"What do you mean?" Darryl answered while his eyes still on the road.

Xhemin settled some lump in her throat before she continued "When we were at the east camp, you told me the accident on my birthday was a warning…." She said trying to recall the words that Darryl said to her back then. "…I was wondering, perhaps the explosion was also part of it"

​​

Xhemin's words got Darryl thinking. There was in fact a possibility that the explosion had something to do with his father's warning. However, the explosion in his opinion was too much for L Empire to do, he believed they wouldn't go extra miles to hurt many people and destroy somebody else's industry just because he was having an affair with someone they do not approve. Besides, her affair with Xhemin has nothing to do with the Montarini's. Even if they want Darryl to stay away from Xhemin then they would hurt Xhemin, not Huzey.

"I don't think L Empire will do that" He answered after a long silence. He still believed until now that L Empire was not the kind of people that the rumors were describing them. He grow up with a loving grandma, a respectable grandfather, the sweetest sisters he could asked for and although her father was demanding a lot from him, he was a good man, so were the rest of the L Empire. They might have some imperfection as a family, but that doesn't mean they were bad people. "I don't think they would hurt many people just to control me"

"Good" Xhemin sighed with relief. "I'm glad you think otherwise. If not then I don't know how to deal with the fact"

What Xhemin meant was, if her hunch about the L Empire were true and that they were the reason of Huzey's misfortune right now then she would probably die out of guilt. She was already having hard time accepting Huzey's fate, if it turned out that she was the reason behind it, she might not forgive herself.

****

Darryl's car halted in front of Richmond Ranch. The view of the empty grey cottage welcomed her, the black canvass with glimmering southern stars served as its background. There were no signs of people in the grey cottage were the Lagdameo heir parked his car since all the light were off— which only made Xhemin's heart sunk into despair again. How many times she had to come home with no one to welcome her these past few days?

The Lagdameo heir stepped out of his car and opened the door for Xhemin. He offered her a hand while she went out the car.

"Thank you for the dinner, I'll go ahead" She said her goodbyes and turned to leave but Darryl blocked her way.

"Wait," He said looking at her in a soothing voice and cupped her face with his warm hans "Let me see your face for a bit"

Darryl's actions turned the ambiance into something else. Suddenly, Xhemin became aware of nothing but just the body of the Lagdameo heir standing before her, drowning her ink eyes into the depths of his. The place was dark but Darryl's eyes glimmered in a way that lights up every empty hearts at the moment— it didn't lack the sympathy he had for her but it also contained sparkles of happiness and hope that lightened the burden of Xhemin's heart. Darryl pacified the chaos within the girl that in that one specific moment, she forgot everything and all that mattered was the both of them.

"Darryl—"

"I want you to know that you'll always have me no matter what" He assured her in a voice most sincere "I won't turn my back on you again, I promised"

Darryl's words made Xhemin leaped into a world where she felt most secured. His promised swept away the loneliness inside her and right then she knew she was not alone. She have him and that fact gave her enough strength to go thought it all.

"Thank you," the only thing she was able to utter in between the emotions that was warming her heart. "I'll go ahead then," she dismissed herself right away because now that Darryl was so close, she wasn't sure she can still get a hold of herself and the fact that they were alone, just the two of them, well —she don't want to think of the possible things that can happen next.

Xhemin made her first step away from Darryl when she heard him say something, "That's it?"

Confused, she immediately turned her head to the boy "Huh?"

Her eyebrows arched seemingly questioning the Lagdameo heir's words. Darryl only looked at her as a vicious smile escape from his lips.

"My company comes with a price milady," He said before traversing the short distance between them and held the girl in his arms.

"Darryl seriously I'm not up for any—"

"I'm okay with a kiss" He whispered into her ears and his eluding words got her face blushing in an instant. The wind was typically cold in this part of Hampshire yet, Darryl's arms around her sent some of her nerves burning hot. "Just one kiss, milady please"

Xhemin swallowed something in her mouth. Darryl was one heck of a tempting distraction, he can turn her emotions upside down instantly if he wanted to.

"Okay," She didn't know how those words escaped her lips and she can only cursed herself for that.

Darryl's smile turned wilder as he held her closer "Close your eyes"

"Why?" She said merely to annoy him hoping to distract him from his viciousness.

Darryl answered in a rasped voice "Because some things are better felt when the eyes are closed"

"Really?" Xhemin's eyes never departed from his alluring hazel eyes.

"Yes, let me show you" He said before he inclined his face toward hers and laid his lips on hers, tasting her gently—the kind of kiss that got Xhemin intoxicated in just few seconds making her hands wrapped around his neck to welcome his protruding lips. Feeling Xhemin's hands heating up his neck got Darryl's kisses became more invasive that Xhemin had to move backward until her back landed Darryl's car.

Leaning Xhemin's back at the metal, the couple satisfied their hunger for each other. Xhemin's heat rose in her cheeks as Darryl's firm tongue got more determined, more curious and seeking. She let him kissed her again and again until Darryl couldn't take it anymore and things heated up a little.

Before he had lost himself completely, Darryl broke their kiss and buried his face on the girl's neck as he tried to pull off more of his self-control.

"Daryl" Xhemin gasped, catching up her breath.

"Go inside now," He whispered dismissing the girl right away, before he could change his mind.

Xhemin instantly obeyed his wishes. She was aware of how things went uncontrollably and how she was so smitten by him, so she did not waste time to save herself not only from the beast's burning desires but also from her own.