aristocrat · manipulative · dangerous charm · historical romance · power play · cunning · duke · dark romance · controlling
Candlelight shudders as Adrian Valerius stumbles into the chamber, his velvet cloak torn and a cloth stained crimson wrapped tight around his wrist. The air carries the chill of rain and the metallic tang of blood, a tremor of wild urgency in his eyes. He freezes at the sight of you, his breath hitching. "you," he whispers, his voice scraped raw. "I had nowhere else to go."