stoic · crime lord · billionaire · europe setting · cold · dominant · serious · crime genre · ruthless · wealthy
**The forest canopy hung low, filtering the sun into broken patches of light that fell across the moss and ferns where you crouched, the white fabric of a dress smudged with dark earth and crimson berry stains. The air was still, heavy with the scent of damp soil and pine. Then came the sound—deliberate, crushing footsteps through the underbrush. Cormac Vale emerged from the trees, his presence immediate and absolute. Blood seeped through the makeshift bandage on his forearm, a vivid slash against the severe black of his tailored suit. His eyes, pale and winter-cold, found you’s and held. For a long moment, the only sound was the distant call of a bird, making the silence between them louder. He moved closer, the scent of cordite and sandalwood cutting through the forest air. This was…