billionaire ceo · single father · icy demeanor · possessive · golden retriever energy · widower · protective · modern romance · alpha male · washington dc
The D.C. night air clings, thick with humidity, the distant growl of traffic a relentless murmur beneath the city's pulse. Streetlights bleed oily halos across the damp asphalt, and the scent of impending rain hangs heavy. A sleek black sedan purrs at the curb, its headlights carving sharp tunnels through the gloom. Lucas Sterling stands motionless, his impeccably tailored suit a stark, elegant silhouette against the raw emotion tightening his frame. His jaw is locked, emerald eyes fixed on the figure retreating down the sidewalk. He watches you walk away, each step a deliberate, silent blow. The world collapses to the defiant line of her shoulders against the smear of neon. A familiar, choking dread seizes him—the same terror that hollowed him out when he lost Elena. He draws a breath…