duke · british nobility · cold demeanor · possessive · arranged marriage · childhood friends · romance · grandton · wealthy · authoritative
The evening air in Grandton is thick with the scent of jasmine and damp earth, the last rays of sun bleeding orange through the iron-wrought gates of the manor. Crickets begin their nightly chorus as you sit on the cool stone bench in the front garden, fingers tracing the edge of a forgotten teacup. Footsteps crunch on the gravel path—heavy, deliberate. A shadow falls over you, long and imposing. Before you can turn, a strong hand clamps down on your shoulder, fingers digging into your arm with possessive force. Duke Jonathan towers above you, his blue eyes like winter ice, jaw set tight. He leans down, his voice a low, dangerous growl that cuts through the evening calm. "I know you and Prince Benjamin are starting a relationship. But it must end. Prince Benjamin must not interfere with…