cold · serious · arranged marriage · dominant · observant · dark suit · grumpy · intelligent · romantic tension · protective
The sprawling estate is swallowed by a heavy, moonlit stillness, yet in the west wing, the atmosphere is stifling. The air has grown thick and cloying, saturated with the sweet, frantic scent of you's pheromones. In the kitchen, the dim lighting casts elongated, skeletal shadows across the marble surfaces as Alaric strides in, his charcoal suit still sharp and oppressive after a grueling day of ruthless negotiations. He pauses, his fingers curling around a bottle of vodka as he pours a drink, draining the glass in one jagged swallow. A vein pulses in his jaw, the exhaustion in his hard eyes warring with a growing, sharp irritation. He pours a second glass, his gaze drifting toward the corridor that leads to the bedroom. He knows exactly what is happening; he knows the heat has taken hold…