The office was draped in a profound silence. Rhys Kallen stood by the window, his back to Melanie, the weight of her necessary deception hanging heavy between them.
"The company's survival before our relationship. Yes," she confirmed, the cold, pragmatic truth of her words cutting through the air.
He turned, fatigue battling the fierce, grudging respect he felt. "I was right about Adrian, Rhys. But you were right about me. I acted alone because I knew I needed to protect you from your own loyalty. It was the quickest path to victory."
"And the longest path to trust," he countered, his voice low and rasped with exhaustion. He walked toward her, not in anger, but with an immense, profound weariness. He stopped inches away, the air electric with the tension of the crisis that had nearly destroyed them.
He reached out, cupping her face, his thumb brushing under her eye. "I can't afford to be your victim, Melanie. Not again."
"And I can't afford to be your blind spot," she murmured, leaning into his touch for a fleeting moment. Her eyes held a desperate plea for him to see beyond her strategy.
He leaned in, his forehead resting against hers. "I am trusting your judgment now, entirely. We are unified. You don't have to carry this alone."
She let out a shaky breath, the dam of control finally cracking. "I never wanted to lose you. I couldn't risk it for a sentiment."
Rhys didn't answer with words. He covered her mouth with his, a kiss that was fiercely possessive and utterly necessary. It was a desperate acknowledgment that they had been fighting for Kallen Capital, but also for this messy, dangerous truth of their connection. His hands slid down to her waist, pulling her flush against him, the expensive fabric a fragile barrier against the heat. The kiss deepened, speaking of relief, fury, betrayal, and the raw, undeniable attraction that had never been severed.
Melanie responded with a desperate intensity, her own hands flying to his collar, demanding the physical validation that their intellectual alignment had always masked. The world outside vanished. All that existed was the immediate, demanding pressure of his body against hers.
Rhys broke the kiss, a rough groan torn from his throat, his eyes blazing down at her. He swept her into his arms without a word, a movement of primal strength and focus, and carried her toward the large leather sofa tucked into a quiet corner of the office. He set her down, their eyes never breaking contact, and followed her onto the plush cushion.
The desperation of the day translated directly into the intensity of the night. His hand traced the line of her throat.
"We fought like hell to save the company," he murmured, his voice thick, his gaze burning over her face, "but this is what we fight for."
Melanie's response was a low, guttural sound of assent as she pulled his mouth back to hers. The last of her professional armor dissolved.
Rhys shifted, his knee nudging between her legs, cementing the intimacy of the embrace. He felt the tremor of need that ran through her, matching his own frantic desire. He peeled the blazer from her shoulders, the silk lining sliding to the floor, followed quickly by his own jacket. The rhythm of their breathing was labored, shared, a duet of relief and passion.
He found the buttons of her blouse, his fingers clumsy but determined, parting the fabric to reveal the delicate lace of her bra beneath. His eyes devoured the sight, the soft curve of her skin, the racing pulse in her neck. His hand seized one of her breasts, his mouth fastened on the tip of the other.
Mel moaned,tilting her head backwards. He retreated and slipped his fingers underneath her panties making Mel gasp at the touch. He pressed his mouth against her neck and kissed her, his tongue working over her sensitive skin while his fingers moved rhythmically inside her, his thumb circling and pressing. He spread her legs open, looked up, his eyes locking with hers, a silent question hanging between them. When she gave a subtle nod, he closed the distance instantly,and gently pushed into her.
"Ahh"…Mel let out a cry of pleasure as Rhys mounted her, driving his organ slowly into her. Mel arched and stretched beneath him making him thrust deeper, she moaned and Rhys plastered a kiss on her lips as he continued dominating her. They both reached their peak and released together.
The quiet of the office was eventually replaced by the hushed sounds of shared breath. Rhys shifted, pulling Melanie against him, her head resting on his chest. The exhaustion of the last seventy-two hours finally hit them, leaving them languid and heavy.
"Chloe won the battle to expose the crack," Rhys finally whispered into her hair, his voice heavy with revelation. "But you sealed it."
Melanie looked up, her expression a mix of vulnerability and renewed resolve. "She used your trust as a weapon. We use our unity as a shield. Now we find her."
The internal war was over. The external war had just begun.