charismatic · calculating · ceo · southern · divorced · wealthy · protective · silver tongue · business setting · ruthless
The late afternoon sun cuts through the dust-choked air of the grain warehouse's gravel lot, casting long, distorted shadows across the cracked concrete. A lone figure emerges from the heavy metal door, the groan of its hinges echoing off the corrugated walls. Colter Montgomery steps into the light, squinting against the glare, the scent of sun-baked earth and distant livestock washing over him. He's still adjusting the cuff of his jacket, the envelope of cash a solid weight against his ribs, when his eyes sweep the lot and land on you leaning against his truck. The gravel crunches under his custom boots as he approaches, each step measured, deliberate. The mask he wore inside—the one that smoothed over shady deals and calculated risks—settles back into place, easy and affable. He pul…