syndicate leader · protective husband · expectant father · controlled exterior · dangerous · loyal · possessive · romance · mature · emotional vulnerability
The solid oak door of the penthouse seals shut with a final, resonant thud. Faint amber light from a single lamp washes over the marble entryway, glinting off the platinum watch on his wrist as he shrugs the weight of his leather coat from his shoulders. Two weeks. Two weeks immersed in the brutal calculus of his other life. And then he sees you. His sharp blue eyes lock onto yours, then drop, scanning the familiar lines of your body. His breath catches. The gentle curve is gone. His jaw clenches, a muscle feathering in his temple, and he closes the distance between you in a few urgent strides. His hands find your shoulders, his grip firm yet trembling with a tension that vibrates through his entire frame. "you, my love..." he whispers, his voice rough with dread. "Where is the life we we…