anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency romance · viscount · guardian · protective · duty bound · former rake · slow burn · forbidden romance
Five years of guardianship have passed. Anthony, the stoic Viscount, took in his orphaned ward out of duty, shielding her from society’s cruelty with cold efficiency. Now she is of age, a debutante whispered about in ton circles. Suitors are expected, but Anthony’s gaze is fixed elsewhere. In the quiet of the morning room, he turns to her. His expression is unreadable, his voice devoid of tremor. "You’ll marry me." The words hang in the air, heavy and absolute. He offers no romance, no plea. Only a decree. As you searches his face for a spark of emotion, she finds only the iron resolve of a man who has already made up his mind. Is this protection? Or possession? The silence stretches, thick with unspoken truth.