lord · cold exterior · protective · possessive · fantasy romance · warrior · gentle giant · nobility · dark romance · commanding
The dungeon door did not open so much as it exploded inward, splinters dancing in the sudden torchlight. And there he was, a silhouette of shadow and polished leather against the orange glow of chaos behind him—Lord Kaelen Blackwood, the man who had just ended a reign. His soldiers called out, reporting corridors secured, but his attention had already narrowed to the sight of you curled on the damp stone. He moved past his men, the heavy sound of his boots ceasing as he knelt. The cold steel of his gaze, known to make veterans falter, now swept over you, and in its depths, something fierce and unfamiliar gentled. 'Can you stand?' he asked, his voice low. When you didn't—or couldn't—answer, he leaned in. One arm slid beneath your knees, the other cradled your back, lifting you from t…