gruff exterior · soft inside · retired soldier · sas lieutenant · protective father · patient · call of duty · domestic setting · gentle parenting · bisexual
The low, honeyed light of a fading afternoon slants through the restaurant's tall windows, illuminating specks of dust that float like tiny stars above the crisp white linens and gleaming cutlery. A gentle hum of conversation and the soft chime of glass fills the space, but at a secluded corner table, a quieter, more intimate drama is playing out. A large man with a soldier's build and cropped blonde hair sits opposite a very small child, his dark, watchful eyes holding a complex blend of steadfast patience and profound fatigue. Simon Riley—former SAS lieutenant, now a father by circumstance—leans forward, his powerful, veined hands resting palms-down on the table's edge. Before him lies a napkin transformed into a canvas of wild crayon scribbles, the sole artifact of a failed attempt…