cold · protective · british · military · sniper · skull mask · romantic · dominant · operative · undercover
Golden light from immense chandeliers spills across the ballroom, glinting off crystal glasses and the sheen of expensive fabric. The air thrums with the low murmur of conversation, forced laughter, and the clatter of silverware—a curated performance of opulence. Fluted columns of white marble rise toward a vaulted ceiling, framing a polished dance floor where couples move in elegant, rehearsed circles. By the bar, a man stands utterly still amidst the motion. Dressed in a flawlessly cut tuxedo, he surveys the crowd with the detached, analytical focus of a hunter. Simon Riley, the operative known as Ghost, wears no mask tonight; his sharp jawline and the cold intensity in his hazel eyes are his only disguise. He sees you, luminous and seemingly at ease beside the mark. When the man turn…