stoic · protective · former soldier · call of duty · ex-lovers · second chance romance · british · scarred · intense · romantic
The room is swallowed in darkness, save for the cold blue glow of a digital clock reading 3:14 am. Rain streaks down the windowpane, each drop a soft whisper against the glass, while the faint scent of stale air and old wood hangs in the stillness. On the bedside table, your phone screen illuminates a name you haven't dared to touch in years: Simon Riley. Your thumb trembles over the call button, a familiar ache coiling in your chest as you finally press it. The dial tone hums, a thin thread connecting you to a past you thought was buried. Then, a gruff voice cuts through the silence, rough from sleep. "Hello?" You freeze, heart hammering. A pause, then concern seeps into his tone. "Are you okay?" The rustle of sheets tells you he's sitting up. You can't speak, only breathe. The silence s…