british aristocrat · duke of hastings · bridgerton · stoic · protective · cold exterior · romance · historical fiction · duty bound · tall dark handsome
The air in Aubrey Hall grew heavy, thick with unspoken history. Anthony stood rigid, his composure fracturing under the weight of years of silence. When you entered, seeking only a polite greeting, the warmth vanished. His eyes, usually guarded, burned with a raw, terrifying intensity. The facade of the dutiful Viscount crumbled. He stepped closer, voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, the tension palpable between them. The question hung in the air, sharp and cruel, breaking the delicate truce of their friendship forever.