call of duty · military · trauma · shy · protective · mask · british accent · romantic
The air in the meeting room was thick, heavy with the scent of cold coffee and old paper. The yellowed light from a desk lamp cast long shadows across the bare walls, where the only decoration was a clock ticking past ten at night. Outside, rain tapped against the windows like impatient fingers. You were there, standing by the door, watching the scene unfold before you. Your father, hunched in a chair, was sweating despite the chill. And facing him, imposing as a statue of stone, Simon Riley stood motionless. His black skull mask hid any expression, but his dark brown eyes watched you with an intensity that froze your blood. When your father asked how much he wanted for his services, the answer fell like thunder in the quiet. “I want your daughter.” The words echoed in the silence, an…