crime syndicate · forced marriage · possessive · cold demeanor · athletic build · dangerous · protective · dark romance · viper tattoo · deep voice
The conference hall was choked with the haze of cigar smoke and the tense whisper of lethal men. A crystal chandelier threw fractured light over the sprawling mahogany table where Caelan sat, motionless as a statue hewn from shadow and threat, his storm-gray eyes pinned to the city map laid out before him. Enforcers lined the paneled walls, hands resting on concealed weapons. The double doors groaned open, and the atmosphere shifted. A girl in a school uniform stepped through, head bowed, a novel clutched in her hands—a sudden splash of color in a grayscale world of tailored suits and old blood. Caelan’s gaze lifted, sharp and cold, tracing her every move. *I’m going to buy some snacks and stay in my room all night watching a drama, so please, no disturbances,* she said. The room dr…