As I step into the room, the sight before me almost knocked me off as I see Carina Martin, my chief-editor manager sitting on the sofa opposite to none other than Dakota Black, the one who sued her pretty printing company.

What in the fresh hell is going on here?

Carina raises her gaze at me and I pick up my dropped jaw as she greets me with a sweet smile. "Hi, Emara.."

Dakota tilts his head and toxic green eyes meet mine. I feel a loud thud in my chest as his cold, icy orbs stare into my warm ones.

An electric current bolts down my body and my heart seems to freeze on the spot. It's as if the entire world is disappearing and all I can see is his smooth clean-shaven face, staring back at me intensely.

There is no ounce of emotions on his face, but the way his piercing eyes make a slow path down my body, deliberately checking every inch of my figure and the dress on me, I can see a subtle glint in his eyes which says he likes what he is seeing.

*Cough*

Carina clears her throat, and my attention draws towards her. Dressed in a cream chiffon shirt paired with a pencil skirt, she looks as professional as a chief-editor.

"I am glad that you are finally here." She again plasters a sweet smile on her face, before informing me. "As we have been waiting for you since past.. Thirteen minutes." She says, glancing at her wristwatch.

We?

My confused gaze once again finds those green enigmatic eyes, and I find them staring back at me with a stern expression of a boss, as if waiting to hear why I am late.

Wait, did he call her?

My gaze surf through the files and papers on the table, wondering if this is some kind of meeting that I am just informed about.

"Um, uh-sorry.. Traffic, you know." I whisper awkwardly as I come sit beside Dakota, keeping a professional distance between us.

And suddenly the couch feels so small.

I feel a rush of emotions intensifying in me as I feel his eyes on me, lingering on my knees where the dress ends. I shyly pull the edges of my dress, trying to cover up my skin from his prying gaze as if he has never seen me naked.

"Of course, traffic is worse in Seattle. Especially on a Sunday morning." Carina comments from the opposite side, casually sitting on an armchair while staring at me with a scrutiny of a fox.

Her sharp gaze seems to peer every detailed expression on my flushed face, before shifting their focus to my disheveled hair. Suddenly, a wicked smile slowly spreads across her lips as if she discovered a million dollar secret.

And that's when it hits me- my hair is still wet from the morning shower.

Shit!

I was so excited to wear the dress and come down to see him, that I completely forgot to blow dry my hair first.

Nervously, I push my damp hair behind my shoulders and Carina's smirk widens, one that could rival a cheshire cat. I quickly look away, suddenly finding the plain walls incredibly interesting.

"Would you like tea, or coffee?" Dakota asks me, breaking the awkward silence.

My gaze shift to him, and instantly my heartbeat increases. Heat flushes on my cheeks as his deep ocean green eyes stare back at me like I am the only girl in his world.

"Tea. I mean coffee." I correct myself, feeling extremely shy with his keen attention on my face.

Even this one arm distance feels so close, so intimate that I could feel his body warm from a meter away, as if we are still tangled in each other's arms.

"Sweet?" He asks me with a hint of smile, still not looking away.

The eye contact feels more intense than the times I have been naked in front of him. It makes something move in my stomach, like worms. Or is it.. Butterflies?

"Yes." I blink sheepishly with blush tingling my face.

A smirk teases on Dakota Black's untouchable lips, but he looks away just in time, molding his expression into a heartless man he is well known for.

And when I look away, I see Carina sipping and peering over the rim of her tea cup, observing us with a razor-sharp gaze of a fox.

She narrows her eyes at me and raises a brow, as if asking what is going on? I shake my head and instantly look away from her prying paparazzi eyes.

"El Café. Mocha." Dakota tells to Martina, and that's when I notice her presence in the house. She gives me a small smile of acknowledgement, before returning to the kitchen.

*Ahem*

I turn to her, but this time Carina's eyes are fixed on the man beside me. She sets her cup down and politely says, "Thank you Mr. Black, for agreeing to discuss about the interview which caused a blunder in the media last week."

What?

I couldn't help but steal a glance at Dakota who takes a leisure sip of his black coffee and responds, "I only agreed to discuss on one condition."

His voice is as sharp as his clean-shaven jaw, reminding who holds authority in the room.

"Of course, Mr. Black." Carina replies cautiously. "I have taken down the interview from all our news outlets and I have prepared a new, revised version of it."

Though Carina usually appears like a cunning fox, but in front of the big bad wolf, she seems to have adopted the demeanor of an obedient squirrel.

"In the edited version, I have removed the controversial statement which raised allegations on your past, and questionable doubts on your character. It has all been edited out." She explains while handling over a confidential file.

"Also, I have drafted an apology for the inaccurate information gathered by my sources." Her eyes meet mine and I feel the weight of her unapologetic gaze upon me.

My heart sinks heavily with the fact that it was me who triggered this legal turmoil, trapping her company along with me. Only if I was aware of the storm I was walking into.

"Good." Dakota replies in his executive tone.

"And I am heartily sorry for the damage caused due to a misunderstanding. My interviewer must have heard things wrong and I take full accountability for that." She reassures him, while I sit with my anxieties, fidgeting with my dress.

"It's alright. Everyone makes mistakes." Dakota's voice cuts through the air, leaving me surprised by his unexpectedly gracious words.

"You are absolutely right, Mr. Black. Thank you for being so considerate." Carina replies with an extra spoon of sweetness, something I never knew she was capable of.

Dakota takes his time to read the file page-by-page while I sit quietly, but just as alert, observing him, and the sudden change in his mood.

Is he still plotting his revenge, or did he astral travel in his sleep and someone else woke up in his god body?

He seems so.. different.

"Caa-fee?" Martina kindly extends a cup to me, and I smile, thanking her.

The warmth from the ceramic soothes my cold hands as I slowly lift the cup to take a sip of the dark chocolatey liquid. The cream leaves a faint trace of mustache on my lips and I lick it away in slow motion when I suddenly sense something..

I furrow my brow and shift my attention to Dakota, who is staring back at me with a strange amusement in his eyes. Though he is holding a stack of papers in his hand, it seems like he is reading me.

I blink at him as a mysterious smile plays on his lips as he stares at mine. Shaking his head, Dakota turns his gaze away and fires an unexpected question. "When are you planning to make it live?"

"Monday." Carina promptly responds. "Once it clears from your side, I will update the interview tomorrow itself."

"Alright, then." Dakota exhales. He sets the file aside and hits a few emails on his phone saying, "I'll ask my lawyer to withdraw the lawsuit against your company once the interview and your apology are published."

Wait.. Is he serious?

Carina's eyes light up and she takes a gasp, "Thank you, Mr. Black! Thank you so much for reconsidering over the legal matter and giving my company another opportunity to collaborate with you."

Dakota gives her a respectable nod and hands her a brown file stating, "But you have to sign an agreement of consolidation, where you are not authorized to publish anything against me or my company, without my permission. That's my condition."

With an air of confidence, Dakota casually sits back with his magical ability to manipulate any situation to his advantage, and stares at Carina's fused face.

She thought she could charm her way through this negotiation, but she forgot that she was dealing with an evil genius.

A mastermind in her own game.

"I understand." She gulps under pressure as she picks up the pen and sign the documents. It is clear that she would agree to just anything to shield her company from looming legal battles.

"And as for you, Ms. Stone. I would like you to serve as a witness for the reconciliation of this agreement."

I look up at him, watching how smoothly he pulls out a pen from his t-shirt's pocket, all while keeping his unflinching, authoritative gaze at me.

How can someone look so charming and dangerous at the same time?

"Emara.." He whispers my name in his deep voice, "You okay?"

Once again his ocean deep eyes dive into mine, speaking to me in a language different from his lips. I see no trace of anger, vengeance or even toxicity in them, as if they are left untouched by the storm I have witnessed in him.

Maybe he is a really good actor along with being a master in manipulation.

I give him a subtle nod and his lips curve into a professional smile as he instructs me, "Sign here."

I force my gaze towards the papers before me, the ones I earned by being his personal whore for all these nights.

The sacrifices I have made- my dignity, my grace, my body and the nights I have spent entangled in his dark world.. It all coming to an end.

Taking the pen from his outstretched hand, I sign the papers to my freedom.

"Also, what is your email id?" Dakota asks me while drafting a mail on his phone, "I will send you the digital copy once it is turned into a legal document."

"I rock.. and you suck." I tell him and slowly he lifts his piercing gaze at me, almost burning a hole through me.

"At g-mail dot com." I whisper, feeling the heat of embarrassment radiating from my flustered face.

Dakota narrows his eyes at me and I can practically hear his voice in my head, telling me how childish I am and how he thinks of himself as a pedophile because of me.

Maybe I should change my email ID into something that sounds mature, something like GrownUpGoddess or how about YesYesOhGodYes? That's pretty mature!

"How is the progress on wolf book going on?" Dakota casually asks my editor and my heart almost jumps out of my mouth. Why does he wants to know?

"The editing of the first book should be wrapped up by the end of this month. And once we decide on the cover, it will be off to our printing press." Carina responds, her voice laced with a strange kind of enthusiasm.

"And when's the launch?" Dakota asks, with a hint of curiosity.

WHY IS HE EVEN INTERESTED?

I fidget anxiously on my spot as Carina replies, "Should be at the end of the year." Her gaze meets mine and once again, a sly smirk flashes across her lips.

My heart is practically pounding in my ears like drums. Carina's suspicion and Dakota's sudden interest in my romantic-smut book is sending my anxiety through the roof.

This can't be happening!

"Good. Continue the momentum." Dakota tells her, before stacking the files as a clue to conclude the meeting.

Carina, ever the opportunist picks herself with a practiced grace. "Thank you, Mr. Black. It's been a privilege to meet you. I will never forget your mercy."

She then turns her attention to me, that smirk never leaves her lips as she says, "Emara, now that you are in the city, maybe we should discuss your book's cover later in my offic-"

"I need to speak with Ms. Stone on another matter. You may leave first." Dakota interrupts her, leaving no room for debate.

"Of course!" The grin on Carina's face widens as she looks straight into my eyes and says, "I understand."

Oh god! What did she understood?

( ͡♥ ₃ ͡♥)

Hola Hola Hola! How are my sexy Chica's??? Missed me ;)

October was the worst month of 2023.. Who agrees?

Hit👇⭐️