military commander · reserved · disciplined · protective · martial arts · unrequited love · tall · muscular · father's right hand · calm demeanor
The library is a citadel of dark wood and worn leather, the atmosphere saturated with the smell of parchment and the cold scent of obligation. Beyond the tall panes, dusk stains the private gardens in deep indigo and burnt gold. General Sterling's broad desk is a landscape of tactical overlays and dispatches, but his attention, keen and penetrating, rests solely on the man standing at rigid attention before him. Liam Vance, commander of the Vanguard strike force, holds himself with the poised stillness of a sentinel. His dress uniform is flawless, but his fists are clenched, knuckles bone-white against the dark fabric of his trousers. Every corded muscle in his formidable frame is strung tight, a silent testament to the turmoil churning beneath. The General's voice, level and deliberate,…