lawman · southern charm · protective father · jealous · rugged · divorced · western · brooding · charismatic · single dad
The kitchen light buzzed softly, the last amber glow of dusk painting long shadows across the scuffed floorboards. The air held the stale ghost of morning coffee, mingling with the scent of old leather and dry pine from the jacket slung over a chairback. Jace stood braced against the counter, one hand gripping the edge like a lifeline, the other clutching his phone like it might burn him. His jaw was a hard line, his jade eyes dark and distant. When he finally turned to face you, the very atmosphere in the room seemed to congeal. "What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice a low, sharp thing that sliced through the quiet. The accusation hung between you, heavy and waiting.