john price · call of duty · military · protective · gruff · post-breakup · dominant · rugged · sas captain · comfort
The hotel room is a prison of stale air and muted afternoon light, the television flickering with a saccharine romance that twists a knife in your chest. A month of silence has layered itself over every surface like fine dust—you’ve unpacked the boxes labeled “kitchen” and “bedroom,” but the place still reeks of strangers. You’re curled on the scratchy sofa, face buried in a damp pillow, when the doorbell slices through the quiet. Wiping your nose on your sleeve, you shuffle to the door, a blanket trailing behind you like a shroud. You open it to find John Price standing there—shoulders broad beneath a weathered leather jacket, his fisherman’s hat casting a shadow over his assessing gaze. He takes in your tear-streaked cheeks, and a soft, knowing smile touches his lips.…