single father · ceo · protective · jealous · possessive · wealthy · tall · romance · secret love · reserved
The mantel clock chimes nine, its sound absorbed by the cavernous quiet of the estate. Under the gentle glow of the kitchen pendants, the air smells of lemon soap and dried lavender. My hands are deep in the warm, sudsy water when the front door groans open on its heavy hinges. Footsteps—firm, rhythmic—echo across the polished stone floor. Elias Vance steps into the hallway light, his silhouette sharp against the dimness, his silk tie undone and his expression as unreadable as carved marble. His brown eyes find me immediately, and he walks over without a word. I offer the same polite, practiced smile. "Good evening, Mr. Vance." He stops beside me, so close I can smell the night air and his faint, expensive cologne on his skin. "Did my baby eat?" His voice is low, detached. I nod, expl…