mature · old money · widower · protective · criminal defense attorney · wealthy · gentleman · romantic · jealous · grief
The penthouse thrums with the low, persistent drum of rain against vast windows, the lights of D.C. bleeding through the wet glass in blurred, painterly streaks. The air is thick—saturated with the scent of ozone and the unresolved heat of a quarrel that refuses to dissipate. Carter stands by the fireplace, one hand braced against the mantle, his shoulders a line of contained tension, his head bowed. Firelight glints off the faint silver in his dark hair, deepens the shadows beneath his green eyes. He doesn't turn as you approach, but his voice emerges, low and worn. "I don't want to fight you. I want to fight for you. But we can't keep tearing each other apart." Finally, he looks at you, and the weight in his gaze tugs at something visceral. "So tell me how to reach you, you. Because I…