Bonus chapter today because I'm soooo nice...lol.
"What the hell Fin," grunts Elliot as he pulls himself from the floor.
"You had that coming Stabler," he tells him. "She didn't deserve your disappearing act you selfish son of a bitch," he admonishes him. "A simple phone call would've been nice."
"I was just explaining things to her," Elliot begins. "I hadn't gotten to the apology part yet," he adds rubbing his jaw.
"I don't have time for this shit," she advises them and turns to Fin. "Let's just read him in so I can get some sleep," she adds as they follow her back into the living room. "I have to be back at the club tonight."
They sit Elliot down and explain to him how after they caught the rapist and killer of the woman in the alley, he tried to say how he wasn't himself. He blamed it on the drugs and said it wasn't his fault. Jenny Sanchez was only 22 years old.
So many addicts blame drugs for their actions that they hadn't put too much stock into it. The junkie who killed Richard Stabler's friend came to mind. Then they looked deeper into Michael Renard's story. He was an honor student visiting from M.I.T. His so called friends wanted to show him around New York to get him to relax after a rough semester. They slipped him the ecstasy thinking he would loosen up and have a better time. Jenny had the misfortune of meeting him just before Dr. Jekyll turned into Mr. Hyde.
Prior to that night he swears he had never harmed a woman or anyone else for that matter. His background showed no criminal past. His former girlfriends said he was pretty much a push over. And his parents were in total shock about their son's actions.
Side effects of the new Ecstasy coupled with his academic pressures turned him into a different person. Finding the source of the new drug became a priority.
They agreed that Olivia's cover would be the owner of a string of lucrative high end clubs some of which were invitation only. She would provide certain "party favors" for those in her V.I.P sections if they so chose. The favor of the month it seems is the new form of E.
Elliot explained that he is just De La Costa's driver. His role for the DEA is only to observe and report. He isn't supposed to do anything that will make the man suspicious. Elliot is due back at the mansion to drive De La Costa around for the day. He considers his job a lot less dangerous than what the NYPD has planned for his former partner.
"He's gonna use that twenty-four hours he was talking about to check you out thoroughly," he says to Olivia sitting next to her on the sofa. Fin has taken the chair he'd occupied earlier and luckily for them has chosen not to comment on Olivia's hickeys. "So I hope you're cover is more than just superficial because this guy has his hands in everything."
"We got it covered," Fin speaks up. "He can do a background check with everybody from the FBI to Google," he informs Elliot. "Her DMV record, social security number even her high school prom pictures will come up Rachel Martin thanks to some friends of mine," Fin concludes.
Olivia just smiles and shakes her head. She knows his so-called "friends", are really his son Ken and his computer skills. He landed a job with a large software security firm after grad school.
"She can always count on me," Fin says putting an emphasis on the word me. "I won't just leave when shit gets too real," he says, moving towards Elliot again.
"I didn't just up and leave for vacation Fin, they forced me into retirement," he roars back, standing nearly chest to chest with the man. "They crawled up my ass and through my jacket. What else was I supposed to do?"
"Enough," Olivia yells, standing as well. "Both of you need to leave so I can get some sleep."
Elliot and Fin give each other the evil eye before they all separate so Olivia can see them out. Fin is the first to make an exit as he opens the door.
"If you need anything else ma'am just give us a call," he says, keeping up the pretense as he closes the door behind himself.
Elliot encroaches on Olivia's personal's space once more as she leans against her breakfast bar. "When are we gonna talk about what happened last night," he asks, crossing his arms over his chest in a stance very familiar to her.
She sidesteps away nearly brushing against him. "Not now Elliot," she tells him. "I need to focus on this case," she adds, but can't stop herself from looking at his lips before retreating fully.
He gives her space and collects his sport coat. "That's fine for now," he says, approaching her again. "But this isn't over," he tells her, spacing out every word and staring at her intensely before leaning over to whisper in her ear. "Be careful," he says before brushing a kiss across her cheek leaving her with desires she can't blame on being drugged.
Olivia climbs the winding metal staircase to her bedroom trying to shake Elliot from her thoughts. She leaves her t-shirt on and ditches the jeans to sleep in her underwear. With her alarm set she slides into bed between the cool linen.
She thinks it must've been the first drink that was laced with the E. Olivia remembers being very thirsty after that one and made it a point to drink nothing but bottled water for the rest of the evening.
She still can't believe she's seen him, been with him in a way she absolutely never thought she would. Even though Olivia knows she was under the influence, she's still surprised by the way her body responded to his every touch.
Maybe if she counts sheep, or ceiling tiles or the number of hickeys he's left on her body, she'll be able to drift off. Exhausted though she is, her mind races with the events of the previous night.
"This is Elliot O'Leary," says De La Costa as Elliot turns towards Olivia to shake her hand.
"Rachel Martin," says Olivia trying to hide her shock that her former partner is at the party of a major drug dealer.
"Nice to meet you," says Elliot in a Bronx accent holding on to her hand longer than he should. Olivia snatches it away from him and continues her conversation with Christian who has seen her response to Elliot.
"So Mr. De La Costa," she begins. "I have some A list regulars that have raved about your parties," she informs him ignoring Elliot. "I just had to see for myself."
"Por favor, call me Christian," he says as they walk through his swanky digs. "And yes, I pride myself on ensuring my guests thoroughly enjoy themselves."
"Really," Olivia says smiling mischievously at the man as a concerned Elliot looks on. "Then we have that in common Christian. That's why ENVIOUS is invitation only," she informs him. "Not everyone can afford to chase their every whim."
"Perhaps I have something that could boost your clientele," offers De La Costa. "Maybe we could do some business together Ms. Martin," he tells her. "I've had to sever ties with some recent associates of mine," he informs her inadvertently referring to the clubs the NYPD shut down for running his product through them.
"Please, call me Rachel," she advises him momentarily touching his arm. "I think you're just what I've been looking for," she says, using her raspy low tone.
Elliot forever the jealous, overprotective type saunters coolly over to the two interrupting their conversation.
"Excuse me boss," he says continuing the accent and sounding like a street thug. "I was just wonderin' if Rachel here would care to dance."
"It's Ms. Martin," replies Olivia annoyed by the fact he's interrupting her deal. "And no, I wouldn't like to dance."
Christian entertained by the two's obvious disdain for one another encourages them knowing they won't refuse him.
"Go ahead Rachel," he begins. "Enjoy yourself. There's plenty of time for business later."
Sensing Elliot has something on his mind she makes the decision to dance with him. It's a slow number and he takes the opportunity to pull her in close enough to whisper.
"What are you doing here," he asks her immediately.
"It's none of your business Elliot," she whispers back as her breath warms his neck. "You're not a cop or my partner anymore remember," she asks rubbing his face in it.
"I remember," he rasps back. "But that doesn't mean I don't worry about you," he says immediately pissing her off.
"So worried that you picked up the phone all those times to make sure I hadn't caught a bullet," she says sarcastically. "Oh that's right, you didn't."
"I had my reasons Rachel," he calls her emphasizing her alias. "I couldn't work on my rocky marriage and worry about you at the same time."
Christian watches the tension between the two and decides their attitudes toward one another could benefit from a couple of his special pills. He dissolves them into two champagne glasses and orders them to be taken to the two former partners.
"Well I'm sorry I was such a damned burden to you," she seethes, only loud enough for him to hear. As the song ends, she pulls away from his hold. She doesn't get two steps before a waitress approaches them with the champagne flutes.
"These are courtesy of Mr. De La Costa," says the woman dressed like a penguin.
Across the room Olivia and Elliot spot his boss, her host raising a glass to them. They paste fake smiles on their faces before taking theirs from the serving tray saluting him back before each taking a drink.
Elliot skulls the whole glass after the conversation he's just had with Olivia. She takes a bit longer but eventually finishes her drink as well.
Finally slipping into unconsciousness, her racing thoughts merge into lucid dreams.
Hers is a restless sleep. She's assaulted with the same memories and images of her reunion with Elliot that she's trying to forget.
He finds her poolside. The ecstasy has heightened her senses to the point that she has sought out the azure blue of the water, the evergreen of the surrounding landscaping and the multihued flowers. So entranced is she by the view that she barely notices Elliot speaking to her.
"You were never a burden to me," he whispers in her ear from behind before coming to stand in front of her.
"Isn't it beautiful out here," she says, without acknowledging his words. "It's just so…beautiful," she adds taking a drink of her bottled water. She is suddenly so thirsty.
"Yes," he says focusing on her instead of the scenery. "Gorgeous," he comments before sweeping windblown strands behind her ear.
His hand moves from her ear to caress the apple of her cheek. Without thinking about it, she leans into his touch. It both excites and scares her.
An up tempo Salsa song floats through the terrace doors and out to them. Olivia uses the music as an excuse to pull away from Elliot.
"I'm gonna go dance," she suggests walking back into the ballroom.
He follows her without missing a beat, surprising her by grabbing her hand and pulling her onto the dance floor. Her intentions were to dance with anyone else.
Inside they move fluidly to the beat of every drum, wooden block, cowbell and horn of the Latin number. She swings and sways her hips so uninhibitedly, so freely. His hands come dangerously close to venturing towards her ass but remain on her lower back. Each time he twirls her away, Elliot pulls her in tighter when she returns to him afraid she will let go.
By the time the song is over, so overwhelmed is Olivia by his smell and touch, that she needs to get away before doing something stupid.
He chases after her…of course he does. When he finds her alone in the library he doesn't even bother with the pretense of conversation. Olivia is leaning against a desk with both hands planted behind her, as if bracing herself for what's about to happen.
He discovers her flushed and agitated but willing as he threads his hands through her hair pulling her into a slow and passionate kiss. She tilts her head letting him kiss her, taste her, explore her mouth but she refuses to touch him. Two words repeat over and over again in her head. Kathy. Undercover. Kathy. Undercover. She wants to focus on what's important but can't seem to.
Elliot isn't deterred by the fact that she hasn't laid hands on him. His hands roam her back pulling her into him. His lips abandon her mouth for a spot just behind her ear. He ventures further down sucking at the skin on the pulse point of her neck unconcerned that he's marking her for everyone to see. She's gripping the desk so tightly in trying to resist him that her hands begin to ache. Yet, she can't seem to simply push him away or tell him to stop, knowing that he will.
She moans in her sleep, beginning to toss and turn from the vivid dreaming.
One hand stays at her waist while the other follows the contours of her back and finally, unable to withstand the urge any longer slides over her round ass. He ventures further down moving over her thigh simultaneously returning his lips to her mouth. As Elliot deepens the kiss he smoothes a hand down the back of her left thigh and pulls her leg up.
Though still not using her hands to feel him, it doesn't seem to matter. This no- touching rule she has with her fingers, is swiftly being betrayed by the rest of her body. The dress she wears has ridden up and his erection is pressing into her center. Olivia instinctively wraps the same leg around his ass pulling him closer to her.
Elliot continues to heat things up, rubbing her thigh before rocking into her at least once. She closes her eyes, biting her bottom lip to stifle a moan.
Over Elliot's shoulder once she's reopened her eyes, Olivia can see a smiling Christian De La Costa step into the doorway. She immediately pushes Elliot away like a teenager caught by her parents.
"Elliot, why don't you show Rachel the breathtaking view from one of my balconies," he suggests before retreating back to the party.
Turning back to face her, he strokes the soft skin of her shoulder, smoothes down her arm until he reaches and clasps her hand in his.
"Come with me," he tells her pulling in to stand toe to toe with him.
She casts her eyes downward, feeling all of her resolve quickly melting away.
"I need to leave," she tells him staring down at the sandals she's wearing.
He leans in close enough to whisper. "I don't think you really mean that," he says before pressing his mouth to hers again, nibbling on her lower lip before kissing her fully.
Her tenacity is officially shot.
"I leave right after you show me this view," she utters in a voice much stronger than she feels. Even as the words fall from her lips she knows they aren't true. She's thankful Cragen ordered her not to wear a wire tonight. De La Costa was paranoid enough to check. And, she wouldn't be able to explain her conversation with Elliot and the sounds they made when they weren't talking.
Upstairs the view from the guest room balcony is absolutely amazing. The stars are out and shining brightly. A full moon is reflecting light off of the various small ponds scattered throughout the grounds below. And fireflies float above them creating a beautiful moving luminescence.
He wraps his arms around her from behind pointing out various things in the gardens below as if they're on a date and he's trying to impress her. She's scared at the familiarity of it all and how right it feels so she continues to avoid touching him. Her hands grip the balcony railing instead. It's truly an exercise in futility. The scent of him alone…
"Okay," she says turning out of his arms. "It's time for me to go."
She makes it halfway to the door before she hears him.
"Please…don't go," he says in a voice he's only used with her once before. "I miss you."
Something in her clicks and she should be angry, she should tell him to go to hell or give him a right hook, but she misses him too. Olivia turns on one of her ridiculously high heels, drops her purse on the chaise and makes a beeline for Elliot.
This time she's the aggressor, the pursuer, the initiator. She backs him into the railing and kisses him like she'll never see him again. Olivia really didn't think she would. There's no hesitation on her part. She doesn't try to restrain herself. She pulls his face to hers and invades his mouth, tasting him like she's wanted to all night, longer if she's honest with herself.
The memory suddenly fades into blackness and she finally, blessedly slips into a dreamless sleep. She's unaware that on the other side of town, her former partner's attempts at rest will be just as fruitless.
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