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Hunter knew that the fallout of this wouldn’t be good, even if Bridget would put on a hard front. It had taken so long for them to break down each other’s walls, he hoped this wouldn’t be the moment for them to all build back up. This was the reason that he had never even considered dating a co-worker until Bridget came along. A familiar figure was passing by and Hunter took a passing look before darting his arm out to grab their arm. His hunch was right and he was looking down at a very angry girlfriend. “I muted my headset. You going to tell me what’s going on?”

Bridget didn’t quite know what was wrong, well other than the jealousy that ra trough her veins like an emotion that she had never experienced before. So as she settled into the alley way she had been pulled into, Bridget felt more and more silly than she liked to admit. “How would you feel?”, she asked looking up to him finally, tipping the brim of her hat to allow him to see his features. “It’s my fault I can’t be in the field and now as a punishment I get to watch some mobster barbie undress you with her eyes and who might get to because it’s all part of the fucking job.”

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Guilt welled up in his stomach as he listened to Bridget’s voice cracking over the earpiece, her voice swelling with emotion. It was breaking through his exterior and he couldn’t have that. Not with the blonde studying every thought crossing over his features. He cleared his throat quickly and with what he hoped passed as a charming smile, excused himself to the bathroom. “Bridget. I need your help with some of this technology. Meet me outside now.”

She didn’t want to go and meet him. She didn’t want to deal with her mentor looking down at her wit disapproval because she let their relationship get in the way of the mission. She didn’t even want to deal with her boyfriend trying to cheer her up. All Bridget wanted to do was show the blonde trash what it was to mess with the wrong person. Maybe there was a little bit of her absent father in her after all. “I’m coming”, she spoke softly, trying to mask the emotion as she slipped out of their command center and slipping into the back alley like the ghost she had been trained to be.

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In another life, years ago before he joined his team, this girl would have been exactly his type. He would have leaned across the table, said something low and charming. But that wasn’t he was anymore and the girl behind the microphone stealthily attached to his body was the one he was in love with. Hunter excused himself, that wide smile settling on his lips, before he pushed off the table and headed towards the restroom. “Bridget,” he muttered as soon as it was safe enough to speak. “I need you with the team. It’s best if you’re giving me instructions.”

Bridget had stepped away from the computer but she could hear his voice in her ear. But she wondered if Hunter knew how hard it was to sit there and watch this. Every inch of her being was driving her to wring this girls neck, jealousy was not something easily maintained in this business. Being team leader may not of been the best assignment for her because of their relationship. “He’s fully capable of giving instructions, hell he’s probably better at telling you how to flirt. And I can’t hack into systems with mob boss barbie hitting on you in my ear”, she could list all the excuses and all the reasons she wanted, but they both knew. She loved Hunter and this made her heart hurt.

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Hunter wondered for the millionth time how he had been roped into this. Their team already had a wealth of information from their vacation cover — the things Bridget had reported back to them setting them ahead. But the woman who held the key to uncovering their next step was notoriously hard to get alone and happened to have a weakness for tall blondes. So it was him who was thrust forward and into the position of the flirt, when he normally felt comfortable leading the team. He steered the woman to the back of the bar, right to the booth Bridget had instructed. “Well, it’s not that interesting. I inherited my family’s company young and I’ve worked hard to keep it.” He leaned in a little closer, his smile was fake but only those who knew him would see it. “I’m just looking for the right place to invest.”

Blue eyes focused on the male in front of her, a smirk forming on her lips. It was clear to her and the entire room that the chemistry between them was palpable. Attractive people attracted one another. “Handsome and rich, I do think that we could get along well”, she purred. Now Bridget on the other hand, couldn’t hold back the sour look on her face. “Jesus Christ does this girl realize how fucking gold digger-ish she just sounded”, she growled, angrily typing away at her keyboard, hacking her way through security file after security file. Never had she thought about leaving this life, not just as soon as she had made a name for herself. But this was just painful to sit through. “Charleston is taking over for now”, she spoke in Hunter’s ear, needing to be away from this entire thing.

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The knowledge that Bridget was listening to every word and watching every small move made him extremely uncomfortable. But this was his job and he had to push aside any thoughts of her, which were plaguing his brain at this point. His hand hovered for a few moments before placing it on the small of her back as they walked, trying to slip back into the attitude he needed. “I thought we’d grab a drink and see where that takes us.”

Of course when one of her other teammates asked her a question, she had to turn her attention back to the date. Tense shoulders hunched over the keyboard, cueing up the security footage of the bar area. impatient fingers tapped on the edge of her computer, watching the blondes hands take too much joy at the muscles hidden beneath the dress shirt. “There’s a corner booth in good view of the cameras but has that area of romantic shit for wooing”, she fought the stiff sound in her voice , watching the people in the bar for any signs of danger for Hunter. “So, tell me more about yourself? What does a pretty boy like you do locked behind a desk all day. You should be out living, letting people cherish that chiseled jaw”, she cooed, fingers ghosting along his skin.

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It was going to be a long fucking night. Which was evidenced by the fact that his dress shirt felt too starchy against his skin and that his girlfriend was sitting on the other side of the wall, listening as he tried to flirt his way into some information. The only upside to the whole thing was going to be the fact that he could slip away with Bridget later, letting all the passion he was supposed to be feeling during this cover seep into her skin. But now he had had to focus on the task at hand, which was clipping his microphone to the inside of his collar. “I’ll try my best.” Hunter wished he could say more to reassure Bridget but he couldn’t say anything that would tip their colleagues off and they happened to all be listening on the other side of the wall. He shut the door firmly behind him and pasted a fake smile onto his lips as he spotted his company for the evening. “You look beautiful.”

Every compliment, every flirt, and every smile cause Bridget to have to quiet the growl of jealousy that wanted slip free. This was awful and all she wanted to do was go in, get the information in a way would help this rage that seemed to form at the sight of the way she looked at her boyfriend, and get this over with. But she couldn’t. She had to watch, she had to work behind the scenes, and she had to be the vice in Hunter’s ear while he did his job. All she could focus on was the evening where she’d have him back. Quick fingers moved over her computer, eyes only half focused on the actually video. The leggy blonde smiled, pushing herself off the wall to move to her companions side. “You don’t look so bad yourself”, her raspy voice cooed, lips coming into contact with his cheek. “So what’s the plans for tonight, handsome?”

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This was pure torture, to say the least. Weeks had gone by since they returned from St. Luca, but the agency seemed to continue to keep a close eye on her. It wasn’t every day that you learned your father was the head of a crime ring and it wasn’t everyday that one of his lackies gave you a bleed in your brain. But it had happened and it was true. So it made sense that they wanted to keep her face from the field for a while longer, but that did not mean that she enjoyed sending Hunter in alone. She insisted that this next mission be handled better, instead of miles away, the team was simply a door away from Hunter in his new cover on this new assignment. Her new equipment that had been developed allowed her to have all eyes on her boyfriend and her voice in his ear. But the fact that this assignment required Hunter to charm the beautiful associate into getting the information they needed was not her favorite. “Try to be just a little charming this time?”, she instructed, fingers knotted into the fabric of the comforter. She sat and watched as Hunter prepared for this date, dreading every moment of it. “I think I liked the old covers better.”

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This swelling in his chest, this fierce need to be around here was not something that Hunter ever thought he would experience. He had heard love being described, had seen it in his parents before they died and he had even come close. But nothing compared and it was a feeling that overwhelmed him. Her hands in his was more comforting than he ever could have imagined and he held on tightly, his head tipped back against the seat in an effort to relax. But her words were keeping him on edge and he turned his gaze to her again. His eyes studied her features carefully, wanting badly to protest. But this was their line of work. As much as he wanted to, there were certain things he couldn’t protect her from. But he was damned if he wasn’t going to try. “I promise I’ll never let anything happen to you.”

It was a sense of peace that washed over her with his promise. It wasn’t necessarily that she thought that he would always be able to protect her in the life they lived. It was the honesty ad commitment in his words that seemed to ease all the noise in her soul. Like Bridget actually believe that as long as he was by her side, she was invincible. “And I you, kind of like having you in my life”, she mused, keeping her confession light. The magnitude of the entire situation was that in such a short amount of time, Bridget was entirely sure that any life that he was not in was not one worth living. Her head gently came back to rest on his shoulder and idle fingers coming to rest with the fabric of his shirt tangled in her grasp. “So what do you think it’s going to be like when we get back?”

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It wasn’t often that Hunter met someone that threw him off his game, that made him want to change any aspect of his personality. But he knew that he’d do anything Bridget asked, go to the ends of the earth for her. He was doomed. The soft touch of her lips to his put his mind at ease and he rested his forehead against hers gently for as long as he could. But then he heard footsteps approaching and rested back in his seat, intertwining his hand into hers. “Don’t ever jump out of window like that again.”

Being close to him was all she wanted right now, to feel the comfort and protection those strong callused hands could provide. But that was not possible, not with their co-workers surrounding them, and their inability to flash their relationship in their faces. But she cautiously brought their intertwined hands into her lap and let her head fall back onto the pillow between them. “I can’t make that promise, not if it means you’re safe and I get to come home to you”, she said honestly, unable to promise him that something so reckless would be avoided, not if it would reunite them in such circumstances. “I do promise that I’m always going to come home to you, though.”

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“Out of all the thrill in my life, you’re my favourite.” The words are soft and just for her to hear and for a second he can’t believe that they had left his lips. For so long he had been convinced that he would never meet someone to knock him off the feet the way his fiancee had, that he was happy with the occasional one night stand. But Bridget was different and suddenly he found himself wanting to be this person for her, to be better. “I think you know the answer to that. It would be much appreciated, agent.”

Bridget wasn’t sure she had heard what she had heard. Had Hunter whispered something so sweet and innocent to her, that made her feel like even in the most impossible situation she had found someone that she was meant to be with? She picked her head up from the pillow looking at him with a gentle smile. “Consider it done”, she whispered, taking a spare moment to peak around the plane. They had been left alone in the quiet of the seating area while the other agents closed the case. She gently tipped his chin up to her, her forehead resting on his own. “I’d do anything for you, Hunter”, she whispered, before her lips found his. And it was true, she wasn’t sure she was going to see him when her father had taken her away but if it meant that he was safe, she would risk her life. Bridget wasn’t sure if that meant what she thought it meant or if it was the high risk nature of their jobs that made her feel like everything was magnified by a thousand. But she was starting to believe this emotion and devotion meant love.

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“I think you’re going to be the death of me, Maddox.” His eyes didn’t open and his head didn’t leave the top of hers — he was much too comfortable there. Even if the thought of them sneaking off for a while was more tempting than he wanted to admit. “I could probably work some blue into my wardrobe.” There was an amused hint to his voice. It was no secret that all of his staples were simple and dark, as far away from Mr. Price as a person could get. “I think the real tragedy here is that I’m probably never going to see you in a sundress again.”

Bridget simply smiled, knowing that very well could be true. But he made her feel alive, like all of this wasn’t worth just nothing. Like she would never be alone ever again. He made things make sense. “Yeah, well I think you like the thrill of it”, she whispered, thumb unconsciously scaling along his knuckles. A muted laugh filled the space between them, only seeming to draw him as close to him as she could manage in the airline seat. “Was it the sundress you loved or what was under the sundress?”, she asked, finally letting her heavy eyes fall open once more. “I could maybe work a sundress or two in when appropriate.”

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“I’m always trying to keep you conscious.” He was able to discreetly press a kiss to the side of her hair, the small comfort of that enough to keep him content until they could get off the plane. Finally, he felt them taking off and he fought the urge to let his eyes flutter shut. Though that proved to easier as Bridget was whispering in his ear and he had to bite back a smirk. “And you’re calling me mean? Saying that while we still have a seven hour flight ahead of us.”

The lurch of the plane forward was something that was so satisfying and oddly bitter sweet. For a few days there, St. Lucas was a paradise. It was where she could lay in a beautiful suite with this man here, where she could hold his hand on a beach, or be a real couple with Hunter. So those moments she would miss, the rest was what she’d love to say goodbye to. “Well, if you weren’t so worried about me, I’m pretty sure we could sneak off here to kill a few hours”, she hummed, even thought it was clear to the pair of them that it just wasn’t possible. “You know, I think I’m going to miss my husband. Was enjoy you in all that blue”, she smiled, gently tugging on the dark fabric of his shirt. 

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At this point, heads were turning in their direction but Hunter was too tired, and worried about Bridget, to really give a damn. Let them think what they wanted and if it came down to it, they could always play it off on their cover. Her pinky on his was a small comfort, reminding him that she was safe and beside him now as they finally prepared to jet away from the place he wasn’t sure they were going to make it back from. “I do what I can.” A glance down revealed that her eyes were closed and he nudged her gently. “Hey, no sleeping, alright? We’re just making sure we have everything and then we’re gone.” He pressed his lips to a spot just above her ear, whispering gently. “Want to sleep for three days straight when this is all done?”

A quiet groan came from the impatient brunette as she had made herself more than comfortable there in his grasp and exhaustion slowly running through her veins. “You’re so mean”, she whispered, making it a point to jut out her bottom lip before heavy eyelids were peeled back to their open station. The people’s eyes were on them, like they were almost waiting for the moment their knowledge was confirmed. But Bridget and Hunter never need to confirm anything to anyone. “Can we do some not sleeping in there too?”, she whispered, the pout easily morphing into her usual smirk. “Then more sleeping?”

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staticquake + forehead kisses 

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Hunter’s attention had been settled on the other agents and their chatter, voices raising as they debated what they were going to do. There were still things they had to settle in St. Lucia, especially to ensure that none of the citizens were in danger. But as Bridget’s hand moved to her head, he snapped into attention, a growl underlying her tone. “You guys figure that out while we’re on the plane. We’re going now.” And sure enough, within ten minutes, they were being hustled off and into the chartered jet. Hunter rustled around and managed to produce a pillow for her, propping it on his shoulder carefully. “Are you okay?”

Even she couldn’t help but startle at the sudden aggression that was laced within her boyfriend’s voice. She moved with the fellow agents, running on autopilot. And before she knew it she was seated down on the plane while the rest of the team did their jobs to complete the leg work her and Hunter had completed. She smiled as she watched him take the seat next to her, even risking such an intimate exchange by letting her rest her head against him and the pillow. “Did you know that a wolf’s mate will station herself between an attacking wolf and her mat’s throat?”, she asked quietly, letting her pinky hook around his. “That was definitely some wolf protection going on back there”, she teased, letting her eyes fall shut. “I’m okay, I promise, just very tried and a bit of throbbing. Is everything ready?”

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Hunter was more than a little relieved when Bridget walked over to him. He was about to do the same but he honestly wasn’t sure if he could do it so casually, especially after the day’s events. As covertly as possible, he slid his hand into Bridget’s, the sight blocked from the other agent’s views by the desk. “James, make sure you get someone on the plane to look at that right away.” His voice was more gruff than he meant it to be but worry was gripping him again. “Bridge, was there anything that would tip us off to where he’s heading next?”

Feeling even the tiniest bit of pressure from his hand in hers was enough to ease whatever little doubts left lingering in her mind. Doubts about them and doubts about their safety on this mission. But he wasn’t going anywhere and the agents around them assured they were going home safely. She thought hard, trying to picture whatever it was they were discussing around her. “No, but if there’s anything it would be in all the documents we sent to HQ”, she sighed, unconsciously rubbing at her temple once more. “Are we all ready to get the hell out of here?”

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Hunter was admittedly grateful that there were a pair of his old clothes waiting for him. He pushed the fabric of the red flowered shirt he was wearing off his shoulders and wasted no time shrugging into the black t-shirt they had brought. The appreciative looks that the female agents were throwing his way went completely unnoticed; his gaze was on Bridget now crossing the room. Finally, as he realize that they were relatively out of danger, he let out a sight of relief. “Bridge, we’re going to have to get you checked out for a concussion. Did you get any intel when you were in the room?”

Bridget was easily one of the women who allowed themselves more than a few seconds of staring at his body, but the difference was that she was going to be able to personally enjoy that later. That was enough to fill her with pride and quiet the jealousy that wanted to snap her patience in half. She walked closer to him, allowing somewhat of a safe distance but needing to be within his grasp once more. “If I know anything about concussions, I’m going to give a solid affirmation that I have one”, she admitted, gently pressing her fingertips into her temples. It couldn’t slow her down, not until she was out of St. Luca and away from her father’s grasp. “Just long winded stories about my childhood and my mother”, she shrugged, her gaze dropping down to her callused hands. “He didn’t want to discuss business, but I managed to slip my tracker onto on of his goons before I jumped out the window.”