Hey guys, I'm back with another update! Thanks so much for all of your lovely comments last chapter. We're picking up right where Olicity left off. Happy reading, and please review!
Chapter 11: The Kiss
Felicity was five years old when she first learned about true love's kiss. She'd been sitting on the couch with her mom on a Friday night, excited to be up past her bedtime eating popcorn and watching movies. Her father, like always, was working late. Donna had been eager to show Felicity her favorite movie from when she was a kid, which was Sleeping Beauty. Her mother had always had a fascination with princesses and couldn't get enough of anything involving royalty.
While Felicity had enjoyed the movie, she hadn't shed any tears like her mom did at the end. Mostly because Felicity didn't understand how the three fairies, who looked pretty powerful and clever to her, couldn't just combine their magic to break the curse put on the slumbering princess. If they could alter the deadly curse so Aurora could sleep and then later produce a sword and shield to help the prince defeat Maleficent, Felicity was sure they could've built some type of super wand to awaken Aurora. The kiss from the handsome prince didn't seem all that special.
When Felicity had pointed that out, her mother had simply laughed and shaken her head. She'd called her daughter her little Nancy Drew, because even at that young age Felicity's gifted mind was always eager to solve a good mystery with logic. Donna, after picking her up and placing Felicity on her lap, had explained, "Not all problems can be solved with your head, sweetie. Sometimes it takes heart." She'd pointed at the exact spot on her daughter's chest. "Love is the most powerful emotion on earth. It can overcome anything. Never forget that, my beautiful girl."
Although Felicity never did forget her mother's advice, it became harder and harder over the years to believe in the enduring power of one's heart. Felicity had seen too much darkness and been hurt by too many people to trust in anything else but her mind. Her mother had loved her father and where had that gotten her? Dead, that's where. And the few guys Felicity did get close enough to kiss had hardly managed to change her opinion or stir her heart…until now.
True love's kiss would probably be a cliche in describing the current position Felicity found herself in with Oliver, but she couldn't deny that she finally felt like she'd been awakened. Every brush of his lips and touch of his hands were bringing the forsaken parts of her back to life. The fire blazed along Felicity's skin where their bodies were pressed tightly together. It traveled through her veins and straight to her heart as Felicity clung to Oliver more fiercely. She'd never had an all-consuming experience like this before. She'd never been kissed in a way that caused every single nerve-ending in her body to crackle with passion and desire.
Oliver's head slanted over hers to deepen the kiss. Felicity eagerly opened her mouth and moaned upon feeling the first swipe of his tongue along her lower lip. The silky material of her nightgown had warmed from the friction of their two bodies. Her breasts rubbed against his chest, turning the sensitive nubs into hard pebbles. Still, she needed to be closer.
Oliver must've had the same thought, because she gasped when he shifted onto his back and pulled her on top of him. Felicity's legs parted to straddle him. She sucked in a sharp breath when she felt the evidence of his arousal against her inner thigh. His hand slid up her back to rebury itself in her hair that was framing his face. Oliver let the strands slide through his fingers before repeating the action, cradling her but making no effort to guide her movements.
Realizing that he was letting her take control, Felicity leaned forward to press a kiss on his forehead. Her lips traced a path down Oliver's face. She kissed his temple, his eyelids, his nose, his cheeks, and finally his jaw. His scruff scraping against her mouth, Felicity felt a delicious shiver along her spine. Her hands that were gripping Oliver's shoulders slid up his neck to take hold of the sides of his face. When their lips reconnected, Felicity sunk into him. She swallowed his groan at the more intimate contact and panted between kisses when his other hand lifted the long hem of her nightgown up to grip her bare thigh.
They remained like that for another minute before Oliver's hold tightened and his muscles flexed. He lifted his body slowly so that they were upright, demonstrating a strength and control that enthralled Felicity all the more. With one last kiss, he drew back to look at her. His eyes were dark with hunger but also glowed with intense reverence.
"You're so beautiful, shamsi," Oliver whispered, his voice thick and husky. He cupped her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"So are you." Felicity flushed a little from embarrassment. "I mean hot—er, handsome. I mean handsome," she quickly corrected.
Oliver exhaled in a chortle under his breath while Felicity smiled shyly. He guided her closer and skimmed her lips. This kiss was softer and slower than the others. Felicity wrapped her arms around his shoulders when he started to kiss along her jaw. A hushed mewl escaped her when he latched onto her pulse point, flicking his tongue over it and then sucking on the sensitive patch of flesh.
His hand slid down to her neck. Oliver's thumb traced a line across, exactly where her scar had been, before doing the same with his lips. Felicity's head fell back at the sensation of his tender, feather-light kisses. Similar to the pit, her skin tingled under his touch—although she would argue that Oliver's lips were a thousand times more preferable and infinitely more pleasurable than a magic hot tub.
Felicity pressed her body further into his and clutched at him. She loved the strength and hardness of his broad shoulders. Running her fingers along his back, Felicity reveled in the way his muscles rippled under her touch. She traced the outline of his own arrow brand on his shoulder.
"When did you get this?" Felicity breathlessly questioned.
Oliver's head was buried in the crook of her neck. Swiping aside the strap of her nightgown, making her shiver, he placed open-mouth kisses along her bare shoulder and collarbone. Since Oliver was clearly distracted by his current ministrations, it took a moment for him to answer. "I was fourteen," he murmured against her skin.
"That young?"
He must've heard the concern in her voice, because he drew back then to look at her. "It was a long time ago, shamsi, and hardly the worst thing I've endured."
He was right. The evidence of his many traumas was all over his body. Still, Felicity hated the idea of him having to suffer such unnecessary pain at a young age. "I'm sorry," Felicity softly replied and rubbed his shoulders.
"Don't be," Oliver said and shook his head. His hold on her tightened. "It all hurts less with you, too."
Felicity's heart skipped a beat at the sincerity gleaming in his eyes as he repeated her own words back to her. Swooping down, she reclaimed his mouth in a ravenous kiss. Oliver was so kind and sexy and sensual and perfect that she just wanted to devour him right then. The feeling was mutual, because he let out a growl against her mouth before flipping her over onto the bed.
Felicity moaned loudly upon feeling his weight pressing her into the mattress. Oliver was careful not to put all of it on her, but she still felt every tempting inch of him—including just how much he wanted her right then. She loved the way his much larger body not only covered her but sheltered her completely. Lying beneath him, Felicity felt raw and vulnerable but also incredibly safe and wanted. Instinctively, her hips shifted against him.
Oliver took her bottom lip between his teeth as his own hips jerked in response. If his hair was longer, Felicity most definitely would've run her hands through it and pulled at the strands. Instead, she let her fingers glide along his back to the base of his spine. He had another scar there that she began to stroke. When Felicity felt him shudder against her, she knew that it was a sensitive spot for him.
"Felicity," Oliver exclaimed, somewhere between a groan and a plea.
Lifting her head off of the pillow to follow him, Felicity nipped at his lips and deepened the kiss. The muscles in her core fluttered when she realized how quickly they were both losing control. She could hardly breathe between their frenzied kisses and the natural undulation of their bodies. Every inch of skin that Oliver explored with his hands was on fire, and her eyes nearly rolled back into her head when he started ravishing her neck once again. Like the skilled warrior that he was, Oliver had identified her weak spots and was using them to his advantage, emboldening the excitement already building within her.
Her body arched as he gripped the curves of her waist. His hands easily glided along the silky material of her nightgown, up her abdomen to the undersides of her breasts. Felicity's body tensed for only a brief second from the new sensation, but it was enough to get Oliver's attention. His hands froze, and he drew away mid-kiss to look at her. Oliver's eyes were dark and dilated, and he blinked a couple of times as if coming out of a daze.
"Felicity," he said hoarsely. The intensity of his desire hadn't lessened, but there was an added edge of concern. "If we're moving too fast or you want me to stop—"
"No, don't stop," Felicity interrupted. "I want you to touch me. I was just…" How could she explain the way she'd reacted? Did she even understand why? "I was just surprised."
"Surprised?" Oliver didn't look convinced.
The blonde nodded and tried to yank him back down, but his solid form wouldn't budge. He continued to study her, which made Felicity fidget self-consciously.
"Are you going to stare at me, or are you going to kiss me?" she jokingly huffed.
Oliver stayed as he was for several more seconds before leaning down to kiss her. Although the kiss wasn't lacking in intensity, Felicity did notice that it was more restrained. His hands also left her body and came up to cup her face. Felicity clutched his biceps and tried to press herself more firmly against him, but Oliver was as unyielding as a statue.
"Felicity," he breathed against her lips. "I need to ask you a question, and please be honest."
"What is it?" Felicity sighed when he broke the kiss a second time. He met and held her gaze, his look a combination of pensive and penetrating. She didn't have a good feeling about where this was heading.
"Are you a—"
A loud, sharp knock sounded on the bedroom door. The pair startled as his name was urgently called through the thick barrier.
Oliver dropped his head to the crook of Felicity's neck, cursing under his breath in Arabic. She couldn't understand the exact translation, but it sounded like it involved killing someone. She lightly caressed his head, letting him know that she understood. Oliver placed a quick kiss at the base of her throat and one on her forehead. Then, with an irritated huff, he dragged himself up and went to answer the door. He just barely cracked it open, which was probably a good idea since he was still visibly feeling the effects of their fiery tryst.
Barely disguising his aggravation, Oliver demanded, "What is it?"
"Warith al Ghul, I'm sorry to disturb you so late but there is a situation that needs your attention immediately." Whatever else the messenger said, Felicity couldn't understand after he switched to Arabic. The man spoke quickly, and she only managed to catch a few words like "mission," "blood," and "death." Needles to say, the mystery situation must've been dire.
"I'll be right there," Oliver replied in their native tongue. He shut the door and went to get dressed.
Felicity sat up and crawled to the end of the bed. "What happened?"
"An important mission had an unforeseen complication. I need to meet with my advisors to figure out our next steps."
"It must've been a very big complication," she commented, "if someone died." He paused in putting on his jacket and stared at her in mild astonishment. "I'm getting much better at this whole translation thing."
"There were a couple of men I'd trained in this group. It was their first mission, and now they're missing—possibly even dead."
Felicity fiddled with her hands in her lap, detecting the remorse underlying his stern facade. She wasn't talking to Oliver anymore. In the midst of the crisis, Al Sah-him had taken over. "I'm sorry," she said. "This is probably a pointless question, but is there anything I can do to help?"
Al Sah-him shook his head. "No. I'll probably be gone the rest of the night, so don't wait up for me. Get some rest, shamsi."
Felicity doubted she'd be able to sleep after what just happened between them but nodded anyway. "Okay." He rushed out of the room without a second glance. She tried not to be disappointed at the lack of contact, because Al Sah-him obviously had a lot on his mind. It wasn't the first time she'd seen him have to don his mask and focus on the challenge before him.
Crawling back to her spot, Felicity flopped down in bed and stared up at the ceiling. Despite the interruption, her body was still tingling from earlier. Their first kiss had been everything she'd hoped it'd be—and then some. There was no denying the fact that she desired Oliver on a carnal level. Most days all it took was a heated look for her body to naturally and eagerly respond to him. Tonight, when they'd finally taken that step, Felicity had felt an immense sense of relief followed by excitement. She'd needed him. She'd wanted him. She'd been ready to push past her limits...until she suddenly hadn't.
The uncertainty of why she'd reacted the way she did was driving Felicity crazy but as she sat there, mulling over her predicament, the tiny voice deep down inside of her grew louder. She bit her lip, which was tender and swollen from Oliver's affections. He hadn't gotten the chance to finish his question, but Felicity already knew what it would be. She turned on her side and looked at the empty spot beside her. Oliver wanted her to be honest, and she would be. Felicity just hoped he would understand her answer.
"All right, now watch this next combination," Sara instructed. She held a sword in her hands and did a series of moves.
Felicity, sitting off to the side of the training mats, stared in fascination at the lethal grace her friend demonstrated. Tommy stood next to Sara, his brow scrunched in concentration. It seemed that Al Sah-him's warning yesterday had the desired effect. As soon as Sara began the lesson, he'd sobered and remained quiet. Holding his invisible sword, he mimicked Sara's instruction as best he could.
Watching Tommy trying to stave off the residual pain of his injury, Felicity absently patted the vial of pit water in her pocket. She wished she could slip some to him, but she'd made Al Sah-him a promise. No one else was to know he'd showed her the pit, much less used it on her. Tommy healing too quickly would be suspicious, and Felicity didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize Al Sah-him's favor with Ra's.
"Go over the drills as best you can. I'll teach you the last set when you're ready," Sara told Tommy before sitting down next to Felicity. "So, want to tell me what's on your mind?"
"Huh?"
"You seem a little out of it today. Everything okay?"
"Oh, yeah. I guess I'm just tired," Felicity replied. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
"Bad dreams?"
"Not exactly." True to his word, Al Sah-him hadn't returned to their room. She understood why he'd had to leave, and yet Felicity had gotten so used to having him by her side in the night that his absence was unsettling. The bed felt too big and empty without him.
Another challenge was getting her mind to stop replaying the long series of kisses they'd shared. Felicity's lips were still warm and tingly long after he'd gone. The high and excitement she'd experienced was tinged with a bit of apprehension as she thought about the conversation that was to come.
Sara watched her closely, and the corner of her mouth quirked up. "Al Sah-him keep you up?" she perceptively questioned.
Not denying it but also not admitting what really happened, Felicity answered, "Something came up, and he had to leave in the middle of the night."
Her friend became serious. "There are whispers about some kind of emergency situation, but nobody really knows what it is. Nyssa was up early this morning, too. Think she's with Al Sah-him and the advisors."
Felicity nodded but didn't elaborate. Although she trusted Sara, Felicity also respected that Al Sah-him had confided in her. She had to be his wife first and foremost, which meant keeping her mouth shut about any insider information he might share with her. Al Sah-him had already risked a lot for her, and Felicity would uphold that trust in return.
"Secret missions aside," Sara pressed on, "that doesn't explain why you're blushing right now."
"I am not blushing." Felicity's face grew hotter despite her protest. "It's too warm in here. You know this place is a sauna most of the time."
Sara's smirk widened. "Okay, it's hot," she conceded. "But what's your excuse for daydreaming with a sappy smile and gnawing on your lips—which look a little swollen, by the way."
Felicity quickly pressed a hand to her mouth. "They look swollen?" she blurted out.
"Not really," Sara admitted and grinned cleverly. "But now I know for sure they have a reason to be."
Rolling her eyes, Felicity nudged her friend. If she wasn't as red as a cherry before, Felicity was now. Sara was way too observant for her own good. Then again, that's probably exactly why Al Sah-him had chosen her as Felicity's bodyguard.
"It's nothing," Felicity tried to dismiss.
"Okay. If you say so…" Sara trailed off. "But I'm here if you ever need to talk about anything. And I do mean anything." She leveled Felicity with a more serious look. "Got it?"
Felicity was quick to agree, so they could move on. She worried that if their conversation continued, her overactive mind might embarrassingly trigger her mouth to start blurting things out. Luckily, Felicity was saved by a knock on the door—that was happening a lot today. The visitor was Nyssa.
Tommy paused in his drills and smiled charmingly. "If it isn't my favorite straight-faced assassin."
Nyssa, proving him right, barely spared him a glance and approached Felicity. "Abad-eshams, could you please accompany me to the war room?" she requested. "Al Sah-him has requested your presence."
Felicity's eyebrows rose to her hairline. "War room?" she warily repeated. "Why? Is he all right?"
"Your husband is fine. He simply needs your assistance."
Nyssa's explanation did little to put the blonde's mind at ease. Despite the offer Felicity had made Al Sah-him earlier, she really didn't know what help she could be to him in the middle of this crisis. She doubted it was simply for moral support, especially if he was in the "war room." Both Tommy and Sara wore similar expressions of confusion.
"Should I escort her?" Sara offered.
"No. I shall take her," Nyssa declared. "You continue training Al Tareq. His footing is off, and he needs all the extra assistance he can get."
"Tell me what you really think," Tommy muttered, feigning insult. "Don't try to spare my feelings or anything."
Nyssa raised her chin. "I won't. Abad-eshams, if you please…" She motioned to the door.
"You know you can call me Felicity," the blonde reminded her. Nyssa was always so formal. It must not be a habit the dark-haired woman wanted to break, because she simply waited, expectant. Gathering her skirts, Felicity got up and moved to follow. "Sure. Lead the way."
With a final nod to Sara and Tommy, Nyssa guided her out of the room. Felicity's guards that were stationed outside followed them silently down the hall.
"Did he say what exactly he needed my help with?" Felicity inquired, keeping her voice low.
"He will explain."
The war room was right across from the throne room and nearly as large. A long wooden table was in the center of the room. It was rectangular in length but asymmetrical in shape. The table appeared as if it was sliced from the base of a giant tree and stained with lacquer. A large map was built into the surface and had a bunch of different figurines scattered across it. Six men were standing around the edges talking rapidly in Arabic, among them Al Sah-him. He noticed her arrival immediately and, excusing himself from the others, approached her.
"Hey, what's going on?" Felicity questioned. "Nyssa said you needed my help." If it weren't for his stoic expression, Felicity might've blushed being in his presence again after what happened between them last night.
Regrettably, their kiss seemed to be the farthest thing from his mind. Al Sah-him's face looked wan, making the shadows under his eyes more pronounced. He must've been so exhausted having not slept the entire night. His jaw and overall body language were tense, too, from the obvious stress.
Al Sah-him pulled her over to the side and, keeping his voice low, replied, "The night we were married, you told me that you'd gone to MIT and earned your master's degree in IT and Cyber Security."
Felicity stared back at him in astonishment. "You remember that?"
The corner of his mouth twitched like he wanted to smile, though his expression remained serious. "Of course I do. What I need to know is if you have any experience hacking into secured systems."
"Seriously? Hacking is, like, my favorite hobby. It's practically my middle name. Well, actually my middle name is Megan but—"
"So you'd be able to help us then?" Al Sah-him interrupted before her ramble could start.
"If you're asking if I have the skills, then yes. I'm more than capable of getting into most systems. I used to hack the FBI just for fun—and to look up any dirt they had on my father. Unfortunately, he's an expert at dodging them," Felicity added. "But I can't promise you anything until I know the details of the situation."
"I told you last night how one of our missions went wrong. Turns out not all of our men were killed. Some were taken hostage, but we don't know the exact location. We need to find them, so we can rescue them and finish the job they were intended to do."
"What was the job?" Felicity inquired. "Since this is the League of Assassins, I'm assuming they were tasked with offing some unlucky victim."
"The guy we're after is neither unlucky nor a victim. His name is Lester Buchinsky."
"Lester?" Felicity repeated. "That sounds like the least scariest name ever."
"His nickname is The Electrocutioner, because he likes to use electricity to kill his victims. He's a criminal and a mercenary, who's been employed by some of the most dangerous mobsters and corrupt government officials in the world," Al Sah-him explained to her. "He needs to be taken out."
"And the League just decided to go after the guy out of the goodness of its heart?" she challenged, skeptical.
"No," he admitted and held her gaze. "His latest hired job interfered with League business, and he won't back off until his own mission is complete. It's why we sent our men after him, and now we need to get them back and finish this."
Although she felt bad that Al Sah-him's men were in danger, Felicity was still uncertain. "Does this Lester guy have a family? If I help you take him out permanently, will I be orphaning some kid somewhere. Can't you just capture him and—"
Understanding her unease, Al Sah-him was quick to reassure her. "Felicity, I know how you feel about the League, and I swear I would never ask you to get involved in anything that would go against your conscience. Buchinsky is not a good man with a loving family privately stashed away somewhere. He's a ruthless killer, and the world would be safer without him in it."
Felicity crossed her arms and considered his plea. When she first arrived in Nanda Parbat, she'd sworn that she would never help the League. And while Felicity still felt reluctant about doing anything that might benefit Ra's and his agenda, she did know that Al Sah-him always had her best interests in mind no matter what the situation. He'd earned her trust, and she would continue to give it to him now.
"Okay. As long as he's the bad guy, then I'll do what I can to help you. But I'm going to need a lot more information about this guy and the system you want me to break into. I'm also going to need a computer and good Wi-Fi which, last time I checked, didn't exist here in the middle of nowhere."
This time Al Sah-him did crack a smile. "We've got that covered." He moved to the side and pointed to another set of long, thick tables stationed between two large columns on the left side of the room. They were connected and formed a half-square. The two flanking tables were covered with various parchment and trinkets, but it was the center one that captured Felicity's full attention.
"Oh my God," she muttered upon seeing the set of computer monitors and keyboard. It was as if she'd been wandering aimlessly in the desert and suddenly discovered an oasis. Felicity's fingers instinctively twitched with the desire to touch the beautiful, shiny equipment. If it weren't for the young man already sitting there and typing away, she probably would've sprinted towards it.
"Al Sah-him," a deep voice called. One of the advisors came toward them. He was an older man with weathered features and graying hair. A nasty scar ran from his mouth up to his cheekbone. Felicity tried not to stare. "Pardon the interruption, but we have not yet finalized our next course of action. We require your full attention until this matter is resolved." The others in the room fell silent to listen as this man eyed Felicity disapprovingly. He must've thought that she was the one who'd sought out Al Sah-him and interrupted their meeting.
"We can't decide on a course of action until we have all of the information. Hakeem, I don't believe you've personally met my wife, Abad-eshams." Al Sah-him informed her, "Hakeem is our lead advisor."
"It's nice to meet you," Felicity greeted politely.
Hakeem seemed reluctant to acknowledge her but did eventually bow out of respect. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Seti." Immediately, he turned back to Al Sah-him. "As I was saying—"
Al Sah-him was swift to cut him off. "Not many people know this but my wife has a very prestigious background. She went to MIT and specialized in IT and Cyber Security. She's a talented hacker and if anyone could break into the Bratva shadow network and infiltrate that system, then I believe it'd be her," he stated confidently.
"Bratva?" Felicity interjected.
"Buchinsky is being employed by the Russian mafia right now. You need to target them to get to him."
The young man who'd been at the computer came to join them. He didn't look much older than Felicity. He was tall and lanky with short, flaming red hair. His skin was also fair with a face full of freckles. "Al Sah-him, I know I can get in. I just need more time."
"We're out of time, Al Hassoub, which is why I'm going to let Abad-eshams take over. Maybe she can find something we've missed."
Regardless of Al Sah-him's tactful wording, Al Hassoub was affronted by his skills being called into question. Green eyes blazing, he, too, stared scrupulously at Felicity after making a quick but reluctant bow. "With all due respect, this situation is more complex than say hacking into someone's personal funds to shop for pretty dresses online." He formally, though begrudgingly, addressed her, "Seti, have you ever actually breached a shadow network featuring five-tier security with protocols that rotate every hour on the hour?"
Al Sah-him opened his mouth, most likely to defend her, but Felicity beat him to it. "First of all, identity theft is child's play and I sure as hell haven't targeted innocent people for personal gain. Second, my father is Damien Darhk. Of course I've dealt with shadow networks. And third, I was a very prolific hacktivist in college and have breached at least a handful of top secret government agencies."
Al Sah-him's eyes widened ever so slightly—this was new information even to him—yet he remained silent. She appreciated that despite his protective instincts, he was allowing her to speak for herself.
"What is a hacktivist?" Hakeem asked in confusion. The other advisors murmured amongst themselves.
"Think of it as civil disobedience via the world wide web. The group I was in exposed government fraud and digitally defaced criminals. If someone's dirty laundry is on the Internet, then I can usually find it."
"What was your hacker handle?" Al Hassoub challenged. He still looked unconvinced.
Felicity's hacker name was a secret she'd kept closely guarded for years but, considering the current circumstances and that she rarely used it anymore, she revealed, "Ghost Fox Goddess."
Skepticism turned to shock. "That was you?" he sputtered. "I used to live in California, and I remember years back when Senator Blood got exposed for his crazy cult and drug ring there. The dark web wouldn't shut up about Ghost Fox Goddess exposing it. You completely nailed his ass to the wall."
Grinning confidently, Felicity retorted, "Glad to see you're already familiar with my work. Any other questions?"
"So this is how you helped your father in his enterprises? You hacked his enemies for vital intel and exposed them?" There was a greedy gleam of interest in Hakeem's eyes.
"I refused to participate in any of my father's dirty dealings," Felicity informed him. "I only work with people I trust for causes I believe in, and the only reason I'm here right now is because my husband has requested it." She didn't want any of these men getting ideas and thinking that she would be at their beck and call after this.
"Now that Abad-eshams has proven her qualifications, we don't have any more time to waste," Al Sah-him reminded them all and guided Felicity towards the computers. "Al Hassoub will bring you up to speed on what we know so far and how to navigate our own system." He grabbed a few folders to hand to her. "This dossier on Buchinsky and the Bratva will be a useful resource, as well. Do the best you can, okay?" He squeezed her shoulder.
"Okay," Felicity agreed, practically chomping at the bit to get started. She turned toward the computers and gazed at them in awe. These machines were advanced, proprietary tech that hadn't even hit the market yet. Felicity briefly wondered if they were stolen, but that didn't matter. Her inner geek was doing a happy dance, since she was about to enter hacker heaven. Interlacing her hands, Felicity cracked her fingers and gleefully grinned like a kid on Christmas morning as she placed them on the keyboard. "It's been way too long. Come to mama…"
Felicity rolled her eyes when she heard the sound of pacing behind her. As well as she'd managed to focus her attention on the task at hand, Felicity was two seconds away from beating Al Hassoub with the keyboard. Ever since she'd begun her hack on the Bratva's shadow network, he'd been hovering. Partly because he wanted to see if Felicity could really do everything she'd said (and no doubt learn from her) and also because there was concern that she'd try contacting someone from the outside. Al Sah-him hadn't come out and warned her off doing it, but she'd noticed his uneasiness as he, too, stood nearby.
The fact that he even let her get near a computer—which was the equivalent of handing her a gun— told her just how serious the situation was. Felicity was their only hope of finding Buchinsky in time to save the men that had been captured and take him down. Even if she was tempted to send a short, covert message to Dig letting him know she was at least still alive, she wouldn't have been able to get away with it under such scrutiny. The knowledge that the League, despite still seeming to function predominantly in the Dark Ages, did have at least one connection to the outside world and possessed a series of computers with contained Wi-Fi capability would have to be enough for now. Filing it in the back of her mind for future reference, Felicity continued typing at a feverish pace.
Her eyes scanned the multiple screens as each ran a different program. When the countdown of the upload of her virus began, she held her finger over the execution key. She'd gotten into the Bratva system, but what Felicity really needed to do was track internal communications and clues relating to Buchinsky. The dossier Al Sah-him had given her told her who the major players were, and she'd traced some of their suspicious activity to another protected source. A source that she was about to shatter with the cyber equivalent of a bazooka.
"What's the countdown for?" Al Hassoub inquired.
Felicity held up her hand to silence him, concentrating. She had to time the assault just right. Finally, the clock ran out and she hit the execution key. The special super virus she'd created launched into the system and corrupted its safeguards. Felicity used the window of opportunity to locate the information she needed and cheered when she finally found it. She uploaded the data to a separate, secure server that Al Hassoub had told her about.
"Boom! Drop the mic!" Felicity exclaimed when it was finished. She stood up and threw her hands in the air.
Al Sah-him hurried toward her. "Did you get what we need?"
"I got a lot more than that," she announced and sent Al Hassoub a confident smirk. "And I didn't even have to wrinkle my pretty dress. It's all yours, junior."
Al Hassoub scowled at the gibe before taking the seat she'd left open. His eyes were as wide as saucers. "Holy shit she got everything. The Bratva warehouse locations, the transaction details between the buyers, and the compound specs where Buchinsky took our guys…"
"You have one-hundred percent confirmation on that?" Al Sah-him pressed.
"She hacked into the Key Hole satellite and got visual images. It's Buchinsky all right. Our men weren't too far off in tracking them."
Al Sah-him didn't waste a second giving out orders. The advisors scrambled to take them down while Al Hassoub contacted the unit tasked with the rescue. Seeing that Al Sah-him was once again preoccupied, Felicity asked Nyssa if they should go meet Sara and Tommy for dinner. Having been so focused on her mission, Felicity hadn't even realized a few hours had passed. She was starving and would only be in the way if she stayed. Nyssa, after shooting a look to a still very engrossed Al Sah-him, agreed and they left the war room together.
"That was quite impressive what you did in there," Nyssa commented. "You saved the entire mission and those men's lives."
Felicity beamed at the compliment. Despite the terrible circumstances, it felt amazing to be on the computer again and using her tech skills. It was like coming home. "Thank you."
The pair had made it down a couple of corridors before Felicity heard "Abad-eshams" being called. She turned around to see Al Sah-him coming towards them.
Felicity halted and asked, "Did you need something else? We were just about to go to dinner. If you're finally free, you can join us."
Al Sah-him, with a stoic expression on his face, disregarded the invitation. "Nyssa, you can go on without us. Abad-eshams and I still have some business to attend to," he informed the brunette.
Nyssa stared between them before silently nodding her head and continuing on.
"Is everything okay?" Felicity, starting to get concerned, kept her voice low. "I only left because it seemed like you didn't need me, and I didn't want to interrupt you."
"Follow me," he said with a straight face.
Felicity felt her nerves flare but did as he asked. When Al Sah-him motioned for her guards to stay where they were, she frowned. What the heck else could've happened to put him in such a mood? Had the information she'd gotten not been right? They rounded the corner, and she barely contained her gasp when Al Sah-him unexpectedly yanked her into an alcove just short of the war room.
"Al Sah-him, what—" Felicity didn't get to finish her sentence before his lips were on hers. Wrapping her up in his arms, he guided her back until she was pinned between him and the wall. Once the initial shock wore off, Felicity moaned and clutched at his jacket. She stood on her tiptoes to meet his eager affections. Just like the previous night, his kisses were intoxicating.
"I've been wanting to do that all damn day," Oliver panted against her mouth. "Even more so after how utterly amazing you were salvaging that mission."
Her heart fluttered. "Really?"
"The fox and goddess parts of your codename were very accurate," he teased and stroked her cheek.
Felicity's face flamed. "Yeah, well, it was one of my more questionable choices in college," she shyly admitted. "But I'm glad I could help. You have no idea how much I've missed modern technology."
"I wish I'd known the true breadth of your talent sooner. Al Hassoub is very skilled at what he does, but you're clearly better. We could've used your help a few other times."
Unable to hold his gaze, Felicity glanced down and fiddled with the lapel of his uniform. She understood that Oliver was paying her a compliment, but she felt uneasy as the demons of her past stirred with his words. "You must be tired," Felicity swiftly changed the subject. Her fingers ran along the nape of his neck. "Are we really needed back in the war room? Because you've been up almost twenty-four hours. You should probably eat and go to bed early."
"I'm expecting an update sometime this evening on the situation. I couldn't sleep yet if I wanted to." Oliver added, "But I am free until then. I know you made plans with Nyssa and the others, but I was thinking we could have dinner in our room tonight." His voice took on a husky tenor. "What do you think?" Their noses brushed.
The butterflies in Felicity's stomach did somersaults. His heated stare reignited the embers of desire between them, but it was not without a tinge of apprehension for Felicity. They still had to have a very important conversation about what this new dynamic between them meant.
"Okay," she agreed. They would need to be someplace private to talk anyway. "I am starving."
Oliver's mouth encased her bottom lip, nipping at it like an appetizer, before kissing her fully. She melted into him, feeling how easy it was already becoming to lose herself in this newfound intimacy they shared. He had a way of completely overwhelming her senses, and Felicity's body was already quavering with heat and passion while her mind drifted into blissful oblivion.
After one final kiss, Oliver drew back and took her hand. He walked them back to the guards, who escorted them to their bed chamber. Oliver must've had this dinner planned earlier than she'd thought, because everything was already set up. Usually, they had dinner inside and near the fire pit. Tonight, the table and chairs had been set up on the balcony. On the table, between their two plates, were placed a few lit candles.
There was a breathtaking sunset. Halfway over the horizon, the sky resembled a beautiful, mixed palette of blues and yellows. The heat continued to be pronounced and prickled Felicity's skin, but at least it wasn't as hot as earlier. She smiled and thanked Oliver when he pulled her chair out for her. It still amazed her how less than twenty minutes ago he'd gone from formidable assassin overlord to the perfect gentleman. Before sitting down in his own seat, Oliver removed his weapons and jacket. He was left with his normal thin black t-shirt that clung nicely to his muscles.
Needing some liquid courage—because this was starting to feel more like a date than just dinner—Felicity took a few sips of her pomegranate wine. The sweet taste was both refreshing and soothing. Famished, neither could wait to dig in to their food. It was delicious, and the pair chatted casually throughout dinner. Oliver inquired more about her professional background, and she told him about moving to Starling City in her most recent attempt to escape her father and get a fresh start in life. Felicity left out the part about Dig's involvement but did mention that she'd been kidnapped the day before she was to interview for a job in Applied Sciences at Queen Consolidated.
Oliver's fork paused midway to his mouth as he stared at her, slightly taken aback. Felicity, in turn, found herself startled. Aside from his initial reaction to her friendship with Tommy and the abduction, she'd seen very little else crack his usually composed exterior.
Watching him closely, Felicity questioned, "Have you heard of Queen Consolidated?"
Oliver cleared his throat and took a large sip of wine. "Uh, yes. I've heard of it." He said more quietly, "It's a good company."
Sensing his unease—and not wanting to cause him any more stress than he'd already endured today—Felicity switched topics and babbled about the last movie she'd seen. Her assumption that Oliver was not up to date on the most recent pop culture trends was reaffirmed when he said he'd never heard of it or the lead actress that starred in it. When they finally finished eating, the pair took their wine and moved into the bedroom. They sat on the couch between the balcony and the fire pit, getting the best of both worlds. It was much comfier and more intimate.
Felicity placed her cup aside in an effort to slow down her drinking. She could feel the wine getting to her a little bit. It was either that or her out-of-control hormones from sitting so close to Oliver. Felicity sat leaning against the cushion with her legs up and tucked under her. Her knees were partially on Oliver's thigh, and he sat facing her. After a few minutes, his hand found its way into her hair and toyed with the wavy strands. They were so close she could pinpoint the few dark flecks in his otherwise bright blue eyes and admire the small, sexy curve of his mouth.
Felicity touched his arm that was resting on the back of the couch and ran her fingers along his hot skin. Oliver pressed their foreheads together in response, and she lifted her chin to let their lips graze. Like magnets, the invisible force between them intensified and wouldn't be satisfied until they were touching completely. Felicity kissed him then. It was soft, slow, and sensual; the wonderful sensations it created in her body could be felt all the way down to her toes.
"Felicity," Oliver murmured against her lips. There was hunger in his voice but also tentativeness. "Before we go any further, we need to talk about last night."
"Yes, we do," Felicity agreed. She'd been anticipating this conversation all day and was glad that he was on the same page. "You had something you wanted to ask me."
Oliver's regard was intense but compassionate. He appeared to choose his words carefully before speaking. "We haven't really talked about our…experiences with other people"—he took hold of her hand that had been stroking his forearm—"because we didn't know each other as well before. And I don't mean to sound blunt, but there's no getting around it. I've made no secret that I've been with different women in the past and—"
"How many?"
"Excuse me?"
"How many women?" Felicity inquired. She wasn't accusing, just curious. "Was it like a handful?" He was silent, and her eyebrow quirked. "Two handfuls?" Still nothing, although he did start to look uncomfortable. "So more than ten but less than…"—she was at a loss—"you're going to have to help me out here, Oliver."
"I didn't keep track of the exact number, but it's a fair amount," he admitted, looking somewhat contrite. "I've always been careful, though. I'm never unprotected, and I get tested. Although I haven't really been with anyone recently. My obligations to the League kept me busy and then you came along…"
Felicity's heart skipped a beat at that, and she let him intertwine their fingers. "What about that other woman you told me about?" she mentioned, remembering that first night on the rooftop. She tried to sound casual despite the nervous little pang in her gut. "The one you really cared about. Whatever happened to her?"
He hesitated before saying, "She's gone."
That didn't tell her much so she prodded, "You two broke up?"
Oliver swallowed hard, his next words coming out strained. "Actually, she died."
Not expecting that, Felicity's eyes widened and she tightened her grip on his hand. Her heart had already broke for him when he told her about losing his family. To learn now that he'd suffered the loss of another person he'd cared about—and possibly even loved if his apparent anguish was any indication—made Felicity want to wrap him up in her embrace and protect him from any further pain.
Doing just that, she automatically threw her arms around him and pulled him into her fully. Oliver didn't hesitate to hug her back and buried his head in her neck. "I'm so sorry," Felicity whispered in his ear and rubbed his back. She had to wonder, was this why Oliver was so overly protective of her? Felicity had been trying to figure out how he could be so tender and attentive with her one minute but then be so brutal and dangerous in front of Ra's and the League the next. With the fear of loss so ingrained in him, the ease of such a transformation to protect those he cared about must've just become second nature.
"It was a long time ago," Oliver murmured. "But thank you." He placed a kiss in the crook of her neck.
Sensing that was all he was prepared to share at the moment, Felicity didn't ask any more questions. She just silently drew back and caressed his cheek. He leaned into her touch but kept his eyes fixed on her.
"What about you, shamsi?" he gently urged. "Was your father telling the truth about your chastity, or do you have your own untold story?"
Felicity bit her lip. Her moment had finally come. "My father wasn't lying—or at least he didn't think he was." She took a nervous breath. "The truth is I'm not a virgin." She watched his reaction closely. "Are you disappointed?"
"No." Oliver shook his head and gave her a reassuring squeeze. "I told you before it doesn't matter either way to me. You're what matters, and I was just concerned because you tensed up last night when I touched you. I wanted to make sure I wasn't moving too fast with you if you were."
"Well, here's the thing…" Felicity awkwardly began. "Um, I'm not technically a virgin but"—damn, this conversation was embarrassing—"I'm also not really all that experienced either. I've only ever had sex once before. You know how I said I made some questionable choices in college?" He nodded, listening attentively as the words came rushing out. "There was this guy, Cooper, in my classes. We were friends for a while, and we started dating in secret. I told him my dad was the overprotective type, which was true. My dad always had his goons spying on me.
"Anyway, we dated for a few months and I thought I loved him. So we finally had sex one night, and it was…I guess it was okay," she admitted, trying not to blanch at a memory she mostly blocked out nowadays. "Mostly I was just happy to be close to someone. But it didn't last long, because Cooper got weird after that and started pulling away. Long story short, I came to find out that one of my father's thugs had threatened him. Cooper cut all ties with me afterward and never spoke to me again. He was the leader of the hacktivist group, so he kicked me out of that, too. Nobody we used to hang out with would talk to me, so I lost a bunch of friends at the same time." Felicity felt the familiar sting of rejection recounting it again now. "My father didn't know how far things had gotten with me and Cooper, otherwise I'm sure he would've done worse to Coop at the time. And just to further make his point, my dad paid me a personal visit afterward and threatened to pull me out of school if I stepped out of line again."
"God, I'm sorry, shamsi," Oliver muttered. Despite the sympathy she saw in his gaze, there was a hint of fury, too. His protective instincts were kicking in.
Felicity shrugged, blinking back the wetness forming in her eyes. "As hurt as I was that Cooper just abandoned me like that, I couldn't be that angry with him. My father is a monster, and there's no way he could've stood up to him. I've learned to accept that I can't really trust anyone but myself. Or I used to think that until you," she added softly. Felicity felt a rogue tear slip down her cheek, which Oliver gently wiped away. "If I'm being totally honest, whatever it is that we have, it scares me. I won't deny that I'm really attracted to you. Last night when we kissed…well, it was probably one of the best moments ever and I wanted you so badly when you touched me. But I wasn't expecting this at all and as much as I want to move forward with you, I also don't know if I'm ready for sex yet. I don't know if I'm ready to make myself that vulnerable again. Does that make sense?" She waited for his reaction, worried. "Please don't hate me. I wasn't trying to lead you on or anything—"
"Hey," Oliver soothed, "I could never hate you, Felicity. I always want you to tell me how you're feeling. From the very beginning I didn't want to force you into anything, and I certainly don't now. We're married so, technically, we have forever to explore this," he joked, earning a tiny but shaky smile from her. "We don't have to rush."
"You really mean it?" Felicity replied, feeling relieved and, dare she say, hopeful.
"Yes. Quite frankly, I was worried we wouldn't even get to this point. This is all new and intimidating to me, too. So if you need for us to take things slow, then that's what we'll do. As insanely attracted as I am to you, too, it's not just your body that I desire." He caressed her cheek, his expression tender and understanding. "All of you is worth waiting for, shamsi."
Felicity, her eyes tinged with happy tears this time, smiled gratefully. She leaned in to kiss Oliver deeply, wondering how an unexpected twist of fate had turned a nightmare into some kind of dream. She was by no means naive enough to think that things would be perfect or that she would be totally safe, because the League would always be a threat to her. And she couldn't say that there wasn't still a huge part of her that yearned for freedom. What Felicity did know, without a doubt in her mind, was that she'd been given a light in the darkness with Oliver. He was the kind of man she'd always wanted but had been too scared to hope for. And now that he was in her life, Felicity couldn't not let herself be open to what other surprises fate may have in store for her.
"We don't have to go that slow, by the way," Felicity mentioned as an afterthought.
Oliver chuckled under his breath and drew her fully against him, enveloping her completely in his strong embrace. "Well, right now, what I'd really like to do is stay up and kiss you for a couple of hours. That okay with you?"
She smiled against his lips. "That sounds perfect."
Translations:
shamsi = my sun
Seti = My Lady
Al Hassoub = The Calculator