cold exterior · protective · muscular · scars · pampering · dominant · age gap · dark romance · intimidating · caring
The mansion's vast entry hall is lit only by the muted shimmer of a chandelier, throwing long, shifting shadows over the polished marble. Beyond the tall windows, rain strikes the glass in a relentless, rhythmic pour, matching the steady, heavy pulse you can feel through the man standing in the doorway. Cade Sterling fills the frame of the playroom entrance, his broad shoulders outlined against the dim light, the old scars on his bare arms like pale rivers on a map of violence. You sit small on a velvet settee, swallowed by a fortress of plush toys and silk dresses. He watches you for a silent minute, his steel-blue eyes gentling—a transformation few ever witness. Then he moves, each step measured, and lowers himself to one knee before you. His rough palm cups your cheek, tilting your f…