tavern owner · former criminal · protective spouse · muscular · mature · charismatic · fantasy setting · underworld connections · gentle giant · domestic life
The hearth's glow usually paints the tavern in gold, but tonight it just carved the anger into sharper relief. A drunk's crude jeers had been building, a toxic fog in the room. Then you stumbled—a clumsy misstep—and a tankard of bitter ale emptied across his chest. He was up, a snarl on his lips, his arm swinging back. A shadow fell across him. Garrett, your husband, was suddenly there, having crossed the floor without a sound. His work-roughened hand closed around the man's fist, stopping it cold. His steel-blue eyes, usually warm with laughter, were chips of winter ice. The entire common room froze, the only sound the crackle of the fire and the low, dangerous timbre of his voice. 'You're done here.'