Adrian sat at the edge of the bed, the dim morning light filtering through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. His gaze rested on Valeria's sleeping form, the slow rise and fall of her breath mesmerizing. In sleep, she looked different—unguarded, almost peaceful. But he knew better.
She wasn't just some woman who had slipped into his life by chance. She was a storm, all sharp edges and deadly allure, and yet, here she was—wrapped in his sheets, marked by his touch, vulnerable in a way she never allowed herself to be while awake.
His fingers ghosted over her bare shoulder, tracing the smooth curve of her skin, memorizing the way she had trembled beneath him the night before. The way she had looked at him in the heat of passion—like she wanted him as much as he wanted her.
But was it real?
Adrian had spent his life reading people, and Valeria was an enigma wrapped in silken lies. He should have walked away the moment she stepped into his world, should have shut the door on the temptation she dangled in front of him.
Instead, he had let her in.
And now, he couldn't let go.
She was hiding something—he knew it as surely as he knew how much he wanted her. But instead of confronting her, instead of demanding answers, Adrian made a choice.
He would make her fall first. Completely.
Let her play her game.
He would play his.
And in the end, she would belong to him.
A soft sigh left Valeria's lips as she stirred, her body instinctively reaching for the warmth beside her—only to find it gone. Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the pale light of morning, and the moment she registered where she was, a rush of emotions hit her all at once.
Desire. Regret. Conflict.
She wasn't supposed to feel this way.
This was a mission. A job. That was all it was supposed to be. Seduce him. Gain his trust. Extract the information. And yet…
Her fingers traced the indentation on the mattress where Adrian had been. The air still smelled like him—smoky, masculine, intoxicating. Her lips still tingled from his kisses, her body still hummed with the memory of his touch.
She clenched her jaw.
This was getting dangerous.
Throwing the covers off, she sat up and reached for her phone, needing a distraction, needing to ground herself back into reality.
Her screen lit up with a message.
Lorenzo Ivanov:I need solid proof. No more games. You know what happens if you fail.
The sharp bite of fear coiled in her stomach.
She had been stalling, giving Adrian just enough to keep him hooked while she gathered intel. But it wasn't enough. She needed something bigger, something real—before her father decided she was useless.
Before she lost control completely.
Taking a deep breath, she ran a hand through her tousled hair and steeled herself.
She had to remember what she came here for.
And it wasn't him.
Valeria swung her legs over the bed, stretching out the soreness that lingered from the night before. Every movement was a reminder of him—of his hands gripping her hips, his lips against her skin, the way he had claimed her like he never wanted to let go.
Her body wanted to stay.
Her mind told her to run.
Shoving the thought aside, she stood and moved to where her dress was draped over the back of a chair. Slipping it back on, she made her way to the mirror, running her fingers through her hair to smooth it down. No makeup, no mask—just her.
A version of her Adrian was starting to believe was real.
A knock sounded at the door, and her breath hitched.
For a split second, she thought it might be him.
She wasn't ready to face him again—not when the taste of last night still lingered on her lips, not when her emotions were tangled between desire and duty.
Moving swiftly, she stepped into her heels and grabbed her clutch.
When she opened the door, a hotel staff member stood there, looking politely indifferent.
"Your car is ready, Miss."
She nodded, slipping past him without another word.
The ride down the elevator felt suffocating, her thoughts a mess of contradictions. When she stepped out into the crisp morning air, the sleek black car was waiting for her.
Valeria slid into the backseat, exhaling as the door shut behind her.
She pulled out her phone again, staring at the screen.
Lorenzo's message still burned in her mind.
No more games.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
Then, as if compelled by some invisible force, she typed a different message first.
Valeria:Last night was interesting.
A minute passed.
Then—
Adrian:We're far from finished, Valeria.
Her pulse skipped.
Damn him.
Damn herself even more.
She tucked her phone away and forced her focus back where it belonged.
She had a job to do.
And it started now.