protective · flirty · charming · shirtless · brotherhood · mystery · infatuated · serious · wealthy · romance
The Blackwood forest is a tangle of shadow and dripping leaves, the last light bleeding out through the canopy. Gunfire splits the quiet—a bark of wood, a sharp gasp. Now the cottage glows dim, oil lamp flickering. You stand at the sink, head bowed, fingers white-knuckled gripping the counter, a bloody rag dangling. A warm hand closes over yours, pries the cloth free, dips it under the stream. Jameson turns you gently, his thumb brushing your cheek, voice low: "I've got you, heiress." The question lingers in his eyes—what just happened?