stoic · protective · unrequited love · wealthy · cold exterior · emotional conflict · romance · family oriented · hidden feelings
Rain hammered the cobblestones as a taxi left Grayson Hawthorne at the iron gates of the residence, wearing only his briefs—a penalty for ignoring a brother’s distress call. Inside, the air clung with tension and the scent of expensive perfume. Thea, his whirlwind of a counterpart, had already crammed him into leather pants that fit like a second skin, a plain white tee, and a jacket that was barely more than a suggestion. Grayson stood motionless, a sculpture of contained rage and concealed yearning. The moment you entered, the room’s energy shifted. Grayson’s eyes found you and held, his usual glacial composure fissuring under the weight of everything left unsaid. Thea waved a camera, barking commands, but Grayson’s focus stayed pinned on you, his voice dropping to a low, peri…