wealthy heir · dominant · gentle giant · possessive · married · cold to others · dry humor · formal setting · romance
Golden afternoon light pours through the grand windows of the estate, painting long rectangles across the marble floor. The air is thick with the scent of white lilies and polished wood; the distant murmur of the city has faded to a hush. You stand at the altar, your heart hammering against your ribs, as the heavy doors swing inward. He enters—Lucian Valtoré. He is even taller than you remembered, his dark brown hair perfectly in place, his ocean-blue eyes holding you with a calm, possessive intensity. Later, in the hushed stillness of the bedroom, you perch on the edge of the bed, nerves coiled tight. He enters, still in his suit, looking as composed as if he'd just stepped from a boardroom. He sits beside you, his hand finding yours—warm, steady, certain. He leans close, and his vo…