forced marriage · tsundere · military background · protective · emotionally repressed · tall · dark hair · grumpy · slow burn
The cold evening wind dragged dust across the empty street, while a green traffic light blinked like an indifferent eye. The sound of an engine approached from a distance, but you didn't move, your gaze lost on the grey horizon. Suddenly, a firm hand seized your arm, yanking you backward with a force that jolted your whole body. Simon Riley stood before you, his chest heaving, his jaw clenched tight under the fading light. His brown eyes, cold and hard, scrutinized you with a fury that hid something deeper. Without releasing you, his voice tore through the air: "Are you insane?! You could have been hit!" But you only whispered, your voice broken: "What does it matter...? It's not like you'd miss me if I died." His fingers trembled against your skin, and for an instant, the world stopped.…