But what irony.
What an awful joke.
Alex had reappeared in front of him.
As if by magic.
And in a place he'd never doubted, see her.
At his place of work.
So she'd become a policeman, just like his father.
Thinking of his father, Goren felt a violent anger.
The man who had destroyed his whole life.
And as if that hadn't been hard enough for him, he put Alex back in his life, and as his new partner.
But worst of all, everything that had happened between him and Alex was resurfacing, bruising him to the core.
But then, why...
Why had fate done this.
Yes.
Why make the woman he'd loved so dearly reappear before him.
It seemed as if fate was hell-bent on tormenting and hurting him.
Goren put his hand to his forehead, grumbling, and raised his half-empty glass of whisky to his lips, if he'd counted his third, and drank the contents in one gulp.
He wanted to forget.
Forget all his years of suffering without Alex.
He'd rather get drunk, even if it meant he couldn't stand up, and have a violent headache in the morning.
Than have a clear head.
It was the only thing he wanted right now.

Seeing Alex had been too violent for him, as it had been for his heart.
And how could it have been otherwise.
When the woman in question had upset him so much in his twentieth year, that he'd fallen head over heels in love with her, with the lassie she'd once been.
Goren couldn't forget the softness of her skin, the curves of her body.
Her gestures, her words, her kisses, so clumsy at the very beginning of their relationship, but which had moved him so.
He saw again this girl, capricious at times, but so endearing.
If he could have held her in his arms forever, he would have.
But there had was her father...
That one...
Angrily, he clenched the glass in his hands.
If it hadn't been for Jonathan Eames back then, ruining his future with Alex, maybe she'd be with him now, and they'd have started a little family.
But none of that existed.
And all because of this man, who had destroyed his life, forcing him to leave Alex.
He could never forget.
It was all coming back to him like a slap in the face.
And it hurt.
Hadn't he suffered enough.
Would he have to relive his last moments with Alex for the rest of his life.
The pain and suffering of leaving her.
If not, why was fate putting Alex in his path again.
And above all, to have her as a partner.

If fate wanted to have some fun at his expense, well, it sure did.
Name of God...
He absolutely had to get Alex out of his head, or he'd end up insane.
And above all, he had to at least try to think of something else, rather than keep coming back to the past.
And go home him, and get some sleep, because tomorrow promised to be a tough day.
Since he was going to face Eames.
So he'd have to deal with his old demons.
He put the glass on the counter, got up from his seat as best he could, almost falling over because he was so drunk, put the money on the counter, and headed for the exit.

- Ding... Dong...
At the sound of the doorbell, Eames woke with a start and reached for his alarm clock, looking at the time.
Half past three in the morning.
Name of God...
Who had the audacity to ring her doorbell at this time of night.
There were certain hours to be respected.
And to come to her house at this time of night...
Whoever it was must have made a mistake.
- Ding... Dong…

But at the insistent sound of the doorbell, she realized she'd better get up and kick out the intruder who dared to ring her doorbell so late.
Besides, who could this person be.
Eames didn't have many people in New York.
She was even rather lonely.
So she didn't know who it could be.
Maybe it was a mistake.
Grumbling and cursing the person who'd rang her doorbell, she pushed back the sheets in annoyance, jumped out of bed, and strode briskly to the front door.
Arriving at the front door, she wasted no time in opening it.
But her heart stopped at the sight of the person standing on her doorstep.
No.
It couldn't be.
It wasn't him.
And yet...
There was no doubt.
It was him at her door.
Goren.
Goren was there, in front of her.
But what did that mean...
What was he doing in her house at this time of night.
And why was he there.
- Bobby... What the...
Eames couldn't finish his sentence, when, without her permission, he staggered into her house and, holding half-standing, closed the door behind him.
Name of God...
Was she dreaming.
Or Goren was imposing himself on her.
Without any embarrassment.
As if it were all natural.

In addition, the way he walked, he looked completely drunk.
But she could be wrong.
But no matter, she didn't want him in her house.
And he was going to have to go.
And right away.
- Go home... Bobby.
Go home.
Oh, no, definitely not.
That's what he'd planned when he'd left the bar, to go home.
But something in him, and his footsteps, had drawn him to Eames.
So he wouldn't leave.
Because the reason was simple.
He needed to see her.
Goren raises his brown eyes to Eames, a shook his head in denial, and moved toward her with slow steps.
- No... Bobby... Keep your distance from me.
Keep his distance from her.
Oh no.
That was out of the question.
He'd missed her so much.

And here she was in front of him, in her little white nightgown, which revealed the shape of magnificent little breasts, and which stopped at the level of her knees.
So how could he keep his distance when she was so desirable.

At the gleam of desire that had just lit up in Goren's brown eyes, Eames stepped back, feeling panic overcome her, but which was mixed with a little excitement.
At the sight of this little excitement, albeit mini, Eames was shocked by herself.
How could she feel aroused by him looking at her with desire, and approaching her, after the hurt he'd caused her.
It was simply impossible.
Maybe she was mistaken, confusing what she felt with excitement, which was none other than the fear of simply falling back into his arms.
And she would never do such a thing.
Eames found herself, her back stopped by the wall, which brought her out of her thoughts, to see Goren stop a few millimeters from her, and place his hands flat on the wall on either side of her head.
- Why have you appeared... Lassie...
- I'm not...
At her objection, a small, mocking smile played on her lips.
Alex was, and always would be, that lassie he'd loved, whether she liked it or not.
And her little rebellious reaction confirmed it.
- You're still that kid I knew.
Pardon.
Still that lassie...
That Goren had known.
Oh no, surely not.
She was no longer that child who'd been so stupidly charmed by that seducer that she'd fallen head over heels in love with him.
But the woman she was now.
This woman wouldn't be fooled again.

And she'd never trust him again.
In addition, could he stop calling her by that diminutive.
That lassie name.
She hated it.
And she never wanted to hear it again, least of all from him.
It always reminded her that he'd left her, without the slightest explanation, abandoning her, even though he'd pretended to love her.
But that wouldn't work anymore.
It was over.
Goren brought his hand to Alex's little chin, taking he between his long, slender fingers, forcing her face closer to his.
- You'll always be that to me... That lassie.
What.
She'd always be for him...
That kid.
But he was totally delirious.
Plus, he reeked of alcohol.
Which surprised her enormously.
The young man of twenty-year-old she knew had never once been drunk.
Goren had hardly ever touched alcohol.
So why the change.
And what was this way he had of being so close to her, of putting his fingers on her, touching her as if they were still intimate.
Just because she found him much more virile, and more attractive, didn't mean she'd fall back into his arms so easily.
If he believed that, by coaxing her with words and gestures...
Well, he was sadly mistaken.
Eames would never forgive him for what he'd done to her.
So there was no point in trying to coax him.
It wouldn't work.
- Go home…

- No.
Pardon.
She had heard correctly.
Had Goren really just given her a categorical refusal.
From the seriousness of his gaze, the features of his face, Alex knew it was true, and that she hadn't been dreaming.
Goren was refusing to leave.
But she wouldn't let him, and he was going to have to go home, willingly or not.
- I told you...
- And I... I said no.
But he insisted.
Refusing to comply.
This began to seriously irritate Eames, who could smell the mustard at his nose.
- You'd better go... Before I get angry.
Go...
Before she got angry.
Oh no.
It was in her moments, when she was most beautiful, most desirable, when she had got angry.
So no, he was going to stay.
In addirion, Alex couldn't kick him out of her house like a undesirable.
Not after what they'd been through back then.
It was fate that had brought them together.
And maybe he'd get a second chance.
And Goren didn't want to lose her.
If he had a chance to get Eames back.
He'd take her.

And by any means necessary.
And Goren had his own idea of how.
- Alex... Tell me... He brought his hand to one of her little golden locks, wrapped it around his fingers. Why did you change your hair color. He brought the lock to his lips, grazed her, under Eames, who felt her heart race at this demonstration. The chestnut of your hair was so beautiful.
Why.
Had Goren really just asked her why she'd changed hair color.
She wanted to scream at him that it was his fault.
And him alone.
But strangely enough...
She was surprised that he liked her chestnut hair.
She'd found it so common.
And the way he brushed that lock of hair made her feel something in her crotch.
Something she shouldn't feel for him.
In addition, Goren would say anything when he was drunk.
Not only that, he was trying to charm her.
Which Eames had to admit worked pretty well.
But above all, he was rambling.
Going over and over the past.
As if what had happened between them was still there, and very much present.

While, not at all.
- You're completely drunk... Go home.
Completely drunk...
Him.
But Eames was wrong.
Yes, he'd had a bit to drink.
But he was thinking very clearly.
Especially when a pretty woman like Eames was standing in front of him in her nightgown, and she was desirable.
So no, he wouldn't leave.
Alex had lit a fire inside him, and he needed to quench it.
- No, I wouldn't.
Pardon.
But he'd just raised his voice.
Acting like a spoiled brat.
- Now that you've reappeared in front of me... I...
Eames brought her hand to her lips, silencing him.
- Stop it now.
And why should he stop.
He needed to say what he felt.
To tell her, that now he'd found her, he'd never part with her again.
He needed her to know that he'd suffered terribly the day he'd had to leave her.
And above all, he needed her to know that he craved her.
- Why should I stop... I need to tell you how I feel.
Goren screamed more and more, under an Eames who was surprised to see him in such a state.
Goren was out of control.
Eames knew there was only one way to calm him down.

She brought her hand to his cheek, brushed against it, calming him, and plunged her big hazel eyes into his brown ones, which at that moment shone with infinite tenderness for her.
That tenderness he had when he looked at her back then.
- Bobby... Go home... We'll talk about it tomorrow.
No and no.
He wouldn't put things off until tomorrow.
He needed to know, if Alex's heart was still beating for him.
Needed to know if her body was still responding to his caresses.
So he let go of Eames's golden locks to place his hand on the back of her neck, forcing her face closer to his.
She brought her hand to her lips, stopping him in his tracks, and shook her head in denial.
- No... Don't do this.
Don't do that.
But he had only one thought in mind, to taste her lips to find out if they still had that sweetness.
He took her hand in his, pulling it away from his lips.
- I want to know if your lips still taste the same.
No.
Eames didn't want him to know, let alone kiss her.
She couldn't let him.
- I don't want you…

He didn't give her time to finish his sentence before he crushed his lips to hers.
At this brutal kiss, Eames put his hands on Goren's chest and pushed him away.
- No...
But he wrapped his arms around his waist, pressed his powerful torso against his small chest, crushed it, and forced passage his teeth through, coiling their tongues in a frenzied dance.
At this audacity, Eames burst into flames, but pulled herself together.
No.
She wouldn't give in.
She wouldn't fall into his arms again.
She wouldn't.
- No... Let me go.
No.
Goren wouldn't let go of Eames.
He couldn't bear rejection.
He needed to feel her in his arms again, as in the old days.
He needed her, here and now.
So this time, he took her lips again, but more gently, and brought his hands to her hips, gripped them, and pressed his hard member against her intimacy.
At this sensation, Eames lost all control, abandoned the weapons, and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her small body against his, and made him understand that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
- Oh Alex... My Alex...
He lifted her off the ground, wrapped his legs around her waist, holding her tightly by her rounded little buttocks.

- Where's your room...
With her hand, she pointed to the door on the left at the end of the corridor.
So, without loose a second, Eames in his arms, he headed for it.