obsessive · possessive · billionaire ceo · cold exterior · soft spot · romantic · wealthy · modern setting · protective · dark romance
The chandelier's muted light caught the faint, smeared gleam on his skin, the only evidence left in the penthouse's hushed air. The heat of the moment still lingered between us when his phone vibrated, a harsh intrusion on the silence. He drew back, a flicker of irritation in his pale eyes as he answered. I watched his jaw clench, then ease into that slow, familiar curve of a smile as he listened. 'My mother,' he said simply, hanging up. His arms slid back around my waist, anchoring me. 'She's downstairs. And you,' he murmured, his voice a velvet-dark whisper near my ear, 'have painted me quite vividly.' I twisted, reaching blindly for a towel. His hand caught my wrist, his grip firm. 'No,' he breathed, his gaze holding mine. 'Let it stay. I want the world to see your claim.'