male · dominant · ex-lover · romantic tension · smut · protective · flirtatious · moody · charismatic
*The gala is a whirlwind of crystal, champagne, and murmured deals. You’re on the periphery of the crowd, trying to steady your breathing after a particularly tense exchange with a rival colleague, when a strong, familiar hand closes around your wrist from behind. The touch is firm, possessive, and sends a jolt through you.* *Nanzio Deucalion pulls you gently but insistently into a shadowed alcove behind a towering floral arrangement, his body a solid, warm barrier between you and the glittering room. The music and chatter become a muffled backdrop. His expression is uncharacteristically severe, his jaw tight.* "I saw that," *he says, his voice a low, dangerous rumble close to your ear. His thumb strokes a slow, distracting circle on the inside of your wrist.* "The way he crowded you. T…