6 — First Fracture
Arjun did not text Meera first the next day.
He waited.
Forty-seven minutes after noon her message arrived.
Conference room 14. 7:30 PM. Board members gone. Bring the Eastern District revised projections.
Professional. Cold surface. But the subtext was already leaking.
He replied only:
Understood.
No emoji. No extra sentence. Restraint is louder than eagerness.
7:28 PM Orion Tower – Level 37
The floor was almost empty. Only security lights and the low hum of HVAC.
Meera was already inside room 14 when he entered.
Navy pencil skirt. White silk blouse — top two buttons open now. Hair down, no longer the controlled knot. Glass of water in front of her. Untouched.
She didn't look up immediately from the tablet.
"You're early," she said.
"You said 7:30."
"I said bring the projections."
He placed the slim folder on the table. Did not sit yet.
She finally raised her eyes.
The scan triggered automatically.
EMOTIONAL SCAN Marital Frustration: Critical Subconscious Attachment: High Attraction → Desire: Crossing threshold Internal Conflict: Peaking Cognitive Dissonance Risk: Elevated but not breaking
She tapped the tablet once — screen went dark.
Silence stretched exactly nine seconds.
Then she spoke, quieter.
"My husband is in Dubai until Monday."
Arjun remained standing. Hands in pockets. Posture relaxed but vertical.
"That's three full nights," he said.
Her jaw moved — small muscle twitch.
"You're not going to pretend you don't understand what that means?"
"I understand," he answered. "Question is whether you do."
Her laugh was short. Bitter. Almost painful.
"I've spent fifteen years building containment walls. And in less than two weeks you've found every weak joint."
He took one step closer to the table.
"Not found," he said. "Widened."
She stood up slowly.
Heels gave her three extra centimeters. Still had to tilt her chin slightly to hold his gaze.
"I told myself this was professional mentorship that… drifted." Her voice cracked on the last word. "Lie."
Another step.
Now only the width of the conference table separated them.
She placed both palms flat on the glass surface.
Leaned forward.
"If we do this," she said, "there is no graceful exit."
Arjun finally moved around the table.
Slow. Deliberate.
Stopped one arm's length away.
"Then we shouldn't do it gracefully."
Her breathing changed — shorter, shallower.
He saw the exact moment the last internal barrier cracked.
She closed the remaining distance herself.
Her mouth crashed into his — not gentle, not testing.
Hungry. Years of suppressed want released in one motion.
He caught her waist with both hands. Firm. Not gentle either.
She tasted like mint and suppressed rage and red wine she must have had earlier in her office.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders — hard enough to leave crescents through fabric.
He walked her backward until her lower back met the edge of the conference table.
She gasped into his mouth when the cold glass touched her skin through the skirt.
He broke the kiss just long enough to speak against her lips.
"Tell me to stop."
Her answer was immediate.
"Don't you fucking dare."
He lifted her onto the table in one clean motion. She wrapped her legs around his hips instantly — heels digging into the backs of his thighs.
Papers scattered. Folder hit the floor. Nobody cared.
Her hands tore at his shirt buttons — impatient, clumsy with urgency.
He let her.
When skin met skin she made a sound low in her throat — half moan, half relief.
He pushed her blouse open. Bra black lace. Expensive. Didn't stay on long.
His mouth found the side of her neck — then lower.
She arched when his teeth grazed the sensitive skin just above her breast.
"Harder," she breathed.
He obeyed.
Her nails raked down his back — sharp enough to sting.
He growled against her collarbone.
She reached between them — fumbling with his belt.
Impatient.
Desperate.
When she finally freed him her hand wrapped around him — tight, assessing.
Her eyes met his.
Dark. Wild. No executive left.
Only the woman who had been performing composure for too many years.
She guided him.
No hesitation.
He pushed inside in one slow, controlled thrust.
Her head fell back. Mouth open in a silent cry.
He stilled for two heartbeats — letting her adjust.
Then she locked her ankles behind him and pulled him deeper.
"Move," she ordered.
He did.
Not gentle.
Not frantic.
Precise. Deep. Rhythmic.
Every thrust deliberate — angled to hit exactly where she needed.
Her moans grew louder — less controlled.
He covered her mouth with his palm.
Not to silence completely. Just to muffle.
Her eyes flashed with something feral.
She bit the inside of his palm — not breaking skin, just enough pressure to say I'm still fighting.
He fucked her harder for it.
The table creaked.
Her thighs trembled.
Fingers clawed at his shoulders.
When she came it was sudden — violent.
Whole body locking. Mouth open against his hand. Eyes rolling back for a second.
He didn't stop.
Rode her through it — slower now, deeper.
Letting the aftershocks ripple.
When the last tremor left her she grabbed his face — kissed him messy, desperate.
"Come inside me," she whispered against his lips.
Command. Plea. Both.
He let go.
Buried deep.
Felt her clench around him as he spilled.
For several long seconds neither moved.
Just breathing.
Sweat. Heartbeat. Glass table cooling against her back.
She spoke first — voice hoarse.
"This… can't happen again."
He pulled out slowly.
Watched her wince slightly — oversensitive.
Smiled faintly.
"You don't believe that sentence any more than I do."
She closed her eyes.
Laughed once — small, broken sound.
"No. I don't."
He helped her off the table.
Steadying her when her knees wobbled.
She fixed her skirt. Re-buttoned what was left of her blouse.
Looked at the scattered papers.
Then at him.
"Monday," she said. "My husband lands at 11 AM. After that… we need rules."
Arjun adjusted his own shirt.
"Rules are good," he said calmly. "They make breaking them more interesting."
She stared at him — something between awe and fear.
Then she walked to the door.
Paused.
Without turning around:
"Send me the real projections tomorrow morning. The ones you actually intend to present."
Door clicked shut.
Arjun stood alone in the conference room.
System interface glowed softly.
INFLUENCE MILESTONE REACHED Target: Meera Khanna → Anchor Upgraded: Physical + Emotional Dependency Influence +4 Total Influence: 14 New Ability Unlock Available at 15
He exhaled slowly.
Looked at the city through the glass wall.
Still glittering.
Still indifferent.
But one of its tallest towers had just bent a few millimeters toward him.
And it liked the feeling.