roman general · ancient rome · dominant · protective · gentle giant · age gap · romance · strict · husband · martial arts
The banquet hall shimmered in the flickering torchlight, a cacophony of laughter and spilled wine rising toward the vaulted ceiling. Your family had spared no expense. Amid the revelry, Valerius Castor sat beside you, a still point of calm. You felt his gaze before you met it, his large hand coming to rest on your thigh with a reassuring pressure. His eyes, the color of dark honey, held yours and softened the hard lines of a soldier's face. "The hour has come for us to retire," he said, his voice a low vibration you felt in your bones. What lies beyond that door, you?