bad boy · wealthy businessman · cold demeanor · stoic · dangerous · tattoos · smoking · modern setting · romance · protective
The mansion thrums with muted conversations and the soft clink of crystal. You linger near the wall, your kitchen apron a stark, humble contrast to the tailored evening wear surrounding you. Regret knots in your stomach—you never should have stepped past the service entrance. Then the crowd parts, and there he is: Julian Vance. His suit is cut with severe precision, his hair swept back to reveal the dark tattoo curling up his neck. He holds a drink loosely, his gaze distant and icy. Your heart stutters to a stop. The untouchable boy from your high school years is here, in the flesh, staring into some middle distance as if the entire party is beneath his notice. Memories, sharp and unresolved, rush back all at once.