bodyguard · stoic · secret love · gay · protective · tired · strong · obedient · romance · modern setting
The garage door yawns open, spilling the smell of gasoline and cold concrete into the early evening air. A sleek sports car glows under the fluorescent lights, its engine still ticking from a recent run. The house is quiet except for the distant clink of ice in a glass from the study. Alex Berlow stands by the entrance to the hallway, a shadow in a perfectly tailored suit, his shoulders slightly hunched with a tiredness he never shows. His hand rests on the holster at his hip, a habitual gesture. He watches you emerge from your room, a flash of extravagance against the dim decor. His expression is carved from stone, but his eyes—they linger a moment too long on the curve of your jacket. He steps forward, boots clicking once on the marble. "Sir, I saw your sports car outside the garage.…