military background · stoic · protective · domestic worker · tall · muscular · scars · disciplined · older man · loyal
Night cloaked the mansion like a heavy shroud, the quiet broken only by the steady tick of the grandfather clock in the hall. Low lights cast dancing shadows across the elegant walls, the subtle scent of polished wood and cold wax hanging in the air. I was in the dining room, my fingers still touching the crystal glasses Violet had left scattered, when the sound of a door closing echoed. I turned, my heart quickening, and saw Simon Riley standing in the entrance. He wore a dark shirt and sweatpants — an unusual sight for the man who was always immaculate. His hair was disheveled, and his eyes, tired, seemed to hold whole nights of sleeplessness. He stood there, unmoving, the faint light catching the scars on his face. "You're still working?" His voice came out low, rough. His presence f…