned down the job I offered her."

"Shit! There! That's my fuck up!"

"Relax! She's gonna take the curator job there."

"Here?" she also points at the gallery. "Whoa! That's impressive! You know, she's gorgeous but kinda scary."

"Tessa?" Marcus snorts in disbelief as he unbuttons his sleeves and rolls them up. "Why?"

"Yeah. She's…" Sasha bites her lip, thinking. "She has this quiet dignity about her…. and she's super smart." she smiles at Marcus after shrugging. That must be the full extent of her drunken logic, "No wonder you're crazy about her."

"And she's waiting for me to bring the car. Hop in." Marcus slams the back seat door close after tossing his bowtie in last. "Let me give you a short ride to the entrance."

"Are you sure?" Sasha grounds the cigarette butt on the gravel. "Shit! My heels are wrecked!" she lifts her heels up when it sinks in the soil.

"Yeah. That's why I didn't bring Tessa here. You shouldn't be here too." Marcus gestures at the open-air car park.

"Thanks." Marcus helps Sasha up the seat and made sure the hem of her evening dress didn't catch on the door. Sasha has her seatbelt on by the time he came around the driver's seat and he clicked his own seatbelt. "Shit. I didn't realize it was dark there." Sasha looks back at the fenced parking area as the SUV leaves it.

"What the fuck's that?" Sasha says. There's a commotion happening as they slow down by the curb at the gallery. A woman is shouting running towards them.

"Where's Tessa?" Marcus looks around. He feels an icy brush of sudden apprehension at the back of his head and spine. Marcus hits the brakes as goosebumps spikes all over him for some reason. "Where the hell's Tessa?" he said with a dry throat.

"What's happening?" Sasha calls out as she rolls down the window.

"A woman was attacked!" The woman gasps, tearful. "Call an ambulance!"

"Where?" Marcus barks at the woman. She points to the side of the building. Marcus tore into a run; a heavy feeling bearing down on him.

He toed on something on the concrete, and it went skittering. "No….no…no…" He picks up one black thin high heel on the ground. There's something shiny and wet on the stiletto. His throat dries up when just a few meters he spies something else on the ground.

-o0o-