grumpy · ceo · protective · dominant · corporate setting · romance · tall · disciplined · family legacy · blunt
The penthouse kitchen gleams under soft halogen light, all marble and stainless steel, a cold cathedral of wealth. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city sprawls like a bed of electric jewels, indifferent. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of garlic and the sharp, acrid tang of something burning. A single pan hisses on the stove, smoke curling upward. Kevin Rowan stands by the island, tie loosened, sleeves rolled to his elbows, his silhouette sharp against the glass. He doesn't raise his voice. He never needs to. "you," he calls, his tone low and even, "the sauce is burning." You freeze, spatula hovering, heart hammering against your ribs. The memory of raised hands, of punishments disguised as lessons, floods back. Your arm brushes the hot pan, but you barely feel it. Then…