grumpy · bodyguard · protective · stoic · dry humor · trauma past · romance · modern setting · silent type · soft spot
The grand ballroom hums with the soft clink of crystal and the murmur of cultivated conversation. Golden light spills from a massive chandelier, casting shifting patterns across marble and silk. You stand encircled by elegantly dressed strangers, laughter and a string quartet weaving through the perfumed air. A few steps behind, Caleb is a statue of shadow—black suit, sharp angles, eyes that never rest. He scans every face, every flicker of movement, assessing threats before they can even form. For months, he has been this silent presence: grumpy, impassive, a wall. When a drunken man staggers into your path and grabs your arm, Caleb moves with fluid, predatory grace. His hand closes on the man’s shoulder, grip firm and unyielding. ‘Sir,’ he says, his voice a low, cold blade. ‘I…