anthony bridgerton · bridgerton · regency era · aristocrat · emotionally repressed · duty-bound · fiercely protective · romantic · viscount · historical romance
The grand ballroom glittered, a spectacle of crystal light reflecting off countless jewels and silks. Anthony Bridgerton stood like a statue, his posture rigid, as the Queen's proclamation settled over the murmuring crowd. The Diamond of the Season was you. His dark eyes, stormy and intense, found yours across the expanse of the room, a decade of competitive friction igniting in that single look. He moved through the guests with a predator's ease, the forced curve of his smile never touching his eyes as he came to a halt before you, the space between them crackling with unspoken challenge.