Page 98 of Knot Heirs: Serenity's Reign

His breathing grew ragged. "I'm close," he warned, giving her the opportunity to pull away.

Instead, she doubled her efforts, tightening her grip and taking him deeper.

With a guttural sound caught between a curse and her name, Darius came. She pulled back slightly, letting him finish in her mouth. When his grip in her hair loosened, she looked up, meeting his gaze as she showed him the evidence of his pleasure on her tongue before swallowing.

"Christ," he muttered, his composed facade completely shattered. He reached for her, pulling her toward his lap. "Come here. I need to feel you."

Before she could straddle him, a sharp vibration cut through the charged atmosphere. Darius's phone, tucked into his discarded jacket pocket, demanded attention with its insistent buzz.

Serenity froze, reality crashing back like ice water.

Darius hesitated only a moment before retrieving the device, his expression immediately shifting as he read the message. The Prime Alpha businessman returned in an instant, replacing the passionate lover.

"We need to move," he said, tucking himself away and fastening his pants with efficient movements. "There's been a development with the Ivanov situation."

Serenity nodded, retrieving her clothes from where they'd been carefully hung. As she dressed, her mind compartmentalized their encounter, filing it away to process later. Right now, she needed to focus on the files waiting for her—documents that might contain information vital to securing her position within the Vale Empire.

"How much time do we have?" she asked, voice steady despite the lingering taste of him on her tongue.

"Enough," Darius replied, adjusting his tie. "But not much to spare."

She caught his gaze in the mirror as she zipped up her skirt, recognizing the same strategic calculation in his eyes that she felt forming in her own mind. Whatever had happened between them had been real, but it couldn't distract from what was at stake.

"I'm ready," she said, smoothing her hands over her outfit one final time.

The files contained information that could either cement her claim to her father's empire or expose vulnerabilities her enemies could exploit. Her personal feelings—the complicated, tangled mess of attraction, suspicion, and grudging respect she felt for Darius Castellano—would have to wait.

As they exited the boutique, Serenity noticed the shift in Darius. The heated passion that had consumed him minutes ago gave way to his typical composed demeanor—shoulders squared, jaw set, eyes scanning their surroundings with calculated precision. Yet when his gaze fell on her, something lingered there—a warmth that hadn't existed before, like embers beneath snow.

"The building is four blocks east," he said, voice returning to its usual controlled cadence. He offered his arm, the gesture now weighted with unspoken meaning.

Serenity accepted it, feeling the solid muscle beneath his tailored jacket. "Elena said they'd hold the files until five. We have forty minutes."

They fell into step together, navigating the crowded sidewalk with surprising synchronicity. Other pedestrians instinctively moved aside—even Alphas yielding space to Darius'scommanding presence. Serenity found herself hyper-aware of his scent, now mixed with her own.

"You're quiet," he observed, glancing down at her.

"Just focused on the task," she replied, though in truth, her thoughts kept slipping back to the dressing room. The weight of his hands in her hair. The taste of him. The boundaries they'd obliterated.

"Regrets?" His question was casual, but she caught the subtle tension in his jaw.

"Don't flatter yourself, Castellano." She raised an eyebrow. "It was just sex."

His low chuckle sent vibrations through his arm. "Was it?"

Serenity refused to take the bait. "These files contain information about three offshore accounts my father maintained. If someone's been siphoning funds?—"

"I know what's at stake," he interrupted, guiding her around a corner. "But don't pretend what happened was meaningless. We both know better."

She shot him a warning glare. "I don't have time for this conversation."

"We never seem to have time for the important conversations, do we?"

The office building loomed ahead—a sleek glass structure reflecting the afternoon sun. Darius's hand moved to the small of her back as they approached, the gesture possessive yet protective.

"I'll handle security," he said, nodding toward the uniformed guard at the entrance. "You focus on getting what we need."

The lobby bustled with end-of-day activity. Darius approached the security desk with confident strides, engaging the guard with the practiced ease of a man accustomed to opening doors through sheer force of personality. Serenity watched his performance—the subtle shift in his posture,the calculated smile that revealed nothing while suggesting authority.

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