Chapter Text
Rattling pipes disturb the thick silence that had propelled her into a deep sleep, carelessly startling her awake green eyes pierce into the dimly lit hotel room and absently her hands slide between the thick white comforter in search of something to protect her. Leon’s name at the tip of her tongue as a sob struggles in the back of her throat.
Her racing heart slows when the last few hours catch up with her in an instant—-- and finally, her head lulls back into the pile of stiff pillows, mismatched memories of her dream playing out behind her eyelids; fading before she can recollect details.
As rushing water drowns out the hum of the ceiling fan, her grogginess slowly bleeds into the thick detergent-laden sheets beneath her. A smile of relief cracks over her face, it was only the shower turning on, she laughs to herself. Spurring a hazy memory to the front of her mind.
Ashley had made a comment to Leon about sharing the bed, but he’d insisted on a roll-out, and the moment her ass hit the mattress three hours suddenly passed by.
In that time her body had become even sweatier. Yes, a shower was needed. Badly. Which struck another idea as she sat up. The little bedside clock read 8 pm, as Ashley settled her socked feet onto freshly polished dark wood floors, she realized she can’t remember when she took off her boots.
Or tucked herself in for that matter.
In no time at all she found her muddied boots, sitting snugly on the ground next to Leon’s gear that lay strategically over the lime-green velvet couch facing the mounted TV. Only his pistol was missing, she surmised it was taken in the bathroom with him as she eyes everything with newfound interest.
A smirk dares at the edge of her lips, of course he takes it in the bathroom with him.
Rubbing her eyes, Ashley turned to the en-suite at her left, stationed next to the front door; the little welcome bag still sat on the desk that overlooked the city line of Spain. Curiously, Ashley lifts the red curtain to the side to reveal a moonless sky that cradled the city in silver starlight. A staggering contrast to the fiery hell that she just crawled out of.
Shuffling sounded in the bathroom, and Ashley glanced to her left again, letting go of the curtain as she approached it with the idea still poking around in the back of her mind.
“No more stalling Ashley, you’ve got this,” She whispers.
Her chest rose and fell in an attempt to drag in all the confidence she needed.
With no more threats, Ashley could finally entertain the desire that had sprung to life the moment Leon destroyed that parasite in her chest; the moment she realized they would make it out alive. No more bullshit.
Heat radiated from underneath the door as plumes of steam tickled the thin fabric of her knee socks.
She clasped a clammy hand over the brass knob and turned, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth to stifle a nervous giggle that fought in the back of her throat as a bout of excitement riddled her fingertips.
If the last couple of days taught her anything at all is that life is short. And that she’s a helluva lot stronger than she’s ever imagined.
The door gives way with a startling creak that sends prickles of fear up Ashley’s arm as she cringes, staring into the steamy teal and white bathroom through the slit in the door, her stomach leaps into her throat when her eyes track the silhouette moving behind frosted glass.
For the first time in her life, she felt perverted.
This was wrong, she knew that; she didn’t need the little angel on her shoulder to point out the blaring obvious—-but Ashley isn’t sure how to come onto a man like Leon, in their short time together she’s noticed his obliviousness. Maybe he’s not into her?
Well, she’s taking her chance. The worst he can do is say no, right?
Ashley moves in tandem with the echo of running water, her eyes falling upon the dark gray of his pistol, sitting lonely on the edge of the cracked porcelain sink, next to the closed toilet that had his clothing haphazardly tossed on top of it.
Ashley’s socks fall along the mosaic tile, watching Leon’s shadow like a hawk as she bends forward to unzip her skirt, slender fingers slipping the zipper down quickly.
Hurriedly she yanks down, her stockings and panties struggle around the bunching of varying fabrics, and her balance staggers sending her forward; she grabs the edge of the sink just in time as her heart collides with her ribs.
Eyes wide, she continues until they fall around her feet in a subtle thud. “Here goes nothing.” She mouths to herself.
Leon faces the rush of water, muscles becoming putty against the embrace of heat and exhaust that he finally sets free to roam his body.
His shoulders slump as his eyes shut. Rivulets of water meet and separate between the planes of his chest before reuniting to disperse down his abdomen where he lathers the bar of soap.
He takes the bar and drags it over his sore bicep again, the amount of bruises he must have makes him internally cringe. But any amount of bruises or hell, even a broken bone or two—even a black eye, would be welcomed in the face of death; or worse, becoming Saddler’s puppet.
Leon opens his eyes, if it weren’t for Luis, God rest his soul, Ada and Ashley, his target of all people—- he wouldn’t be standing here in a tired heap, washing blood, brain matter, and bone fragments from his hair.
A smile tugs at the end of his mouth despite the heaviness in his chest, Ashley had proven herself.
Her brave face in the sunset flashes in his mind’s eye; he’d fulfilled his mission against all odds. It was a conflicting bout of pride that swelled in his tight chest as he watched hazily as graying water trickled down into the drain. The veins of gray and black against stark white remind him of the fate he was so close to.
And how Ashley ultimately saved him.
He won’t lie, there were times he didn’t trust her, at the beginning especially—but she was always there, proving him wrong.
There were a handful of times where she was the one wielding the weapon and him, injured in a heap or a hair's breadth away from passing out and sometimes he did, but he always awoke to those worried green eyes framed by a haze of gold hair.
His savior who’d had her entire world tipped on its axis, who’d faced hell with determination on her face to keep him alive.
Shit, she deserved a Medel of honor.
Cool air rushes into the shower then, and Leon whirls around, hand raised at the ready despite his vulnerable state.
Ashley stood there before him, pressed against the slope of the shower wall. Eyes wide and latched onto his hand that was posed to strike.
Shock ensnares him.
His eyes buoy over her pale shoulders. Not even daring to look past her silver necklace that had twinkled like a shooting star across his vision many times, a beacon of hope hanging in his face against the darkness where Ashley always stood, a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
Ashley’s head tilts to the side as his slide up to them watching intently as they narrow sheepishly, a smile creeping onto her pink lips.
“Remember what the lady said at the desk about hot water?” Her soft voice blends into the hammer of water rushing down upon his head and past his ears that are ringing with his heartbeat.
Her eyes drag over the expanse of his body then, and he watches in real time as she soaks in every inch of muscle, brutally trained; and scars that told a story he’d never forget try as he may.
Reserved, Leon clenches his fists that hung at his sides as she audibly sucked in a breath with curious eyes soaking him in, white teeth sinking into the flesh of her lips the more she wandered and he wondered what she was thinking.
“Could’ve knocked first,” He says, arching a brow.
Ashley rolled her eyes. “I’ll get out,” Leon clears his throat, eyes accidentally grazing over a blur of supple breasts and a taut stomach.
His jaw tenses as his body flares in response and he’s momentarily paralyzed, all too aware of how close she was, just a few centimeters away, and if he wanted to get out his body would mesh with hers, and that scared him.
“Don’t be shy, it’s not like we didn’t just survive literal hell together,” Her giggle leaves abrasions on his heart, and he wants to tell her to step out so he can forget this, forget the glimmer of her nakedness that tempts him like some ravenous dog in heat.
“Here, I’m getting cold,” She adds.
Ashley slides her damp body between his and the tiled wall shimmying into the rush of water, a groan rumbles over his chest, it’s not lost on her as her breasts slide over the undersides of his all too comfortable warm and slick chest, their nipples practically press against each other and Ashley’s tongue darts out to lick away the nervous air on her lips as heat spreads to her nether regions.
His expression is unreadable, a flash of blue steel watches her under the harshness of furrowed brows, as water trickles down his clean face under all the grime he’s sporting a somewhat splotchy tan that tackles the paleness around his chiseled cheeks and mouth that’s tugged into a thin line.
“Ashley—” He begins, her name coming out in a hiss, the wrinkles around his forehead relax, a flash of desperation in its wake—--” This is, I could get in trouble,” He whispers, backing away.
Not far, unfortunately, she’d caged him in the one person walk-in shower. He leans against the slippery wall. Watching the blonde with laser focus, all that training with Krauser couldn’t have prepared him for this.
Ashley tilts her head back, letting the quickly cooling water staunch dried blood and dirt from her pristine blonde hair that darkens into a brass gold over her head, draping over the tops of her slender shoulders. She only offers him a passing glance as she reaches over and grabs the bar of soap that was gripped in his fist like a vice, her touch nearly electrifying him in the process.
Her fingers run over the ridges where his molded. Its spring scent wafted into his nose as she lathers her hair, muddied water ran between her breasts and Leon follows the stream to the patch of golden hair between her thighs with controlled desire burning in the depths of his stormy eyes.
Ashley tries not to let her nerves overpower her and force her to abandon ship when she’s finally got him on the hook.
“We’re just saving water, no crime in that, right?” She asks in the most sensual tone she can muster, splitting his attention from her generously sized breasts to her cute face, drops of water flicker over the tips of her lashes as she smirks at him knowingly—--” Quit being a perv, Leon we’re just taking a shower,”
Leon’s brows raise, she’s not sure if it’s in offense but there’s an airness to his tone that intrigues her. “I don’t share showers with targets, especially women,”
“What about if she’s the president’s daughter? What then?” Ashley teases, lathering the rest of her body, little moans of relief flutter past her lips as she leans forward, her silver necklace flicking toward his stomach.
“Yeah especially,” Leon mumbles, staring down at her, taking in how close her breasts were to his abdomen as she lets the shower mist over her lower back. She complains passively about the pain, no surprise there. How many times had they jumped out windows of burning buildings?
Not to mention the physical torture that Leon knows better than to ask about.
“Well I won’t say anything to my dad, will you?” She glances at him from over her shoulder as she turns and he’s got a sinking feeling that there’s something more to that proposal.
Fingers lace through gold as her ass comes into view, yanking him from the tug-o-war in his head. He watches as it bounces subtly with the shifting of her feet as she washes the rest of her hair. Fuck, he’d seen glimpses whenever she’d drop down on him or use his shoulders as leverage. He’d never imagined this, perfect slopes of creamy pale flesh, and a cute tiny beige birthmark marring her left cheek. His throat dries, fingers digging into his palm.
Lust threatens him like a knife to the throat, seeing her flaunt it like this. Does she even know what she’s doing? The fire she’s igniting?
“Ash, what’re you doing?” He asks flat out, tearing his gaze away. Heat floods to his loins anyway, and he hoped and prayed she wouldn’t turn around and notice.
“Not sure exactly,” She says honestly, the water is warm, bordering uncomfortable. But she wants to wash away everything, as she passes the bar over her forearm again she swears she can hear a squeak. “Is it working?” She queries, eyes screwed shut. Inside her head she’s terrified of his answer, with all the odds against her; she’s terrified Leon won’t agree to this.
Whatever ‘this’ is that she wants. Maybe it’s comfort, maybe in a year's time she’ll look back and regret this.
But that’s future Ashley’s problem to bear, right now she’s following her heart. No matter how reckless.
“You give a dog bone, what do you think happens?” Leon’s rough voice scorches her senses.
“You’re so cheesy sometimes, you know that?”
He’s not sure when he decided he was going to give in, but one second he’s doing mathematics in his head and the next he’s touching her.
Running his calloused fingers through her hair, with that incredible body she’d kept hidden from him—her ass, in particular, pressed tightly against his stiff cock. It takes everything in him not to bend her over and fuck her senseless. The phantom feeling of her wrapped around him thanks to the clear mental image locked him in, he had to have her. He just fucking had to.
Ashley silently takes everything in.
No words could form behind her lips, and her thoughts jumbled. There is no comparison to the feeling of being wrong when she was so afraid of being right.
Snaking an arm around her waist, his forearm snug under the slopes of her breasts as he reaches his free hand to the metal faucet. Twisting until the the shower head creaks and coughs its last spray, leaving Ashley warmer than before with Leon’s chest pressed snuggly against her upper back, she’s never been more thankful for how claustrophobic showers are when there’s more than one body occupying it at once.
Ashley shivers in his grasp as his arm slides against her. She watches as his hand travels upward, splayed between the valley of her breasts; the slick, wet metal of her necklace glides between his palm as he cups her chin forcing her head to the side— a blur of the frosted, misty door flashes over her vision as her body follows until her chest is pressed impossibly close to his. Her eyes trail over his wet skin; she can almost hear the jealous groans from her girlfriends if they caught a glimpse of Leon.
A mass of steel, that her fingers trail over in awe, taking in the impressive eight muscles that trailed a path down his stomach to the appendage just an inch from her stomach. Her eyes flicker back up to his in shock, a smirk is on his face as he cups her face in his tender, strong hands. “Eyes up here, Ashley,”
A blush fans over her cheeks and she stutters a cute “Sorry,” before his hands drop from her face to her waist, taking his time touching her as if he might wake up—-President Graham’s pale teary face came to mind as Leon digs his fingers into the plump flesh of Ashley’s ass and she whimpers, actually whimpers and the sound transcends through him like a bomb that crashes into his better judgment, shattering every last bit of his rationality in a rain of shrapnel.
Ashley looks at him with a fearful expression, drenched and bare for him to corrupt and regret later when his senses come back and beat him senseless again.
“‘Won’t say a word, I promise,” Her lips quiver as Leon dips down to eye level, deep tawny hair wetly clashes against her face and she shivers again, trembling when his lips press firmly against hers. His nose lingers over hers as if hesitating and before she can think of something to say to break the rushing silence his lips engulf her again, more heated than the last.
Her back hits the mattress with surprising force as Leon prowls over her like a Lion, shadows dance over his handsome face as he leans down to place kisses along her bared neck.
Ashley fists the comforter as the heat of his body settles over her like heavy rain.
She arches into him, the warmth of his cock prodding between her inner thighs, it excites her. Her mind races headfirst into fantasies and she has to backtrack to the now as her heart swells in happiness.
Draping her arms over his shoulders when he takes her tongue captive in his mouth, flicking his against hers in approving groans as he grinds his hips forward. And when his mouth moves further and further down between her thighs Ashley finds purchase in his damp hair, eyes set steady on the still-moving ceiling fan. Heart pounding so hard she’s afraid she might throw up.
God, don’t let her first time end like that, not after what happened. He owes her this much.
“I’ve never uh— done this,” Ashley blurts as he parts her thighs, embarrassment creeps onto her creamy skin as cool air splays over her nether regions. She can’t bring herself to look at him between her legs.
Leon snickers in reply, scattering goosebumps over her skin.
“Then I’ll make it extra special for you,” His gaze drops to her splayed-out legs then, in the faint warm light he can see the pretty pink of her slit in near perfect clarity.
Maybe it’s the tension that’s been swirling around them since he found her in that dingy church that has him so dumbfounded, speechless because she’s absolutely perfect, everything about Ashley Graham was fleshed out in such glorious detail that even if she were some random hookup he’d still be questioning his adequacy.
Carefully he parts her lips, and a groan threatens him—She’s already so wet.
The thought of her getting aroused in the shower pleases him, he marvels at the thought as he drags a thumb leisurely along the seam of her pussy, Ashley quivers in response and a gasp floods his ears as he coats her folds in her slick.
He wanted this night to be special for her after all the horror she’d endured.
Even if it’s just an excuse to put an end to his unintentional celibacy, not to mention the way Ada had practically flayed his heart open. Leon denied the possibility that his attraction to Ashley was anything more than surface level; though the whispers in the back of his mind reminded him of the heart on his sleeve.
“Leon—-“ She mewls, dragging him back in, thighs crashing down around his head as he drags his tongue over her center. His name sounds so different as a moan of pleasure, rather than a terrified shriek; much more bearable, and dare he admits, he’d like to have heard it sooner; perhaps her cry of pleasure would’ve aided him in the fight somehow.
Daring to look between her legs from the slits of her fingers that covered her eyes, she reddens at the sight of her hero, lapping at her cunt as if he’d been ordered to do so. Shocks of pleasure jolt in brutal rhythm across her clit as he presses his mouth impossibly close to her core as if he wants to devour her whole.
And fuck, she’d let him–-let him do anything he wants to her, he could destroy her and she’d thank him. Map out every part for him, because her body was made for this, made for him—-it’s a startling, hot realization boiling to the front of her mind as her nails drag over the apples of her cheeks. Eyes squeezed shut, thighs shuddering on their own accord as his warm, slick tongue fishes between her glistening folds in a fierce determination that nearly has the breath snatched straight from her lungs.
Leon pins her thighs down with both hands to keep her from suffocating him any further, pride warms his cheeks at the rhythmic buck of her hips and thighs against his iron grip as he sucks her clit into his mouth with a loud smack.
Ashley jerks then, arousal combating the embarrassment in her tone—-“Do I—- is it okay?” She asks, voice fading in and out of a moan that Leon files away for later.
His laugh reverberated through her core as he peers at her from behind short lashes, bangs disheveled and hanging in every which way around his flush face.
“You’re perfect Ash,” He pulls away for a second, breathless and with her slick and his saliva glossing his lips.
Ashley smiled with a nod, bracing herself on her elbows as she watched in renewed confidence as he snaked a finger through her folds, her eyes roll back as her head falls in tow. His finger hooks against a patch of nerves inside her that has stars scattering across her vision, in tandem he strokes her walls while he continues his vicious assault on her throbbing clit with his mouth.
A wave of goosebumps comes over her as an orgasm rolls over the horizon in kaleidoscopic colors, guided by Leon’s teasing mimic of her moans against her pussy. It’s just enough to push her in.
Ashley hisses behind bared teeth and fists his hair, grinding herself up and down on his tongue as she inadvertently fucks herself on his fingers. Targeting that rush of euphoria with violent, erratic jerks of her hips.
His remaining digits that weren’t buried hilt deep closed to make room for her rolling hips as she greedily met the base of his knuckles, moaning loudly as he flattened his tongue over her clit, sending stars across her blurred vision again.
With splotchy red cheeks Ashley cries out, Leon groans in approval, feeling her walls twitch around his fingers as he strokes her faster until her hips come to a standstill and her orgasm crashes into her as she lets loose a loud cry that mildly worries him that the people next door could hear.
Ashley moves to let Leon onto the bed once he’s let go of her and wastes no time in tackling him onto his back like a fierce pantheress.
“That was incredible,” She’s still breathless as she straddles him, the throes of her orgasm still rolling in the pit of her stomach and core. “How about I return the favor?” Ashley offers, thinking it’s only fair, and truthfully, the idea of pleasing a man like Leon set her on fire all over again.
“As amazing as that sounds,” Leon cages her in a tight embrace around the waist, and with a grunt, he rolls them until he’s hovering over her giggling form—-“I need to be inside you,” He whispers darkly, leaning down to lick the slope of her right breast, he can taste the faint tang of soap and hints of sweat as he catches her rosy pink nipple between his teeth. Her chest depletes underneath him as a gasp bursts out.
Ashley rakes her nails along his back, careful not to add to the soreness there as he sucks tenderly on her nipples, giving equal care, kneading her breasts into his large hands, she can hardly believe this is really happening. And it terrifies her that this is all some sick, twisted dream.
“Leon be careful,” She whispers in his ear as he reaches between their bodies to guide his cock to her center, he watches carefully as her eyes roll back when he pushes forward. Their faces are mere inches apart, her mouth hangs open as a struggling breath fans over his face.
“Shit, Ash—- you’re squeezing me,” He growls, nails biting into the skin around her hips as he bucks forward in controlled thrusts. His eyes roll back as she sucks him in wetly, the springs creak and groan under his stuttering hips. Diving his cock so deep he disregards the very slight resistance he breaks through, the tight hug of her walls crumbling around him drives him crazy and he grabs her thighs, throwing her legs over his shoulders as he pistons into her with renewed vigor.
“L—Leon!” She cries, her legs folded into her chest stifling her ability to breathe. The pain had finally dissolved and with each thrust of his cock, a pleasure so profound sizzled in the depths of her body. So foreign, and incredible she doesn’t care about the need to fill her lungs all the way, as long as he doesn’t stop.
“Ashley, goddamnit—fuck,” He groans, face scrunched in pleasure as he watches her breasts bounce upward with each snap of his hips, her necklace in the middle of all the chaos.
She’s so damn wet he can hear himself gliding between her folds in careful precision, Ashley bucks her hips upward in tandem, head dropped to the side, cheeks puff out slightly as she holds her lips together tight and he pauses. “Are you…crying?” He asks.
Ashley lets out a mix between a cry and a moan when Leon hooks his fingers under her chin, forcing her to look at him. Tears fan out along her temple, another trailing over the bridge of her reddened nose.
Leon slides out and drags her body down to the edge of the bed so suddenly she can’t stop the yelp from flying out her mouth. He stands over her in scrutinizing fury—-” This your first time, having sex?” He clarifies.
Ashley sits up, the heel of her palm swiping at the drying tears on her face. “Does it matter?” Her voice comes out in a squeak as green eyes peer upward at him, Leon takes a step back; realization dawning on his face. A gruff sigh that came out more like a growl in his chest causes her to cross her arms in defiance.
“I thought you knew?” She asks, watching as he swipes a pair of boxers from the dresser near the couch. Guilt sat like a rock in the pit of her stomach when he shot her a glance over his shoulder.
“Don’t go there, and yeah it matters, a lot,” He turns, crossing his arms, shaking his head slightly at her audacity—-” How the hell would I know? You should’ve said something,”
Ashley crosses her leg over the other. “ It’s not a big deal, isn’t taking a girl’s virginity like, every guy’s fantasy?”
“Not mine,” Leon’s jaw ticks, brows low over his stormy eyes. “There can’t be any strings attached, at all,”
“You think I didn’t know that?” Ashley quips, glaring at him. “It doesn’t matter to me Leon, I wanted this, I thought—-I was gonna die, and now I’m here with you and—-”
“I’m not ticking off a box on your bucket list Ashley,” Leon cut her off, striding to the bed again with a quickness that made Ashley nervously pull back.
“Why? You were into it,” She whines and hates herself for it. “I’m not asking for your hand in marriage, I just wanted you to fuck me,”
Leon’s eyes widened, and Ashley swears she can see red blossoming over his cheeks. “Yeah, and what happens if your father catches wind of it? I’d be out of a job, or worse,”
“You’re worried about that now after what just happened—“ Ashley suddenly feels like a fool, a naked teary-eyed fool. “Just…forget it, don’t worry I won’t jeopardize your job,”
“I’m sorry,” His tone is riddled with frustration and shame, Ashley doesn’t say a word when he tosses her a robe he found in the closet near the nightstand—” It’s late anyway, we should sleep, our flight outta here comes in five hours.”