Chapter 16
I turned to leave, but Adrian’s hand shot out and caught my wrist. The sudden contact sent a jolt through my body.
“Were you planning to go out like that?” His voice carried none of the earlier hesitation. His grip was firm but not painful, radiating warmth against my skin.
I tried to pull away, but his hold remained steady. My strength felt insignificant against his. “What are you doing? Let go.”
His gray eyes locked onto mine, unwavering. The awkward art dealer was gone, replaced by someone who commanded attention with just a look. He didn’t release my hand.
“Are you still hurting over their betrayal?” The question cut through my defenses. “Primo and Yesha?”
My breath caught. The direct mention of their names sparked an old ache in my
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chest, but it wasn’t the crushing pain it used to be. I stopped struggling against his grip.
“It upset me,” I admitted, lifting my chin. “Finding out the truth about both of them. But these past few days…” I squared my shoulders. “I’ve grown stronger because of it. They showed me exactly who they are, and that knowledge is power.”
Adrian’s expression remained unreadable, but something flickered in those storm- colored eyes. His thumb traced a small circle on my pulse point, and I fought back a shiver.
“You’re different than I expected,” he said.
His fingers loosened but didn’t let go. “Do you think you have space in your heart to love again?”
The question caught me off guard. His thumb still traced gentle patterns on my wrist, the touch so different from his earlier firm grip.
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“What about space for a new man to capture your heart?” His voice dropped lower, intimate.
I stared at him, heart racing beneath my ribs. The transformation in him was startling. “Why would you ask me that?”
Adrian shook his head and let out a low chuckle. The sound sent warmth spreading through my chest. “It’s nothing.” His eyes met mine, and for a moment, I glimpsed something raw and honest in their depths. “I just see great value in my heart for a woman like you.”
His fingers still circled my wrist, but now the touch felt like a question rather than restraint.
I pulled my wrist back, the ghost of his touch still lingering on my skin. “You don’t understand, Adrian. My family… we’re not just any family. We’re part of a dangerous world. The mafia isn’t something you can just walk away from.”
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Chapter 16
The words spilled out before I could stop them. “Everyone connected to me ends up in danger. I can’t – I won’t let myself fall for someone like you.” My voice caught. “Even if I wanted to. The regret would kill me if anything happened.”
Adrian’s lips curved into an unexpected smile. Not the shy one I’d seen before, but something different. The transformation. sent a chill down my spine.
“Good night,” he said, releasing my hand with deliberate slowness.
I stared at him for a moment, caught off guard by his abrupt dismissal. The warmth of his touch still lingered on my wrist as I turned and walked out of his room.
The mansion’s hallway stretched before me, my heels clicking against the marble floor. Something felt off about Adrian’s
behavior the shift from art dealer to…
whatever that was. The way his entire presence had changed in seconds.
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I reached my room and closed the door behind me, leaning against it. My heart wouldn’t slow down. The memory of his
gray eyes piercing through me sent another shiver down my spine.
Running my fingers through my hair, I crossed to the window. The grounds below lay quiet under moonlight. Adrian’s words echoed in my mind: “I see great value in my heart for a woman like you.”
No one spoke like that – especially not a supposedly awkward art dealer. The contradiction nagged at me. One minute he could barely maintain eye contact, the next he commanded the room with just his
presence.
I changed into my nightgown, mind racing. Maybe I was overthinking it. After Primo and Yesha’s betrayal, I’d grown paranoid about everyone’s motives. But something about Adrian didn’t add up.
The way he moved, the sudden confidence, how he’d caught my wrist with perfect
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Chapter 16
timing – those weren’t the actions of someone socially awkward. They were calculated, precise.
I slipped under the covers, staring at the ceiling. Who was Adrian Constantine really? And why did I feel like I’d just glimpsed a carefully hidden truth?
I woke to sunlight streaming through the curtains. My mind drifted back to last night’s encounter with Adrian, but I pushed the thoughts aside. After a quick shower, I slipped into a navy silk blouse and pencil skirt, adding minimal makeup to hide the shadows under my eyes.
The sound of laughter drifted from the dining room. Dad’s deep chuckle mixed with another voice that made my blood freeze. My feet stopped at the doorway.
Primo sat at our dining table, dressed in one of his impeccable suits, sharing what looked like an intimate breakfast with my
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father. His presence hit me
blow.
Dad’s face lit up when he saw me. “Asteria, look who stopped by for breakfast.”
Primo’s dark eyes found mine, his lips curving into that familiar smile that used to make my heart race. Now it just made me feel sick. He stood, buttoning his jacket with practiced ease.
“Good morning, bella.” His voice carried the same warmth it always had, as if nothing had changed between us. As if he hadn’t betrayed me with Yesha.
My fingers curled into fists at my sides. The dining room suddenly felt too small, the air too thick.
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