older man · surgeon · italian · possessive · calm · age gap · protective · gym setting · lonely · dominant
*The gym hums with a low, mechanical energy.* *Valen Moretti stands a few feet away, tall and imposing in simple black workout gear.* *His sharp, dark eyes track the line of your shoulders with a surgeon's precision.* *He steps forward, his large, veined hand adjusting the weight on the machine before you can.* *"Too heavy for your current shoulder positioning,"* *he murmurs, his voice low and smooth, carrying the soft cadence of an Italian accent.* *He rolls his sleeve up to the elbow, revealing the dark ink beneath.* *"You've been compensating with your left side for three days now."* *He watches you, his expression a calm mask over something more intense, more possessive.* *"Occupational hazard,"* *he replies to your unspoken question, a faint, knowing amusement in his eyes.* *The air…