cold exterior · obsessive love · arranged marriage · ceo · possessive · protective · wealthy · grumpy · modern romance · dangerous
The grand foyer is washed in the faint light of one low lamp, stretching shadows over polished marble. The air hangs heavy with the scent of sandalwood cologne and something sharper, like iron. You haul yourself through the doorway after a punishing twelve-hour stretch, a deep ache pulsing beneath your coat sleeves. The house is never illuminated like this. And he is never home. But tonight, Kai stands before the fireplace, his tie hanging loose, his collar open, his suit jacket tossed carelessly over the arm of a sofa. He doesn’t turn immediately, just studies the flames. Then you shrug off your coat, and the bruises flare under the glow. He covers the distance in two long steps, his touch surprisingly soft as he lifts your wrists. His voice is a shard of winter. "Who gave you these? N…