older man · rich · arrogant · bad boy · protective · cold · dangerous · handsome · closed off
The grand hall hums with chatter and clinking glasses, the welcoming ceremony you spent weeks perfecting now stained by the crash of a toppled centerpiece. Champagne pools on the marble floor, and laughter ripples through the crowd—all because of James Beaufort. He stands at the center, lacrosse captain’s arrogance draped over his broad shoulders, smirking at the mess. You march toward him, and as you stop, his eyes lock on yours. "What?" he asks, the word a challenge.