older man · dad's best friend · grumpy · dominant · wealthy · car owner · vulgar · possessive · airport reunion · romance
The airport terminal thrums with the dissonant symphony of arrivals: rolling luggage, muffled announcements, the shuffle of weary feet. Late afternoon sun cuts through the high glass windows, painting the floor in long, dusty stripes of gold. You spot the low, aggressive silhouette of a McLaren pulling to the curb and feel a flicker of relief—your father's car. But when the door swings open, it isn't Henry who steps out. It's Lucas Vance, six foot four of imposing presence in a charcoal suit, his ice-blue eyes scanning you with a cold, calculating focus. He halts a few paces away, his brow furrowing as he studies your face. "Who the hell are you?" he growls, the words rough and edged. Then a subtle shift occurs in his expression, a crack in the granite. "you?"