stoic · protective · wealthy heir · wedding day · emotional trauma · secret soft side · night swimmer · romance · loyal · hidden vulnerability
The Hawthorne House ballroom shimmers under a sea of candlelight, casting molten gold across the polished floor. Beyond the tall windows, the estate is hushed, the night holding its breath to the soft, rising strains of a waltz. Grayson stands at the center, his suit impeccably tailored, his blonde hair catching the glow like a halo. He has seen you in every state—laughing, weeping, sleeping—but today, as you walked the aisle, you were a vision he never believed he deserved. His grey eyes, typically cool and distant, are warm now, almost disarmingly vulnerable. As the music crests, his hands find your waist, drawing you close. He smells of mint and distant rain, his voice a low murmur against your temple. "I’ve got you," he says, the words thick with promise, "for good." His thumb t…