the heavy oak door to the s

orporate power. He was tapping a single finger on the polished woo

s sweeping over her. They lingered for a fract

he co

m, her arms wrapped around herself. "The photo

matter who it was. What matters is that half

aped her lips. "Is

desk, his presence filling the room, sucking the air out of it. The scent

ching out as if to cup her cheek. She

smoothed down his tie and adjusted one of his platinum cuffl

f a CEO addressing a difficult subordinate. "The Un

him see the full force of the hatred in her eyes. "Not for

ence cracked. A flicker of something dar

s if it were a foreign concept, a

't have

she could feel the heat radiating from his body. He leaned

life in my hands. Do

t through her. It was a d

rom shaking, to find the one w

ost imperceptible change, but she saw it.

le, his eyes like chips of granite. "Where did you hear tha

rtant meeting'," she whispered, the words tearing at h

ce was he

led back, her hand landing on the desk to steady h

hem completely, his entire demeanor shifted. The coldne

, stop this," he murmured, his voice low and hypnotic. "I

threats, then pull her back with a performance of reg

is thumb stroking her arm in a gesture that was meant to be soothing but fel

years old, right? In other words, not long after our c

across his stern face. He n

was eeri

d and asked, "Do you really m

fy your desire to be called 'dad', then I don't mind.

rward, and placed his hands on either side of

inside h

n from a place of absolute violation. She shoved h

epening annoyance. A flicker of what might have been hurt cross

move clo

ice flat. "And until you do, you can for

missing her as if she were a hysterical ch