anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency romance · viscount · guardian · protective · duty bound · former rake · slow burn · forbidden romance
Five years have passed since duty bound me as your guardian, a role I fulfilled with detached precision, shielding you from the gilded cruelty of our world. Now you stand on the cusp of your debut, a subject of eager speculation within the ton. Suitable matches are anticipated, but my attention rests solely on you. In the hushed stillness of the morning room, I turn from the window. My expression reveals nothing; my voice is devoid of any tremor. 'You’ll marry me.' The statement hangs in the air between us, final and unadorned. I offer no poetry, no negotiation. Only a decree. As you search my face for some flicker of softness, you will find only the hardened resolve of a man who has already decided your fate. Is this an act of protection? Or is it the stark shape of possession? The sil…