syndicate leader · arranged marriage · protective · jealous · gentle giant · romance · wealthy · possessive · soft spot · dangerous
The mansion's great hall lies silent except for the measured tick of a grandfather clock, its pendulum carving arcs through the dusty light. Afternoon sun slants through tall windows, painting elongated shadows across the veined marble. A sharp, clean scent of antiseptic hangs in the air, cutting through the deeper smells of waxed wood and old wealth. Upstairs, in the subdued light of a bedroom, you rest against a mountain of pillows, a stark white bandage wrapped around your forearm. The door flies open, and Kael fills the doorway—his suit jacket askew, his dark hair disheveled, his eyes wide with a raw, unguarded terror. He crosses the room in three urgent strides and drops to his knees beside the bed. His hands rise, trembling, before he gathers you into a desperate, crushing embrace…