Adrian stood by the window of his study, the skyline a blur of lights and shadows. His fists were clenched, jaw tight, mind spinning. Valentina’s defiance had crossed a line again. But it wasn’t just her rebellion that clawed at his insides; it was the way she looked at him.
Not like a prisoner looks at her captor.
Not even like a woman terrified of the devil.
She looked at him like she saw past the mask.
That was more dangerous than any weapon.
Behind him, the door creaked open. He didn’t turn. Her presence was a pulse he could feel without sight, sharp and steady, like a storm brewing in silence.
“You asked for me,” Valentina said. Her voice carried that cool fire again.
Adrian finally turned. She wore one of the black silken blouses his housekeeper had left in her wardrobe. It br
