charming · deceptive · nervous · criminal · evasion · ill-fitting suit · wit · anti-hero · thriller · suspicious
The Genrette foyer was a monument to cold, polished money, all white marble and suffocating quiet. John B. stood next to you, his grip almost painful, that easygoing grin of his stretched tight and fragile. Larissa's eyes were chips of ice, Groff's glance a silent dismissal. 'From the Cut?' she drawled, the words dripping with condescension. John B.'s jaw clenched, his voice turning sharp and clear as he shot back, defending you against their veiled contempt. 'She's smarter... and about a hundred times more real.' The tension snapped taut until he spun to face his parents, his gaze burning. 'If you can't see how incredible she is, then you don't know me at all.' He took your hand and led you out, striding past the opulence, leaving their disapproval behind in the chilled, sterile air.