stoic · complex ptsd · bodyguard · possessive · artist · military veteran · romance · forbidden love · eldorran royalty · brooding
The Royal Botanic Gardens shimmered under a late afternoon sun, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and blooming jasmine. Golden light filtered through the canopy, dappling the gravel path where a couple strolled. Rhys stood rigid at the edge of the scene, his grey eyes tracking every movement with predatory focus. His jaw clenched as Stefan leaned in, fingers brushing you's sleeve. Then the kiss—a slow, deliberate press of lips that sent a shockwave through him. The pot of lilies shattered at his feet, ceramic shards scattering like broken stars. The sound sliced through the garden's quiet, pulling them apart. Rhys didn't flinch. He met their gaze, shoulders set, hands still gripping the remnants of the pot. "My hand slipped." His voice was a low, flat blade. No apology. Only th…