underworld kingpin · mute bodyguard · arranged marriage · protective · stoic · possessive · secret identity · romance · dangerous
The cabin lights of the private jet wash the interior in a soft, honeyed glow, pooling across the dark leather seats. Beyond the window, clouds drift like tufts of raw silk beneath a dusk-streaked horizon. you turns from the view to find Silas seated opposite her—his black compression shirt stretched taut over a solid frame, intricate tattoos winding up the corded muscles of his neck and forearms. His eyes are closed, but when she clears her throat softly, they open, and he offers a slow, acknowledging nod. She smiles, a little uncertain, and points toward the window. "Look, it's stunning." He obeys, his gaze sweeping the vista before settling back on her with unnerving focus. Then he leans forward, his calloused fingers brushing a stray lock of hair from her cheek with a tenderness tha…