Nina barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw him Adrian Moretti his smirk, his voice, the way his fingers brushed her skin like he had every right to touch her. She tossed and turned, furious with herself for remembering the heat of his presence, the way her body had betrayed her with want.
By morning, exhaustion pressed heavy on her bones. Her classes blurred together. She sat through lectures, scribbling half-formed notes, but her mind wasn't on textbooks or exams. It was on the fact that she had less than five days to pay her tuition.
And on the fact that Adrian had promised he would "find her soon."
She told herself she wouldn't let him. That she wouldn't be the kind of girl who gave herself over to a man like him just because she was desperate. She had worked too hard for her independence, too hard to crawl this far out of the mud.
But when her phone buzzed during her last class, her heart plummeted. A single message lit up her screen.
Unknown Number: Dinner. Tonight. 8PM. Dress well. Don't make me come get you.
Her throat went dry. She didn't need to ask who it was.
For a long moment, she stared at the message, weighing her choices. She could ignore it. Pretend she never saw it.
But then she thought about the tuition notice pinned to her desk, the landlord's voice on the last call reminding her of late rent, the way her life seemed to be collapsing in slow motion.
She typed three words before she could stop herself.
Nina: Where is it?
At exactly eight o'clock, she stood in front of La Rosa, the most expensive restaurant in the city. She felt painfully out of place in her second-hand black dress and worn heels, her coat clutched tightly around her as sleek cars pulled up one after another. Women in glittering gowns and men in tailored suits walked past her, their perfume and cologne filling the crisp night air.
She wanted to turn and run. But before she could, a familiar figure appeared.
Adrian stepped out of a black car that gleamed under the streetlights. Tonight he wasn't just dangerous he was devastating. His suit was perfectly fitted, charcoal with a subtle sheen, his shirt unbuttoned just enough to hint at something reckless beneath the polish. His dark hair was slicked back, his jaw shadowed, and his eyes found her immediately.
He smiled as if he had been expecting her hesitation. "You came."
"I don't know why," she muttered, her cheeks warming under his gaze.
"Yes, you do." His voice was calm, certain. He offered his hand not like a gentleman, but like a man used to being obeyed.
Nina hesitated. But slowly, almost against her will, she placed her hand in his. His grip was warm, firm, claiming.
Inside, the restaurant glittered with chandeliers and soft music. The maître d' greeted Adrian with deference, immediately guiding them to a private corner booth separated by velvet curtains. The rest of the world faded, leaving only the two of them across a table set with crystal glasses and a bottle of wine already waiting.
Adrian leaned back, his eyes sweeping over her. "Better. You clean up nicely."
Her cheeks flushed. "This is the only dress I have."
"Then I'll buy you more," he said smoothly.
"I didn't ask you to."
"You didn't have to."
The casual arrogance in his tone made her bristle. "Why me? You could have any girl you wanted."
His smirk deepened. "Because they would be too easy. And I don't enjoy easy." His eyes darkened, pinning her to her seat. "You make me want to break you open and see what's inside."
Nina's breath caught. She shifted in her chair, suddenly hyperaware of every inch of her body.
Dinner arrived plates of food she couldn't pronounce but she barely touched it. Her stomach was knotted too tightly. Adrian ate with quiet grace, sipping his wine as though he had all the time in the world.
Finally, he set his glass down and leaned forward. "Let's stop pretending, Nina. You need money. I have it. And I don't give without taking."
Her pulse quickened. "What exactly are you asking for?"
He studied her for a long, charged moment, then spoke softly. "Your time. Your company. When I call for you, you come. You sit with me. You talk to me. You let me teach you things you've never felt before. In return, you'll never worry about tuition or rent again."
Her throat tightened. "So… you're saying you want to"
His smirk silenced her. "Don't look so scandalized. I'm not asking for your soul. Just pieces of you. Enough to keep me entertained." He tilted his head slightly. "Do you find me unattractive?"
Her cheeks burned. "That's not the point."
"Then what is the point?" His voice dropped lower, velvet and steel. "That you're afraid of how much you already want to say yes?"
Her silence betrayed her. Adrian's eyes gleamed with victory.
"Here's the deal, Nina." He reached into his jacket and slid an envelope across the table. She hesitated before opening it and nearly gasped at the thick stack of cash inside. Enough to cover her tuition. Enough to keep her afloat for months.
Her fingers trembled as she looked back at him.
"Take it," he said softly. "But understand what it means. The moment you touch that money, you're mine. Do you understand?"
Her heart pounded so hard it hurt. The weight of the envelope was crushing, the temptation unbearable.
She could walk away. Leave now, and she'd still be free. But she would lose her chance at school, her dreams.
Or she could take it and step willingly into the cage Adrian Moretti had built for her.
Her hand hovered over the envelope. Adrian's eyes locked on hers, patient, predatory.
And slowly, with a breath that shook through her entire body, Nina reached forward and closed her fingers around the money.
Adrian's smile was slow, dangerous, and satisfied. He leaned back in his seat, eyes gleaming like a man who had just claimed his prize.
"Good girl," he murmured. "Now you belong to me."