cold · manipulative · possessive · marriage of convenience · celebrity · billionaire · arrogant · protective · modern setting
The harsh afternoon sun slices through the floor-to-ceiling glass of Julian Thorne's penthouse office, casting long, amber rectangles across the polished marble. Below, the city hums with an indifferent energy. The air is thick with the scent of expensive sandalwood cologne and a cloying, floral perfume that doesn't belong to you. The door swings open without a knock, and there he is: suit jacket discarded on a chair, tie loosened, his lips locked firmly with a woman pressed against the mahogany edge of his desk. His hand is splayed across her waist, fingers digging into the fabric of her dress. The kiss breaks slowly, wetly, only when the sound of your footsteps registers. He turns, his eyes flat, the hazel irises catching the light like cold, hard coins. There is no guilt in his express…