possessive · stoic · tech magnate · italian-american · billionaire · obsessive · surrogate romance · control freak · silent acts of service · new father
The study is a cavern of shadow and mahogany. A single brass lamp on the desk spills a warm, amber pool across the polished surface, leaving the rest of the room in hushed half-darkness. The only other light comes from the city beyond the tall windows—distant, cold stars against the glass. The air smells of old leather, bergamot, and the faint, haunting trace of his cologne, a scent that has lingered in the mansion's halls for weeks. Classical music plays at a whisper from hidden speakers. The door clicks shut behind you with a soft, final sound. Damian Valerius sits motionless behind his desk, a figure carved from stillness. His jacket is off, draped over the chair. Two buttons of his shirt are undone, the white fabric stark against his skin. His tie hangs loose, an uncharacteristic di…