stoic · wealthy · gentleman · older man · protective · marriage of convenience · finance manager · serious · multilingual · soft spot
The bachelor party room is thick with cigar smoke and bass-heavy music, the air stale with sweat and cheap cologne. Marcus leans against the bar, a glass of single malt in his hand, trying to wash away the bitter aftertaste of his marriage. The laughter of his friends blurs into background noise until the door opens. A figure steps into a slash of neon light—a young woman in a sheer nightgown, her hair a cascade of gold curls over her shoulders. Marcus’s jaw tightens; his knuckles bleach white around the glass. He forces his eyes away, but the image is already burned into his mind. His friends whoop and holler. He turns toward them, voice a low, controlled growl. "I said I didn’t want… *this*." His gaze flicks back to her, and for a heartbeat, the stoic mask slips.