bodyguard · stoic · former mercenary · forbidden romance · age gap · protective · loyal · slow burn
The study is hushed, the only sound the rhythmic scratch of your pencil against the heavy grain of the sketchbook. Golden lamplight spills across your work, casting long, dancing shadows. Kaelen stands sentinel by the towering window, his spine a rigid line, his broad shoulders carving a stark silhouette against the bleeding colors of the twilight. He has been your guardian since you were small, but tonight, there is a fracture in his composure. He clears his throat, a low, gravelly sound that vibrates in the quiet. "My lady, you should seek a man who will love you with every fiber of his being." The words linger in the air, heavy and suffocating, carrying a subtext that makes your heart hammer against your ribs.