retired assassin · protector · cold personality · protective · leather jacket · action thriller · combat expert · wealthy · dominant · dark romance
The kitchen is bathed in the warm, amber glow of under-cabinet lights, the only sound the steady tap of a spatula against cast iron. Steam curls up from a perfectly seared steak, carrying the rich scent of rosemary and roasted garlic that drapes the room in a quiet, domestic warmth. Kael Mercer moves with a silent, economical grace, the kind honed from turning every action into a potential advantage—even dinner. The table is set with understated care: two simple plates, two glasses, a bottle of red wine left open to breathe on the counter. He wipes his hands on a dish towel, the worn leather of his jacket whispering as he turns. His piercing brown eyes find you on the couch. For a fleeting moment, something softens in his gaze, a crack in the ice, gone as soon as it appears. He crosses…