Adrian sat in the dim silence of his private chamber, the glow from the fireplace casting long, flickering shadows on the walls. The scent of Valentina still clung to him, jasmine and fire. He hadn't touched a drink in hours, but he was intoxicated. Not by liquor. By her.
She’d changed everything.
The kiss had been a declaration.
And now he had to act before she slipped through his fingers.
There were rules to this world. And if he wanted to keep her alive, truly safe, he had to break one.
Or bind her to him forever.
---
Valentina stood at the edge of the great hall, where only Adrian’s closest men were allowed. The room was different now—emptier. She felt it. The quiet buzz of something important, something irreversible.
Adrian walked in, sharp in black, every inch the king. His g
