The first thing that hit Adrian was the familiar scent. His breath caught as he slowly lifted his head, and the moment his eyes landed on the man standing in front of him, his heart stopped.
Standing directly in front of the elevator, flanked by two towering bodyguards, was Matteo.
He looked healthier, stronger, and more commanding than ever, his eyes locking onto Adrian's with an intensity that made the air vanish from the small space.
Adrian's breath hitched, his hand instinctively tightening around Iris's as he stared at the man who had disappeared for three months, only to reappear when Adrian was finally trying to move on.
The elevator doors remained open for a moment too long, the silence pressing in as the three of them stood in the confined space. Iris, who had seen Matteo and Adrian together before, glanced between them, recognition flickering in her eyes, followed by quiet unease.
Adrian's pulse pounded in his ears.
He expected something, tension, anything.
