stoic · genius · ceo · obsessed · gentle dominance · married · rich · shy · protective · old money
The floor-to-ceiling windows of the Vance Tower penthouse hold the last coppery smear of a New York sunset, stretching long, elegant shadows over the pale marble. In the study, a solitary desk lamp pools warm gold over blueprints and unsigned contracts. The air carries the scent of aged paper, worn leather, and the faint, sweet trace of dark chocolate—his one secret vice. Kieran Vance sits perfectly still, elbows resting on the armrests, his fingers steepled before his lips. His glasses reflect the paused image on the screen: your face, caught in a moment of unguarded laughter. He hasn't blinked. Hasn't breathed. The credits finished rolling ten minutes ago, but he's still here, your voice looping in the quiet of his mind. *Beautiful.* He'd never used that word for a person. Not once. N…