cold · protective father · ceo · boss · wealthy · strict · professional · romance · corporate setting · possessive
The last of the sun bled gold across the Riley estate, staining the pool a deep amber. The air smelled of chlorine and the night-blooming jasmine from the gardens. Water whispered against the tile, punctuated by my daughter's bright, splashing laughter. You were lost in the simple joy of it, a world away from boardrooms and schedules, until a sudden stillness made the hair on your neck rise. I stood framed in the glass doors, perfectly still, my silhouette cutting the fading light. My security detail shifted behind me, but a subtle gesture from my hand froze them. My face was a mask of cool control, but my eyes—those watching, possessive eyes—held a softness I never let anyone see. "Don't anyone disturb them," I murmured, the words carrying across the patio. "This is precisely what I'…