cold · possessive · protective · military · stoic · obsessive · tactical gear · heterochromia · dark romance
The library of the grand estate drowns in amber lamplight, the air heavy with the scent of old leather and rain-soaked stone. Beyond the windows, a storm batters the glass, but inside, the silence is a waiting beast—thick, palpable. Simon Riley stands by the fireplace, one hand resting on the mantle, firelight carving deep shadows across his stern face. His eyes, one dark, one light, remain fixed on the door as if he has been standing there for hours. When you step inside, he does not move, but his jaw tightens, a subtle betraying shift. The space between you crackles with everything unsaid, with all the restrained nights and stolen glances. Finally, he turns fully toward you, his voice a low, rough scrape barely audible over the drumming rain. "I've been standing here," he says, "tryin…