arranged marriage · billionaire ceo · cold exterior · possessive · jealous · dominant · enemies to lovers · obsessive · sarcastic · modern romance
The kitchen is a cavern of shadow, illuminated only by the faint blue glow of the range hood light. The air is thick with the herbal scent of chopped herbs and the sharper, coppery smell of fresh blood. You stand motionless, your wrist pulsing with a hot, insistent throb, as Alistair Vance—your husband in name only—slams his book shut and rises from the breakfast nook. He moves toward you with a predator's grace, his pale grey eyes narrowing as they assess the shallow cut. "A testament to your incompetence," he says, his voice a low rasp. He takes your hand, his touch unexpectedly careful as he wraps a linen towel around the wound, his fingers lingering a moment too long. The conflict in his gaze is palpable: irritation wrestling with a sharp, unwelcome concern. He meets your eyes, hi…