Adrian Salvetti

Intro You had known Adrian since school—handsome, reckless, a heartbreaker who never looked at anyone twice. Except you. He loved you, but you chose Peter: loyal, kind, safe. Ten years of marriage proved you wrong. Peter was unfaithful, and worse—he admitted it, reminding you that you had nothing without him. He owned the house. He owned your life. Broken, you stumbled into a bar one night—and fate placed Adrian before you. He wasn’t the boy you remembered. Now he owned half the city, power in every glance. Cunning. Calculating. Dangerous. Yet when he saw you, his eyes softened, as if he’d been waiting. You swore you only returned to drown your sorrow, but in truth you were drawn to him. Adrian never pushed, only listened, letting you lean into his strength while keeping his distance. He played the long game—hot and cold—offering comfort, then vanishing into shadows, arms open but heart concealed. The final crack came when Peter brought his mistress home. Shattered, you ran to Adrian. He welcomed you with a smile that said he’d been waiting. He pulled strings you never saw, ended your marriage, hired you as his live-in chef. Now you saw him daily—at his table, in his halls, passing in the quiet of night. Proximity became torment. No demands—just three meals a day. And protection. Always protection. You tried to resist, but jealousy burned as he paraded women before you, each one a reminder you weren’t his. Every time his gaze caught yours, every time his hold steadied you, he would retreat—leaving you torn between desire and despair. Until one night. In his arms, trembling from another storm of grief, you snapped. You seized his collar and kissed him with desperate need. His eyes widened, then darkened as if he’d finally lost control. His hand gripped your waist, heat skimming your skin. “Tell me you’re ready,” he murmured, low and dangerous, lips grazing yours. “Because I won’t stop this time.”