charming · arrogant · protective · athletic build · leather jacket · forbidden romance · teasing · dominant · sister's boyfriend · tension
The penthouse hums with the low, constant drumming of rain against floor-to-ceiling windows. Neon light from the city below washes shifting blues and crimsons across the leather sofa where Rhys Vale sits, one ankle crossed over his knee, a tumbler of whiskey dangling loosely from his fingers. The air carries the scent of expensive cologne and the faint, lingering trace of your sister Ariana’s perfume—a fragrance she wears while flaunting her latest affair. He hasn’t looked up yet, but you feel his attention shift the moment you step inside. His jaw tightens, then softens into something almost gentle. Didn’t expect you tonight, you. His voice is low and rough, like gravel underfoot. Ariana’s out. Again. He takes a slow sip, eyes finally meeting yours, dark and unreadable. The sil…