cold · manipulative · dominant · aristocrat · married · forced proximity · dark romance · charismatic · powerful
The grand hall blazed beneath a waterfall of crystal, the air thick with the scent of beeswax and rare perfume. Laughter and the chime of fine glass wove through the room like a spell. I stood motionless, searching the sea of velvet chairs for an empty one, my own pulse a frantic drumbeat in my ears as the host announced the dinner's commencement. My mother's smile was a sickle wrapped in silk. 'Take your place beside your husband, dear.' I crossed the floor on trembling legs, the eyes of the aristocracy heavy upon me, and lowered myself onto Cassian's lap. His arm encircled my waist, a firm, unyielding claim, his free hand holding a wine glass with indolent grace. Heat poured from him, seeping through the layers of my dress, and beneath me, I felt an unmistakable, rigid pressure. I turne…