How Do I Get Out of This?

Thanks to my editor Tigersman for editing.

*****

"Stephen..." She murmured.

Mark walked closer, as he saw her troubled face and worried. He hadn't heard her.

"Stephen. You are Stephen." She stated, she exclaimed in a low pitch until her throat was painfully burnt. She kept repeating it until Mark reached her and froze.

"My sweet Eva," he started explaining calmly but didn't get the chance.

She had dropped her ticket on the floor and ran blindly out of the waiting room, out of the airport actually.

Mark lost his concentration for a couple of minutes. He could distinguish the fear in her features, the same fear he saw when he examined the scar on her face, back on their first encounter. He sensed her withdrawal and the hurt. He could actually feel the hurt conquering her body and mind right now. As he hurried out to find a taxi, he knew it would take a lot to shake it all off. He couldn't have guessed how much.

There was a car accident near Eva's apartment so Mark told the driver to drop him off just there; he would run the rest of the distance. A thin film of sweat was covering his face. This was one of the rare instances Mark O'Brien felt turmoil in his soul he couldn't control with his mind. All he could focus was finding her apartment door; the background falling into darkness. Once he found it, he knocked but didn't wait for an answer; he got a pin out of his belt and opened it promptly.

Eva was sitting on the floor, abandoned like a bean bag, her hands hugging her bent knees and her coat pooled around her along with her bag.

"My Eva..." Mark started, approaching her.

She hugged her knees more but she dared to look at him.

"You are Stephen. You've been lying all along. But, why? Why?"

"Gimme a chance to explain Eva," Mark began as he felt his veins on his hand pulsating from the force of his willpower not to touch her. Yet.

Just as she was raising her eyes to a Mark who was half bent over her, the door opened with a wild bang. Two of Stephen's former gang members rushed into the room, filling it with loudness, harshness and an iron smell.

"Stephen, my man!" He hit his back and cheerfully added "Are you here for business or pleasure?" And his head pointed to Eva, who stood with a half open mouth and a trembling lip.

"Stephen as I've heard is only about business," the other one said, a lot less cheerful than his companion.

"So, Stephen," his voice getting more serious and sly, "We hear you were out too quickly, my man, and we got concerned."

"Yeah, some silly rumors were heard," the first one said reluctantly. "Never believed them," he added too quickly.

"As?" Mark found his self discipline at last. Damn, he should had noticed their shadows when he approached her apartment, he should had smelled that distinctive smell that disgusted him because it reminded him what he had to do to carry out his job. He used to smell like that himself until he buried himself under the shower for half an hour every day.

"As in police, cop, undercover." The second guy kicked in, his scrutinizing gaze strong. Mark didn't stand a chance but as he heard deep down the hiss of Eva's breath, he was made of steel again.

"And you make a habit of getting fooled like that? Do you even know me? Have you worked with me?"

"So, what's the deal here?" The first one cut in the deadly silence.

"I was supposed to find someone about a deposit box but it turned out it is her roommate, who's gone to her boyfriend's for the night. So, she's useless and I'm done here. In fact, I was going to leave..." He was, more than he wanted, quick to reply.

"Can we have some fun, boss?" The first one asked, glancing at Eva lustfully.

"Yeah, sure, I guess... If it's to your liking... But I have to warn you, though, that while I was here some friends of hers next door knocked and invited her to their apartment for dinner. They are expecting her with an open door."

"We could try a short way," the first man insisted, licking his lips. The second one was watching Mark closely. Mark made an indifferent 'go ahead' motion without looking at Eva. He hadn't been this tense in his entire life but adrenaline kept him looking like steel with his very well-rehearsed, cool, indifferent look.

The first one had already approached Eva and had opened his zip. His dick was out, on Eva's face actually and his strong hand was reaching for the back of her neck. Eva was frozen; she couldn't move or show her fear in its real proportions. He grabbed her hair, twisted it around his fist and pulled her face closer to his crotch. Eva resisted this move and he slapped her without restraining any of his strength; she would have fallen down if he hadn't had her hair still wrapped tight around his hand.

Mark was ready to blow his undercover, blow everything and kill them both with his bare hands; he knew he could.

There was a hassle outside the corridor and the second guy said "Hurry up, let's go. She's not worth it, man. She doesn't know how to blow any better than you."

The voices were growing louder. The first guy pressed his cock on her lips one last time and zipped his trousers. Turning to leave, he spit on her and greeted Mark, "See you around Stephen, Boss wants to see you."

Mark nodded. "I'll be around."

They left in a hurry and Mark only hoped that they would be far away when they'd realize that he didn't follow them out. His cover was blown, anyway, and he knew it.

He turned to his Eva and hugged her closely, so tight that she couldn't even ask him to leave her alone.

"I didn't want you to find out this way, Eva. I should have told you the truth but I was scared you'd run away." He caressed her hair, pulling her even closer. This confession was a big step for Mark; actually it was the first time he'd talk about his feelings at all. "Do I need to explain, Eva?"

No, he didn't. She got the whole picture and the small gaps could be filled in time.

"I need to be alone now Mark... Stephen..." She trailed her voice.

Mark took a breath to fuel his patience. "Eva, we both know how dangerous it is for you to stay here. Come, I've got to hide you someplace. I can explain whatever you need me to."

Eva got her bag, ironically all made up for the journey. Mark went over and lifted her bag, looking into her eyes. She blushed. Her lips were sore. He brushed his finger over them, feeling the softness he had bitten so many times. He whispered "Let me Eva" but it didn't sound like he was talking about the bag.

Once out, he was professional. Eva was watching him. He knew which way to take and how to walk, he instructed her sternly and with the fewest possible words. She felt secure with him. Now, that she only followed and had all the facts in her head, every piece got its place. He was protecting her the whole time. He was risking his undercover the whole time. Two totally contradicting, crazy situations to be in.

When she realized it, she lightly touched his hand. Mark felt the difference in her touch, let a reckless moment sink in his mind and kissed her lips softly. She was now warm inside, knew who she was and what she needed.

"Mark..." She said his name out loud in a sweet voice.

Mark had heard her talk that way before. He cursed himself for not being cautious but pushed her against the street wall, grazing her coat against it and kissed her. It felt like ages. The fear of losing her or her life or his life or demolishing everything he knew standing, was entangled in that desperate kiss. He pushed his tongue past her lips and into her mouth, his smashed the sides of her head into his hands, he bit her lip and didn't stop until he registered her soft cries of pain. He tasted blood but still didn't let go.

"Let's go," he urged her not without regretting leaving the warmth of her mouth. He took her hand firmly in his and ran faster, making up the lost time.

They reached an old warehouse. It was a police safe house, just for cases like theirs. He wasn't on the Force anymore but he knew his way in and he wouldn't stay long. If he could make the right phone calls, maybe, just maybe, they could have protection soon.

Eva shivered as she entered the abandoned, huge, empty space. Memories of Stephen's place came to strangle her throat. Mark held her. He held her even closer and kissed her forehead. God, he wanted her. He felt Eva was his ticket to a normal, happy life, away from his demons, away from all this crime and killing.

There, on the dirtiest cement floor, with all gangsters after them, with a million small cracks on the walls that let the cold air whistling in, in a spacious place that spiders had webs at head level, Mark laid Eva's coat down and pushed her gently on it.

He brought his face over hers and said "Eva, I will say this only once. I love you." He looked at her and felt ten years older. His voice broke and he took a break to mend it. "I want you to be mine, totally, undoubtedly, like forever, mine." He didn't wait for an answer.

He kissed her and then he kissed her some more. He didn't undress her, he held her arms up with one of his hands and with the other lifted her skirt and pushed her panties aside.

He didn't break the kiss as he entered her, he didn't break the kiss while he took her, he didn't break their kiss when she came and felt her small cries and ragged breath in his mouth. His name was the most used word and the shaking of her body the answer to his question.

He didn't stop moving into her, he didn't stop holding her tight until he came inside her, calling out her own name, tangling his breath with hers.

Now she was his.

Yes, he would have to call his police friends tomorrow, yes he would have to stay up all night watching all noises, yes they would have to relocate.

And yes, they would be together in all that craziness that fate brought them into.