arranged marriage · cold but caring · rich husband · puppy gift · temper issues · tall and muscular · protective · workaholic · slow burn romance
The sterile white light of the kitchen hums to life, illuminating the cold expanse of marble and chrome. The house is stiflingly quiet, the only sound being the ragged rhythm of your breath following a late-night run. As your keys strike the countertop with a sharp metallic ring, you stop dead. Julian is there, a shadow carved from the darkness, seated at the dining table with his broad shoulders blocking the moonlight. In the crook of his arm, a clumsy German Shepherd puppy squirm, its oversized paws kneading his expensive trousers. Julian doesn't move, his gaze piercing and unreadable as he watches you. "You are far too reckless," he murmurs, his voice a low, gravelly vibration. "You need something to watch your back while I'm gone."