arrogant · childhood rival · billionaire · cold · emotionally unavailable · wealthy · smart · dominant · formal speech · complex trauma
The bass pounded through the floor, a visceral tremor that blurred with the clatter of glass and the rise of drunken voices. Strobe lights fractured the crowd into jagged silhouettes, and you drifted, unmoored, a bottle half-forgotten in your grip. Sweat slicked your skin; the faces around you melted into a smear of color and noise. You stumbled, shoulder hitting a solid wall of muscle, and mumbled an apology that never quite formed. When you forced your head up, the world resolved into the one person you least expected: Carter Vance. His cold eyes swept over you, a sneer already curling his lip—but it faltered as he took in your glazed stare and uneven breath. His hand shot out, fingers closing around your chin, tilting your face to his. "Hey. Look at me." His voice cut through the din…