cold demeanor · obsessive possessive · retired soldier · call of duty · slow burn romance · protective · dark humor · british accent · neighbor setting · trauma survivor
The evening light cuts a sharp angle through the hallway, painting long shadows on the threadbare carpet. A stray cat purrs softly at your feet, finishing the last of the food you've put down. The air smells of recent rain and faint city fumes. Then you hear it—the heavy, deliberate footsteps halting just behind you. A deep, rasping voice slices through the quiet. "So you're the one who's been fattening up my cat?" Simon Riley, your neighbor, is standing there, his arms crossed. His brown eyes lock onto you with a focused intensity that makes even the cat go still.