Hello all! I am republishing this story now that I've gone through it and edited it all. I also tweaked a few things, mostly just the names of some of the characters, but I recommend rereading after all this time before jumping straight to the last chapter and epilogue.
I have also recently published a similar version of this story to Kindle. The character of Bingly and Ray - now called Rob - have been combined as well as Sherry and Caroline. There is more content, as well as a few plot twists, and the editing is more polished than this version. If you're at all interested, look up Undercover by Different Thoughts on Amazon.
I want to give a special shout out to all the people who've sent notes through this long hiatus to encourage me and make their interest known:
Thank you Eb Evans, AliciaMo, Vaishnavi, Kettle Logic, pnthr, dejaay, and, as always to Kikibb for all the hard work she put into this story.
Chapter Eighteen
The words had barely left her mouth before she was up again. Now that she expected it, she was able to ignore the pain in her side that accompanied any kind of movement. Unfortunately, before she could go far, Darcy was up and blocking the door, having the slight advantage of not being in almost crippling pain when he moved. Or breathed.
"Wait," Darcy instructed with a hand on her shoulder. She glared at him.
"For what?" she wanted to know. "I have to go get her now."
"Don't you think we need to know what he has planned before we go rushing into anything?" Darcy asked in reply. His calm voice irritated her even more than the fact that he was still delaying her.
"The fact that he's up to anything with my sister is why I have to get to her right. Now," Lizzy told him, speaking slowly and clearly with a no-nonsense look in her eye.
"Let's just talk this out for a minute. If we act without knowing his motivations first, we could be rushing into a trap," he replied, his hand going from her shoulder to her cheek and his tone infused with comfort. It threw her. "I know you're worried about your sister, but if you want to help her, we have to think this through."
Lizzy decided the best thing to do to hurry him along was just to comply. He was as stubborn as she was and she knew how long she would argue it out. So, the question she now had to ask herself honestly was, did he have a point? Wickham obviously….
"Talk it out," once again he interrupted and delayed her. She gave him an incredulous look. "It helps. It's what partners do."
Once again, he threw her by his stark, honest explanation. She realized suddenly how long he had been having a conversation with a silent person. She took a deep breath.
"His motive could only be to scare me enough to… do what? Send JJ after him?" She furrowed her brow, her voice sounding more and more uncertain by the end of her sentence.
"You said that if Wickham had wanted to punish you for vouching for me, he would have done it a long time ago," Darcy shifted the conversation, didn't allow for a pause.
"Yes," Lizzy nodded a bit impatiently.
"And if he wanted to kill you, he would have done it by now," Darcy's face was hard and unreadable. Well. More than usual.
"Wickham could have easily killed me when he cornered me into the bathroom. I know we were in a public place, but he would have just made sure he wasn't seen leaving. He would have counted on no one being able to find my body so late in the day."
"You've thought a lot about this," he commented a little weakly, a touch of guilt. She could only shrug.
"Then he must have wanted you to deliver the message to Jay," Darcy moved on.
"But I didn't," she said, thinking hard. "I thought it would have been a trap so I waited to see what he would do next," she grimaced and looked down, "and he took Lyd."
"There's no way he could have known Catherine saw her get in the car with him, willingly. He could just be keeping her happy and occupied while he waits," Darcy theorized. She kind of needed to believe that to move on and wait for a place before taking action to get her back.
"So, what's the plan?" she demanded. "And I hope you don't insult either of us by suggesting I stay home," she glared fire at him. Reflexively, he swallowed.
"The thought did not cross my mind," he assured her casually. Very, very casually. She nodded.
"I didn't think so."
They didn't have to wait long for the anticipated call.
"Remember, demand you speak to Lydia before you do whatever he is planning on asking you," Darcy whispered quickly before she picked up the phone.
"I need you to do me a favor, Lizzy Bennet," Wickham began after the initial greetings.
"What is that?" she asked coldly, gripping the phone until her hand hurt.
"Just run a few errands with me," he said casually. "We're going to stop by and see JJ, and drop something off with him. Then, you're going to call your cop friend and tell him that you were attacked; make sure you show him all your injuries. Then, you're going to tell him it was JJ Lucas."
She was surprised by his demands, but soon everything that had been going through her mind on his possible motives clicked. The attack, the attempt at a set-up between him and JJ, and the leverage of taking her sister to make sure she would have no choice but to do what she was told.
"And before you answer, you may as well know – Lydia came by to hang out. I would love to make sure she stays safe and sound here, but if I have to fight with you one this…"
"Let me talk to her," she demanded.
"Nice try," he scoffed.
"Put my sister on, or I'm hanging up," she said coldly. There was a long, tense moment.
"You ask her one question about where we are, and I kill her."
There was a shuffling sound, then "Liz?" Lydia asked, sounding hesitant.
"Hey. You okay?" she asked, biting her lip to try and keep the relief out of her voice.
"Yes," Lydia replied, annoyed. "We're just hanging out, smoking, and watching a movie. Chill out, okay?"
She almost laughed, but she was too afraid she would also throw up.
"Ok, ok," she tried to sound reassuring, but to her own ears she sounded high strung and fake. "I'll meet up with you in a bit, okay?"
"Cool," she said, and then Wickham was back.
"Satisfied?" he asked, sounding smug. "I told you, let's be friends."
"Okay, friend, let me come pick up my baby sister," I replied sarcastically.
"Of course," he said. "As soon as we're done with my errands."
"And if I do all this," she continued slowly, trying to regulate her voice. "You'll let Lydia and me go home."
"Believe it or not, I'm a man of my word," he said with complete sincerity. "You have an hour to come up with a believable story and find detective Darcy. Text me when you do."
Lizzy looked down at her phone – he had disconnected. As if on autopilot, she pressed a button and said "set a timer for one hour."
"What happens in one hour?" Darcy asked.
"He wants me to find you and tell you that Jay was the one to attack me," she told him, her mind already working towards a solution.
"That's all he said?" Darcy focused her.
"He said to come up with a believable story on why and when JJ attacked me, to find and tell you, and to show you my injuries," she reported.
"Your injuries," he repeated, his brow furrowed. Then, suddenly, clarity came to his expression. To her surprise, he grabbed her, tilted her face this way and that, and then pulled her shirt up to expose the large bruise on her side.
"Hey," she objected, and then pulled it back down with a wince.
"He's going to try and pin the murders on Jay," Darcy announced. "That's why these bruises look so familiar. This was never released, but he attacked all the girls the same way."
She felt sick again.
"He killed them by choking them?" she squeaked out. His gaze met hers, and she saw regret in his eyes. Nevertheless, he replied, "yes."
"Okay," Lizzy tried not to think of that moment in the bathroom, and the cold, dead look in his eyes as he pushed down on her throat.
"There's already a warrant out for his arrest. If we can find where he's holding her, we can get them both and end this," he told her. She was already deep in thought and didn't respond.
"She said they were smoking and watching TV. They must be at a house, or a hotel," she murmured.
Darcy called and updated Richard, who informed his cousin that they had served the warrant and Younge was currently being held in an interview room.
"She's not asking for a lawyer, but she's also not talking," he said over speakerphone.
"I wonder if Wickham has something on her, too," Lizzy murmured.
Richard made a sound of interest. "It's worth a shot. I'll call you back."
The next forty-five minutes were hell for Lizzy. Jane, Bingley, and Cathy showed up and she left Darcy brief them on the plan. She couldn't help but be preoccupied with Lydia's wellbeing, alone as she seemed to be with Wickham.
Exactly ten minutes before Wickham was owed a text, Richard called back. Darcy put him on speaker.
"You have good instincts, Lizzy." Richard opens with. "Wickham does have something on her."
"What?" Lizzy asked, too curious to let the moment pass. Darcy didn't stop her and seemed to be waiting for the answer.
"You don't want to know," Richard had sighed warily. "I don't want to fill your head with it. The important news is, I have three possible locations."
The room cheered, though softly. Jane, Cathy, and Lizzy held hands in relief.
"You take one, I'll take one, and we'll call in someone – see if Hollifield is free, or Simpson," Darcy was instructing. Richard rattled off an address and Lizzy quickly typed it into her phone.
"And Lizzy?" Richard questioned, sounding anxious. "We won't be able to make it to any of these addresses before she has to call Wickham."
"Aw, are you worried about me, Richard?" Lizzy teased, trying to elevate their apprehension.
"Of course not, Lizzy," he said rather sarcastically. "It's not like you're doing anything dangerous. It's not like you've been known to make reckless decisions before. By the by, did I see you at Long's house the other day?"
"I doubt it," she quipped without missing a beat. She saw Darcy try not to smile and knew he took her meaning, but she heard a muffled snort of laughter from the phone.
"Please be careful," he said, his voice sincere. "I do love a happy ending."
"Title of your sex tape," she couldn't help it and was happy to hear most of the room laugh.
"Lizzy," Jane tsked, but she was so relieved they might find Lydia before Lizzy has to do anything with Wickham, she only smiled.
"Confirm the address," Richard's words were professional, but Lizzy heard the smile in his voice.
Darcy complied, and they hung up. Then, Lizzy and Darcy were staring at one another while her sisters and Bingley shuffled to the living room to give them some semblance of privacy.
"I really will be okay," she assured him. "I know what's at stake."
"I know you do," he was sincere, and she relaxed slightly. "All the same, I fell the need to second my cousin's plea for you to be careful."
"I will," she assured him with a wiry smile. "I promise."
"The sooner I go, the better. When Richard, the officer, or I have Lydia safe in hand, I will text you," he promised her, heading towards the door.
"And then you will be waiting at Jay's to pick Wickham up as soon as we get out of the car," she recited, having gone over this plan ad nauseum in the time it took for Richard to break Wickham's hold on Younge. He rose an eyebrow, but he didn't comment on her tone.
"You be careful too, okay?" she said at the last minute before he could close the door.
"Naturally," he gave her a confident grin and she couldn't help but scoff at his arrogance, though she also couldn't help smiling. It was Darcy's brain and words, but with Will's easy smile.
She closed the door in his face for that comment and paced while waiting until the last possible minute to text Wickham that she had convinced Darcy to look into JJ.
Meet me outside in ten minutes
She told the room she had to stall Wickham, and after a little bit of resistance, she won them over. They hoped to get a call from Richard or Darcy before she had to go to him but after ten minutes passed, she tried her best to reassure her sisters and then headed outside.
When she went outside, the first thing she saw was Rob's bike. She was comforted, then terrified for him. Was this another way Wickham had of torturing her, of making sure she knew how much leverage he had over her? She did not believe his choice of vehicle was an accident.
"Rob's letting me try it out. I told him I was thinking of getting one," Wickham said with a smile. He was no different now, having threatened her sister with harm if she didn't frame her best friend with a series of murders he didn't commit than he was when she would stop by with Rob and hang out for a while. She knew he was trying to rattle her, trying to intimidate her and that just made her more calm and at ease.
Her courage always did rise whenever anyone or anything tried to intimidate her.
So, she decided to fall back onto her usual mechanisms – pretending she was not bothered by whatever crazy thing was happening at the moment.
"How do you like it?" she asked, perfectly calm. "Rob won't drive anything else."
"I think I like it, actually," he rejoined with a smile. He handed her a backpack. "Take this. Pick one piece of jewelry out to plant on Jay, then stash the backpack somewhere out of sight, but easy to find."
She put the backpack on without taking the time to select something now. She was not eager to see how many pieces of jewelry – how many murders – she had to choose from. She would rather not know while she held onto him as he drove them into town.
"Go ahead and pick it now," Wickham urged.
His smile told her he would enjoy having her see his collection, but the thought of rifling through dead woman's jewelry made her nauseous. She hesitated but knew it would be a bad idea to argue. Slowly she opened the backpack and reached in. Her hand came in contact with a pile of jewelry, much more than she had expected. She couldn't help but to peak into it and see fifteen or twenty pieces. Swallowing bile, she grabbed a thin necklace and put it in her pocket, then closed the backpack again.
They both got onto the bike; thankfully, for Lizzy's sake, without comment.
They were driving for about seven minutes, her head full of dead bodies, bruises, and chocked young woman. Sometimes it was her face on the victims, sometimes it was Lydia's. Finally, she got a text. As carefully as she could, and with her heart beating almost painfully in her chest, she pulled it out of her pocket, glad they were driving through slow, downtown streets and not on the highway.
Richard is driving her to your house.
She took a moment to relish the victory, then returned her phone to the safety of her pocket.
"Who was that?" he called back to her.
Impulsively, Lizzy changed the plan.
"Jay says to meet him down at his warehouse," she called out to Wickham. He nodded his head and changed directions. When they got close, she directed him to a specific one.
"This is the Family's?" he asked, interested.
"One of them," she shrugged. He followed her up a small alley to a side door. She jumped a little to pull a hidden key down, and used it to unlock the door.
"Not too secure," he scoffed, unimpressed. She didn't reply, but as she closed the door behind them, she looked up and to the right of them before quickly glancing away.
She told him they are waiting for Jay to show up, and he takes this at face value. Soon, however, his eyes are wide and cautious as the warehouse suddenly becomes flooded with motorcycles making up about half the gang. Crazy Marco began making his way to the front. The crowd parted for him as he slowly waltzed up to them.
"You two better have one hell of a reason for being in my warehouse," Marco said, his voice chilling.
"I can explain," she held her hands up, shifting closer to him and further from Wickham. Marco pulled a gun out from behind his back.
"Start explaining then," he advised.
"You said there was a bounty on who snitched to The Family, right?" she asked, shifting her eyes towards Wickham and shifting further away, hoping Marco would understand why. She hadn't actually heard there was, but assumed there had to be.
Wickham had caught on to her subtle glance at him and back to Marco, and he looked murderous.
"She's lying," he spat.
"I have it from JJ himself. I heard Wickham say he wants to move up to Eighth Street, and he told JJ to make sure you were vulnerable," she lied easily, sounding calm and sincere.
"Why would you tell me this?" he squinted at her. She wasn't out of the woods yet, apparently.
"Who the fuck is he?" she improvised with true feeling. Both men looked a little shocked by her outburst. "I know you; I know all of you," she swept her eyes over the crowd. Her eyes paused on the group of three who had been almost burned alive because of their connection to her. "I'm especially tight with Ramon, Joe, and Gabriel," she recited. She was glad no one was paying attention to Tomas because he was notably relieved when she hadn't coughed up his name or looked at him twice. "I know Jay and most of the family, too, but," she finally shifted her stance, putting the gang behind her and standing opposite Wickham, "I don't know him."
"I will kill you for this," his eyes were fire. She had seen that look before – when he had his fingers wrapped around her neck and she wasn't sure he would be able to restrain himself from squeezing down. Lizzy feigned a mask of indifference, hoping more than believing she was pulling it off. She turned only her head to look at Marco.
"He also did this," she gestured to her busted lip and bruised face. In truth, that was nothing to the weight of the bag on her back. She couldn't stop thinking of all the girls he had killed, and how close she and her sister were to being next. The bruises to her face were by far and easier explanation, though. "So, I will also admit to killing two birds with one stone on this one."
"You are one cold lady," he laughed, sounded delighted. "You ever want to piss off your parents, you come find me, yeah?"
"She's lying!" Wickham screamed. "How would I know where your safe houses are?"
"That I can't tell you," Lizzy shrugged easily, still not looking at Wickham. "I'm afraid this doesn't solve your rat problem."
"Let me sort that out," he waved her off. Wickham looked more and more shocked by the turn of events and was starting to panic.
"You don't want to do this," he turned to her, looking vicious. "I have your sister!"
"No," she grinned with more satisfaction than humor. "You don't. She just left your girlfriend's cousin's house about a half-hour ago."
His eyes bulged and his jaw dropped enough to part his lips.
She turned back to Marco. "There was also that. Are we cool?" she held out her fist. He knocked it with an amused roll of his eye.
"Go home, nina," he told her. "You don't want to be around for this conversation."
She didn't have to be told twice. The walk back was long and uncomfortable. Wickham was truly panicking now, and it was hard to listen to, for all his crimes. She got on Rob's borrowed bike and left.
Darcy and Richard got to him before any permanent damage could be done, but then he just had to sit in jail with what could only be described as a body full of bruises, awaiting his day in court.
Lydia hadn't known the danger she was in, so until she was rescued by Richard, she simply spent a boring afternoon in front of the TV, waiting for George to come back. All three sisters took turns between lecturing her for going off with a stranger, especially when Lizzy specifically told her not to, and being grateful she was unharmed. For Lydia, she had felt the panic of danger when she had already been rescued from it, and though she swore she learned her lesson, she didn't seem particularly traumatized by the experience.
They all spent the next few hours at the police station, where statements were taken in very great detail and told several times over. At Jane and Darcy's pleading, Lizzy then stopped off at the E.R. to make sure nothing was damaged too badly. It wasn't long until they reached the hospital. It was a whirl of activity, and to be honest, Lizzy didn't remember much of what happened. A stream of doctors and nurses came and went, but eventually, she was stitched up and waiting on the okay to leave. For as much as she'd wanted Darcy with her, between the nurses and doctor probing her and the amount of pain medicine she received, she probably wouldn't have noticed if he had been there.
A flood of guests visited her there to get the story straight on what actually happened. Rob, to her relief, was going back to work for JJ and the family rather than take the lead of Wickham's small crew. The way he spoke, it sounded like all the former members were disbursing to find other jobs rather than fight to keep themselves together.
Next, she spent a long time explaining everything that happened to JJ. In the end, he thanked her for not letting Wickham frame him but was not happy she was still friendly with the Detective. Charlotte and Collins had interrupted before he could do more than express his displeasure, and when they finished visiting, they took him with them.
Lizzy's family was next, and she was grateful for her sister's attempts at calming their mother, who was almost in hysterics at seeming her bruised face. One by one, though, they trickled out until it was just her and Darcy. Before either could open their mouths, Lizzy's doctor came in and gave them both an update on her condition.
"Luckily your ribs were only bruised, but it will still be a long recovery until you feel normal," the doctor explained. We'd also like to keep you overnight for observation in light of your concussion."
"Do I have to?" Lizzy sighed. Some combination of the pain and blood loss had caused her internal filter to disappear and it seemed like she was just going to say exactly what she was thinking. That could be dangerous considering who was left in the room with her.
"Yes," Darcy's quiet but commanding voice sounded from the other side of the room. The doctor smiled indulgently but shook her head.
"No ma'am, we cannot keep you here against your will," she seemed to have more to say, but Lizzy laughed aloud.
"Against my Will," she cracked. The nurse looked bemused, but Will seemed to get it. "His name is Will," she explained for her benefit; the doctor gave an 'oh' and a nod, but didn't seem to find it as funny as Lizzy did.
"If you are determined to leave, we can give you a form to fill out, saying you are leaving against medical advice," she continued. "But you have suffered a severe injury and without trying to scare you, a lot of things can go wrong. I would highly recommend you stay until we are sure everything is okay."
"She's staying," Will told her. Lizzy frowned.
"I don't want to," Lizzy complained. Will came back over to her, standing on the opposite side of the bed the doctor was on.
"As a police officer, I can have you remanded to this room for your own safety. I will do that if you think about leaving. I will handcuff you to this bed and personally make sure you are one hundred percent healthy before you leave it," Will quietly told her in that dangerous way he had of speaking. The doctor looked at him warily, but Lizzy just tilted her head, her brow furrowed. To be honest, that sounded kind of hot. She bit her lip before those words could escape her and fervently tried to banish the image of Will handcuffing her to the bed with that sexy look in his eye.
"Is that true?" she wondered. The side of his mouth pulled up slightly. Did he notice how flushed she had just become?
"Yes," he said. He always spoke so confidently that she doubted she would ever be able to tell if he was lying.
"Okay," she said, pulling the thin blanket higher up and settling in, since she wasn't going anywhere.
The doctor, who had been frozen during the exchange, now moved over to some machines that were hooked up to Lizzy. She kept shooting Darcy furtive looks but didn't say anything. Lizzy was sure he must have noticed if she, in her current state did, but he acted completely at ease, sitting in the spare seat with his left ankle on his right knee and filing her in on what the next process would be in Wickham's case.
She guessed that if it were anyone but Darcy she would have been worried after that whole 'tie-you-to-the-bed' speech he had given her; but because it was Darcy, whom she trusted completely and whom she knew would never threaten her with any kind of harm, she felt completely at ease. It wasn't as if she didn't think he would follow through with that threat if she did try to leave, but she was equally as sure that, if she told him to, he would also have let her go. It just wasn't worth the fight, when it made more sense to abide by medical advice and spend one night in the hospital.
As soon as the doctor left, Darcy came back over to her bed.
"She thinks I'm some kind of abusive boyfriend," he told her in a low voice. "She'll find a way to separate us and ask you privately if you want protection from me," he seemed amused.
Lizzy laughed at the idea of needing protection from him, but couldn't help teasing. "What do you expect after that whole 'I'm going to tie you down and make sure you stay here' bit?" she asked, frowning and deepening her voice in what she thought was an excellent impression of him. He scowled at her, but she sensed he was amused. She reached up, holding onto his leather jacket while unable to hide a smile. "If I call security on you, does that mean you won't be able to make me stay here?" He leaned closer to her until it felt like his body was over hers, his voice low but steady.
"You can call security if you want. But nothing is going to stop me from making sure you are safe and healthy tonight, not even you," she licked her lips, wondering if it was normal to be this turned on by someone who she wasn't even sure liked her that much.
He was quiet and hard to read. He always seemed to have an attitude of just a little pissed off and when that didn't deter someone, he was downright dangerous sounding. Was there something wrong with her that she was so attracted to him? Because it was so far beyond looks at this point; his whole attitude, instead of warning her off, only attracted her to him more, like a moth to a flame. Well, he wanted to keep her safe and healthy, and that had to be a good sign.
"Don't try to figure it out when you're in this state of mind, Elizabeth," Will advised.
"What?" Lizzy breathed, slightly panicked she had said something aloud.
"Whatever it is that has you so thoughtful," he reached up and smoothed the furrow from her brow, his touch soft but electric. She jumped slightly at the contact. Her skin was scorched where his fingers hand been.
Then, a nurse came in.
"Okay, Miss Bennet. I'm just going to need to do a quick exam," she turned to Darcy. "It might be better if you stepped out for a minute," Darcy left the room without comment, closing the door behind him. "You're boyfriend?"
Lizzy shook her head; was this going to be the talk Darcy had predicted the nurse would have with her? "A friend. He's a cop… he saved my life tonight," Lizzy said with a stern voice. If the nurse asked her some stupid crap about Darcy abusing her, she would count off all the times he had saved her life instead.
"Did you want us to call anyone for you, Miss Bennet?" the nurse asked again, seemingly put off by Lizzy's answer.
"No. Thanks. Can you just send Darcy back in here? He's not abusing me, or anything, if that's what you're afraid of," Lizzy said, suddenly tired. "That's just his personality." The nurse hesitated again, but eventually checked her vitals once more before opening the door again. She was gone long enough that Lizzy was just thinking Darcy must have gone home when he came striding back through the door in his assertive way. He walked up to her and she hoped they would continue their conversation, but he simply sat in the chair by her bed, much to her vexation.
"How long will you stay?"
"Why, in a hurry to get rid of me?" he asked with his trademark scowl.
"No," she said simply. He let out a breath that she interpreted as a laugh and his scowl transferred into a small smile.
"I'll wait until you fall asleep," he replied quietly.
"Okay," she approved, sinking lower into her bed. "Do you want to watch TV? Maybe there's a Law and Order marathon on," she smiled at him knowingly. His mouth twitched, but before she could really examine his expression he stood, pulling the chair closer to the bed so they could both face the TV that was hanging from the ceiling up in the corner of the room. She picked up the remote carefully, afraid of accidentally calling the nurse instead of turning the TV on.
With a few clicks of the remote Sam Waterston was on the screen arguing with a judge. She turned to gauge Darcy's reaction, but his focus was on the TV while staunchly ignoring her. After a few minutes had passed, however, he reached over and took her hand in his. She grinned, embarrassingly pleased by such a small gesture. That episode soon ended, but another one started right after it. Halfway through that one, however, Lizzy drifted off.
The last thing she remembered was Darcy turning off the lights and kissing her forehead, whispering that he would be back tomorrow.
It had been a little over a month, but Lizzy was still happy walking into her brand-new apartment. It was light and airy and decorated with all of her favorite things. It was the first time she was living alone, and the first time in a long time that she didn't have to worry about who her neighbors were. Still, it was a little unsettling after living most of her life knowing almost everyone around her; she was slowly getting used to the neighborhood and the regulars in it.
She had allowed her mother and Henry to pay her rent and bills while she went to college full time, with two provisions. First, that she finally applies herself to finishing her degree in a timely manner, and second, that she would eventually share with Lydia when her sister was ready to move out. With Darcy's encouragement, she decided on a degree in criminology, but she was also taking several computer classes and hoped to be able to get into the cybercrime field.
She hadn't seen Darcy much in the past month. With her being a key witness in Wickham's case, he had informed her that they could not see each other socially until the trial was over. As there was too much to risk a mistrial for something so arbitrary as having dinner with him, she abided by his ruling, though she would be lying if she said it hadn't made her insecure. Their relationship, as it was, seemed to always be constantly on hold, and it was hard when he was always pushing her away for one reason or another.
She had a lot to occupy her with the move, Charles and Jane's fast-approaching wedding, and being a full-time college senior. But his presence still lingered in her mind, and though he was always looking forlornly at her when they did see each other, she couldn't help but worry about their future.
While she stared at book she was supposed to be studying, her eyes glazed in deep thought, there was a knock on the door.
Ironically, she always checked the peephole before opening the door, something Darcy had always chastised her for neglecting to do at her old place. At the sight of him, her heart thumped a little louder in her chest, and she wondered what could have brought him here unannounced.
"Detective," she was both surprised and elated to see him but tried to damper it. Then, she noticed the bottle in his hands. She rose an eyebrow. "What happened to no fraternization until the case is settled?"
"To spare the public and all the victims of a trial," Darcy began with uncharacteristic exuberance in his voice, "Wickham is settling. We take the death penalty off the table, and he gives us names to go with every piece of jewelry he has."
"Settling?" she repeated the biggest take away, sounding breathless.
She shook her head to clear it and finally remembered to invite him in. He followed her to her new couch and set the bottle on the coffee table in front of her. He was cool and collected, as he always was, but she thought she discerned a nervous energy about him.
"Before we start, I need to say…" He furrowed his brows at her, but then bowed his head, flexing and unflexing his fists, obviously agitated. Her heart was now somewhere down in her stomach, and she thought she might throw up. Was he about to throw another unforeseen obstacle on their journey to being a couple? Was he about to let her down when he finally ran out of excuses to avoid her?
After a long pause, he finally said, "I put you in incredible danger, just to close my case." His voice sounded ashamed and angry. It was so different from what she had expected him to say that she didn't process it right away, and he continued. "I was so focused on Wickham that I went against protocol, against my better judgment, and let you lie for me when I knew what kind of position you would be put in."
"Darcy," she tried to interrupt him, but he just glared at her, full of anger. She hesitated, but it only took a few moments to realize that he wasn't mad at her - he was pissed at himself, for putting her in the position in the first place.
"You could have died, Elizabeth," he whispered, sounding tortured. "Don't you understand that? You could have died, and it would have been all my fault."
She put a hand on his shoulder, ignoring his look of warning. "You're crazy, you know that?" He scowled but still did not shake her hand off. "I chose to do all of those things. You asked me if I would help you, I said no, and you said okay. You didn't push or coerce me into helping; I chose to do that on my own," she reminded him.
"Because of me, Wickham was able to corner you in that bathroom," he reminded her, still scowling.
"Because of you, Wickham didn't kill me, or any other girl. And now he won't have the chance to ever again."
"That was more your doing than mine," he deflected.
"Then it was a team effort," she disputed. He still looked unconvinced and unhappy, so she softly added, "Please, Will, think of all the good you did for me instead of beating yourself up over things that were out of your control, things I would never blame you for."
"Elizabeth," he sighed, cupping her cheek and stroking his thumb softly against it. "You are so beautiful, and smart, and funny. Are you sure you want to be with someone so dark and dull?"
She tsked and leaned into his hand, closing her eyes briefly. "How dare you talk that way about yourself? I happen to think you are the least dull man I have ever met."
He rewarded her with a smile, and her heart now rose in her throat as she felt just how much she loved that smile. Pushing her luck, she teased, "if I had known you were mad at yourself and not me, I would have ignored your stupid no-fraternization rule."
"Elizabeth," he growled her name low in his throat but she had long been immune to his tone. He looked almost identical to how he did that first day she saw him: tight gray t-shirt and black jeans, a day or twos growth of beard on his cheek, and that unmistakable aura of an alpha male.
She reached for the hem of his shirt, grasping it tightly in both hands as she looked up into his eyes. He finally let a groan out, reaching up to grip her forearms to keep her in place as he leaned down to capture her mouth. His lips were aggressive and possessive as if he were claiming her for himself. He paused long enough to yank her shirt off, but wouldn't separate long enough so she could take his off as well. His lips and hands were everywhere, touching every inch of exposed skin.
"Will," she whimpered at the sudden onslaught.
Either the sound of his name or the way in which she said it proved to be too much for him; he groaned again. In one swift motion, he lifted her onto his lap, his lips never leaving her body.
"Off," he grumbled, pulling at her jeans in frustration before leaving it to her to deal with while he kissed her collarbone, tasting her skin.
"Impatient," she grinned accusingly but loosened her belt so she could slip out of the jeans.
She gasped when he nipped her neck then soothed it with his tongue. Despite the attention he was paying to the tender spot on her collarbone, he seemed to know exactly when she had loosened the jeans enough and paused to pull them off. She took the opportunity, while they were both separated, to relieve him of his shirt while he was distracted. After that, she took his hand and led him toward her new bedroom. Halfway there, he turned and kissed her so they were making their way blindly to her room, dropping clothes as they went. Not for the first time, Lizzy was grateful she now lived alone.
As soon as he had her on the bed he hovered over her, running a hand from her ankle up to her hip and studying her with such intensity that she felt a surge of insecurity run through her. She remembered distinctly how attracted she was to him from their first meeting, and just how little interest he had displayed in her. She wasn't unduly hard on herself- she knew she wasn't plain, but with a sister like Jane she had been aware of her lack of beauty from a young age and come to accept her looks for what they were; pretty, but not on the same level as people like Will and Jane. Their relationship was so far past physical attraction, but she couldn't help thinking that she must disappoint him and wondered if she could bear the feeling of inferiority. He moved out of his trancelike inspection to tenderly kiss the spot just above her rib, still slightly bruised but almost completely healed, and she reflexively ran a hand through his hair in a caress.
"Your skin is so soft," he whispered against her as he dragged his face up towards hers, teasingly rubbing his stubbed cheek against the tender flesh of her neck and shoulder, making her giggle. "You're so amazingly beautiful, Elizabeth," he sighed, shifting heavily on his left arm so he could run his right hand from her shoulder down to behind her knee; he tugged it up slightly, kissing first her thigh just above her knee, then her stomach and then settling in by her neck.
She was fully on her back underneath him and took complete advantage of having both hands free, mapping the muscles of his back and biceps. At his comment, however, she stilled, wondering if his motivation in complementing her had anything to do with seeing the insecurity on her face. She might be able to come to terms with not being as good-looking as he was, but the last thing she wanted was false praise to save her feelings.
At her stillness, however, he pulled back to gauge her reaction and all she saw was a puzzled furrow to his brow.
"Do you want to stop?" he asked, concerned.
"No," was her instant answer.
Maybe he just truly thought she was beautiful; besides, if there were any doubts about his interest in her, the hardness against her leg quickly dissolved them.
"Good," he replied, giving her a predatory smile before claiming her mouth with renewed vigor. She moaned at the possessive sweep of his tongue against hers, hooking her left leg over his right in an effort to pull him closer. She groaned, more in frustration than pleasure when she realized he still had his pants on and broke the kiss to breathe off against his lips as she pulled his belt off.
"Impatient," he teased, throwing her accusation back at her.
She groaned again at his slow reaction to comply with her command and reached between them to unbutton his jeans. He pulled her hand back, holding it against the bed up by her head and shifting so he was completely over her.
"Be still," he commanded in that controlled way of his.
He took her other hand and held it against the bed too; for good measure, she supposed, because she had been perfectly still at his command. He kissed her mouth briefly, then let one of her hands go to unclasp her bra. He made eye contact with her while his fingers worked the garment off and she knew by the look in his eye that he wanted her to keep her free arm still. She debated moving it to test him, but she was afraid he would prolong this foreplay as punishment, and she was already too eager to want to prolong things.
He sat up, pulling her with him by the wrist he still held, so he could slip the bra off her shoulders. Without lying back down, he leaned his head down to capture her breast in his mouth, his free hand splayed against her back to keep her there as if she needed encouragement. She cried out at the feeling of his tongue swirling around her nipple and, forgetting his warning, brought her free hand up to run through his hair.
"Will," she whimpered, as he switched to the next breast. "Jesus."
He answered her words with groans of pleasure of his own. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into his lap and feel his hardness between her legs, pants or no, but he was already pushing her back down against the bed. He stayed seated, watching her watch him as he finally, finally, pulled his pants and boxers off in one motion, tossing them to the side.
"Yes," she couldn't help moaning as he came back to lay over her. He ran his hand and lips all over her as she moaned in pleasure and frustration. She reached between them and wrapped her hand around him for just a moment before he pulled her hand back, forcing it back against the bed once more.
"Will," she whimpered again in protest, lifting her hips to touch his. She was so far past pride or dignity, freely admitting he had total control over her and not above begging. "Please."
He gave her another wicked grin, but she could tell he was as ready as she was. He released her hands and practically tore her underwear off, then positioned himself right above her until she finally felt him exactly where she had wanted him, teasingly rubbing up against her.
"Will," she moaned again in pleasure and was echoed by him. He hadn't reclaimed her hands, so she freely ran them over his back. He finally pushed inside of her, and she cried out in pleasure. She felt his breath shudder against her neck as he filled her and didn't hesitate a second longer before agonizingly pulling out. Thus began the torment, slowing edging in and out of her to the point it nearly drove her mad.
But she wasn't the only one who was close to suffering that emotion. Will buried his face deeper into her neck as, either in answer to her plea or just because he couldn't help himself any longer, his thrusts became faster and more uncontrollable. Lizzy's face contorted with pleasure and she voiced her ecstasy with each driven plunge deep inside her. Her hands were clawing at his back, her nails pushing into his flesh as she felt his rough cheek branding the skin of her shoulder.
She cried his name as one particularly hard thrust sent her over the edge; he groaned loudly in response and followed her not long after. As Lizzy was coming down from the intensity she had just experienced, she ran a hand through his hair and cradled the back of his damp neck. She then kissed the part of his face that wasn't buried in her neck. He came back to himself and, realizing he must be crushing her with his weight, shifted to the left of her; he pulled her with him so she was laying with her head on his shoulder and a leg buried between his own. The sweat they had just worked up was quickly cooling, and a shiver ran through Lizzy. Darcy felt it and immediately reached over the couch to pull the throw down over them.
"Comfortable?" he whispered, his hand lightly running up and down her back.
"Mmm," she hummed in response, totally satiated.
She wondered if they should talk about what just happened; what it meant and if he wanted it to happen again, or if he viewed it as her practically throwing herself at him. She looked up to see a grin on his face and she poked him in the side.
"Don't look so smug," she murmured, but he just chuckled in response.
"Sleep," he whispered. "I'll show you smug next time." Another shiver ran through her in anticipation, but before she could think about it long, she was asleep.
Epilogue
"Darcy," she frowned. "We agreed - no work at the wedding."
"I wasn't working," he assured her, slipping his phone back into his pocket. "I was saying hi to Rob."
"Mhm," she replied doubtfully. Then, "did he get in contact with the mysterious ex?"
"Sweetheart," he flashed her that damn cocky, teasing grin she loved so much. She was sure he knew the effect it had on her and used it wisely. "That would be work talk."
"Well," she glanced around the room, a fourth of the original crowd. "Jane and Charles are gone. I suppose that means the wedding is officially over."
He scooted his chair closer to hers, putting an arm around her own and crowding her space. In almost year they had been dating, she discovered that, despite his often aloof and cold exterior, he was very tactile and enjoyed invading her personal space. Not that she had ever minded. She put a hand on his thigh, suddenly very tired and ready for home.
"Rob found out where she works. We can check it out on Monday if you're ready to go back to work," he murmured to her.
"I don't know, my boss is kind of a slave driver," she smirked, not meeting his eye. "It's been kind of nice without him barking orders at me."
He was silent, so she glanced at him to see him frowning.
"Barking orders," he scoffed. "Also, for the last time, I am not your boss."
"Yes, sir," she couldn't help but tease.
For that, he swooped and kissed under her ear, and was back sitting straight with that mask of indifference he had perfected before they called any attention to his action.
"Flirt," she accused him.
Before he could retaliate, Caroline Bingley was suddenly standing at their table.
"What a beautiful ceremony," she greeted them eagerly, though she only ever had eyes for Darcy. "I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to dance, William."
"Me too," he said politely, if not sincerely. "We were just discussing heading home."
"Yes, Roger and I were leaving as well," she glanced back at her date, who looked engrossed in a discussion with one of the Bingley cousins. "We must get together soon, though."
"Of course," he nodded civilly. Then, he helped Lizzy stand.
"I don't know if I got a chance to say it, but that dress is absolutely lovely, Eliza," Caroline finally addressed her.
"Thank you," Lizzy followed Darcy's lead and remained polite but distant. She saw Caroline's eyes flick down to where Darcy still held her hand, then gave Lizzy a fake smile.
"It must be a treat to be able to wear something so elegant, considering your usual wardrobe," Caroline smiled.
"Yes, it was fun to dress up," she smiled, unperturbed by the implied insult of the jealous woman. "I was lucky Georgie was willing to take me under her wing."
"She is already looking for another excuse to go shopping with you," Darcy replied before Caroline could react, smiling fondly down at Lizzy. "She let me know that I have since been relieved of duty, and would much rather shop with someone that has good taste."
"Poor Darcy," she leaned her head against his shoulder, "You can't possibly be perfect at everything you do."
"Aren't you two just the sweetest?" she said with false cheer. "After I heard you two started that Private investigation business together, I
Then, she finally gave her attention back to Caroline, who was looking more and more put out - though she tried to hide it. They exchanged all the pleasantries required of them, promised to meet up soon, and then Darcy was pulling her away and towards the family table. They repeated all their goodbyes; this time Lizzy was the one to drag Darcy away, after enduring as much of the effusive compliments her mother always had for Darcy as she could.
In a few hours, Lizzy was washed and back in her worn pajamas, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands as she relaxed on the couch in Darcy's estate.
"Did you enjoy the wedding? Are you happy for your sister?" Darcy asked, coming to sit next to her. She set her mug down and snuggled into him instead.
"I did and I am," she replied against his chest. "Charles is more than I ever hoped for in a brother-in-law, and I couldn't be happier for her."
"The subject of how he proposed came up, and I got the impression you were not too impressed by it," Darcy commented.
"I know the restaurant and public setting is considered a go-to for the romantic proposal, so it was perfect for Jane, and that's all that matters," she defended herself. "But I can't imagine a crowd of people I don't know encroaching on such a private moment – arguably one of the biggest decisions in your life, and strangers are staring at you, waiting for your answer."
"So, you much prefer it to be a private moment," he said.
"Yes," she agreed. "I'm not saying it can't be romantic, but I prefer the man to focus on the words and not the setting."
"Words like, you are the most beautiful person, inside and out, that I have ever met? Or do you want to hear how smart, witty, and funny you are? How you're the first person I think of when I wake and the last thought on my mind before I sleep."
She sat up as his voice turned more and more sincere. He took both of her hands in his, ignoring her wide eyes.
"How you are the brightest thing in my life, and how you make me a better person?" he continued, his voice soft.
"What are you doing?" she couldn't help but ask in a slightly panicked voice, her heart in her throat and her body flushed with heat.
"What about how proud I am of you, and all that you've done?" he continued, ignoring her question. "How lucky I am to be able to work with you every day and come home to you every night and still miss you when you leave the room?"
"Will," she tried again, blinking tears.
"Or shall I keep it simple?" he smiled, though he was stiff with nerves, "and tell you how much I admire and love you without naming all the different ways?"
He released one of her hands then, and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.
"Oh, my God," she said, staring at it, then back into his eyes.
"Elizabeth," he murmured. "I know we had an unconventional beginning, and I know you say spending so much time together, with work and at home, is a sure way to kill any relationship, but I only ever fall more and more in love with you every day."
She squeezed the hand she still held, unable to form any words.
"So, will you do me the very great honor of becoming my wife?" he asked.
"Yes," she wiped her eyes, her voice breathless. "Yes, Will, if you're crazy enough to want to marry me, then yes!"
He surprised her by whooping loudly and standing, pulling her up with him, and then taking her into his arms and twirling her. She laughed, hanging onto him.
"Oh!" he put her down, searching the couch for something before finding the box. He opened it for her, smiling shyly.
She gasped at the ring laying inside. It was bright silver and twisted with emeralds.
"I know diamonds are more traditional, but this was my great grandmother's ring and…" he looked a little unsure and uncharacteristically starting rambling, "…well we can pick out a different one if you hate it, I know women are particular about their jewelry and you'll be wearing this for the rest of your life, so I…"
She silenced him with a deep kiss. When they finally parted, she murmured, "I love it. It's perfect," against his lips.
"Lizzy," he sighed, putting his head against her. "I never thought I could be so happy."
"I know exactly how you feel," she smiled. He took her hand and slide the ring on, then immediately pulled it back off.
"I forgot to show you," he turned it so she could see the inside, where something was written in French.
"What does it say?" she asked.
"Pour tous jours – for all days." He grinned at her. She laughed, letting him slip it back onto her finger, and then hugged him.
"I love you, Will," she said. "Though those words are nowhere near strong enough to convey what I'm feeling."
"I know exactly how you feel," he grinned down at her, and then kissed her.
I hope you all enjoyed FINALLY being able to finish this story. Please let me know what you think!
Bellow is the synopsis of the Published version of this, for those who are interested.
Undercover by Different Thoughts
When he walked into the diner about a half-hour ago, her eyes were immediately drawn to him...
Elizabeth Bennet grew up with these gangsters and drug dealers she calls friends. She is unmotivated but determined to make her dead father proud as she continually puts effort into creating a better life for herself. In the meantime, she's not opposed to walking the line of danger with her friends.
Detective Darcy will stop at nothing to take down George Wickham, who has been linked to the disappearance of several young women. Since Wickham is the newest, though smallest, crime lord in the area, he decides the best way to get close enough to find the answers he needs is to infiltrate his inner circle. He thinks his way in is through Charlie Bingley, Lizzy's best friend, but she tips him off and unknowingly thwarts Darcy.
Fate and a momentary lapse of judgment threw them together, but a lot is working against them.
How long could this connection last, and how can it possibly end in anything but disaster?