Chapter 16

"What do you mean??" Ava asked in confusion

"Have you set your sights on Karan Malhotra, Aveline?? Is he your next target??" He asked through clenched teeth and Ava stiffened at that accusation.

Somethings never change, she realized

"What if I have?? Maybe he is my next target. What I don't understand is how it is any of your business" Ava said tartly.

She had had enough with his accusations and tantrums.

His jaw tightened. Ava saw the movement and felt a flutter of apprehension in her belly. He reached out, taking her arm in a punishing grip. Ava bit back a cry at his touch, more of shock than pain.

He unceremoniously hauled her from behind the desk and led her over to his chair. He all but thrust her into it.

"I should have known you would never change" he bit out and she scoffed at the ridiculousness.

That should be my dialogue, Ava thought to herself

She watched as he paced back and forth, his hands on his hips. The fingers were long and lean, and a sprinkling of dark hair dusted the backs of his hands.

She moved, telling herself that he wouldn't stop her if she just walked out. After all, it wasn't as if she'd committed any crime.

But just as she was about to pass him she felt her arm being gripped, and she was swung around so fast that she lost her balance and fell against him. All the breath seemed to leave her body.

In an instant he'd loosened her clipped hair, and it fell around her shoulders. His hand held her head, tilting her face up to him. His other arm was like a steel band around her back. Ava was afraid to move or breathe, because that would invite a contact that would scatter what remained of any coherent thought. As it was, she was barely clinging onto a shred of sanity.

She tried to summon her strength and pull free, and regretted it immediately when it merely gave Zayed more room to hold her even tighter against him. Her breasts were crushed against his chest. They were pressed together, torso to torso, hip to hip. His breath feathered near her mouth

When had his head moved so close?, she thought in surprise

She tried to pull back and his fingers tightened in her hair. She winced, even though he wasn't really hurting her. His mocking smile sliced through her defences.

"You've kept me awake for years."He grimaced.

"I tried to deny it, ignore it. But this desire wouldn't abate. I'm no more in the habit of denying myself anything, or anyone I want. As much as I despise myself for feeling this, I want you, Aveline."

Ava's brain couldn't compute the significance of what he was saying, and certainly couldn't compute the tumult of emotions that had threatened to swamp her. All those nights she'd woken sweating from torrid dreams, he'd been thinking of her too??

She tried to push back again, but Zayed held her effortlessly. His head bent closer and Ava twisted hers away in desperation.

"Zayed what are you -"

But the rest of her words were silenced under the devastating crush of Zayed's mouth to hers. He was ruthless, he was angry, and he plundered and took until Ava felt weak tears smart at the back of her eyes and her hands were fists trying to beat ineffectually against his rock- hard chest.

A weak moan of pleading came from deep in her throat. Finally Zayed pulled away, and she felt his chest moving against hers with his harsh breaths. It should have disgusted her, scared her, made her recoil when she saw the heated look in his eyes, but it didn't.

It made her quiver deep down inside, somewhere very vulnerable. As if she'd been waiting for this. As if, despite everything, this somehow felt right. In that moment Zayed's hand gentled on her head, his fingers massaged her skull, and the movement weakened her further. She couldn't cope with tenderness, gentleness. She felt a thumb move across her cheek, and only then realised that a tear must have crept out.

Zayed smiled, but it was tight.

"The tears are a nice touch, Aveline, but unnecessary-along with trying to pretend that you don't want me."

He shifted slightly, so that Ava fell more into the cradle of his lap, and she gasped when she felt the hard evidence of his arousal against her belly. The shocking reality of it made moisture gather between her legs in a very earthy recognition of a mate.

She was caught by his eyes as if hypnotised.

Everything melted away: who he was and what he did!!

When Zayed bent his head again, this time he wasn't cruel and harsh. His touch was firm and seductive. His mouth settled over hers and caused a deep sigh to move through her.

With an expertise Zayed forced her mouth to open to him, touching his tongue to hers and causing a flash flood of liquid heat to her groin. Ava moved instinctively, barely aware of what she was doing, just sensing that she wanted more.

Zayed hauled her even closer, growling something in his throat as his mouth continued its dark magic on hers. Ava was vaguely aware that her hands had unfurled and had climbed up over those impossibly broad shoulders. She was now clinging to his neck, arching her body into his, fingers tangling in the silky strands of his hair.

They were so much into each other that they didn't even hear the multiple knocks on the door.

They sprang apart from each other as they heard a sharp gasp.

Ava looked horrified at the stunned look of one of her colleagues.

What the hell was she doing??

How could she succumb to his charms??

Didn't she learn her lessons yet?

"I, sorry. I'm..." the woman stammered

"Out" Zayed growled at the woman and she quickly scrambled out of Zayed's cabin.

Ava was standing still with her head bent downwards.

"Aveline" Zayed called out gently reaching out to touch her and she unconsciously flinched.

"Don't. This was a mistake" she said and all but ran out of the cabin.

She didn't have the courage to look at her colleagues, but she knew everyone where looking only at her.

She took her bag from her desk and hurried out of the office.

She thanked heavens for the day being a weekend.

She thankfully don't have to face neither Zayed nor her colleagues for two days.