a/n: i'd recommend listening to moonlight by kali uchis, it's just the perfect vibe for this chapter, especially for the second half. enjoy!!

The next day, Beadie ignored Graves for the most part.

He only asked about the mission, never paying mind to her soul and mind. So she treated him with the same coldness and profession. She did her own thing after that. She tidied her room up a little bit, and hung out with her squad, enjoying how they didn't treat her any differently.

Emerson jocked and jumped all around her, making her laugh. She didn't remember when was the last time she laughed with anyone else than Alejandro since she got back. It felt good, she started feeling normal again.

The balance of life got restored when Devon smacked Sam on the head again for "being dumb again". The two of them then decided it was best to decide who was the dumb one by seeing who could do the most push-ups. Beadie only rolled her eyes at them but decided to sit around and see who won.

Then Jax came around with a bottle of water in his head, just getting back from his morning run. He joined the two idiots for the fun of it, beating both of them despite just having his own workout.

"Stop whining and just do better, pussies," Jax dusted off his hands as he went on his way. He kicked his previous water bottle which happened to hit Devon on the face. Sam couldn't breathe from how hard he was laughing.

But the moment the doors burst open, all the familiar warmth and joy left as a clearly pissed-off Alejandro stormed inside. Devon continued to curse Sam but their banter faded away as Beadie watched the Colonel hurry down the corridor. She had never seen him angry and this was so new to her, she didn't know what to do.

Should I go after him?

Beadie shook the thought away with a motion of her head, but as she sat there on the couch biting her lower lip, the pull towards him grew in her with each moment. A few minutes later she went against her mind and stood from her seat, heading to where she saw Alejandro disappear a few minutes ago.

Her sneakers carried her down the hallway fast, blessing the thought when she decided against her combat boots. They always gave her feet blisters and her right pinky toe always got crushed for whatever reason. But with her trusty sneakers, she could run around the world with no problem.

It took some time till she found him at the back of the building, pacing outside. For a few moments, Beadie just watched him through the door, contemplating whether she should disturb him or not. His jaw clenched and relaxed again and again, his hands curling into fists by his side as he paced up and down. He reminded her of a lion ready to attack, the rage buzzing in his veins.

But Beadie liked to ignore red flags so she opened the door and stepped outside.

"What the fuck do you want?" his Spanish words cut through the warm air, his back facing her. With his gear on and obvious annoyance, his stance was wider and the air around him was just more dangerous. Just how she liked it.

"I guess the interrogation went well," Beadie switched to Spanish smoothly as she slipped her hands in her pockets and kicked a rock with her shoes.

The way he twisted around so fast made her smile. Guilt took over his previous furious features as he took a step towards her, lips pursing.

"I'm sorry," he apologized instantly, her sweet smile momentarily knocking the air out of his lungs. "I- Yeah, it went well."

The sarcasm in his voice was sharp as a knife, her smile faltering slightly. It was weird to see him like this, so out of his element. It was like looking at a whole different man.

"What happened?" Beadie asked softly, circling her arms around herself as she sat down atop a container. The wooden edge cut into her thigh a little but she ignored the slight discomfort, not wanting to distract Alejandro.

"Valeria being Valeria," he threw his hands in the air and continued to pace around, her bright eyes following him. "It's impossible to work with her, and we shouldn't. She's bad news and it won't end well. But that Commander of yours is very determined to get what he wants, even if that means making a deal with the She-Devil."

Beadie let out a small chuckle, quickly pursing her lips to shut herself up. But she couldn't help but find it amusing how he seemed to open up more in his native language. When he talked like this he was more passionate, his emotions showing more and it was just easier to get him to talk.

"You two have history," Beadie observed as she crossed her legs, straightening her spine. She was invested in their story, to say the least.

"You could say that," Alejandro muttered, dragging a hand over his face. He switched back to English for her sake, even though he knew it didn't take too much effort for her to speak his language. "I got news from your friend, Isabel."

Beadie frowned at how easily he dodged the Valeria-topic, clearly a sore subject. But she was delighted to hear from Isabel.

"And how is she?" Beadie asked, hope in her voice. There was a subtle pain in her chest as she thought about Isabel, her throat closing up slightly. She would do anything to hug the girl.

"She's a strong woman," Alejandro finally stopped in front of her, looking down at the blonde woman. "She's still recovering but she'd like to see you as soon as possible."

A genuine smile appeared on her lips as she nodded, the fact that Isabel didn't hold a grudge against her warming her heart. And the sight of the woman's warm smile made his anger evaporate.

"Are you free this afternoon?" Beadie questioned as she tilted her head back a little and looked up at him, her eyes drinking in the sight of the man in front of her.

"For you, always, Bella."

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Later that afternoon, Alejandro drove Beadie to the hospital where Isabel was recovering. The women broke down crying the moment they saw each other, hugging each other like they were best friends.

"I'm so sorry," Beadie sniffled as she hugged the fragile woman tighter in her arms.

"Stop that," Isabel smacked the back of her head lightly, earning a light chuckle from the blonde as she pulled away. "I can't thank you enough for coming back for me. Coming back for all of us."

Her hazel eyes shifted from the blonde towards the door, her eyes narrowing.

"You can stay," Isabel called, causing Beadie to turn around.

Both women looked at Alejandro who stood with his hand on the handle, ready to leave them some space and talk things through. Also, he didn't want to trigger the poor woman after everything she went through.

His eyes wandered to Beadie's, who flashed him a smile through her tears and gestured him to sit beside her. Reluctantly, but he sat on the chair next to them, feeling a little out of place. He wasn't used to talking with victims. Rudy was better at this if it was needed.

But after a few minutes of talking, he finally relaxed back in his chair and talked like they weren't in a hospital. The three of them chatted for hours, Isabel telling Alejandro everything that seemed important and could help deal with the cartel. Both of them admired the woman for being able to recall and relive everything that happened to her in order to help them.

After some time, Alejandro left to make some calls, leaving the women in the room.

It was good to see that Isabel was in better shape than before. Her broken arm was now in a cast, and the bruises on her skin started to fade with time. There was no doubt the mental scars would stay forever, but despite everything Isabel still managed to smile.

"So do you want to talk about it?"

"About what?" the blonde's eyebrows furrowed at the other girl, not catching what she was talking about.

"You and Alejandro," Isabel rolled her eyes playfully. "I worked with men who made no effort to hide their intentions. And Alejandro is really easy to read even though he tries."

"That's a scary skill of yours," Beadie's eyes widened, earning a chuckle from Isabel. "But I don't know what you're talking about."

"Then I won't say it," Isabel sighed, leaning back against the pillow Beadie just fluffed for her. "There's no point in me calling it out if you deny it. You have to admit it to yourself first."

Beadie brought her bottom lip between her teeth as she thought her words through. It was a lie that she had no idea what she was talking about. She just didn't want to see the signs that were way too obvious.

She liked how Alejandro could have a conversation with anyone, making them more comfortable. She liked the way his eyes crinkled slightly whenever he smiled. She found it adorable whenever someone talked, he leaned a little closer to them to give his full attention to them.

It was the small things that kept her captivated. He wasn't the usual type she would go for, she preferred the love that hurt and broke her heart better than she could. But whenever he made her laugh or touched her with so much care her skin tingled, it was clear he wasn't the type.

That scared her more than anything else. But as the night approached with the oncoming party at the base, her nervousness got bigger and bigger. She had a hard time facing her fears, and right now those fears appeared in the sexy form of the Mexican Colonel.

Getting ready brought her back to the days in the mansion. There was a sour feeling inside her and she quickly shook the memories away, not letting them ruin her night. She was a strong woman and she deserved to have some fun.

Beadie used minimal makeup, knowing that most of it would probably move because of the heat and she didn't want that. She concentrated on bringing her eyes out more with some mascara and minimalistic eye-shadow. Her thick blonde hair was in its natural wavy state as she let it air-dry after her shower. She felt like this look would go best with her outfit.

She picked up a nice two-piece set at a small mercado. A lovely old woman sold dresses, her beautiful granddaughter dancing around in the advertised dresses to Hispanic music, drawing people's attention. Beadie was captivated by the colorful dresses and lovely music, thinking that buying a dress wouldn't hurt her too much. The woman and the granddaughter, Maria were very eager to help the best dress for her and as Beadie looked at herself through the mirror, it was obvious they didn't fail.

The top was an off-the-shoulder piece, the slightly puffy sleeves reaching her elbows. It had a corset-like front, pushing her boobs up nicely which she was grateful for. It gave great support and she looked great at the same time. The top ended a few inches above her belly button which would make her nervous if it wasn't for the high-waisted maxi-skirt.

Both the top and the skirt were decorated with beautiful flowers, the whole set red and vibrant. It complimented her skin well, just like Maria said it would. The high slit on the skirt showed off her toned legs and it was easy to move around. She topped it off with a pair of tan high-heeled sandals, giving her some extra height she liked.

Beadie felt sexy and self-conscious at the same time. She stood in the middle of her room for a good ten minutes contemplating whether she went too overboard with her fit or not. She was sure there would be mostly males, which made her more nervous.

But she was already late, having spent too much time getting ready. And she didn't have any other outfits in mind, so with a sigh she opened her door and stepped out in the hallway.

It wasn't that hard to follow the loud music that echoed down the halls, leading her straight to where the party was. The upbeat Hispanic music called her soul like no other, her heart already beating faster, trying to match the rhythm. She fidgeted with her hands as the nerves got to her more, almost making her turn around.

But she wanted to see Alejandro. And he was inside, so she had to go inside as well.

God, it would be so awkward if he changed his mind, the thought coursed through her mind, making her cringe.

"Just go inside, dumbass," Beadie muttered to herself as she took in a deep breath, ignoring how her hands started to sweat from both the heat and nervousness.

Before she could change her mind, Beadie pushed the double doors open and stepped inside, music flowing beside her.

Inside was a huge room that reminded her of a small hangar with its high ceilings and curved top. Wooden beams supported the ceiling, and numerous desks and chairs were put beside the walls. The floor was a little uneven, not the best match with her heels but she was ready to ditch them if they got too uncomfortable anyway.

And there were a lot of people inside, mostly men just like she guessed. The crowd almost made her turn back around, suddenly realizing she didn't know anyone here besides Alejandro and Rudy. Finding them here was almost impossible, and the sudden attention she felt on herself started to make her chest fall and rise faster.

This was a bad idea.

Then the crowd split a little, her gaze shifting amongst the men until they spotted a familiar figure.

He sat on top of a table with a beer in his hand, chatting away with a few other men who sat around the table. The noise of the room quieted down in her ears as she watched him, his smile wide as he listened to one of the men talk animatedly. Her heart started to calm down a little, each heartbeat a little slower than the previous one, her whole being relaxing at the sight of him.

Alejandro threw his head back in laughter, a small smile appearing on her lips as well. He was in a good mood, and it was all worth it if she could see him.

Just like he felt the weight of her gaze on him, Alejandro's head turned her way, and the hand that raised the beer to his lips stopped mid-air as his eyes connected with hers.

Everything stopped around them as they stared at each other across the room. His dark eyes scanned her body in a swift motion, her cheeks heating up and her heart started beating faster for a whole different reason.

She barely registered the approving whistle she received from the side, her eyes locked on Alejandro as he rose from his seat without giving one more glance at his previous company.

He looked great. He wore a black button-down, the top two buttons undone, showing off his tan chest a little. The sleeves were rolled up, displaying his strong forearms, and she already felt her knees weaken. She was a sucker for strong arms.

Hell, she was a sucker for him. Everything about him just called to her.

Her legs carried her towards him without her realizing, only snapping out of her thoughts when his strong voice made the best harmony with the music around them.

"Bella!" Alejandro beamed, his arms widening as he strolled her way. His long legs were much quicker than hers. "You came."

She smiled back broadly as she closed the distance, only stopping before him by a foot.

"I couldn't miss this for the world," Beadie looked around, her eyes taking in the many people around them. It looked like the whole base was here, even some children. Which was a little odd, but it was clear they were like a big family.

"And you look beautiful," Alejandro said lowly for only her to hear as he reached for her hand, spinning her around and taking a better look at her.

A giggle erupted from her as he spun her around, which took her off-guard. She didn't giggle, like, ever. Secondly, she had no idea she liked to be spun around so much, but he did it with so much grace it made her all giddy.

"Thank you," Beadie breathed, suddenly feeling lightheaded as she gazed up at him. "You, too."

Her awkward comment was rewarded by a laugh, the dark tones of his laughter warming her heart.

"Nobody called me beautiful before," Alejandro stated with an amused glint in his eyes, leading her back toward the table he came from. The slight touch on the small of her back didn't go past her.

"Glad I could change that," the blonde joked. "We can change a lot of things tonight."

"Yeah?" Alejandro quirked an eyebrow, the flirty tone piquing his interest.

Beadie hummed and decided to not comment on how his fingers brushed against her bare skin exposed between her top and skirt.

"Yeah, like how I haven't drank beer in a year."

He let out a laugh as he guided her, the table surrounded by numerous people getting closer to them. Beadie got a little nervous at the sight of them, her previous unpleasant experiences with men making her heart squeeze. She tried to shake off the feeling the best she could, she didn't want her trauma to take away a good night from her.

"We got stronger, too," he gestured towards the hard liquor on the table. "Do as you please. Have fun. I'll just introduce you to a few people before that."

Beadie nodded with a smile on her face, and as the men around the table greeted her warmly, she was sure she was at the right place. Everything felt right and nothing could take that away from her.

╚⏤⏤⏤╗❀╔⏤⏤⏤╝

A few hours and numerous drinks later Beadie got dragged away by one of the children that attended. The little girl's name was Rosa and she was the sweetest child Beadie had ever seen. His dad, Eduardo was one of Alejandro's men and his babysitter had set him up, so he had to bring his three beautiful children. Beadie didn't mind, she loved kids and seemingly the kids liked her, too.

Rosa danced for hours, took a quick nap on her father's shoulder, and then went back to dancing with Beadie. She had a lot of energy for a five year old.

Her brothers, Rufino and Emilio were twins; both of them just turned thirteen. It was hard to tell them apart at first, but Emilio's hair was a little longer and Rufino frowned at everyone that came near him and those little things helped Beadie not to mistake them. Despite Rufino's protest, he was forced to dance with his little sister because no one could say to the beautiful little angel. It was clear her brothers adored her.

"That's the wrong feet!" Emilio yelled above the music, throwing his hands in the air. He was trying to teach Beadie a few steps that looked cool but turned out harder than she thought. And the drinks didn't help.

"That's not how you teach a lady to dance, chavo," Alejandro shoved Emilio's head back in a playful manner, the little boy rolling his eyes at him.

"You think you're better then?" Emilio ran a hand through his curly hair. He drew an eyebrow at the older man defiantly.

"Of course I am," Alejandro taunted, reaching over to take Rosa's hand and spin her around a few times. The little girl giggled loudly, a wide grin stretching across Beadie's lips at the sight.

She didn't think it was possible to find him any more attractive, but the way he treated children just did something to her.

Rosa got dizzy from the spins and fell against Beadie's leg, her giggling nonstop. The blonde bent down and scooped the little girl up in her arms, her own chuckle mixing with the little girl's. She took the opportunity to fix Rosa's wild hair a little, her previous braids mostly undone by now, but that just made her more adorable.

"I'd like to see you try," Emilio gestured towards the dance floor, his animated gestures making him look younger. He wasn't that bad of a teacher, he just lacked patience and Beadie enjoyed annoying him.

"Watch and learn then, chaparrito," Alejandro fixed his rolled-up sleeves and reached over to take Rosa from the blonde. The little girl's eyes lighted up at the sight of him. "Hi, princesa. Can you watch your brother for me?"

Emilio rolled his eyes again and Rufino smirked at the sight of his distress. Beadie wished she could have a sibling, their dynamic made her miss one. Rosa giggled again, hiding her smile behind her little hands as she looked back at Alejandro, nodding her head.

He touched his forehead against the little girl's and said something to her Beadie didn't catch because she was in the middle of holding her tears back. She never wished for a family so badly.

"May I?"

Alejandro's voice snapped her out of her thoughts, her blue eyes connecting with his dark ones. Heat rose to her cheeks as she nodded and took his offered hand, Alejandro leading her towards where other people danced and laughed.

With a swift motion, he spun her around and she arrived back straight back against his chest, their toes almost touching. The sudden proximity made her breath hitch and her eyes widen. A dark chuckle left him, his chest rumbling under her hand.

She didn't even know when she touched him.

"Relax, tesoro," he murmured close to her ear as he took the hand resting on his chest in his hand.

His other hand glided down her back and stopped at her waist, his touch burning her skin like wildfire. How could I relax if he's touching me like this?

"What's up with the nicknames? Ojitos, tesoro..." Beadie asked, her voice breaking slightly. She was way too puzzled to regulate her voice. And due to her heels, she was now way closer to him than before.

She was glad she chose heels. She could see his eyes more without having to break her neck. I should get more heels.

"Do they bother you?" Alejandro asked as he started to lead, her stiff body following. She should take his advice and relax.

"No," came her answer a little too fast. He smiled and put some distance between them. Beadie missed his warmth in an instant. "I just wanted to ask why."

He drew her body closer to his, his body moving slowly as he tried to make her body feel the music. She only needed a few seconds to match him, moving in harmony.

"Ojitos because your eyes captivated me from the first time you looked at me."

Beadie forgot how to breathe.

His hand slid lower, stopping just above her butt.

"Tesoro," he whispered in her ear. "because you're the most precious thing my hands have touched."

Her entire body was on fire now.

And she felt like dying when he pulled back a little to look at her.

"But I can stop."

"Don't," Beadie breathed, her eyes wandering down to his lips. They looked kissable. "Just dance with me."

And they did. Just as Alejandro said before, he was a great dancer and a much better teacher than Emilio.

Her body moved in synch with him, their soul in harmony as they moved. Beadie had the time of her life. She hadn't danced with someone in ages but she was glad she could break that with Alejandro.

He murmured sweet nothings in her ear as they danced, her body igniting under his every touch. It took her back to when she had to give him a lap dance, but this was definitely better. She had no idea someone else's touch could feel like this.

Beadie had no idea how long they were dancing but her feet started to really hurt. She didn't want to stop, she wanted to live in this moment forever. As she turned her head to look up at him, Alejandro tilted his head at the same time, their lips mere inches away from each other.

His gaze darkened as a smile stretched across her lips.

"I don't kiss, cariño. You might fall in love with me," Beadie murmured, her lips tauntingly inching closer to his. A low groan came from him.

"You'll be the death of me."

Her smile widened as her fingernails lightly scratched the back of his neck, her body pressing against his more. Maybe it was the alcohol, but she felt bolder than ever. She felt sexy and dangerous in his arms; the way their bodies pressed together tempting her with a good time.

She wanted more.

When all the children fell asleep under the tables and most of the adults were too drunk or too tired to keep going, Beadie finally pulled away from Alejandro. His hands followed her, holding her waist so naturally like he was meant to be.

"Maybe we should call it a night," Beadie let out a tired sigh, but a smile was still on her face. She just couldn't stop smiling whenever he was near her and it started to get ridiculous.

"Maybe," he agreed, but she couldn't miss the disappointment hidden in his voice.

While Alejandro said his goodbyes to his friends, talking about how the next few days would be extreme, Beadie took the opportunity to sit down and take off her heels. It was a little hard to unstrap it from her ankles, tiredness and the alcohol causing her fingers to be clumsier than usual. Still, there was that excited buzz inside her that grew whenever she set eyes on Alejandro.

"Did you have fun?" Alejandro asked her quietly as they headed down the halls. The entire base was now mostly quiet, which was a blessing after all the loud music and chatting.

She noted how she hadn't seen the Shadows or 141 there. She thought she caught a glimpse of Soap sometime during their dancing but she wasn't sure.

"Yeah," she beamed. "Probably this was the most fun I had in years."

He only smiled at that, a comfortable silence settling between them. Her heels dangled from her right hand, her naked feet finally getting a breather. The cold floor was a blessing against her tortured feet, the balls of her feet aching with every step. But she didn't mind because everything was worth it.

Their hands brushed against each other fleetingly as he escorted her towards her room. As they got closer, her heart started beating faster again, the thought of her plan making her body buzz with excitement. She just hoped he wouldn't get weirded out or something, but the way he looked at her and touched her said she was in the clear.

Unless she misread something. In that case, this will be painful.

You could cut the tension with a knife between them as they slowed their steps down, delaying reaching her door. Neither of them wanted the night to end so fast.

Beadie fiddled with her key in her hands, not really sure how to approach this. She suddenly felt awkward and self-conscious, overthinking everything that happened tonight. This was probably a bad idea and she should just go inside. Never speak of this again.

"Well, uhm, do you-"

Her babbling got cut off as Alejandro closed the distance between them, his hand reaching to cup her face. Her lips parted in surprise as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers in a hurry.

His lips were firm but gentle against hers, just intense enough for her to ask for more. It took her a few moments to kiss him back, the sudden shock paralyzing her. The blonde rose to her tip-toes and curled her arms around his neck as she deepened the kiss, the action causing his back to straighten a little.

His hands found her hips and drew her closer to his body, a low groan escaping him. The hand that cupped her face before now got tangled in her blonde mess, the soft waves slipping through his fingers.

Their kiss was exactly like she imagined it would be; even better. It was just like him: intense, passionate, and promising something that was too tempting to say no to. Her entire body was set aflame as his tongue touched hers. Suddenly she felt dizzy but in the best way. This was the best kiss of her life.

They couldn't get in her room fast enough as his back slammed against the door, closing it behind them. Inside was dark, but that just made everything better. It felt like they shouldn't do this; like this was forbidden – and that just made her want it more.

Her hands ripped at his shirt, sending a few buttons flying on the floor while he tried to get her top off as soon as possible. Every kiss just got better and better; his lips murmuring the darkest promises along her skin as he wandered lower.

Her grip tightened in his hair, urging him to continue what he was doing while her other hand grasped his bicep, trying to ground herself. But he took his time and it was the sweetest torture.

Beadie's back hit her mattress, his arms supporting his weight above her but she wouldn't have minded getting crushed under him. There was just something about a man's weight atop her; the way she could feel their heartbeat on her own skin that made her want even more.

The moonlight seeping through her windows painted him in an ethereal glow, her eyes taking in the sight of him and his muscles. Meanwhile, he just took a minute to appreciate the sweet angel lying under him, her blonde hair sprawled out around her head like a golden halo, and her bright eyes darkened with desire.

"You sure?" Alejandro asked just to be sure, his voice coarse and deeper than she ever heard. That paired with his touch on her naked thigh creeping up made goosebumps appear against her skin.

"I never wanted something more."

That was enough for him to finally tip over the edge, his lips crashing against hers again. He loved her body in such ways nobody else could, earning such noises from her that would haunt him in his filthiest dreams. And for the night, there was nothing else just the two of them, giving a piece of their soul and heart to each other.

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extra long chapter for you loves! 

i hope that makes up for the lack of smut. if you came from my other book killshot you already know i cant write smut for the life of me. im sorry and i hope that didnt take too much away from the experience.

but they finally did it! and i just love their chemistry sm