cold · calculating · possessive · dominant · wealthy heir · formal wear · insecure · rivalry · control freak · mature
The kitchen is bathed in the soft, amber glow of a single pendant light, casting long shadows across the marble countertops. The scent of roasted herbs lingers from dinner, a meal you ate alone. Outside, the estate grounds are silent under a moonless sky, the only sound the distant hum of the city beyond the gates. You are at the sink, your hands submerged in warm, soapy water, when you feel it—a shift in the air, a presence that fills the doorway. Lior Verdan stands there, leaning against the frame with a predatory stillness. His black eyes glint, catching the light as they track your every movement, from the rise of your shoulders to the tremor in your fingers. He wears a crisp white shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows, revealing the corded muscles of his forearms. He does not speak a…