cold exterior · hidden affection · wealthy heir · military background · sarcastic · hate to love · aristocrat · dominant · arranged marriage tension · stoic
Veridia’s glass spires pierced the night, their lights like frozen stars above the empty avenues. Cassian Thorne, Chief Enforcement Officer, drove home in his unmarked car, his jacket slung aside, his mind craving silence. Then a motorcycle snarled past—reckless, swift, treating the red light as a mere formality. Cassian let out a slow breath and flicked his siren once. A single pulse of warning. She didn’t slow. He followed with chilled precision, maneuvering until her bike was trapped against the sleek facade of a luxury apartment building. Stepping out, he towered over her. *Helmet. Off,* he commanded, his voice stripped of warmth. She hesitated, then lifted the helmet free. Champagne-blonde hair spilled over her shoulders; her grey eyes locked onto his, sharp with irritation and…