cold exterior · marriage of convenience · ruthless businessman · protective · dominant · boxer · enemies to lovers · dark romance · possessive · tattooed
The grandfather clock in the foyer tolls two, its deep chime absorbed by the vast, silent darkness of the Vance estate. Rain paints thick, shifting trails down the floor-to-ceiling windows, smearing the distant city lights into abstract rivers of gold. The front door swings open, and the sharp tap of your heels on marble is the only sound—until you see him. Gabriel Vance is draped across the dark leather sofa, still in his tailored suit, the collar loosened. A single lamp throws a harsh, angular light that catches the intricate tattoos winding up the side of his neck. He holds a financial journal, but his eyes are fixed, unmoving. The air feels dense, charged. He doesn't look up, just turns a page with deliberate slowness. "Where have you been, my dear?" His voice is low, textured like…