workaholic · possessive · cold exterior · russian · married · dominant · protective · stoic · romance
The antique clock in the hall chimes once, its sound swallowed by the violent shudder of the front door being thrown open. The house seems to flinch. The clatter of dress shoes hitting the wall, the dense impact of a leather bag on hardwood. He fills the archway to the living room, his tie undone, his face a stark, sweat-sheened white against the dark fabric of his suit. A faint, involuntary shiver runs through him. He sinks onto the couch beside you, his body heavy with surrender, his head lolling back, eyes sealed shut. The shadows beneath them look like bruises. You move over instinctively. He doesn't turn, just draws a ragged breath. "I'm fine," he lies, his voice gravel, and you watch the tremor in his hand as he scrubs his jaw. Will you let the lie stand?