Every blade has two edges; he who wounds with one wounds himself with the other ― VICTOR HUGO

Cat felt like she was starting to rev up for something only he could induce and grew wearier. Alex's eyes slowly drifted down to rest on her mouth. Expectantly she opened her mouth to say something but no words formed in her brain. Inhaling the high that his nearness wrought Cat felt ready to explode.

"Hi...forgive me for intruding, but aren't you Alexander Knight?"

"No, I'm not. You must have me confused with someone else." He didn't even take his eyes off her to answer the stranger who'd interrupted them.

"Oh...Okay, sorry to have disturbed you. But you sure do look a lot like him." He continued less sure now of having the right person.

"Isn't that some handsome billionaire dude on the news for being cuckoo for cocoa puffs? Huh, thanks mahn you sure made my day," Alex spoke in a deep twang that amazed even her. She broke off his stare to look at the disappointed stranger leave after eyeing her and murmuring something under his breath.

"Your fans sure are eager to meet you. You shouldn't just ignore them, especially the ladies. The one in that green dress over there seems particularly eager." The stranger had now joined a few ladies who were now all staring at them.

"It won't be so easy to get rid of me this time," Cat made the mistake of looking up into his hypnotic eyes again.

"I never said-"

Cat felt the ferry dock at the destination. People started to leave but Alex still didn't release her from his compulsive stare. To break the crackling tension that had gathered around them she moved to turn away when his fingers gripped her elbow. Trying to control her erratic heartbeat Cat faced him and saw a slight smile playing on Alex's lips.

"Not yet, Cat. Someone will be here soon."

Even as he said the words, a black limousine pulled up to the dock. Turned on and angry at herself for letting Alex get to her, she chose to blame her frustration on the time it was taking to reach this place.

"You know I wouldn't have minded the restaurant in my hotel. Why do we have to go through this elaborate set-up?" Cat's temper carried in a high voice.

"I know what you would have preferred. But since we have important business to discuss, I always prefer deals to be made on my turf."

"Deals? As I see it, I'm here to evaluate your company's proposed viability for a military contract, and as soon as I do that I'll be out of your hair."

"Yes, you always thought running away was better than facing the problem, right? After so many years, I see that still hasn't changed."

Alex's eyes narrowed as he walked her back till she hit the handrails, "But what you don't realize is, that in the end, running away just ends up bringing you back to where you started. In this case, to me."

Alex brought his hands to grip the handrail around her hips and bent to level his eyes with hers.

"Glad to see you haven't changed that much. Still, the same arrogant conceited asshole," Cat returned defiantly.

If she moved forward just a little bit, their lips would have been touching and his hands could move to guide her hips to meet his.

"And you're still the same manipulative, deceitful witch," Alex's husky voice slithered over her skin as they stared at each other. "Ready to do anything for your own selfish gains."

The sensual spell shimmering around them suddenly broke as a car honked nearby, "C'mon, let's go, the car's here. We can trade insults later."

She felt a sense of... unraveling, as Alex turned to go. She suddenly wanted to call out to him and demand that he finish what he had started. But that would lead to even bigger complications. Something else was going on underneath all the recriminations they were flinging at each other. Cat couldn't wait for this day to get over with.

Come on, you can do this. You've taken down men much more evil and powerful than him.

But none who's as dangerous to your entire being.

The limousine dropped them off at a quaint and charming rustic restaurant, sitting on a private island.

"We're finally here. The best French restaurant this side of the Coast," Alex informed her.

Cat stepped out as the driver held the door open. Alex slid his hand around her waist and led her to the entrance. She was sure his touch had meant to be unthinkingly polite and impersonal. But the long fingers and warm palm that slid over her back felt like a burning brand. This was getting way more complicated by the second. She quickly moved ahead and his touch fell off.

The restaurant was close to full and decorated in elegant neutral colors. A soft waltz by Chopin played in the background. The ambiance was comfortable with mood lighting and tables spaced a few feet apart. Some tables were hidden behind curtained alcoves lining the back of the restaurant for diners who wanted a private dining experience.

She felt a sinking sensation when Alex led her to the more private dining area. Taking her seat on a divan-styled sofa, she noticed that no one could overhear them or see them as the curtains were discreetly drawn.

Hoping to direct this meeting from the outset she began, "This is a nice place. Worth all the fuss. But I'm surprised you frequent places like this. Do you bring all your lady friends here?"

The last came out as a shock. More to herself than it must've been to him. Cat hadn't even been aware of thinking it. But she waited for Alex's reaction. With a cool lift of his eyebrows he drawled, "We definitely have a lot of years to catch up on. My company is up for evaluation, my personal life is not." He gave her a menacing half-smile, "Unless you'd like to share?"

With a diabolical gleam in his eyes, Alex taunted her and Cat couldn't resist, "I work for the U.S. government and have to travel every few months, so what personal life?"

"You skipped the good parts in between, then. I'm sure the life and times of the most bewitching woman on the planet, haven't been all that unremarkable."

Cat heard the emphasis in his derogatory barb and was surprised by the level of pain it inflicted but it sounded more revealing than he thought.

Bewitching, Please. If only to you.

"I don't think my life's story would be as interesting or as...adventurous as that of an eccentric billionaire. But then, to each his own," She gave an elegant shrug of her shoulders and sipped her water.

As the waiter came by to take orders, Alex ordered for the both of them. It was disheartening to discover that on meeting him, she had fallen back into her old patterns. It didn't even occur to her to protest his high-handedness. Never mind that a menu hadn't been provided.

Cat knew she was slipping and if she didn't get her act together soon, she would pay hugely for it. Determined to get back on track, Cat quickly asked, "No menu? Do they just predict what you want?"

He avoided her inane question again. "My...maternal grandfather brought me here when he found me. It left quite an impression."

Whoa. I guess I know  how that must have gone.

Alex was an orphan like herself. He'd grown up with his sick grandmother after his dad had left and his mom had passed away when he was a child. His story sounded like a fairy tale of rags-to-riches. But like most fairytales, his didn't have a happy ending. During college, his maternal grandfather had been trying to reconnect with Alex. But he'd refused to go see him. Since his mother had been disowned by her Midas-rich father after she had married Alex's dad who had been a struggling artist, against her father's threatening objections. She had suffered and died while hurt and sad that she couldn't reconcile with her father.

She'd read in Max's file that Alex had inherited all the family wealth after his grandfather had passed away a few years back. Cat guessed it was a gift that came attached with its own strings of a guilt trip and a legacy that had to be continued. 

"It's a beautiful place. I guess legacy is something you can't shrug off."

"Don't you dare judge me. I'm not the one-"

The waiter arrived with their food and Cat was focused on Alex's masked anger while the waiter served and cast surreptitious glances at her. She didn't even register the guy serving the meal.