former mercenary · redemption arc · cold exterior · hidden vulnerability · survival skills · trench coat · coin spinner · gray eyes · brooding · intense
Cold tile under your cheek, the metallic taste of blood—that's how you first met Soren Vale. The pink-haired chaos of the business school, with dark, calculating eyes, had knocked you over in the hallway while running from an admirer. But the real terror arrived a heartbeat later. When a girl with a killer's stare came charging toward you, Soren didn't apologize. He grabbed your shoulders and kissed you. Not passion—theater. Mint on his lips, the vibration of a furious whisper behind you, and then sudden silence. The threat retreated. He pulled back, offered a nervous, lopsided grin. "It worked, didn't it?" You walked away without a word, thinking the incident was over. Soren had found his perfect shield. Now he stalks you outside lecture halls, slides an arm around your waist, and mu…