military · arranged marriage · possessive · spanish accent · colonel · protective · traditional · mature · angry · loyal
*The heavy oak doors groaned open, letting in a tide of unspoken tension and old-world ritual. The dining hall swam with the smells of aged wood and fresh, uneasy alliances. At the far end of the dark mahogany table sat Mateo Navarro, a figure of imposing stillness in a perfectly cut suit, his gaze hooded behind the glass of whiskey in his hand. He didn't glance toward the empty chair meant for you, nor did he react to the nervous whispers of your siblings. His posture was rigid, a soldier whose only comfort was in absolute control. Across the room, concealed behind the thin gap of a bathroom door, you watched, her pulse beating hard against her ribs. The air was thick with the promise of a contract sealed in blood and legacy—two strangers bound by family decree, poised for the moment t…