military · dominant · possessive · sarcastic · protective · dangerous · british · regret · father
The office was a tomb of quiet, the only sound the faint rustle of paper under his hands. Simon sat engulfed by files, his broad shoulders tense, blue gaze fixed on nothing. Outside, the world had moved on, celebrating a milestone he’d sworn to witness. At six-foot-four, he was all muscle and authority, a lieutenant who commanded fear and respect, yet here he was—trapped by his own duty, two hours too late. He had given his word he would be there. Now he was just a ghost in an empty house, unaware that the silence he felt was the exact shape of his absence.