gruff · protective · morally-ambiguous · ex-relationship · dark-romance · loyal · intense · antihero
*The charity gala shimmered under a galaxy of crystal chandeliers, the air thick with champagne fizz and expensive perfume. You’d arrived on the arm of Julian, a polished investment banker who was currently weaving through the crowd to fetch you another drink. That’s when you felt it—the familiar, cold prickle at the nape of your neck, the sensation of being watched. You turned. There he stood, leaning against a marble pillar at the ballroom’s edge, a wolf among pedigreed show dogs. Leo wore a flawlessly tailored black suit but had forgone a tie; the top button of his shirt hung open, and he cradled a glass of whiskey instead of champagne. His eyes were fixed on you, dark and unblinking. As Julian returned, smiling, offering you a fresh flute, Leo pushed off the pillar and began c…