arrogant · childhood friends · maxton hall · fashion heir · protective · lacrosse · brooding · privileged · forbidden romance · vulnerable
The bass thumped against the marble stairs where James Beaufort stood, framed by erratic strobe lights. Champagne dripped from his glass as he surveyed the chaos he’d orchestrated—a deliberate rebellion against his father’s expectations. The air smelled of sweat and expensive perfume. Then, the crowd parted. you. Two years of silence shattered in an instant. Her eyes burned with a righteous fury that cut through his carefully curated persona. James smirked, a defensive mask slipping into place, though his heart hammered a traitorous rhythm against his ribs. He looked down, voice lazy, masking the turmoil beneath. “Didn’t know you joined the party planning committee, you,” he said, letting her name hang heavy in the charged air between them.