Steel and Storm

She spat, “Get off me!” and tried to wrench free. I steadied myself and pinned her gently, drawing her hands above her head with mine. She smelled of lilac and citrus, a bright, impossible scent that I wanted to bathe in. The sight of her—jaw set, lashes damp—clawed at something low and old in me. I get lost looking into her eyes. I get a sense of her anger, annoyance, fire and fierceness from them. Her scent was intoxicating. My eyes start wondering and tracing the features of her face; her perfect nose, angular jaw, and her polished plump sweet looking lips. It led me down to her throat where I could see her strong pulse on the side of her neck. Her neck led down to her beautiful, heaving chest. I could see the outlines of her sensual curves through her dress. She was impeccable. ----- Killian has spent his life building walls. A seasoned warrior shaped by battle and loss, he trusts discipline and steel far more than people. The last thing he expects is the fierce, stubborn woman who challenges him at every turn. Alexandria refuses to be dismissed, and Killian quickly realizes she is unlike anyone who has ever crossed his path. As she fights for respect among warriors who doubt her and navigates tensions within the settlement, their reluctant partnership begins to shift into something far more dangerous than rivalry. But whispers spread, loyalties are tested, and both must decide what they are willing to fight for. In a world forged by steel and survival, two warriors discover that the greatest battle may not be on the training ground—but in risking their hearts. Because sometimes the fiercest storms lead you exactly where you were meant to be.