Hello, again my lovelies. Thank you for all of your kind words, I really appreciate it. I promised that you wouldn't have to wait long for this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy it. I'm currently working on the next chapter and two new books that I hope will be up soon. I hope when it's up you guys will check it out. 

Anyway, happy reading. 

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Lacey P.O.V

"He hit you again, didn't he?"

Oliver turned my face from side to side, inspecting the bruise that my makeup failed to cover up. I moved my face away from him and involuntary tugged the sleeve of my top over the angry bruise on my wrist. However, this did not escape Oliver's keen eyes. He grabbed my hand and pushed my sleeve up, revealing the marks left by Richard.

"F**k, Lacey, why do you let him do this to you?

"It's not like I can just stop him, Olly."

He grabbed my face again, but this time I pushed his hand away. He was my friend and partner, but his closeness unsettled me, and besides, we were inside of the FBI building, anyone could see us. I knew that if word got back to Richard that Olly was touching me, I'd gain a few more bruises before the day ended.

"Leave it alone, Olly. We both know that Richard has eyes and ears everywhere."

He looked around just as I did, noticing the few eyes that were curiously cast our way. Oliver pulled away from me and stepped back, but it was already too late. I saw the office gossip, Marie James, looking at us and texting away on her phone at the same time.

I swore and so did Oliver, we both know that the entire building was going to be buzzing with rumours of him and me before we even got to the third floor.

Fear filled me when I thought about how pissed Richard would be. My feet froze on the spot, and I got the sudden urge to run and never look back. However, the moment I was about to let my feet take over, Killian's face popped into my head, and I just knew that if anyone could protect me from Richard it would be him. I just had to figure out how I was going to get him to do it.

Olly tapped my shoulder, breaking my train of thought. He gave me a concerned look and I smiled at him to let him know that I was okay. We both ignored the curious look that we were getting and made our way to the elevator. When we arrived on the third floor, sure enough, the entire office had already heard Marie's version of what happened.

"Are you two insane, flirting in the building where your crazy soon to be ex-husband works?"

Haley Dene, my best friend and colleague walked over to us. She has been pushing me for years to start a relationship with Olly, despite me being married to Richard. However, I thought that she and Olly were better suited as a couple.

"We were definitely not flirting."

I was irritated at Marie for starting yet another rumour about me, but I was more pissed off at myself because I should have known better than to let Olly touch me.

"Well, you should have been flirting, but maybe not inside the FBI building, but when you two are out alone on cases."

I rolled my eyes at her, and Olly walked off, whispering something about her being a broken record.

"That man is just waiting for you to jump him."

I laughed, "Not going to happen."

She frowned, "Why not? God knows you need to be thoroughly f**ked; you've been on hiatus for years."

"First off, you know that Richard would kill him and find some way to say it was an accident. And besides..."

I paused, biting my lips and smiling at the same time.

She gasped, then cupped her hand over her mouth. Looking around to make sure that no one was looking our way, she pulled me into her office and closed the door.

"Spill. Who was it with, and how did it happen?"

I looked to the floor; my eyes focused on my shoes. I did not want to tell her about Killian, but I knew that I needed to because I would need her to be my cover if I wanted my plan to work.

"I, um, I went to Blood Red on Sunday."

I knew that that was all I needed to say, and she would put the rest of the puzzle together.

Her eyes went wide like a saucer and her jaw dropped. I didn't have to tell her the rest because she already knew how the night ended.

When she was finally past the shock, she grabbed my shoulders and shook me. My head spun. I pushed gently on her hands, and she stopped.

"Are you trying to kill me?" I asked.

"Are you trying to kill yourself?" She rebutted.

I shrugged my shoulders. I knew that it was a risk going to Blood Red and seeking Killian out. First off, he was on the FBI's most wanted blacklist, but they hadn't been able to get anything on him that would stick. On paper, he was a law-abiding citizen who followed all the rules. And lastly, Killian could kill me for trying to use him.

"No, Hayley, I'm trying to save my life. I need to get away from Richard."

"And what? Did you think that sleeping with Killian Black was the answer to all your problems? Lacey, he killed his wife, didn't you read that part in his file or did your muddled up brain skipped that little detail?"

She was right, I did overlook that part because when I saw his picture on Richard's desk, something in my heart told me that all that was written about him wasn't true. And the man whose bed I was in on Sunday was not a man that would kill his wife. I just knew it.

"He's not that person, Hayley."

She grunted at me in disbelief. "What? Now you're an expert on Killian Black? You let the man put his dick in you once and you're all of a sudden in love, is that it?"

"It's not sudden." I knew my reply would upset her, but I couldn't help how I felt. I was in love with him, plain and simple.

"Oh my god, Lacey! You spend six months with the file of one of the most dangerous men in the world, reading about all his dirty crimes and instead of feeling disgusted, you went and fall in love?!"

She threw her hands up in the air, "Unbelievable!"

She was right. I should have been disgusted, but as I read everything that was written about Killian, I saw that some of it didn't add up. His file said that he stalked his wife for five years before he kidnapped, raped and forced her to marry him. But then there was the part where he was willing to die for her on several occasions. They were testimonies from people who claimed that his wife loved him and was also willing to die for him.

It was said that she faked her death to get away from him. But I also read reports that say she thought he was dead and faked her death to hide from his enemies. There were conflicting reports about Killian and his wife's relationship. However, after going to Blood Red every Sunday night for two months, I've noticed that he would sit in the VIP section and drink himself into an early grave, grieving his dead wife. That was not the actions of a man who brutally killed his wife for cheating on him.

"I don't know what to say, Hayley, but I can't help the way I feel about him. And I just know that he didn't kill his wife. I believe he loved her very much, too much actually."

She looked at me like I've finally lost the plot. I could tell that she was wondering whether to report me or try and save me.

"He could've f**king killed you. He will f**king kill you once he finds out you're an FBI agent."

I sucked in a breath and decided to tell her the truth. Maybe she will decide to report me after hearing what I did.

"He's not going to kill me because he already knows that I work for the FBI."

If I thought her eyes couldn't get any wider, I'd be wrong.

"You crazy bitch, you told him?"

"Yes, I decided that lying to Killian Black was not an option."

She paced her office, biting on the pen that she picked up off her desk. I watched her as she tried to think up ways to remedy the situation. However, I didn't need her to, because I didn't think that Killian would have hurt me.

She stopped and looked at me with a sly smile which gave me chills. I didn't like the look on her face. I knew that whatever she was about to say, I wasn't going to like it.

"We can't change what you've done but maybe we can use it to our advantage."

I frowned at her, ready to tell her no to whatever crazy idea her overworked brain came up with, but she lifted a hand to stop me.

"Hear me out."

She didn't wait for me to respond but continued talking. "Killian has been on our watch list for years, we know that he's dirty, but we're never able to prove it. All our leads on him end up as a dead-end and our witnesses end up dead. We tried to get people to infiltrate his organisation, but the paranoid f**ker never lets new people in."

My frown deepened, not liking where the conversation was going, but she ignored me and continued.

"Lacey, you've done what we've been trying to do for years."

"What?" I asked, "Get f**ked by him? Cause if you asked me, he's been f**king the FBI for years."

She scowled at me, "Don't be a smart ass, Lacey, you know what I mean. You got close to him, he allowed you to get close to him. We can use this opportunity to finally bring him down."

"No f**king way! Hell no, not going to happen!"

She wanted me to betray Killian and use my body to gather intel on him that will become his downfall. I couldn't do that. I wouldn't do that to him.

She came to stand in front of me, resting her hands lightly on my shoulders. Her eyes pleaded with me to understand where she was coming from, and I did, but if Killian was going to fall, I wasn't going to be the one that pushed him.

"Lacey, he's a criminal, a dangerous criminal. He has done many bad things. Many good people have died at his hands. He kills people for a living, Lacey. Many young victims that we've rescued from traffickers were sold off by him."

I keep shaking my head. No, it couldn't be true, it just couldn't. I might not know exactly what Killian Black was into, but I trusted my gut, and it was telling me that he was being framed.

She grabbed my face when I refused to look her in the eyes, forcing me to focus on her.

"He's not a good person, Lacey, and he's definitely not good enough for you, sweetheart."

I knew that she meant well, but I still wasn't convinced that he was the monster that everyone was making him out to be.

"Just think about it, okay?"

I nodded my head to appease her, but there was just no way that I was going to be bate for the FBI.

A knock on the door broke us apart. We both turn to look through the glass to see who it was. My heart kicked up when I saw Richard there, his eyes on me.

"I told Richard that I went to the club with you on Sunday, but you left early."

The words rushed out. She nodded her head. She might not be happy with what I did, but she was willing to cover for me.

When she opened the door, Richard ignored her, instead, coming to stand in front of me.

"Well, good morning to you too, Richard." She said irritated.

Richard paid her no mine. He grabbed my face, pressing his fingers into my skin. I hissed in pain and looked nervously at the still open door, praying that no one passed by. I didn't need the entire office knowing that my husband hits me.

"Explain why Oliver Bradley was touching you in the lobby this morning?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but he cut me off.

"You know what, shut up. I'm going to ask my mum to pick the kids up and keep them for the night so that you and I can have some privacy to talk."

His eyes travelled the length of my body, stopping at my cleavage. Chills run through me because I knew that "talk" was the last thing he wanted to do.

He held my face firmly and forced a kiss on me. I clenched my fist, urging myself to endure it. When he'd had enough, he turned and left the office.

I wiped the tears from my eyes. I couldn't let Richards spend the night at my place. I just knew that he wasn't going to let my panic attack deter him this time. He was going to find a way to f**k me, even if it meant doing it whiles I'm unconscious.

"Are you okay, Lacey?" The concern was evident in her voice.

No, I wasn't okay. I'd never be okay as long as Richard was in my life. I just had to get myself and my kids away from him.

My phone rang and I scooped it out of my bag and answered it, fear making my voice shake.

"Hello?"

"Lacey, right?"

My hearts skipped as his rich tone filled my ear and relief washed over me. I looked up at Hayley who was looking at me curiously. I knew that I couldn't give away who I was talking to, or she might just take her crazy idea to the board, and it would all be out of my hands.

I smiled, "Yes, this is she."

He chuckled and the sound sent thrills through my body. F**k, the man has skills.

"I refuse to believe that you don't recognise my voice."

I didn't answer and he didn't expect me to because he continued talking without missing a beat.

"Meet me at my club tonight, we need to talk. I've got questions."

He didn't wait for me to reply, he just hung up, expecting that I'd do exactly what he asked.

Hayley eyed me suspiciously, "Who was that?"

"Just the kids' school calling to let me know that Kailo has settled down."

I hated that I was lying to her, but I didn't want her using me to get Killian thrown in federal jail for the rest of his life. I knew that the FBI wanted him, I just wouldn't be the one to hand him over to them.