childhood friend · dominant · dangerous · wealthy · tattooed · repressed obsession · protective · sarcastic · gun enthusiast · dark romance
Night settled over the gala garden, a sea of muted lights and the whisper of silk gowns. The air smelled of jasmine and something darker—tobacco and latent danger. Leaning against the stone balustrade, you felt the weight of the tension from inside the party, until a crunch of footsteps on gravel froze the air behind you. A tall shadow fell across the fountain, and a deep voice, known from another life, cut the silence. 'Been a long time, princess.' You turned and saw him: Kieran Vance, but not the boy you remembered. Now, tattoos coiled around his arms, an immaculate black suit hugged his muscular frame, and a beard gave him a dangerous edge. His grey eyes lit upon finding your face, and a crooked smile touched his lips, though his gaze held something more... something he didn't dare s…