It wasn't really possible not to touch her when she was this close, so he picked up her small hand in his. "Wait for things to happen, okay?" he kissed her hand. He didn't want her to dwell on it anymore, so he said, "What is it that you want?"

Dawn removed her hand from him with a lot of emotional difficulty. The way she connected with him was stranger than fiction. "I need protection for me and my brother."

He didn't like her leaving his hand. He had to do things fast and get out of the engagement with Maya. "You have a brother?" he smiled understanding the male voice outside when she had entered the office floor.

"Hmm, Cole. He is only fifteen. If you can help me for a few days, then I am going to undo whatever I did." She lowered her head. "It's going to be only for a few days."

Enough of 'leaving him nonsense'. If she thought that she would leave him after she finished her work, then she didn't even have the clue how much he would woo her. Once again he relaxed back in his seat and looked at her with interest. "It seems that Ms. Dawn likes to take me for granted." Even if that wasn't true, he wanted her to take him for granted. He wanted to be her center of the universe. He wanted her to be his center of the universe. But he had to toughen up a little to keep her with him. "If you need my help, you have to agree to my terms," he threw the proposal. That was the best way to bind her.

Dawn looked up at him sharply. "What proposal?" she asked confused as hell. There was a knot in her stomach. Yes, she did take him for granted. She couldn't help it. But what was this proposal? Why did she feel that she was about to hold the smaller end of the stick?

"You will have to stay with me in my house," he said very plainly, removing a speck of dirt from his pants.

Another round of shock washed her mind. Was he mad? "I told you that I would not be your mistress! Do not demean me." She was angered beyond words. How dare he think that he could belittle her? Her face was tensed and a muscle feathered in her jaw.

She looked cute when she was angry. Daryn's wolf wanted to pounce on her. He twisted his mouth and shrugged. "Well those are my conditions. But why do you think that you would be my mistress? Are we having sex? Are you my girlfriend?"

Heck? Dawn stared at him with confusion and was so embarrassed that she became red from neck upwards to her ears. She clenched her thighs and her jaws. This was so so so awkward that she became quiet. A heavy silence fell upon her. Immediately, her eyes fell on her lap and she rubbed her thumb. She had to avoid him glancing at her and shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Shuffling her feet on the carpeted floor, she awkwardly traced the small design of the carpet.

He loved the way she blushed. It made him happy that she was in that condition because of him. Seeing her silence, Daryn said, "So I believe that I have dispelled your doubt that you are my mistress?" She took in a deep breath and nodded.

"In that case it is settled – you will be staying with me in The Silver Manor," he coerced. However on the inside he was too scared of Maya. If she had sent killers after her, then would she spare Dawn while living with her? He had to take care of her soon.

Dawn didn't like the idea at all. She rubbed the back of her neck. "Do you have any other place to live? I mean any accommodation for your company's employees? I would prefer to live there instead."

Daryn could understand her hesitation. In fact it was better that she stayed away from Maya and so he reluctantly agreed. "There is a building that The Silver House owes. It is not far from here. You can stay in the penthouse there because only that is vacant." And that was where he crashed sometimes. It was his penthouse. He planned on crashing there everyday. "It is fully furnished." He tried to make it comfortable for her. "You can walk to the office also. It is just ten minutes walk." Although, he would never let her walk. "Your brother will be taken care of nicely." And once Maya is out, he would bring her to The Silver Manor.

"That sounds okay," she said. "I will stay over there. But—"

Daryn frowned again. "What now?"

"You cannot give my location to anyone."

There was real fear in her eyes and it made his heart drop like from the top of his office building. What was gnawing her? Every cell in his body wanted to soothe her and protect her. "Okay," he said. He resisted holding her hand again. "I won't tell anyone about your whereabouts."

She nodded again.

"I would like you to join as a permanent employee of my company," he came with his second proposal. "That comes with a bond."

She bit her lip. "I will do that once I have finished the job I have in mind. I have to give it back to someone who betrayed my trust." She ran her plan in her mind.

"Would you need my help?" he asked sincerely.

"No," she shook her head. "This is something I will do alone. I don't want anyone's help." It wasn't even worth his help.

He smiled at his girl. Damn! He was already thinking that she was his. Her boldness suited him all the way. She knew how to stand up for herself. "Okay," he agreed, "But you know that you can always ask me."

The next one hour, the two of them talked and threw deals at each other. There was nothing written. Daryn loved everything she offered. He practically agreed to everything, as he knew that he was holding the longer part of the stick. He took his phone out while she was talking and sent a message to Neal.

It was 5:30PM and they walked out of the office. Cole watched them. He had been pinched on his cheeks so many times that they were red.

Daryn went to him and shook his hand. "I am Daryn." He looked like his sister, only more handsome.

"Hi!" Cole said, mesmerized.

All except Reyna had left.

Cole turned his face towards his sister and asked, "Everything okay?"

"Yes," she said with an assuring smile. "We will be living in a different house for a few days."

"Again?" Cole's eyes were wide.

Dawn laughed and the siblings walked to the elevator with Daryn following them. It was a beautiful moment.

In the elevator, Dawn said, "I will go and get some essentials to the penthouse from my place."

How could he leave her now? "Your belongings are on the way to the house as we talk."

Dawn chuckled. "Thank you." He was way too efficient.

A ring on her phone disturbed the atmosphere.

"Where are you?" Azura asked impatiently in a breathy voice. "I am waiting outside the building."

Dawn stared at Daryn. She swallowed her saliva. Her heartbeat accelerated. She had to face her demons. She said in a slow voice, "I am sorry Azura, but I couldn't do what you wanted."

There was a silence on the other side, as if he had seen a ghost.

---

Maya became impatient. She called her journalist friend.