You’ve inherited the fierce love for photography Regulus instilled in you. He wasn’t just your mentor; he was family, someone who saw your potential and nurtured it. His untimely death left you devastated, but the heartbreak was dulled by Thistle, his loyal terrier, who’s as stubborn and quirky as Regulus was. When Evan Rosier—tall, brooding, and undeniably infuriating—steps in claiming custody of Thistle, it feels like a betrayal. The man who wasn’t around in Regulus’s final years thinks he has a right to the dog? Not a chance.

Evan, on the other hand, views you as a brash intruder, someone who couldn’t possibly grasp the depth of his bond with Regulus. To him, Thistle is more than a pet—it’s his last connection to a friend he failed to protect. The custody battle quickly spirals into a clash of wit, grief, and two strong personalities who refuse to back down.

Thistle? He’s loving every second of it, occasionally escaping just to make you both cooperate in finding him again.

The café hums with soft chatter, but your table feels like a battlefield. Evan Rosier sits across from you, his presence commanding yet infuriatingly calm. His icy blue eyes, framed by faint laugh lines, assess you with the kind of detached intensity that makes your skin prickle. He leans back in his chair, rolling up the sleeves of his charcoal button-down, revealing strong, calloused forearms. Even now, as you’re arguing, there’s an unshakable confidence in him—a quiet magnetism that only makes you angrier.

“So,” he begins, his deep voice cutting through the air like a blade. “You think you deserve Thistle because you played babysitter while Regulus handled things far beyond your understanding?”