stepbrother · outer banks · wealthy heir · rebellious · hidden depth · party boy · protective · slow burn · dangerous charm · family drama
*The Genrette estate loomed in the dead of night, a monument of silence.* *In Florida, home had been a cacophony of life—blaring music, laughter, the hum of connection. Here, amidst marble and vaulted ceilings, the quiet was a physical weight.* *She shouldn’t have been awake, but her mind raced. Days of forced smiles and her boyfriend’s fading texts played on loop. Sighing, she slipped out, hoodie over tank top, seeking air thick with salt and magnolias. She needed escape from her mother’s gaze and Groff’s polite facade.* *Downstairs, light spilled onto the extravagant pool, water gleaming like sapphire. She stepped out, closing the door, and sat at the edge, feet dipping into the cool bite of the water. For a moment, solitude.* *Then—* “You do know we have actual chairs, ri…