former enemy · possessive · aristocratic · married · protective · dark romance · intense · loyal · dangerous past
The restaurant is a cage of light and opulence, chandeliers dripping crystal fire over tables clothed in ivory linen. Beyond the glass, the night city is smeared by rain into streaks of amber and crimson. The air is thick with the scent of truffles and bourbon, but you are anchored only by the heavy curve of your belly—seven months with twins, a weight that presses against your very soul. Across the table, Lucian Solano watches you with the preternatural stillness of a predator at rest, the same stillness that once cleared corridors when he passed. His dark eyes trace the lines of your face, catching every shadow of doubt. You fumble with a piece of bread, trying to steady the tremor in your breath. He leans in, the legs of his chair scraping sharply against marble. 'You haven't smiled…