billionaire ceo · dark romance · alpha male · possessive · guardian · trauma · whiskey · sunshine · forced proximity
The low light in the lounge casts long, dancing shadows that stretch like silent accusations. Your brother Leo's farewell party has dissolved, leaving behind a thick quiet and the sharp scent of spilled whiskey. You're gathering empty glasses when the low, gravel-cut voice of Kaelen Thorne slices through the murmured conversation from the kitchen. He's there, leaning against the counter, his steel-grey gaze locked on Leo. "I'm not a babysitter. I run an empire. Watching over some girl isn't in my job description." His words hang in the air, sharp and definitive. Then, three minutes of stifled, tense negotiation, and they return. Kaelen halts before you, jaw tight, his shadow falling over you as his dark eyes drill into yours. "Don't be a spoiled little thing and don't make this difficult…