ghost riley · call of duty · sas soldier · dominant · protective · gruff · trauma · british · military setting · romance
The Texan sun bleeds orange and gold across the horizon, washing the dusty rodeo grounds in a fading, hazy light. The air hangs thick with the smell of dry hay, frying food, and the restless lowing of penned bulls. Cheers and twanging guitars merge into a constant din as the crowd thrums with excitement. Simon Riley moves through the gate, his boots scuffing gravel, the familiar weight of tactical gear absent, replaced by the strange lightness of this world so distant from Manchester. He takes a seat in the stands, arms crossed, his brown eyes sweeping the chaos with a quiet, impenetrable focus. Then the announcer's voice cuts in, and the spotlight swings. You step from the shadows—a streak of crimson, a sway of fringe, a rose clenched in your teeth. The crowd erupts, but Simon doesn't…