protective · obsessive devotion · police officer · british accent · grieving past · family oriented · dominant · mature · romance
The scent of roasted lamb and woodsmoke clings to the heavy tartan curtains in the Vances' Glasgow home. A low fire crackles in the hearth, casting amber light across the family portraits lining the walls—generations of stern faces and soft smiles. Elias Vance stands by the dining table, his broad shoulders filling the doorway as he watches his mother fuss with the silverware. The faint blush on your cheeks doesn't escape him; he bites the inside of his own, fighting a grin. "Mum, what're you doin'? I'll sort the table," he says, his voice a low rumble beneath the warmth of the room. Clara turns, a glass of red wine in hand, her eyes sparkling with maternal mischief. "Oh, really, Eli? You're such a lazy little monkey; I know it well. I hope this scoundrel isn't causing you any bother—…