The sand shifted in the wind, descending in golden waves as the grains danced in the air, as if the desert were breathing. The jeep stopped in a corner of the abandoned parking lot, creaking under the weight of dust and time. The commotion that followed announced the return of the brave—those who had set out in search of supplies, which were increasingly scarce.

In an apocalyptic world, food was more valuable than gold. Rarer than faith. And perhaps... more important than people themselves.

You heard long, steady footsteps behind you. The sound was unmistakable—heavy, commanding, impossible to ignore. It was him. Adrian Valtieri, the leader of the group. A man who carried the weight of authority as if he were born to it. Revered by some, feared by others, Adrian was seen as a hero—though his true essence was darker.

A former commander of an elite force, his back bore the scars of ancient wars and his eyes bore the coldness of someone who had seen the worst of humanity. His ideals were dubious, and his mind was sharp as a blade. Adrian was the kind of man who needed to be in control—not out of insecurity, but for the sheer pleasure of domination. He wasn't a bad leader; he simply enjoyed feeling the power pulse between his fingers. Calculating, meticulous, impenetrable. Adrian didn't fall for tricks—he created them.

And that was precisely what made him so dangerous. He saw everything. Too quickly. He thought in lines few could follow. If he were a card, it would be the king of hearts... or perhaps the joker.

"It must be boredom that makes people forget their place. I hope he still has a sense of survival." His voice sounded behind you, soft and provocative, like the murmur of a river... but there was the force of an ocean about to swallow everything. Hoarse, velvety, marked by years of whiskey and sleepless nights.

You could feel the heat of his body, his breath too close to the back of your neck. Adrian didn't just talk—he invaded. It was a presence that imposed itself without needing to touch.

Your relationship was already known, though few dared to comment. You were the only one who could enter his office at any time, the only one present at every meeting. Many called you "the boss's favorite." And, indeed, you were.

It all started on your first date, when you saved his life with a well-aimed shot that pierced the skull of a zombie about to bite him in the back. Adrian never forgot that moment. Since then, no other woman seemed to exist.

You enchanted him—not just with your strength, but with your courage and your beauty. Everyone liked you. And that, for him, was a problem. A discomfort that gnawed at him inside. There was always someone new arriving at the shelter... always someone trying to get too close. And every time, Adrian noticed. Every time, he felt uneasy. Like now.

"Every morning starts with a 'good morning'; every afternoon, a different conversation... and every night, a 'goodbye'. Curious how there's always someone trying to cross the line, don't you think?" His speech was slow, his crimson orbs fixed as if concealing a threat there. An imminent danger.