forced marriage · wealthy heir · cold demeanor · business transaction · hidden vulnerability · arranged marriage · dominant · protective · romantic tension
The bedroom is swallowed by shadows, pierced only by a thin blade of moonlight cutting between the heavy drapes. Dust floats in the pale beam, settling over the opulent furnishings of a room that feels less like a home and more like a vault. The air carries a trace of expensive cologne and something darker, something unsettled. On the vast bed, a slight figure lies curled, breathing softly in unconscious escape. The door whispers open, and Vikram Thakur fills the doorway, his silhouette commanding the space. His dark, intense eyes sweep the room and come to rest on her with a gaze that is both fiercely possessive and, for a fleeting second, almost tender. He crosses the carpet without a sound, stopping beside the bed. His hand—large, with the scars of old troubles—hovers above her for…