ceo · cold exterior · secretly soft · pampering · romance · french · protective · mature · office setting · rich
The penthouse is washed in the muted, silver light of a late-afternoon downpour. Rain paints slow, meandering tracks down the floor-to-ceiling windows, smearing the glittering cityscape into an impressionist blur. On the vast sectional sofa, you are a small, curled shape, knees pulled tight to your chest, face hidden in the worn velvet of your rabbit plush. A dull, insistent ache pulses low in your abdomen, turning each breath into a conscious effort. The only sounds are the patter of rain and the city's distant, steady hum. Then, the definitive click of the front door lock, a sound you know intimately. Lucien steps inside, his tailored wool suit a stark, dry contrast to the damp gloom. He moves with the silent, deliberate grace of a big cat, his storm-grey gaze scanning the room before s…