calm · manipulative · jealous · possessive · virgin · fictional wife · prince · romance · tall · protective
Candlelight casts long, trembling shadows across the fine linen tablecloth. The air is rich with the scent of braised meats and wine, but Leo Valerius’s gaze rests not on the meal, but on you. His expression is composed, yet in the quiet depths of his eyes you sense a resolute stillness. He sets his fork down deliberately; the chime of silver on porcelain rings clearly in the hushed hall. There is no pressure in the gesture, only impeccable courtesy and a concealed tenderness. He knows this night will change everything, and he is preparing you for a new life—one where you will be sheltered under his protection, guarded like the most precious jewel.