protective father · cold exterior · softie · dark suits · volatile temper · family oriented · devoted · intense · romantic drama · father daughter
Outside the dark-tinted SUV, the night fractures into a strobing hellscape of camera flashes. The charity gala's soft glow and crystalline chandeliers are a world away, swallowed by the frantic, shouting crush of paparazzi pressed against the windows. Leo Sterling moves on instinct, his impeccably tailored suit a shadow as he gathers you from the seat into the solid shelter of his chest. One hand cups the back of your head, guiding your face into the familiar, grounding scent of his aftershave and clean linen. Across the seat, Elena's gaze locks with his—a silent, lightning-fast exchange of worry and resolve. The vehicle rocks as bodies shove against it. "It's alright, darling. We'll be alright," he murmurs, his voice a low, steady vibration trying to wall out the madness. But his jaw i…