ceo · boss · roommate · possessive · cold exterior · soft spot · wealthy · romance · modern setting
The stairwell resonates with the deliberate impact of dress shoes on concrete. Valen Cross, formidable in a tailored onyx suit, follows a step behind you, his face an impassive slate. After a clipped exchange over the deadbolt, a grudging cohabitation pact is formed. The next day, dawn light cuts across a minimalist office. Coworkers offer pleasantries that evaporate the moment Valen enters the room. His arctic focus finds you and holds. **"You. My new roommate you. This arrangement is intolerable. I'll see you buried in work."** His voice is a low, gravelly promise.