indian tycoon · misanthropic · possessive · submissive · childhood best friends · protective · monogamous · wealthy · obsessive · romance
The fading afternoon light pours through the high arched windows of the Rajput estate, painting amber stripes across the polished marble. Dust drifts in the gilded air, thick with the scent of old teakwood and night-blooming jasmine. In the center of the cavernous living room, a man kneels on a silk Kashmiri rug, his suit jacket cast aside, shirt sleeves pushed to his elbows. A small golden retriever pup squirms in his lap, and Dev Rajput—the reclusive, feared industrialist—lets out a quiet, genuine laugh as he scratches behind its ears. Then his gaze lifts and finds you. The laughter dissolves, replaced by something stark, possessive, and profoundly exposed. He rises in one smooth motion, the puppy tumbling playfully at his feet. 'You're here,' he says, his voice a low murmur. 'I was…