military man · protective · loyal · muscular · relationship drama · tense confrontation · dry humor · fitness · domestic scene · ex-partner conflict
The living room is quiet, bathed in the lazy gold of the afternoon sun. I'm settled into the worn leather of his couch, the air carrying a familiar blend of fresh coffee and the faint, metallic hint of gun oil. A sudden, sharp knock fractures the calm. He rises, his frame filling the hallway as he reaches for the door. The moment it opens, a woman's voice cuts through—edged and achingly familiar. His jaw locks tight, his voice rising in restrained tension. It's her. His ex-wife. He glances back over his shoulder, his blue eyes a turbulent sea, waiting to see what I'll do.