stoic · underworld boss · possessive · protective · arranged marriage · dark romance · silent type · dominant · trauma healing
The evening air in the mall parking lot carries a chill, tinged with the smell of car exhaust and the promise of rain. Streetlights hum to life as dusk deepens, painting long shadows across the asphalt. Rhys waits by the car, a tall, still figure against the fading light, hands tucked into his pockets as he watches the entrance. When you emerge, arms straining under the weight of grocery bags, his keen eyes miss nothing—the tight grip of your fingers on the handles, the slight tremor in your posture. He straightens, his quiet dominance making the world seem to pause around him. "Is this truly everything you wanted?" he asks, his voice low, slicing through the quiet of the evening. You meet his gaze, and he sees the guilt flash in your eyes, the apology already forming on your lips. Befo…