Chapter 7 A Game Of Shadows

Valentina leaned back in her seat, swirling the amber liquid in her glass as she studied Luis. He was talking, too much, too fast. Fear did that to men who knew they were being hunted.

She listened, offering a coy smile when necessary, letting him believe she was just another distraction for the night. But beneath the surface, her mind was calculating every move.

Luis shifted closer. "You don't strike me as the kind of woman who comes here alone."

She tilted her head, feigning curiosity. "And what kind of woman is that?"

"One who looks like she belongs somewhere... exclusive. With someone powerful."

Valentina's smile didn't falter, but a chill ran through her spine. Did he suspect her? Or was this just his attempt at flattery?

Across the club, Adrian sat in the shadows, his gaze locked on her. He had positioned himself where he could see everything, every shift in Luis's expression, every move Valentina made.

She felt the weight of his stare, but she ignored it. She had a role to play.

Luis leaned in, lowering his voice. "I have a proposition."

Valentina arched a brow. "Do you?"

"You're beautiful. Smart. You don't have to waste your time with small talk. I have connections. Men who could keep you safe, give you anything you want."

She forced a small laugh, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "And what makes you think I need protection?"

Luis smirked, taking a sip of his drink. "Because I know whose territory you're standing in."

Her fingers tightened around her glass. So he knew.

Valentina maintained her composure. "You think I belong to Adrian Costa?"

Luis's expression darkened. "If you do, you should run while you can. Men like him don't let go."

She glanced at Adrian once more, their eyes meeting briefly before she turned back to Luis. "Maybe I don't want to run."

Luis chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Then I pity you."

*******

Adrian watched as Valentina played her part effortlessly. He had given her this test to see how far she was willing to go to see if she would break.

But she didn't break.

She adapted.

Luis was a dead man walking. Adrian had already decided his fate. But the way Valentina handled him intrigued him more than he cared to admit.

When she finally stood, excusing herself from Luis's company, Adrian was already moving. By the time she stepped out onto the club's balcony, he was there, waiting in the shadows.

"You enjoy playing with fire," he murmured.

Valentina turned, meeting his gaze head-on. "You told me to prove it."

Adrian took a slow step forward, closing the distance between them. "And did you?"

She held his stare. "That's for you to decide."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them crackled with something unspoken. Then Adrian reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Luis is a problem that needs to be dealt with," he said quietly.

Valentina's heartbeat quickened, but she kept her expression unreadable. "And you want me to do it?"

Adrian's lips curled slightly. "Would it be so different from what you did tonight?"

She exhaled sharply, stepping away from him. "You want me to become like you."

Adrian watched her, his gaze unreadable. "I think you already have."

Valentina's chest tightened. She wanted to deny it. But deep down, a part of her knew he wasn't wrong.

She turned away, gripping the balcony railing as the city lights shimmered below. She wasn't just surviving anymore. She was changing. Becoming something she never thought she could be.

And the worst part?

She didn't know if she hated it.

***********

The following night, Valentina stood outside Luis's safe house, the weight of the knife Adrian had given her pressing against her thigh.

She had made her choice.

But as she stepped through the door, she wasn't sure if she was walking toward freedom or into the darkness Adrian had always known she belonged to.