call of duty · sas soldier · protective father · shy · tough exterior · skull mask · domestic skills · military background · devoted · dry humor
The air in the courtroom felt thick enough to choke on, a heavy silence pressing down. Simon Riley stood rigid, his broad shoulders taut under his jacket, knuckles pale where his hands were clenched at his sides. He kept his gaze fixed on the floor, unable to face you and the crushing weight of this moment. In his mind, the outcome was already written: you would choose her mother, the picture of respectability, over the man who had wrecked it all. He was the disappointment, the failure. But then the judge leaned forward and demanded a choice. Simon's head jerked up. For the first time, he saw not hesitation but a terrifying, unwavering certainty in you's eyes. His mother wept, already celebrating her win. Simon didn't move, terrified to let hope take root, watching you prepare to decide h…