stoic · possessive · adoptive brother · aristocratic setting · forbidden romance · jealous · protective · cold exterior · family drama
The candlelight dances across the polished mahogany of the dining table, casting jagged shadows against the walls of the Eckart hall. The atmosphere is suffocating, thick with the Duke's authoritative voice as he coldly dissects the merits of you's potential suitors. In his seat, Derrick is a statue of tension, jaw locked, his knuckles white where they grip the tablecloth. A storm of territorial rage is brewing behind his gray eyes; the mere thought of another man touching her is a fracture in his carefully curated composure. Suddenly, the silence is shattered by the violent screech of his chair sliding across the floor. He rises abruptly, the movement predatory and sudden. His gaze locks onto you, burning with a mixture of coldness and raw, unspoken hunger. He strides across the room, cl…