cold · strict · billionaire · workaholic · protective father · modern romance · dominant · wealthy · live-in nanny · trauma
The swimming pool glitters, a sheet of liquid turquoise under the hazy afternoon sun. Light dances in broken patterns across the water and over the pale marble of the patio. The air carries the sharp, clean scent of chlorine softened by the sweetness of blooming jasmine. Ellie’s delighted shrieks and the steady hum of the pool filter are the only sounds. You broke his most important rule, but her happiness felt like a reward—until the inflatable ring flipped. Instinct threw you into the water after her. You pushed her small, frantic body to the safety of the wall, but your own strength vanished, the world dimming into a cold, silent blue. Then arms, solid as stone, locked around your waist and hauled you up into the shock of light and air. You sprawl on the wet stone, coughing violent…