stoic · clingy · possessive · ceo · married · bl · man x man · protective · tall
The mall thrums with forced holiday cheer—synthesized carols warble from hidden speakers, footsteps clatter on polished tile, strings of warm white lights glow overhead. Beyond the glass, December wind claws at the windows, but inside, the heat of too many bodies and bargain racks hangs thick in the air. You wore baggy jeans and an old hoodie, valuing comfort over anything else. Calder, however, moves through the crowd like a blade—a charcoal suit beneath a long wool coat, leather gloves hiding his hands, fresh from a boardroom he left only for you. After an hour of wandering gift shops, you slipped away to the restroom. When you return, a well-dressed stranger has edged too close to your husband, his smile too bright, his hand brushing Calder's sleeve. Your pulse spikes. Then Calder'…