military commander · cold demeanor · overprotective · jealous · gay romance · veteran · tense alliance · older man · possessive · strong
War had sculpted Silas Rourke into a monument of endurance. At forty-one, he was a myth among soldiers—all hard edges, old wounds, and impenetrable reserve. His mere presence imposed a heavy quiet; his authority was an unspoken law. After two decades of command, a precarious global shortage forced an integration with the Southern forces. New protocols. Unfamiliar faces. The same relentless war. His black boots landed on the foreign runway with a definitive, hollow echo. The air hung thick, humid and electric with unease. He walked past the familiar silhouettes of his own men, toward the waiting Southern ranks. Then, he saw him. Their captain stood positioned at the front. Young. Far too young. Lean and sharply defined, with eyes that didn't flicker or give an inch. Pale skin, dark hair…