Summary: Grifter!Rey helps U.S. Senator Leia Organa's son, Ben Solo, out of a jam when a couple of muggers invade her turf. Afterward, she debates robbing the rich American herself, but can she protect her heart while stealing his?
Parings: Rey + Ben Solo, Finn + Poe Dameron
Continuity: Grifter & Senator's Son AU
A/N: It was hard sticking to a posting schedule, but I did it! Hope you enjoy the new chapter!
Special Thanks: BrokenMentality | TheLoneRebels 2.0 | Kitsmits
If You Don't Love Me, Lie to my Face
Part II
By: sushigirlali
Kennington, London
Vaulting off the bed, Rey threw on his long shirt and raced to Ben's side. "Please, don't read whatever he's written. It's not what you think."
"Too late," he replied grimly, tossing her the device.
"Ben, I—"
"So, what am I to you exactly? It's hard to tell based on your boyfriend's flurry of messages. A mark? A quick fuck? What?"
Rey tried for a joke. "Well, not a quick fuck."
It didn't land.
"Get out."
"Ben!" she protested. "He's not my boyfriend, he's my brother. Well, foster brother. But that's neither here nor there."
"No, it really isn't."
"Please, let me explain!"
"No," he said shortly. "No, I don't think so." He marched over to the door for the second time in as many days and threw it open. "Get the hell out!"
"Wait, can't we just—"
"No! You're clearly not who I thought you were. I really don't see what else there is to say."
Frustrated by his stubborn refusal to hear her out, Rey vacillated between desperation and anger. Anger won out. "Fine! Fuck you, then!" she shouted, grabbing her things and escaping into the hall. "It's not like I ever—hey!" Rey stopped short as Ben abruptly shut the door in her face. "I was still talking, asshole!"
But he didn't answer.
"Fine! Be that way!" she raged. "Go back to America, you rich prick! It's not like I was going to beg you to stay! And don't think I'll be back! Because I won't! I hate you, Ben Solo!"
Silence.
"Okay," she muttered, pulling on her boots. "Okay, be that way, you coward." Rey kicked the door for good measure before turning on her heel and heading for the elevators. "Who does he think he is, anyway?" She impatiently smacked the button. "Kicking me out like that...it's not like I was going to do anything. I'd already decided that I wanted…"
Him. She wanted him.
Rey jumped when the metal doors dinged open. "This is it. The moment of truth." She looked back at Ben's flat one last time, but was disappointed when he didn't appear to stop her. "Goodbye, Ben," she whispered, boarding the elevator with a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry."
"Where the hell have you been?" Finn demanded the moment she entered their hideaway, taking in her disheveled appearance.
"Enjoying myself!" she snapped, tossing her clothes and bo staff through her open bedroom door before joining him in the living room. "Or at least I was until Ben read your fucking text messages!"
"Ohhh…" Finn had the grace to look chagrined. "Uh, sorry."
"You should be!"
"Hey, you had your fun, didn't you? And besides, you don't want to get mixed up with his sort," he snorted.
"And what do you mean by that?" she huffed.
"Didn't you read my texts?"
"No, Ben did! Or, some of them at least." Rey flopped down on the sofa. "Why?"
"Because," he said, muting the stock car race he'd been watching on the telly, "I heard that those goons you chased off last night are still looking for him."
"What?!" she exclaimed, grabbing him by the shoulders. "What do you mean they're looking for him?"
Finn seemed startled by her reaction. "I mean, they were hired to kidnap him. His mum is important or some shit."
"Of course," she groaned, releasing her friend to pace around the room. "I knew the tall one seemed familiar."
"Who?"
"One of the muggers," she explained impatiently. "It was Phasma."
"Oh, shit."
"Exactly," she concurred. "So, the other one had to be Hux then; he's always attached to Phasma's hip."
"Did he recognize you?"
"Yeah," she waved away the concern in his voice, "but more importantly, the two of them being involved means the First Order is after Ben."
"He's done for then," Finn sighed. "Hope you got a consolation prize, at least."
"Not that it's any of your business, but no, I didn't."
"You gave up the opportunity to shaft some rich American who probably—"
"If you want to preserve our relationship, you won't finish that remark," Rey glared, still pacing.
"Look, I'm sorry, but—"
"Shut up for a second, I'm trying to think."
"About what?" he asked.
"How to save Ben, obviously."
"And what are you going to do about it? Play human shield when the bullets start flying?" he said incredulously.
"Don't be silly," she dismissed.
"Then what?"
"We kidnap him instead," she said simply.
"We—?! Have you lost your mind?!" he exclaimed.
"No, I haven't," she denied. "This is the best way to protect him until he can get out of dodge."
"You do hear yourself, right?" Finn stepped into her path. "How is holding the bloke against his will the best way to protect him?"
"The First Order can't kidnap what they can't find," Rey shrugged, starting to pick up items around the room that could be useful. "We might need duct tape, a pillow case…hmm, what else?"
"Wow, you've really fallen for this guy."
Rey snapped around to face him. "I have not!"
"No? Then why are you doing this? Why help a stranger at all?"
"He's not a stranger! Ben is my—he's—" Rey threw the supplies on the ground. "Look, I don't have to explain myself to you! I just can't let anything happen to him, okay?"
Finn gave her a strange look. "Okay, sis, whatever you say."
"So, you'll help me?"
His expression softened. "Of course, I will. Here." He picked the tape up off the floor and handed it to her.
"Thanks."
"Sure," Finn smiled, "we're family."
Looking through the swanky window of the swankiest lunch spot in the swankiest part of London, Rey was feeling out of her depth. Or, at least she had been until she spotted her target. After that, all she felt was anger.
Striding inside and past a bewildered looking maître d', she went right up to the table Ben was sharing with a pretty blonde woman. He looked so good in his black suit and red tie that she wanted to bite something, preferably him.
"Rey!" he said, looking stunned at her sudden appearance. "What are you doing here?"
"I need to talk to you," she said evenly, eying the person next to him. "Alone."
Ben frowned. "What else is there to say?"
"A lot," she said matter-of-factly. "Look, I'm sorry to interrupt your date—"
"It's not a date," he denied quickly.
"No?" she had to suppress a smile.
"No," he said more calmly. "I'm in the middle of a business meeting."
"Really?" Rey assessed the wide-eyed woman in her soft pink suit. She looked downright disappointed by her tablemate's dismissal, but Ben's expression seemed honest enough. "Good, then you can reschedule." Hustling around the table, she forced Ben to his feet.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?" he exclaimed, tripping a little on the long white tablecloth.
"Kidnapping you," she deadpanned, taking his hand. "Didn't I tell you before? I'm a bad guy."
Ben's fingers clenched over hers, but still he resisted. "Rey, I've got at least 100 pounds on you!"
"So what," she scoffed. "I've taken down guys even bigger than you."
"Without your weapon?" he asked, eyeing her naked hip.
"I left my staff in the car, but I can now see that was a mistake. So, stop playing around and come with me before I go get it!"
"Listen, my mother is—!"
"I don't care!"
"Well, I do! Your life isn't worth—whatever this is! You can't really be this desperate for money!"
"Sure I can," she said, trying to tow him toward the back door. "Come now, we need to get out of here."
"And go where?" he said incredulously.
"My place. My brother is downstairs with the car."
"You brought a getaway car?!"
"Of course I did!" Rey grunted, throwing all her weight behind moving him along. Unfortunately, Ben was so massive that she made little headway.
"Um, Mr. Solo?" the pretty blonde piped up out of nowhere. "Should I call the police, or...?"
"No!" they shouted at the same time, with Rey adding, "Stay out of it!" for good measure.
"Hey!" Ben glared down at the hellion attached to his arm. "Don't yell at her! It's rude!"
"Me?!" Rey returned. "You yelled at her too!"
"Shut up," he snipped, turning back to his acquaintance. "Kaydel, I—uh—need to reschedule, okay?"
"Um, okay," Kaydel replied with barely contained annoyance. "I'll just—go, then."
"Bye!" Rey said cheerfully, waving her off.
"Really, Rey?"
"What?" she tugged on his hand again. "Come on! Your manners have been preserved, your face has been saved. So, can we go now?"
"Fine, fine," he grumbled, throwing a few bills on the table as she yanked him toward the back exit. "Where are we going, anyway?"
"I already told you, we're going to my place. It's near The Black Prince."
"I thought you didn't live in that neighborhood."
"I lied."
"Big surprise," he sighed.
"Yeah, yeah, you can be mad at me later," she persisted. "It's not safe here."
Ben pulled her to a stop near the restroom. "What do you mean it's not safe? For who? For you?"
"No, not me."
"For me?"
"Dammit, Ben, come on!" Rey growled, getting desperate now that they were so close to the exit.
"Not until you tell me why."
"Fine!" she huffed, throwing up her hands in the air. "Those muggers the other day weren't just there to pick your pocket, Ben. They were sent."
"Sent by whom?"
"The First Order. It's a paramilitary organization with international connections who—"
"I know who they are," Ben said bitterly, taking her hand again. "Let's go in here. We shouldn't talk about this out in the open."
"Finn is right outside! We could just—"
"I don't want to talk to Finn, I want to talk to you. And then we can go. Deal?"
"Ugh, fine!" Rey grudgingly allowed him to lead her into the single bathroom stall, sensing he wouldn't budge until he knew everything.
Locking the door behind them, Ben placed his hands on her shoulders. Even though they had been parted less than a day, it felt good to be touched by him again.
"Alright, now tell me what is going on," he said calmly. "Please," he added politely.
"Finn heard that those two muggers from last night are still looking for you," she informed him.
"Heard from who?"
"I don't know, Finn has a lot of sources around the city."
"And I'm just supposed to take his word on it?" Ben said skeptically.
"No, you're supposed to take mine," she retorted.
"Because you're so trustworthy?" he frowned.
"Look, I didn't rob you, or whatever you think I did or was going to do!" she said defensively. "Did I have a moment where I considered breaking into your safe? Yes, okay? But I didn't! I decided I wanted you more!"
Ben's dark eyes blazed with feeling. "And now? Do you want me still?"
"Yes!" she admitted, as much to him as to herself. "I'm just trying to protect you, idiot! So, I need you to believe—mmph!" Rey's ranting stalled as Ben drew her mouth under his.
"Why?" he said against her lips.
"Because, you're special," she whispered, sliding her hands up his board torso, "and so was what we shared last night."
"I knew it," he said, kissing her again. "I knew you felt it too! When I read those texts I wanted to sink through the floor. I thought I'd misjudged you, that everything I was feeling was just in my imagination." Rey gasped as he backed her into the sink attached to the wall. "I never want to feel that way again."
Rey tugged on the lapels of his suit, gratified to find him hard against her thigh. "I'm sorry," she said softly. Then, roguishly, "Want me to kiss it better?"
"I have another idea," he growled, spinning her around so that she faced the mirror. His hands went this fastening on her jeans, but he hesitated for a moment. "Is this okay? I won't make you do anything you don't—"
"Yes, yes!" she cried pushing back against him.
Not needing to be told twice, he made quick work of her zipper and his, pulling down their pants and underwear just far enough to get the job done.
"Hold onto the sink," he ordered.
Doing as he asked, Rey let him take the lead. "What now?"
"Bend over," he instructed, nudging her feet apart.
"Okay," she said breathlessly, spreading her legs and bending at the waist. Hands braced on the edge of the sink, Rey waited for Ben to mount her. "What now?"
"Do you want this?"
"Yes!"
"Are you sure?"
"YES!"
"Okay, then," he growled, spreading her with his fingers. "Here I come..."
Rey gasped as he filled her in one stroke, rocking her on her toes with the force of his penetration. "Ben!"
"Shit, was that too hard?!" he asked hurriedly.
"No," she moaned, pushing back against him. "You kicked me out before I could get my fill this morning! Do it again!"
"Whatever you want, sweetheart," he said hotly, wrapping an arm around her middle and pumping into her with long, deep strokes. The other tangled in her hair, pulling her head back onto his shoulder.
"Oh, god!" she whimpered, watching his face in the mirror above the sink. He looked like he'd found heaven and hell all at once.
"Do you like that?" he growled against her cheek, nibbling on her earlobe. He met her eyes in the mirror. "Do you like the way my cock feels inside you?"
"Yes!" she groaned, so turned on by the constricted way he was holding her that she knew she wouldn't last long. "Ben, I'm going to come!"
"Already?" he said in awe. "Damn, I'm sorry for neglecting you this morning, baby."
"You're—making—up—for—it!" she grunted as he continued to thrust away inside her.
"I'm glad to hear—ah!" His whole body snapped forward as her inner muscles started to flutter around him, trapping her between his chest and the sink.
"Don't stop!" she whined. "Ben, please! I'm so close!"
"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely, clearly on the brink himself, "I swear I can usually last longer than this."
"I don't care! We're fucking in a bathroom!" she said with unconscious humor. "Make me come, dammit!" He laughed out loud and the sound eased her temper. "Uh, sorry."
"Hey, I love how vocal you are," he assured her.
Her heart pounded at his sweetness. "You do?"
He started rocking from side to side, bringing a shuddering gasp from her lips. "Oh, yeah." Putting a little space between them so he had room to maneuver, Ben resumed pumping his hips, setting a pace that had her screaming in seconds.
Placing a hand over her mouth to stifle the sound, he followed her release a few moments later with a satisfied groan.
Knock, knock.
"Fuck," Ben swore, freezing inside her. "Just a minute!" he called back.
Carefully pulling out, he grabbed a couple paper towels from the dispenser on the wall and wiped himself off. Still braced on the sink, Rey watched as he adjusted his clothing before running the scratchy paper between her thighs as well.
"Thanks," she half-laughed, half-moaned.
"I can't believe we just did that, I don't know what came over me. It's like I'm—"
"Addicted to sex?" she supplied, turning on the facet to splash some water on her flushed face.
"Addicted to you," he countered, pulling up her jeans and refastening them for her.
"Nicely played," she teased, leaning back against his chest. "Now, let's get you out of here."
"As you wish."
There was no one in the hallway as they left, so Rey could only assume that they had grown tired of waiting. She supposed she should be embarrassed about having sex in a public water closet, but she wasn't. Still, she was glad that they didn't have to endure any judgmental stares on their way to the back alley.
Even though it had taken longer than planned to retrieve Ben, Finn was still waiting for them. Her best friend was loyal to a fault, something she was immensely grateful for.
"Took you long enough," Finn scolded once she shoved Ben into the back of the dark blue mini.
"Sorry," Rey replied without elaborating. "Let's punch it."
"Uh, hi," Ben said awkwardly, looking comically out of place in Finn's tiny car. "Ben Solo," he introduced himself, buckling first Rey's belt and then his own.
"Finn," he brother grinned, eyeing them in the rear view mirror. "So, did you two fuck in the bathroom, or what? Cause your faces are all red and you're sweating."
"Finn!" Rey said indignantly.
"What?" he said innocently.
"Listen, before we go anywhere," Ben said slowly, "thanks for helping us out, but—"
"Fuck off?"
"Finn!"
"Well, excuse me for not being thrilled that the man my baby sis met yesterday is exposing her to potentially dangerous, not to mention unsanitary, situations."
"Oh, my god," Rey groaned, covering her face. "Please, stop talking."
"The First Order is no joke," he continued, "so it would save us all a lot of time and heartache if you could just keep it in your pants for a couple hours. Okay?"
"I—okay," Ben grimaced. "I get your point."
"Excellent!" Finn said brightly. "We'll be home in a jiffy and then we can come up with a game plan."
"Can't wait," Ben and Rey said together. They looked at each other, then burst out laughing.
Still watching them from the front seat, Finn smiled too.
"Hey, Finn?" Rey called after several minutes of driving.
"Yeah, I see them," he answered, gripping the steering wheel harder.
"What's wrong?" Ben asked, oblivious.
"A car has been following us for several blocks," Rey informed him. "Stop, don't turn around," she cautioned.
Ben sat up straight, like a child being chastised. "Sorry!"
Finn tried to ease the sudden tension. "Where did you find this pup, Rey?"
"Hey! I'm 35!"
"Are you?" she said interestedly. "I guess we never discussed our ages."
"Well, there wasn't much time in between—"
"Hey! Keep your bedroom tales to yourself," Finn broke in. "Gross." They laughed, as he intended. "Now, here's what we'll—oh, shit!"
Finn swerved as the red hatchback behind them sped up, nearly blocking their way forward on the narrow side road. "Fuck, do you both have your seatbelts on?"
"Yes!" they said, checking just in case.
"Finn, what do we do?" Rey said, turning around just as their pursuers slammed into the right bumper. "Ahh!"
Ben lurched sideways, cracking his head against the window. "Ben!" she screamed, catching him as he half fell onto her lap.
"Is he bleeding?" Finn said tightly, trying to put some distance between the two vehicles.
"No," she replied, tears clogging her throat. She brushed his hair away from his face to find a lump already forming. "Just knocked out."
"Okay, he's okay," Finn said encouragingly. "Now, I need you to do something for me, Rey."
"What?"
"Hold on!"
Bracing her feet against the back of the passenger seat, Rey wrapped her arms around her lover and bent her head. The next few minutes were dizzying, terrifying, but Finn kept them on the road as he weaved through traffic.
"Fuck! Rey, I'm going to have to make a hard left across a red light," he warned.
Ready for it, she hunched further over Ben, their seat belts and gravity keeping them in place as Finn made the turn in a burst of speed. Rey heard several tires squeal and a hard crash, but their car made it through unscathed.
"Alright," Finn said a few moments later, slowing down, "I think we've lost them."
"Was that them who crashed?"
"Yeah, right into a light pole. I don't think anyone else was hurt."
"Good," she sighed in relief.
"How did they find us?" Finn wondered.
"I think I know." Rey dug through Ben's jacket and found his cell phone.
"Turn it off and take the sim card out," Finn advised.
"I will, but first…" she held the phone up to Ben's face to unlock it, then scrolled through his favorites for two names. Reaching into the black messenger bag resting by her feet, she retrieved her own mobile device and quickly copied over the contacts. "Got them. Okay, powering down now."
"Great, but how are we going to solve the second problem?"
"What's that?"
"Getting the big guy out of the car."
Entering the underground garage that led to their lair fifteen minutes later, Finn parked as close to the lift as possible. "Maybe you should call that handsome Poe bloke now, he sounds pretty capable."
Rey lifted a brow, unbuckling her seatbelt before reaching for Ben's. "I don't think I said anything about his looks when I mentioned him on the way over."
"Well, you have now, so…?"
"Fine," she said, rolling her eyes, "we could use the backup. One of the downsides of working alone, I guess." Rey slowly propped Ben up against the opposite seat, careful not to knock his head. "But after we get him inside, okay? Poe already hates me, so the last thing I need is him seeing his friend like this."
"If we must," Finn ribbed, getting out of the car to bang on the elevator call button. "And I'm sure he doesn't hate you. Did you even actually meet him?"
"Kind of? It was more of an impression, I suppose." Slipping out of the car, she came around to Ben's side and gingerly opened the door. When he didn't immediately fall out, she released a breath. "Ben?" she said softly, touching his face. "Ben, we need to get you inside."
"Mm?" he mumbled, long lashes fluttering.
"You hit your head. Can you stand?"
"I loaf you," he slurred.
"Okay, then." Rey tried to get him to focus, not taking his words to heart. "Ben, it's me, Rey."
"I knowww," he said, slowly coming around. "My woman!"
"Um, Finn, can I get a hand?"
Her brother reached into the backseat, stretching one of Ben's arms around his neck. "Hey, buddy, we need to go now."
"Go? Go where."
"Rey's room."
That seemed to perk Ben up. "Okay, I think I louvre her."
"That's nice," Finn grinned. "Get up and you can lay on Rey's nice comfy bed."
Blinking rapidly as Finn helped him stand, he seemed surprised when Rey appeared under his other arm. "We were just talking about you," he said in a stage whisper. "Your brother said I can marry you."
"Oh, uh, that's nice," she stuttered, flushing as he nuzzled her cheek.
"One thing at a time, Romeo," Finn said, trying not to crack up. "First the lift, then we can talk about love."
With Finn's help, they managed to get Ben into her room without too much drama. Well, besides the minor altercation he had with the rug in the hallway.
"We're chucking this old thing out today," Rey said, bending to roll up the worn carpet. "It's a menace!"
"Just because your fiancé almost tripped—"
"La la la, I'm not listening!" Rey danced away, dropping the offending mat by the door.
"You have to admit it was pretty funny."
"No, I don't," she contradicted. "Honestly, I just hope he doesn't have a concussion."
Finn looked toward Rey's bedroom door in concern. "Does his friend have first aid training?"
"Probably? Those bodyguard types usually do." Rey pulled out her cell. "No use putting this call off any longer," she sighed. Navigating to the first contact she had added from Ben's phone, she dialed up Poe Dameron.
He picked up on the first ring, sounding harried. "Hello? Who is this?"
"Um, hey, it's the woman from last night," she started, cringing at her own intro. "I mean, uh, the one with Ben. Rey. This is Rey."
"Where is he?" Poe said shortly.
"With me, at my place," she said simply. "Listen, something's happened—"
"To Ben? Is he alright?"
Rey was actually kind of impressed by Poe's level of distress. He had seemed much colder last night. "Yeah, he hit his head during a car chase." Finn facepalmed next to her, but she ignored him. "He's conscious, though," she followed up quickly.
"He did what during a what?!" Poe yelled.
"So," she plowed on, "if you want to maybe come over, we can explain the situation to you."
Poe was silent for a few seconds. Then, "Oh, is that all? You kidnap my best friend and—"
"Hey, I did it to protect him!" she huffed. "You weren't there! You don't know what's going on! The First Order is—"
"The First Order?" he repeated seriously.
"Yes."
"I'm on my way."
"I'll text you the address."
"Thanks, Rey."
"No problem, Poe," she replied, cheered by his change of tone. Maybe he didn't hate her after all! "Damn, when did I start caring what other people think of me? What have you done to me, Ben Solo?"
A/N: I just want everybody to be friends, okay?! New chapter next Friday! I can guarantee more smut with a side of angst!