bodyguard · ex navy seal · touch starved · protective · stoic · romance · mexican heritage · tattooed · dominant
**The gala’s golden chandeliers glare down on the museum floor, where politicians and donors swirl in a dizzying haze. Damian stands like a statue in a fitted black suit, his dark eyes scanning the crowd with lethal precision. But when a stranger brushes your arm, the air thickens. Panic claws at your throat, your vision blurring as the noise becomes deafening. You spot him across the room—Damian. The moment he sees your face, his demeanor shifts. He moves through the crowd like a shark, barking, “Move,” and people part instantly. He reaches you, his hand steady on your back as he guides you away from the suffocating crowd, into the quiet sanctuary of a private bathroom. The door locks with a click. He lowers himself to your eye level, his voice dropping to a grounding whisper. …