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Chapter Text

“I’ll tell you what’s about to happen.”

Kyle Durant was lifted to his feet by two pairs of steady arms before his face was roughly introduced to the brick that made up the small alleyway he’d been dragged into.

The pain that shot up his head was mild compared to the right hook he’d received only minutes before, and the jagged texture of the wall sliced into his cheek.

“Your actions are unacceptable and I’m going to hurt you for them,” the voice speaking to him was as dark as the night surrounding the four men, and as cold as the blade that he could feel pressed against his back, “A lot.”

“I’m sorry!” Kyle sputtered out, “Whatever I did-I-I’m sorry, god, please!”

“Oh, God isn’t going to help the likes of you,” the voice taunted.

A quick sting told him the knife’s edge had dug a little deeper into his lumbar curve and his pleas became paired with a wretched sob, “W-we can work this out, man! Whatever it is, I’m sorry!”

“Sorry?” That calculated tone rose and the ground, wet from recent rain, sloshed as the leader of this attack stepped forward.

Kyle was spun around without warning, though the hands of the men holding him never lost their grip.

With his back against the cold brick and the knife now pressed to his jugular, Kyle was met with the face of his aggressor.

Surprise registered, though if that was from the shock of the night's events or the man's appearance, it was hard to tell.

The head honcho had sounded downright evil, but the face that accompanied the voice was like something out of a movie. Like a 40’s Marlon Brando crossed with a 90’s Brad Pitt.

The man was tall, well dressed, with cropped damp hair and eyes so dark they appeared black in the dim street lighting. 

He seemed more like an out of place starlet than the orchestrator of a shakedown, but even so, there was something sinister in the smile he flashed that ran a chill down Kyle's spine.

There was a hardness in his gaze that screamed of ill intentions.

Whatever the fancy clothes and that pretty face may hint otherwise, this guy was dangerous. 

“You’re sorry?” he asked, getting all nice and cozy in Kyle’s personal bubble, until the guy’s lips were almost pressed against his ear, “I’m inclined to agree with you. It takes a real sorry son of a bitch to rough up a nice girl then force himself on her.”

Wait…“This-this is about Tara?”

That dumb slut was the reason he was getting thrown around by these guys? What the fuck?

“Look, whatever she told you,” he rushed, “That bitch is lying! I didn’t touch-”

The man slapped Kyle’s cheek, cutting off his sentence as his ears rang with the impact.

“Don’t waste your breath lying to me,” he warned, “I have very limited patience.”

Kyle swallowed, “I…okay, maybe I was a little rough with her, but I didn't do anything that she didn’t want me t-”

This time the man's hand reached behind his back and it returned with a pistol, which he leveled between Kyle’s eyes.

“Oh god . Oh god-oh god-oh god-oh god,” the words came out in a huff as his knees buckled and fell onto the damp ground. The hands holding his arms didn’t release him.

“We’re gonna try this again,” the leader leaned forward and grabbed Kyle’s chin with his free hand, forcing it up so that their eyes met.

“My boss runs a tight ship and she doesn’t appreciate it when her merchandise is returned in less than pristine condition,” he pressed the barrel of the gun against Kyle’s forehead, “Now, Tara is a professional. She delivered on the service you requested and instead of paying her what was owed, you decided to beat her and take a little extra, so I’m going to return the favor. Open your mouth.”

Kyle blanched, “No…no please, I-I can pay, okay? I’m sorry, I can-”

Those dark eyes narrowed and the gun clicked, “Open. Your. Mouth.”

Tears burned in his eyes as he did as the man said, fear and humiliation warring for the top spot in his brain.

The gun was moved slowly, the metal cool against his cheek, then his lips, where his attacker tapped it once before slipping it inside.

It tasted bitter on his tongue and the whimper he made was muffled by the weapon.

“So here’s the deal,” the pretty man spoke, that sinister smile back in place, “You are never going to seek professional services in my city again. In fact, by the end of the week, you’re going to leave New York and you’re going to stay gone. If you don’t, this little encounter tonight will feel like a picnic once I’m done with you. Do I make myself clear?”

Kyle nodded with as much vigor as he could muster with a loaded gun in his mouth. Sure Tara had been hot and he’d enjoyed many women like her during his stays in Manhattan, but no city or whore pussy was worth dying for.

“Good,” the gun was removed and Kyle could have cried in relief.

Until he was yanked back up to his feet by the rough hands holding him and the leader sized him up with a focused stare that caused a chill to erupt all over his body.

He disappeared his gun behind his back, but the gleam in those eyes told Kyle the threat was far from over. A fact proven when one of the henchmen holding him handed his assailant the serrated blade they’d had him pinned with earlier.

“Now, I’m a man of my word,” the leader said as Kyle stiffened, “And after tonight, I hope you will be, too, Mr. Durant.”

He made a motion to the other two men and Kyle was spun around, once again planted into the wall. He grunted as his chest thudded against the brick.

“Wait,” he attempted to plead again, “I said I’d pay. I’ve got the money, I can pay you and we can-”

“Oh, you’re gonna pay,” that dark voice was closer now and warm breath fanned over the back of Kyle’s neck, “But not with money. You’ve heard of an eye for an eye, right?”

The grip on him tightened and the man’s words registered just as fingers dug at his waistband, ripping at the denim jeans and Kyle’s blood went cold.

“No! No no no no -” he began to sputter, futility fighting against the men’s hold, “No please , no!”

His pants were yanked down, the skin of his ass exposed to the cold, wet air.

He felt the tip of that blade skim his lower back.

“I’m sure Tara begged the same of you,” his attacker said, “Remind me what your response was?”

“No no, please, please no, I can pay, please, I’m sorry -”

“Right,” a humorless chuckle answered, “You fucked her ass like it was yours to do with as you pleased.”

The blade slipped lower and Kyle pissed himself.

“Keep still,” he was advised, “And you’ll probably live through this.”

The knife plunged forward and any scream Kyle made at the excruciating pain was lost to the incoming storm and the nightlife of the city that buzzed around them, completely unaware.

“Where is she?” a booming voice echoed down the hall and Donna Paulsen straightened in the chair she was occupying, dropping the ice pack that she’d had pressed to her bottom lip.

A large body filled the entryway and she met the eyes of the only real father she’d ever known.

Robert Zane was a force. Anger and concern colored his face, easing only when his eyes landed on her.

“Donna,” he exhaled, then looked around at the others in the room.

His daughter, Rachel, sat near Donna in the opposite chair, dressed for bed with the late hour, and Samantha, Robert’s right hand, stood stoically nearby with crossed arms.

The two security details that had been at the door stepped down as Robert entered and waved them off.

“Rachel,” he addressed his daughter, “To bed. Now.”

“Dad, I-”

“Do as I say,” he commanded, leaving no room for argument, and the young woman huffed her disappointment.

She gave Donna a sympathetic look that she returned, but honestly, she was glad the sweet girl was being kept from the uglier truths that were about to be shared.

The security guards waited until she had joined them, then shut the door behind them as they left the room.

“Robert,” Donna started, once it was just the three of them left, “I’m fine, really, it was-”

“What happened?” He cut her off, but the question was directed at Samantha.

Sam thawed, dropping her arms as she met her boss’ stare, “She was attacked. We lost communication; I don’t know how it happened. But by the time I got to her-”

“I’m fine!” Donna insisted, standing to her feet and dropping the ice pack.

She was a little sore…okay, a lot sore, but she wasn’t dead. There were no broken bones, and- “I fought back and whoever it was ran off, but-”

“You didn’t see his face?” Robert’s dark eyes shifted to her, his gaze equally frustrated and relieved.

Donna shook her head, “No. It happened quickly and he was covered. Mask and gloves. I was meeting with the client, my line to Sam went static. I stepped into the lobby and…he came out of nowhere and left just as fast, but Robert…he spoke to me. Gave me a message for you.”

The attack had been unexpected. A whirl of motion as she was tackled to the ground, hard fists driving into her ribs and jaw, and a harshly whispered warning that she’d barely heard through the adrenaline pumping blood in her ears. She’d fought against the weight that had pinned her and it had disappeared.

“You didn’t tell me that,” Sam accused, her sharp eyes narrowing.

Donna shrugged, “The message was for Robert. Whoever orchestrated this knows you’re getting into bed with Buzzini and the Italians. They made it clear this wouldn’t be the last altercation if we continue with that merger.”

“We’ve been negotiating profit shares with Buzzini for months,” Samantha frowned, “We’ve already bought in. There’s no way we can back out without-”

“We shouldn’t back out,” Donna agreed, “Least of all because of some masked man’s threats.”

“But who would even know that we-”

“Stop,” Robert held up a hand, halting their speculation.

He stepped closer, eyes scanning Donna’s face. He lifted a hand to her cheek, gently brushing over the sensitive flesh where she could already tell a bruise was forming.

Her lip had caught the worst and had split pretty good, but that would be easier to conceal with makeup than a swollen jaw.

Robert finished his appraisal and sighed.

“Samantha, I want to know who’s behind this. Work with Alex. Find out.”

“Done,” Samantha promised, “But you know it’s going to be more difficult to close this deal with Donna out of commission.”

“I’m not out-”

“You’re compromised,” Sam pointed out, “They know your face and they know you’re connected to Robert. It won’t be safe for you to-”

“You let me worry about safety,” Robert told her with another wave of his hand, “We have bigger problems if our business with the Italians has already spread through the grapevine. Track down the threat, and start by looking into Ava Hessington. She controls the cartels importing from London; might have seen our new business venture as a threat to her empire.”

Sam scoffed, “I thought she’d moved on to white collar embezzlement.”

“She’s a versatile woman,” Robert said, “Which is why it’s possible she’s connected to this.”

“I’ll find out,” Sam promised, and gave a little nod before leaving the room through the same door Rachel and the security had.

Once they were completely alone, Robert dropped into the chair next to Donna, looking exhausted.

She sat back down as well, trailing her eyes anywhere but over him, knowing he’d speak once he’d gathered his thoughts.

She occupied herself by noting the changes of the study in which they sat. Robert’s country home was upstate from the city and extremely private. He’d had it decorated with fine art and antiques from his favorite places around the world.

Donna admired the painting on the wall behind his desk across the room. It was one of her favorites and had been since the first time she’d seen it, decades ago.

The very night she’d been brought to Robert in the first place.

She shook the memory off and tucked her feet under her in the chair. It was difficult to do, since she was still wearing the same long, body contouring gown she’d put on for the meeting earlier, but she managed.

Robert tracked the movement and made a low grunt.

“They could have killed you tonight, you realize that?”

Donna sighed, “Robert, how long have I been your public face? Everyone knows my connection to you and you’ve always had enemies. I accepted those risks a long time ago.”

“Risk is one thing. Assault is another.”

“I’m not afraid to do my job,” she assured him, “You know I’m the best and one coward in a ski mask isn’t going to change that.”

Robert chuckled, though the sound lacked any real humor.

“I have never doubted your abilities,” he assured her, “But I also won’t have your life on the line while we’re tracking down whoever is behind this attack. Samantha’s right, it’s dangerous and-”

“It’s always been dangerous,” Donna reasoned, “And that will never change. The only thing pulling me out will achieve is telling whoever did this that they got to you, which is the stupidest thing we could do. Because next time it might not be me they go after, but Rachel. Or Laura. You want to risk that?”

“You want to watch your tone?” he challenged, but the look he gave her was affectionate.

Nobody spoke down to Robert, especially not anyone in his employ, but he gave Donna a bit more leeway than most because after all these years, he’d learned to trust her judgment.

“I’m sorry,” she granted, “But you know I’m right. Not to mention that I’ve been dealing with Buzzini personally and he trusts me.”

“He trusts you because he wants to sleep with you,” Robert noted and Donna laughed.

“Which is part of what makes me so good at my job, don’t you think? It took me, what, a month to get him to agree to a contract giving us a thirty-two percent increase in profit? Men who think with two heads are easier to coerce.”

“And a lot more violent when they realize they’re being played, too,” he said, and Donna shook her head, “Stu Buzzini is not behind this attack, trust me. I may have gotten us the better end of the trade, but he’s still profiting from this relationship. It wouldn’t make sense. And he doesn’t strike me as the type to go the hired gun route.”

“Hired gun,” Robert mused, making a noise of consideration before exhaling deeply.

“It’s late,” he said, reaching over and patting her forearm, “You sure you’re okay?”

Donna forced a smile, “A little bruised, but I’ll live.”

“Go on up stairs, then,” he told her, and it was more command than request, “Hot bath and a full night of sleep might do you some wonders. We’ll talk next steps in the morning when I hear back from Samantha.”

It wasn’t hard to agree with that, as her body was aching and the day had been too damn long already.

Donna stood, straightening her gown as she did so, pleased that the thin fabric had held up against the scuffle with nary a tear.

“Good night, Robert.”

“Good night, Red.”

She smiled at the nickname he’d given her years ago, a call to the long auburn waves that cascaded down her back, and leaned over, planting a kiss on the top of his head before departing.

A hot bath did sound quite nice, actually, and morning would come soon enough.

Harvey really loved this fucking city.

As his cab drove down the neon lit streets, he stared out at the buildings; rain on the window obscuring his view; turning the lights into a kaleidoscope.

It was late, past midnight at this point and drizzling, but the sidewalks were still filled, the weekend crowd coming and going, each person with a life to live.

And most of them a goddamn waste.

Sirens whirled somewhere off in the far distance, a horn honked, someone shouted.

Harvey closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against the glass.

There were few things that could calm the raging kinetic energy he always felt after completing a job; losing himself in the heart of Manhattan was one of them.

But it was short lived; always ending too soon.

The cab pulled up to the curb at the address he’d given the driver, and Harvey paid the man before stepping out into the rain.

The building in front of him glittered as well as the rest of them, the perfect front. 

He walked through the doors like he owned them, nodding to the private security as he passed.

He rode the elevator up to the private floor where his boss awaited, the numbers ticking quickly and Harvey cracked his neck as the lift stopped.

He was always so goddamn stiff after a job.

The halls of the business firm were cast in a yellow light, low fluorescent dimmed to reflect the late hour.

The office at the end of the hall, however, was occupied, as he knew it would be.

“Jessica,” he addressed, walking through the open door without preamble, “I know security’s tight downstairs, but you really shouldn’t be alone up here.”

Jessica Pearson looked up at him from her desk, a feline smile parting her plum painted lips.

“Harvey,” she drawled, “You’re back earlier than I expected.”

She ignored his advice completely, but he was used to that.

Harvey dropped into the chair opposite of her desk and crossed his ankles, “I left Kevin and Trevor to clean up. They’ll dump Durant off at the E.R.”

“He’s alive?” Jessica leaned back as she arched a brow at him.

“He’ll probably be shitting out of a bag for a while, but yeah, he’ll live. But you didn’t message me because you wanted an update on that scum.”

“No,” she agreed, and pushed out of her seat, “I didn’t. But it’s still nice to know you managed to restrain yourself this time.”

Harvey smirked as she went to the decanter she kept by the large window behind her desk, “Yeah, well, you said teach him a lesson. Doesn’t learn much if he’s dead, now, does he?”

Jessica returned with two glasses of amber liquor.

“I suppose that depends on if you believe in justice in the afterlife,” she said, handing one to him as she sat back down, “Heaven and hell and the like.”

“Didn’t you hear?” Harvey taunted, “ Hell is other people . And you may be pretty, Jessica, but you’re certainly no angel.”

He lifted his glass to her before taking a long sip.

He’d stopped feeling the burn a long time ago. Stopped feeling much of anything a long time ago.

“Back at you, baby,” she echoed his action, closing her eyes as the drink hit her tongue.

Harvey watched her swallow.

“I have another job for you,” she said, once she had.

He took a sip of his own, “Already?”

“Mhmm. Got a call tonight. Robert Zane.”

Now that is curious .

“Zane has never once reached out for our services,” he said, “For girls, blackmailing, or otherwise-”

“He isn’t looking for an escort, Harvey,” Jessica gave him a hard stare, “What he wants is you.”

“Me?” Harvey grinned, “Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy to whore myself out for you, but Zane isn’t really my type.”

Jessica’s glare ended his retort, but the smirk stayed on his face.

“He knows I only employ the best and it seems his own business negotiations have met some…unfortunate snags.”

Harvey scoffed, “Drug running not paying what it used to?”

“Oh the money is fine,” Jessica assured him, “More than fine, based on what he’s offered to pay for you. What he needs is a protection detail. One of his girls was attacked tonight; meeting with a client to set up a drop off.”

“Fucking hell, tell me it’s not Samantha Wheeler he wants me tagging. I don’t care how much money he offers, that isn’t a headache worth any-”

“It’s not Samantha. It’s Donna Paulsen.”

Harvey ran the name through his mental roster, trying to draw a face.

“The redhead?” He’d only seen her in pictures, and almost always with Robert.

“That’s the one. Any qualms with her ?”

He shrugged, “Haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her to find out. By my understanding, Robert keeps her pretty close to chest.”

“Well, he did practically raise the woman,” Jessica mused, “She’s been the face of his operations for years. Meets with clients on his behalf, deals in his name, sorts through their prospects, but yes, he keeps her close. I’ve only met her myself on two occasions.”

“Great,” Harvey sighed, “So another spoiled princess of the Zane Dynasty, but this one has clout. Thanks, but no.”

“Harv-”

“Jessica,” he leaned forward, “I’m your arrow. You know that. Point me in any direction and I’ll strike, because that’s my job. Protecting you and our business here. Not babysitting Robert Zane’s pretty little assistant.”

Jessica sat her glass down on her desk, eyes flaring, “Your job is to do what I tell you. And Robert called this in as a favor for a friend. I’m sure you can see how having the Zane Dynasty owe us one is beneficial.”

“Then put Trevor on-”

“Zane doesn’t want Trevor. He asked for my best. So unless you’re willing to admit that there’s someone here better than you…this conversation is over.”

Harvey pushed back his chair and downed his drink in the same motion. He sat his glass next to Jessica’s, leaning over her desk.

“Forester. Hessinton. Gallo. Even Gibbs at the damn District Attorney’s office. We have too many enemies of our own to worry about. You need me here, not playing bodyguard at Zane’s beckoning.”

Jessica stood, matching him for height in her designer heels.

“I am just as aware of our enemies as you, Harvey Specter. But I have Jeff and Louis and a team of others working to ensure our safety here. So you will do this. And, if you manage to complete the task without complaint, I’m willing to make it worth your while.”

He grunted, “Yeah, and how do you figure that?”

Jessica’s grin was wicked as she straightened, walking slowly around the desk like a lioness zeroing in on her prey.

Harvey watched each calculated step until she was standing right in front of him.

“I have access to something you’ve been dying to get your hands on for ages.”

He lifted a brow, urging her to continue.

“Vanessa Emery. Best P.I in the business.”

Harvey’s lips pressed together, his jaw flexing as what she was implying registered.

“The same P.I you forbade me from using for personal matters,” he quipped, eyes narrowing.

“Do this, and I’ll arrange a meeting,” Jessica told him, “And when she finds your target, I’ll even grant you leave to deal with him however you like.”

Harvey swallowed, “I’ve asked that of you for fifteen years. Why the hell would you give this to me now, for Zane?”

She placed a perfectly manicured finger on his chest, stroking the lapel of his coat.

“Do you want my reasoning, or do you want to skip to the part where you accept the job and the reward that comes with it?”

Harvey’s teeth clenched silently as her hand slipped beneath his jacket and her nails dug into his chest.

Jessica’s hold on him, literally and figuratively, was indisputable. They both knew he’d agree.

“Your arrow, Jess,” he repeated, “Tell me when and where, and I’ll be there.”

She grinned, eyes lighting, “That’s what I like to hear.”

Her nails left his skin but her stroke continued over his pecs and down his abdomen, her gaze following.

“You’re in a challenging mood tonight,” she noted.

Harvey shifted on his feet, “You know what these jobs do to me. I haven’t had a chance to work it off, yet.”

Jessica smirked, her fingers skimming the line of his waistband.

“I’d offer to help you out with that, but a lady can only take so much rejection,” she rubbed lower, and sighed at what she found. 

Or rather, what she didn’t.

Harvey reached down, gripping her wrist and pulled her hand away from his body. He brought it up and laid a kiss to her knuckles.

“You’re a beautiful woman, Jessica. Say the word and I’ll drop to my knees here and now for you.”

She chuckled, “Oh, Harvey. If all I wanted was some white boy with a talented tongue, I could have my pick of the city. What I find curious is that no matter your flattering words, you’re never hard for me. A less secure woman might take that personally.”

He smirked, “No one has ever accused you of insecurity, Jessica Pearson.”

“Yet, you don’t want me,” she deadpanned.

Harvey sighed, “I could never hurt you, Jess.”

Amusement danced in her dark gaze, “You know, I’ll always wonder at the damage done to you that makes that little depravity of yours a necessity.”

“Don’t you worry about my depravities,” he teased, “You’ve got enough of your own to contend with.”

She laughed at that, “True. But it really is a shame. You’re almost the perfect man.”

“Perfection is subjective,” he said, and kissed her hand once more before dropping it, “Now, if I’m dismissed, I have other things to do tonight.”

“Things to do or someone to do?” she challenged, and chuckled when he merely winked in response.

“Don’t strain yourself too hard,” she warned, “Zane is expecting you in the morning. I’ll message you the details.”

Great .

Harvey nodded and turned to leave, the gun tucked in the back of his waistband rubbing against his skin as he did so.

One of these days, he was going to run out of reasons not to put the damn thing in his mouth and pull the trigger.

But tonight he had an easy fuck waiting for his call and tomorrow, a new assignment that was going to bring to fruition something he’d waited over a decade to see finished.

And all he had to do was keep Donna Paulsen alive and well.

His impending demise could wait another day.

Chapter Text

He didn’t sleep much; hadn’t in years.

Part of it, Harvey blamed on the work he did. Helping Jessica manage her empire didn’t exactly follow a nine-to-five. There was always something…a client to cater, one of the girls to check on, some asshole to knock down.

He frequented rundown back alleys and glamorous hotel bars. Exchanged envelopes of cash in half hidden rooms or toasted with champagne at rooftop charity events.

Always something. And he’d never been one to back away from doing what was necessary.

So sleep found him where it could; often accompanied by the lingering scent of blood and whiskey on his body.

Jessica had never questioned his bloodshot eyes, so long as he did his job.

And he did his job very fucking well.

Sometimes Harvey thought that the insomnia allowed him a unique perspective; moved him into a different plane of existence than others. He’d see them, see all of them, and break down exactly what they wanted of him; what he’d need to do to gain the upper hand; and when they looked at him…

Smoke and mirrors , Mike had called it once. 

His friend, if he was willing to go as far as referring to the young man as such, was one of the few that had ever realized the truth.

The facade.

Harvey held it firmly in place now as he strolled through the double doors of what was probably listed on paper as an office, passing Jessica’s private security as he did so and one that belonged to their new business partner.

The building was one of many properties Jessica technically owned, but was backtracked and rebranded so far away from any of her businesses, legitimate or otherwise, that no one would trace the appearance of one Robert Zane to her if they’d managed to tail him.

The room was bare of much furniture besides a desk and some chairs. It boasted high ceilings with a wall of glass overlooking Hudson Yards.

“Here he is now,” Jessica was saying as he approached, looking sharp as ever in a navy blue suit.

Next to her stood Robert Zane, much less impressive, though no doubt everything from the Berluti on his feet to the timepiece on his wrist costs double what most people paid for rent in the city.

“Nice of you to finally show up,” Robert declared, sounding rather vexed for an eight a.m. meeting.

Harvey grinned.

“I would apologize, but it dawned on me that the,” he checked his own watch, “ Four minute delay would be worth it to know that you've stationed security not just on this floor, but the second and tenth as well.”

Like he wouldn’t have bothered to do his fucking due diligence.

“Not to mention the bozo in the lobby and the unmarked car I’m sure you thought would seem less conspicuous parked two blocks away.”

Jessica was clearly holding back a smirk, but Robert’s expression was unchanging, and rather unamused.

“I clocked them embarrassingly quickly, and maybe they noticed me too,” Harvey added, though he knew they hadn’t.

He crossed the rest of the space between them as he pointed to the two security guards that stood behind Robert’s shoulder, “But of course, your men there should have been warned through those earpieces. The thing about airwave technology though, especially for communication, is its unreliability. The signal can easily be jammed.”

He slipped his phone from his pocket, the two guards tensing at the movement, “Anyone with a cell phone and a good IT guy could simply just-”

He hit a button and even from where he stood, the shrill buzz of static became obvious. Robert’s guards yanked the pieces from their ears, hopefully preserving whatever was left of an eardrum.

“Shit,” one of the men muttered, and the other stepped forward, “The line is dead, Mr. Zane.”

Oh, now he had Robert’s attention, and that of the first guard.

The man lunged forward, his intent as clear as a rabid dog going for a bite and Harvey reacted just as quickly.

He ducked from a fist and swung his own in retaliation, catching the man as he recoiled from the impact and looped his arm around his neck, applying pressure. The guard struggled, blood running from his nose, and Harvey squeezed his airways. The desperate gasping started and he caught the movement of the second guard in his peripheral.

“Ah, ah,” the arm not securing the man he held had grabbed the gun at his back, and he leveled it at the approaching guard, “No need for a two-on-one.”

Guard Number Two had lifted a gun of his own, though he couldn’t shoot it without risking his buddy also taking the bullet.

Not that it would matter, the man finally went limp, passing out from lack of oxygen and Harvey let him go.

He dropped to the floor with a hard thud.

“He’ll live,” he said, lowering his gun despite Robert’s other guard still aiming his. He doubted the man would fire it, “But he’s gonna have one hell of a headache when he wakes up.”

Robert huffed, finally looking less stoic and not too concerned for his fallen man, though Harvey wouldn’t acknowledge that level of incompetence either.

“If this is the best you’ve got, no wonder you’re outsourcing for protection,” he taunted, “Now, I’d give it a few more seconds and when your men realize they’ve lost connection with you, I’m sure they’ll-”

A knock on the door interrupted his declaration and Harvey looked at Robert smugly, “Unlike me, they’re right on time.”

The door opened a crack and Kevin Miller filled the space. He was head of Jessica’s personal security, working directly under Harvey.

“Ms. Pearson,” he addressed Jessica, “We have a problem-”

Beyond the door, it was clear Robert’s men had come up to the floor, and Jessica’s had guns aimed at each of them.

Harvey turned his attention back to Robert and arched a brow.

The man sighed, and after shaking his head slightly, boomed loudly across the space, “Stand down and return to your posts. And get him outta here-”

He said the last part to the guard inside the room that had just now lowered his gun. The man followed orders, grabbing his unconscious coworker from Harvey’s feet and dragged him across the room to the door.

Harvey signaled to Kevin for their men to also fall back, and a swift nod answered before the door closed again.

The room was silent, occupied now by just the three of them, and Jessica wasn’t bothering to hide her smirk anymore.

“Robert,” she spoke to the man, “You remember Harvey Specter.”

Robert’s dark eyes met his, trailing down the length of him before finally looking satisfied.

“I’m beginning to.”

The fun had died down. 

Jessica and Robert began to discuss the specifics of price for what Robert was asking. It was easy to ignore the fact that he was the one being bought, but Harvey wished he had a drink.

Jessica’s eyes flickered to him, narrowing, and he realized he’d said as much out loud.

“What?” he defended.

“It’s eight in the morning.”

He shrugged, “It’s five o’clock somewhere. Besides, a good glass of scotch is probably the only stiff thing Robert sees these days.”

Jessica shook her head, but Zane chuckled, “I’m not paying you to think about what I find stiff, boy.”

“No,” he agreed, “You’re not paying me at all.”

He leaned back against the lone desk in the room, perching on the edge, “And speaking of stiff things…how’s your daughter?”

Robert’s expression clouded and Harvey grinned, “Rachel, isn’t it? Still in law school at Columbia?”

Jessica cursed beneath her breath and a thick finger was pointed in his direction.

“You better be careful what you're threatening,” Robert said coldly.

“I’m not threatening you,” Harvey told him, getting serious, “I didn’t look this shit up for fun. I’m showing you how vulnerable you’re allowing those close to you to be. Not smart, Robert. And if I’m working protective detail for you, that’s the first thing we’re going to fix.”

“Is it?” Robert’s anger didn’t entirely deflate, but understanding colored his features. He looked over to Jessica, “You want to leash your dog?”

“Harvey,” she said, wordlessly telling him to back off and he smirked.

“He knows I’m right.”

Robert straightened, “This isn’t a matter of right or wrong, Specter. I’m hiring you because one of my own was attacked doing a job for me, and that can’t happen again. Myself, my family, or the rest of my business is none of your concern.”

Fair enough.

He held up his hands in mock surrender.

“He’ll keep her safe, Robert,” Jessica assured the man, vouching for what she knew Harvey was capable of, “And you’re going to put the compensation for him doing so in writing.”

“Gonna have a notary legalize this contract?” Robert’s attention turned back to her, amusement lilting his voice now.

“No,” Jessica smiled, “But there are a lot of players on this board and I want assurance that you’ll hold up your end of our dealings.”

“Documentation to guarantee our mutual destruction,” he mused, “Alright, Jessica. You give me a number and I’ll put it down on paper.”

“Not a number,” she said, turning to take a seat in one of the few chairs the room offered, lounging back, “An agreement.”

Robert took the seat across from her, “What kind of an agreement?”

Harvey’s attention was piqued, too.

He didn’t often meddle with Jessica’s dealings, carrying out her will more often than trying to influence it, but not taking monetary payment was unusual for her.

“I want an allyship,” she told Robert, “A promise that you’ll back me in a move against a competitor.”

He stared at her, “Which competitor?”

Her grin sharpened.

“You think I’m fool enough to tell you that before you’ve agreed to support me? Robert.” She tsked. “But, I will say that it’s a competitor we’ll both benefit from having out of the way. You have my word on that.”

Robert appraised her, his lips parting to answer. A knock on the door interrupted whatever his response would have been.

Kevin appeared once more, “Mr. Zane’s guest has arrived.”

Robert stood and Harvey straightened.

“Send her in,” Jessica instructed.

Donna had no idea why Robert had insisted she meet him this far on the southwest side of town. The address he’d given her was full of industrial buildings, a few apparently abandoned construction sites, and a handful of office spaces.

Security she recognized had greeted her at the lobby level and escorted her through the building that, while not quite as shabby as some of the others surrounding it, had certainly seen better days.

They exited the elevator on the twelfth floor, where more men stood, dressed in sleek black suits she was willing to bet concealed a gun or two.

One stepped forward, asking her name and turned to the door they were standing in front and relayed the information.

A few seconds later, she was waved forward.

The room was like a large office space, bright with windows, but mostly empty. Robert stood next to Jessica Pearson, a woman she’d met a few times at events she’d attended for her boss.

Next to the woman was a man that Donna was not familiar with.

At first glance, she noticed he was tall, lean, and attractive. Perfectly gelled blond hair, clothes tailored to well developed muscles, and that jawline he sported looked sharp enough for one to cut themselves on. But then his eyes locked on her and an involuntary chill ran down her spine.

She had an ability to read people, it had always been one of her most valuable assets on the job, and something in the calculated stare the man had honed on her raised her hackles.

She got the impression that the center of his attention was a very bad place to be.

The door shut loudly behind her, and Donna stepped forward.

“Harvey,” Jessica said, not as an introduction but, apparently, an instruction.

The attractive man crossed the room in quick strides and Donna tensed when he stopped in front of her.

“Arms up,” he told her and Donna arched her brow.

“Excuse me?”

Rather than offering an explanation, the man, Harvey , grabbed her arms himself, raising them above her head.

Before she could even let out a noise of protest, he was all in her personal space, running his hands over her body, checking, she realized, for weapons.

He patted her arms, her sides, swiped a palm down her back and lingered slightly at her waistline, where the sweater she wore met her jeans.

His eyes, big and chocolate brown, met hers before he crouched. His hand drifted over her ass and down each leg, to her ankle.

She shivered for a different reason when that firm touch then dragged up her inner thigh.

“Most men at least offer to buy me a drink first,” she quipped, and noticed his lips flickered in amusement.

“Relax, Princess,” he stood and grabbed the sides of her neck, “This isn’t personal.”

He felt up her shoulders and ran a palm both between and under her breasts.

The most action she’d had in months, if she were being honest, and the thought made her smirk.

“Not very shy, are you?”

He paused, gaze flickering back to hers, then down to the split on her lip, “Something tells me you're used to that.”

He was gone before she could retort, turning to face Jessica.

“She’s clean.”

Donna rolled her eyes, “You could’ve just asked.”

She followed him across the room, to where Robert stood. He placed a hand on her shoulder, “Feeling better this morning?”

Donna looked over at their companions, “I was before getting frisked.”

She wondered if this Harvey was one of Jessica’s guards. He didn’t look like the others that had been outside.

The man delighted in her comment, his face splitting in a Cheshire-cat grin.

She turned from him.

“Why’d you want me to meet you here, Robert?”

Her boss motioned toward the provided chairs, one of which Jessica had already sat down in and Donna followed in suit.

Robert took the one next to her, and Jessica’s handsy henchman remained standing, leaning back casually against a large wooden desk.

“Donna, you remember Jessica Pearson?” Robert started, waving toward the woman who struck an impressive figure with eyes trained on her like a viper waiting to strike.

Jessica Pearson, like Robert, ran businesses through the city that weren’t exactly above board. Donna didn’t know the extent of the woman’s reach, but she knew Jessica paneled in escorts to high end clientele that offered more than just company, that she had influence in certain political circles, and was known for making problems…disappear.

According to Robert, she also ran blackmail deals and laundered money through several factions of the city’s elite and had made herself invaluable and practically untouchable by the law, much to the annoyance of the D.A.

“I remember,” she said, nodding in Jessica’s direction, “It’s nice to see you again, Ms. Pearson.”

“In lieu of last night’s events,” Robert said, “I’ve reached out to Jessica, who’s agreed to lend us a private detail.”

A private detail?

“Samantha was right,” he continued, “Until we know who orchestrated the attack on you and how far their threats might go, I can’t have you unprotected. This is Harvey Specter. He’s going to-”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Donna lifted a hand, to stop him, “You’re putting a shadow on me? Robert, I told you, I’m not afraid of some asshole who didn’t even have the balls to-”

“This isn’t about you being afraid,” he said firmly, “It’s about me knowing you’re safe.”

She scoffed, “And you think pretty boy over there is going to make a difference when we don’t even know who we’re up against?”

“Aw, she thinks I’m pretty,” Harvey Specter teased, sending a wink in her direction. 

Donna glared back.

“I know you don’t think you need it,” Robert tried again and her gaze whipped back to him.

“Because I don’t. I handled myself well enough last night," she insisted, "And besides, if someone was really motivated to try to kill me, some Ken-Doll wannabe isn’t going to stop them.”

A dark chuckle left said wannabe and he straightened back up on his feet, “I prefer to think of myself as more of a G.I Joe.”

Donna narrowed her eyes at him, “Nice hair.”

“That’s enough,” Robert told her, a bite to his tone now that made her swallow back the next insult she’d been ready to hurl, “This is happening. Or you’re benched. The choice is yours.”

Donna pushed out of her chair, anxiety running through her muscles.

She wasn’t happy about the ultimatum, but the resolve in his eyes told her that Robert wasn’t bluffing. She’d known him a long time, and even if she hadn’t, that ability of hers to read people would have made the truth obvious anyway. He felt strongly enough that she was in danger, he wasn’t going to budge on this personal security issue.

She stopped by the glass wall, peering out at the river.

“What’s it gonna be, Red?” Robert asked from his seat.

Donna sighed.

She could fight this and be taken out of the action entirely. Or she could grit her teeth, bare it, and hope that they tracked down whoever that asshole in the mask was that had attacked her sooner rather than later.

“Fine,” she snapped over her shoulder, “If taking on a shadow is what keeps us running business as usual…then we do what we have to.”

“Good,” Robert nodded and turned back to Jessica, “Then we have a deal, Pearson.”

They began speaking about another meeting, setting up an exchange of papers or something, and Donna tuned it out, resisting the urge to stomp her foot like a child.

Samantha did work ten times more dangerous than she did, and Robert wasn’t saddling her with a bodyguard. Alex didn’t have to have someone follow him around. Katrina. Kaldor.

Anyone else in Robert’s employ.

She was the only one he was insisting needed protection and it was actually rather offensive. Like she was somehow weaker than the others. Less capable.

A handsome face appeared in the reflection of the window as she fumed, and part of her wanted to smack the smirk right off of it.

“Don’t worry, Princess, I’ll keep you plenty safe. You won’t even have to worry about breaking a nail.”

The condescending tone irked her more than the smirk.

"Not even this one?" She flashed her middle finger at him and he had the gall to chuckle.

She turned, looking up at the man who had a good few inches on her since she wasn’t wearing heels today. He was pretty, she could still admit that, but rather than feeling attraction when he smiled this time, a strong sense of loathing made her fist clench.

His grin broadened when he noticed the movement, like it held no threat at all, and she responded with a tight smile of her own.

“I hope whatever they’re paying you is worth it,” she told him, her voice dripping with faux sweetness. His eyes darkened as she stepped closer, getting into his personal space this time, “Because I'm going to make your life a living hell.”

Her shoulder brushed his as she shoved past him and he didn’t move from the spot, even as she returned to her seat at Robert's side.

Chapter Text

It was half an hour of sitting around the stifling room as Robert and Jessica made arrangements.

The greater part of Harvey’s attention was on Donna Paulsen; his new charge, who was still sitting prettily in her chair, fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist while their bosses talked.

She hadn’t spoken another word in protest since agreeing to Robert’s demand, but her face said what her mouth didn’t; annoyance bleeding onto her features like an open wound.

And speaking of wounds…

His eyes found that slice on her lip for the hundredth time, remnants of the attack necessitating his services. Her tongue kept darting out to run across it and he tracked the movement until she noticed. The look she gave him in response was dirty and he chuckled to himself.

She may be one of the spoiled bitches under Robert’s employ, but she had some fucking balls.

Her threat of making him miserable didn’t hit as hard as he was sure she’d hoped, though. With what Jessica had promised him for a reward, he was perfectly willing to tie the redhead up and stash her in his safehouse until the threats had passed.

Probably wasn’t what Robert had in mind by protection, but an effective way to reach the same ends, nonetheless.

He tried not to linger too long on the idea of Donna, ropes, and other creative ways he could keep that quick tongue of hers occupied.

“I have it at the office,” Robert was saying to Jessica, “There’s other business I need to attend to, but Donna will make sure it’s delivered to you.”

“Perfect,” Jessica answered, standing from her chair, “Then I suppose we’re done here.”

Robert did the same and offered her a hand, which she shook, “We’ll keep in touch.”

He turned to Harvey, then, repeating the gesture, “I hope Jessica’s right and I can count on you for this.”

“It’s usually easier to protect someone who complies with their protection,” he said, earning an eye roll from his charge, “But I’m sure I’ll manage to keep her safe anyway.”

“My hero,” the sarcasm dripped from Donna’s voice as she walked past them both, heading to the door without so much as a glance back, now that the dismissal had been given.

Robert gave him a look that might have very well been pity, but Harvey only smiled.

If this woman thought she was gonna be a pain in his ass, he had no problem returning the favor.

He followed after her with a dip of his chin in parting to their bosses.

“Going somewhere?”

Donna could have groaned as Harvey Specter caught up to her on the street. They were a few blocks from any mainstream traffic that would include a taxi, which meant there was no convenient way of shaking him until she’d reached her destination.

“To Robert’s estate,” she said over her shoulder, “Do you need the address or did that come in the dossier he gave you?”

“I wouldn’t know,” he answered just as quickly, “I was too distracted by the pictures of you in the file to read the rest of the information.”

Donna scoffed, knowing damn well there was no file. No pictures.

She started across the street, but Harvey grabbed her arm before she’d left the curb.

“Hey-”

“You’re going the wrong way.”

She yanked her arm free of his grasp, “The taxis are that way.”

“My car is this way,” he motioned behind them, “I can take you wherever you need to-”

“I’m not riding with you.”

The audacity of him to assume otherwise was actually quite astounding though about as surprising as the impatient expression he gave her.

“So you’d rather pay for a taxi that I’ll be driving behind the whole way anyway?” he pressed, “Stop being stubborn and save yourself a few bucks.”

Like a few bucks wouldn’t be worth getting rid of the asshole for.

“You don’t need to-”

He cut her off, “Robert hired me to watch out for you. It’s a little hard to do that if I’m not with you.”

“So you follow me to his estate? Then, what?” she challenged, “Are you just gonna hang out all day and insist on tucking me into bed tonight, too?”

He smirked and she groaned. 

“Look, I respect that you’re just the hired gun here, but I don’t need you up my ass every second of the day.”

“If that’s what it takes to keep you safe,” he said, tone too casual for the shift in his gaze that reminded her of a predator sizing up its prey, “Then I have no problem being in your bedroom. Or your ass.”

Donna’s nose wrinkled in disgust, “You’re a pig.”

“And you’re careless,” he stepped closer, expression taking on a grave appearance that almost ruined his attractive features. Almost. “Whoever attacked you knew who you were and where to find you. What makes you think they weren’t following you? That they couldn’t find you again?”

Donna frowned. “We don’t know that they-”

“Exactly,” he insisted, “You don’t know. Which is why you’re gonna shut that pretty little mouth and follow me back to my car so I can make sure we aren’t being tailed. So that you can do whatever Robert's asked of you without suffering another injury.”

His eyes flickered down to the split in her lip again, lingering there for a moment too long, making his point clear.

Donna sighed, logic conceding to his point, even if her pride couldn’t.

“Fine,” she said, “But if you’re playing chauffeur, I’m riding in the back.”

Having to be in a confined space with this man was already pushing on her nerves; she wouldn’t be subjected to having to sit beside him, too.

“Princess, you can ride on the goddamn roof for all the shits I give.”

She rolled her eyes, “Stop calling me that.”

“Then stop acting like a royal bitch.”

“Excuse me-”

He'd already started walking the other direction, “Car’s this way.”

Donna glared at the back of his head, resisting the urge to throw something at it.

His car was a classic dark green mustang and while it did have a small back bench seat, the front would have to be lowered before Donna could climb back to it, since it was only a two door.

She glared over at Harvey, who was already sliding into the driver’s seat, either oblivious to or just ignoring her predicament.

Deciding it wasn’t worth the hassle, or the potential embarrassment, Donna settled into the passenger front seat without a single word, slipping the belt into place as Harvey started the car.

He didn’t comment on her change of mind, but she could feel the smugness radiating from him as he pulled off the curb.

Bastard .

He asked her the address, she gave it, and that was that.

After a few moments, however, she risked glancing over at him and only because his eyes were locked on the road ahead. His features no longer held any traces of amusement as he drove with a surprising focus. He weaved them through traffic, barely shifting gears or changing speeds.

Clearly, he’d spent a lot of time driving around Manhattan.

If his skill weren’t evident of it, his relaxed demeanor would be. He’d leaned all the way back in his seat, legs parted comfortably, one arm hanging from the steering wheel almost lazily. He commanded the road with confidence, like he owned the damn city, and that shouldn't be as attractive as it was.

“How long have you worked for Jessica Pearson?” Donna asked him, needing something to distract herself.

That jaw of his flexed, but he didn’t take his eyes from the road, “Long time.”

“As security?”

His lips tightened into a thin line, “As a lot of things.”

His lack of elaboration was equal parts frustrating and intriguing. Donna told herself she didn’t care. It didn’t matter, ultimately. Once this debacle was over, they would part ways and never have to interact again.

But the man had been charged with her safety and he was being a dick about the whole thing, so maybe at the very least, he could provide some credentials.

“Is that why Robert hired you? Your versatility?” The sarcasm was obvious even to her own ears and she watched a half smirk play at Harvey’s lips.

“I assume he hired me so his misdeeds wouldn’t cause you to end up swimming with the fishes,” he looked her over then, as if the idea of her drowning in the Hudson might be preferable to his having to babysit her for god knows however long.

“We aren’t gangsters in the nineteen-fifties,” she told him, “Nobody ‘swims with the fishes’ anymore.”

“Only because we’ve found better methods to dispose of bodies.”

He said it casually, his eyes moving back to the road, and Donna wasn’t entirely sure he was joking.

The same unease she’d felt when she’d first met the man began to churn in her gut again. It was easier, when simmering with annoyance, to forget that Jessica was the one Robert had reached out to for a reason. That the people she employed were criminals.

Donna wasn’t an idiot; she knew the line of work she’d ended up in wasn’t exactly on the straight and narrow and that she dealt with a lot of bad people. And bad people tend to do bad things.

Jessica Pearson, nor any of her affiliates, had ever been charged with murder, as far as Donna knew. But if Harvey was as good as he claimed, maybe circumstances had never needed to get that far. Or maybe he was just good at not getting caught.

Better methods, and all.

They were out of the city now, the road becoming long and emptying. As the scenery changed, Donna was unable to help herself.

“How many bodies have you had to dispose of?” she asked, and acted as if her breath hadn’t caught while waiting for his response.

His expression never changed, “Sorry, Princess, I don’t answer those kinds of questions until the second date.”

“If this is your idea of a date, I feel sorry for your girlfriend,” she muttered and he flashed that wide grin again; it was slightly maniacal and entirely too endearing.

“I don’t do girlfriends,” he clarified, “Too complicated. And speaking of complications, is there a possibility this attack had more to do with you than Robert? Some jealous boyfriend or psycho ex I need to be aware of?”

It was a fair question, she supposed, but moot.

“The attack was only about Robert. I’m sure of that. They gave me a message as a threat to him.”

“Pertaining to what?” Harvey asked.

Donna frowned, “That’s Robert’s business.”

“It’s your business if you were roughed up for it,” he insisted, “And until further notice, you’re my business. So, tell me what was said.”

She narrowed her eyes at his commanding tone, “I told Robert. He told Jessica. If she didn’t share that information with you, then I’m certainly not going to.”

He scowled, “Being petty just because you’re pissed about having a shadow is a waste of both our time.”

“I’m not petty,” she argued, “I’m loyal. Something I’d think someone who’s worked for Jessica Pearson for a long time would understand, and maybe even appreciate.”

He scoffed.

“You want to be appreciated, Princess? I’ll buy you a fucking sticker after we figure out who did this to you.”

“ We ?” she twisted her torso to face him, “I wasn’t aware internal investigation was one of your job requirements.”

He sighed, like she was a child that had asked one too many questions and was getting on his nerves, “Let me make this clear. I’m not any happier with this arrangement than you are. But your boss is paying mine a shit ton of money for me to keep you safe, so the sooner we find out who’s threatening that safety, the sooner this is over and I get what’s due to me.”

“And what percentage is Jessica cutting you?” Donna demanded.

She watched as his grip tightened on the steering wheel, “Doesn’t matter.”

“It sure as hell does,” she insisted, “Because it directly correlates to how much my life is worth to you.”

“Your life is worth nothing to me,” he stated coldly, “But the reward for getting you to the other side of this can’t be priced. So do us both a favor and help speed up the process.”

When his eyes flickered to hers this time, Donna looked away. She locked her gaze on the dashboard ahead, her peripheral catching the passing of trees and cars.

She would never betray Robert and she didn’t trust Harvey Specter as far as she could throw him, but maybe he had a tiny bit of a point. And the sooner they got to the bottom of this, the sooner she could rid herself of him and return to business as usual.

“Robert is in the middle of working a deal,” she said after a few more seconds, choosing her words carefully, “A merger, of sorts, and that’s all I will say about that.”

Harvey nodded acceptingly, so she continued.

“Part of my work for him is to negotiate the terms of that deal with his prospective partners,” she said, “And someone knows about the merger, knows about my involvement, and attacked me to try and stop Robert from going through with it.”

“And instead of pulling the plug, he calls Jessica,” Harvey deduced, “Which covers your ass, but if this was an attempt to strong arm him, he’ll be vulnerable to attacks elsewhere.”

Donna shook her head, “Most of our team doesn't work as a public face. Robert’s only liability is his family, and he’s making sure they’re protected.”

“He didn’t ask for Jessica’s best to protect his wife or daughter,” he pointed out and Donna sighed.

“No, because neither of them are involved in his business deal and we would like to keep it that way.”

Laura and Rachel would be safe enough with Robert’s security; at least until the deal went through and this business with Buzzini was wrapped.

“Robert still plans on using you for this deal?” Harvey confirmed, and Donna huffed, “Why else do you think he requested Jessica’s best? It’s not because he thinks I’m going to be attacked at his house. You were the compromise for me staying in the game.”

“And you want to stay in?” he sounded surprised, “After being attacked for it? Most women would run scared.”

Donna grit her teeth at the derogatory remark and met his stare head on.

“Do I look like I scare easily?”

He appraised her, those chocolate colored eyes seeming to get even darker as he did so. He wasn’t watching the road anymore, and for some reason, that fact didn’t worry her the slightest.

“No,” he said, after a moment too long, “You don’t.”

The silence that followed through the rest of the ride to Robert’s property wasn’t exactly loaded, but it wasn’t comfortable either.

Donna felt fidgety, ready to be alone with her thoughts and to plan out her next courses of action, based on what Robert needed of her and how the fuck she was going to do her job discreetly with the least discrete looking shadow on her ass.

Harvey rolled up to the grounds of Robert’s estate, giving both their names at the gate, which opened for them.

Donna was unbuckling and opening her door before he’d even fully stopped it, happy to be back on familiar ground.

She had a small apartment in the city which she used mainly for work, but her room at the estate was the one she had grown up in. Even though it was never quite home, it felt familiar and safe.

Harvey beat her out of the car, coming around the front as she closed her door behind her and she glared at him. It was one thing to insist on watching her around the city, but she’d been joking about the hanging around Robert’s until bedtime thing.

“No one is going to come after me here,” she insisted, “You don’t need to stick around.”

“When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it,” he said, “And I’m not leaving until I’ve vetted this place.”

It was a tremendous effort not to physically stomp her foot at his pigheaded stubbornness.

“It’s wired with cameras and there are patrols,” she reasoned, “No one gets in or out without being permitted to do so. That’s not an opinion, it’s a fact.”

That predatory gleam flickered over his face again, and Donna’s mouth dried when he stepped closer to her. Her back hit the car door as she attempted to put space between them, but he moved with her, closing it. She had worn flats today and he towered over her.

“I told you that I have my own reasons for seeing this through,” he murmured, entirely too close to her, “Even if that means not letting you out of my goddamn sight until it’s over.”

His eyes raked her from head to toe, and it made her skin feel tight.

“So I suggest you get over your aversion to having me around, Princess.”

The condescending nickname shot lightning down her spine, fueling her annoyance with him and their entire damn circumstance.

“Or what?” she challenged, leaning forward on her feet rather than cowering back against the car. Harvey didn’t move and they stood nearly toe to toe, “It’s not like you’re gonna kill me if I don’t listen to you. You’ve just made that perfectly clear.”

“No,” he agreed, and his warm breath fanned out over her face, “But I could always hog-tie you, throw you in my trunk, then take you back to my place in the city and refuse to let you leave until this all passes.”

He was bluffing. Surely he was.

“That’s abduction and Robert would have you killed for it.”

Harvey got impossibly closer, until parts of his body brushed against hers and those eyes of his were all she could see.

“Maybe,” he said, “But I’m willing to bet that I fear the prospect of dying a hell of a lot less than you fear your loss of freedom.”

Something hard pressed against her hip where he’d leaned into her and Donna’s body froze.

She knew a weapon when she saw…well, felt one.

Rather than flinch away from him, she kept their eyes locked, studying the face of the man meant to protect her as he did the same.

Her unparalleled ability to read others didn’t offer much help in this case, though. Harvey had very few tells, most of whatever he actually was remained hidden behind a blank face and thick walls, but his eyes told her enough.

The way he watched her more.

He didn’t trust her; that was a given, but he’d kept himself removed from Jessica and Robert back at the meet spot, too. He wanted to do his own check of the property.

She was willing to bet he didn’t trust anyone. Jessica said he was her best and he was probably used to operating alone. His clothes were expensive but muted, he had status but could move behind lines.

And he wanted whatever it was he was getting out of this arrangement more than he wanted to be free of their unfortunate situation. 

He also wanted her to feel intimidated by him, which was the reason behind all this showboating. 

She was pissed that it was kind of working.

At least until her fingers, which had been drifting slowly south, closed around the hilt of the knife he had tucked against his upper thigh.

Being smart and quick had always been her saving grace, and those skills didn’t fail her now as she raised the blade between them in a flash and had the sharp edge pressed against Harvey’s neck.

"Care to test that theory?" she asked, slightly breathless.

There was half a second where the shift of the dynamic excited her; he was at her mercy this time.

And then he smiled.

That Cheshire cat grin didn’t help staunch the impression that he was hunting for prey, and somehow even with a blade to his neck, she felt like he had the upper hand.

There was zero fear on his face as his eyes flared.

“Go ahead, Princess,” the mother fucker actually leaned into the blade, letting the edge of it dig into the thin skin over his jugular, “Make your life a little easier by getting rid of me.”

Donna swallowed and the hand that held the blade began to tremble.

What the hell was wrong with this guy?

“Word of advice,” he stepped into her body and she dropped her hand to keep from actually slicing open his neck; his own followed, roughly pinning her wrist back against the car as he yanked the knife from her in a practiced move, “Don’t make a threat you aren’t prepared to follow through on.”

Shame licked through her, right behind a spiral of embarrassment as he dragged the blunt side of the blade down her stomach before sheathing it.

Fear didn’t come, but anger did. 

“I don’t need your advice,” she seethed, “In fact, I don’t need you at all.”

He crowded her now, hips holding her in place, her breasts brushing his chest with every inhale she took.

It was too much; he was too much.

The cologne he wore, something musky and warm and one hundred percent male, burned through her sense as his mouth tilted toward her ear.

“Actually, you do need me, Princess. You just proved that you don’t have the stomach to draw blood when it counts. But I do.”

Sharp pain ripped through the side of her head as he moved fast, so damn fast, and nipped the lobe of her ear. She'd felt the skin tear.

Son of a bitch!

He was out of swinging range by the time she slapped through air at him, her blood on his lips when he smiled at her.

“You asshole!”

He’d bit her. He’d fucking bit her!

She didn’t stick around to witness his gloating or to give him the satisfaction of enjoying her anger.

With gusto, she shoved past him and stormed up to the house. One of Robert’s security guards stood watch at the entrance and Donna was fuming as she turned to him.

“He doesn’t enter this house,” she commanded, “Understood?”

The man nodded and she pushed her way through the front door without a single look back at Specter’s infuriating face.

She was calling Robert the first chance she got and demanding he find someone else to shadow her, because if she had to deal with Harvey Specter again, next time she was liable to go through with slitting his goddamn throat.

Chapter Text

Samatha was in the surveillance room, monitoring the feed playing back on the screens when Donna stormed into the room.

“Is he gone?”

“You mean your mystery man?” Sam looked back at her, “He’s walking around the manor with two of the guards.”

Donna groaned, plopping down in the empty chair next to her, “Show me.”

Samantha hit a few keys on the pad in front of her and the largest monitor lit up with motion.

“Looked like you two were getting close out there,” Sam’s short blonde hair fell forward, barely hiding the smirk on her face, “Something you want to share with the class?”

“Yeah, this is entirely your fault,” Donna said, moving her own hair to flash her pierced lobe.

Sam leaned forward, “You rip an earring? How is that my fault?”

“No, the asshole Robert assigned as my security, which was your idea by the way, did this to prove a point.”

Sam frowned.

“Yeah,” Donna huffed, “We weren’t exactly getting as close as you thought out there. And he basically accused me of not having the stomach to protect myself.”

Sam swiveled back to the screen, following the motion through the cameras and blowing up the images.

“Wait-” she narrowed her eyes at the screen, “Wait a fucking minute, is that Harvey Specter?”

From a distance, the black and white image had been obscured, but up close the man’s features were easily ascertainable. The stupid hollow of his cheeks and sharp jawline making him look more GQ model than private security as he spoke with Robert’s men.

“It is,” Donna crossed her legs, “You know him?”

“Unfortunately.” Interesting.

“Robert reached out to Jessica Pearson for her best shadow. She sent him.”

Sam was still frowning when she looked over at her.

“He’s her right hand,” she allowed, “So I won’t say she didn’t deliver, but it’s not a good idea. Specter’s almost always more trouble than he’s worth.”

“ Thank you!” Donna said, but the other woman’s comment appealed to curiosity, “The two of you have history?”

“Jobs have had us crossing paths before,” Sam said in explanation. She was practically scowling at the screen now and they watched as Harvey gave a dismissive nod to the security guard before stalking back toward his car.

Donna sighed in relief when he got in the damn thing and pulled down the drive.

“Just be careful,” Sam told her, eyes following the trail of dust left behind the mustang, “He’s charming as hell when he wants to be, but he’s poison. Best to keep things professional.”

Donna rolled her eyes, “I don’t sleep with men I work with, you know that. And I thought you didn’t either? Not after the whole Kaldor debacle-”

“I never slept with Specter,” Sam defended, “And for a good fucking reason.”

Donna just arched a brow, waiting for her to elaborate, and Sam sighed.

“Worked adjacent to him on a P.I case a few years ago; he was rude, arrogant…I couldn’t stand him. But we were holed up at this shitty hotel; I stopped by his room for an update, and when he answered…he had a guest and it was clear that I had interrupted some fucked up shit.”

Donna smirked at the way Samantha shuddered at the memory, “Are we talking like paddles and handcuffs?”

“No,” Sam said seriously, “Like blood smear and razor wire.”

Oh.

She didn’t even know how to respond to that.

“His reputation doing work for Jessica isn’t much tamer,” Sam added, “But I guess that’s probably why Robert hired him.”

“Lucky me,” Donna swallowed, considering what Samantha had said. She ran it through her own assessment of the guy, not really liking the picture it conjured.

She shook her head, as if doing so would erase the image, and pushed her chair back.

“I’m going to call Robert,” she told Sam, “Try to change his mind about using Jessica’s man.”

Her friend nodded, “Good luck.”

Mike Ross was a fucking genius, and had the moral compass of a genuinely good person. Sometimes those two facts drove Harvey up the damn wall and he had no idea how the kid had ended up here, as in house attorney for Jessica and her businesses.

Well, maybe that’s not entirely true. He knew the kid was basically an orphan who had ran minor street drugs to provide for his late grandmother’s medical care. He knew Mike had been busted by a competitor when he’d ended up at a late night poker game and a right-place-right-time situation had made it so Harvey was there to intervene.

To this day, he still wasn’t sure why he’d done it. Why he’d taken a look at this kid who was about to meet the business end of a glock and vouched for him.

He’d paid off the aggressor, snuck Mike out the back and had taken him to Jessica, who had quickly assessed the brains he possessed and decided he could be of use to them. She used her connections to get Mike into law school, had funded his tuition and his grandmother’s medical bill up until her passing.

Ever since, Mike had been as loyal as a pup. Obeying Jessica’s every command, earning his position by keeping them all off radar, and outsmarting their competitors at every turn.

A worthwhile investment, if Harvey had ever seen one.

Until nights like this. When the kid just wouldn’t shut the fuck up.

“Not even twelve hours for this one to try and get rid of you,” Mike was grinning, swirling the drink Harvey had poured him around his glass, “That’s got to be a new record.”

Harvey had refilled his own tumbler and dropped down into the chair opposite of his favorite pain in the ass.

“Doesn’t matter. Robert called and addressed Ms. Paulen’s concerns, but he’s not an idiot. He knows I’m the best he’s gonna get and he’s not going to risk offending Jessica by saying otherwise.”

Mike shook his head, “Always so humble.”

Harvey made a noise deep in his throat, then took a drink to clear it.

They were at his apartment in the city; the one place he actually felt comfortable enough to allow himself to relax. Only Mike and Jessica had the address and the security measures he’d added to the place made it more secure than Fort Knox.

Ensured that people left him the fuck alone, unless he wanted otherwise.

Mike didn’t seem to care that he preferred his privacy, barely texting a warning before showing up with a bottle of Macallan. Harvey told himself the scotch was the only reason he’d let the punk in.

“Rachel’s told me a little about her,” Mike said a moment later, offhandedly, “Your assignment. Donna, right? She didn’t really sound as bitchy as you’re making her seem.”

“Because we can trust Rachel Zane’s opinion to be unbiased about the woman who works for her father? Please.”

“Hey,” Mike chided slightly, “I do trust her.”

Of course he did. Because the kid was a fucking idiot who was thinking with his boner rather than his brain when it came to women. He’d crossed paths with Rachel at a networking event and the two had been seeing each other off and on since.

Harvey disapproved, he’d told Mike as much, but he also wasn’t gonna throw him under the bus for getting his dick wet.

“Just saying,” he reiterated, “Donna Paulsen may be a saint to dear Rachel, but she’s a pain in my ass. Self-centered, stubborn, talks back-”

Fiery temper, curvaceous body.

He shook his head, “The sooner we help Robert figure out whoever’s trying to shut down his deal, the better. Get back to doing my actual fucking job.”

Despite his grumpy tone, Mike grinned, “You mean get back to having the free time to do whatever the hell it is that did that to your neck?”

He pointed and Harvey’s hand lifted to brush the spot where his own blade had rubbed against his jugular. The mark would fade in a day or two, since Donna hadn’t actually broken through much skin, but the dark red line was hard to miss.

Harvey still had to give that much to her, the woman had balls. He knew grown men that wouldn’t dare pull a weapon on him, let alone his very own.

That moment by his car ran back through his mind; the annoyance on Donna’s face, the apprehension as she stepped away from him, the way her soft curves had felt when he’d pinned her against the mustang. 

The sun had filtered through her hazel eyes as she’d glared up at him, and though she’d been subtle about it, he’d felt her hand go for his knife.

Curious to see exactly how far she was willing to go, he hadn’t stopped her taking it, or pressing it to his throat. The look on her face when he hadn’t cowered to her empty threats had been worth the slight mark she’d left behind.

And he’d left his own mark behind as well.

He ran his tongue across his lips, remembering the way her blood had tasted on them.

“There’s always time for that,” he said dismissively and Mike chuckled.

“Especially when Jessica employs the best professionals in the city.”

Harvey shook his head, “I don’t mix business with pleasure. And I don’t pay.”

“Bet they love that.”

He shrugged, “They don’t complain.”

“Hard to say anything around a ball gag,” Mike quipped and Harvey shot him a narrowed glare which just made the kid laugh more.

“At least I’m not screwing our competitor's daughter,” he took a sip of his drink, “You’re lucky Zane hasn’t found that out.”

Mike was as unbothered as ever, even with the slight threat, “Could get you off the job though. Of course, then you’d have to protect me instead because Robert would probably want me dead.”

“Win-win for me,” Harvey smirked and Mike’s jaw dropped.

“Hey, not cool man.”

Harvey rolled his eyes and stood to his feet, “Just finish your drink, Junior. Then get out. We have an early morning.”

Mike was all blue-eyed mischief as he grinned up at him, “Is this where I say ‘Yes, Sir’?”

Harvey hit him on head as he passed. “Ow.”

“Just lock the damn door behind you.”

He was almost to his bedroom when he heard Mike’s chuckle.

“Yes, sir.”

Donna felt stiff all over when the beeping of her alarm finally pulled her from sleep. It had been past midnight before she’d finally been able to doze off, and even then she’d been plagued with dreams and anxieties that had her tossing and turning in a fight to get comfortable enough to actually rest.

She reached for her alarm, snoozing it, then ran a hand down her face in an attempt to rub the exhaustion away.

When her eyes cleared and focused, she let out an involuntary yelp of surprise.

“What the fuck?!” she yelled, sitting up so fast her head spun, “How the hell did you get in here?!”

Harvey Specter was sitting in the chair by her window, looking almost bored with one leg crossed over his knee as he flipped through a book he’d clearly grabbed from her shelf across the room.

“Robert gave security permission to let me into the house. I decided to make myself comfortable.”

“Yeah, I can fucking see that,” she pressed her fingers to her temples, wondering if this just was another nightmare.

The pain that ricocheted down her head denoted that theory.

“Sorry, Princess,” Harvey smirked, “Your attempt to tattle me off this assignment didn’t work.”

“Tattle-” she fumed, “You bit my ear!”

“And what, your neck got jealous?” he taunted, smile deepening until his dimples flashed, “I could fix that for you.”

He made to stand and she pointed a finger in his direction, “Stay the hell away from me. I don’t care if Robert disagreed. You’re fired.”

“Then you’re benched,” he reminded her and Donna paused.

Shit .

“Besides,” Harvey stood slowly, dropping the book into the chair, and walked over to the end of her bed, “You weren’t the one that hired me in the first place, so I’m here until your boss decides otherwise. Now, you want to keep arguing a moot point, or do you want to discuss the meeting we’re attending tonight?”

The meeting she was attending, with Stu Buzzini to try and solidify the final terms of their contract.

“How do you know about that?”

“When Robert called to berate me for pissing you off, he also gave me the full report.” Harvey sat on the edge of her mattress and Donna drew herself back against her headboard, bringing her feet up in case she needed to land a solid kick to that broad chest.

Fuck. Why was she thinking about his chest?

“You’re meeting with that business partner tonight to finalize Robert’s deal and I’m coming. Until then, you’re gonna stay nice and safe right here, where I can keep you out of trouble.”

“Like hell,” she snapped, “I have other plans today-”

“Lunch off campus with Rachel Zane?” he clicked his tongue, “It can wait.”

Donna blinked at him.

“How did you-”

“It’s my job to know,” he insisted, again like he was explaining it to a child, “You have lunch with Rachel every Thursday. But even if Robert’s security is there with the girl, I’m not taking any chances,” he leaned back on his palms, “We need to change your routine, shake anyone who may be stalking it out-”

“Besides you, you mean,” she snapped, then exhaled, “Listen, this is my life. You can’t just come in here and try to control everything.”

The expression he gave her was cold, all emotion vanishing.

“Your life is exactly what I’m talking about,” he told her, “And Rachel’s, Robert’s, and god knows who else may be threatened. Are you really so selfish to insist on being able to enjoy a mimosa at brunch when it could mean putting your friend in danger?”

Well…when he put it that way.

Donna frowned and he sighed.

“When are you going to get it through that pretty head of yours that you were targeted? Attacked,” he straightened, keeping that leveled gaze on her, “You want that heat coming back on someone you care about, or do you want to listen to what I’m fucking telling you?”

He was right.

She fucking hated it, but he was right; at least about needing to minimize the threat to those she cared about.

Goddamn it.

“We’ll need to talk with Samantha,” Donna told him, “She says you’ve met.”

“We have.” He didn’t sound any more pleased about the fact than Sam had.

“Right, well, she monitors the security for these meetings, tracks where any threats might be stationed…she’ll give you a run down of Buzzini’s team.”

Harvey’s brow lifted, “Stu Buzzini?”

He was going to find out as much tonight anyway, so she nodded, “That’s who I’m meeting with. And the hotel whose conference room we’re using is an upscale place, so please tell me you own something that will allow you to blend in.”

“This too casual for you, Princess?” he waved down his body.

It wasn't that he didn’t look…she tried not to scan his current outfit and failed miserably because those dark jeans and that fitted muscle shirt hugged his obviously well developed body in a sinful way.

Him looking back at her like he also noticed her outfit wasn’t helping; especially considering said outfit was nothing more than a silk nightgown that could easily be shoved up around-

Okaaay. She was stopping that shit right there.

Donna shook her head and pushed back the blankets so she could stand, “Too casual for The Artemide, yes. Now get out. I need to shower.”

That wicked smirk flashed again as he did the same, “I can stand guard by the sink if you like.”

The words were almost flirty, but there was still that predatory glint in his voice that had set off every warning sign she had yesterday that told her how dangerous his offer actually was.

And why she should be putting several locked doors between them.

“Only if you plan to fill it with water and submerge your head beneath it,” she smiled sweetly, “If not, you can go wait in the goddamn hall.”

He stared at her as if she’d challenged him and Donna wasn’t even sure what kind of game of chicken this was, but she knew she wouldn’t be the first to flinch.

She stood her ground with an expectant look, waiting.

Finally, he seemed to thaw, and took a step back, “Shout if you need me.”

“I’ll scream ‘Asshole’ as loud as I can,” she promised, and could have sworn a flicker of amusement passed over his face.

But then he was gone and she could finally breathe normally again.

Still, just to be safe, she followed the way he’d left and shut her door behind him, sliding the lock into place, as it would be every single night from here on out.

She stopped by the chair that Harvey had been occupying on the way to her adjoining bathroom, and picked up the book he’d discarded.

Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood .

How was that for irony?

Donna put it back in its place on the shelf then made her way to the bathroom, starting up the shower and letting the steam fill the room before she stripped down.

She was half tempted to check the place for bugs or cameras, but told herself she was being ridiculous. Specter may be a dick, and according to Sam, have quite the perversions, but he was still, unfortunately, on their side.

However, that didn’t entirely lessen the urge she had to kill Robert herself for letting that asshole into the house while she slept.

She stepped under the hot water, hoping the spray would help wash that anger, and the impending dread she felt for tonight’s events, right down the drain.

Chapter Text

Harvey checked his reflection in the mirror in the office hall. His tux was well fitted and classic black. If the princess wanted him dressed up, he’d argue he’d gone above and beyond. He adjusted his tie and smoothed his lapels.

Well beyond.

“There room for two in front of that mirror?”

Harvey turned to see Jeff Malone approaching. He was dressed similarly in a sharp suit that clung to his tall build.

“There is, but I’m not gonna be your date to the prom.”

Jeff laughed, “Already got one of those. Jessica’s supposed to meet me here any minute.”

Harvey nodded. Jeff and Jessica had a…thing. He wasn’t really sure what to call it. He knew they fucked. He also knew Jessica was hardly one for exclusivity. Probably for the best, since Jeff worked for her and that was one mess he didn’t want to have to clean up if things got testy and went south.

The man stepped forward, leaning down to the mirror and reached up to straighten his bow-tie.

“Not too shabby,” Jeff complimented his own appearance as he did so, and Harvey caught sight of a few scratches along the man’s neck, half hidden beneath his collar.

“Get a new kitten?” he smarted, and Jeff took note of the injury.

He flashed Harvey a knowing grin, “Hey, you know our girl’s a wild card. That extends to the bedroom, too.”

He was sure it did.

The woman in question appeared before he could comment, and Harvey let out a low whistle as Jeff’s jaw snapped shut.

“Jessica Pearson,” he circled her, unabashedly scanning her from head to toe, “You’re looking to break some hearts tonight.”

The sleek gown covered plenty, but highlighted every curve. The high necklace gave it an air of class that the diamonds in her ears only cemented.

“Looking to save some, actually,” she slipped the band of her clutch onto her wrist, “We’re attending a charity gala for the AHA.”

He frowned at the news.

“You need me for it?”

Jessica shook her head, “No, you’re on your own assignment tonight, and I have eyes already in place. Don’t worry. Besides-” she walked over to where Jeff stood and looped her arm through his, “We’re guests of Senator Briggs tonight, so I doubt anyone will be stupid enough to act out of line.”

Harvey chuckled, “Senator Briggs, huh? He’s the one with the foot fetish.”

“The foot fetish and the holder of the split vote on a bill that Mckernon wants blocked,” she winked.

Harvey had to give it to her, the shift in clientele with the escorts Jessica provided was paying off; the higher the titles, the deeper the reach…and everyone loved pussy.

Or in this case, feet.

“Have fun with that,” he told the couple, dipping his head and Jessica smiled back at him.

“Oh, I intend to.”

Harvey watched them leave and followed shortly after. Rather than taking his own car tonight, he’d called in Ray; his favorite of Jessica’s drivers.

The town car was waiting for him on the curb when he made it outside and he slipped into the back, letting his thoughts drift to what awaited him for the evening.

Donna was due to meet with Stu Buzzini, a representative for the Italian faction of the city’s drug runners. Clearly Robert was looking toward expansion, since Buzzini and his crew peddled in more than just pot and coke.

And wasn’t that a bitch, because it meant that there were too many damn names that could be on the list of suspects, since any number of competitors might want to stop a partnership between Zane and the Italians.

He knew Samantha was working the foreign threat angle at Robert’s request. He’d reached out to her that morning after doing a scope of the hotel he and Donna were going to tonight, rigging the conference rooms with hidden cameras.

Samantha had been pleasant as ever, and by that he meant not so, but she was efficient at her job at least. She’d channeled into the hotel security live feed and had sent him an encoded link to stream on his cell, just in case.

He didn’t want any surprises for the evening.

It took over an hour to reach Robert’s estate, where he was picking Donna up. She’d insisted before he left that afternoon that it would be easier if she just met him at the hotel, but he was having none of that.

Until this deal was done and her attacker was identified, he wasn’t letting her out of his sight unless she was locked up, quite literally, behind a fortress.

Robert’s home felt like that, the giant mansion with its rolling armed security and gated property.

He gave his and Ray’s name to the guard at the front gate and they pulled up to the entry steps once it opened.

“Wait here,” he told his driver and stepped out of the car.

With Robert’s open invitation, he wasn’t stopped by the security at the door and the grand foyer that laid beyond contained exactly who he was looking for.

And look, he did, pausing mid-step to do so.

Robert was standing at the base of a staircase, and at his side, Donna Paulsen was utterly ravishing.

Ready for the evening in a pale pink cocktail dress, she was all feminine curves and creamy skin. Her breasts were pushed up, fully on display beneath the thin fabric and all he could think about was how easy it would be to slice through those thin straps on her shoulders and let them loose.

“I believe that’s your ride,” Robert’s voice called him from further fantasy and Donna’s head swiveled in his direction.

She did her own double take at the sight of him and Harvey couldn’t help but feel a little smug. 

That’s right, Princess. You aren’t the only one who cleans up .

“Harvey,” she greeted, the light curls of her red hair brushing over her clavicle as she faced him completely.

Her eyes were painted with makeup that drew a subtle attention, then pointed it to her lips, which were glossed to hide the fading split in it with a pink only slightly darker than her dress.

He wondered what the color might look like, smeared with drool and dripping down her chin.

“Donna.”

She gave a small nod at her name, as if it were some sort of confirmation, then spun back to Robert, “Assuming Stu signs, do you want me to bring the contract back here, or to the city office?”

“Nah, no need for you to come all the way back tonight,” Robert responded, “Just keep it safe with you. I’ll be in the city in the morning and you can bring it to me then.”

Another nod and she leaned in, kissing the air next to the older man’s cheek.

“I’ll see you in the morning then.”

Robert patted her shoulder then looked back at Harvey. He didn’t say anything, but there was warning all in that dark stare.

“She’ll be safe,” Harvey promised him, “I’m not going to let anyone touch her.”

Donna’s lip twitched at his assurance, but she kept quiet until Robert gave a gruff, “See that you don’t,” and made his way up the stairs.

“Something funny?” he asked her, the moment they were alone; well almost alone. He didn’t count the security at the door.

Her eyes looked dark now, nearly brown, as they flickered up at him, and goddamn he was worked up tonight because every nerve he had wanted to see that expression on her face from her knees.

“The idea that I’m supposed to be safe with you,” she said, each word laced with challenge. Clearly, she still wasn’t over the ear incident.

Harvey moved right into her personal space, He didn’t touch her, though his hands nearly shook with the desire to, and he kept their gazes locked as he leaned in close.

Donna hadn’t backed down from him before and she didn’t do so now. The aroma of her sweet perfume pervaded the air between them, caressing his tongue as he spoke.

 “Don’t worry, Princess. I won’t allow anyone else to make you bleed.”

There was a promise to his words that he knew she picked up on; the unspoken sentiment that claimed that privilege for him alone.

Her body responded to it, skin flushing as her breath deepened, and he waited for that sharp scent of fear.

Craved it.

Instead, Donna denied him with narrowed eyes.

“I can’t make you the same promise,” she quipped, “And if you’re through attempting to threaten me, can we go?”

Amusement and frustration warred inside him at her response.

The part of him that admired strength and challenge appreciated that Donna consistently bucked back against him. But the other part…he wanted that fire broken, subdued.

He wanted her trembling.

“The car’s out front,” he said and offered her his arm.

He wasn’t too surprised when she sidestepped it and the strappy heels she wore clicked against the marble flooring as she passed him for the door.

Donna was surprised when she walked out to the drive and saw not Harvey’s sports car, but a sleek black town car. There was a man standing beside the back door, waiting to open it.

“It’s not a royal carriage, but I figured it would do for tonight,” Harvey came up behind her, his hand skimming her lower back as he gestured to the other man.

The door opened and the stranger offered a hand to help her inside.

“Oh. Thank you,” she said, attempting to be polite and slid in.

He gestured at Harvey with a flurry of small hand movements, and Harvey laughed, “Thanks, Ray. But I can get my own door.”

Sign language , Donna realized.

Her door was shut and both men walked around to get into the car. She frowned as Harvey slid into the back seat beside her.

“I know you’re insisting on watching me tonight, but you don’t have to do it so closely,” she told him.

He just smirked and the driver snapped his fingers, gaining their attention. Another silent conversation passed as he used sign to ask something of Harvey.

“Back to Manhattan,” Harvey answered him, “To the Artemide.”

The driver nodded and got them moving while Donna frowned.

“What?” Harvey asked, noticing her expression.

Donna lowered her voice, “You don't strike me as the type to know ASL.”

He shrugged, but leaned down toward her to speak just as quietly.

“It's useful. Ray and I learned together,” he said, “He drives Jessica the majority of the time and I didn’t want to risk any miscommunication.”

Now that was surprising.

“He’s mute?” she wondered, eyes flickering back up to the driver, who was nodding along to some music he’d put on the radio. So, clearly not deaf; at least not entirely.

“He is now,” Harvey said omnisciently.

When Donna turned back to him, eyebrows drawing together, he lowered his voice even further, speaking directly into her ear now.

“He lost his tongue about six years ago. He can read, write, and hear just fine. But he doesn’t speak.”

Don’t ask , she told herself, don’t fucking ask .

“How?” Goddamn it.

“Got ambushed by a competitor after a drop off,” Harvey told her without hesitation, “He refused to give up Jessica’s location.”

She felt her eyes grow two sizes and she leaned back to look at him, trying to determine if he was serious.

There was no trace of humor on his face.

“And he still works for you?” Who, in their right mind… 

“He was well compensated,” Harvey dismissed, as if that made it all okay, “All medical bills covered, not just for him but his wife, too. His family’s provided for, for the rest of their lives. He’s got two kids in college now and Jessica’s footing the bill. And,” his eyes darkened, “I personally took care of the men who jumped him.”

A shiver ran down Donna’s spine that had nothing to do with the chilling A.C blowing from the vents, but a small part of her was admittedly impressed by the lengths gone to make right such an atrocity. Jessica, it seemed, had indeed repaid the man’s protection.

Harvey’s lip curved when she whispered as much to him and his face was entirely too close to hers as he said, “Well, someone did once tell me that loyalty should be appreciated.”

Her words from the day before hit a lot differently in this context, though she was shocked that he remembered them at all.

“Is dismemberment the price of your loyalty?”

Harvey’s jaw flexed, drawing her attention down, where it snagged on his parted lips.

“Loyalty is a two way street,” she watched them say, “If you give it, you get it.”

Donna figured she’d rather just keep her tongue, but it felt callous to say as much, so instead she nodded and let the topic die.

The ride to the city was mostly silent, but wasn’t entirely unpleasant. Harvey kept to his side of the car, and the song variety was actually pretty good. By the time they’d reached the city, she was completely in her element, ready to put her mind to task.

Stu would be waiting for her at the hotel and hopefully this entire deal would be finalized and put to bed tonight.

The street was busy when the driver, Ray, pulled them up to it. Harvey got out first, telling her to hold tight, and rather than listen, she opened her own door and stepped out as he came around to her side.

“Goddamn it,” he muttered, “Would it kill you to listen once? Because it might actually kill you not to.”

She rolled her eyes, “Would it kill you to be less dramatic? We’re right out in public and I don’t need you escorting me with a bullet proof bubble inside the hotel.”

He grabbed her arm, pulling her out of the street traffic, and Ray disappeared with the car as Harvey crowded her.

“I’m trying to make sure you make it out of the hotel tonight.”

“Then let me do my job,” she argued, “And this can all be over.”

His gaze was intense as it swallowed her, pierced into her very being.

“You stay at my side until you spot Buzzini,” he insisted, “You walk over, do what you need to do, and finish this. I’ll have eyes on you.”

Donna nodded. She could work with that at least. 

And for better or for worse, she did feel a tad safer when Harvey’s hand came to rest on her lower back; guiding her toward the hotel entrance.

Harvey hadn’t had much opportunity to interact with Stu Buzzini personally. Which was probably a blessing for the guy.

Sure, they’d met once or twice as paths crossed in their world, but there had been no memorable events, which meant Stu and his colleagues were smart though to stay out of Jessica’s way.

Harvey was imagining ways to murder the guy, now.

It had been clear from the moment Donna had greeted him, that Stu was interested in more than just Robert’s contract.

He’d been at the bar when they walked in, prim in a dark suit, and Donna had smiled warmly as she captured his attention, leaving Harvey to the shadows. Stu had hugged her, hands resting entirely too low on her back for the gesture of an acquaintance and as she sat next to him and allowed him to order her a drink, his eyes had continually drifted down to those supple breasts that her dress did nothing to hide.

Rationally, Harvey couldn’t really blame the guy. Hell, he himself had gotten transfixed on Donna’s curves the moment he’d first seen her tonight. But appreciating her body and straight up ogling it the way Buzzini was doing were two different things.

But it wasn’t until the bastard’s hand reached for her leg that Harvey’s feet moved of their own accord, dragging him several steps toward the scene of what was about to be his bloodiest crime.

Then he caught the look on Donna’s face.

She was smiling at Stu, a flirty glint to her eyes, but for the briefest second, her gaze locked with his over Stu’s shoulder, and she winked.

It was enough to draw him short, to watch how she flipped her hair and laughed like Buzzini had said the funniest damn thing in the world, and for him to realize how entirely fabricated her persona was.

Stu Buzzini was eating up her attention, looked ready to drop to the ground and start worshiping her if she would permit him a continued touch.

And in that moment, he understood why Donna took these meetings instead of Robert. Men in their world respected power and the position of other leaders, sure. But an unattainable woman, not to mention one who looked like Donna, oh that was a prize to seek. 

And he was willing to bet Buzzini was giving up a lot to Robert in the deal, for the slightest chance of securing that prize.

So he forced himself to sit back, to let Donna work her angle, now that he recognized that traveling hand on her knee as proof that she was winning this fool over, rather than some attack to her person.

That her shining smile was bait, not interest.

She was a spider weaving a web around her prey and the man looked all too happy to be caught.

Eventually, Donna leaned closer to Buzzini and murmured something that caused him to nod. They both stood and she led the way across the room from the bar.

It was time for actual business.

Harvey tracked them until they reached the conference rooms, staying out of sight in the halls.

Two of Stu’s men were waiting by the large door, and his entire body tensed. Of course the fucker would have his own security, but that put Donna alone in that room, with…two men, he noted, as one of the suits followed her and Stu inside.

She didn’t hesitate, didn’t appear bothered at all, so this was probably routine, but it set Harvey on edge.

He fired up the camera feed on his cell phone the moment those doors closed, keeping the other of Stu’s men in his peripheral.

Thank fucking god he’d estimated the positions right.

His placement of the hidden camera allowed him a clear shot at both parties as they sat down at the long table in the conference room, though the security was out of sight.

He didn’t like that.

A few clicks and an adjustment to the earpiece he’d brought specifically for this, and Harvey waited for the audio to fire up. If he could hear the conversation, then at least he would know when and if he needed to step in.

But no sound came from the system.

He could see Stu’s mouth moving, watched as Donna answered, but nothing came through his earpiece.

“Fuck,” he muttered under his breath, feeling the muscles of his spine go tight.

It might be nothing. Sometimes technology faltered and glitched. Audio on the camera may not be working. There could be some interference from the hotel security feed interrupting the signal. There was absolutely no need to act prematurely. To palm the gun tucked in the holster strapped beneath his jacket and prepare to use it.

Donna was smiling at Stu on the video. She was fine. But a flick of a wrist and twitch of a finger and that out-of-sight security could have a bullet in her skull within half a second.

That thought alone was enough to override any concern about angering Robert, or frankly Donna herself, by interrupting her deal.

He tucked his phone and earpiece away, turning down the hall and walking right up to the man still standing guard.

“Sorry, sir,” the man contended, “This room is closed for-

“I’m here to see Buzzini.”

Shock registered on the man’s face, then confusion, and Harvey shoved past him while his brain played catch up, bursting through the door without preamble.

All three sets of eyes turned to him. Stu shot up to his feet and the security detail’s hand went right to his hip where Harvey guessed his weapon was tucked. 

He didn’t bother to reach for his own. Hired guns only shot when they were told to, or when they felt threatened, and the man already looked a little too trigger happy.

“Good evening,” he greeted, ignoring the look of incredulity Donna made at him, to level his stare on Buzzini.

“Harvey Specter,” the man straightened; he lifted a hand to his guard at the door, a motion to stand down, “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

Despite the strong delivery of his words, Stu had paled impressively. Harvey smirked.

“I’m escorting Ms. Paulsen tonight,” his gaze flickered to her, “Sorry I’m late.”

Donna’s eyes widened, confusion and annoyance flashing through them. He ignored that, too, especially as Stu’s mouth fell open.

He looked back and forth between Harvey and Donna, going somehow impossibly paler.

“I…I didn’t realize Robert had brought Jessica Pearson into this deal,” Stu swallowed, focusing on Donna again, “I’m sorry, Donna, but regrettably, I must withdraw the offer we discussed until I-”

“Stu,” Donna stood then, too, lifting a hand toward him like one might a scared pet, “Let’s not be hasty, now. The deal is between your crew and Robert alone, and I would-”

“I’m sorry,” he said again, donning the button on his jacket as he took a step away from the table, attention back on Harvey even as he spoke to her, “But my affiliates and I have no grievance with Jessica Pearson and would prefer to keep it as such. Please give Robert my deepest regards.”

Harvey typically didn’t mind being the harbinger of Jessica’s wrath. It was satisfying at times to know that just the sight of him was enough to send men running. But in this case, it was going to cause more problems than it was worth.

“Calm the hell down,” he spoke, cutting off Donna as she started to ask Buzzini to reconsider, “I’m not here for you.”

Stu’s eyes narrowed on him, “Perhaps not, but one doesn’t unleash their attack dog unless something fucked is going down and I have no interest in being a part of it.”

“He’s not here because of Jessica,” Donna said quickly, moving from the table to stand directly in front of Stu now, “He’s here for my protection.”

That got the bastard’s attention.

“Protection? From me ? I’m insulted that you’d think I-”

“No,” Donna was quick to elaborate, “Because of something personal. A man…a mistake, really,” she lowered her voice conspiratorially, “I slept with him once and the psycho has refused to leave me alone. Calling at all hours. Stalking my home. And you know how particular Robert can be. He reached out to Jessica for her connections, to secure me a private detail while I do business for him. That’s why Specter is here.”

It was impressive. How quickly she lied her ass off and how believable that slight tremble of her voice was. The mention of sex had solidified Stu’s focus, and he locked into her story with no reason to doubt it.

Donna reached up and placed a hand against the man’s pec, “You have my word. Harvey is only here for my protection, because that is the level Robert is willing to go to for my safety. And if he shows this much concern and loyalty to those he employs, imagine how much he’ll give you as a partner.”

Fuck.

Her eyes were wide, innocent as a doe, and her soft words screamed of all things simple and reassuring. Stu practically preened beneath the stroke of her hand, resolve crumbling. 

He looked back at Harvey, seeking confirmation, and Harvey dipped his head with a short nod, “You do right by her and you have nothing to worry about from me.”

“Especially because he’s going to go back to waiting outside while we finish our meeting,” Donna said, turning to face him now and Harvey shifted his eyes to her.

Like fucking hell he was.

Even if Buzzini was practically shitting his pants at the thought of him, he wasn’t keen to leave Donna alone now.

“No. I’m not.”

“Oh yes, you are,” she insisted. Her features were sharp, the challenge in her expression obvious. She would fight him on this and whatever good faith she’d just earned might unravel.

He hesitated and she crossed the space between them, getting as close and personal to him as she just had with Stu.

“I’ll be perfectly fine,” she said in reassurance, “You can wait just as easily by the door.”

She peered up at him through those thick lashes, eyes pleading and damn it all, if he wasn’t the fool in the web now.

His jaw clenched as he ground his teeth, weighing his choices before conceding.

“Fine. But Thing One and Two wait out there with me.”

She nodded and threw a look at Buzzini over her shoulder, “Can we agree to that, Stu?”

He agreed and Harvey waited until both suits had stepped from the room before following them out.

He paused in the doorway, giving one last look to Donna, then to Buzzini.

“I take my job seriously, Stu. Anything does happen to her and you will regret it.”

The bastard swallowed and, satisfied he’d made his point, Harvey let the door shut between them.

Donna wanted to kick something.

Ooh, the audacity of that fucking man, storming in and nearly costing her everything she’d spent months working toward.

“I am so sorry,” she started, turning back to Stu the moment they were alone.

He still looked shaken, eyes lingering on the door Harvey had just left out of, and Donna allowed him a moment to regain composure. When he did, he dropped back down into his seat, then let out a short, incredulous laugh.

“I didn’t realize Robert was quite so well connected.”

“Connections that could only benefit you,” she worked the appeal angle, sliding back into her own seat, “Now, I don’t mind renegotiating some of the contract terms, if you’re uncomfortable with-”

“No need,” Stu waved her off, “Let's review it, but I’m prepared to sign as is.”

That was what she had hoped for, but the news surprised her coming off of the night’s recent events.

“You will?”

Stu gave her a warm smile, some of his color returning.

“Anyone willing to go toe to toe with Jessica’s enforcer, despite what he’s done, is someone I want on my team. And you just sent him out the door like a child being told to go to bed. Which means you’re either brave, or crazy, but either way…it’s impressive.”

Despite what Harvey had done ? 

That list was undoubtedly long, but it sounded as if Stu was referencing a particular thing, and her curiosity spiked.

“He’s less intimidating when he’s being paid to keep me safe,” she attempted a joke, and did earn a smirk for it.

“Maybe so. Though I pity that stalker of yours if Specter gets his hands on him.”

Stalker...right.

“I would guess that he has quite the reputation,” she fished a little, trying not to make it seem as if she were.

“You heard about Charles Forstman’s man, I’m sure,” Stu delivered, “An absolute mess.”

Forstman was another player on the board in the underground. His operation existed throughout the country, but a faction did exist here in the city and had little to do with Robert’s interests, thank god. He was a financial empire with connections in all white collar circles that could no doubt make life a living hell for his enemies.

Donna shook her head, “Robert and I function on a need-to-know basis. He tends to keep the messes closer to hand.”

That was more Samantha’s area of concern, anyway.

Stu arched a brow, “Sure. But given that you’re working with Specter, I’d have thought he’d have told you.”

She blinked with faux innocence, playing the i’m-just-an-assistant card, and Stu leaned right into it.

“Forstman and Pearson had an…altercation a few years back. A conflict over some business. And if rumor is to be believed, Forstman sent one of his men to make an attempt on her.”

“You mean kill her?” Donna frowned. She knew this life of theirs was risky, still bore her own marks from it, but an assassination attempt for bad business? How many millions had to be at stake for that?

Stu nodded, “The guy was caught before he could, and Jessica had Specter make a message out of him.”

Her lips parted, once again convinced she shouldn’t ask the question burning on her tongue, and once again, unable to stop herself from doing so anyway.

“How?”

“Tortured the guy,” Stu leaned back in his seat, “Body turned up some time later at Forstman’s door. Hands were missing. Eyes were gouged. Parts of the body were skinned. And they say most of it had to have happened while the man was still alive to feel it, something about cauterization and the bruising…so I’m sure you can forgive my caution.”

Donna nodded, or at least, she thought she did.

Her brain was still whirling over images of scorched wounds and flayed skin. Had Harvey really done that? And was that the fate that could await her, or Robert even, if his new alliance with Jessica went wrong?

She swallowed the lump that grew in her throat.

“But, anyway,” Stu dismissed the information like it was last week’s weather report and drew papers from inside his jacket, “Should we do the final review and get this thing signed?”

Damn. Signature. Right...Contract.

Donna tried to push everything else aside and forced the fakest of smiles onto her lips.

“Absolutely.”

Harvey stared without blinking at the door in which Donna sat behind.

The two other men that had followed him out into the hall stood at point next to it, warily watching him, too, but they were no threat. It was clear they wouldn’t act without Buzzini’s say so, and even if they did, he’d have them taken out with barely any effort.

He didn’t relax, however, until the door opened and Donna stepped out, Stu Buzzini right behind her.

The men came to his side and he shook Donna’s hand and Harvey moved slightly closer to stand behind her.

“Pleasure, as always,” Stu told her, “We’ll meet next with Robert at the time we discussed.”

He then looked over her shoulder at Harvey and dipped his head, “Specter.”

Harvey didn’t respond, not that the man waited for him to before waving his men forward.

They left down the hall without another word.

Harvey shook his head and shifted his attention back to Donna who had turned slightly toward him.

“Get what you needed?” he asked.

She nodded, but it was a small movement and her eyes were trained on him with strange expression overcoming her face.

Like she was searching for something in his and whatever she found made her entire body lock down.

The change was subtle, but every part of him responded to it.

The flare in her eyes, the tension that drew in her shoulders, making those breasts of hers rise with a quiet inhale. Her nipples were peaked through the thin fabric and that perfume that had teased him earlier was mixing now with an even stronger aphrodisiac.

Something had shifted, in that short time she was away from him.

Her gaze no longer held challenge, but something sharper, that had her every instinct honed to him.

Fear .

It practically rolled off her body and sent a lick of heat rushing through his veins, all the way down to his cock that stirred as she stared up at him and her breath continued to labor.

She was finally fucking afraid of him.

Chapter Text

It was nerves from the evening, Donna tried to convince herself. She’d completed the biggest step in securing Robert’s new partnership; getting his constituent to sign. She tried to rationalize that there was someone, or possibly multiple someones, out there who did not want her to succeed in that endeavor. Enough so that she’d been attacked for it; pinned down, hit, and threatened.

So naturally, having just completed the very task she’d been targeted for, she felt apprehensive. Alert.

It had absolutely nothing to do with what Stu had told her about Harvey Specter.

In fact, she wasn’t sure she was even surprised by the news that he was capable of such sadistic torture. Not that she pretended to be a saint, but Donna knew that Harvey was on an entirely different level when it came to the services he provided for Jessica.

Hell, on the way to the hotel he’d admitted to...well, she wasn’t exactly sure what “taking care of” the men who had hurt his driver meant, but something told her it was more than a slap on the wrist.

So, no. She wasn’t surprised by what Stu had informed her of about her protector. And she certainly didn’t feel like each step she took out of the hotel and toward the waiting town car could be her last.

Yet, even as she slid into her seat, clutching the signed contract in her hands, Donna could’t stop the tension that shot down her spine. Her overactive imagination unable to completely shake the images that had been conjured into her brain of that faceless, mangled body.

“Where do you want to take the document?” Harvey asked, having joined her in the cab.

Donna took a breath, trying to conjure up the bravado that got her through each day doing this work.

“I’d say we can take it to Robert’s office, but if anyone is tracking us, I don’t want to lead them right there,” she reasoned out, “My apartment should be safe enough for tonight. Have your driver drop me off on 54th and Park. My building is secure, but I can take a few cabs, make sure I’m not being tailed before going home.”

Harvey stared back at her as if she’d grown another head.

“What?”

“I’m on the clock until Robert decides otherwise. I’m not leaving you alone tonight.”

Donna’s lips parted, an argument ready to run from her tongue, but she swallowed it back.

Let logic dictate her reaction, rather than the urge she still felt to put as much distance between them as possible.

She turned to glance out the window, at the city blurring past, and her mind raced.

Harvey’s eyes were still on her; she could feel the burn of his stare.

“I don’t want you at my apartment,” she decided, “No one has that address. Not even Robert. I’d prefer to keep it that way.”

They could get a hotel or go to one of the safe houses she was sure Jessica kept. Hell, sleeping in the town car wasn’t off the list of options she’d rather consider than having Harvey learn where she lived when she wasn’t at Robert’s estate.

“Okay,” he said, and the lack of resistance was surprising enough that Donna turned to look at him again, “Then we’ll stay at my place.”

His…

“We could get a hotel-“ she tried to compromise, but Harvey shook his head, “Not enough security. Trust me, my apartment is a steel box. No one will get to you there.”

She was a little less concerned with anyone getting to her inside of it and more with being able to get out.

“Donna,” Harvey said her name, short and firm when she opened her mouth to protest. It was odd, hearing it on his lips.

“If I’m going to protect you, I need to be where you are. It’s just for tonight,” he told her, “I promise you, you’ll be safe. Safer than anyone else in this goddamn city.”

Her resolve faltered just a little. He may be a psycho murdering asshole, but everything about the way he looked at her told her that he was being truthful. Whatever else his intentions, he meant what he said about protecting her. Damn her trusted gut feelings.

“And you’ll feel comfortable,” she mused, leaning back against the door as she raked her eyes over him, “Sleeping in the same space as me? I have already held a knife to your neck. What if I decide to smother you with a pillow this time?”

He flashed that smile that made her stomach feel warm in a way it absolutely did not need to.

“If you want to try it, Princess, you go right ahead. But I don’t think you’ll like the consequences.” His gaze flickered over her face, down her neck and up again. He licked his lips like he was hungry, “Then again…maybe you would.”

Reason number eight-thousand five hundred and seventy-two that she should insist on staying anywhere other than an enclosed space alone with this man.

“The only thing I’m going to like is waving goodbye to you when this is over,” she shot back, though it lacked any real heat.

The smirk that twitched at the corner of his mouth meant that he knew it, too.

Donna sighed, realizing she was fighting a losing battle that was going to just end up being more of a headache than it was worth. 

One night.

She could handle one night.

“Fine. But just so we’re clear, my apartment isn’t exactly a second floor walk up with open windows, okay? I would have been perfectly safe there.”

“Sure,” he allowed, that smirk still playing on his lips, “Or someone could follow you, break in to what I’m sure is a very secure apartment, and harm you. Or worse. You said yourself that no one has the address. How long do you think it would be before a neighbor finds your body?”

Missing hands. Flayed skin.

Donna shivered, and turned her head back toward the window in an attempt to hide it.

“You really need to work on your conversational skills.”

“Probably,” he considered, “But you know I’m right.”

She didn’t bother giving him a response.

Harvey’s apartment didn’t look like an apartment building at all. In fact, when his driver pulled up to a keycoded garage, Donna half wondered if they’d stopped at one of Jessica’s business locations.

There were a few other cars parked in the space and a set of industrial size elevator doors that lined the concrete wall across from them.

“Thanks Ray,” Harvey said to the driver, then opened his door. Donna copied the motion, sending up a short prayer to anyone who might be listening that this wasn’t the biggest mistake of her life.

Harvey walked toward the elevators and she followed. He pulled a money clip from the inside of his jacket and removed a card from it. There was a scanner on the elevator pad and he placed the card against it.

It lit up green and she heard the movement of machinery as the lift was called down to them.

“A steel box indeed,” she attempted to joke as the doors opened and they stepped inside.

Harvey shook his head, “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

He was right.

When they reached a higher floor, the elevator stopped and opened to what could pass as a hotel lobby. Fancier than any apartment building welcome space she’d seen, with shiny white tile floors and sleek, contemporary furniture.

She followed Harvey down a short hall, to another elevator, where he repeated the keycard summoning and Donna arched a brow that he ignored.

How many levels before they faced the big boss, she wondered, then chided herself.

This wasn’t a game. And if she was smart, she’d be tracking the directions they were taking, mapping out an escape plan, just in case she needed it later.

The final floor they stopped at opened to a small hall with a single door. There was a pin pad near the locking mechanism that reminded Donna of a bank vault.

Harvey typed fast, hitting some combination of buttons she’d have been hard pressed to follow and a loud click echoed through the space.

He pulled the door open and motioned for her to walk through it.

It was a foyer of sorts, all gray walls. No windows or art or decor tables. Another door faced them.

“Jesus,” she muttered, “Do you secretly work for the president, or are you just deeply paranoid?”

Harvey smirked as he pulled out a key next, sliding it into two separate locks. He didn’t answer her question, though she was pretty sure it was the latter.

All speculation of his psyche, however, died when they finally entered his living space.

It was an apartment after all, Donna was relieved to learn, and it was…beautiful.

The sheer surprise must have colored her face because Harvey looked extremely pleased by her reaction.

But she couldn’t help it.

The open layout was like a museum, beautiful art pieces posed in a strategic way. Stained wooden floors blended with stone walling, while not making the large, modern kitchen feel out of place. There were volumes of books stacked in a perfect line on the mantle above a beautiful fireplace and a far wall that contained shelf after shelf of vinyl records.

Her eyes skimmed the sharp black leather of the sofas, the pillars that completed the room, and focused on the glass wall that dominated the space. There was no opening, no balcony, but the view of the city was one of the best she’d ever seen.

“Let me guess,” she cleared her throat before finally being able to speak, “Bullet proof glass?”

Harvey had moved across the room, where a tall liquor cart was fully stocked next to his kitchen. Donna watched as he filled two tumblrs with whiskey.

“Better,” he promised her, when he handed her drink over, “Goddamn bomb couldn’t get through that shit.”

Again, his answer prompted no surprise. And she had to give it to him, “Okay, this place might be a bit safer than mine.”

She took a sip of her drink as he chuckled. The smooth amber liquid warmed her.

“Just a bit?” Harvey taunted, bringing his own drink up to taste. Donna tried and failed not to watch the way his throat constricted as he swallowed.

“But I stand by the fact that I’m not entirely useless,” she said pointedly, “I fought back when I was attacked the first time, and I have weapons that I keep in my bedroom.”

Amusement colored Harvey’s face, “So? You think a bit of struggling and a knife under your pillow is going to stop someone who’s motivated to hurt you?”

“The glock on my night stand might,” she stated flatly.

Harvey’s expression didn’t change with her declaration. In fact, his eyes just seemed more focused and he took another long drink.

Then he sat the glass down on the coffee table in front of his sofa. In nearly the same movement, he’d reached behind himself and when his hand appeared again, there was a pistol in it.

Donna stiffened, her eyes shooting from the gun to his face.

“Harv-“

“Here,” he flipped the weapon so that the stock faced her, “Take it.”

Donna stared at what he offered, no less confused, but she put down Robert’s file on the coffee table and slowly reached forward and did as Harvey had said. She felt better being the one holding the gun.

Harvey’s hand didn’t leave hers. One on the gun, the other wrapping around the glass of whiskey, taking it from her, too.

Donna closed her fingers around the pistol as he sat her drink next to his, then he lifted their fists up.

Until the gun was pointing at his chest.

“What are you doing?” Donna panted, trying to force the words out of her suddenly dry throat.

“Showing you the ways that a false confidence can get you killed,” Harvey said. There was no inflection to his voice, no hint that he was worried at all about the loaded gun facing him.

“The safety’s on,” he assured her when her eyes flickered to the weapon again, “But point true. As if I were here to hurt you and you intend to stop me.”

Donna frowned, “This is ridiculous.”

“Is it?” Harvey stepped forward and on instinct, she lifted her hands higher, tightening her hold on the pistol.

He smirked.

Donna felt a new tension spark between them. Not one of fearful loathing or unfortunate attraction, but something tangible and dangerous that crackled like electricity between Harvey’s body and the gun she held.

Her heart raced, both from the adrenaline caused by holding a deadly weapon and from the intensity of Harvey’s gaze.

She took a step back when he leaned closer.

“Okay, you’ve had your fun,” she warned, “But this isn’t a joke.”

The weight of the gun seemed to follow his movement, shifting her hand to stay on track with his step as he closed the space she’d created.

“Then prove what you claimed,” he challenged, his tone low and steady, “Show me that you wouldn’t be afraid. That you could defend yourself if someone came at you.”

Before she could respond, he lunged forward, so much faster than she could have anticipated, than what should have been possible for a man with his muscle mass.

In a swift motion, he’d twisted his fingers around her wrist, knocking the gun loose from her grip, sending it clattering to the floor.

Donna gasped, instincts firing up as he descended on her, but there was no time to react. Harvey was on her in an instant, leg tripping hers while his forearm drove into her shoulder, forcing her backwards. She would have been slammed right into the floor if his other arm hadn’t grasped her waist, slowing the momentum.

He followed her down, one of his knees digging uncomfortably into her thigh while his hands pinned hers above her head.

Donna knew it was cheap, but she drove her knee up, feeling no sympathy as she aimed for the most sensitive part of him, but Harvey moved like he’d read her intention. He shifted, pinning her lower body with his hips in a way that put all of him against her and she felt each drag of his breath.

She dug her nails into his wrists, attempting to free herself from his grip, but Harvey slammed their hands against the floor. Not enough to hurt her, but a sharp warning that he could .

God, could he absolutely hurt her.

“See,” he huffed, and sounded nearly as wound as she did. A small consolation, “You can’t rely on a piece of metal to save you. It’s about knowing how to handle yourself in the moment.”

She struggled against him, yanked and wiggled and bucked to no avail. He let her, waiting like he had all the time in the world and Donna nearly screamed out a frustrated growl.

“Stop,” he shook her slightly, “You aren’t accomplishing anything. Stop wasting energy.”

It took all of her willpower not to spit in his fucking face. A fact that must have been obvious to Harvey.

“You pissed at me, Princess?” He taunted her, “Good. Use it. Twist your wrists outward, toward my thumbs. Do both at the same time and I won’t be able to hold my grip.”

As if it was that simple that all she’d have to do was-

Oh.

Donna’s wrist broke free from the grip he’d had on them and instinct took over. She didn’t think, didn’t give Harvey time to anticipate her next move because she didn’t know what it was herself.

She slammed her forearm up into his throat, surging her entire body off the ground as she did so. His weight on her was great, but the wheeze of air leaving him was enough to throw him off kilter.

Donna rolled half way, trying to find purchase with her knee to lift herself, but Harvey recovered, and wrapped his leg around hers in a vice.

The feeling of being trapped again, pinned and helpless, unleashed something desperate inside of her.

She swung at him, catching part of his face with her nails, cutting his cheek and he grabbed for control of her wrist, stretching her arm out above them.

Donna leaned up, latching her teeth onto him instead. They sank into the soft skin where his shoulder met his neck and as she ripped into his flesh, a groan, deep and guttural and entirely masculine, vibrated beneath her mouth.

She tasted blood, then felt a sharp pain as Harvey tweaked her wrist into an unnatural position. She released him as she cried out and in less than a second he had her completely pinned again. Both her hands in one of his. His forearm laid across both her wrists, the whole weight of his body holding her in place.

Donna couldn’t move. She could barely breathe.

“Okay,” she conceded after a ragged drag of air, “Okay, you’ve proved your point.”

Harvey was panting, too, “Not yet, I haven’t.”

He flipped her body like she weighed nothing, rolling her beneath him so that her stomach and palms were flat on the polished floor.

His knees held the back of her thighs in place and his hold on her back and shoulders made her feel as if a truck was parked on top of her.

“You’re going to be weaker than most attackers,” he warned her, and she had no choice but to listen, stuck as she was, “Accept that now, so you can focus on being smarter.”

A delusional laugh escaped her, “And how do you suggest I do that?”

She felt him shift, lower.

“First, don’t ever let them put you in a position like this,” his voice was right by her ear, she could feel the heat of him. His head pressed slightly against her own, “Do you have any idea how vulnerable you are right now?”

Another slight movement. A warm palm brushed the side of her thigh.

“What someone could do to you, like this?”

Yeah, so she was completely fucked. He was right and she despised it. But her muscles were screaming exhaustion. He had her pinned, and she was in a dress that would be entirely too easy to shove up and leave her exposed.

And he knew it. The bastard knew exactly what he could do to her and all Donna had was a promise of safety to ensure that he wouldn’t.

The word of someone who was…well, not a stranger, but certainly not a friend.

Someone dangerous, who had hurt people before. Someone she knew nothing about, who had taken her to a fucking lock box that no one else knew she was at.

She was all alone here, with him, and he had wasted no time proving how much stronger than her that he was.

Panic seeped through her veins and Donna closed her eyes.

Yeah. She was so completely screwed.

Harvey must have noticed the way her body slumped, the way she conceded her pride and stopped trying to fight him off.

The pressure on her back eased and he turned her again, this time with a gentler motion.

It was hard to meet his stare, even if it was right above her. Harvey’s lower half still rested in the crook of her her hips, keeping her in place, but he’d planted his elbows on either side of her head and hovered just above her.

A different surface, an adjusted context, and a little more to drink, and it could almost be as if he meant to seduce her rather than subdue.

Her dress had pooled higher on her legs, and while her knees were braced on the sides of Harvey’s hips, she could still feel every bit of him against her.

His features softened slightly as she became aware of exactly what she was feeling. That particular swelling weight pressing into her abdomen that sent another lick of fear through her senses; followed just as quickly by a sharp arousal that made her cheeks flush.

“You like this,” she accused him, sounding absolutely wrecked, “Don’t you?”

For once, it wasn’t a cocky smile that answered her, but a smoldering stare that trailed from her eyes to her lips and back again.

“Trust me, Princess. You couldn’t handle the way I like it.”

The sincerity in which he said it was enough to shock through the position he held her in and Donna’s brain whirled.

She remembered what Samantha had claimed to witness while working with him, and her inquisitive nature was probably going to land her in impossibly deep shit one day, but Donna found her lips speaking her thoughts as they appeared.

“Because you’d want to hurt me?”

Something cold flickered in his gaze, burning through the intense heat.

“No,” he said, “Wanting to hurt you has nothing to do with it.”

He was gone from her, then, and her entire body felt chilled in his absence.

Donna sat up and Harvey was already on his feet, moving across the room to pick up the gun he’d slung from her and placed it next to their drinks on the table. Then he picked up his glass and downed the contents.

Finding her feet, Donna stood, ignoring the aches of her abused body and stared over at the enigma of a man before her.

She was good at reading people. Her job depended on it. And all of her gut told her that Harvey was dangerous. It also told her that she was safe with him. But there was something else. Something more to the tension she’d felt and the hinting threat of his words and her body’s response to him.

Curiosity , she thought. It really would be her downfall.

“What does it have to do with, then?” She asked, before she could think better of it.

There was some satisfaction to be had when Harvey’s shoulders stiffened at the question.

His head shook slightly and he returned the glass to the table, “Nothing you need to worry about, Princess.”

The words were derogatory, but he spoke them softly. And it irked her.

She was used to Robert, and even Sam, treating her like she was somehow more fragile and in need of looking after than they were.

But Harvey had just manhandled her body like it owed him something, and while her pride still hurt from how easy it was for him to do so, at least it was better than being handled with kid gloves.

“I’m not some glass trophy Robert keeps on a shelf, you know,” she took a few steps in his direction, “So don’t treat me like it.”

Harvey looked over his shoulder at her. There was warning all over his features, but Donna held her ground. She wanted to know. Wanted to understand. And to hell with him if he thought she couldn’t handle it. He was bleeding from where she had bit him and marks from her nails were still red streaks across his face.

“What do you want to know?” He asked finally, after a long stretch of silence passed.

Donna swallowed, “You said I couldn’t handle the way you like it…why? If it’s not about pain or wanting to hurt me-“

“Fear,” he responded, “It’s about fear.”

When Donna’s brows drew together in confusion, he sighed.

“Come here.” He crooked his finger at her. She only hesitated for a moment, then her feet were moving forward of their own volition.

When she stood next to him, Harvey faced her. There was still a breath of space between their bodies and again, Donna felt that same flowing electrical current as before.

It increased tenfold when Harvey reached through that distance and cupped her jaw.

His touch was firm; it burned against her cheek.

He stroked her skin and her eyes fluttered, threatening to close.

Harvey moved, stepping around her body while keeping his hand on her jaw. Until he was behind her and the curve of her ass settled almost perfectly against his groin.

“Harvey-“

“Shh,” he murmured, close to her ear, “I’ll stop if you want, but if you really want to know what I’m talking about, you need to feel it.”

Her mouth shut and his hand left her jaw, drifting down her neck with that same firm pressure.

“It’s about human nature,” he spoke, the words nearly a pur against her hair, “Self preservation.”

His hand enclosed around her throat, not quite squeezing, but enough that she felt the pressure against her pulse point.

“You’ve heard of the flight or fight response?” Harvey asked.

She nodded as best she could.

“Our physiological response to danger,” he clarified, “Only it’s not just fight or flight. There’s four F’s to our psychological drive. Fight, flight, fright…and fuck.”

Donna shifted on her feet, “I don’t recall reading that in the text books.”

Harvey’s laugh was quiet, dark.

“No, you wouldn’t have. But it doesn’t make it any less true. Or potent. Because if I were to do this-“

He tightened his hold on her neck, pressing up against her jugular, and while it restricted her airways and her hands shot to his wrists on instinct, Donna was still able to breathe.

“You can breathe,” he confirmed, “You’re not in danger. But your body doesn’t know that, does it? All your brain registers is limited oxygen. So your body responds.”

His fingers flicked, pressed harder against whatever artery was responsible for sending blood upstairs. A wave of lightheadedness struck her and Donna shivered.

“Adrenaline,” Harvey explained, “A fear response. Your body is getting ready to try and flee, or fight for air. It heightens everything.”

The tip of his nose touched her shoulder and Donna swallowed; a difficult task with the grip he had around her throat. Harvey took a deep breath and exhaled in a rush that made goosebumps erupt over her shoulders and down her chest.

“There’s a scent to it,” he said, “Best goddamn aphrodisiac there is.”

His other arm wrapped around her, caging her against his chest which was suddenly pressed all up on her backside as he continued to breathe her in.

“Are you afraid of me, Princess?” He asked, and his teeth grazed her ear slightly, the same one he’d bitten the other day. Donna’s muscles twitched in protest and he smiled against her skin, “You don’t want to be, but you are.”

His hand drifted south, brushing her collarbones, “Your breathing is shallow. And your heart…”

Further his fingers explored, until his palm was pressed to her sternum, “It’s racing.”

It wasn’t as if she could deny it. She also couldn’t deny that it wasn’t just the fear she felt feeding those responses to his touch.

“Pain stops mattering,” he murmured, and some part of her brain was dimly aware that he was pulling at the straps of her dress, slipping them down her arms, exposing- “Only survival matters.”

His nails scraped down her chest, between her breasts, and his grip squeezed on her throat at the same time.

Panic made her body jerk against the slight sting of his touch, though it didn’t exactly hurt and her knees buckled slightly as that heat that had swirled in her abdomen migrated south.

“The more pain you anticipate, the more fear you feel,” Harvey’s voice was sin.

Pure fucking sin.

His hand moved, covering one of her breasts, slow and deliberate. He was giving her time to stop him. Or just wanted to tease what was to come.

It hurt more this time, when he palmed her and she realized he’d completely exposed her chest, the dress folded down to her ribs. His fingers tweaked at her nipples, which were hard and aching, until she whimpered from the pressure.

“Harvey,” she gasped, and he released her throat.

The headrush of oxygen running back to her brain was enough to make her dizzy; like she was floating, and his hand joined the other at her breasts, until both were in his hands.

Donna tried to breathe. Short pants were all she could manage but her voice slipped out with a loud cry as Harvey pinched her sensitive buds even harder, and his mouth came against her neck at the same time.

Her weight fell back into him; trusting him to hold her as his tongue worked the flesh of her throat and his hands brought her to the brink of tears.

Donna had taken lovers in the past. She’d experimented and had fun in the bedroom. But never had she been made to feel so vulnerable, so torn between wanting more and wanting it all to stop; especially not in such a short amount of time.

Five minutes of Harvey Specter’s hands on her body and she was quivering.

God knew what he could do with an hour.

He groaned against her throat, the sound sparking pleasure all through her body and one of his hands dropped to her hip.

She realized she’d started grinding back against him, stroking the erection that was caught between them.

“Fuck,” Harvey grit out and she felt his forehead rest against her shoulder, “Look at you.”

He held her firmly by the hip, locking her back against him, and his other hand dipped even lower, teasing the end of her dress.

“I don’t think I’m the only one that likes this,” he whispered into her ear, as his fingers dragged up her thigh, finding the lining of her panties.

Donna tried to protest, tried to open her mouth and stop him, but when the tips of his fingers slipped past the lace that covered her, the only sound she was capable of making was a wanton moan.

She was wet; fuck was she wet. His fingers slipped right through her folds, being coated in her desire and the satisfied chuckle he released at what he found nearly sent her over the edge.

Oh god .

He grazed her clit. Drove her crazy circling it, once, twice, then he pinched it, too.

Donna yelped, hips jolting, but Harvey pulled her back, rubbing her against his hard on, and she whimpered. He stroked her. Pinched again. His name was a broken gasp on her lips.

Then his fingers were inside of her, pushing, stretching, roughly thrusting.

“Oh,” she moaned, “Oh fuck…fuck, Harvey-“

She was about to have a fucking orgasm. Not even a minute on third base and Harvey Specter was about to make her cum.

Donna turned her head, found his neck and buried her face there. The scent of him was overwhelming, the danger he presented, the pleasure his touch promised.

It was all too much. He squeezed her clit between his fingers again.

Donna’s scream was muffled by his neck as her release crashed over her; rolling through every muscle in her body until she was a quivering mess.

Harvey’s strokes slowed and his arm around her waist was the only thing holding her up. Donna’s legs shook and she kept her eyes closed, face hidden against his neck.

Her crash came as quickly as the build, slamming her back into her body as fast as she’d left it and she realized that she had just caved like a bitch in heat to some heavy petting and some skillful working of her pleasure points.

“Wow,” she breathed, and felt Harvey laugh.

“Guess I’m not the only depraved one here,” he taunted, and slipped his hand free of her weeping center.

Donna exhaled, trying not to feel disappointed at the loss.

“That was…” she shook her head, finally straightening.

“A taste,” Harvey grabbed her jaw again, tilting her face up to his, “And you soaked my hand.”

He showed her the evidence on the fingers that weren’t gripping her.

“In the real thing, you’d soak my tongue, too,” he promised, “It would be my teeth on that pussy of yours, not my fingers. You’d wear me for days and every time you moved, you’d ache. And you’d remember everything I did to you. The ways I made you hurt. The ways I made you cum.”

She shivered at the image he painted. Searched her mind to remember why she had a rule against doing everything he had just described. Maybe it would cost her every ounce of dignity she had, but fuck, maybe it was worth it.

Harvey let her go and she nearly stumbled. His expression was smug as she steadied herself and he reached over for her discarded drink.

“Here,” he pushed it into her palm, “This will help. Drink it. I’ll be right back.”

Donna barely had time to be confused as Harvey disappeared across the room, slipping through a sliding door that she had just noticed.

His bedroom? She wondered. Or a bathroom, maybe.

He returned before she could speculate any further.

“Put these on,” he said, dropping something soft and folded into her arms. The confusion compounded as Donna looked down at the haul.

A man’s T-shirt and what appeared to be a pair of boxers.

“I assumed you wouldn’t want to sleep in that dress,” he said, when she glanced back at him questioningly.

The dress that was still hanging off her shoulders, leaving her hardened nipples and surrounding reddened skin exposed. She had a feeling she’d be wearing bruises there tomorrow.

Donna hugged the clothes against her chest, covering the sensitive flesh, “Thank you.”

Harvey’s eyes widened a little, as if the sentiment surprised him. But he recovered quickly and nodded.

“You can change in the bedroom.”

He showed her where it was, then left her to do just that.

An enigma , Donna found herself thinking again. The man had fingers inside her body just moments ago, and now he offered her closed-door privacy. She was going to get whiplash if he kept this shit up.

She took a settling breath and tried to focus on getting dressed.

At least the too-big fabric offered a little more of a barrier around her body, just in case she was tempted to try and-

No.

She stopped that train of thought cold.

No temptation. No considerations. No more curiosity.

She had a rule, damn it. A good rule. And it was in place for reasons that were easier to recall when her body wasn’t being played like a damn fiddle.

She didn’t get involved with men that she worked with. One bad experience had taught her the lesson on that, and she’d stuck by the rule ever since.

Until tonight.

Until Harvey.

Desire flared in her core again as she recalled the way his hands and tongue had taken complete control of her senses.

Fuck.

If she wasn’t careful, she was going to end up in a world of trouble.

Worse than she already was.

Chapter Text

Donna changed quickly, and Harvey busied himself.

She could hear him washing his hands in the kitchen sink, ridding himself of the evidence of what he'd done to her. That was followed by some clanking that hinted he’d gone over to the liquor cart for refills, and she certainly wasn't going to complain about having another drink.

She wasn't sure how else she could handle sharing a space with him.

He let her use his bedroom to dress, the space just as spectacular as the rest of his home, and she took advantage of the adjoining bathroom to clean herself up. It was just as ridiculously beautiful, and offered enough of a distraction for her body to further settle.

Using that giant glass shower would have been nice, but she didn’t even think to bother asking. It felt like they’d crossed enough physical boundaries already.

She felt more composed after placing a shut door between them, but her body still recalled the sensations Harvey had drawn from it.

It had been too long since she’d made time for her needs, Donna decided. That was probably half the reason she’d responded so readily. It had been months, maybe longer, since she’d bothered finding a lover and Harvey Specter was practically sex on legs.

Added to the stress of the night, the close corridors, and the fact that the mother fucker knew what he was doing…she hadn’t stood a chance.

It was an easier perspective to hold, as she walked back into the living room and found Harvey sitting in one of the leather chairs that faced the fireplace which now danced with orange and blue flames. He didn't even look up as she approached, staring over into the fire.

Donna took the sofa opposite of it, determined to appear braver than she felt and to scrounge up what remained of her dignity.

Her drink was full again, waiting for her on the coffee table, and she was grateful. Reaching for it gave her an excuse to ignore the thick air between them.

Harvey didn’t seem too bothered by the silence. He lounged comfortably in the chair, stripped to just his slacks and a white button-down. All traces of his own desires were gone, but his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, leaving his forearms on full display, and he’d loosened the top few buttons so that the dip of his pec muscles were just visible behind the edge of-

Donna diverted her eyes, knowing that following that train of thought wouldn’t lead her anywhere good.

She caught sight of red on his collar.

A little blood had dripped down from where she’d bitten him.

The reminder pushed all thoughts of sex from her mind and she recalled the ease that he’d disarmed her. Knocked her feet out. Had her pinned.

She remembered the warning he’d given her; the instructions on how to free herself.

A part of her, small and hushed, might have been able to admit that there was a thing or two he could teach her about protecting herself.

If the need ever arose…

“Where did you learn all that stuff?” She asked after a few moments of pondering, then wanted to slap herself when he looked at her in amusement, “The fighting, I mean.”

It felt like neutral territory. Something to get them back on tilt.

Harvey’s lips crooked at the corners, “I picked up a few things here and there.”

“That’s a cop-out answer,” she told him, tucking her legs beneath her.

The clothes were too big on her body, but they were soft, comfortable.

“You really want to talk about sparring habits?” He quirked an eyebrow.

Donna shrugged, “We’re stuck together for at least tonight, right? And you were just knuckle deep inside of me. Figured we should at least try to learn something about each other.”

And any topic would be an improvement on the silence they’d been sitting in that gave her entirely too much space to think.

“Surely, this counts as a second date by now,” she taunted.

Harvey chuckled and Donna noted how endearing the sound was without that spin of arrogance attached to it.

“Alright,” he said after a pause, “I’ll make you a deal.”

She crooked her head, “I’m listening.”

“One question,” he held up a finger, “You get one question. Ask me anything. Then you have to answer one of mine.”

Donna studied him, tried to pierce through that handsome head to the thoughts that lay beneath. It wasn’t smart of her, but she was struck with the urge to know more about him.

“Deal,” she said, “And I’ll even let you ask yours first.”

He didn’t argue, barter, or waste even a moment of time. “How’d you end up with Robert?”

Donna was actually taken aback by how quickly the question came, and Harvey used her stunned silence to elaborate, “I know some of his reputation. I know he prefers his Charlie’s Angel squad over men. After watching you tonight, I may even understand why. But the others on your team…they have a traceable record.”

He swirled the drink in his hand.

“Samantha Wheeler aged out of foster care, did a stint in the military, then started working for him. Katrina Bennett was a sex worker before getting on Robert’s payroll. Even his daughter, Rachel, has hits on my basic searches. But not you, Donna. A private school transcript, but not a damn thing else.”

He brought the glass up to his lips, “So, what’s the story?”

He’d done his homework, she’d give him that, and maybe it should be concerning that he’d looked up the history of Robert’s employ.

But then again, he had expressed how seriously he took his job, and she was sure Jessica Pearson expected a high standard of delivery.

Donna took a drink of her own before deciding weather or not she would answer him with the truth. She had a feeling he’d know if she was lying.

And she’d said they should learn something about each other.

“My father used to work for Robert; managed his finances,” she started, and shit, she was actually going to tell him about it, “They were close. Really close.”

She let out a deep sigh, “Robert is actually my godfather.”

Harvey’s expression shifted and Donna pinned him with a hard look, “Don’t bother with the Al Pacino references.”

“I wasn’t going to,” he promised, lifting his hands defensively. When she didn’t immediately start back up again, he leaned forward.

“Your godfather?”

Donna nodded, “Yeah. And when I was eight, my parents were killed.”

Harvey didn’t react to that, and the words hung heavy between them, so she continued, “Turns out my father was overcharging some of Robert’s clients, laundering the extra cash, and putting it back into a private account. Robert didn’t know until my Dad ripped off the wrong person. They sent someone to our house.”

It had happened many years ago, but Donna could still remember that day so vividly.

“My parents were executed in their bed,” she said, voice quieting, “My father for his greed and my mother…she was collateral damage. I woke up the morning after it happened to our maid screaming. She’d found the bodies…”

Donna closed her eyes, “It was a blur, after that, people and police coming in and out. But Robert’s men showed up. They took me to his estate.”

“And you’ve been with him ever since?” Harvey guessed, his tone flat.

Donna opened her eyes and looked at him.

“You of all people know how things work in this life. My father betrayed Robert. He was his friend, and he betrayed him.”

She shook her head, “He had all right to leave me to the system, but Robert loved my father and he loved me. He took me in. He raised me. Paid for my schooling. Did everything he could to wipe my slate clean so that I wouldn’t have to suffer my father’s sins.”

The air felt thick with the weight of her revelation, of how truly fucked she would have been, if Robert hadn’t intervened for her.

“I owe my life to him,” she acknowledged, “Working for him was easy, after that.”

Harvey’s expression shifted, that stoic curiosity morphing into something deeper. Something she could only describe as an understanding.

“That’s heavy shit to carry,” he said, breaking the silence that had settled between them, and Donna swallowed hard.

She tried not to focus on the past, there was nothing there for her anymore, and talking about it now felt like exposing her throat.

“I’ve learned to live with it,” she said, a little more firmly, trying to erase the vulnerability that her history conjured, “It’s part of who I am and it’s made me strong.”

She let her eyes drift to the fire now blazing under the mantle, the soft flames a stark contrast to the heaviness in her heart, “You have to be strong to survive in this life.”

Harvey leaned back slightly, bringing his drink up to his lips. “That’s no fucking lie.”

Donna wondered what demons of his own he was using it to chase away, then realized she could ask.

“I answered your question,” she pointed out, “Quite thoroughly. Now I expect you to do the same.”

He smirked slightly, a spark of mischief running over his features, “Do your worst.”

Donna took a deep breath, a mixture of curiosity and caution pulling at her as she weighed her options. She only had one question. It had to be good.

“Nothing about Jessica’s business, though,” he amended while she contemplated her choices, “I’m not answering any questions about that.”

“That’s fine,” Donna assured him, “Because I don’t want to know about Jessica. I want to know about you.”

He met her gaze again, that dark stare intense, “And what exactly do you want to know about me?”

The question jumped to her lips without another thought. It was one she’d already asked, one he’d danced around, and for some reason, it felt like the most important thing she could learn about him.

“Why are you doing this?” she asked him straight, “What is Jessica giving you for you to be so insistent on keeping me safe? At first, I figured it was just a cut of the money, but clearly-” she motioned around his fortress, “-that’s not a concern of yours. So…why?”

It was clear that he also remembered their last conversation on the matter, the way his smile grew.

“What is your life worth?” he bastardized her previous concern.

Donna nodded, “Yeah, something like that.”

He didn’t answer right away and she waited with patience. She may not have known him long, but everything inside of her told her that he wasn’t going to try and get out of this. She didn’t exactly trust him, but in this…he would tell her the truth.

“You may be surprised to hear it,” he said after another couple heartbeats of silence had passed, “But we have something in common.”

His eyes had settled on the drink in his lap, but she wasn’t entirely sure he was actually seeing it.

She brought her own up for a sip, letting him speak.

“We’re both orphans,” he said, then twitched ever so slightly. A flinch, she realized with incredulity, at whatever memory that fact drew up.

“My parents…they were killed, too.”

He fell quiet again, his jaw flexing as it worked over his words, and she could have sworn there was a quiver to his voice after, “And the man responsible for it managed to disappear himself into thin air.”

He took another drink, emptying the glass, before adding, “There’s a P.I in this business that specializes in tracking down individuals that are otherwise impossible to find. I get you through this alive and I get access to her.”

He leaned forward and sat the tumbler on the table in front of him. When he sat back, he finally straightened his head enough to meet Donna’s gaze.

“You want to know what Jessica promised me? What keeping you safe is worth to me?” Those demons that haunted him stared back at her from his eyes and she tried not to flinch, “A revenge I’ve waited over half my life for.”

Donna felt a knot tighten in her throat as his words settled over her. She could press for more information. How had his parents died? How old was he? Were they a part of this life, too, or innocent bystanders, like her mother had been? Had he always desired revenge or had that come later?

But it didn’t really matter, she supposed, because guilty or not, she understood the urge. The anger behind having something so irreplaceable robbed. No matter the age, no matter the guilt, it marked you forever.

Harvey’s eyes remained on hers, watching her reaction. She didn’t back away from the attention, staring right back while she processed.

“You tried to find him on your own,” she concluded, after a moment, “Before now.”

There was no way he hadn’t.

“I tried,” Harvey’s fists clenched, almost involuntarily, “I didn’t have access to the resources I needed. And when I did…,” a shadow crossed over his features, “Jessica and I may not be you and Robert, but like you, everything I have I owe to her. She forbade me from seeking him out.”

“Why?” the question slipped delicately from her tongue, like it knew she was probing at an unhealed wound.

His voice sounded like an empty tomb as he said, “Because she needs me. And she knows what I have planned for that son of a bitch is the kind of shit a person doesn’t come back from.”

A chill ran down Donna’s spine at his words. Stu Buzzini’s claims didn’t sound so far off when faced with the rage that simmered in Harvey’s gaze now. And if burning, cutting, and killing a man wasn’t a point of no return for him, it was frightening to imagine what was.

She couldn’t fathom what creative horrors a man like Harvey could inflict and had to believe that whatever that man had done to his parents, up to killing them, warranted the kind of vengeance he was threatening.

“You must really respect Jessica, then,” she hesitated to say, and breached the subject with caution, “To have let her stay your hand.”

Harvey blinked, as if bringing himself back to reality, and he nodded, “Respect, like loyalty, isn’t something that can be bought. Jessica’s earned mine in spades over the years. And I’ve earned hers.”

That, Donna could understand.

“I imagine she knows how useful you are,” she told him, and finished her drink, “Everyone says you're good at what you do.”

“So are you.”

His comment drew her up short, and the seriousness of his features eased slightly as he registered her surprise.

“I saw you working Buzzini over,” he reminded her, “Didn’t take me long to recognize your play and he was eating right out of your palm.”

Donna smirked, “Was he?”

Harvey’s head crooked, but he gave her a knowing look, “Tell me how much of a percentage you cut in that deal.”

It wasn’t a question, but a command.

“Majority shares,” she admitted with a hint of pride.

He released a short laugh, dark and sharp, “Goddamn. You are good.”

“Careful, Harvey,” she pulled her legs out from beneath her, shifting in her seat to lean forward, “You wouldn’t want to accidentally pay me a compliment.”

He shook his head, “Just acknowledging that you do have some worth to Robert. It’s why he has you manage his deals, right? So you can bat your eyes and wring these assholes for every dollar they’ve got to give.”

“Not every dollar,” she joked, then sobered as she considered her negotiating tactics, “I’m always reasonable and the deals are beneficial to both parties.”

Disbelief crossed his features, “Sure.”

“They are,” she insisted, and her lips tightened, “I learned the price of greed a long time ago.”

Comprehension flashed once more on his face, then he nodded as he grunted out an acceptance. And it was strange that he seemed to understand. That he seemed to see her and let go of any rebuttal to the contrary of what she’d told him.

He stood, grabbing his glass from the table, then reaching for hers. Their fingers brushed slightly as he took in from her hands.

“It’s getting late,” he told her, “And I think we’ve had enough show and tell for one night.”

Donna chuckled dryly, but nodded.

“I’ve got a king sized bed,” he said, walking across the living room to that open kitchen, where he placed the tumblers into the sink where they clinked, “You’re welcome to half of it, or I can get you a pillow and blanket for the couch.”

She wasn’t even about to touch the possibility of sleeping next to him in his bed. Alone together. In the dark.

“I’ll take the couch,” she said, getting up from the chair as he approached once more.

He shrugged as if he truly didn’t care either way, “Suit yourself. But don’t try to leave the apartment. Every alarm in this goddamn place will go off and I’ll be pissed when they wake me up.”

She smirked at the warning, “Got it. I’ll need to run fast when I make my exit, then.”

He made a face at her that expressed how little he appreciated her joke, and Donna’s grin grew.

She stepped back and dropped down onto the couch, splaying her arms wide, “I promise, I’ll still be right here in the morning.”

Harvey might have rolled his eyes, but he’d turned too quickly for her to be sure, going over to what must have been a small closet near the entrance to his bedroom, and retrieved a throw blanket. Then he went through the sliding door to his room and returned with a pillow as well.

He dropped both rather unceremoniously into her lap, “If you need anything else…find a way to make due until tomorrow.”

She snorted at the blunt lack of hospitality.

“You know,” she called to his back as he retreated, “A gentleman would offer up his bed for the lady.”

Harvey looked back at her over his shoulder, and finally, something light and humorous sparked in his eyes.

“You and I both know that I’m not a gentleman,” he said.

Donna laughed, softly, “Oh, I’m well aware of that.”

He ignored the jab and crossed the threshold to his bedroom, then turned to face her with his hand on the sliding door.

“Sleep tight, Princess.”

She flipped him off and won a smug smile as he flipped some light switch she couldn’t see. The room darkened, but the glow from the fireplace and the city outside made it easy to still make out Harvey’s face.

He winked before pulling the door closed between them.

Well, mostly closed.

Donna smiled to herself when she noticed the slight crack of space that he’d left in order to, she guessed, keep an eye or ear out for her.

It was fucked up, but as she adjusted the pillow and blanket into a better position, she realized liked the idea of him watching over her.

She laid out on the sofa, curling up with the warmth of the fire and buried her face into the pillow beneath her head.

It smelled faintly of him and she sighed.

Harvey was an enigma, she thought once again. Danger and heat and control tethering along with instincts of protection, loyalty, and a drive to justice she was trying to make sense of.

He was annoying. Intimidating. Intriguing. And too damn attractive for her own good.

A lethal mixture that left her confused and wanting.

And wanting that man should be the last thing on her mind, but after what they’d done tonight…not just before, with the impromptu training that had ended with his hands down her pants, but after…with unexpected truths being shared and the chance to peek behind the curtain of that layered demeanor of his…it was hard.

 In the span of the night, Harvey had become a puzzle she was slowly gaining pieces to, and it was as alluring as it was terrifying to desire more.

She’d finished the deal tonight. Stu would meet with Robert and maybe they’d figure out who had attacked her and maybe they wouldn’t, but she wasn’t sure how much time she had left under Harvey's protection.

Being curious about him wasn’t going to lead her anywhere good when there was a chance they’d never cross paths again after this week.

Donna’s eyes fluttered as sleep began to claim her, the long day catching up now that she had gotten still. Her last thoughts were of tomorrow. Of taking the signed deal to Robert and Harvey’s job being complete.

She wondered how soon Jessica would give him the green light on contacting that P.I he’d mentioned. She wondered if the man he sought would be found and if Harvey would disappear completely when he got the revenge he was so desperate to claim.

She wondered…until reality became dreams and faceless threats whirled all through her head, dancing with Harvey’s eyes and that deep voice of his, calling her Princess while he slit her throat.

Blood ran down, covering her entire body and Harvey's hands, which followed the flow down, down, down.

Over her breasts, along her stomach, a red path to her core where he buried those bloodied fingers inside of her.

"I told you that you couldn't handle it," he purred into her ear, then bit down on the lobe.

This time, no noise left her.

Chapter Text

The smell was so bad.

Harvey knew without a doubt that he'd remember it for the rest of his life.

Whatever his mom and her friends were making in the room behind the closed door at the end of the hall reeked. All hours of the day, it would drift through the rotted old house, and burn his nostrils.

He'd learned not to complain, though. They didn't like it when he complained. Or talked. Or did anything to bring attention to himself at all. It was easier to stay quiet, and lay on the living room floor, the pallet they'd given him a poor excuse for cushion between his head and the linoleum.

The house was mostly empty tonight.

His mom was in the back room, the one he wasn't allowed inside, with Bobby. 

Bobby owned the house and he let Harvey and his mom live there.  Harvey could hear their moans floating through the air, and he tried to cover his ears against the sound.

Another man that he'd seen around a lot was sitting on the couch across the living room, and was watching him curiously. Harvey didn't like it when they looked at him; Bobby’s friends. It sent cold chills down his spine and made him want to turn invisible, like the superhero in a comic he'd read.

But he wasn’t invisible and the man didn't look away. 

In fact, the louder the moans from the back room grew, the more focused on Harvey he became. His hand moved to the front of his pants.

These things weren't unusual to Harvey, anymore. Since his mother had brought him to their new home, he saw strangers all the time, sometimes with clothes, sometimes without, doing things that made sounds like the ones coming from down the hall.

He ignored them, too.

The minutes passed very slowly.

By the time the door of the back room opened, the man on the couch was groaning, his hand rubbing over his pants. Harvey had turned his back to him, not wanting to watch.

His Mom and Bobby came from the hall, that smell getting stronger as they approached. He heard their voices.

"Enjoying yourself?" Bobby’s laugh was full of amusement as he spoke to the other guy.

"Not as much as I could be," the man answered.

Bobby was quiet for a moment, then Harvey heard him ask, "Sweetheart, would you mind taking care of my friend here?"

Harvey had seen his Mom with a lot of Bobby's friends.

"So we can live here with Bobby ," she’d told him the one and only time he’d asked.

But they didn’t live with Bobby. Not really. Bobby came over a lot, but he drove a fancy car and talked about the big house he had across town.

Harvey wondered why they couldn’t stay there with him instead of this bad, stinking place.

His mother’s voice was thick and distant when she answered Bobby’s question, "Of course."

But the man answered quickly, "No thanks. Not exactly what I'm in the mood for."

Bobby's tone was light, "Well you are one of my best customers...what can I interest you in?"

The hairs on Harvey’s neck stood straight as he felt the man's eyes flicker to him, and Bobby must have followed.

"The boy…"

He tensed, not liking the way their attention had fallen on him.

"I'd be willing to pay of course," the man reasoned.

There was a second's pause. Harvey closed his eyes, praying they would think he was asleep and leave him alone.

Then, Bobby spoke, "I'm sure Lily wouldn't mind...for a friend."

In the silence that followed, his mother must have nodded an agreement, because when Bobby spoke again, he was all business, "But you understand, of course, the price is higher than the usual order."

The man chuckled, and the sound echoed in Harvey’s bones, "Give me an hour with him, I'll pay you whatever you like."

In the next moment, a hand was enclosed around Harvey's arm, and he was being pulled to his feet. He struggled against the hold, but Bobby shook him.

"Now, listen here, boy. You're gonna spend some time with this gentleman. And you'll do whatever he tells you. Understand?"

Harvey tugged his arm again, "I don't want to-"

A slap across the face left his vision spinning; pain shot across his cheeks and his eyes watered, "And I don't give a shit what you want. You'll do as you're told!"

Then, as if he weighed nothing, he was picked up, and thrown over Bobby's shoulder.

"Follow me," he called, "You can have him in here."

Harvey fought back, as Bobby moved them down the hall, thrashing like a wild animal, but he wasn't strong enough to break free.

The other man obeyed, and followed close behind.

Harvey was carried to the bedroom at the end of the hall, where Bobby dropped him onto a stained mattress, and locked a firm grip on him. There would be bruises all over his arms, Harvey was sure of it.

"Get ahold of him," Bobby commanded the other man.

Harvey didn't have time to pull free before he was being restrained by them both, his stomach forced onto the bed. Bobby released him then, backing away, as the guest caught his other arm, holding it behind his back.

The smell of alcohol leaked from the man's breath as he climbed over him and Harvey gagged.

"I assume you can take it from here?" Bobby asked.

"Definitely," the man’s grin flashed his half rotted teeth and he settled his weight onto Harvey, so that he couldn’t move.

A hand reached down, slipping beneath his body to the button on Harvey's jeans. Fear choked the young boy, freezing him as he was pinned.

Harvey caught his mother's gaze from under the man's arm.

"Mom?" he begged, believing she could stop this with a single word, "Mommy, please!"

She only stared, her eyes unseeing, glazed over.  She wouldn't be helping him tonight. The tears ran freely as he realized this, and he watched as Bobby pulled his mother from the room. The door shut behind them, and the man above Harvey laughed as he tugged at his pants.

“This is gonna hurt, boy. But you’ll learn to love it.”

Harvey nearly broke the sound barrier, with how quickly his body flew into a sitting position. Consciousness slammed into him and his fist swung back, catching nothing but air.

He gasped, chest heaving harshly as he gulped oxygen into his lungs, feeling all around him.

It was his bedroom. In his apartment, high in the sky where no one could get to him and he was alone. The Manhattan skyline shone brightly in the dark beyond his glass windows, grounding him in the present.

Sheets were tangled around his body, as soaked as his skin from the sweat that leaked from every pore he had.

Fuck.

FUCK!

He hadn’t had a flashback in years . Hadn’t feel so goddamn helpless, so trapped and afraid, and-

He pushed himself up onto his feet as nausea swirled through his gut, the memory of that god awful smell somehow still stuck in his nose. He stumbled out of the sheets, across the room and smacked his shoulder on the door jam as he entered the bathroom and slammed his hand against the light switch.

He hit his knees in front of the toilet, gagging and dry heaving until all the whiskey he’d consumed earlier emptied out. Nothing followed, and he realized he’d never gotten around to eating dinner. And wasn’t that a fucking blessing now?

He fell back on his ass, skin balmy and crawling.  He still couldn’t fucking breathe.

Ripping at his shirt, he got the damn thing over his head and struggled to do the same with the joggers he’d thrown on earlier, until nothing was constricting around him.

Naked, he pulled himself back up to his feet and fell against his sink.

Water splashed as he hit the faucet knobs and all but dunked his face beneath the spray. It was cold and ran all over the counter, his neck, his chest, he opened his mouth, rinsed it, choked as he did so and nearly slipped as he braced himself to cough.

Fuck-Fuck-Fuck!

He managed to get the water turned off but the rushing sound of it still echoed in his ears. He supposed that was better than the voice from his nightmare, but only just.

Or maybe it was his blood, sloshing around his brain, drowning everything else out. He could practically feel it racing through his veins, his heart pounding wildly doing nothing to help control it.

His chest felt tight and his vision swayed. He stumbled forward, catching himself with one hand on the sink and his other forearm flung up against the mirror. His head fell, thudding against the glass and he closed his eyes, letting the coolness seep into his flushed skin.

Fuck.

He needed out of his fucking skin. Out of his body. He needed to drown himself in Macallan or find his damn phone and call one of the women he’d used before that preferred him especially rough.

He needed release. Or a bullet in his fucking skull. Both would offer him a reprieve.

He rolled his head, smudging the mirror and a heavy groan escaped him.

Goddamn him…he was slipping. 

And he couldn’t afford that, because the only thing that mattered was finally finding that piece of shit that ruined his life.

Bobby Wilson .

There was going to be a special place in hell for him after Harvey got his hands on that man and made him pay for every ounce of pain he’d ever experienced.

He could lose his fucking mind after the fact, for all he cared, but he was getting to that son of a bitch and making him pray for death first.

The room swirled a little and Harvey wasn’t sure if it was the floor or himself that was moving. Maybe both. His grip on the sink tightened, until his knuckles were white and aching, and he pulled away.

He looked at his reflection in the mirror.

Whatever that was staring back…it wasn’t him. Not really, no. It was a shell of the man he pretended to be. Someone too big and strong and capable for anyone to hurt again.

He’d been unable to do a damn thing, all those years ago. Too young and fragile and small. But he’d grown. He’d grown and he’d trained and he’d fought. He’d built himself into someone that struck fear in others, instead of being the one who was paralyzed by it.

Someone in control. Someone untouchable.

The illusion had become so real that it was all he had anymore. All he had in the whole damn world to keep those flashes at bay and the memories of hot breaths, bruising grips, those rasping fucking moans-

Harvey’s head whipped forward before he was consciously aware of letting it, and the sound of cracking glass was followed by blood…and pain.

The mirror had splintered, fragmenting beneath his forehead, and ironically, the pounding ache made his mind feel suddenly crystal clear. 

Rooted to the moment, not the past.

It was a type of release, he supposed, and the easing that spread throughout his body was so euphoric that he was half tempted to slam his head again.

And again. Again. Again. Again .

How many times would it take until all of those memories were set free? Until the echoes that they rang in his ear were silent and he could have a moment of goddamn peace?

Maybe it would take draining all the blood from his entire body to rid himself of the stain that his past had painted him with. Leak all the dirt he’d been coated in and let it all wash away until he never had to look at it again.

Maybe then, he’d finally feel like he was free.

“Harvey?”

His name filled the space of the room, so softly, he might have thought he’d imagined it.

Except he knew that voice; was suddenly reminded with aching precision that someone else was in his home.

Shit . No…no, no.

His head snapped to the right, toward the door that opened from his bedroom, and sure enough, she was standing there.

Red hair ruffled, his clothes hanging too loose off her body, Donna stared at him with wide eyes.

He knew what she was seeing. 

The blood, the glass, the mess he must be. The past, written all over his body. The worst parts of himself that he’d always managed to keep hidden.

She saw, and his breath caught as it dawned on him that it was too late to stop what was happening.

He was laid bare, stuck, as certainly as he had been for all those years in Bobby’s dope-house, beneath rough hands and hard bodies that had stolen his youth and ripped away anything innocent until this shell was all that was left.

A shell that was all instinct and physical response, reacting to the fear sparking in his chest as he straightened and faced his witness.

The adrenaline already pumping through his veins rushed his blood south.

Fight. Flight. Fright.

He’d run so quickly through the panic responses that he’d explained to her such a short time ago, when she’d been the one riding that line between fear and unwanted arousal.

Fuck .

It was all he had left.

Donna couldn’t move.

She’d been pulled from a deep sleep by sounds she couldn’t place and had taken her time remembering where she was. 

Harvey’s couch. Harvey’s apartment.

The sounds had been coming from Harvey’s bedroom.

Confusion had helped her shake off the thickness of exhaustion and when the next noise had been a shattering crash, she’d gotten up to investigate. As impossible as it seemed, she wondered if someone had broken in, somehow. Was someone attacking Harvey? What was she about to walk in to?

The last thing she’d expected to find was Harvey in his bathroom, stark naked and bleeding over a wet sink.

Confusion compounded and she called his name.

His entire body stiffened in response, muscles shifting and rolling beneath his skin. His head turned, his gaze finding hers and she felt her jaw go slack. His pupils were so blown, his eyes looked nearly black, and what stared at her wasn’t someone she recognized.

Blood ran from a spider-web wound on his forehead, slipping down his cheek and still, he watched her without blinking. Like he was in danger and she was the threat.

So she froze in place, unsure what to say. Unsure what to do. Unsure about what the hell was even going on.

Then it was as if a switch flipped on Harvey’s face and he straightened, turning that broad body toward her, and Donna swallowed.

Scars littered his skin from chest down, little cuts or burns or possible bullet grazes. She wasn’t sure, but would bet it was all courtesy of the life he lived. The work he did.

Movement stirred lower, drawing her gaze even further down, and her blood pressure spiked as she got an eyeful of what she’d been grinding on earlier that evening.

Good. Fucking. God .

Harvey’s cock was impressive, hanging limply between his legs, but as it stirred beneath her gaze, it grew even thicker and longer.

Donna’s mouth ran dry and her breath came out in pants.

She watched as he swelled; until the thing jutted out from his body like another arm, or the trunk of a fucking tree. She’d bet it could damn near touch his navel, if pushed flat; or better yet, touch hers internally if ever she was able to fit that monster inside of her.

He’d absolutely ruin her and the thought alone had her body reacting, readying for what was quite literally being dangled right in front of her.

Which was so many levels of fucked up, she couldn’t count them all, because Harvey was hard, but his eyes were narrowing into slits now and there was still a bleeding wound on his forehead that she had no context for, other than the broken glass of the mirror behind him.

Her brain fought against her libido for control of the situation.

“Harvey,” she tried again, taking a step forward, “What happened?”

“What the fuck are you doing in here?” his words were practically a growl and his face had paled.

Donna froze again, just past the door jam, and frowned, “I heard- Are you okay?”

His skin was wet, shimmering under the lights, and she wondered if maybe he’d showered and slipped.

Maybe he was embarrassed, or-

“Get the hell out,” he spat, and she drew up short at his tone. The vibrating anger and scorching stare that she absolutely didn’t deserve.

“I heard a commotion and just wanted to be sure you were alright,” she snapped back at him, lack of sleep and the late hour loosening her patience, “I’m sorry if I overstepped, but you don’t have to be an asshole.”

His head kicked back on his neck, eyes closing as a short, wild laugh left his mouth. Then he leveled his gaze back on her and whatever demons had clouded it earlier that evening glared out at her now.

“You haven’t seen me even start to be an asshole, and don’t say you’re sorry, barging in like this is your goddamn room,” he glowered, “Get the fuck out. Or drop to your knees, open your mouth, and give me a real apology.”

The threatening tone pierced at her nerves. Another damn scare tactic that she was getting sick and tired of him dangling over her.

Donna took an intentional step into the bathroom and his eyes flared.

“You’re right,” she said, “I’m not sorry. And I’m not afraid of you.”

He charged her. 

One moment he was at the sink, the next he crowded over her, less than an inch between their bodies, and he stopped just before a collision; like a rabid dog reaching the end of its chain.

And despite her heart leaping into her throat, Donna stood her ground. She refused to allow him to intimidate her, even as he wrapped his fist into her hair. He used his grip to yank her neck into an arch that tilted her face up at him and their gazes locked.

“Why can’t you ever do a goddamn thing you’re told?” he demanded, looking utterly wrecked as his eyes ran over her face. Her blood rushed through her veins as starkly as his dripped down his face, making her heart race.

She felt his erection flex between them, brushing her stomach, and logic gave way to libido once more.

Harvey pulled her, then, and she didn’t even try to fight him. Her body was twisted around until her stomach hit the edge of the counter and the unyielding strength of him bent her over it.

He came up against her backside, every pound of him leaning into her and Donna’s hands splayed out to brace herself. Water and shattered mirror pieces slid beneath her palms.

That hand in her hair tightened, a delicious pressure that had her back arching and she caught sight of them in the splintered mirror.

And fuck, it was a sight to see Harvey towering over her, all blood and tense muscles, positioning her body like it was his to do with as he pleased.

His hand slid down through her red locks and clamped on the back of her neck. He wrapped his other arm around her stomach, popping her hips out so that her barely clothed core was all up against his straining erection and he pushed her head down.

Her cheek was held against the wet counter and breath exploded from her lungs, leaving her a weak-kneed mess beneath him.

In a swift movement, Harvey’s hand left her hips and shoved up her shirt; his shirt, and captured her breast. Like before, he went right for the kill; rolling her nipples between his fingers. That sweet mix of pleasure and pain lit through her body and Donna moaned, raw lust wrapping her in its onslaught.

Screw opening her mouth, it was her pussy that clenched for him, and god help her, she wanted more. Wanted him and whatever drove the anger she’d seen in his eyes. The danger and the tease, the wild heat and power of him.

She thrusted back against him as his bruising touch readied her for the penetration she both anticipated and feared.

There was no way her body could take him all. And there was no way he wasn’t going to try and make it anyway.

“Harvey,” she whimpered his name, her eyes rolling as his hand slid between her breasts and up to her throat.

He pulled her back up, then, her back thudding against his chest and her head lolled into his neck. The bite mark she’d left there earlier was faded, but still an obvious outline on his skin.

She attached her lips to it and mewled at the salty taste of him against her tongue.

He stumbled, catching them both against the sink as she licked wet kisses over her mark and that hand on her throat squeezed until her head spun.

Then, as quickly as all that heat came, she felt Harvey’s entire body stiffen and collapse. He released his grip on her throat and Donna let out a gasping breath. Another shuddering one left her when all of Harvey’s weight relaxed against her back.

She stood in the cage of his arms, aching and confused while feeling his chest rise and fall against her shoulder blades. His erection was still trapped between them, but deflating.

Her gaze lifted to the broken mirror, trying to catch his eyes, but his head fell forward and pressed against hers, keeping him from her sight.

Another few breaths and she felt him start to tremble.

Concern slashed through the haze of lust, leaving a coldness behind and Donna swallowed as apprehension ran over her skin.

“H-Harvey,” she breathed out, and he pressed harder against her, like he was hiding.

Carefully, Donna shifted. She pulled off the counter, maneuvering in his arms until she could turn.

Until she could face him.

Harvey’s head was hung, eyes on the ground, but at least she could see his face. And this close up, she could see the wound near his temple and the blood that had dried around it.

She stared at it and at him, her brain doing her “Donna” thing where she analyzed and interpreted on instinct.

Something had happened tonight. She couldn’t guess what, but it had led to Harvey being here, in his bathroom, getting injured.

And the expression he’d worn before…as she observed him now, she realized she’d been wrong. It hadn’t been that of a rabid animal, but more of a suffering one who had been backed into a corner, baring its teeth at anyone who got too close. A defense, against whatever fed those demons of his, and with the way he refused to meet her gaze now, she had a sinking realization.

“You smashed your head into the mirror,” she said. A statement, not a question, but it brought his eyes to hers.

She expected more anger, maybe even shame or weariness.

Instead, what stared back at her was the same empty look he’d had earlier that evening after sharing about his past; the darkness of a hollow grave.

It was all the answer she needed.

“Why?” she asked him, the word barely audible, and his throat constricted as he swallowed.

“It made everything…quiet,” he responded, his voice barely louder than her own had been.

Donna wasn’t sure what that meant; but she could guess.

Whatever things he’d done, whatever blood stained his hands, whatever guilt or anger or pain he carried…well, she supposed it would make it hard for anyone to sleep at night, let alone function in any normal capacity.

Their eyes were still locked, and there was no emotion in his. But she didn’t imagine he’d respond well to pity.

So instead, Donna let her gaze drift back up to the cut on his forehead and though it was a risk; that wounded dog analogy telling her she was going to get bit, she reached up to better inspect it.

Harvey flinched away from her touch, as if surprised by it, and she gave him a stern glare.

“Don’t,” she warned firmly, “Let me look at it.”

Maybe it was her tone, or the no-bullshit way she insisted on inspecting his cut, but Harvey relaxed and though he eyed her suspiciously, he tilted his head ever so slightly toward her hand.

Donna didn’t waste time. She checked the wound, prodded with gentle fingers to be sure the bleeding had stopped and that it wasn’t severe enough for stitches.

She was relieved to find that there was minor damage, most of the blood probably just due to it being a head wound.

“It’ll probably bruise some,” she announced, “But you’ll live. Do you have a first aid kit?”

Harvey blinked at her, that suspicion not quite leaving his features.

“There’s a little glass still in it,” she explained, “We should at least clean it and disinfect it.”

He gave no hint toward an agreement, but told her flatly, “Under the sink.”

Donna found it easily enough, moving them so that his back was the one to the counter and she could use the light above to be sure that she got all the tiny pieces.

Harvey stood still as she worked, staring blankly ahead, barely breathing. His expression never changed, either. No wince or recoil; if she hurt him at all, he didn’t show it. But he was still pale and his skin remained balmy.

It worried her.

She completed the task quickly, not sure how long she’d have before he started to protest, though with how catatonic he’d appeared to go, she didn’t think he would have.

When she was done, Donna put the kit back in its place and washed her hands. Luckily, she hadn’t been cut herself during their little escapade, but broken pieces of the mirror still shimmered on the counter. She’d take care of it in a minute.

“I’m going to go get you some water,” she said, drying her hands off with the cloth that had been hanging by the sink, “Rinse off in the shower and I’ll meet you in your bedroom after.”

She didn’t wait for him to argue, or to see if he obeyed. She used the hand towel to sweep up the glass and carried it with her out of the bathroom, through his room, and into the much darker kitchen.

Taking her time, Donna tossed the shards into the trash and dropped the cloth into the kitchen sink. Then she searched through a few cabinets until she found the glassware and filled a cup. She drank the first, feeling suddenly parched and also needing something to help calm her nerves.

The whiskey glinted at her from the liquor cart, but there was no way that was a good idea.

She refilled the glass and wondered how long she should give Harvey to shower before checking on him. If he even showered. If he didn’t do something even worse since she’d left him to whatever was weighing on him.

Donna exhaled and waited for exactly thirty more seconds while she mentally prepared herself to deal with whatever was about to greet her. Then she went back into his bedroom.

The shower was running, thank god.

She set the glass of water on the nightstand and noticed the disheveled sheets half ripped from the bed, like Harvey had struggled to get out of them on his way to the bathroom. She reached over, picking the sheet off the floor and realized it was damp with what had to be sweat.

A nightmare, then. That’s what had spurred this. And it terrified her to even try and imagine what could have possibly had this effect on him.

To distract herself from that line of thought, Donna stripped the bed and rummaged around the closet space he’d pulled her blanket from earlier to find a new set of sheets. She’d just finished putting them on the bed when the shower turned off.

A minute later, Harvey stepped into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, and hit the light on the way out so the room plunged into near darkness.

Well, not entirely. The city lights outside made the room glow, and she could still see every crevice of his features.

He looked better. The blood was gone now, and the cut was much less noticeable without it. There was a flush to his cheeks from the heat that followed him from the bathroom and the color was promising.

“You changed the sheets,” he noticed, probably due to the soiled pile being in a ball at the foot of the bed.

“You're welcome,” she said, instead of bothering to explain herself.

Harvey gave a nod and dropped onto the edge of the bed. Donna grabbed the glass of water and brought it over to him.

“Here. Drink.”

Apparently taking commands right now was simpler than fighting against them, because he did exactly as she said without qualm.

When he was done, she took the glass from him and put it back on the nightstand, then came to stand right in front of him. He met her stare this time, another good sign.

“You okay?” she asked, trying to keep her tone as neutral as his had been.

Harvey’s jaw flexed, but he gave a short nod.

“A nightmare?” she guessed.

A pause, then another nod, “Yeah.”

Donna exhaled, “You wanna talk about it?”

Emotion finally flickered in his eyes, but it was gone too quickly for her to place.

“No,” he said, “I don’t.”

She accepted that and didn’t push him. Ultimately, his demons weren’t her business and it had to be nearly two in the damn morning by now.

“Okay,” she told him, “Then I’ll leave you alone. But…” she hesitated for just a moment, “I’ll leave the door cracked open. If you need anything…” Like he’d even come and seek help from her if he did.

“Well,” she swallowed, “Goodnight.”

Donna turned to leave, to go back to the couch and try to forget the past half hour and hopefully let sleep find her. But as she stepped away, a light pressure caught her hand, halting her.

She looked back and Harvey had reached for her. His fingers were warm on her wrist and his face…god, his face broke her heart.

He stared at her, lips parted with no words coming out, but there was a sort of panic to his features. A burning desperation to his eyes that strangely reminded her of a child that was afraid of monsters in the dark.

“Harvey?” his name was a question that echoed in the room.

She watched him swallow; wet his lips with the tip of his tongue and take in a quiet breath.

“Stay.”

It was the only thing he said, but the smallness of his voice, the pleading way it rolled from his mouth...like those monsters would get him if she didn’t…

Her decision was made before she even had time to consider it.

She watched his entire body ease with relief when she nodded and he dropped her hand to stand up.

Donna took note of the towel still wrapped around him and very quickly shed off the boxers of his that she was wearing.

“Here,” she handed them to him as he stared at her with confusion, “I’m not sleeping next to you if all that is hanging out.”

She waved suggestively at his covered manhood, and the first hints of a real smile cracked his lips.

He turned his back to her as he removed the towel and Donna purposefully busied herself with pulling back the sheets and moving to the side of the bed she assumed he’d prefer her to sleep on.

After putting the underwear on, he shut the bedroom door then joined her beneath the blankets.

It was…awkward, at first.

As she laid there in the silence that had settled in the room, Donna was entirely too aware of Harvey. Of his presence and the space between them. 

She turned her head on the pillow and caught the silhouette of his face. He was flat on his back, eyes pointed toward the ceiling, and she was pretty sure they were open. His chest moved in even lifts, up and down, but she noticed his arms were still shaking, the slight tremor evidence of lingering adrenaline or restlessness.

She didn’t overthink it; just reached across the distance and placed her hand on his bicep.

Harvey jolted, clearly not expecting the touch, and his head turned toward her. But he didn’t pull away. Slowly, Donna stroked his arm in what she hoped was a comforting motion. After the third or fourth pass, she began using her nails, lightly scratching the skin.

The trembling slowed and after a minute, stopped completely. She claimed it as a victory and felt it even more so when Harvey’s muscle went slack beneath her fingers.

When it felt like he’d settled, she withdrew her hand and he followed it, rolling toward her, seeking more.

And though she knew it could be all kinds of a bad decision, breaking this barrier, she stretched out her arms and drew him in.

It was cautious, at first. Gradual shifts that had him nudging closer and closer, until he was in her embrace, nestling his face into the crook of her neck. The tension in his body seemed to melt away as he surrendered to what she offered.

The weight of him against her wasn’t as overwhelming as before, but it was solid and so very real.

His nose nuzzled against her jaw as he settled and Donna held him tighter. Without words, she understood what he needed from her in that moment; the solace he sought, and she wondered how many people he actually allowed to see him so vulnerable.

The thought brought up a flare of protective instincts that surprised her. Harvey wasn’t a small man. He had proven himself plenty capable. He didn’t need her.

But tonight, he’d needed someone , and she’d been there. He’d let her be there. And she’d seen that exterior of his crumble.

Something haunted him and even though it was none of her concern, he was none of her concern, she wanted to make it go away for him. She wanted to ease his discomfort and rid him of that ghostly look.

And if all she could offer was this, holding him while his breath evened out and the rhythm of his heart slowed to match her own, then she’d lay here all night.

Donna danced her fingers over his shoulders, testing his reaction to her touch, and when he didn’t jerk away, she threaded them through his hair. Gently, she massaged his scalp; a soothing gesture, and he drifted a hand around her waist, holding her securely as she did so.

She smiled into the dark and let the moment anchor them both. 

Whatever burdens he carried lightened beneath her strokes, tense muscles going loose, and as the minutes passed, Donna realized the silence had changed.

Tranquil, rather than awkward, with Harvey’s body pressed to hers, and their combined warmth creating the best cocoon of safety and comfort.

Donna’s eyes grew heavy, the soothing cadence of Harvey’s breathing pulling her toward sleep once more.

She tightened her grip around him slightly, and he returned the favor, before letting out a long, heavy sigh that was laced with contentment. It sent a wave of warmth through her.

At that moment, everything was okay. They were above the world, locked away in this beautiful, dark room.

There were no attackers, no deals, no nightmares, and no monsters lurking in the dark.

Just the two of them, finding comfort in each other's embrace as they finally drifted to a peaceful sleep; entwined and unguarded as the hours ticked by and the lights of Manhattan twinkled from outside the windows.

Chapter Text

His body felt heavy.

That was the first thought that registered in Harvey’s mind as he pulled himself from sleep. The weight of unconsciousness was thick and it took entirely too long to regain control of his physical functions; to slowly peel his eyes open against the soft light of morning, and blink in rapid flutters. He groaned slightly as he stretched out against his mattress, and several joints popped.

Goddamn. He had been out . So much so that he couldn’t even remember if he’d been drea-

Oh .

His mind fired up as he woke fully, reminding him that he had, in fact, dreamed last night. He’d woken from the nightmare of his past in a tangle of sweat and fear and had nearly fucked Donna in front of the mirror he’d busted when she’d come to check on him.

Donna had come to check on him. Yeah, he remembered that.

She’d cleaned him up. Bossed him around like she’d done so a million times with a tone that left no room for argument, and it had been so damn easy to obey her.

Harvey recoiled internally as he remembered the mess he’d been last night. How afraid and shaky and unsure.

Panic had gripped him when Donna had all but put him to bed and made to return to the couch. The darkness had overwhelmed him, the idea of being alone with his thoughts, left without the warmth that her presence had surprisingly offered…

He sat up, quickly enough that his head throbbed at the sudden movement, and he glanced around.

The bed was empty beside him. The room was empty.

But his alarms hadn’t gone off. The damn things were impossible to ignore. Which meant Donna was still in his apartment.

He forced himself to his feet and was halfway to his bedroom door when he paused. There was a soft clanking coming from beyond the room and, he realized, the air smelled of bacon.

He relaxed back onto his heels, realizing Donna must be cooking breakfast. In his kitchen. After spending the night in his bed.

Harvey let the memory of falling asleep in her arms wash over him and at that moment, he wondered if he hated her.

Her question had brought back those memories, had spurred that dream through his mind, and then she had shown up in his doorway, playing witness to the weakest parts of him, watching as he fell apart, as he lost what little control he had.

He’d been cruel to her last night, in the bathroom. He’d grabbed her roughly, made demands of her body and had tried to distract himself enough to find that release he’d so desperately craved.

But Donna had met his anger with an unexpected passion, had mewled for him, held him, bit him. Fuck, she’d wanted him as badly as he’d wanted to forget, and the moment she’d come back against him, locked her lips onto his neck and ran her tongue over the bite mark he’d bet was still on his skin…

He’d realized what he was doing. What was about to happen if he continued. And he hadn’t been able to do that to her.

There was so much ugly in the world, so much fucking dirt in his own veins, and while Donna wasn’t exactly a Mary Madonna, she was too good to be used by him.

If he hadn’t believed that before, she’d proven it after, when she’d seen into his very fucking soul with those searching hazel eyes and realized exactly what he’d done to himself. But instead of running, she’d cared for him. Cleaned him up. Brought him to bed and had opened her body to him in a way he’d never known before.

His pride alone should have been enough to keep him from falling into her embrace, from practically snuggling up in her goddamn arms, but he’d been unable to resist.

Like Donna was a magnet or the center of fucking gravity, her body drew his in and her soft fingers were the gentlest thing that had ever touched him.

He could still feel the strokes of her, running over his shoulders, through his hair, along his spine, the first good thing he’d felt in….fuck, maybe ever.

And there hadn’t been a single goddamn thing in it for her. Nothing at all to gain for the kindness she’d spared him.

And he fucking hated her for it. 

Because now, he owed her, and while his pride had pulled a David Copperfield last night, it was sure as shit rearing its ugly head now, demanding that he regain the upper hand.

Donna had seen too much, had given too much, and if he knew anything, it was that there was power in being owed a debt.

Power he needed to get back.

He went to his bathroom first, and assessed the damage. Donna had cleaned up the shattered glass last night, he vaguely recalled, but the mirror was still splintered into fragments where he’d made impact. The damage wasn’t as severe as he’d thought, though, and it would be easy to replace.

He peered through one of the shards, at his face. The damage the mirror had done to him was surprisingly minimal. Little lines from where the glass had scraped his skin and a slight discoloration from a forming bruise, but he’d had a hell of a lot worse.

Shit, even the mark left from Donna’s nails, still faint lines across his left cheek, were a deeper cut.

The circles under his eyes had filled, and there was a flush to his skin that was often missing. No doubt thanks to the several hours of uninterrupted rest he’d gotten in Donna’s arms. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d crashed so hard; had let his guard down enough for unconsciousness to dig its claws into his mind and hold him under in a black abyss.

The notion unsettled him, since he was supposed to be the protector between the two of them; not the one in need of protection. Yet, that’s exactly what Donna’s embrace had provided him…a feeling of safety. And he’d finally been able to sleep.

Harvey thought of the redhead and all that had transpired between them as he splashed water on his face and quickly ran through his morning routine.

She would come looking for him soon. Either to check on him again, try to talk about last night, or to insist that she’d seen enough of his madness and wanted to be allowed to leave. 

Attempting an escape would send sirens blaring through the entire suite, of course, but even if it wouldn’t, he didn’t really think she’d run. 

No. Freaked out by him or not, she was braver than that.

The scent of bacon and coffee were both wafting through the open space of the kitchen when Harvey finally stepped from his room.

Early morning sunlight streamed through the glass walls, casting an orange filter over everything, and Donna stood in its rays.

Harvey paused as he took in the sight of her in his kitchen.

Her back was to him as she worked at the stove that was rarely used, and the shirt that he’d given her to sleep in still hung, crumpled and creased, over her smaller frame; the hem teasing the top of her thighs.

His gaze ran all the way down those long, bare legs, to the red paint on her toes and back up, over the curve of her ass, and the waves of her hair that looked like flame in the sunlight.

She flipped the bacon pieces, paying him no mind.

“Please,” he spoke as he thawed, and the fact that she didn’t react at all told him that she’d heard his approach, “Make yourself at home.”

Donna’s head turned, looking at him over her shoulder, and he noticed her face was clean. He guessed she’d used the spare bathroom to wipe off the makeup she’d worn the previous night, and it made her look younger. Almost innocent, if he was fool enough to believe that.

At least until she smirked at him and it was all wicked gleam.

“Would be a lot easier to do if this place was more homely. Have you ever even used these pans?”

The snark was unexpected, but relieving, as Harvey walked around the kitchen bar to get closer to her.

“How do you think I normally cook that bacon you’re working on?”

“You cook?” she fired back, lips curving slightly as she tended the food.

“Usually more than just bacon,” he commented, noticing the lack of any other items on the counter.

Donna turned slightly, her upper torso leaning toward him, “You didn’t have any eggs. Or toast. Or cereal. Or any other normal breakfast food. I did find this and a few bagels though. So, I’m working with what I got.”

“You went through my pantry?” he mused and she shrugged, shifting her attention back to the stove.

“The pantry, the cabinets, the fridge…you really need to go shopping,” she said, with another hint of a smirk, “Though, I did find your extra stash of liquor. At some point, you should probably admit you have a problem.”

Harvey made a noise of acknowledgement, but didn’t dignify her claim with an actual response as he leaned back against the counter. He had a problem alright, but it had nothing to do with the stock of alcohol he kept.

Donna had gone through his entire kitchen; by her own admission, had rifled drawers and cabinets. The invasion was more than he’d ever allowed another person and the fact that she felt so comfortable doing so…

He thought of the previous night again, of losing control, and debts owed.

Grabbing her arm was easy enough, as unguarded as she was. It seemed that she had let go of all defense around him and he wasn’t sure if that felt like an insult or a victory.

Harvey tugged and Donna turned, eyes widening slightly in surprise. He pervaded her space, reaching behind her in the same step to turn off the stove top.

“Harvey, what are you-”

Before she could finish the question, he’d lifted her up and spun them around, until he had her sitting on the edge of the bar; the perfect height for his needs.

Donna’s grip on his arms was tight, her expression morphing to one of confusion…and anticipation.

“Last night-” he started, crowding her as her gaze flared, “There was something I started that I didn’t get to finish.”

She looked up at him, the flecks of color in her eyes more green than brown in the morning sunlight, and they softened at the corner.

“Harvey, what happened in the bathroom,” she said, “With the mirror-”

“I don’t want to talk about that,” he cut her off, dropping his hands to her hips and sliding her forward, so she was perched on the very edge and entirely too well positioned, “I want to talk about how easily you let me bend you over that sink. How desperate and needy you were for me.”

His words had an immediate effect; as Donna’s cheeks flushed pink and her lips parted with an argument he knew she didn’t have. He may have been lost to the past and running on instinct last night, but she’d been fire in his arms and her body had wanted him. And judging by the way her breath had just turned shallow, she still wanted him. Even after what she’d witnessed. Even after he’d fallen apart and practically begged her not to leave him to the-

Harvey shoved all those thoughts to the back of his mind. They had no place in what he was trying to do now and letting his body run on mindless action was second nature.

He needed to take control back, to even the levy between them, and there was one sure way of doing so.

“I like to finish what I start,” he said, letting a hand run up Donna’s back and into all that glorious hair, “And you’re going to let me finish you.”

A sharp exhale was the only sound that answered him as his grip forced her head to the side, exposing the column of her throat to him.

Harvey dipped into the space that he’d created, letting his nose run down the length of her jugular, breathing her in. God, the scent of her was intoxicating, a tantalizing mix of floral and vanilla; he’d spent all night with it filling his lungs, overpowering the memories of other smells until hers was all that existed.

Donna’s body tensed when his tongue darted out, following the same path his nose had made, needing to taste her; but the way her knees lifted, digging into his hips, didn’t feel like a protest.

He licked and sucked at her pulse point until her head went slack, falling of its own accord, and the moment he felt her muscles loosen, he pushed her back.

On instinct, her hands left him, palms slamming onto the counter to catch herself and Harvey allowed it, better angling her as he dragged his teeth from her neck to the fabric of his shirt covering the swells on her chest.

Donna’s heart pounded beneath his mouth as he nestled over her sternum, and he felt her breath hitch when he paused; but those perfect tits were not his objective this morning. Mainly because he knew if he got his mouth on them, he wasn’t letting them go until her nipples were hard and raw and bruised…and this wasn’t about him.

He let his hands slide lower, fingers dipping under the shirt to feel for the scrap of fabric she wore beneath that hid her from him. The lace barely made a sound as he tugged it down her thighs and let it drop to the hardwood floor beneath them.

“Lie back,” Harvey instructed, and for half a second, clarity seemed to flicker in Donna’s gaze; a slight uncertainty that he was having none of.

“I’ll stop if you want me to,” he promised her, “But we both know you don’t. So do us both a favor and let me show you my gratitude for last night.”

Understanding crossed her features, crumbling her will and relief flooded his veins when she gave a slight nod and let him guide her down, until she was laying flat against the marble of the bar and peering up at him with hooded eyes.

“You know, most people would just say ‘Thank you’,” she sassed, because even from her back, she couldn’t let him have the upper hand, and fuck if that didn’t do things to brain.

He reached up to those plump lips and that sparring tongue and shoved his thumb against them.

Donna reacted immediately, latching on and sucking him with a moan that would have had him rock hard if he wasn’t so fucked in the head. In fact, just seeing her like this, sprawled out and open for consumption, like a goddamn breakfast platter for him alone…

He closed his eyes for the briefest moment, fighting the familiar urge to unleash himself; to drive her body to the brink of pain and pleasure so that fear spiked her blood, saturated the air, and got his cock with the program so he could have her the way he wanted her.

But this wasn’t about that. It wasn’t about his pleasure. And he didn’t need fear or pain to make Donna feel good.

Harvey pulled his finger from her mouth, trailing a bit of saliva down her chin as he brought both hands to the hem of the shirt she wore and shoved it up. Donna helped him lift it over the top of her head and fuck him …her body nearly had him falling to his knees.

His palms covered the expanse of the skin his eyes were drinking in, feeling, touching, experiencing all that was revealed.

She was pale, creamy, and freckled. Her breasts were rosy at the tips, nipples already tightening as the air touched them. He brushed over them, earning a little sigh, and continued down across her rib cage.

His fingers caught on each dip, then slid to the flat planes of her stomach, the arching curve of her hip bones.

He’d been with plenty of women. Had held them beneath him in all manners of tied, cuffed, and otherwise willingly incapacitated. Hard women, who craved the punishments he gave their bodies, who needed him rough and harsh and demanding in order to feel a goddamn thing.

Donna, on the contrary, shivered at the slightest touch, her abdomen clenched and released as his fingers grazed the slope of her pelvis. Her muscles were not developed there, not tight and flashy or showy for a man’s gaze.

No, she was soft, so goddamn soft, he felt like his grip alone might break her.

So he slowed his strokes, exploring with his eyes as his hands lingered at her hips, taking in the sight of her smooth mound and all the beautiful femininity it held. 

When he finally did allow himself a touch, it was just her inner thighs. He splayed his palms wide and spread her open to him with careful pressure.

He’d felt Donna’s pussy last night, had been ‘knuckle deep’ inside of it, as she had put it, and knew exactly how warm and silky that tight heat was.

But his eyes took in the view revealed like it was the first time he’d ever been this close to a woman. His hand drifted down, over her mound, to the very top of her slit and even that made her quiver. Her head kicked back, her eyes closed and that red hair fell in tendrils all over his white countertop.

Red might be his new favorite color, actually.

Red hair, red cheeks, and such an inviting flush of the color lingered just beneath his palm. Pink at first glance, then fuchsia when he let his fingertips graze her cleft.

Donna whimpered and he did it again. And again. Until blood flooded the area and she bloomed for him.

Barely touched and her clit swelled, peeking from behind the hood, and with the way the sunlight was streaming perfectly across her body, he could see just how much she was starting to glisten for him.

“You’re so goddamn responsive,” he muttered, more to himself than to her, but she shifted at his words, hips silently demanding more.

Harvey chuckled, knowing he had her right where he wanted her.

“Do you remember what I told you last night, Princess?” He teased her pussy with his knuckles, running the back of his hand over her slit, nearly moaning himself at the slick that stuck to his skin, “About how next time, I’ll make you soak my tongue?”

A whine answered him, quiet and needy; a plea she didn’t have to put words to.

“You’re going to soak my tongue,” he promised, “And I’m going to keep going until your legs are shaking so bad you can’t fucking walk. Then we’ll see which ‘Thank you’ you prefer.”

“Harvey, I-”

He didn’t give her the chance to finish. He dropped his mouth to her pussy, licking up all the desire her body had already produced in one firm swipe of his tongue that had her hips jumping off the counter.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her in place as he swallowed his first taste of her.

God-fucking-damn .

He meant for it to be gentle, to tease her to an orgasm and decide when and how she was allowed to have it. But the moment he got her on his tongue, a switch flipped in his brain and all that mattered was getting more .

Donna’s voice filled the air, delicious moans that harmonized with the wet sounds he was making against her flesh as he devoured all that pink sex.

Soft. Warm. Wet. Perfect .

He rested his elbows against the counter on either side of her thighs, pinning her as he ate her pussy like a man starved. Each lap of his tongue against her clit made it pulse, her flavor and scent filled his nose, ran down his throat, covered his chin. He ground against her as his name fell in pants from her lips, half sob, half demand. Her thighs clenched beneath his arms, her entire body shivering like a live wire.

He shoved his tongue into her, feeling her muscles pulse as he mimicked the act of sex, and felt smug at what he knew her body wanted. He hummed a vibration, making her cry out, and he was pretty sure this was the fastest he’d ever gotten a woman to the precipice of climax.

It would so easy to send her right over the edge, to rub her clit while tongue-fucking her until she exploded, but then this would all be over and he was a selfish bastard because he was nowhere near ready for that.

He withdrew slightly, smirked against her prettily tucked labia when she groaned out a mix of pleasure and frustration.

Fuck, he could do this all goddamn day.

With a force he’d almost consider kind, he nipped his teeth against her clit and Donna jolted again, a strangled curse falling from her mouth and one of her hands shot to his hair.

Harvey half expected her to try and yank him away from her sensitive parts and was pleasantly shocked when, instead, Donna pushed him back against her center, attempting to lift her hips as she did so, to meet him the rest of the way.

“Please,” she whispered, and the sound was small, vulnerable.

Harvey paused, eyes flickering up to hers.

The bravado and snark were long gone; hell, he’d bet all rational thought was long gone from her, and she gripped him tightly, wiggling, begging.

He should have felt satisfied that his plan had been successful and he’d reduced her to a mess too, and that it had been so damn easy to do so.

But what expanded in his chest wasn't gratification or pride. When Donna’s gaze met his, all he felt was a twisted desire to safeguard her while she was quite literally splayed open for the taking. Every single ounce of self-preservation had disappeared from her expression, no caution or fear in the slightest form.

She looked at him with unfiltered trust and need and goddamn him, but he wanted to be deserving of it.

It was that thought that had him doing the unthinkable, giving a little back from what he’d taken from her, pulling her body against him as he slipped down onto the floor, letting them fall, fall, fall.

Fall until he was laying on his back.

Fall until her thighs were spread over his face and though his fingers held them tight enough to threaten bruise, she was the one in control of the motion.

And his Princess didn’t need any instruction on how to ride the throne he offered her.

She took from him without mercy, letting her weight sink over his mouth, until everything that made her soft and woman was pressed against his tongue.

Harvey held on as she rocked, allowing her to completely overwhelm him, smother him, steal his breath and sense.

Panic stirred slightly in his chest at the lack of oxygen, at the submission he fought to give her and the urge to toss her body off of his was so fucking strong, it was almost unbearable. But even more unbearable was the thought of losing contact with that sweet pool of desire flowing into his mouth.

Twin needs warred inside of his mind, both pushing him to action; shove her away, hold on tighter.

Harvey’s entire body went rigid when he felt a warm pressure suddenly press against his cock. His cock that had come to life without his realization, responding to the fear that holding himself in place was causing.

The distraction spread through his whole torso and the groan that left him was damn near animalistic.

Donna’s thrust faltered as he squeezed her and she squeezed him back in return. His cock jumped at the attention and then, somehow, Donna was shifting, spinning, dragging her core over his chin and lips as he lifted to stay attached.

When she settled once more, he realized she’d flipped. She still straddled his head, but her body covered the length of his now and he felt quick fingers working the button of the pants he’d put on.

He should stop her. This wasn’t the fucking plan. He wasn’t going to stay hard without losing control and scaring her, hurting her, and she deserved so much fucking better.

But the more panic he felt, the more adrenaline flooded him, the harder he got, and Donna’s touch against his cock sent his eyes rolling into the back of his head.

He couldn’t breath, he couldn’t focus, he could only feel her. Could only taste her, the soft pink flesh of her all around him, inside of him and-

A half muffled groan left him as he felt the wet warmth of Donna’s mouth close over the head of his cock. His hips thrusted instinctually, and her throat contracted around him.

Good fucking god, he was inside of her, and her pussy was weeping because of it, soaking him as he’d promised, but not at all in the way he imagined.

This wasn’t taking back control. This was…Fuck, is this what normal sex felt like? 

Give and take and pleasure on both sides for the sake of feeling…. good ? Instead of just being able to feel something .

He didn’t even know if he could cum from pleasure alone.

He never had before, but with the way Donna was working him, he felt that tightening pressure spark through his balls and radiate down his shaft.

It would be embarrassing, how immediately he responded to her, if she wasn’t also on the verge of losing herself.

The reminder gave him a focal point. Her pussy was sliding over his mouth, which was acting without volition, lapping at her, keeping her on that edge.

Harvey threw all of his attention there, on her, to avoid his brain running away with what she was doing to him.

He sucked and nibbled and stroked her, not bothering to hold back his own sounds of pleasure at her actions, letting his mind shut off so he could just…feel.

Donna came within seconds, juices flowing, and Harvey drank her up. The pride was there now, as she shivered and moaned around him, and the vibration of her voice coiled deep down, stroking him as firmly as her tongue and hand were, until the familiar build ran up his length and robbed his breath.

“Donna,” he panted out, a warning that she ignored as her lips closed tightly around him and she added a suction that sent him completely over the edge and into absolute nirvana.

Harvey’s hips shot up, probably choking her as more of his cock was engulfed between her lips, but Donna didn’t flinch as he spasmed.

She swallowed around him as he came, making him see fucking stars, and licked him clean with a satisfied hum until he was the one whose legs were shaking.

And just as it was nearing too much, too sensitive, she dragged her lips up his shaft a final time, releasing him with a pop and a gentle peck to his twitching head.

Harvey shuddered as Donna rolled off of him, and just like the night before, he couldn’t stop himself from following; from rolling with her until she was laying against his floor and he was hovering over her. His mind was shattered, like his mirror, a million pieces going every which direction as he came to terms with the fact that this woman had just gotten him off by making him feel good.

Her eyes were bright, a slight smile covered her lips and she looked entirely blissed out. Satisfied. That protective instinct overcame him again, and he reached up, pushing her hair back from her face, letting his touch linger at her forehead.

He wondered how it was possible that she was real.

And she must have sucked his wits out along with his cum, because the urges that filled him as he stared down at her were new and entirely irrational.

He wanted to kiss her. 

He wanted to taste himself on her lips and chase the essence of him against her tongue; he wanted to meld his body to hers until he wasn’t sure where she began and he ended.

He wanted to get hard again and climb on top of her, slide into the perfection of her body and fuck her because she was warm and soft and safe and nowhere near as spoiled and selfish as he’d first thought.

He wanted to track down every past lover she’d ever had and rip them apart with his bare hands, then he would find the men responsible for the death of her parents and deliver their severed hands to her in a bow wrapped package.

Lastly, he would find the son of a bitch who had hurt her and use his paring knife to carve his flesh from his bone until he begged for death. A human could live a number of days, tied up somewhere dark and damp with missing skin, and the rats of the city were always hungry.

“Harvey,” Donna spoke his name softly and her fingers touched his jaw, as if she recognized that his mind had taken him somewhere else, somewhere dark, and was calling him back to her.

He blinked slowly, the post-orgasm haze making him feel sluggish as he forced himself to focus.

“Donna.”

He didn’t get further than that.

From across the room, a loud buzzing startled them both and Donna shifted beneath him, turning her head as she lifted slightly.

“My phone,” she said, slipping out of his arms and Harvey let her go, sitting up himself as he watched her stroll naked across the room, to the couch where he guessed she’d left the intruding thing.

Donna’s hands flitted over the screen, and he watched as she exhaled deeply.

“It’s a text from Robert,” she called over to him, “He’s at his office. Said we could head over and drop off the contract.”

Robert. Contract. His goddamn job.

Harvey stood up, the haze clearing as he remembered what the fuck he was supposed to be doing and why Donna was in his home in the first place.

She looked up at him, still blissed out despite the bubble around them dissipating and she smiled.

“You were right,” she said, dropping her cell back to the sofa as she closed the space between them.

Harvey’s head crooked as she lifted her fingers to his chin, “I did soak you.”

“Then clean up your mess,” he ordered, and absolutely preened at her response.

Donna’s smile softened to a slight smirk and her eyes darkened once more with desire as she stepped closer, so damn close he had to touch her, and she melted into his arms.

His eyes closed as she leaned up on the tips of her toes and nuzzled against his jaw, where her fluids had run down his chin.

She licked at him, tentatively at first, then more assuredly, until he was sticky from her saliva rather than her tongue and it would be entirely too easy to lower his head and capture those lips of hers.

But he never allowed the women he fucked to kiss him, had never allowed anyone that close and personal, actually, and he’d be damned if he made a fool out of himself now, trying to do what most people learned in middle school.

Donna kissed at him, though. His jaw, his throat, his shoulder. Until her forehead dropped against his neck and she sighed.

“We should shower,” she reasoned, but didn’t make to move from his embrace.

Harvey’s arms tightened around her, “After we eat. You did go through all that trouble to scrounge up some bacon.”

Donna laughed, and the sound eased something in his chest that he hadn’t even known was tight.

“Damn right I did,” she said, pulling out of his arms. She let her hand slide down to his, and laced her fingers through her own to tug him along to the kitchen, “And I even made coffee.”

He didn’t need it, not with the way she had lit every nerve ending he had on fire, but he pulled two mugs down for her anyway and sat back once more to watch her work.

Donna filled his space, making it seem brighter, livelier than ever before as she made breakfast sandwiches out of bacon and bagels, still completely, unabashedly naked.

He didn’t taste a single bite as he ate it, too focused on the way she spoke, planning out the day and what they would need to do after taking the contract to Robert.

Harvey listened, nodded, and was fairly certain he would have agreed to anything she said and be happy about it.

Happy about it .

The thought stunned him, distracted him, and drew him short.

Sitting there, in his kitchen with Donna, he felt… happy . 

And, he realized, he had no fucking clue what to do with that.

Chapter Text

Jessica Pearson would never claim to be a good person. She’d done many things in her life that she was less than proud of, but she stood by every single choice that had made it so she could not only walk through whatever door she pleased, but buy the whole damn building.

And the metaphorical building she now had her eye on was going to require a lot more effort and careful planning than any previous desires she’d ever coveted.

Robert Zane was the key.

They sat now, together, in the man’s pristine office, and Jessica had to admire the penchant for fine taste Robert possessed. There were enough assets in the mere decor to keep afloat a small country and every piece of furniture was custom made with fine detail and expensively crafted expertise.

“Forstman?” Robert said, drawing her back to the conversation they were engaged in, “That’s a big player to want knocked off the board, Jessica.”

“I don’t just want him knocked off the board,” she corrected, sitting straight in the high back chair one of Robert’s men had pulled out for her when she’d arrived, “I want his entire empire obliterated.”

Robert studied her, those beady eyes holding a respectable intelligence that she worried might see too much.

“You never were one to forgive a slight,” he mused, after a moment, “But I can’t imagine your request is based solely on the bad blood that incident caused between you.”

Jessica shrugged a shoulder, “That incident was an attempt on my life, and only one of the offenses Forstman has caused me. But I have already paid him in kind for that, and this isn’t personal, Robert. It’s business. As it should be.”

“And what business of yours requires a complete acquisition of Forstman’s trade?”

“I never said-“

“Jessica,” Robert drawled, “Don’t insult me. You and I both know that you aren’t attempting to dismantle Charles Forstman’s empire if there isn’t something substantial in it for you.”

Too intelligent , she decided. But that was precisely why she needed him.

“Now, I know he has his dealings up north,” Robert said, “And you’ve expanded your escorts from a one-on-one clientele to private parties and political affiliates who have kept your pockets comfortably lined. But if you’re asking for my assistance with this, I need to know what the end game is. I need to know what exposure we face.”

Jessica forced a tight smile, “I can appreciate that, Robert, but you misunderstand. I am not asking. You agreed to this, no matter the exposure, in exchange for the services of my man keeping your girl safe while this deal of yours goes through.”

“I know what I agreed to,” he assured her, “And you know I’ll hold up my end. But we’ve been doing this a long time, Jessica. You can’t expect me to go in blind.”

She could allow him that, for the sake of their history, if nothing else.

“Forstman has his hands in many pockets,” she told him, “It is my intention to absorb certain avenues of his businesses into my own. And since I have been polite enough not to ask you about your dealings with the Italians, I expect you to return the favor and leave me to my enterprise.”

“Fair enough,” Robert grunted, and leaned back in the seat he occupied behind his large oak desk, “But I do recall you mentioning that taking out this competitor would be of mutual benefit to us. What do I need with Forstman’s business?”

“Control of his northern territory?” she offered, “I can only assume you’re looking toward expansion, and I don’t need you to confirm or deny it, but we both know exactly the sort of product you deal in that’s lining your own pockets.”

Because if there was anything that sold well in this country, it was sex and drugs, and they both knew it.

“With Forstman out of the way, his monopolization of product transported at the border becomes yours. Gives you a little more weight to swing in any future deals or alliances you wish to make.”

That, at least, finally seemed to intrigue the man, as his expression went from amused curiosity to something Jessica was much more familiar with. The crackling excitement of greed that no man seemed capable of resisting.

Robert was indeed expanding his enterprise, and what she was offering to give him would catapult him past any possible competition.

“And all you want is my support? Some man power?” he confirmed. 

Jessica nodded, “You know as well as I that Forstman has as many friends as he does enemies. If I go at him on my own, there’s no guaranteed safety from blowback, or that others won’t attempt to move in on his remains before I can secure them. With you and I together as a united front, however-“

“We’ll be making chess moves while everyone else is scrounging over checkers,” Robert concluded.

“Exactly,” Jessica smirked, “Not a single player on the board has the power, the funding, or a death wish strong enough to take on you and I both. And as we have no interest in each other's preferred…product of sale, there can be trust between us.”

Amusement twinkled once again through his gaze and Robert chuckled, “Trust may be a bit too strong a word, for now. But I’ll admit that you make a compelling case. We will just need to-”

A short, hard rap against the door jolted both of their attention toward it, interrupting whatever Robert was about to say. The heavy wood was pulled open by one of the security guards, and Donna Paulsen entered with an ease that denoted the comfort she clearly felt in Robert’s space. The ends of her pale pink dress swished at her thighs as she strolled across the room, Harvey directly behind her.

The relief Jessica felt at the sight of her best lieutenant was quickly ebbed when she noticed his appearance. There was a bruise along his temple, climbing up on his forehead, beneath a prominent scrape. And his cheek held two distinct, yet faded marks that she would swear were scratches from a set of nails.

Her brows drew together and she stood from her seat, “What happened?”

Harvey’s eyes had been on the woman in front of him and when he turned his head toward Jessica, she noticed there was also a mark on his lower neck, barely hidden by the collar of his shirt. For half a second, she was struck by the idea that he’d had a rough night of fucking. However, she knew he’d been with Robert’s charge all evening, and that if the woman had been the target of Harvey’s depravity, she wouldn’t be walking unscathed through the room now.

Harvey frowned, obvious confusion running across his features and Jessica stepped toward him. She didn’t touch his face, she knew he would only flinch away if she tried, but she waved her hand through the air at him, giving indication to her point.

“You messaged me that last night went smoothly,” she said, “This doesn’t look smooth.”

“Were there any problems?” Robert demanded, the question aimed at Donna, who looked back at Harvey.

He stiffened as realization struck and Jessica couldn’t quite interpret the look that clouded his face.

“We sparred,” Donna was the one that spoke, and all three of their eyes moved to her, “After meeting with Stu. Harvey gave me some tips on…self-defense.”

The woman’s cheeks colored a little as she said so, but her voice was steady; convincing.

Jessica looked back to Harvey, who she highly doubted took time out of his evening to give his temporary assignment a safety lesson, but his focus was still on Donna. Again, she didn’t quite understand the look on his face, but noted the fact that he didn’t deny the claim.

“Sparring?” Jessica pressed, arching her brow at him, “And she was able to do that to you?”

Harvey dragged his eyes back to her, and simply shrugged, “I’m a good instructor.”

Donna snorted and the two once more shared a look that was a far cry from the glares they’d been throwing at each other during their first meeting, but the redhead sobered quickly and turned toward her mentor.

“There were no hindrances, as far as the meeting,” Donna told Robert and reached into the bag she carried. She withdrew an envelope that undoubtedly highlighted the details of her boss’s arrangement with Stu Buzzini, and sat it on the desk in front of him, “It’s signed.”

“Good.” Robert didn’t bother checking; just tucked the letter away in his things and stood to his feet.

He tilted his chin up at Harvey, “You didn’t notice anyone scoping her?”

“There'd be a body with that envelope if I had,” Harvey assured him, his tone too grave to be considered a joke, and Robert gave an appreciative nod.

“Any leads yet on the attacker?” Harvey asked, stepping closer to Robert’s desk, which put him right at Donna’s shoulder. The woman didn’t shy away from his sudden presence; not even when he cursed gruffly after Robert confirmed that there were, in fact, no leads.

“My people are looking into it,” Robert said, “We’ll find whoever it was. But the deal was signed, and Donna’s part was played. She should be safe now-”

Harvey shook his head, “Buzzini is expecting to meet with you this week. Until that sit-down happens, you can’t assume that whoever wants to stop it won’t intervene.”

“Harvey,” Jessica warned in a hard tone, “Let the man handle his own business.”

She was used to his no filtered thoughts, and often quite bashing opinions, but they all had their places and he was stepping from his. Something she doubted Robert would appreciate.

But Harvey didn’t appear to give a damn.

“It’s not about his job, it’s about mine,” he insisted, and kept his eyes on Robert, “And my job isn’t finished while there is still a threat out there that may try to get to you again through her.”

Robert appraised him with more speculation than offense, but Jessica intervened anyway, “Actually, Harvey, your job is finished when I say it’s finished. And if Robert believes Donna will be safe, then-”

Harvey spun to face her with a heatedness she rarely saw from him, at least, rarely was it directed at her.

“In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never half-assed a single thing,” he threw the words like an accusation, “So don’t start now. We should see this through.”

Jessica pressed her teeth together, carefully gauging his resolve as a reprimand burned on her tongue. She forced a tight smile toward Robert, “It’s your call, of course, but excuse us for a moment.”

She didn’t tell Harvey to follow her. 

She didn’t have to.

They stepped through the doors, past the few men standing guard, and down the brightly lit hallway.

Harvey stayed right at Jessica’s heel, despite the fact that each step felt like lead in his shoes. They shouldn’t be out here, they should be back in Robert’s office, convincing the man that letting him continue to shadow Donna was the right thing to do.

He didn’t like that she was away from him. Even if it was just a stretch of building and a closed door difference. It only took seconds for something bad to happen and he need to be sure he could reach her if-

Jessica halted abruptly, apparently deciding they were alone enough for whatever she needed to say to him.

“I have always allowed you to speak your mind,” she said firmly, only her burning stare giving hint to the fact that she was upset with him, “But you will not disrespect me, or the man we have just gotten into bed with.”

She still hadn’t told him exactly why she wanted this alliance with Robert, and frankly, he couldn’t care less, but there was more at stake here than hurting the man’s pride.

“It isn’t disrespectful to suggest erring with caution.”

“And this isn’t our concern, anymore,” she stated flatly.

Harvey didn’t waiver, “Donna is mine."

Jessica’s eyes flared.

"My concern," he amended, "I need to see this job to the end."

He knew he was pushing too hard. Jessica allowed him leniencies, but expected loyalty. It was why they worked and had since the day she’d found him in the city’s underbelly, literally fighting to get by with nothing but his fists and bloodlust.

She hadn’t bullshitted him, hadn’t tried to limit or tame him. He was barely older than nineteen when she'd offered him a job, the security of food, money, and a place to sleep. A chance to survive long enough to get the revenge he sought. And all she asked, all she’d ever asked for, was his obedience.

She had enemies and goals, and he had enough rage to burn the city down.

Jessica had focused him, funneled him into a useful weapon toward whatever purpose she held, and they had both understood it was always her finger on the trigger.

So he couldn’t entirely blame her for the confusion that etched into her features as she frowned at him. He didn’t even really understand himself, why he was arguing with her. He just knew that something had shifted after last night, after this morning, and he couldn’t let this go while there was even the slightest possibility that Donna was in danger.

The thought of not watching over her, of not being able to ensure her safety, of having to walk away and something happening to her…

“Why do you care?” Jessica asked him, and he wished he knew.

The uncertainty made him feel unsettled, and he willed his eyes to meet hers so that she wouldn’t sense that weakness in him.

“Let’s just call it a need for closure,” he downplayed, and Jessica shook her head, “Whatever happens to Donna now is Robert’s concern. You need to let this go.”

Yeah. Too fucking late for that.

“What I need is to find the man who did this to her and put a bullet in his goddamn head,” Harvey insisted, and when Jessica appeared surprised again, he sighed deeply.

“She was a bystander in this,” he said, taking a quieter approach, “Some asshole hurt her, and you know how I feel about that.”

The skin at the corner of Jessica’s eyes pinched as she narrowed them at him, “Unless, of course, you’re the one doing the hurting?”

Harvey shook his head, “That’s different, and you know it.”

She studied him for a long moment, and anyone who knew her less might have taken the observation as a sign of cold calculation. But Harvey knew how her mind worked, spinning through thoughts like a bullet bouncing around her skull, as she weighed the pros and cons of every choice to their inevitable conclusion.

It’s why he knew she was certain when she took a deep exhale and said, “No. I’m sorry, Harvey, but no.”

“Jessica-”

“If Robert allows, then I’ll have Jeff look into it,” she cut off his attempt at protest, “He can follow any leads. But this was supposed to be temporary for you, and I need you for something else.”

His head crooked as he wondered what could be more serious than this.

Jessica didn’t make him ask.

“There’s a…private event this weekend being hosted at La Lune Rouge . Half of Wall Street’s biggest names are on the guest list, which means our girls will be expected.”

“ La Lune Rouge ?” Harvey scoffed, “So one of Congressman Howard’s pet-parties. Louis can handle that.”

“I’m telling you to handle it,” Jessica didn’t budge.

But he could be stubborn, too, “And I’m telling you that I’m not backing off of this job. At least not until Robert meets with Stu. I…I can’t, Jessica. Let me see this through.”

It was as close as he would come to saying please , and they both knew it. Jessica stared at him again, letting another moment pass before she sighed.

“Fine, Harvey. If it makes you feel better to keep an eye on the woman, you can do so, but,” she held a finger up toward his face, “You keep out of Robert’s business and you don’t go hunting down his enemies for him. His alliance with the Italians, and whoever wants to stop it, is his to handle. Understood?”

“Yes,” he agreed, feeling relief to at least know he was sanctioned to stay at Donna’s side for the meantime.

He wondered, briefly, if the continuance would disappoint her, or if, like him, she was hoping to stay close, in each other’s orbits, for just a bit longer.

Another week. Then Robert would meet with Buzzini and Harvey would have no more reason to interfere on behalf of his Princess.

That thought brought back that unsettled feeling and his feet were itching to return to Robert’s office, to where she was waiting for him.

“But I still expect you to do the job I’m asking of you,” Jessica said, finally motioning for him to follow her back down the hall.

Harvey once more fell into step at her heel.

“Sure, Jess. I’ll be at the damn party.”

Donna’s jaw felt sore. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the way she was clenching her teeth until Harvey and Jessica Pearson returned to Robert’s office, or because of her morning activities.

Harvey came to her side just as the memory of the way his cock had felt sliding between her lips crossed her mind. Something had changed between them since last night, an awareness that she swore hadn’t existed yesterday was sparking through her veins any time he was near.

It had burned this morning, winding up into an inferno as he’d grabbed her and put her on his kitchen counter. As he’d undressed her and stared at her naked body like he was going to be tested over her exact dimensions. He’d stared at her like he was hungry, and fuck, had he eaten .

It had been impossible to do anything but lay there as he’d used his mouth to send her to another world and she wore bruises on her thighs from the grip he’d kept on her.

Pulling her down onto his face hadn’t been something she’d expected of him, but that new angle as they’d fallen to the floor was somehow even better and she might have lost a piece of her soul as she rode that wicked tongue of his.

He’d growled against her core, the sound primal and guttural, enough that Donna hadn’t been able to resist a little touching of her own.

Harvey’s body, in the throes of want, was absolutely devastating. He’d been so rigid, so hard and straining. His muscles were taut, veins and edges showcased as obviously as the pulsing erection that had pushed up against his jeans.

The moment she’d touched him there, Harvey’s hips jacked off the floor as if demanding more, and she’d given it to him.

She flexed her jaw now as she remembered how widely she’d had to stretch her mouth to fit his girth. The moment she’d sprung him free of his confinements, she knew it was going to be a challenge, but that heavy weight of him against her tongue had felt worth it.

When she’d closed her mouth around him, he’d thrusted up again, ruining any hope she’d had of easing them into a comfortable rhythm as the tip of him had all but rammed the back of her throat. Her eyes had watered, she’d nearly gagged, but she’d felt so full and the taste of his precum, already dripping from his swelling head, had driven her absolutely insane with the desire for more.

Then he’d gone wild beneath her, attacking her center while she tried to set a pace with her mouth around his cock. The combination of him fucking her with his tongue while he also fucked her mouth had been too much. A low groan and steady suction over her clit had sent her spiraling over the edge and she’d sucked him deeply to ground herself as her body convulsed and it hadn’t been long until he’d followed her orgasm with his own.

She hadn’t seen Harvey’s face as he’d finshed, but she’d felt the way his body quivered, hands tightening and loosening their hold on her until he’d settled and she’d been able to roll off of him.

She’d seen his face then, the heavy lids, the softened corners of his eyes, his damp, swollen lips, and he’d touched her in a way that was almost gentle, stroking her hair and her cheeks while they basked in the afterglow of their climaxes.

“When you’re ready, I’m taking you home,” Harvey spoke directly into her ear, leaning enough near her backside that she felt the heat from his chest brush her shoulder blades. Robert and Jessica were in the middle of a discussion, one that she’d stopped paying attention to the second Harvey had gotten close, and his voice sent a shiver down her spine.

“I’m going back to the estate tonight,” she reminded him, though part of her wished she wasn’t. Wished she had an excuse to go back home with him so they could explore whatever they’d started this morning.

So she could figure out what had happened last night.

Donna hadn’t brought it up again, and neither had Harvey. She knew it had something to do with his nightmares, but the reaction it had brought out in him had seemed far away this morning, as they’d eaten together, showered separately, and dressed for the day.

She’d been surprised to discover that she actually found Harvey to be enjoyable company, as he’d teased her about burnt bacon and practical footwear; apparently her heels were a deathtrap in waiting.

He looked good like that, she noted. A grin that was more lighthearted than the arrogant smirk she was used to seeing him adorn, and a casual presence rather than the intensity that had been blistering between them.

On principle, she didn’t hook up with the men in her life that Robert employed. No one she worked with or had to uphold to professional interactions.

But for Harvey…she thought she might make an exception. If only because their time together was coming to an end and there was still so much she wanted to know about him. About what he’d done, about what he could do, about the effect he had on her body and her common sense.

It was a dangerous thing to want.

“Then I’ll take you to the estate,” Harvey wasn’t deterred and she felt his breath drift over the cleft of her ear.

He wasn’t actually touching her anywhere, but her skin erupted with goosebumps as if he’d drifted his fingers along her covered spine.

Donna’s eyes threatened to close, so she forced herself to straighten and half-turned so she could meet his gaze.

“You don’t have to. I can ride back with Robert and-”

His hand was on her hip then, not a push or pull, just holding her, halting her.

“It wasn’t a suggestion,” he said, “I’m taking you.”

She was learning pretty quickly when it was worth arguing with him and when it wasn’t. There was a hard resolve in his eyes that told her this was one of the times it would be easier to just nod her head in agreement.

It was a car ride. Did it really matter if he wanted to waste his own gas or not?

Harvey eased at her acceptance, his body physically relaxing and his chin dipped down so that they were face to face.

“Is there anything else you need to do in the city?”

Donna shook her head and he gave one, short nod before pulling away from her entirely and stepping toward their bosses.

“I’m taking Donna home,” he announced, partially to Jessica but mostly to Robert, “I’ll be accessible for the next few days leading up to your meeting, to ensure nothing happens in the interim.”

Robert glanced at Donna, seeking her consent, and only nodded when she did.

“Very well,” Robert said, “Message me when you arrive.”

Harvey’s driver, Ray, picked them up on the street, and Donna smiled kindly at the man as he opened her door.

The tragedy of what had happened to him did not seem to impact his friendly nature the slightest, because he dipped his head in greeting and smiled back warmly. She touched her fingers to her chin, signing the word for “Thank you”, what little of ASL she knew. Ray beamed at her.

Harvey told him where they were going and they got in.

The first half of the ride was quiet, soft music drifting from the speakers as the city buzzed to life around them, and Donna tried to focus on anything other than the way Harvey was sitting a little closer to her now than he had just last night.

His hand was a fraction from brushing against her knee and any time there was a jolt through the vehicle due to a bump or an abrupt stop, she thought she might feel his touch.

Stop being an idiot , she cursed her racing heart.

This wasn’t the first time she’d had chemistry with a man, and it wouldn’t be the last. Yes, Harvey was a pretty and dangerous package. Yes, he was intriguing. Yes, he knew how to play her body like a fiddle. But this dramatic reaction was bordering on insane for a man she hadn’t even technically slept with yet.

A man that, for so many reasons, she should try to distance from and forget about as soon as possible.

His finger jerked, grazing her thigh and she shivered hard enough that it drew his eyes to her.

You’re so goddamn responsive .

She could almost hear his words from this morning reverberate through the cab, depleting the air as his eyes darkened and she was sure he was remembering the same thing she was.

Donna swallowed, and forced herself to look straight ahead.

Traffic was picking up. Ray was mouthing to himself, a song in his head perhaps. There were pedestrians on the street and-

Harvey’s hand landed on her bare thigh, heavy and purposeful, his fingers dancing along the hem of her dress.

Another scatter of goosebumps broke out, along her leg this time, and she caught his smirk in her peripheral as he noticed. But he didn’t move. Didn’t try to slip his hand up higher or tease her any further. He just rested his hand there, above her knee, and caressed her soft flesh with calloused palm.

Donna waited, and when nothing begot more nothing, she tentatively reached out and placed her own hand on top of his.

Harvey twitched, like he wanted to flinch from her touch, but his hand never parted from her leg.

She ran a reassuring stroke over his thumb with her own, and waited until he relaxed back into his seat before letting her fingers slightly interlace with his.

He didn’t tense this time.

He did, however, reach over with his free hand and hit the button that rolled up the partition. Donna stiffened, both with nerves and anticipation, as they were suddenly given at least the illusion of privacy.

She licked her lips and shifted as Harvey did, facing him as she readied herself for whatever was about to come at her.

She wasn’t expecting it to be his Beretta, shoved firmly into her palm.

“Harve-”

“Do you know how to use this?” he asked her. He’d shifted too, so that they were now nearly sharing the middle seat.

“Yes, but-”

“Keep it with you,” he reached around to his back and with some movement, produced a holster that she hadn’t even been aware he was wearing.

“This can strap to your waist or your thigh,” he continued, reaching under her dress now, just slightly, to loop the dark leather around her; it was already heated from his skin, “Concealed is best, but easily accessible is better. If you’re in a dress, like now, keep it here, within reach.

He cinched the strap tighter, so that it dug into her leg and her breath hitched in response. His hands paused, eyes flickering up to hers, and she knew he’d heard it.

Warm fingers rubbed over the place where the leather dug in, pulling to create a little more give.

"How does that feel?"

Like his touch could be anything but fan-fucking-tastic; she knew that wasn't what he meant, though.

"It's fine," she said, and wished she didn't sound so breathless, "But, Harvey, I don't want your gun."

“I have more,” he assured her, “And this isn’t about want. It’s about me needing to know you’re safe tonight.”

She sighed as he took the weapon from her hand and secured it in its place on her leg.

“Robert’s estate is plenty safe. You know that.”

“I got in,” he reminded her, and Donna couldn’t help but chuckle, “Yes, but we’re on the same team. You were let in.”

“All the same,” he insisted, releasing her now that she was loaded down, “If I can’t be with you, I want you carrying. Anyone comes at you, you drop them. I don’t care who they are. They die, you live, and you call me.”

Donna swallowed.

“You know, if you wanted my number, you could have just asked.”

Harvey blinked at her, then shook his head with a quiet laugh, “Believe me, Princess, if this was just about getting your number, I wouldn’t be giving you my favorite gun.”

His hand lifted and for the second time that morning, he brushed her hair back from her face, letting his fingers linger against her jaw on the way down, “You sure you know how to use it?”

“I was a Junior Pistol Championship finalist three years in a row in prep school,” she said, “I have a glock in my apartment and a sharpshooter qualification from the NRA. So yes, Harvey. I know how to use it.”

The amusement that had begun to blossom over his face morphed into something closer to wonder and Donna blushed under the sudden intensity of his stare. His hand felt a little more firm on her jaw and as her lips parted, his eyes fell to them and for a moment, she had the crazy notion that he was going to kiss her.

Instead, he moved his thumb, dragging it over her bottom lip, and all the fire from that morning coiled once more in her stomach.

“You don’t have to go to the estate tonight,” he murmured, sounding as breathless now as she felt.

But he was wrong.

If she spent another night in his apartment, she was going to end up in his bed again, and this time it wouldn’t be for whatever comfort he’d sought before. He was going to unleash everything that his dark gaze was promising and she wasn’t entirely sure it was something she’d be able to walk away from.

Not with how she’d felt, waking up to the peaceful expression on his face this morning, not how easy it had been to share a meal with him after some of the best oral she’d ever received.

Not with how hard she was finding it to say no to him.

She needed space, time away from him to breathe and to think, so that her libido could calm down and all these crazy notions in her head would rationalize.

“Yes,” she exhaled, forcing her eyes to his, “I do.”

She didn’t offer any other explanation and Harvey didn’t ask for one. Maybe he understood. Or maybe he just wasn’t interested in trying to convince women to stay the night with him.

With a final tap against her lip, he released her and slid back to his side of the car. Donna took a slow, settling breath and he hit the button that lowered the partition once more.

They were nearly out of the city now, and soon the long winding road would give way to greenery and she’d be safe in the home of her childhood.

Physically, at least.

Whatever was going on with her pounding heart was another story entirely.

Chapter Text

Harvey couldn’t breathe.

Which he knew was absolutely ridiculous. Air moved into his lungs, he could exhale it out. But there was no relief to the rush of oxygen as it engulfed his chest. No ease to the stinging pressure that had been building since he’d dropped Donna off at Robert’s estate.

He paced the floor of the motel room he’d bought hours ago, when the sun had still been hanging in the sky, and didn’t stop until a knock sounded against the door.

“About fucking time,” he practically growled, as he opened the thing to Mike.

“And good evening to you, too,” the younger man pushed past him into the room and Harvey shut the door.

“You brought it?”

Mike nodded, taking off the bag that had been slung around his shoulders, “All the equipment. Should work as long as you know how to use the software…I still can’t believe you lost your gun-”

“I didn’t lose it,” Harvey snapped, snatching the bag up and dumping its contents out onto the bed.

A laptop. Cables. Tracking radar.

The gadgets were familiar and he ignored Mike’s humph of protest as he moved it all to the nearby table and began setting it up.

“Well you wouldn’t need to activate the GPS tracker on it if you didn’t lose it,” Mike mused, sitting down on the edge of the mattress, “Why’d you call me to bring you this instead of Benjamin? He could hook it up so much faster.”

Harvey dismissed his implication, “Because Benjamin has to report to Jessica. You don’t.”

He felt Mike’s gaze boring into the side of his head, “And you don’t want her to know you lost your gun? Since when do you keep things from Jessica?”

“I didn’t lose it,” he repeated, “And what I choose to tell or not to tell anyone is my business. Got it?”

Mike rolled his eyes and fell back against the sheets, throwing his arms under his head, “You’re in a mood.”

“Try me on a day that doesn’t end in ‘y’,” Harvey grumbled, but the screen he was hunched over lit up and with a bit more maneuvering and clicks…he had the tracker set.

His eyes scanned the screen, relaying what was being shown with the layout he knew of Robert’s house.

Her bedroom. Donna was in her bedroom.

He let out a deep sigh and dropped into the chair next to the table.

The rush of oxygen his body finally responded to receiving nearly gave him a head rush from relief.

The move grabbed Mike’s attention, and Harvey caught in his peripheral when the guy looked up and over at the screen.

A second later, he was on his feet and hovering above Harvey’s shoulder, “Why is your gun at Rachel’s house?”

“You mean her father’s house?” Harvey retorted, “Because Donna’s there.”

Mike frowned, “I thought that assignment was over after last night?”

“Then do us both a favor and stop thinking,” Harvey turned, standing as he did so, “You brought my car, right?”

Mike nodded, producing a set of keys from his pocket.

“Yep and I only dented the side a little bit when I…” he trailed off with the look Harvey gave him, “Okay, not funny, got it. Yes, it’s outside.”

Harvey grabbed the keys out of his hand, “Good. I’ll get you a ride back to the city. But first, do one more thing for me-”

“You know, most people start requests with words like ‘please’ and follow them up with ‘thank you’,” Mike smarted, “Have you ever considered trying that?”

“I’ll consider putting a bullet in your head if you don’t shut up and do what I ask.”

Far from deterred by his attitude, Mike just smirked, “And how’re you gonna do that without your gun?”

“You think that’s the only gun I have?”

Mike just laughed and sat down in the chair Harvey had abandoned, “Tell me that's not a euphemism for your penis.”

“You really want to find out?” He shoved the chair, making it and Mike topple over onto the floor.

The kid grunted, “Ow! And no, not particularly. Your personality is all the dick I need from you.”

He climbed back to his feet and righted the chair before choosing to sit on the bed instead. Harvey once more ignored him, having turned back to the screen to ensure that Donna was still in her room.

“Besides,” Mike prodded, “I thought you were only into women.”

Harvey didn’t take his eyes off the blinking dot, “A hole’s a hole. Doesn’t really matter what’s attached to the rest of it.”

Except when he’d had Donna’s mouth around him, he’d very much enjoyed that and all the rest of it. Especially the rest of it.

He recalled how warm and wet she’d felt against his tongue. How brightly her hair had shone in the morning sun, moving around his kitchen. Her alabaster skin, marred with red flush from where his grip had marked her.

“That’s…wow, so you’re-” Mike sputtered over his comment, pulling him back to task.

“Stop talking,” he instructed, “Get out your phone. I need you to text Rachel and get Donna’s number.”

“You don’t have it alrea-”

Harvey shot a glare at him, “Still talking?”

Mike grumbled something incoherent, but finally did as he was told. He moved his eyes back to the screen and watched while he waited.

He was worse than a middle school girl.

Dark had fallen completely now, Mike was long gone, and Harvey sat against the headboard on the shitty motel bed with his phone in his hands.

Texting a woman had never been difficult before. Usually because he was telling them when and where to meet him and what he expected them to be wearing when they did.

But this was different.

Stop being a pussy , he told himself.

He let his fingers slide across the buttons of his burner cell, typing out a short message and hit send before he could change his mind. He held his breath until his phone rang in response, Donna’s number popping up on the screen.

“You’re missing me already, huh?” she said, the moment he answered.

Harvey smirked, “You need to get your eyes checked, Princess. That’s not what my text said.”

“Oh really? ‘ We should have stayed at my place ’? Might as well have said it.”

Harvey adjusted against the pillows, relaxing as he listened to her tease him.

“I was thinking about security,” he insisted and Donna’s soft laugh echoed down the line, “Please. You were thinking about me sucking you off this morning.”

He fought back a groan at the reminder. He couldn’t help but quip back, “And how many times have you thought about you sucking me off this morning?”

“Not as many times as I’ve thought about what you were doing while I did it,” she admitted shamelessly.

The candor was surprising, but appreciated, and he leaned into it, “Hoping for a repeat performance?”

He heard her chuckle again, and some shifting, like she was turning in her sheets.

“Is that really why you reached out?” she asked him, “To proposition sex?”

It wasn’t, but the problem was he didn’t exactly know why he’d needed to message her; to know that she was okay and that the GPS marker he’d been staring at for the last few hours wasn’t just his gun discarded on the nightstand while she went out and about.

“No,” he went for honesty, too, “I just wanted to know that you’d settled in. That you were safe.”

She was quiet for a moment, almost long enough for him to speak again, but her response came before he could.

“Well, I’m in my own bed tonight. Alone. And my door is locked so I won’t wake up with strange men in my room,” the reminder of his last visit made him smirk, “I have your gun under the pillow next to me and Robert’s security is around the house. I don’t think I can get much safer.”

The knowledge of how secure she was, even without him there, helped the last bit of tension ease from Harvey’s shoulders.

“Good,” he said, “You have my number now, too. If anything happens, anything at all, you call me.”

She hummed, “I’ll think about it.”

“Donna,” he growled, and heard her breath hitch.

“Yes, Harvey?”

He wasn’t playing around. “You better fucking call.”

More silence, though he swore he could hear her breathe if he focused hard enough. She sighed, and he definitely heard that.

“Okay, I’ll call,” she told him, “But if someone breaks in and tries to murder me, I’m not sure what you expect to do about it from Manhattan.”

He wasn’t in Manhattan. He was just a few miles east of Robert’s estate because the thought of being too far away from her made it impossible for him to leave, but he wasn’t quite sure he should admit as much to her.

“You let me worry about that, Princess,” was all he said, “But don’t worry. Anyone who tries to hurt you won’t live to regret it. I’ll make sure of that.”

The fact that she didn’t pop off with some taunt or insistence that she could handle herself meant she understood how serious he was. Harvey liked that. He liked her believing him when he told her she was untouchable within his care.

“My knight in pitch black armor,” she mused after another beat, “What every Princess needs.”

A genuine laugh escaped him at that, “And here I expected you to keep fighting the allegations of your royal status.”

He could almost feel her eye-roll through the phone, “Well, if I’m gonna be locked away in the castle, I might as well play the part.”

“Must be horrid. A lavish estate, all the luxury and security you could hope for. I pity you for your plight, Princess, I really do.”

“Oh go to hell,” she laughed and he smiled, sinking back onto the mattress with his phone still tucked by his ear.

“Been there for years,” he admitted, the words pouring without thought.

Donna huffed over the line, “If the next thing out of your mouth is an angel reference, I’m hanging up.”

Harvey chuckled, feeling a warmth spread through him at their exchange.

“You wouldn’t dare,” he taunted, his voice low, “Because you might not admit it, but you wanted to talk to me as much as I wanted to talk to you.”

“Did I?” she asked, the warmth of her voice wrapping around him better than any blanket could have.

Coy didn’t suit her, “You called me, remember?”

“Yeah, well, don’t let it inflate your ego too much,” she shot back, “I had to make sure it was you that was texting me.”

The thought that it might have been someone else sent an irrational jolt of annoyance through him.

“Do strange men often send you anonymous texts about staying in their homes?”

“None that make the offer half as intriguing,” he could hear the smile in her voice, though it was starting to drift, like she was getting sleepy.

The idea of her, safe and warm and curled up in bed was heartening.

“Some other time,” he said, though whether or not it was a real offer was uncertain. 

This week would go by quickly. He would have no excuse to make her safety a priority, let alone have her come to his apartment. Their reality hung over his head like a guillotine and if he wasn’t too keen to try and understand why.

He just knew that he wouldn’t be able to settle until he had guaranteed her safety, no matter what Jessica had told him.

Minutes passed, the conversation fading to comfortable silence, and the rhythmic sound of Donna’s breathing felt like a lullaby, steady and soothing. Harvey felt his eyelids grow heavy, the exhaustion of the last few days catching up with him.

“Harvey?” Donna mumbled after a moment.

His lids fluttered open, taking in the dingy room around him, casted with dim illumination from the lone lamp beside the bed.

“Still here,” he assured her.

He heard her hum again, this time the sound was content, “I’m getting sleepy.”

“I know,” he didn’t take the bait to let the conversation end. He didn’t like the thought of the connection between them, however flimsy, being cut.

“Let’s just…” he swallowed, searching for the right words, “Can we stay like this for a while?”

“Okay,” Donna agreed, her voice a gentle whisper, all sleepy and sweet.

Harvey let his eyes close again and felt sleep come for him almost immediately, despite how hard he fought it, just to listen to her calming breaths for a while longer.

With his phone still slotted against his ear, he drifted, and as he did, it felt as if the distance between him and Donna vanished. For the second night in a row, he didn’t feel as if he were completely alone and the concept should have been as disturbing as it was comforting. But he didn’t mind. Not when he knew she was right there, even if she wasn’t there .

Harvey fell into a hard sleep, with Donna’s shallow exhales turning slow and deep in his ears, and the memory of her body folded around his own lingered like the ghost of a dream.

Donna wasn’t surprised when Samatha started grilling her over breakfast. If she was being honest, she’d avoided the woman yesterday so that this very conversation could be postponed, but she supposed the inevitable was bound to happen.

“Just tell me you didn’t fuck him,” Sam demanded and Donna fought not to sputter out the coffee she’d just taken a drink of.

It was just the two of them at the table, thank god, as Rachel had left earlier for school and Robert had stayed in the city with his wife, Laura, last night.

“Sam-”

“You said it was just a job,” Samantha pressed on, “And that you can’t stand that mother fucker, but yesterday he drops you off and the two of you look like you wanted to tear each others clothes off! So what happened? Come clean, Donna, because if he hurt you-”

“Oh my god, Sam,” Donna laughed, setting her coffee down, “Do I look hurt to you? No.”

When the blonde just stared at her pointedly, Donna rolled her eyes, “I didn’t sleep with Harvey.”

Sam’s gaze narrowed, “Don’t think I haven’t known you long enough to know what your walk of shame looks like, Missy. You can’t tell me nothing happened-”

“I never said nothing happened,” she pointed out, “Just that we didn’t fuck. Now can I eat my toast in peace, please?”

Sam made a low noise, sitting back in her chair, “You said you don’t get involved with men that you work with.”

Donna pursed her lips, fighting a smirk, “Well…technically we’re not working together anymore, so-”

“Donna,” Sam groaned, “You’re using semantics to bend the rules.”

“Hey, they’re my rules,” she insisted, “I can bend them if I want to.”

Sam shook her head, “I told you he was charming. I told you that you had to be careful, because you won’t be able to handle-”

“Samantha,” Donna turned, meeting her gaze directly, “Stop. Okay?”

It was true, Harvey had pissed her off that first day when he’d given her a ride and drew blood by nipping her ear…but whatever Sam thought she knew about the man, what Donna thought she’d knew…wasn’t the whole picture.

The past few days had made that clear. Because charmed wasn’t the way Harvey made her feel. It wasn’t just the flirting or the pull that existed between them.

Flashes of his haunted face and a broken mirror flitted across her mind. The way he’d absolutely clung to her in sleep, had tethered his gun to her thigh like the weapon was an extension of himself and needed to be connected to her.

The cool metal pressed against her leg now, where the knee length dress she wore covered the holster from sight.

Sam may have reason for her concerns, but she was wrong about Harvey, and Donna was a grown ass woman, capable of deciding what she could or couldn’t handle.

Sam’s mouth opened to argue or to debate another point, but a knock hit the frame of the entry arch and one of Robert’s men leaned into the room.

“Ms. Paulsen,” he addressed her, “Mr. Specter is here for you.”

Her heart skipped a beat at the news, though she’d argue that it might have also been the way Sam shot up from her seat after it was delivered.

“Were you expecting him?” she demanded.

Donna pushed her plate back, “No, but-”

Samantha was already making her way across the room, “Then I’m going to find out why he’s here!”

“Sam!” Donna groaned, standing from her chair. 

So much for finishing breakfast in peace.

Harvey had waited as long as he could to show up at Robert’s estate, and half of that was spent charging his phone that had died at some point in the night. He was actually pretty proud of his restraint, and of the fact that he’d found the perfect way to keep Donna close while still following Jessica’s order.

He stood at the base of the grand staircase, expecting the return of the guard soon to tell him Donna would be right down. Instead, a slightly red face Samantha Wheeler appeared, looking none too happy to see him.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, “The deal closed last night. Your expertise is no longer needed.”

“Samatha,” he greeted flatly, not bothering to hide his disdain, “I’d say it’s my pleasure, but we both know that’s a lie.”

She sneered at him, “We also both know you have no business being here-”

“Take that up with your boss,” he snapped, and Donna appeared behind her, capturing his attention.

Her expression of annoyance bled away when her eyes met his and his gaze roamed over her body. She wore a maroon dress today that flattered her figure, showed off her lifted breasts and complimented her lightly curled hair.

“I’m taking it up with you,” Samantha spat, “Because I don’t think-”

“ Sam ,” Donna’s voice was hard, sharp.

The other woman’s jaw snapped shut, and she turned to pin Donna with a glare that Harvey would have knocked off her face with his fist, if she were a man.

“Donna, I told you-”

“I told you ,” Donna said with a seething tone that left no room for argument, “Stop. Let me handle this.”

The deliberation was clear on Samatha’s face, but she eventually conceded with a huff, turning that glare on Harvey.

“I swear to god, if anything happens to her-”

“ Sam ,” Donna pleaded, putting a hand on her shoulder. It was half reassurance, half shrug, and Samantha took the hint.

“Watch yourself,” she gave a final warning, and stormed off as quickly as she’d come, leaving him staring and Donna shaking her head.

“Sorry about that,” Donna said after a moment, “Seems like you’re not the only one who thinks I need extra protection.”

Harvey smirked, taking a step closer to her. The scent of her invaded his nose, something sweet, like jasmine or fruit and he resisted the urge to pull her even closer so he could breathe it in off her skin.

“You didn’t tell her you’re strapped?”

Donna shook her head, “No point. You’re taking the gun back today, so-”

“I’m not.”

“You should,” she insisted, “I told you I didn’t need it. Nothing happened last night.”

He thought about their conversation on the phone, about the way Donna had teased and flirted with him.

He reached out, hands gripping her hips and she jolted with surprise but didn’t stop him. His hands slid down until he felt it.

On her left thigh, she’d refastened his holster and the distinct shape of his weapon was easy to palm.

“You are strapped,” he said smugly and Donna rolled her eyes, “No, I’m just that happy to see you.”

He grinned, releasing the weapon and drifting his palms back up to her waist. He closed more of the distance between them, aware that a security detail stood not far away at the door.

He leaned his head down, brushing his lips over her ear, “Keep talking like that and I may have to find another use for that gun.”

He felt her shiver, but her voice was steady when she spoke, pulling away slightly as she did so.

“You put a weapon near my pussy and you better pull the trigger, because if not, I’m using it on you.”

“Your pussy or the gun?” he taunted.

Donna hit his chest and he laughed.

“Your threats of violence are fascinating,” he told her, “But that’s actually not why I’m here.”

She arched a brow, leaning away from his embrace so that she could hold his gaze, “What do you got?”

“A job offer,” he said, “Why don’t you go get dressed. I’ll explain in the car.”

Her other brow joined the first, shooting up in surprise, “And where exactly are we going?”

“To the city. You’ll need an outfit.”

“For this job?” she clarified, tone skeptical.

He nodded, releasing her and letting the easy banter slip into a more serious tone, “An assignment I have from Jessica. I’ll give you all the details once we’re alone.”

Donna crooked her head as she stared at him, but he could tell from her features that her interest was piqued, “And what if I say no?”

“Then I’ll bring you back to the castle,” he promised, and a smile finally broke on her lips.

“Okay,” she said, “Just let me grab my bag.”

She turned and Harvey let out a deep breath. Jessica was probably going to kill him for this if she found out…but goddamn, it would probably be worth it.

Chapter Text

Donna stood in front of the full-length mirror in Harvey’s bedroom, taking in the image before her. The soft glow of the lamplight filled the room, accentuating the sheer fabric of the dress she wore.

The one Harvey had bought her just yesterday, after she’d stupidly agreed to doing this.

Honestly, she partially blamed Samantha. When the woman had gone off on her at breakfast, she’d reminded Donna of something she’d found so intriguing about Harvey in the first place; he didn’t treat her like glass.

Robert had always been parental, his concern was warranted, she supposed, and Sam was older, more experienced with life in the city’s underbelly. Donna knew they just wanted her to be safe and protected, but Harvey seemed to want that too, and he managed to make her feel like she was without coddling her as if she were a child.

So, when he’d picked her up and told her his assignment on the way back to Manhattan, she’d wanted in. If only to prove to Samantha, and maybe a little bit to herself, that she was capable of deciding what she could handle.

However, now that she was faced with the reality of what she was about to do, doubt was swirling in her gut, making her feel nauseous.

She ran her hands down the dress, the thin black chiffon tickling her palms.

It was almost modest, she supposed. Thin straps, an open back, and a deep V-line, yes, but it was floor length and there were layers of the fabric falling from her waist. Swirl designs along the bodice were nearly elegant. She was covered , technically.

But the piece, in truth, was slightly more than lingerie. The fabric was so thin and sheer, she could see entirely too much of her body through it, even with the low lighting. She wore no underwear; bra or panties, as the dress wasn’t designed for it, and while the thickening of the fabric at her waist kept her vagina from being flashed to the world, there was nothing to be done for the obvious darkening at her breasts, where her hardened nipples were on full display.

Her heart raced as her eyes lingered there, on all the bits of her body being showcased, and she wondered if it was too late to back out.

She’d felt confident yesterday, purchasing the dress…well, no, actually, she’d felt pissed off. Though, she supposed there was some confidence in that. She closed her eyes, remembering the emotional rollercoaster of that whole experience.

“A pet party?”

She clarified, not for the first time, as Harvey pulled his mustang into a luxury parking garage. They’d made it back to the city in record time and he’d explained most of what he had to do for Jessica on the way.

The city’s elite liked to throw these exclusive soirées, where they could indulge in their iniquities within the private sector of others that were like minded and equally deep of pocket. It wasn’t too surprising to think Jessica would have a hand in that side of the underground. Her escorts were known to be some of the best in the city, so of course they would service gatherings like the one Harvey described.

She would go with him to the club where this conclave was to be held. She would dress the part. Act the part. And use her skills to discreetly interview the men in attendance.

Harvey wanted to know who was trying to sabotage Robert’s deal, who had attacked her to keep it from happening, and he insisted that people connected to all the major players in their world would be in attendance. The more information she could gather for him, the better a chance they had at figuring out who was involved.

It made sense. Harvey had seen how she worked Stu, he knew she was good at what she did, and it was her boss’s deal on the line. Men were more likely to let their tongues loose around the unsuspecting woman than Harvey’s much more commanding presence.

Her only worry had been that someone might recognize her as Robert’s personnel, but Harvey had insisted that the dark lighting in the club, along with the mask she would be wearing, would keep her anonymity.

“Yes,” he repeated, parking the car, “Which means you’ll be expected to look and act a certain way.”

She nodded, remembering what he’d told her, “As your slave.”

“My pet ,” he corrected, eyes shifting to her and Donna swallowed.

It wasn’t that she didn’t consider her sex life to be healthy, fun, and experimental. She was far from prudish and had kept a pretty open mind with past partners. 

But this was…new.

“As long as I don’t have to bark,” she attempted a joke and Harvey’s deadpan told her how little he appreciated it.

“You just have to stay at my side,” he assured her, killing the engine, “And only act with permission. That’s the key to selling the bit. Pets have a certain…relationship with their masters.”

A shiver ran down her spine at that implication.

“Do what you’re told. Ask before doing anything you’re not,” he summed it up, “Stick to that script and no one will question a thing.”

She ran those instructions through her mind, over and over, as Harvey led her from the garage and into a building filled with designer shops.

The one he entered was near the back of the long hall, had a french name, and black out curtains that hid whatever lay beyond the door. Donna followed him over the threshold with cautious steps.

It was a lingerie store…she was pretty sure. The ambiance whispered of all things selective and posh. Every inch of the room was draped in rich fabrics and soft lights, which casted a seductive glow over all of the delicate pieces on display.

As the door closed behind them, the soft chime that announced their arrival seemed to blend seamlessly with the sultry music that floated through the air.

Donna’s gaze flickered around, taking it all in. Her eyes widened as she began to notice a few women moving about, modeling breathtaking ensembles that accentuated their bodies in ways that felt both alluring and starkly objectifying. 

There was so much skin. Breasts on full display, pushed up by corsets or draped in transparent lace. Flashes of ass cheeks in frilly ruffled babydoll sets, and even the unmistakable soft curls of the pubic regions on one model with crotchless underwear.

Each of the women moved with practice grace, their faces composed and free of expression, as if they were no more than mannequins on display.

“Hello! Do you have an app-Oh, Mr. Specter,” a poised, older woman appeared out of nowhere, pausing when she realized it was Harvey in front of her. She pushed back her cropped black hair,  “Welcome! We were not expecting you until tomorrow. Ms. Pearson’s order is-”

“The order will still be picked up tomorrow, Camille,” Harvey said to the woman, an easy smile covering his lips, “But we’re going to need one more. Off the rack is fine.”

He motioned to Donna for her to step forward, letting the woman, Camille, get a look at her.

“A dress, not a bedroom set,” Harvey told her, “Floor length. I want it to accentuate her frame and be salacious enough to put a man on his knees.”

Donna flushed red as the woman eyed her body.

“A tease,” she nodded at Harvey’s criteria, “A you-can-look-but-you’ll-never-touch. Italian fabrics? I have a new selection from some of Jessica’s favorites.”

Harvey’s grin widened, “I knew I could count on you, Camille.

The woman laughed, touching Harvey’s shoulder briefly, “Don’t you worry, handsome. We’ll find the perfect fit and she will be stunning!”

Harvey looked back at Donna, his gaze raking over her with a singular, long stroke that did nothing to help the blush on her cheek.

“One more thing,” he said, addressing Camille as his eyes made it up to hers, “I want the fabric to be sheer on the breasts.”

With a nod, Camille snapped her fingers, gaining the attention of two other employees and conferred with them in quick tones, either missing or ignoring the look Donna shot to Harvey.

“The what ?”

He merely winked, and before a protest could leave her mouth, one of the models had taken her by the arm.

“Right this way,” the woman said, pulling her along, “We’ll get your measurements.”

As she was led deeper into the shop, Donna felt her heart racing. A mix of apprehension and curiosity swirled within her. The back of the store was more intimate, the intoxicating scent of expensive perfume and the soft sounds of whispers from other patrons filled the air.

“Don’t worry,” the model said, probably sensing her trepidation, “We’ll make sure your selections are perfect. Camille knows exactly what works best for each body type and Mr. Specter has great taste.”

Donna forced a smile, still grappling with the image that Harvey’s description had put in her head. She was a fairly confident woman, and she’d dressed to impress plenty on the job, but being here, surrounded by the disproportionate skimpy nature of the garments being sold…she felt a little like a fish out of water.

The model brought her into a vintage style fitting area, which was practically its own private room, with a gently lit alcove adorned with plush chairs and heavy, velvet curtains.

Another woman approached as the model asked her to turn.

“We’ll take your measurements first,” she said, and the other lady went to work, wrapping a tape around her waist and hips.

It was a good thing she’d given Harvey back his gun for the time being.

Donna’s mind whirled as she stood still for the calculations. She could hear Harvey’s voice in her ear, his “salacious enough to put a man on his knees” comment bouncing around on repeat, and she wondered how it would feel to have that effect on him .

When the women were done with her, Donna was allowed to be seated, and to her surprise, Harvey appeared shortly after, holding two flutes of bubbling liquid.

“Dom Perignon?”

She nodded and he handed her the glass. The delicate crystal was adorned with a sprinkle of edible gold leaf. 

Harvey sat next to her on the short sofa, taking a long sip from his own drink. Donna copied the motion, feeling the bubbles dance on her tongue. She shifted in her seat.

“So how does this work, exactly?” she asked after a moment, “You bring Jessica’s girls here, get drunk and watch them put on a show?”

Harvey chuckled, setting back against the cushion, “No. The girls here will model the options. Camille has the measurements for each of our employees. We choose the ones we like and they put in the order.”

She wasn’t sure if that made her feel relieved or not, “I won’t have to try the dress on?”

“You will,” Harvey assured her, “We don’t have time for custom work. They’ll pull what they have based on your measures and only show us what’s available. You can try on whichever you like.”

Donna nodded and took another hefty drink of her champagne.

A moment later, she felt the atmosphere shift as one of the velvet curtains were drawn and Camille glided into the room. A string of models followed, five in total, lining up in front of where Donna and Harvey sat.

Donna straightened, taking in the ensemble.

Harvey let out a low whistle from her side, then stood back up on his feet, “Perfection, Camille, as usual.”

The older woman took the praise with a quick smile, “Any immediate dismissals?”

Donna felt like she should be the one being asked that question, considering she was the one that was going to be wearing whichever dress was selected, but Harvey seemed to know what he was looking for and she was, admittedly, out of her element.

“The red dress can go,” he said, waving toward the woman who was standing second to the middle, “I don’t want her hair to have any competition.”

“Of course,” Camille gave a signal to the model, who left the line up without comment.

The remaining four were a variety of darker colors, with varying designs and revealments.

Donna’s eyes were drawn to the model on the far end. Her black dress left little to the imagination, but was intricate enough with its delicate fabric and beautiful embroidery, that she thought she might feel okay wearing it.

Harvey walked around the women, studying the dresses. Or their bodies, it was hard to tell. He paused between the black dress and one with emerald green fabric that had a mermaid style skirt. The bottom was sequined, which spaced out more and more as it climbed up to the bodice. The neckline plunged and there was absolutely nothing but dark green sheer chiffon covering the model’s breasts.

“Turn, please,” Harvey said to her, and the woman did as she was asked. The back was similar to the front, all of the ass covered, but shoulders exposed down to the waist. Whatever he was looking for, it didn’t seem like Harvey found it. He frowned, shook his head, then moved down the line.

“Donna,” he called to her after a second, and beckoned her with his finger.

She stood and set her now empty glass down next to his on a side table before joining him.

The corners of his mouth lifted at whatever he saw in her expression, “What do you think?”

Donna swallowed, eyeing the options before her.

“They’re so…revealing,” she said, and felt a little embarrassed by the pitch of her tone.

Of course they were revealing. That was the entire point. But she was going to have to wear one of these in a room full of men who expected her to act like a leashed bitch and the thought was striking doubt.

“Exactly,” Harvey spoke her sentiment, “And this is the easy part.”

The challenge, whether he meant it that way or not, had her eyes flaring and jumping back to his.

“I can handle it,” she said in a fierce whisper.

Harvey didn’t express any doubt. He just gave a short nod and pointed with his chin, “The black one. And the dark blue one at the end. You should try them on.”

She nodded, but in her head, she wondered if it really mattered.

She was going to this party, she was going to play her role. A dress was a dress and the more she thought about it, the more likely she was to psych herself out.

“Just those two?” Camille inquired. 

Harvey arched his brow, looking to her and Donna took a settling breath, “Yes, just those two.”

Camille dipped her head, “We’ll have your size brought in right away.”

She clapped and the room cleared, leaving Donna alone with Harvey once more.

“So much work to try and appear mostly naked,” she said after a moment, looking back over her shoulder at Harvey, who was already staring at her, “We could have just put me in a latex catsuit and called it a day.”

He laughed quietly, crossing what little space that had gathered between them.

“You wanna be my kitten, Princess?”

Donna smirked, trying to shake off the awkwardness of their surroundings with the loaded teasing that was quickly becoming familiar between them.

“Well, I think I made it clear last night,” she smiled up at him sweetly, “That I do enjoy licking up your cream.”

His laugh was low this time, dark and promising, “You really do want a repeat performance.”

His accusation from the previous night wasn’t entirely off base. Donna had recalled too many times how thick and heady and perfect he’d felt in her mouth. How much she’d enjoyed making him fall apart.

It was almost enough to make her forget why it would be a bad idea to entertain such a proposition again.

“I want a lot of things,” she answered dismissively instead, then sighed, letting the facade drop, “Are you sure that me going to this thing will be a good idea?”

Harvey didn’t miss a beat.

“No, I'm not. But I have to go. And it feels like a waste of an opportunity not to use every advantage we have. If you being there helps us find whoever attacked you…”

He didn’t need to finish the thought for her to agree with it.

“And Jessica’s fine with me posing as one of her girls for the night?” she mused, walking back over to where Harvey had discarded his drink. She picked it up and downed the contents, taking a seat once more on the sofa.

“You aren’t going as one of Jessica’s girls,” Harvey said, an edge to his voice that captured her attention.

Donna frowned, “Why not? You said the men there seek them out for services, and what better way to get them talking than to let them think that-”

“No,” Harvey cut her off, “You’re not offering them anything. In fact, if one of them so much as lays a hand on you, you tell me and I’ll deal with them.”

“Harvey, we have to consider that-”

“I said ‘No’, Donna.”

The finality of his tone irked her, encouraged the same fighting response that had made her agree to this in the first place.

“I’m not playing your submissive pet, yet,” she reminded him, “You want to discuss this rationally, fine? But don’t throw down absolutes and expect me to blindly agree with them.”

His mouth shut, his jaw flexing as he chewed over whatever response was tipping the edge of his tongue.

“You want rationale?” he grit out, “You go in as one of Jessica’s girls, someone is not only going to try and fuck you, but will act like they have the right to do so. For you to play along with that, you’ll have to let them touch you; sample what they’re buying.”

“And you think I can’t handle that?” she demanded icily.

“ I can’t handle that!” Harvey snapped, halting whatever she was about to say next as surprise coiled in her stomach.

The words sounded ripped from him, a vulnerable admission that he’d been forced to share and they were both left breathless as it fell between them.

The lick of defiance that Donna had felt cooled some.

“This is your playground,” she admitted after a moment, trying to keep a level tone, “But you said yourself that we should use every advantage we have, and powerful men underestimating me? That’s my area of expertise. We can play it the way you want, but if you’re not going to let me do what I do, then why am I even here?”

Harvey’s stare was loaded and the silence hung heavily in the air between them, until he broke it with an exhale.

“Because I need to know you’re safe,” he said, “And leaving you vulnerable to go to that party…it’s not an option. But Jessica wouldn’t let me opt out of it, so the next best thing is to have you there with me.”

The next best thing .

Donna stood, mind buzzing as his admission sunk in. As the whole point of this entire fucking day sunk in. Hitting her like a slap to the face.

“Jessica wouldn’t let you opt out,” she repeated slowly, each word dripping like venom from her tongue, “Which means you tried to get out of it…to what, exactly? To sit outside my room at Robert’s and make sure the fragile little girl is safe and sound?”

First Samantha this morning…now him ?

“Donna-”

“Was this ever even about finding my attacker then?” she demanded, “Or just a convenient excuse for you to treat me like some damsel in fucking distress?”

He frowned, “Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

Overreacting ?

“It’s not overreacting to want a modicum of respect,” Donna grit out, “So fuck you, Harvey. Fuck you and Samantha and everyone else who continues to shove in my face that I’m not as good or as smart or as strong as the rest of you.”

She spun on her heels, determined to storm out of the room and leave him to his models and his dresses, pissed as hell and more than a little disappointed.

She’d thought Harvey was different. From their first meeting, he’d never acted like she’d break if he was rough with her and she’d thought, perhaps naively, that unlike others in her life, he actually believed she was capable of more than just smiling and looking pretty.

Sure, last night, they’d flirted and teased and he’d mentioned wanting her safe; had threatened murder to make it so…but that had been in a hypothetical and this was actual field work where everyone seemed to forget she’d gotten by just fine for years and wasn’t entirely fucking useless.

Harvey grabbed her arm before she’d reached the velvet drapes, “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Home,” she snapped, “Don’t worry, I can probably manage to get to my apartment without being murdered.”

He growled in frustration, and maybe a little anger, but she was past caring.

“You’re being ridiculous,” he tightened his grip on her, “Nothing about the plan I told you has changed. We are looking for your attacker. And this makes sure that I’m close to you, just in case something happens-”

She whirled around, scorching words already on her lips, but Harvey slapped his hand over her mouth, stopping them.

“And I never said you couldn’t handle yourself,” he spat, “Or that you weren’t smart or strong, so shut the fuck up with that shit.”

She glared at him, her voice muffled by his palm as she cursed his name and tried pulling at his hand, but he wasn’t done.

“You are smart. Probably too smart for your own damn good,” he was close enough that she could smell the hint of Dom on his breath, “So, look at reality. You want to know who sabotaged Robert’s deal? You want to keep them from doing it again? Because maybe next time, they do kill you to send the message. I don’t want to risk that.”

He let go of her, and the force in which he stepped back made her stumble.

“Now,” he said as she rubbed her mouth, “Will you calm the fuck down and stay put so I can getting you through all of this alive?”

Donna knew there was some truth to his words, even as annoyance ran parallel with anger through her veins. One truth didn’t nullify the other and him insisting on being overprotective didn’t mean that there wasn’t benefits to following through with their plan.

But something burned in her brain at his single minded insistence, begging the question she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“What do you care?” she took in a long drag of air, “You did what Robert wanted, the contract is signed. You're off the hook!”

When Harvey merely frowned again, she huffed with frustration, “I could walk outside right now and get run over by a taxi, what difference would it make for you? Your protection was only worth the prize that Jessica’s giving you, right? If that's all that matters, then go collect! You did your part.”

Harvey shook his head, “That's not all that matters-”

“Since when?” she demanded.

“Since-” He stopped, chest heaving with quicker breaths, and Donna had a good idea of what he meant to say.

“Since I had your dick in my mouth?” she laughed humorlessly, “Because if that's what this is about then close those curtains and I'll get on my knees right here and we can skip all the theatrics! Save you a few hundred dollars in Italian fabric.”

Harvey’s responding glare was dry, “This isn't about that. And it's not about the prize that I was-”

“The hell it's not,” Donna exclaimed. 

Because there were very few reasons he’d be doing all of this, going through all of the trouble…

His eyes had blazed that night, talking about his plan for the man that had killed his parents. He’d told her it was the payback he’d spent his life waiting for. The dream he’d had after the fact, and the pain he’d inflicted on himself, as whatever it was about his past had come back to haunt him…

The hell it wasn’t about the revenge he’d been promised. He’d said himself that that was the whole goddamn reason he was involved!

This was all a transaction, and Donna was a fool to have ever felt otherwise.

“I was means to an end for you,” the realization was one she’d already known, but it stung a little all the same to have reiterated. 

She forced herself to meet the stare Harvey had leveled on her, a different revelation made obvious.

“And you're just another one of Jessica’s whores,” she told him, “Selling yourself for a payout. So maybe it’s best for both of us if we just call a spade a sp-”

Her back met the closest wall as Harvey’s fingers grabbed her jaw and slammed her against it. She hadn’t seen him move, hadn’t known the change was coming at her until she was already in his grasp and those brown eyes of his were nearly black, coiling with an unexpected anger.

No…not anger, this simmered hotter than that.

Rage .

“Harve-” she tried to say his name but his hand slipped lower, gripping her throat; squeezing.

This wasn’t like the other night at his apartment, where the touch was a challenge and the danger a mirage. Harvey’s fingers were merciless with their bruising pressure and the deadly focus of his gaze stood as a reminder to why he was so feared by others.

Donna’s breath was caught, her lungs burned, and she felt a magnitude of emotions simmer over her skin.

Harvey’s body was pressed against hers, the hard edges of him holding her in place as much as his grip was and as his eyes trailed over her face and down to her lips, they narrowed.

She wasn’t sure if his expression meant he was about to kiss her or bash her head into the pretty vintage wallpaper. The uncertainty ignited a chaotic blend of fear and something far more dangerous.

Desire.

She hated the effect this man had on her. How all her wires were twisted when it came to what she should feel and what she wanted. But at least it didn’t seem as if she were alone in that conundrum. 

Donna could feel Harvey respond to her as he registered the change in her body. The world outside felt so far away from them as he pressed harder against her, and the weight of what hung between his legs could be felt even with all the layers between them.

His grip was still unyielding, but the ferocity in his eyes burned for a different reason now and Donna’s heart raced faster as each second stretched, keeping them locked in this primal standoff.

Half of her wished he’d just do the damn thing; lift her up, rip her panties to the side and fuck her right there against the wall. The thought made her drag short pants through what little airway he was allowing her and Harvey’s own breath hitched, mingling with hers in the confined space.

The air felt charged, and Donna got the sense that the line they were dancing on was growing dangerously thin.

When it disappeared, this man could kill her. Or he’d use all that strength that pinned her now to absolutely shatter her sanity.

She wasn’t entirely sure he hadn’t already.

“Okay, Donna, we have both dresses here for you!”

Harvey released his grip on her neck as Camille pushed past the curtains, stepping into the room with innocent oblivion.

“You can try them here, or there is a more private space over in the corner.”

The woman darted around them, hanging the dresses up, but Donna was incapable of giving any of it her attention. Not when she was still so locked on Harvey.

He’d stepped back from her like he’d been burned, all that black rage flickering out and in its place was a mask of indifference.

“Is there anything else I can get for you, darling?” Camille finished whatever she’d been saying and had paused, clearly expecting some sort of response, and Donna worked hard to clear her throat. 

To ground herself back in reality.

“No,” she said, and it was only a little strangled, “Thank you.”

She looked at the woman and forced a smile before turning to face the dresses that she’d hung.

Donna felt the weight of Harvey’s gaze on her as she did so, a tense and smoldering suggestion that this wasn’t over, and it felt a bit like turning her back on a tiger or a shark. She did so anyway, staring unseeing at the translucent ensembles before her until Camille disappeared once more.

She felt him move more than she heard it, but the warmth of him at her back was hard to miss.

She still flinched when he spoke, his voice right beside her ear.

“Pick one and meet me up front.”

Then he was gone, and yeah, she was pretty sure he’d taken her sanity with him.

A day had passed and Donna still wasn’t sure she’d completely gotten her sense back. She turned from her reflection in the mirror, feeling the fabric of the dress swish around her as she did, and swallowed down any lingering doubts.

She’d made up her mind to do this before they’d ever left that shop. Her safety was a stake and even more so, Robert’s deal was. It would be foolish to give up a chance at information just because Harvey Specter had managed to get under her skin.

Though, by the end of the ride, where she’d insisted he drop her off at Robert’s office so she could make her way to her own apartment and was fully ready to fight him if he argued, things had gotten…better.

Harvey hadn’t protested her insistence that she be able to stay at her own place that night. He hadn’t said much of anything since they’d left the shop, actually. Her new dress had hung in the back of his car as they drove through the city.

When he’d pulled them up to the curb in front of Robert’s building, Donna had been quick to try and jump out, but he’d halted her.

His touch had been much more gentle that time, but it was the hesitant expression on his face that had really given her a pause.

“Take the gun,” he’d insisted, and she’d fought the urge to roll her eyes, “I have one in my-”

“Please. Take it.”

Please . That was the word that had done her in, because it had been so shocking all she could do was nod.

Harvey pulled the weapon out and handed it over, but didn’t release her even after she’d taken it from him.

Donna had given him a questioning look and he’d sighed heavily.

“It’s not about sex,” he’d said, surprising her again, “And it’s not about revenge.”

It had taken a few seconds for her brain to catch up and realize that he was talking about the argument they’d had. The reason why her safety mattered so much to him.

“And I shouldn’t have…” he’d swallowed, something close to remorse flickering over his features and Donna had relaxed back into her seat, studying him.

He was trying to apologize, she was almost sure of it, or at least he’d been trying to explain himself.

“Nothing’s right when it comes to you,” he’d said, almost more to himself than her, “It all feels…I can’t get it straight. But this party…the safety measures…it’s not…fuck.”

It had been almost painful to watch him struggle through his thoughts, and there was a sadistic part of her that was content to sit back and let him suffer it, but when his eyes had met hers there was a pleading desperation there that was begging her to make sense of it. To understand what wasn’t being said.

So, she’d tried.

“You said keeping me safe is not about sex or revenge,” she prompted him, “What is it about then?”

Harvey had considered her question for a long moment, eyes falling down for most of it, until it seemed he’d finally figured out what he wanted to say.

“There’s enough blood on my hands that I could drown in it,” he’d said, quiet but steady, “And it’s never once bothered me. I’m…I’m a bad person, Donna. I’ve made my peace with it. But you’re not.”

He’d looked at her then.

“You’re so… light ,” he’d said, his fingers squeezing her arm subconsciously, “Over the past few days you’ve shown a compassion and kindness that I didn’t think could exist in our world. But it does. You do. And the thought of that being lost...it’s unacceptable.”

She’d frowned at his explanation, “You’re putting me on a pedestal, Harvey-”

“I’m not,” he’d insisted, “I know you aren’t perfect. Frankly, you’re a fucking pain in the ass.”

That had surprised a laugh from her and Harvey smiled slightly at the sound.

“But you’re good ,” he concluded, “And that’s worth protecting, because I can’t stand the idea of this life taking that from you. Can you try to understand that?”

And she could, actually.

Because when she thought of “good”, she thought of Rachel. Of innocence that would eventually be lost when the young woman was eventually affected by her father’s livelihood. Donna had dreaded that day for years; had wished there was some way to stop it.

Maybe what Harvey was describing wasn’t exactly that, but if Donna’s work made her morals gray to Rachel’s white, then Harvey’s were pure black.

And he was hoping to spare her any more stain.

It didn’t fix everything, but the perspective did help. Donna had told him that she understood. She still didn’t like it, but it turns out that she was capable of compromise after all.

They’d attend this party. She’d follow Harvey’s lead and would play the part required…but she’d also gotten a promise from him that he would stand down enough to let her work her magic. There had to be a mutual trust for this to work, and if she was giving it to him, then she expected to get some back.

His agreement had been reluctant, but indisputable.

“If you’re gonna be much longer, I’m leaving without you,” Harvey’s voice called through the open door, jolting Donna from her memory.

She’d met him at his apartment an hour ago so she could get her dress from him and it had been easier to take advantage of his large space to add the finishing touches to her hair and makeup.

Looking over her shoulder, she gave a final glance at herself in the mirror. Then she picked up the swirling metal mask that did, in fact, resemble a cat, and held it in her hand as she made her way into the living room.

Harvey was waiting on his couch, looking entirely too comfortable with his legs spread and arms draped over the backrest, a bored expression on his face.

That changed when he took note of her.

Donna shifted in her heels as his eyes darkened, unabashedly drinking in the sight of her as she walked over.

“Well?” she asked, coming to a full stop just a few feet away, “Is it salacious enough to put you on your knees?”

There was a glass in his hand, it looked like it might be wine, and Harvey brought it to his lips, draining the alcohol before standing up slowly.

His eyes never once left her body.

“It’ll do,” he said, though the words came out a little forced and Donna smiled.

“That’s it? It’ll do? Don’t you mean, ‘Yes, Donna, this is the hottest I’ve ever seen anyone look. That dress deserved you’?”

He didn’t tease her back or even crack a grin as he stepped incredibly close. His gaze moved from her breasts, fully visible through the thin fabric, just as he’d requested, up to her eyes.

“That dress absolutely fucking deserves you, Princess.”

She swallowed at the intensity of his claim, her taunt sounding entirely too delectable in that husky tone of his.

“Better,” she said, and now it was her words that sounded forced.

Harvey did finally smile at that, though it was barely a lift at the corner of his lips and his hand reached out to grab hers.

“Come here. There’s one last thing you need.”

He led her back into the bedroom, letting her go as he disappeared briefly into his closet and returned a second later holding a small box. It had a bow and the Versace brand across the top.

Curiosity took over all other emotions and Donna eyed the gift, “Jewelry?”

“Something like that.”

Harvey opened the box and Donna’s eyes flared, then jumped up to his.

“Are you serious?”

Oh, sure, now he grins , she thought as a broad smirk answered her response.

“Every pet needs one.”

A collar. 

Thin, black leather, with gold accents. It was designer . And Donna could only shake her head.

“You just keep these on hand in your closet?”

Harvey rolled his eyes, pulling the thing from its casing before tugging her over toward the mirror.

“Of course not,” he said, turning her to face their reflections, “I went out yesterday and bought it for tonight. For you.”

He’d unclasped the lock and his arms wrapped around her. Donna stiffened and Harvey must have felt it because his gaze met hers in the mirror.

“Isn't it a bit…much?” she asked, inexplicable nerves churning in her stomach.

“Unclaimed pets won’t be wearing one,” Harvey explained calmly, “ This -” he held up the collar, “Lets everyone know that you’re mine.”

His .

Donna let the weight of that wash over her, as Harvey’s unwavering stare waited for her consent. She looked at the leather strap in his hand, knowing it must have cost at least half as much as any diamond and what everyone who saw it tonight would think.

His . 

“Yours,” she agreed softly, testing the word, feeling a sort of power resonate within her as she said it.

Harvey wasn’t unaffected either, an intoxicating look of confident possession and an uncertain yearning mixing on his face. It sent a shiver down her spine and her pulse quickened.

“Harvey,” she started, but the rest faltered as she watched him lean in closer, and felt his breath hot against her ear.

“You gonna let me collar you, kitten ?”

Being called Princess in antagonization was one thing…but that word in that voice…she was proud that her knees didn’t give out entirely.

“Do it.”

Harvey’s mouth curled into a satisfied smile. He stepped back slightly, just enough space so that she could see as he brought the collar up and let it dangle between them like a promise.

It didn’t take long. He brought it against her neck and worked the fastening. Donna leaned back against him, her body instinctively craving his closeness as the cool leather contrasted starkly to the heat radiating from her skin.

When it was in place, Harvey’s hand lingered, and he admired the addition in the mirror’s reflection.

“ Goddamn ,” he muttered, more breath than word, and Donna was inclined to agree.

The sheer dress, the flush on her skin, that fucking choker around her neck, still half looped around Harvey’s finger. She looked perfect. Sexy. Desirable.

Goddamn was right. She looked owned .

Harvey’s head dipped, his hair brushing her cheek and he pressed his lips to her shoulder; an unexpected, lingering kiss.

“We should go,” he said, before she could react and though a million thoughts plagued her, half to question his actions, half to demand for more…she knew now wasn’t the time.

“Okay,” she let out a shaky breath and turned in his arms, “Let’s do this.”

Chapter Text

The glittering lights of the city enveloped Harvey’s sleek mustang as he handed the keys to the valet with a semi-threatening glare. The poor kid looked as nervous as Donna felt, stuttering a promise to have the car returned in its same pristine condition. 

The night around them seemed to pulse with energy, crowds of people passing on the streets around them.

Donna stood at Harvey’s side, feeling self conscious, despite knowing her overcoat was covering everything the dress beneath left revealed.

It didn’t quite cover the collar around her neck though.

The weight of the damn thing was still requiring adjustment; the leather rubbing against her skin in a way that wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but remained a constant reminder of the role she was to play tonight.

“Wait,” Harvey called, halting her stride before she could approach their destination, “There’s one more thing you’ll need before we go in.”

In a move that was almost graceful, he reached into the jacket of his classic, well tailored suit and produced a delicate strap of leather that matched the one currently locked around her neck. Its solid clasp glinted beneath the street light and Harvey pinched it open.

“May I?” He held the leash between them.

Donna’s heart faltered, a rush of irritation flickering in her chest, followed by an excitement that she despised, “You can’t be serious.”

“You’ve committed this much,” Harvey reasoned, leaning in close to her ear, “Might as well see it through.”

She looked at him and noted the challenge in his eyes. One he knew she’d be unable to back down from.

With a resigned sigh, she lifted her hair and turned her back to him, knowing he’d take the hint and put the clip into place. There was a gentle tug on the collar as he did exactly that, the edge hugging her jugular with enough pressure that she swallowed.

“Just don’t take advantage of it,” she quipped.

The collar suddenly tightened, pressure yanking her back until she stumbled hard into Harvey’s chest.

A short yelp escaped her, but Harvey’s lips were at her ear, drowning out everything else.

“The game begins now, Princess,” he told her, “Which means what I do with you is entirely up to me.”

A shiver ran through her at the erotic threat.

He paused, “Do you remember how to end this?”

“Yes,” she whispered. He’d told her in the car and made her repeat it, “I say Stop .”

Harvey nodded his approval, the movement dragging his nose from the tip of ear down to her jaw, “That’s right. I don’t know what will happen inside or what we may have to do. But you’ll do whatever I say. And unless you say ‘ Stop ’, I’ll assume you’re okay with it. Just ‘ Stop ’. That’s all I need to hear. You say that, Princess, and my hands will leave your body. The plug will get pulled on this whole thing.”

Donna nodded and Harvey released her. He moved to her side instead, offering her his arm and she took it. She held lightly onto his elbow, not missing that he now held her leash in the same hand and that wild, primal feeling of being trapped flared up. She was completely at his mercy now, and the bastard was smirking like he knew it.

Harvey led her to a discreet entrance at the rear of the nightclub. Above them, a crimson moon hung low, its neon glow a beacon for those who knew better.

A handful of elegantly dressed men and women drifted through the lone door, their suits and dresses reeking of money. Next to many of them, particularly the men, were what Donna assumed were other pets. She noticed some collars, many coats or over-wear to cover what was no doubt lingerie or outfits similar to her own.

She watched them as they stepped closer; tried to mimic the way the women hung at the sides of their m asters . It felt like her heart was drumming in her ears as anticipation clenched in her stomach. A bouncer was checking some list ahead, marking on a page as each patron passed through the door beneath that red moon.

Harvey must have sensed her unease because she felt him cast her a sideways glance and when she returned it, there was nothing but unwavering control and reassurance on his face. He had her. They’d be okay.

He reached for the hand she still had on his elbow and squeezed it once as they approached the burly bouncer.

The man seemed to recognize Harvey, dipping his head slightly and confirming Donna’s suspicions with his first words.

“Evening, Mr. Specter. Is this one of…” the man trailed off as his eyes fell on her neck, at the collar that marked her as claimed, “Ah. You’ve brought a pet of your own, tonight?”

“A first time for everything,” Harvey said nonchalantly, and the guy nodded.

“Of course. I’ll just need your pet’s name, for the records.”

Donna wasn’t entirely surprised when Harvey grinned wickedly and glanced down at her before telling the bouncer, “Her name is Princess.”

Still, when the man bent his head to write it down, she jabbed her elbow back into Harvey’s ribs.

“Behave now, kitten,” he chaffed quietly, and the laughter dancing in his voice as he pulled her closer told her exactly how much he was relishing her embarrassment.

“Perfect,” the bouncer said with a courteous nod, “You can proceed through. Don’t forget to read the rules.”

The door swung open to reveal a long hall, glowing as deeply crimson as the sign above and as Donna peered down it, she thought it looked like the entrance to hell.

With her arm on his and her leash wrapped around his knuckles, Harvey guided her over the threshold.

They bypassed a line of eager patrons who were being patted down, probably for weapons. The privilege of moving unimpeded didn’t escape her notice; exclusivity, or perhaps Harvey’s reputation, carving a path forward past the security. They approached a long black curtain, where Harvey paused.

“Your coat,” he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument, “Take it off.”

Donna complied, holding her chin high as she stripped off the only substantial layer of modesty she possessed.

Harvey’s eyes roamed over her before he took the coat and sauntered toward a check-in window that she hadn’t previously noticed.

He discarded the item and Donna looked around. 

There was a large, shining sign that caught her attention, hanging centered near the curtain for all to see.

CLUB RULES.

• Observation allowed, but touch is not permitted without consent

• No penetrative acts in Main Room

• No photography or video 

• Any harm to property will be charged

Donna swallowed, then felt tension on her collar as Harvey returned to her side. He'd unraveled her leash so that the strap fell a bit more slack between them.

“Ready?” he mouthed. There was a flicker of reassurance over his features, but his authority made it clear he expected her to rise to the occasion.

Donna nodded.

She wasn’t ready, but time passing wasn’t going to help her feel any more prepared.

Harvey took her at her word and pushed aside the heavy drapes, leading her through to the other side with a firm grip.

The world instantly transformed as they truly entered the club. The room revealed was a mix of shifting shadows and blood red lighting. The air thrummed with pulsing music and clouds of smoke danced throughout the room, creating a dreamlike haze.

The starkness of the lights overhead drew Donna’s gaze, as they painted the room in deep shades of ruby and crimson that flowed with the rhythm of the beats.

Her eyes adjusted and she began to notice the people. The lavish space was filled with the same upscale designer suits and dresses she’d noticed on the guests outside, but now the pets were dressed down; stripped bare as she had been before entering.

The atmosphere crackled with tension and sexual energy, whispers mingling with laughter, and in the corners, couples and groups seemed to be losing themselves in hidden pleasure. Collars, leashes, lace, skin…everywhere her eyes darted, Donna noticed acts of reverence, submission, or degradation.

Tables contained food and barely covered bodies, set up like a display. Hands wandered and groped, glasses of liquor were clinked together.

Donna felt her temperature rise.

“This way,” Harvey, calm and composed, guided her deeper into the room, weaving through the throngs of bodies that were dancing, teasing, or indulging. The more they walked, the more scandalous the acts of the patrons seemed.

Booths where the occupants were only half dressed with pets in their laps or on their knees. Crops being brought against exposed backsides.

Donna flushed and had to remind herself that she was here for a purpose and it had nothing to do with exploring the things she was witnessing.

Still, her apprehension twisted into exhilaration and she walked a little closer to Harvey as they made their way to his end destination.

It was a VIP area, hidden from the rest of the space by another thick curtain, though these were draped to expose glimpses of the room. The slightly lifted section was guarded by plush velvet ropes and adorned with glinting chandeliers that looked like frozen blood droplets in this lighting.

Sofas and chairs were scattered about, half already filled with even more scantily dressed pets and men in expensive attire smoking cigars or shooting back amber liquid.

A sweet smell burned her nose as another security detail allowed them through the ropes, and Donna realized cigars weren’t the only thing being burned back here.

“Harvey!” A loud voice called; drifting easily over the space now that the music was slightly muted by the hangings.

The voice’s owner, a man who was short, annoyed, and had teeth twice as long as a normal person, rose from his seat which was surrounded by a small group of beautiful women.

He shot a glare at Harvey, “Nice of you to finally show up.”

“I’m sure it was torture for you to have to wait, Louis,” Harvey replied dryly, “But your wife insisted on another quick fuck before I left, so take it up with her.”

The man, Louis, stared daggers at the jab, “That’s not funny, Harvey. You know I’m not married.”

“That’s why it’s funny,” Harvey insisted, then looked beyond Louis to the four women who were still sitting and talking, “You brought a good haul.”

“The ones with the least amount of restrictions,” Louis nodded, looking over his shoulder at what had to be Jessica’s escorts, “These jackoffs pay better for a pretty face that will allow them to put their dicks anywhere .”

Louis’s eyes moved to Donna then, scanning her from head to toe and the observation lingered a fraction longer than necessary.

“You brought a pet,” he concluded, gaze stopping at her collar. He sounded surprised, which was confirmed by the way his brows shot up, “Since when do you-”

“She’s none of your concern,” Harvey cut him off, then turned his back on the man so that he was facing Donna entirely.

“Louis is loud, but harmless,” he murmured quickly, “Stay here with him. Don’t leave this section. I need to get the girls out on the floor, but I’ll have eyes on you.”

Donna nodded and Harvey reached behind her, unclipping the leash. His gaze held hers as he pocketed it, though the clasped end hung down, a clear threat that he was still the one in control here.

“Yes, sir.”

She meant for it to sound mocking, a whispered tease between the two of them, but it came out breathless and filled with entirely too much intention.

Harvey moved, gripping her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and his eyes sparked as she silently gasped.

“Good girl,” he said, and maybe it was part of the charade, but Donna’s knees went weak. No wonder people got so into this sort of lifestyle.

Harvey let her go as quickly as he’d grabbed her and she played off her imbalance by taking a step back. He used the separation to run a shameless stroke of his gaze down her body, to her chest in particular, then back up where his collar rested on top of her clavicles.

His jaw flexed and Donna would have killed to know what was running through his mind, but at that moment, one of the escorts who had been lounging behind them, a striking woman in a custom dress made entirely of off-white lace, caught sight of Harvey.

Her smile was big and seductive, her blonde hair twisted up into a high bun that left her neck completely open. There were white rabbit ears on her head and the puff of a cottontail sticking out of the lace behind her that Donna guessed was attached to an anal plug.

“We were wondering when you were going to get here,” the bunny cooed as she approached; her voice dripping with sex. She didn’t look Donna’s way at all, too busy sizing up Harvey’s form fitting suit.

He responded with a smile that was half charm, half business, “Thought I’d give you ladies some time to let loose before the night started.”

The bunny giggled, stopping just a hair too close and reached out to touch Harvey’s arm, “Always looking out for us, aren’t you?”

A feeling sliced through Donna like white hot iron, and she refused to call it jealousy, but it was unexpectedly fierce and surprisingly similar. She was here with Harvey. She was his pet, wearing his damn collar. What right did this woman; this perfectly fit, curvaceously sexy woman, have to put hands on him?

Her feet moved before her brain could rationalize why it might be a bad idea, putting her right against Harvey’s side so the bitch had to look at her.

Harvey’s attention flickered briefly to her, a flash of amusement in his eyes, but he schooled it immediately. Donna didn’t really care. The escort was looking at her now.

“Oh,” the woman paused, blinking at her as if Donna had appeared from thin air, “I didn’t realize you were breaking in a new girl tonight.”

“He’s not,” Donna said, before Harvey could answer her, “I’m here to service him, no one else.”

The woman’s eyes widened in surprise, then darted down to Donna’s collar and she was gathering that this was going to be an ongoing theme for the night. Confirmation that she was, in fact, claimed.

“You’ve brought a pet,” Miss Bunny gapped, looking back at Harvey now. The shock didn’t quite leave her expression.

“All men have needs,” he stated dismissively and pulled his arm from the woman’s clutches.

Donna shouldn’t have felt pleased by that, but she did, and the elation only increased when his hand came instead to rest on her back, right between her shoulder blades.

But this woman was tenacious.

“If it’s a matter of need,” she practically purred, stepping close again and Donna momentarily wished she actually was a cat so she could swipe some claws at her, “You don’t need to rely on untrained subs. You know that any of us would be happy to take care of you.”

Oh, Donna was tempted to take care of her .

Fuck, what is wrong with me ? 

She shook her head; tried to shake off the building tension that made her want to start swinging on the woman in front of her.

“Better to save your talents for paying clients,” Harvey navigated the offer with ease; clearly this wasn’t the first time it was given, “There should be plenty here. Why don’t you go get the others; get ready to do some fishing.”

The bunny nodded, accepting his directive without argument.

Donna glared at her fluffy ass as it departed, until a tug on her collar drew her attention. Harvey’s hand had slipped up her back and grabbed the leather. He used it to turn her into his body, pressing them together.

“Pissing on me may have been more subtle,” he grinned down at her and Donna was so distracted by his smile that it took a moment for his words to register.

“What?”

“If you wanted to mark your territory,” he elaborated, and her brain finally made sense of what he meant.

Donna rolled her eyes, “Please. She was the one to suggest I was a whore.”

“Mhmm,” Harvey smirked, tightening his grip so that the leather dug into the skin beneath her chin, forcing her head back further, “ My whore.”

He’d practically attacked her yesterday for hurling the same word at him. Donna wanted to attack him, now, but not in the way he’d done it. 

Staring up at his chiseled jawline, dimpled lips, and dark eyes, it struck her again just how handsome he was. She felt lightheaded with a hunger that terrified her a little. Never had her attraction to someone been so potent. And tonight, here in the red lights and the sounds of conversation blending with soft moans of pleasure, she was acutely aware of the chemistry that blistered between them.

Harvey seemed less affected, but he released the collar to grab her face with both of his hands.

“Look at me,” he said, the authority in his voice bullying her into immediate compliance.

His brown eyes looked black with the tint over the room, and they searched her whole face before he nodded.

“Dilated pupils. Shortened breath. Heightened senses and emotions,” he crooked his head at her, “Feeling pretty good right now, aren’t you?”

She felt like her brain was hazy, her thoughts lagging. Like her heart was beating too fast. Like if he suggested she dropped to her knees here and now to blow him, she probably wouldn’t refuse.

“What’s wrong with me?”

Harvey looked up at the ceiling, then swiveled his gaze through the curtain that half-hid them from the rest of the party.

“It’s not you,” he said after a second, looking back at her, “Sometimes they’ll put additives in the smoke. Amphetamines, mostly. Nothing that will have you climbing too high, but enough to keep everything feeling intense.”

Intense was one word for it, she supposed.

“We’re being drugged?” Donna grappled with that knowledge. She’d smoked weed before. She’d tried ecstasy. This didn’t feel like either of those experiences had. She was somehow more sober, but also more responsive.

You’re so goddamn responsive .

It felt like so long ago that Harvey had declared as much in his kitchen. This was even worse than it had felt that morning. She could practically feel herself getting turned on; worked up under the focus of his stare.

“They aren’t shoving a pill down your throat or a needle in your arm,” Harvey assured her, “It’s just to help set the mood they’re selling. You’ll acclimate soon and it won’t feel so extreme.”

Donna nodded. What else could she do?

Harvey looked over her shoulder and sighed deeply, “I need to get the girls out there. Wait here and try to play by the rules until I get back.”

Easier said than done, but she had already gotten this far. She might as well see it through.

“I’ll try.”

He left her side, going over to where the escorts awaited him and spoke to them with words she could no longer hear over the other sounds in the room.

Louis, the man who must also work for Jessica, had been standing with the girls but stayed behind when Harvey led them from the VIP section. He approached Donna, who took a seat on a blood red sofa that was unoccupied. Louis sat too, appraising her.

“I’ve never seen you around here before,” he said, after a moment, “But I can’t believe Harvey would be foolish enough to bring in fresh meat.”

Donna didn’t say a word. Harvey had explained the rules to her. She answered to him alone, or with his permission. It was the only way to sell the bit.

“And you’re perfect . Of course you are. Unbelievable,” the man continued anyway, more curiosity in his tone than anything else, “And collared, too. He must be serious about you.”

Donna let him ramble, giving no notion of actually listening. In fact, she only partially was.

The greater half of her focus was on Harvey, the way he stood near Jessica’s escorts as a few men circled the wares; both a concierge and a threat. The confident lines of his posture held her captive as he maneuvered effortlessly throughout the gathering groups, holding conversations with obvious charm. She couldn’t help but admire how he commanded the attention of those around him, her included, even from a distance.

As her gaze lingered on him, a shadow suddenly fell across her and whatever Louis had been saying to her drifted to silence.

Donna looked over to find a handsome man standing before her. He was tall, with slightly gelled dark hair pushed back away from his face and the faint scent of a fancy cologne wafted toward her. At his side was a woman who was naked for all but two thin scraps of fabric covering her breasts and privates. She wore a leather dog mask that had a protruding snout and covered her entire head.

“Well, well,” the man drawled, a glint of mischief in his eyes, “If you aren’t the sexiest little pussycat I’ve ever seen.”

Donna remained silent, lips pressed together as she stared at him with cool detachment. It was Louis that spoke in her defense.

“Are you blind, Tanner?” he interjected, bringing himself to the man’s attention, “She’s wearing a damn collar.”

Tanner leaned closer, eyes drifting down to verify Louis’s declaration. He chuckled.

“No. There’s no way a pet as pretty as you lets someone like him collar you.” His tone gave a hint of condescension as he side eyed Louis.

“She’s not mine,” Louis glowered right back, “She’s Harvey’s.”

Tanner let out a low whistle, his lips curled into a grin, “Harvey’s huh? Specter always did have expensive taste.”

He made himself comfortable, dropping down into the chair directly across from where Donna sat. With the snap of his fingers, Tanner’s own pet kneeled down beside his feet, immediate and unwavering.

“Tell me, Pussycat,” Tanner leaned forward, crowding what little space lay between them, “How much did Harvey pay for you?”

She didn’t back down from the challenge in his stare, which was flickering all over her body.

“You think I can be bought?” she asked.

Maybe it was breaking the rules, engaging this way without Harvey there, but the entire point of the night was to get some answers. And while all the other details of the environment may be beyond her norm, working men was something she knew how to do well.

If Tanner was surprised she answered him, he didn’t show it. His smile spread wider and he stared at her with a mix of intrigue and attraction.

“Everything can be bought,” he answered, “It’s just a matter of price.”

Donna fought the urge to roll her eyes, “Did you read that on a fortune cookie?”

Tanner laughed, “You have a sharp tongue. Specter lets you get away with that?”

“Oh, he’s never had any complaints about my tongue,” she quipped with a smirk. 

The surprise did show on Tanner’s face this time, momentarily derailing his act of confidence, but he shook it off quickly, “Feisty. I like that. I may have to see if your master is up for a little bargaining.”

Louis interrupted again; she’d nearly forgotten he was there.

“What you need to see is yourself away from her,” he told Tanner, “I mean it. Harvey doesn’t normally bring pets, so I don’t know how he’ll react to you being-”

“Relax, Louis. I’m just making conversation,” Tanner cut him off, but his eyes remained on Donna, still glinting with trouble, “And I come bearing gifts.”

He reached into the jacket of the tux he wore and produced a small vial; the contents glittered pink beneath the club lights, “A little something to take the edge off.”

Donna wasn’t heavily involved with the details of Robert’s trade, but she recognized the blow immediately. Her entire body stiffened, though she tried not to let the discomfort show on her face.

Weed was one thing. Coke was another entirely.

“I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t accept,” she replied as calmly as possible, “I don’t think my master -” the word felt weird on her lips “-would be very forgiving if I did.”

“You’re right about that, kitten.”

As if she had summoned him, Harvey appeared behind Tanner’s chair. His presence was a relief, but her body responded to it like he was a magnetic force that pulled her attention and drifted along her skin like a heated touch.

His eyes were locked onto hers with a possessive intensity that made her heart race; especially when his lips curled into a wicked smile, “But I would enjoy getting to punish you.”

She stood when he approached, and so did Tanner, who’s posture had gone suddenly stiff.

“Louis,” Harvey addressed his coworker, “Go keep tabs on the girls. Let me know if anyone gives them any trouble.”

Donna didn’t pull her eyes away from Harvey long enough to see the other man’s response, but he disappeared fast enough that she had to imagine he was relieved to not be in the middle of whatever this was.

Harvey didn’t bother hiding his disdain for Tanner, his features morphing into the kind of menace that would have sent lesser men running. Tanner didn’t move, but Harvey stepped between them like a fortress and whisked the vial from his fingers.

“Now, now, Travis,” Harvey taunted, “You’re forgetting the school house rules. Don’t take drugs from strangers. Don’t touch what doesn’t belong to you.”

The threat was clear in that last sentence and Tanner…Travis? Whoever. His jaw tightened, but he forced a smirk and the tension between the two men felt thick as he held Harvey’s gaze.

“And she belongs to you?”

Harvey’s arm slid behind her, a hand brushing against her back, his touch possessive, “She’s wearing a collar, isn’t she?”

Tanner tracked the movement, the way Donna leaned into him.

“Yes, but you’re a peddler,” he said, “As far as I know, this could be an interesting new business approach.”

“A new approach,” Harvey lifted the vial in his hand, twirling it, “Like pushing Ava Hessington’s product onto pets rather than their owners.”

Tanner answered with a sly grin, “I was just being nice; trying to help your plaything. She has quite the mouth.”

The taunt struck exactly as Tanner intended, though Donna only knew because Harvey’s fingers dug a little harder into her back. The expression on his face remained unaffected.

“And what would you know about her mouth?”

Tanner shrugged, “Just that most pets aren’t quite so…verbal.”

Harvey looked down at her, and Donna wasn’t sure if she was a prize or a pawn in this little game of theirs, but she understood what his eyes were telling her.

She had a part to play and it was showtime.

“He wanted to bargain with you for me,” she said innocently, holding her head down so that she had to peer through her lashes to meet his gaze.

Harvey’s eyes darkened, “Is that right?”

“She has to be something special if she got you to lock her down,” Tanner defended, “Would be worth the price to find out.”

The chuckle that left Harvey made the hair on Donna’s neck stand, it was so clouded with ill intention.

“Try to touch her, Travis. See what happens.”

It was amazing that the man was still refusing to back down.

“I’d make it worth your while, of course,” Tanner prompted. Like they were haggling over the price of eggs rather than the right to Donna’s body, “I’d even consider a trade, if you like. Yours for mine."

His pet had not moved from where she’d sat at his feet, even with all the commotion, so Donna had no doubt the woman would do whatever…or perhaps whoever , Tanner told her to.

Harvey’s smile was more of a slash of teeth being bared, and he didn’t even glance toward what he was being offered. He did, however, let go of Donna to take a step closer to Tanner, getting very close to the man’s face.

“Unlike you, I don’t share.”

With that, Harvey turned and took a seat on the sofa Donna had previously occupied. He sat dead center against the plush velvet and locked eyes with her before patting his lap.

Once.

The gesture was an order, not an invitation, and despite the weight of the situation, it sent a rush of adrenaline through her veins.

Donna didn’t hesitate. She turned her back to Tanner and went right to Harvey, touching his shoulder to ease herself onto his lap. His arm encircled her waist like a vine, drawing her closer.

Across from them, Tanner settled back into his own seat, hands landing on the arm rests as he watched them.

“Hold out your arm,” Harvey instructed, “Palm up.”

Donna did as he asked without question. Harvey grabbed her wrist when she did so, stretching her arm out further, and dipped his head to sweep a long lick down the length of it.

Then he twisted the lid of the vial he’d taken from Tanner, and poured the contents out in a line along the saliva trail he’d left behind on her skin.

Donna froze as he tightened his grip on her wrist and proceeded to snort the line of coke off of her arm. He licked what remained, sucking the pulse point at the base of her palm for half a second before releasing it. He swiped at his nose, resettled, met Tanner’s stare.

Tanner still watched, some battle of wills passing between the two of them that Donna didn’t entirely understand, but her mind was too busy whirling over the fact that Harvey had just used her as a drug table.

He rested back against the sofa, pulling her with him, and his hand began to stroke along her thigh, the gesture both intimate and assertive.

“Points for quality,” Harvey spoke, addressing Tanner with a voice that was shockingly level, “But I don’t imagine your boss would be thrilled to discover you were giving her product out for free.”

His boss. Ava Hessington.

The name rang familiar, but Donna was having difficulty thinking. Maybe it was the vapors in the air, as Harvey had suggested, or maybe it was the fact that his fingers were trailing higher and higher beneath her dress as she sat in his lap, trying not to squirm.

Fuck.

Hessington. Hessington…oh shit. Ava Hessington.

She was one of Robert’s competitors. Well, sort of. The woman’s empire was based overseas, in London mostly, but Robert had been concerned that she may see his dealing with the Italians as a threat to that empire.

And Tanner worked for her.

It took longer than it should have, but Donna realized that maybe none of this meeting was by chance.

Harvey had orchestrated it to play out exactly as it had.

They really were playing the game now.

Chapter Text

Usually, Harvey hated nights like this. Sitting around, waiting for shit to happen while the expectations of the lifestyle fell at his feet. He’d skirt advances made by handsy women, he’d smoke enough or snort enough of whatever was being offered to play the part and numb the incessant buzz of boredom; but mostly, it was just the waiting. 

Not that he particularly wished real harm on any woman, but some nights he’d itch for some jackass to fuck around just so he’d have the opportunity to get his hands dirty.

Tonight was different.

Tonight, he was living heaven on fucking earth.

The cocaine spiraled through his system, a manageable amount thanks to all his years of dosing and acclimating, but it keyed him up enough that Donna wiggling around on his lap felt like the hottest damn thing in the world.

Taking the bait, Travis Tanner, who still sat across from them, refused to allow Harvey to one-up him and drew out a line of coke for himself. Inebriated tongues wagged a little more freely, in his experience.

At least that’s the excuse he gave himself.

Really, he just liked to get under the guys skin and was glad it seemed to have worked.

But the other purpose of his evening seemed less important than the woman who was settled into his lap, shifting each time he dragged his hand up her thigh. He wondered how wet she was between her legs; was tempted to dip his hand beneath her dress to find out.

Tanner fell heavily back in his own seat, a hand lazily stroking his pet’s head as the drugs took their effect.

Donna’s forehead touched Harvey’s temple. Her voice grazed over his ear.

“It’s not him.”

He bent his neck to look at her, and even though her pupils were still blown and her cheeks were flushed, her stare was focused.

“Tanner,” she said, leaning in close to his ear again, stroking her nose along his cheek. To anyone else, it would look as though she was a needy pet merely rubbing up against her master, “He’s not the man who attacked me. I remember his voice. It’s not him.”

Harvey played along, grabbing a fist of her hair and tipping her head back. He ran his tongue from the edge of her collar to her ear, dragging his teeth over the bottom of her lobe before murmuring quietly, “Might still be connected. It’s worth it to see if he knows anything.”

She nodded, but her eyes were hooded, half rolled back, and her hips shifted again. Harvey smirked, hitching her up better into his lap, letting her legs stretch out on the sofa while he continued his strokes and looked back over at Tanner.

“So, you’re peddling for Ava in clubs now?”

Travis shrugged, almost lazily, “Anywhere she wants me. You know a little something about that. Still doing Jessica Pearson’s dirty work?”

“I keep busy,” Harvey dismissed the bait; his fingers dancing along the hem of Donna’s dress. She laid her head against his shoulder and he turned his head slightly to breathe in the scent of her shampoo.

“I can see that,” Tanner smirked, his eyes all over Donna.

A swell of possessiveness flared in Harvey’s chest. Along with the urge to slap an indisputable stamp across the woman in his arms that screamed ‘MINE’.

Tanner's fingers flexed on his pet’s head. Harvey wondered if he was imagining touching Donna that way instead. Rage bubbled at the thought that was half because of the drug in his system and half because his brain knew he’d kill anyone else that touched his Princess.

That honor was his alone.

He trailed a hand up her leg, bringing the dress with it until it reached mid-thigh. Donna knew she could stop him if she wanted to. Knew it would just take one word and-

Her thighs parted ever so slightly, and Harvey could have groaned at the access it gave him. The dress she wore was so transparent, it barely hid his upward movement, and he saw as his hand reached her center.

He paused there, the barest of distance between the warmth of her pussy and his impatient fingers, before drifting back down to safer territory. He felt Donna pant against his neck, her body tensing and thrumming. A small noise, a huff really, of frustration left her.

Harvey brushed over her knee with his knuckles, then once more made the trek up to her center. He didn’t stop this time. His hand reached her bare, damp heat, and they exhaled twin breaths when he finally touched her.

Donna’s moan as he stroked her pussy joined in with the others reverberating around the room and the low music blended perfectly with those sounds of pleasure. Tanner had half an erection from where he sat, still watching them.

Harvey nuzzled against Donna’s cheek and whispered to her while holding Tanner’s gaze.

“I need this bastard to see that you’re mine, Princess. Let me show him how wet I make you.”

He rubbed her clit as he spoke and Donna’s teeth caught her lower lip as she gave a small nod of consent.

Harvey didn’t waste time. Using one of his thighs to part hers, he angled them so that Tanner, and the rest of the VIP lounge for that matter, had a direct line of sight to what he alone was allowed to touch.

Mine .

There was a moment of smug satisfaction when he caught that heated longing on Tanner’s face, despite his own pet sitting right there, but then Donna tossed her head back, so that it rested on his shoulder once more.

Harvey’s eyes were drawn back to her, because rather than hiding in his neck this time, Donna’s beautiful face was tilted toward the ceiling, shameless sounds of ecstasy escaping her as his fingers explored her folds.

Fuck, she was a sight.

Her sheer dress showcased everything; his hand working her between her legs, her perfect tits. Her nipples were hard, pebbling through the fabric and Harvey brought his other hand around to flick the one closest to it.

She whimpered at the sensation.

“So sensitive ,” he mused, resting his head against hers as he spoke to her, “And so fucking wet for me.”

He dipped his index finger against her entrance and delighted in the way her muscles contracted. He slid it the rest of the way in.

Goddamn, she would fit him like a glove. A very tight, slick glove.

Harvey leaned down, capturing the nipple not being pinched between his fingers with his mouth instead. He alternated between suckling it and rolling it with his teeth.

Donna’s wetness was leaking onto his hand now; he added another finger.

“ Harvey ,” she gasped, all pretense lost as her eyes squeezed shut and her skin grew damp with how flushed she was.

His dick twitched to life, as if his name on her lips was a trigger, and the oddity of it happening now, without any of his usual stimulants was lost to him as he watched her building climax; as he imagined just how gloriously she would shatter around him.

His breaths were drawn in roughly, nearly as ragged as hers. Fuck, he needed her to come. He needed to feel how she-

“God, look at her,” Tanner’s voice wasn’t loud, but it ricocheted across the space with enough volume that Harvey’s pumps faltered.

He glared over and noticed that Tanner’s pet was now palming his dick over his pants. His eyes were on Donna.

“But penetration is against the rules, you know.” As if either of them gave a fuck about the rules. “You should finish her off before you get caught…or let me have a turn. I’ll make it quick.”

Harvey’s hand left Donna’s breast and flexed toward the gun he had tucked beneath his jacket. Tanner wanted to see Donna come. Wanted to help make her come.

He wasn’t in the mood to give Travis the satisfaction of actually drawing his weapon, but it was tempting. Instead, he made the split second decision that the next time Donna fell apart, he would be the only one getting to watch.

The eighth fucking wonder of the world, just for him.

He withdrew his hand from Donna’s pulsating pussy and she whimpered again, this time in protest.

Harvey pressed a short kiss to her temple and shifted so that she was on the couch cushion and he could stand. Tanner must have seen the challenge on his face because he was on his own feet in less than a second, shoulders squared as his pet scampered out of the way. A single step closed the distance between them and Harvey lifted his hand to Tanner’s face, fanning his fingers out.

“You can lick them clean if you want,” he offered, “It’s the only way you’re ever tasting her.”

Oh, Tanner did not like that. His eyes narrowed into slits of disdain, even if there was a hint of jealousy rolling through them, too.

“Yeah. That’s what I thought,” Harvey grinned.

He brought his fingers to his own mouth, sucking Donna’s juices from them. He moaned, releasing each one with a loud, deliberate pop.

“It’s a pity for you. Because she tastes like fucking heaven.”

Tanner didn’t respond to the taunt, at least not verbally, but he did snap his fingers at his pet to follow and stormed off with annoyance and a hard on.

Harvey enjoyed the victory for only a moment, before Donna’s soft cry drew him back.

“Harvey,” she was standing now, reaching for him, and his name was a plea off her tongue.

He took her into his arms.

“I know,” he cooed as she writhed against him, still chasing friction and the orgasm he’d denied her, “I know , kitten. Let me get you somewhere private. Then I’ll take care of it.”

There were special enclaves near the back of the Main Room, with drawable curtains to ward off prying eyes. He would take her there. Though at this point, a bathroom stall would be an option. Anywhere he could get one of her legs over his shoulder and his face buried in that pussy of hers.

The taste of her still saturated his tongue; more addicting than the blow. It wasn’t enough.

“Now,” she urged, grabbing his forearms in a vice and he would have teased her for her desperation if he didn’t feel it just as intensely.

But he did. And her pleading eyes and pouting lips weren’t helping. Goddamn, those lips of hers, plump and inviting.

He was tempted. So fucking tempted.

Her tongue slipped out, wetting them, drawing him in, and Harvey could almost taste her breath when-

"Harvey!" His name was called by a loud, annoying voice.

Donna flinched and he straightened, whirling around as Louis approached them, “Harvey! There you are-”

“Louis, someone better be dead or in need of killing,” he seethed through clenched teeth.

Louis frowned, but didn’t immediately cower away, so something was going on that was about to ruin his plans.

“I don’t think it’ll require murder, but there’s an incident with Heather-”

Louis launched into the explanation. A patron had agreed to a half hour of the escort’s time, blew his load in the first ten minutes, and now he didn’t want to pony up the full amount. Harvey wanted to kill him for the inconvenience alone.

“I’ll deal with it,” he said to Louis, groaning internally, “Just…give me a second.”

Louis nodded and was smart enough to back off, walking back toward the ropes and Harvey turned to Donna, whose desire had deflated considerably.

“Guess you actually have to work, huh?” her voice was more stable, too.

Harvey sighed, “Afraid so. Hold that thought?”

She shrugged, “If you hurry back.”

Like she wouldn’t be wet and waiting for the moment he returned.

He smirked and dipped down, brushing his lips against her jaw, just below her ear, “We’ll finish this soon, Princess.”

Of that, he had no doubt.

The ground seemed to shake as the low bass vibrated throughout the VIP lounge. Donna had wandered the small space and found a private bar off to the side and now occupied one of the stools in front of it.

She huffed, running a hand through her hair, aware that the curls she’d put in it earlier had already been ruined by Harvey’s fingers. And Harveys’ fingers were exactly why she needed a damn drink; though if she were smarter, she’d be trying to clear her head, not fog it up more.

But she was tired of smart.

What she wanted was to absolutely lose her mind and her body to all the things she felt when she was in Harvey’s arm.

Shit, she almost had.

Whatever effect he had on her had been multiplied when she’d sat in his lap, when he’d held her, touched her, stared at her like her pleasure was the only thing that mattered to him. She was on fire, even now, and anticipated his return with an anxiousness that bordered on desperation; along with irritation.

At the escort, at the client, and at Harvey’s coworker for pulling him away just as things were starting to get interesting.

And to make matters worse, the bartender was ignoring her; slicing away at a lime with a chef’s knife.

Donna fiddled with the edge of her dress as she waited for the man to finish up and make another round so she could flag him down for a shot. Someone stepped into the space beside her, breaking through her thoughts.

“I’ve got to say, that was quite a show you and Specter put on.”

Donna glanced over to find that Tanner had once again appeared now that Harvey was gone. She wasn’t entirely sure if that move was calculative or cowardly. Probably both.

She ignored him, looking down toward the bartender.

Tanner stepped closer, until his voice was in her ear, “Does Robert Zane know that his Girl Friday is being tainted by the enemy?”

Donna’s head turned so fast it nearly gave her whiplash, and Tanner chuckled, leaning against the wood of the bar.

“Yes. I know you work for Zane. That mask may distort your face, Pussycat, but you’re a hard woman to forget.”

It was as if every ounce of fogginess was suddenly zapped from her brain. Donna sat up straighter and pulled on her lifetime of experience with men like this to decide if he was bluffing or not.

Probably not.

Tanner’s grin was smug, his eyes knowing, and she’d already had too big of a reaction to Robert’s name to fake ignorance.

“You sure took your time sharing your theory,” she baited, trying hard to appear nonchalant.

Tanner shrugged and held two fingers up to the bartender, who set the knife down next to the wedges of lime and a salt shaker, to nod back to him.

Donna frowned, “How the hell did you-”

“They won’t serve a collared pet. Not without their master’s permission.”

God fucking damn it. That was just great. Really.

Tanner smirked as if he heard her thoughts, but the bartender arrived for the drink order.

“Whiskey, neat,” Tanner said, “And something sweet for my pussycat here.”

She was going to stab him.

“I hope you aren’t expecting a thank you,” she snapped when the man left them alone again and Tanner spun her chair to face him, “I’ll settle for an answer to my question.”

Donna arched a brow, “And which question is that?”

“Does Robert know about you and Specter?”

“Does it matter?”

Tanner tilted his head, “It’s the difference between you being a woman with a fetish and Zane being in league with Jessica Pearson, so yes, I’d say it matters.”

It probably said something about her life choices that this was the first time all night she felt right in her element.

“I’m here with Harvey because I want to be,” she said, and it wasn’t exactly a lie, “Robert has nothing to do with it.”

“I suppose I’ll just have to take your word for that.”

She laughed humorlessly, “You were there with me and Harvey, earlier. You think I’d let him touch me like that for a job ?”

“Honestly?” he goaded, “It didn’t seem like that much of a chore for you.”

Donna smiled at him, “It’s not when a man actually knows what he’s doing.”

That earned her another chuckle, “Oh you say the word, Pussycat, and I’ll show you exactly what I can do.”

She rolled her eyes, “Not interested.”

“Not surprised,” Tanner sidled up a little further, dropping his voice an octave, “You’re no pet.”

The statement fell like an accusation that made Donna slip from her chair, holding Tanner’s gaze as closed the space between them.

“I’m collared.”

“You’re defiant,” he corrected, “Too talkative. Green. Specter’s never brought a pet before and he didn’t bring one tonight.”

This one was observant, it would seem. Donna appraised Tanner with a new appreciation, while the rest of her brain did some observing of her own.

Loose jacket, lack of pet, ordering her drink, the questions. The way he’d approached her both times. The fact that he’d watched as Harvey had touched her.

Every component that mattered of what she’d compiled in her mental file of this man flickered like a film reel in her mind.

He was attracted to her, but more than anything else, he was threatened by the idea of her being here with Harvey. The possible team up. What that would mean for his boss.

He was fishing her for answers the same as she should be doing to him.

“I may not be completely house-trained ,” she responded to him, “But that doesn’t give me any less right to play than you. And I don’t need Robert’s permission to do it.”

Tanner nodded, “That may be true. It could also be true that Robert’s decided to move into the skin trade business; has you pairing with Specter to learn the ropes.”

Donna narrowed her eyes, “He’s not. And Jessica’s business is in sex work, not sex trafficking, so even if he were, your theory makes no sense.”

Tanner didn’t respond right away. The bartender returned with their drinks, placing them in front of him. A tumbler of whiskey for him and something blended and pink with whipped cream for her.

When Tanner slid the drink over to her, Donna was half tempted to dump the damn thing on his head. Instead, she took a courtesy sip and tasted rum.

A strawberry daiquiri.

She licked a dollop of the whipped cream and noticed how Tanner tracked the motion while swallowing a swig of his own drink. She refocused, remembered that she needed to get the upper hand to stir this conversation the right way.

Though, the fact that Tanner thought Robert could be teaming with Jessica because of an interest in sex work already told her that it was unlikely he, or Ava Hessington for that matter, knew about the Italian expansion Robert was working for his current trade.

Donna picked the strawberry wedge that had been placed on the edge of the glass for decoration and brought it to her lips, letting the juice flow freely down her chin until it dripped onto her chest. Tanner’s eyes followed and didn’t leave her breasts until she moaned around the fruit. His eyes flashed back up to hers and Donna swallowed very deliberately, making sure to slowly sweep her lips with her tongue after.

“I have to say,” she dropped her voice into a teasing tone, “It’s a little insulting that you think work is the only reason I’d have for coming to a place like this."

Tanner’s gaze intensified, lingering on her lips, “Insulting? Don’t be coy. It’s a reasonable assumption. Especially considering who’s holding the other end of your leash tonight.”

He leaned in just a fraction closer, challenging her with his stare. Donna smiled, turning so she could lean her back against the bar; her arm nearly brushed Tanner’s chest.

“I never said Harvey wasn’t working,” she quipped, and let her lashes flutter a bit as she looked through them, up at Tanner, “How about you? Was that vial really a gift, or does Ava Hessington not allow days off either?”

“Can’t I enjoy myself while networking?” he countered, voice smooth as silk, “Nothing that says business and pleasure can’t go hand in hand.”

The innuendo was thick and Donna smirked, “You’re quite the multitasker.”

“Maybe we should find somewhere quieter to discuss the merits of my multitasking skills,” he suggested without missing a beat. His eyes locked onto hers like a predator assessing its prey.

Donna didn’t bat an eye, just took another long sip of her drink, then swirled around the contents.

“You think taking me somewhere alone is going to end well for you?”

He swept his eyes down her body, tits to toes, and back up, “Could end well for you .”

God, the audacity of this man.

She let her head fall back as she laughed, “Harvey would eat you alive.”

“Yes, he does seem particularly fond of you,” Tanner said, and surprised her by reaching out and running his fingers over her hip with the lightest pressure; touching the fabric of her dress, but not her skin, “Or at least parts of you.”

Donna looked down at his hand, which grew more daring as it slowly traveled up her ribs, stopping below her breast.

“Every man is interested in those parts of me,” she stated, without an ounce of humility. It’s why she was able to get her job done half the time. Men always wanted what they couldn’t have, and Tanner was no exception.

His fingers danced along her side again, bolder, moving to her arm. The contact was unsettling as his knuckles drew up her bicep, to the thin strap on her shoulder; she always hated this part of laying her traps. But the more enraptured he became, the less thought he’d put into her asking questions.

“You’re forgetting your manners,” she accused; half flirtation, half warning.

Tanner smirked, seemingly emboldened, and his fingers drifted to the collar at her neck. Donna tensed as he tapped it.

“If you knew what I was thinking, Pussycat, you’d know I’m being a perfect gentleman,” his breath smelled of whiskey and was entirely too close to her face.

Part of her was hoping he’d try to get even closer. It had been a while since she’d had an excuse to knee a man in the groin and he was practically begging for it.

“You can think whatever you like,” she told him, “But we both know-”

Before she could finish her reply, the air seemed to shift, charged with an energy, or perhaps an awareness that Donna felt all the way down to her bones.

Harvey.

Her body clocked his presence before he actually came into view, but when he did, all hell broke loose.

She was forced back an entire step with how hard he came between her and Tanner and Tanner’s back met the edge of the bar with a thud so loud, she wouldn’t be surprised if something had cracked.

Tanner’s expression morphed from sly confidence, to surprise, to pain in the span of a second. Harvey’s body covered his, a forearm pressed hard against the man’s throat as he pinned him back on the bar.

“I’ll say it again, in case I wasn’t clear enough the first time,” Harvey’s voice was dangerously low and his threatening tone sent a shiver down Donna’s spine, “I. Do. Not. Fucking. Share.”

Tanner futilely bucked against him and Harvey slammed his arm harder against his neck, making him splutter. Then his hand disappeared beneath his jacket, and came back with a glinting metal that made Donna’s blood run immediately cold.

The gun replaced his forearm, pressing up into Tanner’s chin, and the man’s eyes widened as his body went completely still.

Harvey cocked the weapon, “If that isn't getting through your head, maybe a bullet will.”

Somehow the party was carrying on around them, a muted backdrop to the unfolding chaos; patrons oblivious to the violent interaction. 

At least they would be until that gun went off.

“Harvey,” Donna acted on instinct, grabbing his arm and pressing herself against his side, even though she knew she had no hope of physically stopping him, “You don’t want to do this.”

“The hell I don’t.”

“There’s too many people,” she pointed out, too afraid to pull her eyes from him to glance around, but it would be impossible for him to blow Tanner’s head off without someone noticing, “Harvey, please .”

He was still staring at Tanner, who’s hands had risen up, palms splayed, as close to begging as she imagined he was capable.

“Reach into my pocket and grab the leash,” Harvey said to her, a chilling control lacing the words.

Donna frowned, but figured obeying might keep him from getting trigger happy. She took the leash out and unwound it in her hands.

“Put it on.”

He still didn’t look at her. Didn’t make sure she was following orders. They both knew she would.

It was difficult to get the latch into place behind her neck with trembling fingers, but Donna managed, breathing through the adrenaline until she was once again at the end of a rope.

She tentatively touched Harvey’s arm, and he pulled the gun off of Tanner’s skin, but didn’t lower it.

“Whose collar is she wearing?” he demanded, all but growling in the man’s face.

Tanner’s expression was a mix of fear and anger.

“Yours,” he spat.

“Who does she belong to?”

Tanner’s eyes flickered to the gun and the scowl that threatened his face didn’t quite make it to his lips, “You.”

“Harvey,” Donna tried again, the urgency in her voice slicing through the tension. She rubbed his arm soothingly, “You made your point. Come on.”

He was fast; god, she’d forgotten just how fast he could be. She’d barely blinked and the gun was gone, but the kitchen knife that had been discarded by the bartender, just on the other side of the ledge, was in his fist.

With swift precision and no hesitation, Harvey swung forward, driving the blade through the flesh of Tanner’s still upward facing palm, pinning it to the wooden bar top.

The bang of it ricocheted down the bar. People looked.

Donna’s short scream was muffled by the shout that escaped Tanner at the sudden pain, but Harvey’s hand clamped across his mouth, stifling the sound.

“This is the only warning I’ll give you,” Harvey snarled, dark fury etched into his features, “Next time, I’ll kill you. After I remove every finger that touches her.”

He released Tanner then, turning in the same motion to pull the leash from her hand and gave it a hard yank. Donna felt the recoil in the collar and hurried to fall into step behind Harvey to keep him from possibly dragging her across the floor by her neck.

Deeper into the club, past more curtains, until Tanner and the turmoil they’d just left disappeared from sight completely.

Harvey didn’t pause, didn’t break stride, didn’t look back. Something told her the only thoughts in his head were either about sex or murder.

Either way, she was fucked.

Chapter Text

Harvey could barely see, let alone think.

He navigated the club by memory, storming through the red shadows and smokey lights. The music grew quieter, the deeper they went, but the bass still thrummed through the floor, vibrating his body as they reached the back.

A series of private alcoves were carved into the wall and he dragged Donna over to the first empty one he spotted, shoving her inside and drawing the thick drapes closed behind him. Sounds of the club became even more muffled, allowing him to hear his own ragged breath as he turned to face the woman who was quickly becoming the bane of his existence.

“You promised,” she said, before he could get a single word out. She’d taken off her mask and was staring at him intently.

He didn’t have to wonder what she meant; he saw it all over her beautiful face. The expectation, the disappointment, the wariness, the annoyance…the desire.

So many emotions flickered over her features as she stared at him, accused him, waited for him to say something; do something.

Harvey could only stare back, feet suddenly glued to the damn floor.

The alcove had only a red leather bench that made a half moon shape along the wall, and a single blue overhead light that casted an odd contrast to the rest of the club. 

Donna shone beneath it. Her sweat-damp skin shimmering like glitter, her chest heaving with each breath. He could see her entire body outlined beneath the light, shades of indigo and sapphire highlighting her every dip and curve.

The black material looked purple, but her hair still seemed like fire.

She didn’t feel real.

“I don’t think Tanner knows anything about Robert’s deal,” Donna spoke again, like his heart wasn’t currently running a marathon beneath his ribcage, “But I could have gotten more information from him. You promised to let me try. To let me do more than just sit still and look pretty when-”

“He touched you.”

The words were strangled, coming out of his throat, but it was all Harvey could manage. The only explanation that made sense inside his clouded mind. Tanner had touched her. Had put his hands on the collar around her neck, had crowded her space with an expression loaded with intention. If he hadn't shown up when he did…

“I should have shot him.”

Donna tossed her mask over on the bench and shook her head, “What good would that have done? How would it have helped us?”

Her questions were fair, but goddamn, they were so far beyond rationale. He didn’t give a fuck what it would have helped or hurt. Dead men don’t repeat their mistakes, and he’d warned Tanner.

“I could have handled him,” Donna insisted.

Harvey’s eyes flickered to hers, “I know.”

That wasn’t the point.

“You didn’t have to stab him,” she said, more quietly, “I was perfectly safe. You didn’t have to threaten to kill him for me-”

“Kill him for you?” he wanted to shake her, “You think that’s what that was about?"

She frowned, almost confused, and his frustration boiled.

With a low curse, Harvey stepped closer and grabbed Donna’s face. She didn’t even flinch, eyes still locked on his.

“I told you that I’m not a good man,” he said and his voice was strained with the control he forced over it, “I could have easily killed him. Past the inconvenience of having to clean it up, his death would mean nothing to me. He means nothing. Killing him would be nothing .”

He tilted her face up and the blue light made her look like a goddamn angel. Of mercy or death, he wasn’t sure. Both felt possible with this grip she had on him.

“I wanted to kill him,” Harvey admitted, “But I didn’t do it. Because you asked me not to.”

Her voice had been the only thing to cut through his rage when he’d had Tanner pinned beneath him. The only thing that had mattered.

“Killing him wouldn’t have been for your safety. It would have been for my satisfaction.” But he hadn’t done it. Because she had begged him. “My restraint was for you.”

It made zero goddamn sense.

He’d always done as he wanted, unless specifically barred by Jessica, who he only deferred to for the loyalty he owed her.

Until tonight; when he’d pushed the bounds of Jessica’s order to keep Donna close; had intended to continue seeking the truth behind her attack.

But he’d gotten lost in her, lost in whatever the hell she was doing to him that made everything being done to her affect him so deeply. He couldn’t think straight, and it wasn’t the drugs or the job or even fucking Travis Tanner.

It was her.

He was beginning to think there wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for her.

Donna’s eyes searched his, confusion melting to something softer and just as tormenting at whatever she saw on his face.

His hands slid down from her jaw to her neck, where his palms rested against the leather that was supposed to be his claim on her. As if he weren’t the one tied up; being twisted from the inside out.

His grip on her tightened as he released a shaky exhale.

“You may be the one wearing the collar, Princess, but you have me in fucking chains.”

The tiny room felt even smaller with his admission, the air thick with a tension Harvey didn’t fully understand, hanging over their heads about to break.

Donna’s eyes flared, simmering with something raw and fervent. Her breath hitched.

Then, without a word, she leaned up and closed what little distance separated their mouths. He didn’t have time to react before her lips pressed into his. Hot, demanding.

The softest goddamn thing he’d ever felt.

Harvey groaned and every part of his body came to life as Donna stepped into him. Fit against him like the piece of a puzzle he’d never known was missing. His hands dropped from her throat to her waist, digging into her hips, desperate for something solid to hold on to as the world began to spin out from beneath his feet.

Donna’s arms wrapped around his neck and her fingers weaved into the hair at the nape of it, urging him closer.

He couldn’t breathe. She overwhelmed him.

Harvey closed his eyes, panic and need punching his gut as his fist flexed, ready to shove…to halt…to break…he dragged her harder against his body and instinctively kissed her back.

Donna moaned in encouragement as he responded to her, and the sound made him feral. He lifted her in his arms, everything but the tips of her toes left the ground, and her weight being pulled into his chest wasn’t enough. He needed her all over him.

Harvey had no idea what he was doing, but god, he didn’t want this to stop. His lungs burned with the lack of oxygen and he couldn’t care less. Nothing was worth parting from her. A hand found its way into Donna’s hair and his fingers tangled with the soft strands, locking in a grip that held her mouth to his and he relentlessly explored the shape of her lips with his own.

Her teeth came out, biting onto his bottom lip and Harvey’s eyes shot open as his mouth parted with an inhuman noise. Donna pushed her tongue into the space he created.

If the feel of the kiss had consumed him, it was nothing compared to the taste .

Donna’s tongue stroked against his own, coaxing and playing as he drowned in the flavor of her.

Strawberries, whipped cream, and whatever it was that made up her essence that he’d spent the night breathing in when she’d first slept in his bed.

It was probably clumsy, the way he chased her tongue with his own, making the kiss wet; desperate.

But Donna didn’t seem to mind. She was practically purring in his arms, squeezing him tight, her bent leg climbing higher up his thigh as she began grinding on his erection.

Holy fuck .

He was erect. Full, raging hard on. The damn thing was pulsing with the desire to rip through his trousers and get to the barely concealed heat she offered.

The world outside had disappeared; the muffled music, the red smoke, the chaos of the club. In this moment, it was just the two of them, suspended in a reality where he was nothing but a man with a primal urge and Donna was all woman; tender curves and soft moans while she searched for friction.

No fear. No pain. Pure want .

Harvey’s throat tightened and he pulled away to gasp down a breath of air. Donna took advantage, moving her mouth to his jaw and scraping his skin with her teeth. Shots of pleasure rushed through his head, making him dizzy and Harvey stumbled back; no…Donna was pushing him back.

His ass found the bench seat, the cushion denting with very little give as he fell back onto it and Donna climbed into his lap.

“ Fuck ,” he groaned as her thighs parted over his, her weight came against him, and he might have ripped her dress at the hem with how savagely he shoved it up and out of the way.

The poor fabric stood no chance against the ferocity that had overcome them both; Donna tearing at his tie and jacket, Harvey devouring her mouth once more while his fingers dug into the bare cheeks of her ass hard enough to bruise. He spread her open and thrusted up, letting all that dampness seep through his pants, letting the friction build pressure. Donna’s hips undiluted as she rode his hardness and his balls coiled and spasmed as pleasure barreled down his shaft.

Oh shit-Oh god-Oh fuck.

He’d never been rushed to the edge so fast. Donna, hot and writhing above him, sliding against his dick, was about to make him explode.

“Donn-” he panted her name against her hungry mouth, but she swallowed it without pause. Her nails scraped the top of chest, which her ministrations had left revealed. A button ripped; he grunted.

Her body was radiating heat, warming him through the layers of clothes and ice that had encapsulated his entire being for so damn long.

He wanted to stop…he couldn’t breathe…she was going to…he wanted…he couldn’t…

Oh goddamn , she whimpered his name so sweetly as her head fell back and she arched her back, the blue light casting heaven over them.

Donna’s collar gleamed near black, so dark against her pale skin, and his eyes drank her in, all the way down to the nipples that were pressing through the fabric covering her breast, the circles on full display to him.

Donna’s hand on the back of his head encouraged him forward, as if she knew exactly what his gaze had locked on and wanted him to follow through on the desire that filled him.

Harvey was powerless to stop himself, leaning in as if in a trance until his mouth had slotted over the swollen nipple in front of him while his hand dragged up Donna’s ribs to cup the other, circling his thumb over the bud.

Donna mewled above him, as he licked and sucked at her, preening back so hard, Harvey had the sense that she was spiraling, too. He moved his mouth across her chest, giving ample attention to her other breast with his mouth, and Donna rested her head on top of his; cradling him to her.

He hummed as he suckled her, as Donna held him so tightly, gasped and jolted so needily. His hands shoved at the straps of the dress so that he had better access to her perfect fucking tits.

Round, heavy swells; they were pink, pretty, and glistening slightly due to his efforts. He brought both hands up to caress them, to squeeze and tease and pinch. Donna sighed his name, and touched his chin.

Harvey’s eyes shot up to her face and what he found looking back at him made him freeze.

Donna was beautiful in her pleasure, but no one had ever looked at him the way she did now.

With the barest hint of a smile, she leaned down and captured his lips once more; so gently…so affectionately….so….much.

It was so much.

The longing he felt, the proprietorial need to have her at his side, the absolute lack of control that made him feel as if he were falling from a very high building…it was so much.

Too much.

Donna was so damn close.

Every nerve in her body was aflame, every muscle tensing as the need for release built a turmoil of energy in all of her limbs.

Harvey was driving her insane.  His touches, his noises, his mouth . God, that mouth of his.

She cupped his jaw as she kissed it again, letting her lips linger on his, surprised by how pliable and soft he was. She’d been expecting explosions when he got her alone; a hard body and rough hands having their way with her, but Harvey being so vulnerable…the things he’d said to her…

You have me in fucking chains.

The admission had rocked through her; had been too much to ignore or brush away. She’d needed to touch him, to feel him…

Harvey was liquid heat beneath her, drifting touch and pleading, gripping fingers; his thick length still covered, but solid as stone against her core.

They were pressed together, hot and heavy, lost in need and each other's embrace…until they weren’t.

Harvey moved so damn quickly, Donna nearly fell onto the floor. She did bounce off of the red leather that he had shoved her onto, but rather than cover her body with his own in an escalation of passion, Harvey jumped to his feet and stood with his back to her.

Donna straightened; watching him while she fought to get her breathing under control, and when an entire minute passed without Harvey moving, she stood on shaking legs; startled.

“Harvey?” she placed a hand on his shoulder and he flinched.

She dropped it.

The muscles of his back, better seen under his white button down now that she’d discarded his coat somewhere on the bench, expanded as he took a deep breath. He turned as he exhaled, and whatever desire had laced through his features before had gone.

“Harvey, what-”

“We should go.”

Donna blinked. She truly was going to have whiplash before the night was over, because what the hell-

“What’s wrong?”

She wanted to believe that he meant to get them back to his place or somewhere more private before things went any further, but something in his expression told her that was not the case.

“Harvey?” she ventured again, reaching for him. He stepped away and her hand paused mid-air as her heart began to pound, not with excitement this time, but an unsettling combination of frustration and confusion.

For a moment, he said nothing, and the silence felt heavy; suffocating.

There was a palpable shift in the air, like a storm rolling in, dark clouds obscuring the heat she’d felt only moments ago. A moment he had so abruptly ended.

“You…you were into it,” she said, seeking some sort of explanation or clarity, “You wanted me. So why-”

“What I wanted-” Harvey started, his voice full of gravel. He paused with a half second hesitation, then sighed, “What I want, you aren’t capable of giving me.”

Aren’t. Capable. Of… 

The words hit her like a slap to the face, echoing through her mind, cruel and piercing, as reality sank into her bones.

She’d known; had been told by Sam, Tanner, and Harvey himself. He was particular when it came to women, when it came to sex and what he liked.

And apparently, he was back to thinking of her as too weak to handle it. Or maybe that was just the excuse. Maybe she had done something, given a sound or touch, that had been a turn off for him. Maybe she’d been too ready, too desperate. She wasn’t going to humiliate herself anymore by asking.

“Fine,” she forced out, a bitter chill washing over the desire that had been pulsing through her veins, “We can leave.”

It was difficult to maintain composure, but she’d always been good at playing her roles. She fixed the straps of her dress, not that it entirely mattered and smoothed down the ends. Harvey refused to meet her gaze, his jaw clenching as she righted herself, and the dismissal made the confusion she’d felt morph into a cool, simmering anger. Her legs carried her forward without waiting for his acknowledgement.

Donna pushed the curtain open and the sounds and sights of the club were once more overwhelming. She pressed on, backtracking through the unfamiliar space, and despite feeling Harvey behind her, she offered him no parting glance.

She didn’t want him to see how much his statement had cut her. If he wanted to be cold, so could she.

But behind her, Harvey’s hand had lifted to his mouth. He rubbed the pad of his thumb over his bottom lip, staring after her in vexation and wonder as they left the club.

The air was cold outside. It wasn’t until the night breeze ran through to her bones that Donna realized she’d forgotten her coat inside. Standing nearly naked on a Manhattan street wasn’t ideal, but at the moment, she didn’t really give a fuck if people stared at her or not.

She’d hail a cab and go home, where she could strip down as much as she liked, crawl into bed with one of her favorite toys, and take care of her needs the way she always had. Then, once the threat of orgasm and the denial she’d suffered twice already had been curbed, she’d be able to think more clearly and would decide how to proceed.

“Wait,” Harvey’s voice was sharp and commanding.

She ignored him, walking near the curb to see if she could spot a cab. None appeared to be coming, but across the street there were a few groups of people and more lighting that seemed promising. She’d walk a few blocks if she had to.

“Donna,” He was almost shouting now and it was a good thing they’d taken the back entrance to the club because they’d have quite the audience otherwise.

Again, she acted as though she hadn’t heard Harvey call for her, stopping at the street edge to check both ways; getting ready to dart across in her heels.

A sharp jerk on her collar dragged her back, choking her and making her cough. She whipped around to see the end of her leash in Harvey’s hand.

“I said wait,” he glowered, stepping closer as the leather was coiled tightly in his fist.

Donna shot him a dirty look and reached up to the back of her neck to unlatch the damn thing.

A sharp sting came across her arm; Harvey had used the end of the leash like a whip, snapping it against her skin.

“What the fuck!” she snarled, grabbing the leather and pulling. It didn’t give an inch from his grip.

“I’m taking you home.”

She huffed, “I'm not going anywhere with you.”

Harvey glared at her, like she was the one being difficult, and she returned it without an ounce of mercy, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I messaged the valet,” he told her, dropping his voice as he closed the distance between them, “He’s bringing the car around.”

Donna opened her mouth to speak, but he tsked, cutting her off.

“It’s cold. Your dress is ripped, and even if it wasn’t, I can see your entire body through it,” his eyes trailed down the length of her, as if proving his point, “You can be pissed at me from the passenger’s seat of my car, but you’re going to let me take you home.”

She wanted so badly to tell him to go to hell, but the logical side of her agreed with his reasoning. The petty side of her wanted to strip the damn dress off and throw it at his feet, but though she may be pissed, she wasn’t suicidal. Nor did she wish to end up in jail.

It was hard to force her head to nod, but it was better than giving him the satisfaction of an actual agreement.

Harvey took the answer for what it was and dipped his own chin down. Donna rubbed her arms and he removed the jacket that he’d laid over his own and draped it around her shoulders.

She stiffened, “I don’t need-”

“For once, stop making things so fucking difficult,” he chided, pulling the lapels roughly over her chest.

Donna barked a short laugh, “Right. Because I’m the one making things hard …well…” she looked down at his pants then back up, letting the suggestion land itself.

Harvey’s jaw clenched and she’d bet he was trying hard not to roll his eyes at her. His annoyance raised her hackles, and she circled his reaction like a shark drawn to blood in the water.

“Or, wait, you only like it when I’m afraid of you, right?” she fixed her face into an expression of utter helplessness, “When I’m scared and trembling and convinced you might kill me? Is that it, master ? You want me to beg-”

“Stop it,” he growled, but she was so far past caring about the threat in his eyes.

Her lips parted in a harsh smile, “You already did.”

Harvey’s chest heaved and it looked as though his teeth were in danger of cracking with how hard he was clenching them together. The darkening of his eyes sent a lick of heat to her core, and that connection between them just angered her even more.

She hated that she wanted him, even still. Hated his stupid fucking face, and his hands, and that mouth-

A horn honked behind them; Harvey’s mustang was pulled up to the curb.

His eyes shut for a brief moment, and when he opened them again, whatever had been flickering there was gone; that same cold shell back in place.

Donna went to the car, blitzing past the valet as she yanked the passenger door open and dropped into the seat. She stared straight ahead as Harvey got in. As he shifted the gears. As the city began to move around them.

Harvey didn’t stop until they were at his building. She didn’t know what to make of that. In hindsight, he’d been hard pressed to let her stray too far all night, but what the hell did it matter if she went home now?

Chains or not, he had shut her down.

He didn’t want her the way she wanted him, or at the very least, wouldn’t go through with it. There was no reason for her to have to sleep on his couch, further extending the humiliation he’d already caused her.

But a private place to fight? To tell him what an asshole move he’d pulled, knifing Tanner to make a point after fingering her in front of him, sucking her wetness off his hands, making assurances and falling short of them not once, but twice….fuck, maybe some privacy would be a good thing.

He still held her leash, holding it low in a little more subtlety as they entered his building and started their way up through the complex security points.

By the time they reached the final door, opening to the foyer that was entirely too beautiful for such a pain in the ass, Donna had a whole litany of barbs ready to throw from her tongue.

She walked through the entrance and turned on her heel, to see Harvey still in the doorway. He’d dropped her leash.

“There’s food in the fridge. Filtered water in the tap. I’ll be back for you tomorrow.”

Tomorrow ?

“Wait-” she lurched forward, but Harvey shut the door and there was a heavy clanking noise as the locking mechanism slid into place.

Donna pulled the handle. Nothing.

“Hey!” she banged against the thing with her fist, “Harvey! You son of a bitch, open the door!"

There was no visible lock. No way to flip a deadbolt or unhook anything from the wall.

He had an alarm system, she recalled, and that shit had to be digital.

As well as one hell of a fucking safety hazard.

“Harvey!” she yelled, beating the door again.

No response.

He was gone, and she was locked in.

He needed a release before he fucking killed someone.

Harvey’s breaths came in short bursts as he climbed back behind the wheel of his car, well aware that Donna was pissed off and probably making a mess of his apartment upstairs.

Fuck it; that was tomorrow’s problem.

White knuckling the steering wheel, he retrieved his phone and scrolled through several of his unmarked numbers.

He hit one and started the ignition as he brought the cell up to his ear.

It was answered on the third ring.

“If you have plans tonight, you’re going to cancel them,” he instructed, voice strung as tight as his body, “Meet me at the Warehouse.”

The feminine response was effortless and compliant; filled with a slight tremble. Nothing like Donna’s gasping need or her challenging remarks.

“ Yes, Sir ,” it said.

He ended the call.

Chapter Text

Was it possible for bones to be ripped from their sockets if the muscles attached to them grew too tight?

Harvey thought it might be, because his entire body ached with tension as he entered the Warehouse.

It was one of the several properties Jessica owned; a secure building in a discrete location. She had no use for it, but he did.

He had renovated the space for his needs, the coded entrance known only to a select few opened to a single elevator that led to a basement level. He entered it now, jittery from frustration. From the coke. From Donna.

Harvey closed his eyes as he descended, willing all thought of her from his mind so he could focus on what awaited him.

He was like an addict in withdrawal, how badly he needed this, but there was no enthusiasm to what he knew his depravity craved.

The elevator lurched to a stop and this place and what he used it for pressed into him like gravity. He stepped out into a very small and dark foyer; a single door awaiting him. His stomach felt sick as he opened it.

The walls and ceiling and floor were all polished black concrete. The lacquer making what little light there was reflect back like water.

Candles were lit. All four corners of the room held a stand on which the flame sat. That was the only illumination provided. There was no other furniture in the room. No sofa or bed or chair. There was a lone sink and counter along one wall.

Equipment. That’s what filled this space.

A table, dead center, with restraints. Chains mounted to the far wall. A wardrobe containing masks and gags, whips and canes.

A chest of body weights, steel clips, and a variety of tools.

All for his use.

The victim of his perversion was already in place, on her knees before the table without a stitch of clothing on her body. Her back was to him. 

He’d expected this. She was not new to this game and he’d called this one specifically for that reason.

She yearned for the control he wielded, the blood he shed, the pain he inflicted; had a hard time finding satisfaction in any other way.

She had always been able to handle him at his worst.

And tonight he was feeling particularly brutal.

He held himself at bay, forced his breath to come in even pulls. He’d lost control on too many counts tonight, but here, in this room, with this toy so ready to be used…

He went to the counter by the sink and emptied his pockets of his phone and keys. He washed his hands in the sink; washed the remnants of Donna from his skin.

“You remember how to end this?” he confirmed once through gritted teeth, after he’d finished.

The woman was too smart to lift her head or to try and look at him, but her voice trembled when she answered.

“Stop.”

That word was enough. It should have always been enough.

“And if your mouth is occupied?”

She held up a hand, every finger closed into her fist except her pinkie.

Good.

It had happened on occasion that one of those he brought here would need to use it; the word or the hand signal. Everything would end. His hands would leave their bodies, restraints or tools would be removed.

Sometimes they cried. Usually, they wanted to try again.

That, he had no interest in. Once they broke, he knew they would do it again and he’d never had the patience to train a lightweight into what he needed.

The ones that could take it enjoyed what he gave them as he used their bodies to dull the edge he felt he was constantly riding.

And tonight, he was plummeting off a fucking cliff.

Usually, he had patience. Usually he would draw out the suspense, mask his toy, tease and torment them to arousal before ever touching their body.

Tonight, Donna had burned through whatever thread of control he kept his inhibitions wrapped in.

Fuck . He wasn’t supposed to be thinking of her.

“Get up,” he said sharply,” the woman stood but did not attempt to turn.

Harvey ran his eyes over her.

She was lean, he could see her ribs beneath her skin, but her hips were wide and her ass full. Her hair was tied up on top of her head, completely out of his way, as he preferred.

“Place your hands on the table and arch your back.”

Again, his command was obeyed and it was all so fucking simple wasn’t it?

Simon says spread your legs .

Rather than say anything else, he crossed the space between them and with a rough hand between her shoulder blades, Harvey pushed the woman down, until she was completely bent over his table.

He felt the change in her breathing, the anticipation beginning to mingle with the dread of what he might do.

Harvey reached out and grabbed the restraints, cuffing her wrists. The flickering light danced off of her tan skin as she shivered. He left her there, exposed and trapped, and opened the wardrobe.

There were many options at his disposal, but his eyes fell on the cat with its weathered leather strips and he knew exactly how he wanted to start this session.

You only like it when I’m afraid of you right? When I’m scared and trembling and convinced you might kill me? Is that it, master? You want me to beg?

The memory of Donna’s voice was loud in his ear, drowning out all other thought as he moved behind the woman before him. She didn’t matter. He didn’t see her .

He saw red.

Red hair. Red cheeks. Red nails.

You wanted me .

Her lips had been so goddamn soft against his own, her hands so hungry, her body so responsive.

And his had responded right back.

You wanted me .

Harvey brought the whip down with a crack.

Jessica preferred not to be bothered by her staff unless it was an absolute emergency. Louis knew this, yet he’d called her phone three times in the last half hour.

She knew he was at the club tonight, helping Harvey with the girls she’d assigned, and surely if there was an emergency, Harvey would be the one reaching out.

But as her phone went off for a fourth time, she sighed and set down her glass of wine before deciding to answer it.

“Louis-”

“Jessica,” he spouted with frustration, “Finally!

“Calm down,” she said, her tone icy, “You know how I feel about interruptions. What’s going on?”

There was noise in the background, muffled music, then a quieter hum, “Two of the girls are refusing to work now that Harvey’s gone and I tried to tell them that-”

“Wait,” she stopped him, uncrossing her ankles and standing from the sofa she’d been occupying, “What do you mean ‘now that Harvey’s gone’?”

Louis sounded exasperated, “I mean he left me hanging here! The girls found out and they don’t feel safe without him around for backup! You know how easily they get rattled at these events.”

Jessica frowned, “Did he give you a reason for taking off?”

“No. Just a text to keep an eye on the girls,” Louis said, frustration boiling over, “He disappeared with some redheaded pet he brought with him tonight. Haven’t seen him since!”

A surge of anger teased through Jessica’s chest as she pieced the information together.

Donna Paulsen . 

Harvey’s charge had seemed to become some sort of fascination for him.

She’d permitted him to continue to look after the woman, but not at the expense of ignoring her directives.

That would have to be dealt with.

Jeff appeared from the bedroom, where he’d been showering and had a towel draped over his hips. He gave her a questioning look and she held up a finger to silence him, speaking to Louis with a knife-sharp command.

“Get the girls home safely. If they’re scared, they’ll be desert dry and that’s not what these clients are paying for,” she clenched her teeth with annoyance, “I’ll deal with Harvey.”

Jessica ended the call and sat her phone down on the table with her glass of wine. She stared at her reflection shining up at her from the reflective topping. The implication of the situation was concerning, but she hadn’t gotten as far as she had by making rash decisions or overreacting.

“Everything good?” Jeff asked, approaching her.

She felt his hands come to rest on her hips and made a small noise as she nodded.

Things would be perfectly fine, after she spoke with Harvey and learned why he’d disobeyed her.

Then she would rein him back in and remind him who was in charge.

The woman was screaming; the muffled sound echoing off the walls as Harvey brought the whip down again. Again. Again.

The room had grown warm, his shirt was entirely unbuttoned now and he panted as he struck the leather cords down against bare skin.

Another cry answered; her hips bucked.

He’d put a gag on her after the second swing had made her moan. It was flat and long, like a horse’s bit. It pinned her tongue and strained her mouth any time he reached out to pull on it, using the handle that was secured at the back of her head.

Whelps were all down her backside and she’d fallen to her knees a few minutes ago when her legs had given out. Her wrists were still bound by the restraints, pulling her arms up above her head as she whimpered against the gag. Pieces of her hair had come loose from its holding. Arousal glistened on her thighs.

She was a mess, pliable and ready for the taking.

The only problem? His dick wasn’t getting with the fucking program.

Adrenaline pulsed through his veins, driving up his sense of urgency. He needed to fuck or kill or do something to get this goddamn feeling to drain from his body, but no matter how the woman before him whimpered or muttered muffled begs, his dick remained limp and uninterested.

Frustration pooled in his gut.

He’d been hard as a fucking rock earlier that evening, had been thrumming on the edge of explosion when Donna’s wet heat had been rubbing against his-

He threw the whip to the side with an enraged groan and used his hands to haul the woman off the floor.

She yelped when he flipped her around, crossing the chains binding her hands over her neck as he pressed her against the edge of the table. She arched deeply, hard nipples offered like a feast and he attacked them, wrapping his mouth around one with a rough suck before cutting into her skin with his teeth.

A wince trailed off into a feminine moan, her legs shifting as her feet sought purchase on the floor. He let her struggle, scraping teeth over her sternum as his fingers replaced his mouth on her breast, pinching her, rolling the bud, squeezing again.

Her hips bucked, seeking friction and again, he felt nothing. No desire. No need. None of that familiar thickening below his belt.

He could have snapped her spine with how hard he slammed her back against the table, gripping her throat to do so.

Her face was so fucking flushed; sweat beading at her hairline. She gasped around the gag and he wanted badly to fuck her mouth. To make her choke on him and panic as she fought for oxygen that he’d eventually decide to give her.

She’d come before like that, riding the line of passing out before he’d granted her reprieve. He knew her tongue was talented.

The threat of her fear and the promise of his pleasure did nothing to convince his body to cooperate.

“ Fuck ,” he practically screamed and and tightened his hold the woman’s neck.

She pulled against her restraints and she stared at him.

He wondered what she saw on his face.

Harvey reached down between her legs and found her clit with ease, as swollen as it was, and pinched the damn thing in a vice.

She cried around her gag and her fear scented the air. He rutted against her; willed himself to feel something. Anything.

You were into it…you wanted me .

He wanted her .

Harvey broke his own rule and unclamped the tether he’d wrapped around his memory, letting his brain flood with the images of Donna. Of that goddamn dress. Of her bright smile as she strode naked through the sunlight in his kitchen. His collar on her neck. The concern in her eyes when she’d found him in his bathroom. The sleepy lilt to her voice on the phone. His dick in her mouth. Her mouth.

Her fucking mouth.

She’d kissed him with that mouth and for the first time in his entire goddamn life, he’d understood why people craved that connection.

How something that felt so vulnerable and personal could produce a different kind of pleasure and have him ready to fall on his fucking knees for her.

It was the opposite of the control he sought, but everything about Donna made it feel like it was okay for him to let go.

He had once already and she hadn’t flinched. She’d taken control. She’d dressed his wound, put his ass in the shower and tucked him into bed.

She’d held him.

Kept the nightmares in his head at bay.

You wanted me .

He still did. 

And it scared the hell out of him.

The woman beneath him whimpered and Harvey realized that he’d finally gotten hard. His erection was straining against his pants at the memory of his Princess and he’d started rubbing it against the warm weight of the body he was all but straddling.

He could take advantage of her obvious desire. Rip down his zipper and shove his dick inside of her in one easy thrust.

He could close his eyes, pretend it was Donna he was fucking and get the release he so desperately needed.

Maybe he would have done exactly that, if an alert on his phone hadn’t suddenly filled the room with a shrill, repetitious sound.

Harvey’s blood ran cold and panic climbed up his throat. His phone was always silenced when he came here, but for one exception.

His home security system.

Someone had tripped the alarm.

Chapter Text

Holy shit. Even with a suppressor, the gunshot was louder than she’d expected. But the noise was nothing compared to the blaring siren that rang out seconds after Donna had pulled the trigger.

Harvey’s security alarm worked, then.

She moved quickly, knowing that it was only a matter of time before he was made aware of the tripped system.

Reaching into the small hole she’d blasted through the latch-bolt, Donna managed to unhook the lock completely and felt a rush of relief when the door swung open.

Only to find herself in another small room; the tiny foyer that was little more than a fancy box with gray walls, barring her way to freedom. There was a keypad by the door, similar to the one she knew was also on the outside.

Goddamn, he did not make this easy.

Not wanting to risk shooting the gun off again in such a confined space, Donna reached instead for the knife she’d dropped on the floor after it had failed to cut through her collar.

To say she’d been pissed when Harvey had left her locked up in his penthouse would be an understatement. Enrage was more fitting.

She’d beat at the door until her knuckles had started to bleed and her muscles had quivered with exhaustion. Then she’d sank to the ground, gasping to catch her breath and refused with every fiber of her being to succumb to the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes.

Her phone was in her coat pocket, still at the club. So short of managing to find some spare burner phone, she was completely on her own.

She’d thrown Harvey’s tux jacket off of her body, angry at him and herself for the entire evening. Her body throbbed with her rage, with the pent up frustration of the pleasure she’d been denied and the rollercoaster of emotions no other man had ever brought out in her quite so viciously.

She’d tasted blood on her tongue as she bit it and brought her hand to her mouth. Her arm had brushed against her collar and she frantically moved to unhook the damn thing. The leash fell free, but the latch on the collar…

It was an impossible task; either because of her shaky fingers or because Harvey truly hated her and had chosen a device she would not be able to escape from.

She wondered if it required a key.

That thought had taken her from the floor to Harvey’s bedroom and into his walk-in closet, desperately searching for the box he’d pulled the collar out of.

What she’d found instead, was guns. A lot of guns. And knives.

She’d stared at the stash of weapons cased in the back of the closet, lines of pistols and blades to choose from.

Her dress left no room to store anything, so she’d picked one glock and one knife, taking them both back to the living room.

She’d attempted to pry the lock with the knife first. When that hadn’t worked, she’d tried to use the blade to saw through the collar at her neck. Unfortunately, the chance of nicking herself was high, as her hands were still shaking with nerves or adrenaline, and as satisfying as it might be to leave that mess for Harvey to have to deal with, she’d much prefer living.

Now, with the knife once more in her hand, she faced the locked door on the opposite side of the square foyer.

Her eyes scanned it for any possible weak spots and she felt her heart sink when she realized the damn thing was solid metal.

A steel door, with a keycode access. She wondered how much damage cutting through all of the wires would cause. She’d have to find a breaker box first, of course. No way she was putting a knife near an electrical output.

She flipped the blade and used the handle against the wall beside the door.

Solid. Fucking. Metal.

Tears stung her eyes again as Donna once more faced the fact that she was utterly stuck.

The alarm continued to blare.

Something told her the bomb proof glass and the impenetrable walls would keep any neighbors on the lower floors from hearing a single thing. So it was just her alone with that maddening sound.

Fury coursed through the helplessness.

She was a grown ass woman who had flirted with death more times than she could count. She’d held her own against men twice her size and had pulled off the impossible time and time again in Robert’s favor.

She was not just going to sit here and be driven out of her mind because some asshole with an agenda decided she was safer locked up tight for the night while he was out scouring the city.

Fuck that. Fuck him. And fuck that damn alarm!

Running purely on the fumes of her frustration, Donna pulled herself together and marched back into Harvey’s apartment, looking for the source of the wailing noise. A speaker in the center of the room, barely noticeable in the round setting on the ceiling.

She aimed the gun at it and fired. Twice.

The noise lessened as the speaker died and she whirled around to the system box, which she remembered being in the entry hall.

One bullet took care of that and the alarm that had been pulsing through the other speakers in the place fell silent.

The sudden quiet was almost jarring and maybe she had gone out of her mind, because Donna looked around at the pristine jail cell she’d been locked in and aimed the gun once more.

A hole pierced in the nearest art piece, probably worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. She doubted Harvey cared too much about the decor. His liquor, however.

Her heart pounded as she raced back into the living room, across the kitchen to where Harvey’s antique liquor cart held bottle after bottle of name brand whiskeys and wines.

She chose a bottle of Macallan, possibly the very one he’d poured their drinks from a few nights ago and opened the lid, taking a hard swig.

Then she launched it at the shelf of vinyl records, satisfied with the resounding crash that sent fragments of shattered glass skewing all over the floor.

One of the records fell and she hoped it broke, too.

In fact…

She sat the gun on the counter and reached up with both hands, pulling case after case of classics down, letting them crash and fall and crack. She stepped on them in her heels as she grabbed whatever she saw, adding to the growing pile at her feet.

Her fingers had just wrapped around a Miles Davis record when a short beeping made her freeze.

A quick whooshing sound as the keypad door opened around the corner and she didn’t have to guess at who was about to walk through it.

She dropped the vinyl and reached for the gun.

It was lifted and aimed by the time he was in her sights.

Harvey filled the entrance of the living room, breathless and wide-eyed as he took in the surroundings, took in her , with his own gun drawn.

“What the-” She watched his chest heave as he assessed the wreckage before him, the ruination she’d caused to his collections.

His gaze stopped on the weapon in her hand.

“What the hell are you doing?” he demanded, lowering his slightly, “Trying to get yourself shot? I thought someone had broken in here- Put the goddamn gun down!”

Donna stood her ground.

“The only one getting shot tonight is you, if you don’t let me leave,” her voice dripped with venom.

Harvey’s eyes locked onto hers with a fervor that sent chills down her spine. 

Oh, so he was pissed, too? Good .

“If you had the guts to pull that trigger on me, you would have done it already.”

He took a step closer and instilled with a reckless anger, Donna fired a well aimed warning shot into the wall beside him. The bullet embedded itself into the rich paint with a hard thud.

Guess that one wasn’t metal .

“Try me.”

Harvey’s eyes darted to the wall, then back to hers, a dark fury replacing the frantic confusion he’d first worn upon entering.

“You crazy fucking bitch-”

He was charging toward her and Donna stumbled back a step, heel tripping on one of the records in the pile. Harvey caught her before she could fall, knocking the gun from her hand with a hard blow to her wrist and it clattered to the floor.

She lunged after it, but his arm had locked on her waist and he hauled her back.

Donna whirled in his arms and slapped the bastard. 

Right across the cheek.

He released her, stepping back sharply, and if looks could indeed kill…His jaw clenched as his cheek turned red and his eyes were unblinking as they leveled on her.

Donna felt her breath catch at the obvious threat he presented, at the way her anger sparked and coiled too hot for regret to settle in.

She’d kicked at the dog. She dared him to try and bite.

“I want to leave,” she said, fighting to keep the shake from her voice.

“You can’t.” The words were pushed through grit teeth.

Maybe she had a death wish. Or maybe she was just tired of this song and dance, but Donna took a step forward, gaze unwavering, “Watch me.”

She shoved past him, an electric current buzzing through her skin as her shoulder collided with his.

Another step and she was halted by a sudden force against her neck.

The mother fucking collar.

Harvey’s fist had wrapped around the leather and tugged it, hard enough to stop her but not hard enough to choke.

Donna’s muscles locked, like a prey who just realized it had fallen into the trap of its predator.

Harvey shifted behind her. She felt his chest against her shoulder blades; felt his nose brush the very tip of her ear. Heard his slow inhale when he scented her.

She closed her eyes as her traitorous body reacted with the same animalistic awareness that had always flown between them.

“And where the hell do you think you can go that I won’t find you?”

Adrenaline spiked in her blood, coursing so fast that it made her lightheaded, and she wished she could stop the shiver that ran through her body at the thinly veiled threat.

It was made worse by Harvey’s hand slowly moving from the collar, sliding up her neck and into her hair. She expected the fist he made, gripping the locks and using his hold to spin her to face him.

Donna glared at him; at the audacity he possessed to think she owed him any goddamn thing after the way he’d abandoned her, not once, but twice tonight.

She shoved his chest, pulling out of his hold, even though it yanked her hair in the process.

“What are you going to do?” she challenged, “Drag me kicking and screaming back into this fortress against my will?”

He was unfazed by her anger, “If I have to.”

Donna closed the distance between them, seething as she pushed a finger against his chest, “You have no right to dictate a damn thing I do. Whether I go home, or back to Robert’s estate, or to a bar down the street to find someone who will finish what you couldn’t, it’s none of your fucking business!”

Harvey grabbed her arm, yanking her further forward as he glowered, “Don't be stupid-”

“Stupid?” She laughed maniacally, “Why would that be stupid? Because it’s not safe? How about a compromise then-”

Donna tore her arm from his grip but didn’t step back, too heated to care that she was practically yelling in his face at this point, “You give me the key code for the door, then run off to wherever the hell you disappeared to earlier. I'll stick with the bar plan and bring a man back here who isn't worried that I can't handle him!”

Harvey stiffened, and Donna smiled, letting a sickening sweetness lace her words, “But don’t worry, I'll lock the door and be perfectly safe while I fuck him in your bed!”

Forget kicking a dog.

All expression bled from Harvey’s face and what stared back at her from his dark eyes carried the deadly precision of a fucking shark.

Donna swallowed; a rush of sudden apprehension replacing her rage and it stole her courage. But not her pride.

She would not be the one to back down, no matter how badly she trembled as Harvey slowly lifted his hands. Her eyes didn’t break from his as felt his knuckles brush against her chest, gripping the front of her dress.

He pulled sharply and the sound of the sudden rip of the fabric made Donna flinch.

But she didn’t look away.

Harvey peeled the dress apart until the tattered remains fell to her side and his rough palms slipped the straps off of her shoulders, leaving her bare before him.

“Get on your knees.”

At any other moment, it may have embarrassed her; how quickly she obeyed him. But a command given in that voice left no room for dignity. It was a threat and a promise, wrapped up in a graveled tone that suggested she was going to get exactly what she’d wanted from him all evening.

The ruined dress provided a thin cushion for her knees as she dropped to them and Harvey’s hands immediately caught her attention as they moved to his belt.

“I tried to tell you no,” he said as he unbuckled the thing. Donna’s mouth felt dry, watching him pull it loose before unsnapping the button on his pants.

His zipper followed and she was transfixed.

“I want you to remember that,” he made a fist in her hair again, “When you end up regretting this later.”

He pulled his cock free from its constraints and regret was the last thing Donna felt as the thing flexed before her eyes. It was as big as she remembered, as thick as it was long; erect and straining. Perfectly curved, deliciously veined. Precum already beaded at the head.

“Open your mouth.”

He didn’t have to tell her twice.

With one hand in her hair and the other at the base of his erection, Harvey guided his cock past her lips. She moaned as he slid against her tongue, filling her completely, and her eyelids fluttered closed.

God, the taste of him was-

A quick smack against her cheek made Donna’s eyes shoot open. It hadn’t hurt, but it surprised her.

Harvey’s hand was on her chin now, holding her head at an angle, “Eyes on me while I fuck this mouth of yours, Princess.”

Wetness pooled between her legs at the order and she locked her gaze with his, staring up at him unblinking as he continued to push what he could of himself down her throat. He bottomed out with about an inch left and used his grip on her hair to hold her there while her lungs began to burn.

He was choking her, she realized, in some fucked up battle of wills. Like his point would be proven if he could get her to break.

She swallowed around him and he hissed, thrusting sharply. Donna fought back a gag.

“Fuck,” he exhaled, letting her hair go so he could move both of his hands to her cheeks. His thumbs stroked her skin, “You look so perfect like this.”

Donna ran her teeth over him, a warning of her own and Harvey chuckled, pulling out of her enough to allow her a breath. She only managed to gasp one in before he slid homes again and truly started fucking her while he held her in place.

It was rough; every thrust slammed the head of him against the back of her throat and her body struggled not to fight against the loss of air. But he wasn’t holding back and she moaned around him as he began grinding against her lips, gripping her hard, mouth parting as he watched her take him, over and over.

Whatever anger she had left morphed into an unquenchable need and suddenly just tasting him wasn’t enough.

She brought her hands up, tugging frantically at his pants until they were below his ass. She gripped his balls with one hand and used the other to wrap around his cock, stroking what wouldn’t fit between her lips.

Harvey didn’t try to stop her. His brown eyes were half-closed as pleasure seemed to take over his motions, and he actually began to pull her even closer; shoved himself even deeper. She did choke that time, but suppressed the gag as she hollowed her cheeks and started sucking him in earnest.

Harvey cursed and ripped away from her.

Donna barely had time to let out a cry of protest before he’d pulled her up in his arms and was hauling her across the room. Her hips met the sofa and rough hands bent her over the arm of it, arching her back so that her ass was in the air.

“Don’t you fucking move,” Harvey demanded as she shifted impatiently on her feet. She’d lost her heels at some point.

There was a rustling sound as Harvey stripped his clothes, his shirt landing on the floor right within her line of sight, followed by his pants. Knowing he was naked behind her made Donna whimper with need and she wondered if he was going to fuck her right here, just like this.

A loud SMACK echoed through the room, followed by a sharp stinging pain against her asscheek.

She jerked in discomfort and surprise, realizing he must have struck her with his belt just as another hit made impact.

She cried out that time, unable to stop the noise any more than she could stop her eyes from filling with automatic tears.

“Harve-”

“Shhh,” his hand replaced the leather, soothing over what would no doubt be whelps on her skin, “That’s just two. How many do you think you deserve for what you’ve done to my things?”

His things? Oh. Right .

“Next time, don’t lock me in,” she bit out, voice a bit hoarse from the throat fucking she’d received. 

Her answer was another pop with the belt. She yelped, but the pain was once more soothed by Harvey’s touch.

“That mouth of yours drive me fucking insane,” he murmured, and his palm dragged down from her cheek to her pussy.

Donna could have cried from relief when his fingers stroked her core, finding a mess of desire.

“Goddamn, you’re wet ,” he said, sounding a bit breathless at the revelation. He sank two fingers inside of her while his thumb rolled over her clit.

“Harvey,” her back arched further, a shameless beg for more.

She felt him lean over her, his teeth nipping at her shoulder before his voice reached her ear.

“My name is the only word you’ll remember when I’m through with you.”

Her knees threatened to buckle at the promise and another whimper escaped her.

“Harvey, please…”

Another tease of his teeth, “Please what, Princess?”

Oh, god damn him. He knew exactly what she wanted. What he’d been denying her all damn evening.

“ Fuck me.”

It was more of a demand than it was an answer to his question and Harvey’s breath tickled her neck as he chuckled.

“I only fuck girls who behave for me.”

He bit her then, sinking his teeth into the skin of her shoulder and Donna’s cry was drowned out by the sloshy noise of his fingers thrusting in and out of her pussy.

God, he flirted hard with that line of pleasure and pain, holding the precarious balance of making sure one did not overwhelm the other.

Her body shuddered involuntarily, the orgasm she’d been teased with all night rearing up again.

As if he sensed it, Harvey withdrew from her; his mouth first, followed by his fingers, which made a slow drag out of her core, until the pads of his fingers were teasing the edge of her wet entrance.

She groaned at the loss, but the noise turned into a wince when those fingers trailed up and pressed against her other hole, rubbing her slickness over it.

Harvey didn’t give her a reprieve before pushing on, breaking whatever resistance her ass offered until two fingers were buried knuckled deep.

“ Fuck ,” she grit, “Harvey-”

“So fucking tight,” he praised, withdrawing slightly then thrusting back in.

Donna sobbed a wordless plea at the sensation that both burned and spurred her arousal to new heights.

She’d experimented with anal play in the past, both with partners and in self pleasure, but never without lube, and never while this achingly sensitive to every damn touch.

“You’re clenching so much,” he said, “I knew you’d need to be prepared.”

Wild panic seized her at the thought of Harvey fucking her ass. No…no way. He wouldn’t fit. He’d rip her apart if he even tried-

Apparently sensing the tension that had filled her, Harvey slowed his motions and withdrew his fingers.

“It won’t be my dick inside of you,” he appeased her, “Not yet. I think you need to make up for the mess you caused first.”

He shifted. There were a few small sounds. She felt something hard and cold press against the slickened entrance of her ass.

“You were the one who wanted to play with guns, Princess,” He forced the tip past the first ring of muscle, and Donna froze, “Now it’s my turn.”

No. He hadn’t. He wouldn’t-

She gasped as he filled her with the barrel of his gun, her ass stretching around the much thicker intrusion as fear spiked her blood and her entire body began to shake.

A gun.

Harvey was fucking her with his gun .

Her body pulled away on instinct, fighting against the hold Harvey had on her to stand straight.

“Careful,” he warned, “You wouldn’t want to make me accidentally pull the trigger.”

The thought terrified her. Crippled her movements with a new spark of horror.

Which was quickly followed by irritation as she realized that was his plan. Her fear was what he wanted, what she knew he got off to.

That was her punishment.

“Tell me to stop and I will,” he promised.

When she remained silent, determined to win this battle of wills he’d trapped her in, he brought his hand down against her asscheek. The loud smack sounded incredibly similar to a gunshot when one is half expecting a weapon to discharge and a scream slipped past her lips.

It was replaced by a moan, however, when Harvey reached down and began rubbing her pussy with skilled strokes, all the while keeping up his thrusts with the gun.

She wasn’t sure what the final straw was. Whether it was the perfect pressure on her clit, the stimulation to her ass, or the fear of knowing it was a deadly weapon that was causing it, but Donna felt her orgasm rush back up.

Her muscles clenched, a stuttering cry ripped up her throat, and this time Harvey didn’t stop.

She exploded and her vision blurred with the force of the release. The effect of being edged all night, meeting with heightened pleasure and Harvey’s voice, softer now, murmuring a quiet: 

“That’s it, Princess. Fuck, that’s it. Come for me.”

The tremors had yet to subside and she was still floating outside her body in some otherworldly plane when Harvey removed both his fingers and the gun.

The room spun as he turned her, flipping her over the arm of the sofa until she was on her back against the cushions and he was on his knees in front of her, dragging her forward.

His gaze held hers as he looped her leg over his shoulder and his mouth replaced his hand on her pussy, throwing her back into waves of pleasure as he sucked and licked and teased her to another climax.

Right as she fell apart, he bit her, holding her clit between his teeth with a slicing pain that had her arching off of the couch, sobs falling incomprehensibly from her lips. Long laps of his tongue soothed the sting, then he sucked her again, making her convulse as the overly sensitive bud recoiled from the attention he lavished on it.

It was too much and, fuck, it was nowhere near enough.

She completely slumped as he released her with a pop, seeming satisfied that he’d wrung every last quiver from her body.

Donna peered at him through hooded eyes and was at a loss for words to describe all the things she felt in that moment. Harvey’s expression had changed; something close to affection replacing the coldness he’d worn before.

Her leg slipped from his shoulder and he reached out, wrapping his arms around her waist to pull her down.

Donna slid from the couch, falling into Harvey as she straddled his lap while he sat, still on his knees. Her core brushed his erection, which was hard as stone and he adjusted her arms to loop around his neck.

They were so close now, closer than they’d been since the club, and she could see the remnants of her desire glistening on his chin.

Harvey moved first, tipping his head forward until their lips brushed together, the action careful at first, then bolder.

Donna sighed, giving herself up completely as he kissed her and the flavor of her arousal assaulted her tongue when Harvey pushed his into her mouth.

She unbent her legs, wrapping them around his hips, seating herself against his cock and Harvey shifted them, letting her fall back against the floor until she was flat on her back and he hovered over her.

Their lips parted then and Harvey’s eyes landed on hers with an unexpected openness. The look on his face melted her, had her lifting her hand to his cheek as his dipped between them to grab his erection.

Donna bit her lip as she felt the head of him at her entrance. He stroked her, lubing himself with her juices while also slickening her further with his precum. It was needed, too, because the moment he pressed forward, Donna felt resistance.

She’d taken bigger men before, but this …

Harvey’s cock-head stretched her as far as she could be stretched and that was just the start of him.

“Oh god,” she panted as he stuffed more of his length inside of her, forcing it to fit.

It was tight . Impossible. Her muscles protested the intrusion and her nails pierced the sides of Harvey’s neck as he speared her slowly.

His arm tightened on her waist, lifting her hips slightly, then…they both cried out when he slid further in, her body finally caving to the force of his penetration.

Donna moaned deeply, her head falling back and he continued with shallow snaps of his hips, working himself inside of her bit by bit.

“Harvey…Harvey, fuck, baby, please-” Her hands squeezed his neck, eyes squeezing shut.

“Shh, it'll be alright, Princess,” he murmured against her temple, “It'll fit. I'll make it fit.”

Another snap of his hips proved him right, taking him deeper and stretching her painfully wider.

“Goddamn, you were made for this,” he breathed into her ear, pulling back to thrust again; his teeth scraped her neck, “You were made for me. Look how good you’re taking me. All of me. Every. Fucking. Inch-”

He rammed up into her with each drawn out word, finding space that didn’t exist, stretching her, filling her, taking root inside her.

By the time Harvey was able to move unencumbered, Donna was already on the edge again. His experimental thrusts quickly became a rougher pounding that she felt in every part of her body.

His mouth reconnected with hers in a hungry fervor, and when she shattered this time, she wasn’t sure she was going to be the same when she came back together.

Chapter Text

Harvey preferred killing over torture.

Killing was quick. Easy. Less messy. It required little thought outside of arranging the right time and place. And of course either disposing or staging the body.

Torture required planning. Careful action to be carried out precisely. One had to be completely present. There was a line that had to be walked to keep the victim alive while also succumbing them to pain they needed to believe was worse than death. A balance beam with a shit ton of mental focus.

Sex had often felt like murder.

Quick. Easy. Requiring little thought outside of arranging the right time and place.

More than that, though, it got him out of his head and focused purely on the physical. He was in complete control and what mess there was could easily be contained. A mindless task for a simple goal.

Fucking Donna was more like torture.

He’d lost track of how many times she’d cum while he took her body in every way that pleased him. He had her on her stomach now, back arching her ass up as he pistoned into the tightest pussy he’d had in years.

She felt like fucking heaven; gripping him to the point that it was nearly painful and though she still held herself up on her elbows, her body was limp; just taking him as he pounded her.

Any other night, any other body beneath him, he would have found his end. He would have had no desire to drag it out and biology was biology after all.

But whatever shit was fucked up in his head seemed to be running the reins tonight, because no matter how perfect Donna felt around him; no matter how hard he drove himself into her or what position he bent her in, his climax eluded him.

And it was pissing him off.

He groaned as a whimper escaped Donna after a particularly deep thrust; the sound the first she’d made in the past several minutes.

“Fuck,” he hissed and the hand he gripped her shoulder with tightened.

She’d wrecked his house. She’d threatened to go fuck another man. She’d shot at him. For all those reasons and a million others, he wanted nothing more than to just fuck them both into oblivion. To imprint himself so permanently onto her that she would think of him every time she moved.

And he had.

Now, he was being too rough with her. He knew she couldn’t be comfortable and with the way her pussy was pulsing, the damn thing was going to be swollen and aching by the time he’d finished with it.

But it was as if his head and his body were not wanting to play together. His goddamn dick had decided to only get hard for her but his head wouldn’t let him release without a trigger; and Donna wasn’t afraid.

And even if she was in pain, which he was starting to think she must be, she hadn’t once tried to tap out or even voice discomfort.

Stubborn fucking woman.

Harvey yanked the collar at her neck, lifting her by it and a rushed exhale was her only response as her back met his chest with a hard thud. He thrusted up, holding himself as deeply within her as he could and though her walls still squeezed him like a vice, she wasn’t as slick as she was over half an hour ago, when he’d first brought her into his bedroom.

He pressed his face against her neck, breathing her in as he remained buried to the hilt. Donna’s head lolled to the side, either to give him more access or because she lacked the strength to hold it up, he wasn’t sure.

But what he was sure about was that he wasn’t getting off this way.

As much as the admission felt like defeat and as much as his dick protested the separation, Harvey withdrew himself from Donna’s body, feeling suctioned by her the entire pull out.

They both shivered when he was completely withdrawn and Donna’s weight sagged back against him. Harvey rested his forehead on her shoulder for half a second, then released her, moving to the edge of the bed.

Donna shifted behind him as he tossed his legs over the edge and hunched over; forearms laying on his thighs. He ran his hands through his hair, a huff of frustration leaving him as embarrassment took its place.

God, what he wouldn’t give to be fucking normal for one goddamn night.

The mattress dipped as Donna quietly turned against it. He wondered if she would want to leave now. There was no reason she wouldn’t. She’d gotten what she wanted from him, after all, hadn’t she? He could call a driver, have them take her back to Robert’s estate, or maybe she’d be willing to-

A warm hand came to rest on his shoulder and Harvey jolted at the contact. It eased, but didn’t move.

“Hey,” Donna’s voice was thick, but gentle, and closer than he expected. Another shift and he felt her press against him, the soft curves of her breasts between his shoulder blades, “Everything okay?”

He wasn’t sure how to answer her. Blood colored his face as he tried and failed to think of a way to explain whatever the hell was happening to his body.

Soft lips dropped a kiss to his shoulder, then another at his nape. Her hands moved, sliding down his back and his spine arched into her touch like a damn cat. Her palms drifted over his ribs, locking around his chest, and she held him.

“Harvey, baby, talk to me,” she murmured against his neck, “What do you need?”

What do you need?

No one had ever asked him that before. At least, not like this. Not in this context. And he had no fucking answer to give her.

His head shook, words failing and his hand came up to hers where they were clasped against his pecs. He squeezed her fists, his eyes falling shut with shame.

The silence spread for a moment, Donna stilling.

Then she hummed against his skin; a small sound, an acknowledgement of something he didn’t entirely understand, and she let go of him.

Harvey immediately missed her grip, his own hand floundered for hers as his eyes opened, not wanting her to pull away, to leave, to-

Oh, fuck .

One of Donna’s palms had slid down his stomach and taken hold of his half-hard erection. At her touch, the thing came to life and was standing at full attention within seconds. He felt her smile and his weight dropped back against her as she pumped him at a painfully slow pace.

“I love how you feel in my hand,” she said in a hushed tone, the words brushing his ear as her teeth grazed the lobe, “Look. My fingers can’t even wrap around you.”

He followed her command without thought, eyes dropping to where she stroked him and sure enough, he overflowed her grip, making her hand appear daintier than he knew it was.

The air in his lungs felt trapped as he watched her glide up and down his shaft and fuck, if that didn’t start sparking pleasure through his body. He groaned that pleasure as she swiveled her thumb over the head of him, which was starting to form a dewdrop of pre-cum at the slit.

Donna kissed his neck and pulled at his skin slightly with her teeth; melting him further against her.

Two more teasing strokes and she released him and now he was the one that was nearly whimpering.

“Come here,” she tugged at him, trying to turn him.

Harvey complied, letting her urging hands guide him back onto the bed and Donna’s hands moved to his shoulders, pushing him back against the headboard. In the same motion, she swung her leg up and over him, straddling his lap.

Her gaze locked with his desire and determination clouding a look of complete control as she reached between them and took hold of his erection.

He exhaled slowly as she parted her folds with the head of him and carefully sank down onto his length, inch by inch.

Her eyelids fluttered for a moment as she adjusted, but her body accepted him much easier now than it had when they had first started and Harvey shifted his hips, trying to help her get seated.

“Don’t,” Donna said breathlessly, eyes finding his again as one of her hands left his shoulder to cup his face, “Let me do this.”

He swallowed, “I have to-”

“All you have to do is enjoy it.”

Mindlessness. That’s what he found easiest about killing. What he liked best about the bodies he fucked to take the edge off.

And it’s what Donna gave him now; just like she’d given it to him the night his past had haunted his dreams and he’d felt like he was losing his grip on reality. She’d ordered him around then just as confident and unwavering as she did now and like that night, he was powerless to resist her.

“ Fuck , Princess,” he muttered when she rolled her hips, a slow drag that ran up his entire length.

Donna’s arms looped around his neck, pulling their chests flush together as she began to ride him and she sought his mouth with a renewed vigor. Harvey lifted his face for her kiss, craving the taste of her, the connection that he felt when her tongue goaded his that had nothing to do with sex and everything to do with the woman in his arms.

She held him as she kissed him, her fingers scratching against his scalp in comforting strokes, thumb rubbing the shell of his ear, palms cupping his jaw. Her hands were everywhere, drawing him in, closer, more, so much more.

His breath was drawn straight from her lungs and his confidence with his kiss grew as Donna mewled at the feeling of his tongue dipping past her lips.

Fuck, he could kiss her forever. Could draw those sweet sounds from her and bury himself in her warm embrace until death finally came for him.

Despite Donna’s urging for him to just relax and enjoy, Harvey found his hips moving to meet her. She allowed it; rocked back against him at a quicker pace and finally, goddamn finally…a build of tension spiraled from his balls and through his shaft, tightening his muscles and spurring him into sharper thrusts.

Donna wrapped her legs around his waist, letting him take over and Harvey followed the momentum, turning them until she was once more under his body, until they were completely pinned together, wrapped in each other and his hips snapped over and over, burrowing his dick inside of her as his orgasm finally tore past whatever mental block had been holding it hostage.

Her purr of pleasure was his final undoing and he felt the way she grew wetter as his kiss became desperate and he held her so firmly against his body that their thrusts became more of a grind. Her heel dug into his ass, her arms had a death grip around his neck, and he moaned into her mouth as his climax hit, rushing over them both.

His entire body shivered as he coated her insides and at some point his lips lost contact with hers, but Donna held him to her, their foreheads pressed together as the waves of pleasure ran through him.

His body slumped with exhaustion and Donna’s legs slid from his waist to tangle with his own.

She peppered kisses on his nose as her foot stroked his calf. She kissed below his eyes. Over his cheekbones. His jaw. His lips.

Harvey nuzzled back against her, basking in the weightlessness of his body, of the solid pressure she provided beneath him, and his head fell into the crook of her neck. He breathed her in, eyes falling shut, and Donna continued her shower of affection, running her knuckles over his cheek as she rested her lips against his forehead.

He couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. He felt like he had been set afloat; released from the confines of his body, and Donna’s soft touches were bringing him back.

But then she shifted her hips and he realized he was still inside of her.

With a great effort, he withdrew, sliding his dick free and the thing finally seemed spent, hanging limp and wet between them. Donna didn’t seem to mind, rolling into him so that he was forced onto his side and they were face to face, still locked in each other’s embrace.

He fought the strangest urge to hide from her searching stare, worried about what she might find if she looked at him too closely, because sure as shit, he felt ripped open and put on full display.

But her eyes held none of the pity or the judgment he feared. Instead, she smiled, looking quite proud, and let her hand come to rest against the side of his neck.

“You’re going to have to carry me to the shower,” she said, the words light despite being a warning, “I don’t think my legs work anymore.”

The teasing lilt of her voice eased whatever wariness remained in him and Harvey found himself laughing quietly at the comment.

“Who says we’re moving?”

Donna moved impossibly closer and ran the length of her nose along his jaw, “As fun as sleeping with your cum dripping out of me sounds, hygiene is important. We need to shower. And drink water. A lot of water. Maybe find food, too.”

He arched a brow, “Anything else, Princess?”

She shrugged, “If we lay here too much longer, we’ll also need to change your sheets before we sleep in them.”

He knew she was teasing him, but the statement drew Harvey up short, ran relief through his veins that he hadn’t realized he’d needed.

“You’ll stay?”

Donna blinked, “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

He nodded, “It is. But you weren’t so amenable to that plan earlier.”

“Yeah, well,” she rolled and stretched, nipples going taut as her back arched, “An hour of getting fucked that good can change a girl’s mind.”

Pride and something altogether tender settled in Harvey’s heart as she turned her head and smiled at him.

Their fight. The gun. The way he’d pissed her off. The mess that she’d made of his shit. None of it really mattered anymore.

“I guess a shower wouldn’t hurt then,” he agreed and pulled Donna into his arms before rolling to stand up.

The warm water was a balm for the tightness his muscles were trying to coil with, thanks to the exertion he’d just put them through, but for Donna, it seemed to be something else entirely.

She moaned when he sat her back on her feet beneath the spray and true to her word, her legs had wobbled when the weight was added back. He’d grabbed her, half worried she’d topple over, and she laughed in a way that sounded beautiful and free.

“Oh, shit. You broke me,” she said between giggles, clinging to his neck and Harvey smirked, “That’s what you get for threatening to fuck another man in my bed.”

Her answering smile was only a tad sheepish, but she didn’t deny his accusation, “I wouldn’t have had to consider alternatives if you would have finished what you started at the club in the first place, instead of leaving me here alone.”

“I shouldn’t have left you alone,” He could admit that much now, “But we couldn’t have done all of this at the club.”

Not with the lack of privacy and the expectations of work. Not with the jealousy that had run rampant through his blood at the way Tanner had been panting all over her.

Not with how unsettling his desire for her had been; without pain or fear or any other negative connotation.

For once in his entire goddamn life, he’d been able to have sex that just felt good .

His grip on Donna tightened.

“Probably best that we didn’t,” she said in agreement with his statement, “Especially that bit with the gun.”

She lifted a brow, a partial accusation, and Harvey answered with a smile, “You would have cum on it either way.”

The response made her blush and her gaze drifted down to his lips before flickering back up to his eyes, “You could have warned me.”

“You could have behaved.”

Goddamn that fire in her stare never ceased to flare his own. Only instead of the anger or argument it usually goaded, there was nothing but desire and heat reflecting back at him.

“Oh I think I behaved very well,” she said, sidling up closer as her words taunted him.

Harvey took advantage of the proximity and recaptured her lips, effectively halting whatever else she’d been planning to say.

Donna sighed contently, leaning into him, and he drew her up in his arms. She felt so small and light compared to his own strength and knowing that she was placing all of her trust and her literal life in his hands was as humbling as it was incredulous.

He’d meant what he’d told her in the car after they’d gone shopping for her dress. She was a rare source of light in the otherwise dark space they operated in. She worked for Robert out of love, not just loyalty and she was as kind and compassionate as she was smart and quick witted.

Her affection for her family. Robert. Rachel. Her care for him despite having no obligation…

She was too good for this shit. Too good for their world.

And she was here, kissing him, accepting him, having no idea what kind of blood soaked the hands she had let run all over her body.

He should be on his knees, worshiping her for the boon she’d thrown him. He settled on worshiping her mouth instead; unfairly seeking the goodness of her, the comfort she offered that was warmer than anything he’d ever felt.

His body moved on instinct, backing them up until he had her pinned against the wall and while one arm stayed wrapped around her waist, holding her to him, the other ran up her back to get lost in her hair.

He bumped against her collar on the way, the thing still resting at the base of her throat and he pulled away slightly, fingering it.

“I guess we could take this off now.”

Donna blinked water from her lashes and confusion pinched her brows. Harvey tugged the collar lightly, bringing it to her attention and her eyes flickered down.

“Oh. Right.”

She brought her hands up to her hair, lifting the red strands away from her neck so he could locate and work the clasp. It was secured well and it took a moment of fumbling to completely unhook it.

Donna dropped her hair and moved a hand to her neck when the leather fell away. There was redness where it had rubbed against her skin and Harvey tossed the thing out of the shower before covering her hand with his own on her neck.

“It was a good look on you.”

She smirked, holding lightly onto his wrist, “Maybe I can wear it for you again sometime.”

The offer and all that it insinuated made Harvey tense. 

Sometime...would they have another time to be together like this?

He cupped Donna’s jaw and as he brought her mouth back to his, panic gripped him.

They were running out of time.

And he had no idea how the hell he was going to let her go.

Chapter Text

Harvey’s shirt hung loose on her frame as Donna filled a glass of water at the sink. She’d plucked it from the floor to cover her bare skin and had haphazardly donned a few buttons before walking over to the kitchen.

Well, walking as well as she was able.

She tiptoed around the mess she had made, the shards of broken glass and classic records. Given the turn of events, she couldn’t quite bring herself to feel bad about her actions; though Harvey’s thorough use of her body may have been some sort of punishment, since every step had her fighting back a wince.

God, she hadn’t had sex like that in…hell…probably ever. And her body was certainly making it known.

She sipped on the water as she crossed the threshold back into Harvey’s bedroom and a slight breeze caught her attention, as did the aroma that permeated it.

There was a balcony outside of his room, she realized, and one of the glass panels was actually a door. Harvey was out there, his dark frame silhouetted by the city lights and smoke billowed from the lit joint he had pressed between his lips.

Donna closed the distance, stepping out onto the balcony and after an exhale, Harvey turned his head toward her.

“Water?” she offered.

He nodded and took the glass before holding the joint out toward her. She wasn’t big on smoking; she much preferred wine as a way of winding down after a long day, but she could chalk this up as medicinal, considering all the soreness she was experiencing.

Donna took a slow inhale and swallowed back a cough as the smoke filled her lungs. Harvey smirked at her and set the glass of water down on a small patio table. There were a few furniture pieces out on the balcony. The table, a chaise lounge, a chair, a wicker ottoman and a storage chest.

He moved, dropping down onto the chaise and she watched as he spread his body out, getting comfortable before patting his lap. Wordlessly, Donna went to him, passing the joint back as she took a seat.

They settled together easily, as if they’d done this a million times. She fit perfectly against his chest and his shoulder provided support for her head. Their legs tangled together as they stretched them and Harvey relaxed his head back against the lounge cushion. He wrapped his arm loosely around her and took another hit off the hand-rolled. The lit end blazed orange, flickering its illumination against the angles of his face; the hollows of his cheeks more prominent as he sucked.

After a deep intake, he touched Donna’s chin with his thumb, tilting it up for his lips. She let him slot himself over her, but rather than kiss her, he exhaled the smoke into her mouth, shotgun style.

The burn was less harsh that way and she felt lightheaded for reasons that had nothing to do with the marijuana he was breathing into her. He ended the transference with a soft peck and the smoke lingered between them when Donna released her breath; heady and thick.

She wasn’t sure how long they laid there together, listening to the distant sounds of Manhattan’s night life as they traded breaths and caresses, but eventually Donna felt the effects of the drug…or maybe it was just the effect of the man holding her.

Her body had gone heavy, the discomfort subsiding and every ounce of her attention was caught on Harvey’s fingers, trailing lightly over the places her skin was exposed. She began to do the same to him; relishing the fact that he’d only thrown on a pair of joggers after their shower and that his entire torso was on display for her viewing pleasure.

Donna shifted slightly, tracing patterns along the toned muscle of his abdomen, feeling the warmth radiate from his skin. Harvey had nestled his chin atop her head and his breath tickled.

“Penny for your thoughts,” he murmured after a moment of silence had passed; well, as silent as the city ever was.

She smiled, “I usually charge more, but I guess I can make an exception.”

He snorted against her scalp and Donna closed her eyes before answering his question.

“I feel like I’m dreaming. Like everything’s so…far away. Like we could stay here forever.”

The contracts. The dangers. The jobs. The rules. None of it could reach her, way up here, hidden in Harvey’s embrace.

He rubbed her arm with gentle strokes and let his fingers drift up to her neck and down again, dipping into the fine lines of her collarbones, sending a tremble down her spine.

“I could think of worse things,” he admitted quietly and Donna’s lids peeled open.

She tilted her head up to look at him and Harvey stared back with hooded eyes. There were a million things in those brown pools that she couldn’t place but settled in her heart all the same. She could drown in the depths of him and while that should terrify her, all she felt was an eerie sense of calm .

And maybe it was just the weed, but she got the impression that whatever the drive was behind that feeling…Harvey felt it, too.

She stared at his face, taking in all the nuances and details that she hadn’t previously had the ability to study.

He was shaven, but a subtle shadow on his jaw hinted at the capability of a full beard. There was a hint of circles under his eyes and she would guess he didn’t usually sleep much, especially if he was prone to night terrors.

The reminder tugged her eyes up to the faded mark on his forehead, where he’d used it to shatter his mirror. The scrape left behind was hardly noticeable now, in the low light of night, but the haunted look that had followed the incident was burned into her mind.

Donna wondered how long it would be until those demons came for him. How long he could fight them back; because sure as hell, he was warring against something . And knowing that should be enough for her survival instincts to send her running, but all she wanted was to pull him close, as she had the other night, and shield him from whatever it was.

Maybe she was out of her mind. Or maybe it was the layers of Harvey that she kept digging into, wanting to know more and more of what made this enigma of a man the way he was.

Because he truly was unlike anyone she’d ever met.

“Keep undressing me with those eyes, Princess, and we’re gonna have to go again,” he warned.

Donna chuckled, the comment pulling her back into the moment.

“Please, you’re barely dressed as is and I’ll be lucky if I can even move tomorrow.”

Far from apologetic, Harvey just smirked, pulling her so that she rolled onto her stomach, practically on top of him. She propped herself up against his chest.

“Not a bad view though,” she conceded, admiring the swells of his pecs that stretched up toward his neck.

His skin was marred a bit with marks from her, new and old; her barely there bite mark from the other day was still noticeable.

Harvey let her drink up her fill of him, not protesting as her fingers trailed over his chest and further down. She sat up, straddling him and continued to explore the crevices of his body. She lingered on a scar along his ribcage.

“Something tells me you didn’t get this falling off your bike as a kid.”

His gaze remained on her face, expression unchanging, “No, I didn’t.”

She traced the raised edges, “Knife?”

“Brass knuckles,” he corrected, “They were spiked.”

Donna’s eyes widened before she could control her reaction and Harvey’s lip curved, “Wasn’t exactly a fair fight.”

She swallowed and nodded, moving on to the next scar, this one further down and off to the side of his navel, “And this one?”

“Bullet grazed me. Guy got a lucky shot.”

Somehow she didn’t think his aggressor was the lucky one in that scenario, but she didn’t say as much.

“What about these?” There were two identical faded marks on both his arms, stretching over the biceps, just above the crease of his elbows.

She went to touch one and Harvey grabbed her hand. She paused her movement and he tapped her knuckles, where her own skin was still raw and slightly torn from where she’d been beating on his door earlier that night.

“You’ve heard the story about what curiosity does to the cat, right?”

Donna rolled her eyes, “Oh, come on. We had sex. This officially counts as a third date. I’m allowed some questions.”

The reminder of their little game made his lip twitch and Harvey nodded, “Alright. But fair’s fair. You get one, I get one. And it’s my turn.”

She gave him that, “Ask your question, then.”

It didn’t come right away. Harvey crooked his head, eyes running over her entire face as he contemplated the first inquiry and Donna waited with anticipation.

When he spoke, his request wasn’t what she expected.

“Tell me something real.”

Donna’s brows pulled together, “Real?”

He nodded.

“You put on these masks, play these roles, and you’re one hell of an actress…but I want to know something about you that’s real, something no one else knows,” his hands settled on her lower back, dragging her closer, “Other than how good my name sounds coming out of your mouth when you cum.”

Donna blushed, but didn’t take the bait he so clearly laid out.

With faux seriousness, but complete honesty, she said, “I’m terrified of puppets. Specifically marionettes, but they all give me the creeps.”

Harvey blinked, his teasing expression fading to bewilderment and Donna laughed.

“What? I’ve never told anybody else, so it counts!”

His lips pursed as he fought back a smile, “Puppets?”

“Yes, they freak me out,” she admitted, “Now stop judging. It’s my turn.”

Harvey chuckled quietly, but nodded, “Alright, Miss Semantics. What do you want to know?”

Donna intended to be funny. To demand his favorite color or to ask the if-you-were-stuck-on-an-island question, but the challenge in his eyes stole her train of thought, blanking her mind out until all she could consider was how he was readying for whatever she was about to throw at him.

How despite her list of casual hookups or past flings, she’d never felt a single connection with another person the way she did with Harvey and she truly felt like she could ask him anything and he would give her an honest answer.

“What scares you ?” his eyes pulled the question from her and he blinked rapidly as he processed it.

“I don’t mean silly phobias or spiders or whatever,” she added, closing the loophole she’d just taken advantage of, “Something real .”

Harvey stiffened, and the stillness that trickled between them was more than just a weighted silence. Donna held her breath, partially wishing she could take the words back as she watched a myriad of emotions flicker across his face.

Maybe she’d been wrong and had pushed too hard, too deep, too fast. A stab of regret prodded her chest. But Harvey exhaled before she could open her mouth to ask something else, and his features seemed to settle on resignation.

“Confinement,” he said, his voice quiet but steady, “Feeling trapped…restrained….”

The way his eyes had clouded told Donna exactly how real of a fear that was for him and all of her instincts started to scream at her about why that may be the case. She shut them down, refusing to analyze a guarded truth he was willingly sharing with her.

“If I’m tied up…I can’t breathe,” Harvey continued, and his gaze fixed on some distant point beyond her shoulder, as if he were slipping into a different place all together and his breath hitched slightly, echoing his words.

Tied up .

Donna’s eyes dropped back down to those twin marks on his arms and her heart sank with realization.

“Someone did that to you.” It wasn’t exactly a question, but his eyes flared, finding hers again.

His jaw flexed and she felt his hands make a fist at her waist, “That’s two questions, Princess. Play by the rules or we won’t play at all.”

The change in his tone wasn’t lost on her, the harsher edge to mask whatever vulnerability had escaped him in the moment.

Donna just nodded, “Your turn, then.”

Harvey had lost whatever amusement had saturated his expression before and that predatory glint returned.

“Would you have really went looking for someone else to fuck tonight? If I hadn’t come home.”

The question threw her off and Donna took a moment to consider it. With how geared up she’d been…

“I don’t know,” she told him, letting her nails trickle over the hair on his chest as she imagined the night playing out differently, “If I’d been able to leave, I think I was mad enough that I would have just wanted to go home. But you did have me on edge half the night, and I never claimed to be a saint…so if a good enough opportunity had presented itself, I can’t say I would have turned it down.”

Harvey’s expression flickered, something she recognized flashing across his face before it smoothed.

“You have a problem with that,” she guessed.

His stare was loaded, “I shouldn’t.”

“But you do.”

There was no confirmation or denial, but Donna was sure of it, so she threw him a boon, “You know, that comment I made about screwing a guy in your bed was mostly just to get under your skin.”

“Well, it fucking worked.”

She bit back a giggle at his moody tone. The defeat in the answer. After all, she’d felt the same way at the club, earlier that evening.

“It’s okay,” she assured him, “I wasn’t exactly thrilled when that blonde bunny bitch was offering to ‘take care’ of you.”

The reminder brought a reluctant smile to Harvey’s mouth, “No, you weren’t…but I wouldn’t have fucked her either way.”

Her face scrunched, “Not into cottontails?”

Harvey grabbed her hand as it lingered near his navel and used it to tug her down, “I prefer claws.”

Donna didn’t bother catching herself as she dropped against his chest, letting their bodies lay flush as her face hovered above his.

Harvey laced their fingers together and she readied her next question; one that had been burning in the back of her head since they’d left La Lune Rouge.

“At the club, when we…” Donna swallowed, “You stopped it. You said I wasn’t capable of giving you what you wanted.” The words hadn’t quite lost their sting, even after all the things they’d just done, but she had to know- “Were you just being a dick, or is that really why you stopped?”

Rather than answer right away, Harvey brought his hands to her face and cupped her jaw. Donna shivered at the warmth of his palms against her and the weight of his eyes locked on hers.

“I stopped,” he murmured, “Because you had a look on your face.”

She frowned, “What look?”

He was silent and held her gaze for a long moment before lifting his head so that his lips brushed against hers. The kiss was unexpected but not unpleasant and Donna sank into it, losing the resolve to do anything else. He kissed her until she was breathless and had started to feel the familiar pangs of desire. When Harvey pulled away, her mouth followed his until the last possible moment and she peered at him through her lashes when he dropped back against the lounge cushion.

“That look,” he said, running his thumb from her jaw to her earlobe and back as he studied her expression, “You have no idea what it does to me.”

Blood rushed to her cheeks, but having the confirmation that his retreat hadn’t been because he thought her too weak was worth it.

“Probably the same thing you do to me,” she felt lightheaded from the spectrum of emotions he’d put her heart through in the last twenty-four hours, “But for the record, I handled you just fine.”

Amusement softened his features, “You didn’t get the worst of it."

“Oh, so the gun in my ass was a vanilla introduction?” she challenged, fighting a smirk, and Harvey laughed.

He was beautiful when he laughed, cheeks creasing with those dimples and the widest smile.

“No, that was a small payback for the havoc you wreaked in my living room.”

She still didn’t feel bad about it, but, “Seems extreme.”

Harvey scoffed, “You’re lucky it was only the gun. I should have whipped your ass raw with my belt for what you did to the vinyls alone.”

The picture he painted wasn’t as repulsive as he probably meant for it to sound; the idea of being naked and bent over his lap while he smacked her cheeks with his leather strip….fuck, yeah she could get on board with that, even if it would make sitting difficult for the next couple days.

“So why didn’t you?” Donna asked and goddamn, she wasn’t supposed to sound disappointed.

He smiled again, as if he’d heard it too, “Because you were dripping from just two lashes. Somehow, I don’t think giving you more would have felt very punishing.”

She recalled the pleasurable sting that the strikes he’d leveled on her had caused, the way his palms had soothed the welts before dipping between her legs. Heat coiled through her again as she replayed the memory of his touch, his fingers, his tongue, his cock, pulling orgasm after orgasm from her body.

She shifted against him, “I’m sure you could have found a way.”

“Maybe,” Harvey agreed, peering up at her with heavy lids, “But I enjoyed the outcome, nonetheless.”

All you have to do is enjoy it .

It seemed he’d taken her words to heart, and Donna was glad for it. For a moment, when they were in his bed and he’d been fucking her at a relentless pace, she’d wondered if it wasn’t some sort of punishment.

She’d been so damn overwhelmed, oversensitive, and unable to do anything but absorb each of his thrusts. It was a euphoric hell, but she’d refused to prove him right by tapping out and he’d just kept going .

It wasn’t until he’d pulled away with a curse and slid to the edge of the mattress that she’d realized something more was going on. He’d turned from her, hidden his face from her, and the haze of sex had diminished enough that she could see the tension of frustration in the muscles of his back.

So she’d gone to him; had wrapped her arms around him and tried to make sure he was okay. He hadn’t retreated into his head as hard as he did that first time when she’d found him in the bathroom, but she could sense a similar air of helplessness.

He had still been hard, though his erection had lost some enthusiasm, and she’d made up her mind to take the reins. It had worked well enough the first night, and like then, he followed the commands she gave him. He let her take control, touch him, climb on top of him, and something shifted.

The fucking turned softer and Harvey had kissed her with a desperation that had altered something in her brain. She’d held him as he found his pleasure and had accepted the weight of his body as it collapsed onto hers; loving the fact that he had finally been able to let go.

Whatever calm that moment had given him was still apparent now, his body tranquil and spent as he held her. His fingers drew lazy circles on her back and he didn’t appear inclined to move any time soon.

Donna was perfectly fine with that, basking in this gentler side of him.

“I think it’s your turn again,” she said after a moment, adjusting slightly so she could fit against Harvey’s side and rest her head on the curve of his shoulder.

He drew her closer as she settled, and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

Donna closed her eyes, breathing him in, and waited. The silence stretched on, but Harvey’s grip was warm and she felt so at peace in his arms, far above the world and all the complications that awaited them. His chest rose and fell in an even rhythm, moving their palms with it where they rested, entwined together over his heart.

“If you’d gotten out before I came back,” he eventually spoke, “Would you have ever wanted to see me again?”

The question was quiet, hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. Donna tilted her head back to look at him and found his eyes already on her face.

“You would have known how to find me.”

“But would you have wanted me to?”

She had been pretty pissed, “Maybe not for a day or two…but I would have wanted to yell at you eventually.”

She expected him to smile at that; instead his brows drew together and his lips were a hard line.

“And when this is over?” he pressed, “When Robert and Buzzini have reached their agreements at the end of the week and we no longer have a professional obligation to each other…do you still want me to come find you, Princess?”

That one was harder to answer. Donna knew it would probably be smarter to say no. To let this be a fling, no strings attached, and to cut ties when their paths were no longer intersecting. But her heart raced at the thought of ending…whatever this was. She had no idea why. It wasn’t as if they had been in each other’s lives long enough for it to matter. But for some reason, it did.

The last thing she wanted was to let him go and if the way he was clinging to her now was any indication, the feeling was mutual.

“We are professionals,” she answered coyly, running her thumb over his, “And I think it would be a shame to hasten the end of such a…mutually beneficial partnership.”

His body relaxed at her words, “A mutually beneficial partnership, huh?”

Donna nodded, a smile threatening, “Very beneficial.”

“For you, maybe,” he was back to teasing her, “I have pieces of broken records to clean and bullet holes to patch up.”

“Oh, then by all means,” she began to sit up, “Let me leave you to it-”

Harvey had pulled her back into his arms before she’d even gotten her legs off the lounge.

“You aren’t going anywhere.”

She laughed softly, nuzzling into him once more, “I’ll help you clean up, later.”

“Later,” he agreed, wrapping her tightly in his embrace.

They laid that way for a bit and though Donna enjoyed the comfort, her mind played over earlier events and curiosity got the best of her.

“Where did you go?”

“Hmm?”

“When you left here. You know,” she elaborated with a smirk, “After locking me in. Where did you go?”

Again, a beat of silence met her before his answer did.

“To take care of some things.”

It was his tone more than the vagueness that sparked her attention, the change palpable.

“What things?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

The elusive answer probably meant she shouldn’t pry. He’d been angry when he’d left. Cold. He may have gone back to the club or taken care of other business for Jessica. He may have decided to go track that Tanner guy down again and finish what he’d started at the bar. Or, he may have even-

A chill rushed over her as every instinct she had flared up, telling her she’d landed near the truth.

“You met with someone.”

It wasn’t a question, just a voicing of her conclusion, and Harvey didn’t deny it. Donna pulled away from him, wanting to see his face. It was masked, devoid of any emotion, but he didn’t shy away from her stare.

“That blonde bunny bitch?” she guessed. The escort had certainly not been shy about her offer to him.

Harvey’s expression didn’t change, “No. I don’t fuck whores.”

“But you fucked someone.” She hated how accusatory she sounded, but goddamn…the thought of him with someone else tonight…

Harvey sat up, the muscles of his stomach flashing abs as they tensed, “I fucked you.”

He had...and they hadn’t used a condom.

Donna paled at the thought. She had the implant for birth control and wasn’t worried about that, but if he’d been with someone else…holy shit, she was an idiot. What the hell had she exposed herself to?

She swallowed hard, suddenly unable to meet his gaze and her eyes fell as she asked, “Do I need to get tested?”

Calloused fingers grabbed her chin, lifting it, “No.”

She jerked from his touch, “Look, I know you don’t owe me anything, but if you were with someone else tonight, then I-”

His entire hand grabbed her jaw with force, making her look at him; there was fire in his eyes now.

“I would never put you in danger,” he nearly spat, “And I have no reason to lie to you. I’ve fucked others. Some recently, but it didn’t happen tonight. I’m clean.”

She believed him but there was hardly any relief to the news and her traitorous heart felt heavy.

Harvey's eyes softened,  “I didn’t fuck her, Donna.”

Whether he was referring to the escort or whoever he met up with tonight, she couldn’t tell, but the level of which she would have cared if he had unnerved her.

They had barely come into each others' lives. She had no more claim over him than he did over her and they were single adults who could do whatever they wanted with whoever they wanted.

She had no right to be upset, really, and yet…

Moving before she'd fully thought it through, Donna shoved Harvey’s chest until he was leaning back against the lounge. He stiffened like she’d startled him, but didn’t stop her from straddling his lap.

She grabbed his face in between her palms as his settled on her waist.

“Why go to someone else at all?” she demanded, “I was right here. Clearly, I wouldn’t have turned you down. Or did you really not think I could handle it?”

To his credit, he didn’t hesitate this time, “It wasn’t about whether you could. What I thought I needed…I didn’t want to do that to you .”

“But it was fine doing it to someone else, instead?” she accused.

His hands closed around her wrists and tugged them down, forcing her to release her hold on him.

“I don’t give a shit about anyone else.”

What he didn’t say hung thick between them. That he gave a shit about her. For some damn reason, he cared. And though it defied all reasonable logic, Donna cared about him, too.

She sighed, all the fight leaving her at the realization.

“Then let me give you what you need.”

Harvey squeezed her arms where he still held them, “You already did.”

He brought her wrist up and placed a tender kiss to the inside of it, trailing the length of her forearm with the tip of his nose as he inhaled. He kissed her again at the crease of her elbow, then drifted over further, to her clavicle and let his lips linger on her skin.

“I’m exactly where I want to be,” he whispered, more to himself than to her, but Donna leaned into him at the admission; the tension in her heart easing.

“Me, too.”

He hummed against her and pressed another kiss to her collarbone. Her neck. Her jaw.

Rather than resist, Donna let her mind go blank and tilted her head back, allowing him full access. He coaxed her nerves with slow pecks and soft bites that he soothed with his tongue. His hands gripped her back now, holding her close.

She melted into his ministrations, let him work her body into a pliable mess; free of thought and consequence.

Maybe for now, it didn’t have to make sense. Her warring emotions, the insane need she had for this man. Maybe all that mattered was this moment, where he was flipping them carefully and laying her flat against the chaise while his kisses continued down her body.

He slid buttons open as he traveled, scattering attention over her breasts and stomach. His mouth was soft when it finally landed on her pussy and he nestled his tongue between her folds.

Long, slow kitten licks tended to the still swollen flesh, teasing around her clit like an apology and a promise all wrapped in one. She let him kiss her to orgasm, head falling back until all she could see was a hint of the swirling stars above and the lights of the city attempting to match their glow.

Chapter Text

Her hands were tied behind her back. She was on her knees with her ass presented to him.

Like a good little whore. 

Her pussy was on full view, pink and throbbing as his dick pistoned in and out of it. Her red hair was a tangle of messy waves, falling all down her back and around his fingers. His hand was planted firmly on the back of her head, holding her facedown on the mattress as she squirmed beneath him.

“Shhh,” he cooed to her as she whimpered with each thrust, “You can take it.”

He couldn’t remember when they’d started up again, or how long they’d been going. She was raw; bloody. He’d left imprints of his teeth all over her shoulder and down her spine.

The red stood stark against her pale skin.

“Harvey,” she cried; a plea.

He forced her head further into the sheets; determined to muffle the noises she made.

She began to struggle a bit, making his dick grow even harder; the hand that was holding onto her hip dug in deeper.

“You don’t need air, Princess,” he told her, “You need this. Me using you. However I fucking please.”

She recoiled, knees shaking and moving as she tried to turn, to urge him off. He held her more firmly.

“Harvey!” She was panicking now; tight all around him. Her walls were drier than they had been; pain overmasking any pleasure.

He pulled out of her, using the full force of his body weight to hold her in place, stretching over her as her knees gave out and she was trapped prone between him and the bed. He took his dick in his hand, ran it through her folds, then up, swirling the tip around her clenching ass.

“No!” she gasped, and bucked against him. “No, stop, please,” she was sobbing, “No no no no, stop, STOP!”

He didn’t listen, thrusting forward until she screamed.

He could feel as her skin ripped around him, he could feel how desperately she fought, thrashed, clawed at him.

He shoved himself deeper. Pulled out. Slammed inside.

She screamed like she was being murdered. It probably felt like it. It had felt like it when it had happened to him.

Again, he impaled her. And again. And again.

The walls around them were rotted wood. The stench of the room familiar.

She bled onto the stained mattress.

“I know it hurts,” he murmured into her ear, “But you’ll learn to love it.”

You’ll learn to love it.

You’ll learn to love it.

You’ll learn to love it.

Donna heard her name as if it were being called from down a long, dark tunnel, pulling her from pleasant dreams. It echoed around her head, but the source was hard to trace.

Then she felt the world around her begin to shake. Her name again; groaned in a strangled voice.

That voice. She knew that voice.

Donna blinked, consciousness finding her at an impressive speed. She was in Harvey’s apartment, in his bed, and he was laying next to her, thrashing recklessly against the duvet that covered them.

She frowned, concern chasing away the sleepiness that lingered in her body and she propped herself up.

“Harvey?”

He was still asleep; or at least appeared to be. His eyes were squeezed shut, his breath was ragged, and he tossed like something was crawling over his skin.

Donna sat up, reaching over to touch his arm, “Harvey. Hey, it’s just a dream. Harvey, wake up-”

“Donna-” her name left him on a pained sigh and her frown deepened.

Pulling the blankets off of herself, Donna shifted up onto her knees, trying to untangle him as well.

“Yeah, it’s me. Harvey, wake up.”

She shook him a little, the sweat damp skin of his bare shoulder making her hand feel sticky.

“NO!” Harvey jolted up through the air like she’d just used a defibrillator on him, half a shout scattering through the space of the room.

Donna’s hand tightened on his arm. Harvey’s head swiveled in her direction and he lunged at her.

Her back met the floor as his tackle knocked them both off of the bed and Harvey had her pinned beneath him in half a second, her tired brain sparking to life with adrenaline as she tried to catch up.

“Harv-”

His forearm pressed against her throat, blocking her airway and Donna gripped it tightly.

“Harvey, it’s me,” she gasped, “It’s me. It’s me .”

His eyes cleared as reality finally seeped through whatever half-dream state he’d been left in and Harvey blinked rapidly, scanning her face before he stumbled back.

Donna dragged a long breath into her lungs as he put distance between them and her hand came up to her chest as she sat up. Her heart was absolutely pounding.

“I’m sorry,” Harvey’s voice was a frantic whisper. He’d backed himself up all the way against the far wall, next to the bathroom door, “I’m sorry.”

Donna’s hand drifted up further, rubbing her neck which still felt raw from the earlier use of the collar she had worn.

“It’s okay,” she tried to assure him and pulled herself to her feet.

His face was still pinched with pain…with something else that reminded her of the night he’d hurt himself.

“I’m okay,” she tried again, and took a step toward him.

Harvey backed up so quickly, he made a thud against the wall. His eyes flared; the look of a trapped animal, “No! Don’t.”

Donna startled and lifted her hands, showing her palms up in a non-threatening action, “Hey…Harvey, it’s okay. You’re okay.”

His head was shaking; hell, his entire body was shaking.

“It was just a dream,” she reminded him gently. A dream that had made him call out her name.

His jaw flexed, lips pressed tightly together. He shook his head again.

“No. No. No.”

He whispered out the word, over and over, and Donna frowned once more, wondering if he fully understood that he was awake now.

“Harvey,” she took another tentative step toward him and he flinched, stumbling several steps away from her; as far as the length of the wall would allow.

“No, please!” his voice was raised, panicked, “Don’t…I’ll hurt you. I’ll hurt you. Please-”

She’d never heard that tone from him, and his words did nothing but worry her. So, despite his warnings, Donna closed the distance between them anyway.

“You aren’t going to hurt me,” she told him, “It was just a dream, Harvey. Whatever it was-”

“No,” he repeated, gaze on the wall, on the ground, on the bed behind them; anywhere but on her.

She was afraid his teeth were going to crack with how hard he was clenching them together.

“Hey,” she grabbed his hand; he attempted to yank it back but she didn’t let him. Instead, she brought it to her face and held it against her cheek.

“I’m okay,” she said again, “We’re okay. Harvey, look at me.”

When his panic-flared eyes finally did meet hers, Donna forced a smile that she hoped was reassuring, “It was only a bad dream.”

“It wasn’t.”

“It was,” she tightened her grip on his wrist, “And it’s over now.”

He was still trembling, “It’s never fucking over.”

Her brows drew together; recognizing that there was some deeper meaning to his heavy words, to the nightmares that plagued him, that drove him to harmful action…she couldn’t stop herself from asking.

“What was it about?”

Harvey’s eyes widened with emotion.

Fear, she realized.

He tore his hand free, rather than answer her, and Donna was nearly knocked over as he blew past her, rushing to escape the bedroom.

She followed, confused.

Harvey navigated the dark space of the living room with ease. They’d straightened up earlier; or had at least swept up the debris from her mess. He grabbed the keys he’d left discarded on the table and Donna realized he was about to leave; shirtless and barefoot.

Half frantic herself, she ran after him, grabbing him and shoving herself in his path.

“Hey! Harvey, stop,” she commanded, pushing back on his chest, “Where are you going?”

He tried to sidestep her, but she grabbed both of his arms, planting her feet.

“Move,” he told her, arms rigid; like he was afraid of touching her.

“Not until you tell me what the hell is going on!” His actions had put her on edge and it caused her voice to raise. They both flinched.

“Harvey, please,” she tried again, holding him so tightly, it had to be painful.

He barely seemed to register it.

“I have to go,” he stepped forward, driving her backwards toward the entrance hall, “I need to-”

“Why?” she demanded, “Harvey, you don’t have to go anywhere. Just talk to me.”

He rushed her all the way to the door.

“Donna-”

“Talk.”

He huffed at the order, jaw straining, “I can’t.”

“Try,” she all but begged him.

“Just get out of the way!” he pleaded, “Before I…”

“Before you what?”

Tension coiled through every muscle of his body; he looked half ready to snap; or to snap her. Whatever drove his fear; his dreams…it was eating him alive and she could tell he was close to spiraling.

“Move,” he gritted out, as if the command was against his will, “I don’t want to hurt you, Donna.”

Self preservation must have taken a vacation, because Donna could summon none as she held her ground before him. Instincts told her that he wasn’t entirely bluffing; her brain told her that she was playing with fire, not moving. But her heart…it reached out to him at the same time her arms did.

In a swift movement, she stepped into Harvey’s body, slid her arms around his stiff frame, encircling his neck. Her forehead pressed against his and he absolutely froze. She inhaled slowly, breathing him in, before letting her hands drag the side of his face as his jaw flexed beneath her palm.

“Why do you think you’ll hurt me?” she whispered.

He’d been so good to her that evening; they’d touched and teased each other while they came down from their high outside. They’d snacked on what little food he had and she’d teased him about needing to make a grocery run. He’d held her in his arms as they’d tucked into bed afterwards. Sleep had been peaceful.

She had no idea what had changed.

“You wanted me to stop,” he responded tightly, the words given with reluctance, “I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t. I hurt you.”

Donna pulled back and shook her head, “You didn’t.”

“But I will,” he choked out, “If I don’t leave, I’ll hurt you. I can’t stop it. It’s inside me. They were right. They were fucking right.”

His expression pinched, disgust coloring the lines of his face, “I learned to love it.”

She frowned once more at his slew of words. Nothing was getting any clearer.

“Harvey….baby, who was right? What are you talking about?”

He grabbed her hand and dragged it down his body, to his groin, “This.”

His cock was rock hard.

Her hand closed around the obvious head of him and he winced, eyes shutting as if in pain, but he flexed against her.

“So, you want me,” she acknowledged softly, “That’s okay-”

“What I want to do to you isn’t,” he growled, hips swiveling to push himself further into her palm.

Donna rubbed him slowly and swallowed hard at his implication.

Harvey exhaled roughly and when his eyes opened, locking with hers, an understanding clicked in her head. Something haunted him, she’d known that, and maybe hurting others was his way of escaping from it. And when he couldn’t hurt others, he hurt himself.

Whatever this was…whatever he needed…

“And what do you want to do to me?” she asked breathlessly, stroking him more purposefully.

His own breath spluttered out and he shifted, falling forward so that Donna’s back ended up against the wall, his body a cage around her as he caught himself with his elbows on either side of her head.

Still, she caressed his erection, a distraction and an encouragement.

“I want you shaking,” he admitted through clenched teeth, “Begging. Bleeding. I want to mark you up until you can’t look at yourself without seeing me.”

Holy fuck.

Her hold on him tightened and he hissed. That flowing current of desire between them crackled.

Donna wanted to wear him on her skin in exactly the ways he threatened. She forgot about her earlier discomfort and how her body already ached from his use. She would take more. She would take everything his hardened body was promising to give her.

“Then do it.”

Harvey’s eyes flared. Narrowed. Darkened.

“You don’t know what you’re asking for.” The protest was lost as his gaze dropped to her lips, entranced.

Maybe she didn’t know. Maybe she was entirely in over her head, here. But she wanted him. And she wasn’t made of fucking glass.

Releasing her grip, she brought both of her hands back to his face, cupping that sharp jaw as she peered into his eyes.

“I’m asking for you. All of you. I can take it. Whatever you need.”

He looked afraid again; of her.

“Don’t say that,” he pleaded, the tone at odd with his large body looming over her, “You should be telling me to get far the fuck away from you.”

Donna shook her head, “You’re not going anywhere. And neither am I. Harvey…it’s okay.”

His heart was thrumming so hard she could feel the beat of it in his throat, beneath her hands as they slid down.

“Tell me to stop,” his words still sounded like a plea, despite the threat that laced them, “Before I can’t.”

Donna didn’t believe he wouldn’t, but it didn’t really matter. Stopping was the last thing she wanted him to do.

“You don’t scare me,” she reminded him.

And he didn’t; not with this.

Harvey’s eyes hardened, the challenge of her claim never failing to spark that match between them; one that was already soaked in gasoline and gearing up for an explosion.

“Donna…” he was hellbent on making one last effort, though his body was already tilting into her, his hands having moved to her hips.

“I know you care about me,” she held his gaze as she shifted forward and let her lips linger right over his, “But for tonight, it’s okay to use me like you don’t.”

Before he could offer another protest, Donna pressed her mouth to his and dragged her teeth over his bottom lip.

He groaned and she swallowed the noise; swallowed the flames that erupted and unleashed the rabid dog.

Harvey bit down. 

Outdoing her, he sank his teeth into her flesh until blood dripped down her chin and she wasn’t sure if she winced or choked because his hand closed around her neck in the same second. His tongue swept over the wound and dipped into her mouth, trailing the iron taste of her across her own tongue and he kept their lips connected as he dragged her by the throat.

Donna was dimly aware that they’d rounded the corner and were in the kitchen. Harvey shoved her back until her spine met the bar counter and his free hand ripped open the shirt she wore; his shirt. Rather than free her from the sleeves, however, he twisted the fabric and looped it over her head, parting from her just enough to do so and her arms became trapped; pinned at her elbows where the material had folded.

“Up,” he commanded, the tone gruff; all pleading gone.

Donna struggled, using her hands that were locked behind her body to lift herself onto the counter while Harvey merely watched; his eyes black in the near darkness; muscles coiled like he was waiting to strike.

He'd reached a resolve of sorts. Tucked everything else away.

Once she was propped up on the edge, he had her hair in his hands, gripping at the base of her scalp and pulling her down, onto her back, flat against the cold granite.

Unlike the other morning, where he’d laid her down to fuck her with his eyes and worship her with his mouth, he extended her out so that her legs dangled from one end of the bar and her head from the other. 

Her back pinned the shirt down now, truly trapping her arms.

Harvey’s calloused hands drifted from her hair, down her neck, to her breast. He lingered there, scraping his nails over her hardening nipple with a surprisingly gentle caress. Then he tugged the bud, sending a slice of pain through her nerve endings. Another soft rub followed, soothing. He repeated it twice more.

Donna gasped and his fingers left her breast, hooking into her mouth instead. He pulled her by it until her head was nearly hanging off the edge; his palm the only thing holding her up.

She could hear fabric shifting and she knew he was working his erection out of those sweatpants.

He gave her no warning and she barely had a moment to suck in a breath of air before his cock was against her lips and his fingers forced her mouth open wider; enough to accommodate the size of him.

Saliva and blood ran over her lips, wetting his length as he fed it into her mouth without mercy, filling her, choking her.

And it didn’t stop.

Her throat contracted around the girth of him as he bottomed himself out, making room where there was none to be found, until every airway she had was blocked and her lungs protested.

Donna closed her eyes, fighting back the instinct to gag on the intrusion, doing her best to relax her throat to allow him to slide without hindrance.

“Fuck,” his guttural moan her reward, “That’s it, Princess. Let me in.”

And he was in .

As deep as his length could go, until her entire throat was full of him.

He pulled out; she drew in a ragged breath, spluttering a cough. Harvey shoved back in before she’d finished, letting her convulse on his cock and his hand covered her throat again, squeezing even tighter.

Blood rushed in her ears and Donna wondered if he’d do this until she passed out.

“I can feel myself here,” he said in a tight huff, digging his fingertips into her jugular, “I feel how your throat stretches for me. Feel that, Princess?”

He thrusted in, then out. Once. Twice. Donna’s chest heaved in protest to the lack of air.

Harvey pulled out enough to allow her a breath, a strangled gasp really, then stuffed himself back in.

He had to be getting grazed by her teeth; there was no way to avoid it with how roughly he filled her, but he didn’t flinch; didn’t slow down as he began to thoroughly fuck her mouth.

Panic and desire spiraled through Donna’s bloodstream; the need for air, her desperation to give him pleasure.

Pleasure that magnified when she felt pressure return to her lower body. Harvey had reached down and was slipping his fingers between her legs, dipping into the folds of her pussy.

“Goddamn ,” he hissed at the wetness he found.

Suddenly, he withdrew from her; the motion so quick it made her cough again. Harvey didn’t care. He hauled her up and tossed her over his shoulder, the room spinning from the action and from how lightheaded she felt.

He carried her to the bedroom.

When he dropped her, it was onto the floor by the windows; the city lights reflecting over both their bodies.

“Stay here,” he ordered, “And take off that shirt. I want you naked.”

He left her to do the impossible; disappearing toward his closet as she wiggled and tugged; trying to free her arms.

She was panting, skin slightly damp from sweat, but blissfully undressed when he returned. He was completely naked now, too.

There was a duffel in his hands and it landed at her feet with a thud.

Donna frowned, “Harv-”

“Mouth shut unless I tell you otherwise.”

Or what? She wanted to challenge him. She might have if he hadn’t unzipped the duffel at that moment and pulled out a length of rope.

He was so fucking fast.

In seconds, he had her pulled against him, arms working the cords around her body; tethering her hands together at the wrists and elbows. Then he tossed the end of the rope over the rod above her head, lacing it through.

She remembered enough physics from high school to know what was going to happen when he tugged the end that unraveled down and sure enough, the rope pulled taut and her arms were strung up, lifting above her body.

The position caused a burn in her shoulders, even with her decent flexibility and still, Harvey pulled, until her legs were fully extended and only her toes and the balls of her feet could reach the ground.

She scrambled for better purchase, attempting to take some of the pressure off her arms. The rope dug into her wrist where her weight pulled against it.

“Who’s the marionette now?” she heard him ask. The word sent a lick of genuine fear through her.

Oh goddamn, he’s good.

She’d told him one of her weaknesses in their little game outside and he wasted no time using it to his advantage.

As if to prove his point, Harvey adjusted the ropes and her arms moved accordingly. She was stuck.

His puppet to play with as he pleased.

Donna swallowed around the current swelling of her throat and felt a tremor wrack through her body as Harvey stepped in front of her. That shark-like expression was back on his face. A predator about to devour its prey.

She’d never been wetter in her life.

Harvey moved down her body, slowly. Anticipation filled her as he dropped nearly to his knees, his nose grazing over the curve of her hip bone, scenting her with a hard breath in. His eyes briefly closed.

But he didn’t touch her.

Instead, he reached into the duffel once more and this time, a folded black tarp was removed.

Donna’s muscles tightened in warning; her brain calculating the implication of him spreading it out beneath her before her conscious mind was able to.

Tarp.

He was covering the ground around her. Protecting his expensive flooring…from what?

Blood, she realized.

He’d said he wanted her marked and bleeding.

Harvey may have been quick in action, but her brain was just as fast, unworking details that made the air feel suddenly more tense around her.

He’d gone somewhere else tonight when he’d been looking for sex. He had places for that that he went to. Not here; not his home. The penthouse was a damn fortress, after all, and he was one of the most paranoid and private people she’d ever met.

He didn’t bring women here, she’d be willing to bet her life on that.

So this kit he was using now…it wasn’t for sex. The rope, the tarp, the… fuck . He unrolled a case of small knives. Pulled out a roll of duct tape. There was more in the bag, but he stopped when he found what he had apparently been looking for. 

A blindfold.

He straightened and grabbed her chin, tilting her face up. He didn’t ask her permission, didn’t check to ensure she was fine with losing her vision. Just held her gaze until he’d fastened the material around her head and slowly slipped it down to cover her eyes.

Donna’s breath caught as her world was plunged into sudden darkness.

Chapter Text

Harvey felt sick. He felt achingly hard. He felt like he might throw up. And like this was the closest to complete satisfaction that he’d ever been.

It wasn’t supposed to happen like this.

That fucking nightmare. Donna beneath him, helpless and begging. Hurting. Fuck, he’d hurt her. He was always going to hurt her. For all the goodness and light she reflected into his life, his darkness would swallow it whole and devour her.

He needed too much, was so fucked in the head that keeping her the way he wanted would never be an option.

That desperation, that truth…it overwhelmed him; ran nightmares through his mind of all the ways he would lose her; the only good thing he’d ever had.

He’d hurt her.

Like he’d been hurt.

Too fucked up….

“Mhmm,” she moaned out, body shaking.

Donna was still helpless and begging beneath him. Had been for the last half hour. But his dream was warping. Distorted into some unbelievable reality.

His teeth had left a trail of marks down her neck, over her tits; fuck those tits were blushed deep red and puffy. Fucking beautiful. He’d whipped them raw with the very leash he’d used to drag her around all night and Donna had cried out but hadn’t once asked him to stop.

In fact, she’d been soaked when he’d run his fingers through that pussy of hers. So he’d struck there next. Her scream as the leather hit her clit had pierced him, but he’d ejaculated the moment he heard it.

Then he’d gotten on his knees, looped both of Donna’s legs around his shoulders and soothed her until she had made as big a mess as he had; cumming all over his greedy mouth.

Use me, she’d said.

He hated every fucked up fiber of his being that had wanted to, that had accepted the challenge she presented because there had never been another option. He couldn’t stop it from happening any more than he could stop breathing.

The need for release ripped through his senses as he’d awoken from that dream, from the deepest fear he’d ever felt.

The idea of becoming the very thing that he’d…

Harvey snapped his hips forward, burying his dick deep inside of Donna’s pulsing sex. She was tight; so goddamn tight around him. Swollen and slick.

He’d released her from the ropes that had held her hoisted a few minutes ago, but the ones that bound her wrists together remained; making the perfect handle for him to grip as he continued to fuck into her wet heat.

She absorbed every thrust with a moan, eyes rolling into the back of her head. He’d removed the blindfold before entering her; needing the connection before breaching that final barrier.

Tears had stained her cheek from overstimulation and from the way she’d choked on his dick, but her eyes had been full of a trust and tenderness that he didn’t deserve.

It shamed him; guilted him for the way he needed her.

But goddamn, it had never been like this with any of the other bodies he’d used.

Never so overwhelming, so stimulating, so…shattering.

He’d already climaxed twice and the third was imminent with the way her body was gripping onto him.

And Donna…fuck, he didn’t know how many times she’d cum for him. Remnants of her orgasms coated them both; leaking onto the tarp below, mixing with their sweat and blood. She’d made him bleed for her, too; her teeth as sharp as daggers as they tore at his skin while he alternated between torturing and pleasuring her.

His second climax had hit him when he saw the red staining her lips when she pulled her mouth from his neck.

Another difference tonight; he’d never permitted anyone else to be so close. Had never liked the threat. Had never felt the amount of trust that would be needed to allow such…intimacy.

Intimacy.

It was an odd word to attach to the actions they’d taken over the last several minutes, but it was fitting.

As Donna convulsed and moaned around him, he dropped onto his elbows and hovered his face above hers, drinking in the way her head lolled and lips quivered.

It was so goddamn intimate, watching someone submit to their pleasure while completely submerged inside of their body. And Donna was as beautiful in her pleasure as she was in pain.

“Harvey,” she exhaled his name and he dropped his head, finding the pulse point at her neck and sucking it into his mouth. Her chest was littered with similar marks from such treatment, different shades of reds and purples obvious against her delicate flesh.

She’d wear him for days.

Longer, actually, in certain areas. Like the place on her inner thigh where he’d dragged his blade into her skin earlier; carving his initials between her legs while she had thrashed and moaned blindly against her bonds.

Donna had peaked again when he’d ran the hilt of his blade from the cuts to her folds, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. He’d licked the trail all the way up to catch her juices as they flowed from that perfect pussy; the metallic taste mixing with her desire to make the most potent flavor.

He felt her tug against the ropes at her wrists. She’d been trying to get her hands on him since they’d started. A part of him missed her touch; but he craved the control that having her bound allotted him.

He was nearing another orgasm. So was she.

God, she was getting off on this more than he had ever thought she would. If one of his past playthings had been this wet and desperate for release, he would have lost interest. Thought them pathetic and needy.

But he liked Donna needy. He craved the way she so obviously wanted him. The way his body responded to her in kind; needing her right back.

This wasn’t his dream.

He wasn’t like his abusers.

Donna had asked for this. She wanted this. Wanted him. Without restraint, without mercy, without thought.

She…trusted him.

And maybe it was naivety or corruption, but maybe she was his perfect goddamn match.

He’d never had a session like this; where he wanted to fuck in missionary so he could watch her face, taste her lips, and suck the air she exhaled down into his own lungs just because it had touched hers first. 

He wanted her wrapped all around him, inside of him while he drove inside of her. He could see the bulge of himself through her flat stomach, the outline of his dick filling her; joining them in an unholy union that was the closest he would ever be to touching heaven.

His princess felt like heaven. Like redemption.

Maybe she wasn’t a princess at all, but an angel, sent to save his fucking soul.

Donna felt the moment Harvey untied her wrists. Blood rushed back to her fingers so quickly, they tingled and stung. It was about all she could comprehend. That, and the fact that she was being moved; lifted.

Harvey’s mouth recaptured her own, the combined tastes of their bodies on his tongue as it fought with her own.

Not that it was much of a fight.

She had no strength left; what little use her muscles had maintained had been fucked out of her before Harvey had even lowered the first set of ropes. Every part of her ached in the best way. She was stretched and used and burned and stinging.

Cool air touched her damp skin. She shivered.

They were outside?

She wasn’t sure of it until the cold balcony railing was against her ass and Harvey had shifted her body so that her legs wrapped around his waist and she was pinned between him and the edge of a thirty story drop.

The wind cut over her naked flesh and she turned her head enough to see how she hovered above the city. Adrenaline flooded her, numbing the pain and spurring a panic in her veins. She wrapped her arms frantically around Harvey’s neck, realizing just how far of a fall she risked if he let her go.

His own grip tightened; adjusted. Until his erection pushed against her and he was filling her once more. Her abused pussy protested the stretch his cock forced on it as she absorbed the massive size of him again.

She whimpered at the intrusion, at the delicious soreness she felt as he split her apart.

He kissed her temple and she felt the gravel of his voice in her ear.

“Do you trust me?”

With my life, apparently.

“Yes.”

He nipped her earlobe, the same he’d bitten that very first day they’d met; when he’d blown into her world and forever changed it.

She wouldn’t be the same after this.

“Then let go.”

His arm snaked around her waist and Donna felt dizzy from what she knew was coming. Her instincts fought against common sense, screaming that this was a bad idea, that it was too big a risk, that it wasn’t smart.

She locked eyes with Harvey, their bodies so intertwined and she realized that she did trust him.

Completely.

A heartbeat passed as time extended between them, the city below a kaleidoscope of neon lights and pulsating sounds; a blended symphony that highlighted the moment she let her hands slip from his neck to his shoulders.

Approval shone from his gaze as he watched her and Donna closed her eyes.

It was the biggest leap of faith she’d ever taken; proof to him and maybe even to herself that she was as brave as she claimed; as capable and strong as she often tried to convince others she was.

With a jolt of courage, she released her hold on him.

Her arms spread wide like wings, embracing the night air, welcoming the rush of excitement and terror as she surrendered to gravity.

She screamed, honest to god screamed , as Harvey thrusted at the same moment she reached the weightlessness of free fall.

Her torso extended, her back arched; nothing keeping her from death but his arms. And he held her securely, bruisingly, as he fucked her, every ounce of him a promise that she was safe. 

Her heart raced wildly and the world spun, lights a dizzying glow as fear and wonder clustered into a confidence that had her hurtling toward an orgasm more powerful than she had ever felt.

There was thrill in the threat of death; a belief that in this instant, she was more than a mere mortal; more than the skin and bones that confined her. The ground was far beneath her but so was any fear that had ever made her doubt herself; any question about the purpose of her life; any pain; all the things she once thought mattered so damn much.

All that existed was this moment, this heart stopping dip where she flirted with her own demise as the most beautifully complicated man she’d ever met brought the stars down from the sky swirling above and set them aflame inside her body.

She climaxed with a laugh of freedom, of mind numbing pleasure, and Harvey became an animal as she clenched around him.

Her abdomen caught her weight as he yanked her back up, into his arms. His kiss was devouring. 

Torn from the ledge, her world spun and spun. Her back was slammed against bomb proof glass and the cock that drilled up into her ripped flesh in its desperation; but she was so far beyond feeling pain.

Beyond feeling anything but wave upon wave of the ecstasy that was still shooting lightning across her skin. 

Building. Building. Building.

Forget being mortal. She’d become a star herself; a supernova that exploded once more as her vision went black and the only word she could manage to push past her lips was a name.

His name.

Harvey faltered as he heard it; then he was exploding, too.

He’d never seen the aftermath of one of his sessions. He’d never stuck around to cuddle or comfort. Short of offering them a coat and calling a car to drop them off at whatever address they wished, Harvey thought very little of his exploits after he was done with them.

He didn’t regret his lack of affection or care.

It wasn’t who he was and those that he used knew it. They tended to their aches and licked their own wounds.

However, that didn’t stop the guilt he felt, holding Donna in his arms.

His session with her, and the subsequent release, had cleared his mind. For the first time since he’d awoken, he felt level. And clarity brought his attention to the aftermath of what he’d wreaked on her body.

They were on his balcony, a mess of exhausted limbs, slumped back against the window where they’d crumbled after they’d climaxed that final time.

Donna was dead weight, resting in his lap with her head hung on his shoulder. He had buried his face in her hair, letting his breath return to normal as he came down from the high that sex with her had given him.

His eyes had begun scanning her over, noting every forming bruise, every marred patch of skin where his hands had roughly handled her. Indentions from his teeth were prominent raises and smears of blood coated the bites.

Red also ran between her thighs, where he knew the letters “H” and “S” would not be disappearing for a long time.

He’d carved them deep for a reason.

Marking her had given him such satisfaction when he’d done it. The knowledge that anyone who saw her body would know that she was his filled him with gratification. 

A collar she couldn’t take off.

But laying with her now; feeling as her skin started to turn cold and her spent muscles couldn’t even work up a good shiver, he felt hollowed. She hadn’t spoken since he’d quite literally pushed her over the edge and the longer the silence stretched, the more that pit in his stomach grew.

He’d used her, as she’d asked.

Too hard, perhaps; losing himself in whatever the fuck she did to his head that made him need her so damn badly.

He hadn’t wanted it to end like this. He’d begged her to stop him before it had started. He’d tried to save her from himself. Because he wanted her. He wanted her so damn bad it was all he could comprehend.

The anxiety he’d felt from his nightmare had only added to the feeling and he’d felt the need to direct all that blackness in his heart at something before she became the target.

Then she’d kissed him and told him to use her.

Like she was his to be used by.

He’d done more than just use her though. He’d enjoyed her. He’d wanted her to use him. Had wanted to feel her lips against his own and the flush of her skin as everything that wasn’t her faded from his mind.

His fucked up head might insist that he needed sessions like tonight to feel normal again, but what he wanted with Donna was…more than this.

And he might have gone and fucked it all up by doing too much, too fast. She’d chased him after his dream, had stood in his path and kissed him and had given him permission to do everything his brain was screaming at him to do.

She didn’t know what she was asking for.

You, she’d told him, I’m asking for you. All of you.

And she’d taken all of him. Wore his work on her like she was a canvas he’d painted bruises on.

He'd loved it and it disgusted him.

She didn’t deserve to be the victim of his depravity.

Harvey found the strength to stand, pulling Donna up with him and her knees nearly buckled.

“Harvey,” she looked up at him, surprise lacing the words, “What are we-”

She cut short with a huff as he scooped her into his arms and carried her back through the glass door, into his bedroom.

The floor was still covered in his tarp, their mess, the rope, and his bloodied knife; all left abandoned on the black material. He ignored it, forcing his legs to hold them both up as he continued to the bathroom.

He grabbed a cloth from a drawer, shifting Donna’s weight in his arms.

His shower was preferable, but he wanted to scrub her skin clean of what he’d done to it and that would be impossible if she also needed him to hold her upright. So he settled for the large soaking tub he hardly ever used, kneeling with Donna to turn it on, making sure the water was nice and hot.

He didn’t wait for it to fill before stepping inside.

“Mhmm,” she murmured with satisfaction as the water touched her and Harvey ran the washcloth under the spray. He forewent soap for now, not wanting to cause her wounds to sting, and ran the cloth over her body.

Donna chuckled a little, “I think I can do that.”

He was sure she could.

He rinsed the rag out, watched it run pink from her blood. Shame filled him once more and when he returned to her body, his efforts were more vigorous.

Donna winced.

“Harvey, seriously,” she said, “You don’t have to- ouch, Harvey, hey-”

She grabbed his hand, halting its movement. But she wasn’t clean yet. He needed to clean her up, to erase it all. To keep her from seeing it and seeing him. From knowing how depraved he was. Knowing why he needed this.

Fuck, he needed her.

And she’d leave if she knew. She’d leave him. He’d hurt her and she’d leave him.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, and felt her hand tremble in his. Or maybe that was his hand trembling.

Donna frowned. She shifted, wincing slightly, but turned in his arms.

“I’m sorry,” he said again, dropping his eyes from hers as they searched his face.

She’d see. She’d see and she’d know and he couldn’t handle that tonight. Not after finally finding the satisfaction he’d been craving; satisfaction he was worried he’d only be able to find with her, now that he’d had her this way.

How the fuck was anyone else supposed to compare?

Her hand touched his face, the skin soft.

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” she told him, lifting his chin up, making him look at her. The resilience in her gaze was hypnotic; it was impossible to look away, “That was…wow. I don’t even have words yet.”

She sounded like she meant it. She wasn’t looking at him like she was afraid, or like she was about to run very far away. Her fingers danced into his hairline, brushing gently over his ears and the touch was soothing. Foreign until recently; until her .

He liked it when she touched him, all smooth skin and light pressure.

He’d never liked being touched before.

She was too damn good for him.

His arms wrapped around her, dragging her close and Donna let him. She shifted her legs so that she could lay across his lap and his face found the curve of her neck; where her hair fell like a curtain that separated him from the rest of the world. He found solace there, where he could breathe in her scent and hear her heartbeat and enjoy the feeling of her embrace.

If she was there in his arms…if he was there in hers , then they were together and she couldn’t be taken from him.

Not by Robert. Not by Jessica. Not by anyone. 

He was never letting her go.

They would have to pry her from his cold dead hands first.

Donna wasn’t sure which felt better on her sore muscles, the warm water, or Harvey’s hand, which was caressing her thigh in slow strokes.

He’d plugged the drain and the water filled, covering his legs now and half of hers. The enormous tub was a godsend and she would love nothing more than to sidle up into Harvey’s arms and drift off while the heat and his palms soothed her aching limbs.

But something was off.

Rather than basking with her in post-coital bliss, Harvey was antsy. At first, she thought it was just his way of settling, but after a few minutes, his body continued to make little micro movements and he still had his face tucked into her hair.

One of his arms still gripped her like he was afraid she might bolt any second.

There was a tension in the air that felt like it had when he had first woken up from that nightmare. She wondered if he was thinking about it now. If whatever had just happened between them had opened some door to unpleasantness for him.

It was hard to forget the way he’d fled from her, the fear that had overwhelmed him as he’d sworn he was going to do something that they’d regret if she didn’t let him leave.

She had no regrets, but maybe he did.

“Harvey,” she murmured after a moment, making sure not to change the cadence of her strokes on his scalp, “What's wrong?”

Her voice sounded a bit rough; possibly from the swelling in her throat.

He didn’t answer.

So, she tried a more direct approach, clearing her throat, “Did I do something to upset you?”

He stiffened and his arm around her waist flexed.

“No,” he said after a long pause, “It’s not you.”

But it was something.

“Your nightmare?” she guessed, “You were pretty upset earlier.”

More silence.

“You were afraid you’d hurt me,” she encouraged gently, not sure where the line between them was on what she was allowed to ask of him, but after tonight…well, she felt like they’d reached a point where some concern was warranted.

“You’d said that someone was right about you,” she kept going, “That really seemed to bother you.”

Harvey’s head lifted, her hair sliding from his face as he settled back against the tub. Donna didn’t pause her stroking, didn’t change her voice the slightest as he met her eyes.

“I think it might help if you talk about it.”

His nostrils flared, the same apprehension from earlier clouding his eyes. She held her expression in a neutral position, not wanting to startle him into closing up again.

“Nothing to talk about,” he said gruffly.

They both knew that was bullshit.

Donna let her knuckles drift over his cheekbone, “You don’t have to talk if you don’t want to. But don’t lie to me.” They were far past that now. “This is the second nightmare you’ve had this week. The first one made you hurt yourself. You didn’t want to talk about that either and that’s fine. But I want to help you. I can’t if I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours.”

“Help,” he chewed on the word and his fingers tensed on her hip, “There’s nothing you can do. It’s not something that can be helped.”

She frowned, “Are the dreams about your parents? About the man who-”

“I don’t want to talk about him,” Harvey said sharply, jaw flexing.

The wall was going up and Donna was desperate to be on the other side of it; to keep from losing him to those demons in his eyes.

“Okay,” she told him and reached for the hand on her leg. She laced their fingers together, “But please, give me something. After all of this…you need to let someone in.”

His breaths became shallow puffs and he shook his head, “I do just fine on my own.”

“Bullshit,” she called him out, surprising them both with the firmness of her tone. Harvey’s eyes widened and she squeezed his hand, “You aren’t alone anymore. You can let me in.”

That’s it, Princess. Let me in.

She wasn’t lost to the irony that he’d coaxed her through that physical barrier while she was trying to pull him through a mental one.

Quite the pair they were, but somehow…it was right. She knew it was.

Or at least, it could be.

The feelings he stirred in her, the emotional scale he had her bouncing all over since the day she’d met him…no one made her feel so much. So vivacious. So alive .

He challenged her at every turn. He commanded and submitted. He infuriated her. He protected her. He cared about her.

He saw her.

Not as the face of Robert’s enterprise or as some pretty face to woo. He saw right to her core and he understood her. Like she was beginning to understand him.

In some twisted way, they were the same.

And she wanted him to trust her with this, the way she had trusted him with her very life.

“You don’t want to know,” he whispered, almost to himself, “I don’t want you to know. You-you won’t want-”

He trailed off, eyes closing, but she’d heard the word he hadn’t said. 

Me. You won’t want me.

Donna’s own breath caught and she waited until he had opened his eyes again before she said, “The first day we met, I told you that I don’t scare easily. Do you remember that?”

It took a moment, but he nodded.

She grabbed his jaw with the hand that had been running through his hair and the water sloshed as she twisted slightly to better hold his gaze.

“I know what you are, Harvey. I’ve heard of the things that you’ve done. The kills. The torture,” his rap sheet was impressive enough that Buzzini had nearly backed out of the deal with Robert at the mere threat of Harvey’s presence, “And I’m here. You stabbed a man’s hand for touching me tonight, and I’m here. You did cocaine off my arm and I’m here .”

And whatever it said about her, there was nowhere else she’d rather be.

“I’m not afraid of you,” she reminded him with a soft smile, “So why don’t you try to have some faith in me, and trust me. The way I trust you.”

The wariness in Harvey’s stare held for a few heartbeats then, slowly, began to ease. She saw the fight in his eyes as he warred with whether or not he should speak whatever was on his mind.

Donna waited, silent; wanting it to be his choice.

Finally, he exhaled and his grip on their joined hands became a vice; as if he wanted to be sure she couldn’t dart once he’d said whatever it was that plagued him so much.

“Turn around,” he ordered.

Donna blinked, confused. 

He sighed, “I don’t think I…I can’t tell you what you want to know if you’re looking at me.”

Oh.

She obliged his request, using his hand to hold herself as she turned. Every part of her body protested the movement, but she ignored her own aches and pains; turning the faucet off since the tub was mostly full now and checked with a glance over her shoulder that Harvey was okay with her laying back.

He parted his legs, making more room for her and she settled between them, relaxing her back against his chest and let his pec pillow her head.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her.

Donna stared at their feet, stretched out side by side. Harvey’s surpassed hers by several inches in length, her toes reaching him at mid-shin. She caressed the side of his calf with her ankle and waited.

He took a long breath. Exhaled. Took in another.

“My mother was an addict,” was the first thing he said, “Her supplier… Bobby …used to fuck her in exchange for product. When my dad found out, he confronted him. Bobby put a bullet in his head.”

Donna forced herself to remain still and relaxed, even as sympathy coursed through her.

“I didn’t find that out until later. My mother just told me he’d left us. We moved into one of Bobby’s dope houses a few weeks after.” Harvey’s voice changed; the empty tomb sound replacing any emotion and Donna recognized it as dissociation. 

Whatever had happened next…it was bad. She turned her head, resting her ear against his sternum.

“Bobby sold pussy as well as drugs. Trafficked women and product down the coast,” he continued, “Between shipments, he’d offer my mother up for his clients to use. And she’d do it. Sometimes multiple men a night. Anything for another hit.”

Damn. Just…damn .

“Then one day, a client made a… different request,” Harvey’s tone was flat, the words quiet, but his heart raced beneath her ear, “And Bobby realized he had an even more lucrative commodity.”

Donna’s heart plummeted. She hoped she was understanding him wrong.

Oh. Fucking hell. No. Goddamn it, no. That man hadn’t -

“I think I died that night,” Harvey said thickly and Donna’s eyes squeezed shut, “Bobby let the son of a bitch have me for an hour and any chance that I was ever going to be anything other than this died in that room.”

Nothing followed that and Donna realized he was waiting; testing her reaction to what he’d just revealed.

Pity would anger him. Sympathy…he’d shut down again. She swallowed harshly, biting back the shake in her voice as she cleared it.

“How old were you?” she managed to ask with a mostly stable tone.

“Eight,” Harvey answered, “The first time.”

The first…tears pricked the corners of her eyes and Donna blinked rapidly, determined not to let her emotions show as her heart broke for him; for the child he was; for the man he could have been.

Her eyes locked on his pec, on the bite mark she’d left over his heart. She brought her hand up to it, traced the indentions, an attempt at distraction.

Harvey’s exhale shook.

“I found a boxing gym near my school when I was eleven. Started training there after class, on weekends as much as I could. Slept there occasionally, when I could sneak back in without the owner catching me. I got bigger. Stronger.” He let out a hateful laugh, “Pissed Bobby off. Most of the clients who might have been interested before started changing their minds. He had to start tying me up beforehand.”

Confinement , he’d told her just a few hours ago when discussing their deepest fears, If I’m tied up, I can’t breathe.

Donna’s gaze shifted to his arm, to the scar on his bicep that she had noticed before. It reflected a similar pattern to the mark on her own wrist.

Rope burn .

How many times did one have to be tied up like that for the skin to permanently bear evidence of it?

Too fucking many.

“I was fifteen, that last time,” Harvey’s hand covered hers on his chest, “Gerald Tate. He was an investment banker from Boston. Tall. Balding. Arrogant. I broke the rope. Then I broke his fucking neck.”

Good.

Donna didn’t realize she’d said the word out loud until Harvey stiffened.

He relaxed just as quickly though, and she felt his lips on the top of her head. She reached up for him, feeling blindly for his jaw, his neck, and pulled him down, until her forehead was pressed against his cheek and his arms tightened around her.

“Can I look at you?” she asked.

She felt him nod.

Not giving him a chance to change his mind, Donna flipped until they were chest to chest and his hands rested against her ass, holding her to him. There eyes were nearly level and Harvey didn’t shy away as she stared at him; though she could see the apprehension on his face.

“You’re going to kill him,” she recalled, “Bobby. When Robert’s deal is over and Jessica’s PI finds him?”

“My prize for keeping you alive,” he said, almost bitterly. They both knew they’d moved well beyond that now, “He’d disappeared after I got away that day. I tried to look for him after but…”

Donna nodded.

“I remember. You said that what you had planned for him was the kind of shit a person doesn’t come back from.”

Harvey didn’t deny it. She shifted onto her knees, into his lap, and grabbed his face in both of her hands.

“Will you make me a promise?”

His gaze didn’t waiver, “What?”

“Come back,” she pleaded, breathlessly, “Make him pay for what he did. Kill him. But…come back to me.”

Harvey’s brows furrowed with deep lines and he tilted forward, pulling her closer as she leaned down and their lips pressed together. It was a different kiss than the ones they’d shared before; fiercer, heavier with implication.

More heart.

Harvey’s hands tangled in her hair. Donna dug her fingers into his jaw. And his eyes were as wet as hers when he pulled away.

“I promise.”

Chapter Text

It was hazy when she awoke; her vision still muddled by whatever had been slipped into her drink. It had to be the drink. The liquor had tasted off; tingly against her tongue. Then she’d slipped into darkness.

It was still dark now and she blinked furiously, trying to clear her vision. She brought her hands up to her face. Well, tried to. A rattling of metal chains dragging against the concrete floor she laid on echoed through the space and a sharp pull at her wrists made her aware of the manacles that bound them. If she squinted, she could see the cuffs, though tufts of her blonde hair had fallen into her face, matted with sweat, tears, and who knew what else.

She shook her head, trying to move it, when another loud clanging sound rang out and a sudden flooding of light left her stunned.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” a voice she did not recognize spoke in a tone that was almost friendly, “We can get the party started.”

It was hard to adjust to the sudden brightness, but as she attempted to shield her gaze from it, things in the illuminated room grabbed her attention.

Concrete floor, as she’d suspected, but also tall, windowless concrete walls.  She was on the floor, but the chains that held her captive were tethered to a bed, pressed against the wall and appeared bolted to the floor.

“W-what is this?” she demanded, her throat raw. She wondered if she’d screamed before she’d lost consciousness, “Where am I? Who are you?!”

The man approached her and she recoiled. He grabbed her face and her eyes adjusted enough that she got a good look at him.

She’d never seen him before in her life. He wasn’t a client. Wasn’t one of the few trusted employees of her boss. A stranger; an older man with dark, silvering hair; almost handsome. But his gaze was sinister as he smiled down at her.

“You’re a lively one,” he commented, “But then again, most of you are…at first.”

He let out a sharp whistle that made her flinch and shadows filtered through the light that streamed from the doorway; low male voices following them.

Her captor released his hold on her jaw and turned.

“You know the drill,” he addressed whoever had entered. She couldn’t see them as they blended with the darkness and her vision was still clouded, “Use her ‘til she breaks. But leave that pretty face unmarred. It’s gonna earn us thousands.”

Wait.

No.

No .

He left the room as the shadows approached her. The door closed behind him, the heavy lock slamming into place was nearly loud enough to drown out the first of her screams.

The sun was going to rise soon.

Harvey had spent enough nights lying awake in the bedroom of his apartment to know the exact hour based on the way the light that filtered in through his nearly drawn curtains reflected its tint around the room.

The hues of black shadows had turned blue and were now nearing purple. Soon pink and orange would run streams of light across his floor and it would be impossible to deny that daytime had come, but for now…there was time.

He laid on his side, on the bed, as he had been for the last hour. Donna was asleep next to him and letting his gaze feast on her had made it impossible to go back to sleep.

Throughout the night, he’d woken up several times. With as heavy, used, and exhausted as he’d felt, unconsciousness should have slapped him into oblivion once he had put his head to the pillow, but something had kept him from completely settling.

It wasn’t the nightmares that had plagued him lately. He didn’t feel anxious or on edge; the usual culprits for his insomnia.

Fuck…maybe it was sheer relief that had kept him awake this time.

He’d doze for a while, then his brain would jolt, waking him to the comfort of his bed and Donna resting against his side. He’d remember everything that had led to them being tangled together in his sheets and he’d drag her closer, bury his nose into the sweet dip of her neck, and pass out again.

At some point, around three, maybe four in the morning if he had to guess, Donna had woken slightly with his movement. Her hands had reached up for him blindly, wrapping over his shoulders and tugging him into her arms; like she needed him as close as he’d needed her.

She’d sighed, deep and content, when he’d complied, nuzzling into her bare chest, which moved beneath him as her palm cradled the back of his head; holding him impossibly closer.

“It’s okay,” she’d murmured in a voice that was thick with sleep, “You can rest now, baby. I’ve got you.”

You can rest .

It had been the permission he hadn’t realized he’d needed and some part of his brain had unplugged at the assurance.

I’ve got you .

He’d gotten a few hours of sleep after that; until the light had changed in the room as the sun rose and routine had him crawling to alertness. Donna hadn’t stirred that time, not even when he’d shrugged up higher on the bed and drew her into his arms.

Her body was sluggish, weighted, muscles expended from everything he’d put them through earlier in the night, but her head rested so perfectly on his bicep and those tangles of red curls spread all around his fingers as he stroked them.

It had been an hour now that he’d laid still, stroking Donna’s hair, drinking in the details of her while she slept, and he was completely unmotivated to let the moment end.

It was a contradiction, the serene expression on her face and the evidence of his handling on her body. Even in the dim lighting, he could see the bruises. The rope burns. The bite marks. The remnants of his blade.

He’d felt a little shamed by them at first, when they’d finished in the tub and he’d joined Donna in bed after cleaning up their mess. But like now, she’d curled into his arms and had looked so fucking peaceful, he’d gotten the impression that their session had been as much of a release for her as it was for him.

And goddamn, if that didn’t make him feel something. Feel shit he couldn’t even put into words.

A month ago, he never would have thought he was capable of the things this woman made him feel. 

If someone had told him then that his heart would flutter at the mere sound of his name sighed off sleepy lips; that he’d meet his match in a female that looked at him with empathy and affection rather than fear, that he’d not just fuck her, but kiss her and admit to secrets he’d so long buried that even Jessica didn’t know them…he probably would have shot them.

But here he was; and here she was, looking like hell raked over from what she’d let him do to her, yet her lips were upcurved in contentment.

And he couldn’t stop staring. At those perfect lips; the expanse of creamy skin that was dusted with freckles he was becoming very familiar with. He rubbed a lock of her silky hair between his forefinger and thumb; knowing that he would decimate anyone that so much as touched a single strand of it.

He was too tired, too heavy from the night’s events to feel anxious about that urge. It wasn’t exactly new when it came to his Princess, anyway. He would kill for her. He would burn the fucking world down if it meant keeping her from danger.

She was his charge. His to protect.

His .

Last night had sealed that notion and he was a selfish bastard who had never learned how to let go.

He couldn’t let her go.

That was no longer an option; if it ever had been.

Because she’d stared right into his blackened soul last night and hadn’t flinched. She’d accepted him, all of him, with his damage and his sins and had still wanted him.

Her hazel eyes had held so much fucking trust, when he’d held her up on the balcony’s edge. He still couldn’t place why he’d needed it so damn much, the knowledge that she would relent to him even with her very life on the line…but she had.

It was that moment that his brain kept going back to, over and over.

The city lights dancing off her skin. Donna spreading her arms out wide. Like the wings of an angel.

And she’d fallen.

Descended into whatever hell housed his stone heart and resurfaced with the damn thing beating in her palm.

He was at her mercy and the thought should fucking terrify him.

But it didn’t.

Not here. Not with Donna.

He fell asleep again at some point, still holding her in his arms.

“I don’t believe you,” Donna laughed, letting her head fall back against the armrest of the leather sofa as she narrowed her eyes at Harvey. He was sprawled out at the other end, legs propped up on the coffee table while hers were draped over his lap, “Senator Briggs?”

“Foot fetish,” Harvey repeated, dancing his fingers over her ankle, “I collected three different girls from him in one night, and all of their toes were covered in-”

Donna knocked her heel against his stomach, “Please, for the love of god, do not finish that sentence.”

His lip curved at the corner, “He was the one who had finished , actually.”

“Goddamn it.” She made a face as that trivia flashed unwanted images through her brain and he laughed.

Harvey had done a lot of laughing that morning and every time he did, Donna couldn’t help but smile in return.

As intense as their previous night had been, day had brought an unexpected lightness. The weight of the worst of their lives had been aired and all that was left was the easier bond between them.

Her heart still ached for what Harvey had revealed about his past; she felt a murderous rage for the man who had brokered his years of pain, but the fact that he’d been willing to share the truth with her…

Trust breeds trust, she’d always believed so. Last night, she’d given it and she’d gotten it back in folds. And considering Harvey didn’t seem like the type to trust freely, it was as honoring as it was humbling to bear his trauma.

He repaid her for that willingness, still, transforming in some small way with not just laughter but unencumbered conversation and touch.

God, he hadn’t stopped touching her since they’d woken up a few hours ago and the soothing warmth of his palm over her tight and sore muscles felt incredible.

“Mhmm,” she sighed as he made another pass over her calf, down to her foot where he squeezed, “That’s nice.”

“I can be very nice when I want to be,” he told her, innuendo layering the statement and Donna snorted.

“Tell that to the ice pack between my legs right now.”

Waking up in Harvey’s arms had been a delight. Getting up from the bed, however, much less so when every movement made her feel as if she’d been hit by a truck.

Tender didn’t begin to cover it, but shaking off the stiffness of sleep had helped and so had the shower Harvey had helped her into.

She’d inspected the aftermath while he rinsed shampoo from her hair, noting how much worse and discolored her marks were now that they’d had time to fully develop.

Still, she didn’t have a single regret.

They hadn’t moved much since making their way into the living room. Harvey had settled her onto the couch after helping her dress in one of his shirts and the panties she’d packed in the small bag she’d brought over before changing for the club party.

Then he’d gone to the kitchen, grabbing her the ice pack that she was sure had nursed plenty of his injuries and a small container of strawberries; the only breakfast appropriate food left in the apartment.

He really did need to go shopping. The image was an amusing one; Harvey at a supermarket, or doing any mundane task that most people found completely normal.

He gave off the impression that he was above it all; like maybe Jessica had other employees that shopped for him. She might be able to believe that, if she could believe that he’d ever let anyone else in his fortress.

They’d snacked on the strawberries, she’d picked on him about the groceries, and the ice pack was more warm than cold now, where she had it resting between her thighs.

Harvey reached over and pulled the thing free, letting it drop to the floor with a muted thud. In the same breath, he used his other hand to pull her leg and drag her up onto his lap.

The ache wasn’t as bad now, but Donna did wince as his arms wrapped around her, sitting her up, and her legs parted over his lap.

“More ice?” he asked, then smiled wickedly, now that she was incredibly close to his face, “Or I could try and kiss it better.”

Donna chuckled, “Something tells me that is not going to help. I may have cum more last night than I have in the past few years combined, but I’m going to need at least forty-eight hours before I’m good to go again.”

That smile softened and his eyes raked over her face as he lifted a hand, brushing back her hair, “Next time, I’ll be more gentle.”

She was sure he was capable of it, but as last night’s memories flashed in her mind, Donna felt her cheeks heat.

“I won’t mind if you’re not.”

Those chocolate eyes of his grew impossibly darker and the tongue that had lavished delicious torture on her swept out to wet his bottom lip.

“Keep saying shit like that, Princess, and your forty-eight hours will look a lot more like forty-eight seconds.”

The threat was lost in the longing way he peered up at her, and though Donna knew there was no way in hell her body could take him again, even with the most gentle and careful treatment, she couldn’t resist the urge to lean down and kiss that mouth of his.

Harvey responded immediately, kissing her back with gusto, and her lip throbbed a little where he’d sunk his teeth into it the night before. She hadn’t gotten a good look at herself in the mirror yet, but she’d be willing to bet he’d broken skin.

She ignored the dull pain, falling further into the kiss as Harvey’s mouth opened and his tongue coaxed against her own. He snaked his arms around her waist, holding her flush, but his hands didn’t wander beneath the shirt she wore and he didn’t grind against her. There was no escalation, just warm passion where their tongues prodded and teased amongst a joined breath.

Donna was content to spend several more minutes chasing the flavor of Harvey’s lips, but a sharp buzzing nearby broke the moment.

She turned her head to see his phone lighting up on the bar of the kitchen island a few feet away. Harvey continued his kisses along her jaw.

“You’re getting a call,” she told him, but didn’t fight him as he tilted her head back to slide his tongue down her neck, “Mhmm. Harvey-”

“They’ll leave a voicemail,” he growled against her throat and Donna laughed at his single-minded focus as he began to work a fresh mark onto her skin.

Bringing her hands up to his shoulders, she pressed firmly and tugged herself back, “It could be important.”

Harvey sighed, then shot up in the same heartbeat, standing with her still wrapped around him, effortlessly carrying her the few steps to the kitchen, rather than put her down.

He picked up the cell and she saw Jessica’s name flash at the same moment he did.

Donna felt the way Harvey’s muscles tensed beneath her hands, but he shook his head and flipped the phone over as the call was missed.

He perched her on the edge of the island, a place they were starting to make a lot of memories at in a very short amount of time, and nuzzled back into her embrace, nosing the collar of the shirt open so he could press a kiss to her clavicle.

“You don’t need to call her back?” Donna asked.

Surely, since it was Jessica calling, he would want to-

“Later,” Harvey kissed her again and she had to fight to hold on to her train of thought.

If it had been Robert calling her…oh, fuck .

“Harvey, my phone,” Donna pulled away and straightened, gaining his full attention, “It’s still in my coat, at the club. I forgot to grab it when-”

“When you were storming away from me last night?”

“Which was perfectly warranted,” she reminded him with a challenging lift of her brow. He was smart enough not to argue.

He lifted a hand and ran it through his hair, his shoulders falling with a heavy exhale. Her own handiwork was displayed on the side of his neck, claw marks that disappeared up into his hairline and one very defined bite.

 “Guess it’s too much to ask for one day to ourselves.”

Donna giggled at the pout in his voice, “With our jobs? Probably. I need to go get my phone before Robert tries to reach me or he’ll worry. It also wouldn’t hurt to stop by my apartment and get some of my own clothes to change into.”

Harvey frowned, “An hour ago you were barely walking straight. You want to go strut around Manhattan?”

Okay. Point taken.

She chewed her lip as she pondered another solution and Harvey reached for his cell. Taking her hand, he placed the phone in it and wrapped both of their fingers around it.

“Call Robert. Let him know you’re safe and that you’ll be with me until he needs you,” there was no room for disagreement, “After, I’ll go get your phone and your clothes.”

Donna listened, pulling up the keypad to dial Robert’s personal line and as it rang she crooked her head, meeting Harvey’s gaze.

“You don’t know where my apartment is. How are you going to get my clothes?”

His lip curved up at the corner, “I have my ways, Princess.”

What the hell was that supposed to -

“Who is this and how the fuck did you get this number?” a gruff voice answered, cutting off her thought.

“And good morning to you too, sunshine,” she said teasingly.

Robert’s hearty baritone huffed a noise of relief over the line, “I take it this new number is why you didn’t respond to a single text or call this morning? Samantha was an hour away from sending out a search party.”

“Sorry,” Donna told him, “Tell Sam she can calm down. I’m fine.”

Harvey rolled his eyes in her peripheral and she made a mental note to ask him later what exactly the beef was between him and Samantha.

“I’m still with Harvey,” she admitted, “I forgot my phone, but he lent me his to call you.”

“Mmph,” he huffed again, “That explains why the number wouldn’t trace. Everything okay?”

Donna nodded, despite the fact that he couldn’t see her, “Fine. We…followed a lead last night, about whoever might have wanted to delay the deal with Buzzini.”

It wasn’t technically a lie.

“Find anything?”

Last night had been one of the longest of her life and so much had happened, most of which she did not want to relay to the man who was like a father to her; so it took a moment before Donna could focus in on anything noteworthy to tell him.

“I think we can rule out Ava Hessington. Harvey and I attended an…event last night,” she chose her words carefully, “One of her lieutenants was there. Travis Tanner. He knew who I was; my connection to you. And he seemed worried that my being there with Harvey meant we were in a business collaboration with Jessica.”

“Hmm,” Robert considered the information with a heavy pause. Harvey had gone tense again in front of her, “Any chance he was bluffing out?”

“I don’t think so,” Donna frowned, “And he was off the mark. Thought you and Jessica were looking into trafficking. I don’t think Ava is privy to our deal with the Italians. Or if she is, she’s keeping the info close. My gut tells me she isn’t involved.”

Robert sighed, “Well, it’s never been wrong before. I’m not going to start doubting it now. Tanner going to be a problem?”

“No,” Donna assured him, “I implied that Harvey and I were there together for personal affiliations rather than professional obligation.”

“And you’re sure he bought that?”

She couldn’t help but smirk a little, “Well, he made the mistake of grabbing my arm last night and Harvey put a knife through his hand…which probably sold the jealousy angle, so, yeah.”

Not to mention she’d been wearing Harvey’s collar and he’d finger fucked her while Tanner watched. But Robert didn’t need those details.

“Good,” the word was laced with approval, “I’ll have Sam work another angle, then. We weren’t getting anywhere with London, so you’re probably right about Ava. In the meantime, I’m set to sit down with Buzzini and his crew the day after tomorrow. I want you there.”

“Of course,” she agreed, her eyes flickering back to Harvey, half expecting him to fight the request. He remained silent. “I’d planned to stay tonight in the city, but I’ll be at the estate tomorrow morning. So, Sam can call off the dogs.”

Robert chuckled, “I’ll let her know. Call me when you head this way.”

They ended the call and Donna handed the cell back to Harvey, who slipped it into the pocket of the sweatpants he wore. His beautiful torso was tighter than it had been before; abs more defined, pecs flexed with tension.

“You okay?” she checked, leaning back on her palms.

Harvey stepped between her legs, knocking them apart to make room for himself.

“Day after tomorrow,” he muttered, “Our ‘professional obligation’ ends.”

There was a wariness to his tone and she was surprised that that was the cause of his unsettlement, and not the sit down Robert wanted her to be a part of.

When she said as much, he tilted his head.

“I’ve understood your role in this since that first night I went with you to meet with Buzzini,” he said, “I know how good you are at what you do. And ignoring your penchant for fucking the guys you shoot at, at least I know you can handle a gun.”

She smirked, using her calf to draw him in closer, “For the record, one time does not equal a penchant. And the insanity of wanting to shoot someone as badly as I want to fuck them is saved for you alone, sweetheart.”

That grin from earlier flashed on his face, some of the tension easing, “Let’s be glad you chose the latter.”

His hands splayed out on her legs, palms sliding up her quads, and she winced a bit as the skin pulled, causing a stinging sensation.

Harvey lightened his pressure as she looked down and caught sight of the clean, albeit red lines that still marred her inner thigh.

She’d noticed them in the tub last night, but with the bright morning sun streaming in through the far glass wall, the cuts were highlighted against her pale skin.

Donna ghosted her finger over the ‘H’, a shiver racing through her at what it implied.

It was strange, really, how something so starkly invasive and borderline barbaric could make her feel a whirl of unexpectedly positive emotions.

She loved Robert, but she’d always been indebted to him. And as an orphan for most of her life, part of her felt like she spent more time on the outside looking in. Robert was her family, same as Sam and Rachel. But she didn’t belong to them.

She’d never had something wholly hers before. Had never had someone willing to quite literally stamp such an ownership to a bond with her. 

And that’s exactly what Harvey’s knife-work had felt like when she’d first realized it was his initials that he’d cut onto her body.

Ownership. Claim.

It was enough to make her hope, however unreasonably, that she had found someone that she could belong to…and that he could belong to her.

Maybe it was just wishful thinking, of course, knowing the kind of man he was, but he gripped her legs now like he didn’t want to let her go, and last night, he’d made her a promise that he would come back from whatever ledge his revenge dragged him to.

For her.

Her heart screamed at her brain that his promise had to mean something .

She looked up into Harvey’s eyes and saw a flicker of emotion behind the intensity of his stare. It was an acknowledgement, in a way; an understanding that went deeper than words.

They’d been playing a dangerous game since the day they’d met, flirting with boundaries that had quickly crumbled in the wake of their chemistry and a connection that ran so deep, it felt like it tethered to her soul.

For all their differences and for all the things she still had left to learn about the man before her, that binding tie highlighted a truth that wasn’t exactly comfortable, but a needed reflection.

He’s more myself than I am , Emily Brontë had probably described it best.

“I should probably be sorry about that,” Harvey murmured, his warm voice barely above a whisper. He placed the pad of his thumb next to hers, covering the ‘S’ he’d cut into her, “But I’m not.”

Of course he wasn’t. Because it was his way of making her his; in some tangible capacity. And right now, all she wanted was to stake a matching claim on him.

Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same .

“I don’t want you to be sorry,” Donna said, lifting her hand to his jaw and brushed over the slight stubble that had grown there. Her fingertips traced the outline of his lips and she swallowed, “I want you to let me do the same to you.”

Harvey didn’t blink as he registered her meaning. His breath halted for half a second, but his expression didn’t change. There was no surprise in his gaze. No dismissal or uncertainty.

A heartbeat of loaded silence passed.

Then he reached blindly to a nearby drawer, slowly pulling it open while his other hand remained firmly on her leg.

His eyes never parted from hers; he still hadn’t blinked.

Donna felt the object he pushed into her hand before she saw it, the sleek handle cool against her palm.

She broke their stare first, looking down to see a kitchen knife, and her knuckles turned white as she gripped it harder.

“Where?” She was barely breathing. Could barely believe she was actually going to go through with-

Harvey grabbed her wrist and guided her hand up, until the tip of the blade made contact with his pec.

“Here.”

Right above his heart.

Removed from her body, and quite possibly her mind, she pressed the blade harder into his skin and slowly dragged it down.

Harvey didn’t flinch. Her eyes flickered up to his face, just to be sure, and he nodded once.

She moved the knife, cutting deeper, and blood welled up in the line she created.

Dripping red.

Chapter Text

Donna had spent the early afternoon in complete indulgence.

After they had staunched the bleeding from the letter she had carved into Harvey’s chest, he’d left the fortress to go retrieve her phone from the club and had promised to return with a change of clothes.

She’d used his absence to reground herself. She’d had a cup of coffee then stretched, as much as her sore body would allow, into a few basic yoga poses. After, she’d ran another hot bath, using shampoo to make bubbles and had relaxed in the heat, letting it soothe her aches.

While her muscles unwound, her brain did laps around recent events, and it struck her as…well, maybe not funny , but interesting that so many had happened right there, in that grand bathroom.

The mirror was fixed. She wasn’t sure when Harvey would have had time to get it replaced, but apparently he had. There was no lingering evidence of shattered glass or the spiral that had led up to it.

Donna reflected on that night in a new light, given the information Harvey had shared with her about his past. He’d told her that what he’d done, slamming his head into the glass, had quieted the voices.

It hadn’t made sense at the time and she’d assumed that it was his own actions, his own sinful transgressions that were feeding guilt and regret into his brain, pushing him to such extreme reactions.

Reality was far worse.

She had forced herself not to linger too long on thoughts of what he’d revealed, in fear that empathy would show her heartbreak on her face and Harvey would regret opening up. But he was out of the apartment now and in the solitude of her bath, she wept for him.

He had been a child. Innocent and alone. And what that monster had used him for…

Donna wasn’t a violent person by nature, but part of her prayed that Harvey did find the son of a bitch, alive and well. That he hurt him before he killed him and found some semblance of closure in the act when it was done.

She hoped he kept his promise and returned to her. She didn’t even care if it was as a shattered mess. She would help him pick up the pieces and become whole again.

The mental wounds of his past would scar as surely as the physical ones had and together they…

Donna paused, struck by how easily she was accepting the idea of Harvey being a part of her future. But what was the alternative?

They were both in too deep to walk away from each other now.

She took her time getting out of the tub, drying her body and brushing out her damp hair. Parts of her still hurt, and she imagined they would well into tomorrow, but the soak had helped and the discomfort was nothing compared to the pleasure that had accompanied it.

She found a shirt of Harvey’s to wear, the white material soft against her skin, and his scent seemed to saturate the fabric.

She’d just finished donning a few of the buttons, covering the larger expansions of her body, when she heard beeping from the key-coded door.

Excitement filled her at the thought of Harvey’s return, but when she walked into the open space of the living room, it was not Harvey that came into view around the corner.

Donna acted on instinct, going for the gun that Harvey had left on the kitchen counter. She aimed the pistol at the intruder, who seemed just as startled by her as she was by him. He was young, early twenties, with dirty blond hair and widening blue eyes. He was also vaguely familiar.

“Whoa, whoa,” he lifted his hands into the air, “Wait, don’t shoot. Hi…you’re…you’re Donna, right? Donna Paulsen?” He gave her a nervous smile, “I’m sorry. I’m Mike. I come in peace, I swear…”

Mike .

She ran the face and name through her brain, trying to make a connection, and relaxed her stance a little when she found one.

“You’re dating Rachel.”

She’d only seen pictures of him, but she was sure that this was the guy Rachel had sworn her into secrecy over. They’d met at a networking event and had been seeing each other since.

“Yes,” Mike said with an expression of relief, “Yes, I am. So, uh…do you want to put the gun down now?”

Donna kept it leveled at his chest, “No.”

The world might be small, but could it really be so small that it was just a coincidence that the guy Rachel had been dating was somehow connected to Harvey? And how much trust would Harvey have to have in this kid to give him the door code? Had he? Or was this guy involved somehow in all of this, worming his way to information about Robert through Rachel?

Maybe he didn’t know Harvey at all. Maybe he’d broken in. Maybe he was here for her.

Donna adjusted her grip on the gun and Mike frowned, lowering his hands slowly.

“Okaaay, not big on trust,” he said, and he sounded as young as he looked. Too young. He wasn’t the man who had attacked her, at least.

“Yeah, I get that,” he nodded, “But I’m just here to see Harvey. Probably should have knocked first, but it’s always a gamble whether he’ll be in the mood to open the door.”

So he did know Harvey.

“What do you want with him?” she asked, narrowing her eyes, “And if you lie to me, I’ll know, and I’ll shoot you.”

Mike blinked at her, then forced a smile, “Rachel did say you were good at that; reading people, I mean. Not shooting them.”

“We’ll get to Rachel,” Donna assured him, “Right now, I want to know what you want with Harvey.”

The kid’s smile faded some and he straightened, “I just need to talk to him. Work business.”

“You work for Jessica,” she guessed, and he shrugged, “Sorta. I handle some things she needs handling. But Harvey saved my ass. I do it because I owe him. Now, can you please put the gun down?”

She wanted to believe him. Her gut was telling her that this baby-faced young man could be trusted. But experience in this life had her guard remaining up.

“Prove it.”

His brow shot up, “Prove that I work for Jessica?”

“That you know Harvey,” she pressed, taking a step closer to him with the weapon.

Mike’s hands shot up again in a defensive stance, “Okay, okay. Uh…he’s blond, brown eyes, drives a green mustang, scary as hell when pissed-”

“Congratulations,” Donna rolled her eyes, “You just described half the guys on Tinder. You’re gonna have to do better than that.”

Anyone who had scoped Harvey out for any period of time or had even asked around about him could have gained that intel.

Blue eyes flickered to the gun in her hand, back to her face, down her body once, then returned to meet her stare.

“You have bite marks under your bottom lip and down your neck,” the kid said, “Bruises on your wrists, and knees. Harvey had his way with you last night and based on the fact that you’re here, alone- yes alone,” he interrupted when she opened her mouth to speak, “Because if Harvey was here, he’d be the one holding a gun to my face right now. But he let you stay alone in his home, which means he trusts you. And that shit doesn’t come easy to him."

His arms fell back to his side, “You want proof that I know him? I know what he does to the people he screws. I know, for some reason, it’s different with you. He hasn’t admitted it outright, but you’ve gotten under his skin. I know he was assigned to protect you. I know he lent you his gun the other night. I know he had me ask Rachel for your number. But what I don’t know…is why he’s so hung up on you that he’s-”

Whatever Mike assumed Harvey was doing because of her was never voiced, because at that second, the beeping sounded again and Donna watched Mike’s head swivel toward the entrance that was still out of her view.

She saw his features relax but she didn’t copy the motion until Harvey’s gruff voice filled the room.

“Mike, what the hell are you doing here?”

“Trying to avoid getting shot by proving that even an asshole like you can have a friend,” the younger man joked, and it really was a joke. He smiled like he was completely unconcerned by how Harvey might react to finding him in his space.

Donna lowered the gun and Harvey stepped into view.

He was dressed in the jeans and black V-neck he’d put on that morning. Her coat from last night was draped over his arm and he held a duffel in the other that she recognized from the closet in her bedroom.

The motherfucker really had figured out where she lived…

Harvey’s eyes found her, took in her appearance and the gun in her hand, then looked back at Mike, “You barge in unannounced?”

“I did,” the kid admitted, “Sorry your highness, but I guess your herald was too busy to-”

“Shut the fuck up,” Harvey brushed past him, walking over to her.

Donna held his gaze as he approached.

“I grabbed you a few clothing options,” he said, dropping the bag at her feet as his eyes ate her up, “But I have to say, I’m a fan of this look on you.”

She made a noise close to a snort and he held out her coat and traded it for the gun when she reached for it.

“He’s harmless,” he added, securing the weapon in his belt behind his back.

“I wouldn’t have killed him,” Donna murmured, “But I do think you owe me an explanation for why you didn’t tell me your coworker was the guy Rachel was dating. You knew, didn’t you?”

“I did,” Harvey shrugged, “It never came up.”

Donna gave him a pointed look and he sighed, reaching for her. His hands were warm on her waist and though her muscles protested when he tugged her forward, they were soothed by his arms wrapping around her.

“He cares about her,” he said in a low voice, “But you may have noticed Robert is a bit protective. I wasn’t going to hang the pup out at his mercy. If you’d asked I would have told you. But it didn’t seem relevant to our situation.”

It still felt like an awful big coincidence, but Donna peeked over his shoulder at the “pup” who was staring across the room at them with a bewildered expression. Rachel liked the guy. Harvey trusted him. For now, she could accept the oddity of such paths crossing.

“He came here to talk to you,” she said after a short moment, “I’m going to get dressed so he can. But make sure he knows I will shoot him if his intentions with Rachel are anything but good.”

Harvey chuckled and leaned down, pressing a quick kiss to her forehead, “I have no doubt Robert’s wrath would look like child’s play compared to yours, Princess.”

She accepted that, then grabbed her bag and took it to the room to give the two men some privacy.

“Holy shit,” Mike muttered when Harvey turned to face him.

He probably shouldn’t have been surprised to see the kid at his apartment, since he’d ignored three of his calls already, but the trespass was an annoyance he would rather not deal with when all he wanted was to spend the day in solitude with Donna.

“What?” Harvey demanded, not bothering to hide that annoyance from his expression. Mike was, as usual, unfazed.

“You really do have it bad for her, huh?”

Harvey rolled his eyes, “Did you come here just to offer commentary or was there actually a reason?”

Mike’s gaze continued to shift between him and the bedroom door where Donna had disappeared to, but then he took a step closer to Harvey and quieted his tone.

“I’m here because Jessica called me,” Anxiety laced the words, “She said she’s been trying to reach you. You’re lucky it was me who showed up instead of her.”

A feeling eerily close to guilt dipped in Harvey’s stomach. Ignoring Jessica hadn’t been his intention and he knew she wasn’t going to be happy with him…even more so than he’d originally thought, if she was already sending Mike for retrieval…but he’d needed time.

He still needed time.