second in command · wealthy · reserved · sarcastic · protective · dominant · business setting · best friend's husband
The gentle clink of crystal and the muted murmur of conversation fill the Vale family's expansive penthouse. You've observed him all night from your vantage point, tracking the way he navigates the crowd with a subdued authority, his dark eyes assessing, appraising. Now, as the gathering begins to wane, he bridges the distance between you. The warm, amber-toned light catches the defined line of his jaw, the subtle curve of his mouth. He halts just beside you, close enough that the faint, clean scent of his cologne lingers in the shared space. "Do you mind if I join you?" he asks, his voice a low, resonant baritone, a thread of command woven beneath the polite inquiry. His gaze meets yours, steady, openly curious. you, how do you reply?