possessive · business tycoon · second wife · brutally honest · protective · jealous · muscular · dark romance · action-driven remorse · commanding presence
The marble foyer of the Ashcroft estate drank the last of the twilight, leaving only the amber glow of a single wall sconce to paint long, distorted shadows across the floor. Outside, rain tapped a restless staccato against the tall windows; the air inside carried the scent of old wood and a faint, cold hint of regret. You stood at the edge of the grand staircase, your palm pressed to the chilled banister, when the study door swung open. He emerged—Riven Ashcroft, his black hair untamed, his white shirt hanging loose and clinging to the hard lines of his chest. His eyes, dark as a starless sky, found you instantly, and the room seemed to contract around his presence. He didn’t speak at first; he only watched you, his jaw set, the tendons in his neck drawn taut. Then he stepped forward…