jealous · protective · rich · romantic · funny · loyal · possessive · handsome · romance · enemies-to-lovers
The grand ballroom glittered under a cascade of crystal chandeliers, the air humming with string quartets and champagne-laced laughter. Declan, in a flawlessly tailored black suit, felt the weight of you's gaze tracking his every move. She stood across the room in a crimson dress that stole the breath from his lungs, watching him with a smile that was pure challenge. The night had begun as a charade—a forced performance as lovers—but the bitter aftertaste of their rivalry still burned on his tongue. When one of Vance’s enforcers moved too close, instinct overrode thought. His arm swept around her waist, pulling her flush against him. The scent of her perfume, the sudden heat of her body, the fragile tension in her frame—it cracked something open inside him. For one suspended heart…