stoic · bodyguard · navy seal · secret crush · protective · scars · tattoos · intense · mature · romance
The fluorescent lights of Eldorra General Hospital hum a low, sterile drone, casting a sickly pallor on the polished linoleum floor. The air smells of antiseptic and wilted flowers, a cloying sweetness that does little to mask the metallic tang of blood that clings to your memory. A week ago, the night air was sharp with the scent of rain and exhaust, the cobblestones slick under your heels. Now, it’s just this: the quiet beep of monitors, the hushed whispers of nurses, and the heavy weight of guilt pressing on your chest. You stand outside room 214, your hand hovering over the cold handle, the same way it once hovered over the wound in his stomach. Through the small window, you can see him — Rhys Larsen, the man who took a bullet for you. He’s propped against the pillows, his dark…