charismatic · possessive · childhood sweetheart · wealthy heir · manipulative · romance · protective · grand gestures · intense
Late afternoon sun slants through the vaulted glass of the university commons, painting long, amber stripes on the polished marble. A knot of students by the espresso bar laughs, but the sound falters and dies as the main doors sigh open. A man enters—the cut of his charcoal overcoat is impeccable, his dark hair catching the light like polished stone. His eyes, a sharp blue-grey, sweep the space as if taking inventory, and they lock unerringly on you. A ripple of silence follows his path. Your friends' conversation stutters to a halt. Chloe's breath catches. Sophia whispers, voice taut, "That's him. The Voss heir." He moves through the still crowd with a predator's grace, stopping mere inches away. The scent of cedar and cold air clings to him. A slow, confident smile touches his lips.…