Thirty Five.

I exit the car as it comes to a stop outside the Burak Building. Gerald opens Aydem's door and as he emerges, he rests his hand on the small of my back and guides us inside.

We approach the security guards stationed behind their desks, and I wait for Aydem to conclude his conversation with them before proceeding to the bank of elevators.

As the doors slide open, we enter and he pushes the number 8. I stand in the back, leaning against the cool walls as I try to cool down my burning body from his touch.

I stare at him from behind, my eyes slowly travelling up his body and arousal pools in my thong. Even from behind, he appears to be sinful as he strolls around in an Armani suit.

"I can feel your eyes burning into the back of my head, kedi yavrusu." (Kitten) His words are heavily laced with cockiness.

I roll my eyes and when the doors slide open I brush past him, walking straight to his office.

"Would you like a drink?" He asks, taking off his suit jacket and hangs it over the back of his chair.

I take my seat in front of his desk, "Sure." I answer, placing my bag down beside me.

He passes me the tumbler, sitting on the edge of his desk and he looks at me with his eyes slightly narrowed. "I hope you like bourbon."

I look up at him, my hungry eyes drinking him in yet again and I try to remember the night we spent together but nothing comes to mind.

The night my little Sandro was conceived and I can't remember a damn thing after I laid on the bed, bare naked in front of him.

"It's rude to stare, Miss Cross."

I open my mouth to apologise but when his mouth curves up into a panty wetting smirk, I decide against it. "You said you would continue with your families history?" I take a sip from my glass, appreciating how it soothes my parched throat.

He places his glass beside him and unbuttons the first three buttons on his shirt, exposing his olive forearms dusted with black hair as he rolls his sleeves up.

"Right, The Sedats were having a dinner party to celebrate their eldest son's engagement to the Princess of Esposito family. A truce arrangement was struck between the two families purely for the sake of increasing business. When the Peker brothers learned of the gathering, they resolved to eliminate the Sedats that night in the hopes that it would have a negative effect on the Esposito family. They stationed their snipers behind a small peak in the east valley, and one of the brothers missed his target and shot the princess."

"So your family started a war with the Epositos?"

"Unintentionally, evet." (Yes) He shrugs his shoulder lazily. "However, Sedar and I were unaware that we were Peker descendants. As children, we were told stories about them, but we were unaware of the depth of Sedars büyük baba's (grandfather's) role until recently. He was using the Ozturk Legacys start-up to launder money for the Esposito's, and when Sedar took over, he backed out of the agreement. He also went so far as to enlist the FBI in their sex trafficking operations, which garnered national attention, and shut down their black market operations. He financially crippled them, and now they're looking to do the same to us."

"Castello and Trent won't stop until they get what they want. They are ruthless with the manpower to back them up all the way."

"They can have all the manpower they want. But we have a trained assassin who has taken out everyone in a room without batting an eye." He takes a sip from his glass.

I rise, eager to create some distance between us. His rich musky cologne begins to caress my senses, and I am afraid I am going to end up throwing myself at him, as I am already feeling a little tipsy.

"If you have an assassin that is trained to kill in numbers, why do you need my help?"

"I'd rather not start a war with them knowing, it would be a lot more fun to destroy them from the inside by turning their Don and consigliere against each other."

"I'm sorry, Mr Burak. But if you're thinking of me helping you to take down the Esposito's, I can't." I shake my head, staring down at my drink. "It would benefit me a lot if they were gone from my life but I can't assist you." I finish the remainder of my drink in one hit.

As I swallow the bourbon, it gently ignites my body and I sway on my feet, placing the glass down on the small table by the window that connects our offices.

"I just need you to tell me what their plans are and when they expect to carry them out." He comes and stands at my side, his hand resting on my shoulder.

"I can't, I'm sorry." I sigh out. "If you were to know what they'd do to me if they find out.." My voice breaks. "I'm not afraid to die," I glance up at him, finding refuge in his eyes that make me think of Sandro.

He tenderly wraps his hands around my face. "I'll make sure it doesn't come to that." He declares with such fierceness that instantly makes me believe him.

"It's what they'll do before they kill me and what they'll do to-" I stop talking.

I keep reminding myself that even if he is Sandros' father, he cannot be aware of the fact that he has a legitimate heir to his reign. The thought of Sandro being taken away from me sends my mind into overdrive.

My heart begins to beat faster and faster, and I swallow harshly as I become aware that I am beginning to panic. "Please.." I sob.

"Hey, It's alright." He says soothingly.

He brushes his lips against mine, "I won't let anything happen to you, kedi yavrusu." (Kitten) He says gruffly.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." I sniffle desperately wanting to believe him.

"Bana ne yapıyorsun?" (What are you doing to me?) He growls in his mother tongue, rubbing the pad of his thumb along my bottom lip.

I lick my lips, curiously wondering what he said and breathlessly wanting him to kiss me at the same time.

"Ağladığını görmek bana acı veriyor. Affet beni aşkım." (It pains me to see you cry. Forgive me, my love.) He encircles my waist with one hand and the back of my head with the other, feverishly crushing his lips against mine.