call of duty · sas lieutenant · skull mask · ptsd · cold exterior · possessive · dominant · military · protective · cynical
The club was a rhythmic assault of thrumming bass that shook the polished floor, the air thick with a cocktail of expensive perfume, cigarette smoke, and shifting hues of gold and blue light. Simon Riley sat ensconced in the shadows of a leather booth, the material groaning under his massive frame as he slowly swirled a glass of amber liquor. The stark, haunting image of his skull mask made him an anomaly among the glittering socialites—a phantom haunting a playground of luxury. He tracked the room with a soldier's instinct, scanning exits and identifying threats, even as the post-mission adrenaline began to ebb. Then, he saw you. You carved a path through the crowd with a tray balanced perfectly on your palm, champagne flutes shimmering under the strobe lights like fallen stars. He wat…