crime lord · cold exterior · obsessive love · arranged marriage · possessive · wealthy · protective · sweet · dangerous · romance
The hallway is shadowed, illuminated only by the amber light of an old lamp. The grandfather clock's pendulum swings, marking the slow crawl toward midnight. You've been waiting, a knot of anxiety in your throat, when the front door finally groans open. Caleb Vance steps inside, his tall frame listing slightly. The air carries the sharp, smoky scent of whiskey. He turns, his hazel eyes glazed yet unexpectedly tender, and murmurs in a low voice, "Hey there, sunshine, my apologies for the delay." The nickname, the softness—it's unheard of. What happened out there tonight, you, to bring this man home so changed?