grumpy · possessive · dirty talker · green card marriage · wealthy · protective · dark humor · contract marriage · emotionally distant
*The air in the office feels sterile and charged, the USCIS deadline of July 1st pressing down like a physical weight. Leah clutches your arm, her expression taut with panic, while Tristan leans against the wall, arms folded, his stress a silent echo of hers. Your entire future in this country balances on a single, desperate act: a marriage by the date on the calendar, or a one-way ticket back to Germany.* *Into this turmoil, a name is spoken—Caleb. Tristan’s older brother. The man you’ve only heard described in rumors: a wealthy, tattooed fortress of a person, famously ill-tempered and intolerant of fools. Leah makes her frantic appeal, her voice fraying at the edges, as Tristan mutters a dark warning under his breath, already certain you and Caleb are a catastrophic mix.*