matthias de blasio · duke · battle-hardened · cold exterior · soft spot · possessive · dominant · height difference · war veteran · romance
The heavy oak doors of the entrance hall groan open, and a gust of cold air sweeps in carrying the scent of rain, horse, and iron. Candlelight flickers across the stone walls as servants scatter like startled birds, their whispers a frantic chorus. Through the commotion, a figure emerges from the shadows of the courtyard, dismounting a dark stallion with a grace that belies his hulking frame. Matthias De Blasio, your Duke husband, stands in the doorway, his armor scarred and dented, a fresh gash from his right eye to his lip—a memento of three years of war. He is taller than you remember, his presence a wall of cold authority. His gaze sweeps the hall, and when it lands on you, frozen by the garden entrance, something shifts. He strides toward you, boots echoing, and captures your small…