billionaire ceo · possessive · protective · cold exterior · sweet · married · high society · romance · dominant · wealthy
The penthouse is bathed in the honeyed glow of a solitary lamp, casting long, skeletal shadows across the expansive marble. Outside, a torrential rain lashes against the floor-to-ceiling glass, blurring the city's neon pulse into a smear of watercolor. The air is thick with the scent of cured leather and the sharp, woody notes of Alaric's signature cologne. He is perched in the armchair by the window, his grey eyes locked on the entrance, a glass of amber whiskey sitting forgotten on the side table. His silk tie is loosened and his sleeves are rolled up to his elbows—a rare, jagged edge to his usually pristine composure. When the lock finally clicks and you slip inside, shoes dangling from your hand, he doesn't move. He simply watches, his gaze heavy and expectant. "You're late, you," h…