Their faces were an inch apart. Daryn parted his lips as if to say something. Dawn could feel all the heat that emanated from his body, from his breath. She clasped the cold wall and stared into his eyes. He drew a faction closer and her breathing hitched. Her mind left all the reasoning. This was not what she had expected in his office. It was the first time she had even stepped in there.

"I am unable to stop thinking about you Dawn," he whispered.

She bit her lip to stop herself from touching his lips and feeling him.

Daryn grabbed the back of her neck and his lips fell on hers. She shuddered. At first he lightly brushed them and then his kiss turned deep, full of passion, which he had held back for a long time. It was getting harder and harder to kiss her senseless, to feel her. And Dawn—she closed her eyes. Her berry lips parted. He pressed his heated body against hers and she was pressed against the cold wall. He leaned into her and she could feel his hardness. A spark cruised through their bodies. She never wanted someone so badly in her life. She allowed herself to wrap her arms around his neck and caress it, feeling his soft skin and silky hair.

He groaned in her mouth, his cock becoming granite hard. It was impossible to pull away from her. He shoved his tongue inside her and explored every nook and corner that he could. He had never felt so desperate in his life, so desperate to possess someone. Mine. My home. Mine.

At the same time Dawn opened up for him like a flower. She moaned back in response and he knew that she was also desperate just like him. Their bodies melted into each other. They way their lips met, it was like two pieces of puzzle have fitted. She relented as she played with his hair and held them tighter and tighter. Daryn became hot, fiery and demanding. None of them could think straight. None of them could think of the consequences. He called her name in her mouth and her juices flowed. She clenched her thighs to hold her body as the world around her fell away. There was no space between them and she could feel the rhythm of his heart.

Daryn's hands went to her waist and he picked her up. He grinded his hardness against her wanting to merge with her. He left her mouth and kissed her cheeks, her forehead and her neck. His lips pulled away from her and he groaned softly. He leaned his forehead into hers. "Dawn, I can't stop myself," he said breathlessly.

The pain with which he said it made Dawn teary. Even she couldn't stop but they had to. A tear rolled out. "Please put me down," she whispered. The weight of his engagement with another woman crumpled her.

"Don't go," he pleaded as he glided her down his body gently.

"You have to try and stop." She rubbed her neck, stepped away from him and with one last smoldering look, walked out of the office.

It stung. He stood there, watching her opening the door and disappearing behind it. It took all his power to control his wolf, which was going nuts, snarling to come out. He had never ever let himself go so much out of control, especially in the office. He was known for his cold and rude behavior. But there's never been a girl like Dawn. He walked back to his office desk and leaned on it with his hands, body tense. At least this time his fangs didn't come out like last time when he danced with her. At least he proved himself that he could be in the same room with her without jumping on her, without wanting to dig his fangs in her. He ran his fingers through his hair. He wanted her, he needed her. He had to shift. His wolf wanted to be unleashed.

The red light on his extension flashed. He picked up the phone. "Mr. Silver, your father will be meeting you in another half an hour. He has asked you to meet him in the private dining room of Hotel Sorbet."

Daryn kept the phone down. He thought that his father was avoiding him and this was unexpected. Without waiting for another minute, Daryn went outside the office. He looked at Dawn who was sitting with two boys and discussing something. He didn't like the vicinity of the boys. His wolf growled to mark her and leave his scent so that other boys never even talked to her. He closed her fists tight and then turned away.

Hotel Sorbet was a ten-minute drive from their office and his father often called meetings over there, if he had to entertain important guests. Daryn reached the dining room and found his father eating lunch. He had taken the liberty to order for him too. There was a wide selection of crayfish, salmon, various breads, salads and red wine.

Gayle wiped his mouth and pointed at the chair in front of him. The room was located on the topmost floor and had tinted glasses on all the sides. The weather was cloudy and some stray clouds surrounded the room. It was like eating in the clouds. "What is it that was so urgent Daryn?" Gayle asked, slicing his turkey.

Daryn sat down and a waiter came to help him with the serving food. He dismissed the waiter. Then he dug his pants pocket and took out a small USB. Sliding it to Gayle, he said, "This contains some call records. Maya had ordered killing a neotide from in my office – a girl called Dawn Wyatt."

Gayle stopped. His body froze and his breath choked in his throat. His facial muscles became tense. "Did she succeed?" he asked in a heavy voice.

"No," came the answer. Daryn left the USB on the table. "The girl is alive and I am afraid that Maya will strike again."

Gayle breathed. He sliced the meat and ate it. He savored the flavor and then said, "What do you want? How does this concern you?"

Daryn was surprised at his father's words. "What do mean father? This initiation for killing a neotide without any reason will ruin our reputation. Since when have we started eliminating neotides without any rationale?"

Gayle sliced another piece and stuffed it in his mouth. "Eat Daryn," he said gently with authority.

"Father, I—"

"Eat," his father commanded. He could sense how agitated Daryn was.

Angrily, Daryn took some peeled crayfish and threw them on his plate. He forked them as if he were killing them live and put them in his mouth. He picked up the wine glass and gulped it down his throat.

Gayle smiled at his son. "Daryn, what is it that you want?" he asked again.

That was it. He blurted, "I want to call off my engagement with Maya!" There.

Gayle kept his knife and fork on the side of his plate very gently, totally unaffected by Daryn's statement. "You know the repercussions?"

"Yes, I am well aware of them."

"I need a reason for you to break the engagement. Why did Maya try to kill the neotide in your office? What made her take this drastic step? Why did she choose only this particular neotide? And how come a neotide is working in The Silver House? I thought you disliked them." Gayle folded his arms across his chest and looked at Daryn as if studying him. "So elaborate, and then I may think of helping you." He wanted his son to confirm, to admit what he suspected for a long time.

---

In the office Dawn was ruffled completely by what happened. Her hands went to the two thumb drives she had in her skirt's pocket.