Disclaimer: I have decided to buy the rights to Naruto. All I need is about $5,000 from each of my readers and we should be good to go. Any volunteers? ;P

First and foremost, my humblest apologies to anon. I really wanted to update as requested, just cause you asked so nicely, but Wednesday was a busy day. My apologies actually, truly apply to yesterday cause yesterday I was just too lazy. Forgive me?

A thank you to Albatross Aoba, for the valid critique. Albatross pointed out that it is a bit unrealistic for Amaya to be in a public school with Soya when her parents can afford private school. I actually realized this two chaps ago but by then, well, it wasn't really worth fixing. So, let's just pretend, for the sake of nonprofit, FREE, entertainment, that this problem does not exist. 'Kay! ^_^

Itachi stiffened at the movement of her hands. "Rina, I'm warning you. Don't touch me."

Her breath ghosted against his neck. "Itachi, Itachi, why do you resist the inevitable? It is only a matter of time before you are mine and," her hand drifted down toward his stomach, "I am yours."

He'd never before hit a woman but if there ever was a time when he was tempted –

The door to his office swung open, snapping him out of his darker thoughts. To his immediate dismay, none other than Sakura Haruno barged in before stumbling to a stop. Her eyes widened.

Rina pulled away from his neck. "And just who are you?"

Sakura's lovely features paled.

Itachi groaned. Scratch that first thought. If there was ever a time when he wanted to shoot himself, now was definitely it. Shoving back against Rina so hard she stumbled away, he stood to his feet. "She's my employee," he growled at her.

Sakura's eyes flickered between the two before her face went completely blank. Take several, deliberate steps forward she set a manila folder on his desk. When she spoke, her voice was soft and emotionless. "Mr. Uzumaki requested that I deliver that to you. He said not to let anything stand in my way." Her eyes darted to the door where Ino had appeared, looking at a complete loss. "And so I didn't."

Taking a step back, she turned and disappeared past Ino, who quietly shut the door after her.

Itachi moved to follow when a hand on his forearm stopped him.

"Let her go," Rina said. "She's of little importance, is she not?"

His hands clenched into fists so hard his arms trembled. "That's where you are wrong." He jerked his arm away.

He moved to step past her but she stepped in his way. Her blue eyes narrowed. "Then who is she, Itachi?"

"My employee," he all but snarled at her.

"Just an employee?"

"Yes."

"And this employee's opinion of you is so important that you would act this distressed when she sees you with a woman? Tell me the truth."

"Contrary to what you believe, I'm not obligated to tell you anything, Rina. She is an employee and I would prefer that my employees not harbor incorrect assumptions of me. Now move."

She stepped forward so that she was inches from his torso. A finger came up to run along his jaw. "Call it woman's intuition," she murmured, "but something about your reaction to her reaction leads me to believe there is something going on between the two of you."

He swatted her hand away. "And if there was? What is that to you?"

Her hand returned as quickly as he smacked it away. This time her palm cupped his cheek. She took another step forward and her breasts pressed against his chest. "You are my fiancé. I don't like the thought of you playing around with another woman. And why would you," he felt her other hand brush up his back, "when you have me?"

"We are not engaged, Rina," he hissed.

She gave a little roll of the eyes. "We are all but."

"That 'but' makes all the difference." He shoved her away and strode for the door. "I want you out of my office by the time I return."

Outside, he found Ino with her nose practically buried in her filing drawer. "Where did she go?" he demanded.

Her head jerked up so fast, her blonde hair stuck out in every which direction. "I, um, uh…who?"

"Ms. Haruno. Where did she go?"

She licked her lips. "Ms. Haruno?"

"Yes!"

A single finger pointed toward the elevators down the hall. "That way?"

Itachi grit his teeth. Why did I even bother asking? Walking as fast as he could while maintaining dignity, he arrived at the elevators and pressed the button for Naruto's floor.

Don't kill me. I will be making every effort to update tomorrow since I try to provide at least four updates a week.