Hey everyone, I'm baaack! Sorry for the LOOOONG delay in updating. To be honest, I didn't think I'd ever finish this thing, but I'm glad I've came back to it. My life has been really crazy and I just couldn't keep fanfiction going as well, but hopefully this marks my return!

I'm a bit rusty but I think this chapter is okay, considering. Also, thanks to everyone who has kept reading and those of you are reading now. I hope you can forgive my absence. Please read and review as feedback is always appreciated – I'll reply to all signed reviews. xxx

Alastair looked deep into Alex's eyes: God, she was beautiful, and she knew it. He wanted her so badly, wanted to show her the world and what they could be together. He hadn't known her long, but he felt that she could become someone very special to him. She hadn't backed away when he moved closer and whispered in her ear, yet there had been a small flinch of excitement which visibly pulsed through her body. Alastair knew that flinch: it was excitement inhibited by fear. It was clear that Alex wanted him too, but this fear was holding her back and so Alastair had to put her in a position where she couldn't say no.

Alex looked deep into Alastair's eyes: God, he was handsome, and he knew it. The electricity between them was almost tangible and Alex was working hard to resist her urges. She was scared of what she might do but almost excited enough to ignore her inhibitions; and this terrified her even more.

Alastair lifted his hand and brushed a curl of Alex's hair away from her face, feeling her trembling at his touch. Before Alex knew it, his eyes had closed, his hand cupped her neck and her lips were moving against his. She whimpered, "Alastair, no," but they both knew she didn't really mean it. The drunken fuzz surrounding Alex seemed to disappear as he caressed her, and her senses had heightened to the point where every moment felt like ecstasy. His mouth moved down her neck and Alex let out a small moan, forcing Alastair to smile through the kissing and become more passionate.

As Alex became louder, Alastair began to worry that she would be heard even above the club's music. He climbed on top of her and laid his hand lightly over her mouth, and lovingly shushed her. She giggled and gasped, "I can't help it". Alastair continued to kiss her as his free hand wondered over her figure, but her moans became more intense which forced his hand over her mouth to push down harder, uncontested by Alex.

Just as Alex's hand slipped under his shirt, Alastair heard a loud bang which he recognised to be coming from his office door – someone was trying to break it down. He leapt off Alex, ran towards the door and swung it open, just as Ray ran towards it. Alex sat up on the sofa to see him barge in.

"Ray? What the hell are you doing?" Alex yelled, hearing how slurred her words had become.

"You know him?" Alastair asked suspiciously.

'Shit,' Alex thought. "I met him this morning; he's just started as a doorman."

Alastair didn't look convinced but broke his gaze from Alex to inspect the intruder. "You're very forward for a new guy. Why the hell did you feel the need to break my door down?"

Ray scowled in Alex's direction: they both knew why he had tried to break in. He had heard her yelling, but it was now clear that they were not screams of terror, but of passion. The Gov had been right – Alex was in way over her head, but no-one had expected this. Ray now just had to discover whether this was part of Alex's 'method' of extracting information, or if it was something more.

Alex nodded discreetly at Ray, as if to signal that she was safe.

"Sorry, I, err, thought I heard someone yelling, and... anyway, I'm sorry. I was out of order trying to kick the door in. It won't happen again."

"You're damn right it won't! If you want to keep this job, I suggest you keep out of my way!"

"Yes, boss," Ray grunted before leaving the office.

Alex was still shell shocked from what had just happened. She looked up at Alastair who was gliding towards her with a glint in his eye, and reality set in. She couldn't let her feelings jeopardise this investigation; she had to regain control.

"So, where were we, Alex?" he laughed as he sat beside her.

Alex stood before he had even made contact with the sofa. "Sorry, I don't think it's a good id... I'm not really, erm, in the mood now." Alex cursed herself for falling over her words, as she still felt as vulnerable as before.

"Come on, don't let that idiot ruin our night..."

"It's not him," Alex said slightly too quickly, suddenly realising that she could be putting Ray in even more danger by now by leaving. "It's getting late, I'm very drunk," they both giggled at this comment, "another time, I promise."

"Well, if you promise..." Alastair stood up and slid his arms around her. He pulled her into a kiss of passion, mastery and ownership which weakened Alex's defences. She responded as she fell victim once more to her body's instincts. Although they were of a similar height, somehow he dwarfed her and to Alex, misleadingly, felt as if he was protecting her.

The night air was cold and Alex's skin felt bitten by the piercing wind. She was shaking, but this seemed to be unaffected by the breeze. Alex realised how close she had came to falling under Alastair's spell and the thought prompted her to burst into tears so violently she began to gag. She felt the alcohol burn the back of her throat as it rose. She stumbled against the nearest wall and vomited as the headache of a premature hangover began to loom.

Alex spat and coughed before wiping her mouth on her coat sleeve and continued to walk. The events of the night began to swim around her head, making her feel dizzy again. Alex knew that she was starting to fall for Alastair, despite what she knew he had done and she had now gone too far to retreat. She knew it would have been useful to gain his trust that way but she has always believed she had had more integrity than that. Now that she actually felt something towards him, behaviour of that sort seemed easier, but then using it against him was moving ever further away as a possibility. It was a mess, to say the least, and know...

"ALEX!" She spun around to see Ray running towards her. "What the bloody hell happened in there? Did he hurt you? I'll kill the bastard! Alex, what did he do to you? You're scaring me, this is all getting way out of hand. Yes, we want him put away but he's not worth dying for, no way. We'll regroup tomorrow and..."

"He kissed me! Alright? He... he bloody kissed me."

"WHAT? I'm going back there now, the pervy prick. Oh, wait 'til the Gov hears this, he'll bloody castrate him! Oh, Jesus, Alex, are you okay? Good job I heard you yelling. A man like that doesn't often take no for an answer. You shouldn't have had to, I..."

"Will you shut up, Ray?" The tears were streaming down Alex's face. "I wasn't yelling because I was scared or because he was doing anything I hadn't agreed to!"

Alex's hand clamped over her own mouth to stop herself from speaking, but it was too late.

"You mean you...? You and Stoke? If I hadn't of got there when I did, what would have happened? Huh, Alex? How far would you have gone?"

"Ray, please, stop..." Alex begged, gasping between tears.

"You're sick! I can't even look at you!"

As he turned to leave, Alex yelled his name hoarsely. "Ray, please don't tell the Gov."

Ray opened his mouth but found himself speechless in the face of her gall. He threw his hands up in resignation and continued to walk away from her, trying desperately to ignore her wails of despair and left in her shivering, howling in the cold. And as the rain began to fall, a drop fell onto Ray's cheek, hiding the first tear he had shed.