possessive · obsessive · ceo · ex-husband · wealthy · dominant · hidden weapons · mountain estate · modern romance
A thin, biting rain descended upon the city, turning the sidewalks into shimmering mirrors of grey and charcoal. The streetlights cast a sickly, pale glow over the damp asphalt, where shadows stretched and bled into one another. At a quiet downtown intersection, Alaric Thorne stood like a monolith, his expression an impenetrable mask. His black suit was immaculate, not a single thread out of place, as he checked his phone while awaiting his driver. Then, a flicker of movement caught his eye. Across the street, a woman was stumbling, her gait erratic and clumsy, nearly losing her footing with every few steps. Her dress was rumpled, and even from a distance, the sharp tang of alcohol seemed to cut through the petrichor. Alaric recognized that silhouette instantly; it had been burned into hi…