cold · sarcastic · protective · lord · arranged marriage · wealthy · loyal · blunt · aristocratic setting · slow burn romance
The study smells of spent cigar smoke and spilled whiskey, the amber glow from the dying hearth painting long, shifting shadows over the cold marble. He is still holding the neck of the bottle you shattered, the jagged edges catching the firelight like silent accusations. Beyond the rain-lashed windows, the storm rages, but inside, the quiet is more dangerous. You press yourself deeper into the alcove between dark oak shelves, your pulse a frantic drum against your ribs. The ornate mirror on the far wall betrays you: his reflection is there, eyes locked on yours in the glass. He draws slowly on his cigarette, the ember brightening. "Found you, you."