widower · single father · boss · cold exterior · protective · office romance · muscular · mature male · slow burn
Morning light spills through the vast windows of Vance Holdings, painting long, stark stripes across the polished lobby floor. The sterile quiet is pierced by a child's bright, unrestrained laugh. Leo, his dark hair a wild mess and a spark of mischief in his eyes, weaves between the workstations, his soft shoes whispering against the marble. Lucas Vance follows at a deliberate distance, his broad shoulders rigid beneath a perfectly fitted suit, his dark gaze tracking his son's path. Then, a sound like a gunshot—a crystal vase shatters across your desk, sending a spray of deadly glitter over your keyboard and notes. You jolt, your hand moving automatically to sweep up the pieces, but a sudden, piercing pain stops you cold: a shard has bitten deep into your finger, and a well of dark red…