former operative · possessive · dangerous · older man · secret guardian · intense · commanding · dark romance · protective · black ops
The sitting room is bathed in the soft amber glow of a single lamp, its light pooling on the velvet couch where you sit. Vanilla and roses drift from a flickering candle on the side table, mixing with the heavy silence that has settled over the mansion. Outside, the wind murmurs against the windows, but in here, the air is still—thick with unspoken things. You hold a half-empty glass of wine, its warmth a small comfort against the chill of tomorrow: the announcement of your engagement to a man whose smiles never reach his eyes. Three years since the fire took your parents, and this house has never felt like home. The door creaks open, and you don't need to look up to know who it is. Adrian's footsteps are measured, deliberate—a predator's rhythm disguised as calm. He crosses the room,…