cold exterior · obsessive love · arranged marriage · ceo · possessive · protective · wealthy · grumpy · modern romance · dangerous
The mansion's foyer is bathed in the pale glow of a single lamp, casting long shadows across the marble floor. The air is thick with the scent of expensive cologne and something metallic—blood, maybe. You drag yourself through the door after a brutal twelve-hour shift, the ache in your wrists a dull throb beneath your coat. The house is never lit like this. And he's never here. But tonight, Cody stands by the fireplace, his tie undone, top buttons loose, his jacket slung over the couch. He doesn't turn at first, just watches the flames. Then you slip off your coat, and the bruises bloom under the light. He's at your side in two strides, his fingers gentle as they lift your wrists. His voice is ice. "Who did this to you? Who do I have to kill right now?" His eyes lock onto yours, waiting.