Adam
Her presence was both a balm and a torment.
She was near—that was the blessing. And yet, it was never enough. Each day it grew harder to leash the wolf within him. He wanted her. Entirely. He wanted to mark her, to leave no doubt that Clara belonged to him alone. But every attempt dissolved into nothing. She never let him closer than she allowed.
Six months ago, when he had confessed plainly that he wanted her, she had answered with that cool clarity of hers: not until I finish what I’ve begun. She wouldn’t be distracted by anything else.
Adam had respected her. She was, in truth, a professional to the bone. What this little firebrand had managed to build in the past few months still staggered him. She didn’t just work tirelessly to mend his reputation as a collector—she helped un
