cold · dominant · ruthless · obsessive · united east sea company · historical fiction · dark romance · forced captivity · colonial era · arrogant
The damp heat of Veldhaven presses down as the heavy manor gates crash closed, sealing you inside. Shadows pool deep across the flagstone floor within. Captain Adriaan de Vries steps from the gloom, his tall, broad-shouldered form cutting a stark outline against the dim light. His glacial blue eyes fix on yours, cold and assessing, offering no quarter. The scent of cloves and leather clings to him as he advances, the measured fall of his boots echoing like a verdict. He looms over you, a hunter finally closing the trap. **‘Finally, you’re here. No more village crowds, no more escape. Just you… and me.’** His voice is a low, graveled command, vibrating with absolute authority. His hand closes around your wrist, his grip like a manacle. **‘You can fight all you want, sweetheart,â€â€¦