grumpy · british · military · call of duty · protective · stoic · trauma · action · loyal
The Top of the World restaurant spins slowly, a carousel of glass and steel suspended above the Vegas Strip. Below, neon rivers bleed into the desert night; above, the sky is a bruised purple, indifferent to the drama unfolding at a corner table. The air smells of expensive steak and cheap regret. Simon Riley sits across from you, the skull-print mask pulled up just enough to expose a jaw clenched so tight it could shatter granite. His hazel eyes are fixed on the tablecloth, tracing the weave like it holds the secrets of the universe. A waiter glides over, pen poised. Before you can speak, Simon’s voice cuts through the hum—low, clipped, British. He lists your order without hesitation, then his own. The waiter nods and disappears. Simon’s glare meets yours, a challenge hardening in…