And round them, as in them, was a great Darkness.... ― MAURICE LEVEL

It wasn't a request but it wasn't a command either. Her eyes flashed and before she could protest or outright refuse him, he pulled her to the dance floor. A dreamy slow song was going on, which gave him the perfect excuse to hold her as he longed to. It didn't matter if it would have been a fast song. Nothing was going to stop him from touching her and seducing her as he wanted to tonight.

Pulling her close in his arms, he splayed his fingers on her waist. She held herself woodenly to maintain a proper distance. But he wasn't having any of that.

"You're... bewitching tonight. Like to live dangerously, don't you Catriona?"

She looked up to face him with the blaze of battle in her eyes and he maneuvered her into a more manageable position. Bringing her closer, Alex idly traced maddening little circles along her waist.

"Is there any other way?"

She gave him a lethal smile meant to disconcert him. Only he infuriated her, as Alex brought his lips closer to her ear and feathered a whispered breath, that sent an electrifying shiver up her spine. Cat's uninhibited response drove him that much closer to the edge.

"What danger are you speaking about, anyway? If you refer to yourself, then you should know that I'm not afraid of you and since you decided the theme of this little party, why are you so surprised?" she challenged.

"Not afraid, sweet Catriona? But that's your biggest mistake yet." He murmured and ran his fingertips in a lazy caress against her back. Discovering her nearly backless, the blouse defied any law of gravity, which was held up only by a strip of fabric. She was going to be the death of him. Unknowingly, he started to move them near the far end of the room.

"What are you doing Alex?"

Feeling himself lose control by the second, Alex spun Cat out to the balcony through the French windows of the room. Away from the noise of the party, he allowed for a moment to get himself under control. He turned away from her so he wouldn't pounce upon Cat like a wild animal. Oh, but he wanted to, so badly.

"I am taking you somewhere more private."

"Yes, difficult as it might be for you to comprehend, I noticed that. Now tell me why?"

"Cat..." he began in a warning voice "... Now is not the time to try my patience."

"Patience?" She laughed out in her husky cadence and the sound hit Alex in his solar plexus like a drug to a junkie. "Wild animals have more-"

He found himself attacking her. Blown away by frustration and hunger he tried to reign it in. He meant only to shut her up. But as soon as he tasted Cat's soft lips, Alex found himself going over the edge of control.

Grabbing her arms, he forcefully bought Cat against his chest and proceeded to thrust his tongue into her and taste her, branding her body and making her ache as he did. She didn't fight nor did she try to pull away. But he was vaguely aware of her not kissing him back. Fighting his feelings and his inner need to take her right then and there as his mind was screaming, he eventually gentled the kiss and slowed down.

Sensing his sudden change in mood, Cat was surprised and shocked at Alex's sudden assault. Her body had shut down in remembered response as depraved darkness and fear had attacked her senses. Not expecting it and certainly not wanting it, Cat stood immobile to let him finish what he had started.

Liar. 

As fast as his demanding and thrilling kiss had started, she'd felt herself begin to respond to the wildness within him. But then he'd suddenly slowed down and sipped at her lips. His hands caressed her back and molded her hips more firmly against his. Brushing his thumbs down the sides of her body, he continued tracing erratic patterns on her body.

As mind-blowing as this seduction of her senses was, she ached to feel the wild tempestuousness of his earlier kiss. Her skin broke out in goosebumps where his fingers lightly brushed her nearly naked back and her sides. She wanted to revel in his untutored response to her. To feel his wild, inflaming, and uncontrollable need for her. She wanted him to kiss her as he had eight years ago when Alex had cherished her and made her feel alive and a part of something bigger than herself, as only he could.

Her brain skittered away from the thought as if cold water had been thrown on her and she pushed him away.

"We can't do this anymore. Stay away from me."

"Cat, you can't push me away whenever you feel like it. I've given you all the time I can and I know you're hiding things from me, but just answer me this," he tenderly brushed his fingers across her cheek, "Did I mean anything to you? At all? Ever?"

She ran, just like she had, all those years ago. There was no other word for it. But what could she do?

Cat made the rounds and interviewed some employees that could help shed more light on Project Theta. Every now and then, she saw Alex charming everyone by his side, especially the ladies. For all his faults, Alex had always been able to charm any woman, be it 8 or 80. After all, who could resist those shiny jade eyes and charismatic half-smile? Not that she had noticed.

Yeah, right.

She wasn't fooling anybody tonight, especially herself, was she?

She had come here to complete her mission and as much as Alex insisted he wanted them to pick up where they left off, she knew she couldn't be with him. Not after the look in his eyes, she had just seen.

Did I mean anything to you? At all? Ever?

If it would have been only desire she could have succumbed and given them both a night to remember. But his eyes had been a mirror of deep longing and hidden pain layered with a veil of secrets.

It all eventually came down to this between them.

Secrets and lies.

Deception and subterfuge.

Hell, their whole relationship was built on it.

Not quite, came the annoying voice of her conscience.

It didn't matter. She could never bring herself to tell her secrets and share her guilt. Even after all these years she was wary of trusting him and knew that a lasting relationship couldn't be forged on mutual secrets and lies with only passion to sustain it.

As she entered the party, her gaze drifted towards Nathan. Why couldn't she have fallen for a guy like him? Trustworthy, dependent, safe... whoa, back up girl.

Fallen for Alex? No-freaking-way.

Fallen for that egotistical, arrogant, selfish, eccentric, caring, handsome, generous maniac?

Yes, way.