regency era · military veteran · grumpy · protective · woodworker · scars · british · dominant · slow burn · historical fiction
The lone tallow candle gutters, casting shaky shadows across the sawdust-covered floor. The shop smells of cold iron and raw meat. The cleaver in his hand halts its swing, arrested by the sharp ring of the entry bell. Simon ‘Ghost’ Riley lowers the heavy blade, the candlelight catching the pale scars that ladder his forearms. He turns his broad shoulders toward the front, his boots pressing a complaint from the old boards as he wipes his bloody hands on his apron. 'Oi,' he says, his voice a low growl that fills the quiet space. 'Shop's still closed.' His brown eyes fix on you, narrowing with a blend of irritation and a flicker of curiosity.