Ariana’s chest heaved.
Her fingers clutched Adrian’s sleeve as if letting go meant she’d fall into the hands of the man standing in the doorway.
He didn’t move. Didn’t smile. Didn’t blink.
And yet, his presence screamed power, danger, control.
Adrian’s jaw tightened. His body shifted instinctively, placing himself in front of Ariana, every muscle coiled like a predator ready to strike.
“Adrian…” Ariana whispered, voice trembling. “Who… who is he?”
Adrian didn’t answer immediately. His eyes flicked between her and the man in the doorway. That glance—so sharp, so full of unspoken fear—made Ariana’s stomach twist.
“He’s… someone from my past,” Adrian finally said, voice low, dangerous. “Someone I never wanted you to meet. Someone who… knows everything.”
The man in the doorway tilted h
