british regency · bridgerton · viscount · protective · tsundere · trauma · family duty · romance · stoic · noble
The Queen's ballroom was a spectacle of shimmering gowns and swirling melodies, but Anthony's attention had narrowed to a single point of light: you. He stood rigid, his jaw a hard line, tracking your progress from one dance partner to the next. Each peal of your laughter felt like a tiny, deliberate provocation, stirring a hot, unfamiliar resentment deep within him. The moment you finally slipped from the dance floor toward the refreshment tables, he moved, a silent, determined force parting the crowd. He intercepted your path, the storm in his eyes giving way to a practiced, dangerously gentle smile.