Aimee charged across the dancefloor with her sights set on Reid. "I hope you don't mind if I cut in," she pushed the other girl away.
"How are you doing, Aimee?" He asked.
"I am just wonderful, now," she let out a high pitched giggle.
Reid looked over Aimee's shoulder to Alex who was still dancing with Sloane.
Alex grew increasingly frustrated. "I am really not in the mood to play games," she warned.
"I wanted to let you know about my plans for tonight," Sloane grinned.
"And why should I care about what your plans are?"
"As I recall, you used to care a lot about what I did, especially when it came to my dates," he goated.
Alex wouldn't dare glance back toward Reid. They exposed too much when they danced together already.
Aimee beamed at Reid, "I have come to a decision."
"Oh, what is that?"
"I've decided that we are going to stop pretending."
"Excuse me?" He was caught off guard.
"I know your little secret," she whispered in his ear.
"And what is that?"
"You have deep seeded feelings for me and you are just afraid to act on them," she announced confidently.
Reid wanted desperately to get out of that situation and when he looked back over to Alex he wanted to even more.
Garcia was smiling brightly as Lachlan danced with her. "Are you enjoying yourself?" He asked.
"Are you frickin' kidding me? I feel like Cinderella. I just hope I don't lose a shoe, that would be devastating. These things cost me a fortune," she exclaimed.
"I've noticed that you haven't spent much time tonight with your mates," he replied.
Garcia, never being able to keep a poker face was stuttering, "I guess, um, they just wanted us to have time to ourselves." She looked around the room, trying to not freak out about what girl might be taken from them.
Lachlan grinned, "I'm glad to hear that, more time for us to be alone." Then Alex caught his eye. "Is she dancing with Julian Sloane? I hear he practically runs this island."
"Yeah, I heard the same," Garcia held back her normal commentary.
"Do they know each other?"
"You know what, I'm not sure," she tried to get his attention back on her.
"It's got to be good having friends in high places," Lachlan remarked as Reid danced past them.
Aimee continued to stare at her partner with stars in her eyes. "I've seen the way you look at me. You can't deny your feelings."
"Aimee… I'm sorry—"
She put her finger over his lips, "Don't say it, just come to my room tonight." Aimee responded as the song ended.
"Okay, the song is over," Alex was past frustrated.
"Patience. Come on, let's sit awhile." Sloane escorted her to the corner of the room with several ottomans spread out and were seated next to each other.
"Oh, hey Uncle Julian!" A young woman greeted from the other set of seats.
Alex looked back and forth between them. "Uncle?"
"It's more of an honorary thing," she started, "He and my dad have been close friends since I was a little girl."
"Alex, this is Pepper Wingate, and this is a very good friend of mine, Alex Slater." Sloane introduced.
"It is so nice to meet you." Pepper giggled as she sipped from a glace of champagne. "This is the best birthday ever!"
A young man stood awkwardly adjusting his bowtie just on the edge of the dancefloor. "Hey Pepper, are you coming?"
"Oh, this is my jam! See you later!" She called out as she rushed out to join the group of adolescents .
"Birthday?" Alex questioned. "How old is she?" She asked knowing that she wasn't going to like the answer.
"Seventeen, can you believe it?" He scooched closer. "Which brings me to my proposition."
"No," Alex shook her head.
"I am going to give Pepper a great big birthday present tonight in my room… or…"
"Or what?" Alex sneered.
"Or you can take her place." He patted her on knee. He then got up and left her alone.
A flood of emotions overwhelmed her. She thought about how all of this got started. Alex told Reid about the night she saved Jackie but she didn't tell him the whole story.
Alex was wiping down the bar when Julian Sloane enter the building, "Your usual Mr. Sloane?" She asked.
"No, thanks. I'm here for Jackie, could you tell her I'm ready?"
"Oh, um, she went home."
"What? He shot daggers with his eyes."
"Yeah, she said she wasn't feeling well and I sent her home."
Sloane approached and smacked her across the face. "Who in the hell do you think you are sending my girl home?"
"I'm sorry, sir."
He smacked her again, forcing her to fold over the countertop. Alex restrained herself from fighting back knowing she needed to stay undercover. He grabbed her hair and slammed her face down onto the wet bar-top. He stood behind her grinding himself close against her, "do I need to teach you a lesson in authority?"
"No, sir. I'm sorry. I was out of line." Alex replied. Feigning terror in her voice.
He released her and took a step back. "Good."
She recomposed herself and continued to clean up for the night.
"You need to find me a replacement," he announced.
"Chantel is in charge of finding new strippers."
Sloane chuckled, "No, I don't think you understand. I had a date for tonight. I no longer have one because of you. I want a new one and I want one now. And I prefer her to be untouched."
"You want me to find a virgin for you to have sex with tonight? Why the hell would I do that? I won't help you take away some girl's innocence." She stood up to him.
Sloane wasn't used to anyone doing that. "I like your chutzpah," he smirked. "I'll tell you what, I am willing to make you another deal."
"And what is that?" Alex asked hesitantly.
"You can find me sweet young thing or do the job yourself. Your call; you have an hour. I expect a knock on my door by then. Chamberlin Hotel, penthouse suite." He sauntered away with a pleased grin smacked across his face.
A rush of tears dropped from Alex's eyes as she left the gala toward the edge of the patio area. She leaned across the railing and looked out to the ocean.
"Alex, are you okay?"
She turned around after hearing a familiar voice. "Spencer, you shouldn't be out here with me."
"I don't care. What's wrong?" He took a step closer, "what did he say to you?"
"I just don't know how much longer I can do this," Alex wiped her tears with the heel of her hand.
"I know, I know it's hard on you, but hopefully this ends tonight," he placed his hands on her shoulders. "We are keeping our eyes open, if we can catch them in the act, then we should be able to wrap this up."
"If only it were that simple," she uttered.
"Listen, Morgan is waiting for me outside, he's been keeping an eye on the van, I need to get going."
Alex straightened up, "go, don't keep him waiting."
He leaned in closer to her, "let's keep breaking some rules on this. Come meet me in my room tonight, we can talk. I don't think Hotch would mind."
Alex blushed, "yeah, I think that would be good. I think we are in need of a good chat, like old times."
He lovingly touched her cheek, "it's a date." He turned and walked back into the party, leaving her out on the patio alone with her thoughts.
"I thought I might find you out here," Hotch slowly approached. "Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine, thank you," she meekly replied.
Hotch pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to her. "What did Sloane want?"
"He just wanted to continue playing games. He's baiting me, hoping for a reaction." She wiped the remainder of her tears away.
"Did he give any hints as to what he has planned for tonight?" Hotch asked.
"He did imply that he was going to have sex with a seventeen-year-old, but nothing about taking someone," Alex explained.
"You mean that young girl you both were talking to a bit ago?"
"Yes, her name is Pepper Wingate, apparently her father and Sloane are old friends." Alex felt distracted and wasn't sure if she would be able to focus the rest of the evening.
Hotch took her arm, "let's get back in there. I will let the team know to keep their eyes on her as well."
Alex nodded, feeling a bit relieved.
Reid stepped out to the front of the hotel and casually walked to the side entrance where Morgan was staked out. "Anything?"
"Not yet, I am not even sure if this is the vehicle they will be using," Morgan was discouraged. "Well, I need to get back to the party."
"Have fun," Reid smirked.
He remained crouched behind the shrub as he watched a man smoke his cigarette as he leaned against the van. He kept looking toward the front of the building as if waiting for someone.
Reid watched as the chain smoker stomped on a cigarette butt and in the same motion lit another in his mouth. "I wish I could have one of those, it would make waiting an exceptionally better experience," he snarked. Suddenly Reid was distracted by a familiar sound. "Oh, no. Not Aimee."
"I don't understand," Aimee complained which sent shivers down Reid's spine. "Where are you taking me?"
Reid then became fully alert and moved to where her voice was coming from and kept watch.
"You are messing with the wrong—" A hand covered her mouth as she was grabbed and led toward the van. The cigarette man ran over to help out.
Reid searched his immediate area and picked up a handful of stones. He then jumped out from behind the bush and rushed toward them. He threw the stones at cigarette man, right between the eyes causing him to let go of Aimee and shake his head. Reid jabbed him, breaking his nose, then socked him, knocking him out.
The other man released Aimee and pulled out his gun. Reid pushed down on his arm forcing the weapon to point to the ground. With Reid's other hand, he put over the man's wrist, twisted, and took ahold of the gun. He then chopped the side of his throat causing the man to gasp for air. He lightly tossed the gun in the air and caught it with the butt of the gun out and smacked him across the face with it. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
Aimee stood in shock with a huge grin on her face as she panted heavily. "Oh my god, Spencer, you saved my life. How could I ever repay you?" She took a step closer, "I think I have a few ideas."
"Look, Aimee, it's never going to happen." He rapidly looked around then pulled her arm, "come on, we need to get out of here."
They both ran into the hotel where he saw JJ waiting. "Let's go."
"What's going on?" JJ questioned as she followed.
"I'll tell you as soon as we are safe."
Alex exited the elevator and walked down the hall. Her mind was swarming with all the things she wanted to tell Reid, all the things she wasn't able to say before. She rehearsed it a thousand times before, knowing that someday she would need to come clean. She knew that having the conversation was the right thing to do. Yet, she was terrified.
Alex stood in front of the hotel room door and knocked.