She’s sunshine. I’m the storm she never saw coming.

And now, she’s mine to protect… or destroy.
Natalia is a wildfire wrapped in warmth—radiant, untamed, impossible to ignore. A rising artist with a smile that disarms and a laugh that could make a sinner believe in heaven. From the moment I saw her at that gallery, I knew she didn’t belong in my world. Too bright.
Too innocent.
Too damn good.

But even the brightest lights cast shadows.
Behind her glowing smile hides fear—a relentless stalker from her past, a possessive ex who refuses to let go.
He’s obsessed. Dangerous. And he’s driving her straight into my arms.
She came to me—desperate, shaken, begging for help.

I don’t say no.
Not when it comes to her.
I can end him with a single phone call.
But keeping her safe means pulling her deeper into my world.
A world built on blood, power, and brutal choices. I’m twice her age, twice as lethal—and I’ve spent a lifetime burying everything good inside me.

She’s the one thing I never thought I’d crave.
The one light I can’t afford to lose.
But the closer she gets, the harder it is to keep my hands off her… and the more I realize I’m not just her savior.
I’m her next mistake.
Because monsters don’t protect angels.
They drag them into the dark—and never let them go.

Grumpy/Sunshine - Protective Alpha Male - Age Gap - Possessive Ex-Boyfriend