Alexander called him to the small conference room, an unusual choice since they typically met in his office. Daniel merely shrugged upon receiving the message, choosing not to overthink it and accepting it as it was. Perhaps Alexander, aware of Daniel's recent irritation, was trying to be considerate by avoiding places that might trigger unpleasant memories. This sensitivity to Daniel's feelings had become a normal part of their relationship.

When Daniel walked through the doorway, he was stunned to find the yew table elegantly set with Cristal champagne in a frosted bucket, two glasses, fresh strawberries, and the dark chocolate with chili pepper he adored.

"What's the celebration for?" Daniel asked, closing the door behind him and placing his notebook and notepad on the table. He flicked the top strawberry, sending it rolling off the pyramid and scattering tiny droplets of water. Alexander drew the curtain across the window, turning back with a warm, open smile.

"Let's shut ourselves off from the world for an hour, okay?" Without waiting for an answer, he added, "In honor of the successful project completion. You did a great job, Danny."

"Thanks," Daniel said, scratching the rose-gold foil. "This is weird. Why during the workday? Why not wait until the evening?"

"To break up the routine. You haven't wanted to go out, you've been eating without appetite, moping around these past few days," Alexander said, slowly approaching, his gaze attentive. He took the bottle out of the bucket, peeled off the foil with a sharp movement, and expertly uncorked it, catching the cork softly in his palm. He poured the champagne into glasses and asked, "Could you get the napkins from the cupboard, please?"

Daniel squatted by the cabinet built into the wall, retrieved a pack of disposable napkins, and stood up, jabbing his finger reproachfully at the linen napkins hanging on the back of the chair.

"Oops, didn't notice. Here, take this," Alexander said, sliding a glass into Daniel's hand and holding his fingers in his palm. "It's pink, like the first time. When I was already starting to make mistakes. Will you ever forgive me, Danny?"

"Why did you... Shit," Daniel tried to pull his hand away but couldn't. "There's no need to reminisce about the past, Sasha. It was all terrible, better to forget it."

"But you do remember," Alexander said with a crooked grin, gently stroking Daniel's forehead and pressing his temple. "If I could erase those memories and replace them with new ones, I would... but I can't. Let's not dwell on sad things. I'm happy - so happy I met you, Danny. You've given my life new meaning, a real sense of purpose. I didn't live before you, Danny. And I long for you to feel even a fraction of what I feel for you. Instead of enjoying each day with you, I'm terrified counting down the days until the end of the term." Alexander swallowed hard, his voice breaking. He released Daniel's hand and took his glass. "Let's drink, Danny, to dreams coming true."

"Sasha, is something wrong?" Daniel asked, bringing the glass to his lips and wincing as the wine vapors stung his nose.

"You happened," Alexander replied cryptically. "Drink up, Danny, or it'll go flat."

The champagne, with its effervescent bubbles, coursed through Daniel's bloodstream almost immediately, aided by his light breakfast. The second glass followed swiftly, amplifying the effect. The dull mood of the past few days began to wash away, replaced by the vibrant, tumultuous emotions evoked by Alexander's intense green eyes. Alexander took a strawberry, pressed it to Daniel's lips, who obediently took a bite of the juicy berry. Watching as Alexander's green eyes darkened, Daniel wasn't surprised when Alexander, after pushing the empty glasses aside, pulled him onto the table.

"Here? Really?" Daniel chuckled, bracing himself against the table. Somehow, the idea of a quickie in the office didn't annoy him as much as it had before. Perhaps he was tired of suffering, and the champagne had reignited his usual desire. "Are you crazy? Someone might walk in."

"The door locks automatically, and I'll make sure no one comes in," Alexander replied, quickly typing something on his phone before tossing it carelessly on the table. He began undressing, kissing Daniel chaotically and greedily. He bit the back of Daniel's neck when he threw his head back, sending a wave of goosebumps through his body and stirring up intense desire. Alexander's kisses moved lower, not missing a single inch of exposed skin.

Daniel flinched from the possessive kisses, moaning softly as he stared at Alexander, who was now lower down his naked torso. Alexander ran his tongue along the wet path from Daniel's chest to his belly, swirling into his navel and purring with pleasure. He picked at the hairs of the treasure trail with his teeth, quickly unfastening Daniel's belt and unzipping his fly. Straightening up, his eyes glittering with excitement, Alexander pulled Daniel's underwear down sharply, causing him to fall onto his back.

"Easy, damn it!" Daniel hissed angrily as he hit his shoulder blades.

"I'm sorry, honey, I can't hold back anymore," Alexander said, leaving one pant leg draped over the shoe as he spread his legs, staring intently at Daniel's exposed, vulnerable crotch. Blood rushed to Daniel's face as he realized that in the bright electric light, Alexander could see everything: the tightening, throbbing entrance, the jutting scrotum, the shamelessly erect cock with its leaking tip, revealing Daniel's desire for him, at least for tonight.

"Keep your legs spread, please. It's the most beautiful sight in the world," Alexander said as he shrugged off his jacket, loosened his tie, his face also flushed, sweating, wildly excited, and breathing heavily. He knelt down, licked Daniel's wide-open crotch, nibbled on his scrotum, applied lube generously, and pushed in the first finger.

Daniel, gripping his legs beneath his knees, arched up with a sob, craving more, wanting Alexander's hard cock inside him, filling him completely, the unprepared walls aching pleasantly. He gasped.

"Let's do it this way. I want it all at once."

"Whatever you want, my love," Alexander replied, adding a second finger alongside the first, moving them briefly before pulling them out. He unzipped his pants, pulled on a condom, applied more lubricant, and Daniel shuddered at the thought of being taken completely naked by his clothed boss on the desk. The notion was thrilling, boiling his blood.

The entry began to ache. Daniel clenched his teeth, suppressing a painful moan, but shook his head when Alexander asked gently.

"Does it hurt a lot?"

Releasing one knee, Daniel bit his fist to stifle the scream of intense excitement mixed with pain. This pain was desired, passionately craved - as a punishment for rejecting Sonya, for his forbidden attraction to Alexander. Each careful push delivered the desired pain, punishing and rewarding simultaneously. Daniel groaned into his fist, feeling Alexander penetrate deeper, stretching him wider with each thrust. The cool, air-conditioned air of the meeting room felt like the scorching heat of a desert. Everything blurred and faded, except for Alexander, who loomed over him, devouring him with crazed eyes, becoming the center of his world.

The thrusts gradually became more vigorous and dynamic, like the crack of a whip. The air was filled with the heady scent of mating, male arousal, and the sweat of healthy bodies. The sturdy table, built with care, didn't sway or creak, but the skin squeaked wetly against the smooth surface. The sound of bodies slapping together, strong thighs hitting buttocks, filled the room. Daniel began to cry out softly, pushing himself towards Alexander, wanting to be penetrated deeper, harder, sharper, to reach the peak of orgasm quickly. He wrapped his arms around Alexander's neck, pulling him closer, and muffled his cries with a deep, sucking kiss. He then screamed loudly, arching his back convulsively, pulling Alexander tighter with his legs, pressing him as deep as he could.

Alexander responded obediently, screaming into Daniel's mouth as the spasms of his orgasm gripped him tightly inside. He came with several frantic, violent strokes, collapsing on top of Daniel, breathing heavily into his neck. Daniel stared blankly at the ceiling, slowly coming back to his senses, writhing against the soreness in his chafed lower back and stretched, inflamed entrance. He felt that he had completely let go of Sonya after that rough, primal mating. She, tender and vibrant, deserved someone else: cleaner, stronger, more masculine than him. Someone who wasn't being dominated by a loving tyrant, someone who hadn't been dragged through the muck of life.

A draft blew across his damp, bare skin. Daniel turned his head lazily and froze, tensing up immediately - Sonya was standing in the doorway, pale as death, staring at them with wide, helpless eyes. Behind her stood a menacingly impassive Maxim.

"S-Sonya..." Daniel whispered. She swayed like a flickering candle in the breeze, pushed Maxim away forcefully, and ran off.

Daniel jerked, twisted, and mumbled in distress, trying to throw off the heavy weight on top of him, but Alexander's arms forced his shoulders down. Cold and grim, Alexander grabbed Daniel's wrists, pinning them to the table, and hissed.

"Did you think I wouldn't find out?" He gestured toward the upper corner of the room. Daniel, still writhing silently, looked up and saw a small black circle. A camera, easily missed unless you were looking for it. So, Alexander had seen the recordings and witnessed their fiery kiss. Fear for Sonya gripped Daniel, pressing him to the desk as firmly as Alexander's weight.

"Yes, my dear, you're thinking correctly," Alexander said, his face close to Daniel's. "I am wildly jealous, insanely jealous, though I didn't know the feeling before you. No one, you hear, no one dares to kiss you, touch you," Alexander's attractive face twisted angrily, sending chills down Daniel's spine. "You won't see her again. And don't lie to me that it was just a friendly kiss!"

"I won't," Daniel whispered. "And I'll never see her again, I promise, as long as nothing bad happens to her."

"Afraid I'll send her to prison too?" Alexander smiled unpleasantly. "That's not a bad idea... Shh, calm down, I won't touch her," he added dejectedly. "You'd hate me even more for it. So what do we do, Danny?"

"You will not touch her. Let her quietly find another job, give her good references, and don't retaliate, even later, thinking I won't know. And I won't cheat on you..."

"Not enough!" Alexander suddenly bit his chin. "You won't cheat on me anyway. You'll be watched and followed even in the office."

"I won't close myself off from you anymore," Daniel licked his parched lips. His racing heartbeat pounded in his ears, and a wave of nausea rose. "I'll try to open up to you as much as I can, to accept your feelings."

"Promise?" Alexander asked desperately, his look softening and pleading. "Danechka, do you promise?"

"I promise." Daniel twisted his numb wrists, signaling to be released. He reached out with his freed hand to Alexander's sharp cheekbone, running trembling fingers over the hot, dry skin.

"Please, you too, promise that you'll fulfill everything."

"I promise, Danechka," Alexander exhaled, kissing the bitten chin tenderly. "My darling, of course, I promise. You're trembling all over, calm down, Danny. All the bad things have passed. I forgive you, and it didn't even come to full-blown infidelity, thank God. If you had gotten into her sack..." Alexander gritted his teeth, lifting him off the table. "I don't even know what I would have done to her."

Daniel shuddered at those words, his teeth chattering nervously. He slid clumsily off the table, feeling his nakedness and vulnerability before the slightly calmer but still irritated predator. He recoiled almost unconsciously when Alexander tried to help him into his pants, and collapsed to the floor. Almost collapsed, because Alexander caught him, pressing him close and rocking him gently from side to side.

"Danechka, don't be afraid, please. We're fine, you're safe."

The trembling gradually subsided, as if the familiar words had a magical effect. Daniel nuzzled into Alexander's sweat-soaked shirt, breathing in the woody-musky scent, and slowly calmed down, staring blankly at an invisible point over Alexander's shoulder. Alexander rumbled affectionately, rocking from side to side, stroking his stiff shoulders.

"Someone's birthday is coming up soon, so we'll have a nice celebration. We'll go to the dacha; Dad just moved in with Larisa. Even better, we'll go tomorrow and stay there for a while. You need a change of scenery, and you can work remotely. The dacha is beautiful! There's space, silence, mountains, and a lake. It's too early to swim in the lake, but you can already sunbathe. And there's a heated pool - you can swim there even now. You'll run, breathe clean air, walk in the forest, and catch up on sleep. And then we'll go to the sea for a while..."

Alexander hummed a soothing tune, anxiously looking into Daniel's distant eyes, and shook him gently. After dressing him, combing his disheveled hair, and kissing him tenderly on the nose, he led Daniel outside. The automatic lock clicked, the camera glittered with a sly black eye, and the door slammed shut, cutting off what had happened. Daniel walked with his tamed predator to the car.