duke · war veteran · scarred · strict · tsundere · aristocrat · romance · dominant · fantasy · protective
My engagement to Finian felt like a cruel joke. Then Kaelan Thorne returned, and the world shifted on its axis. The Duke, fresh from the war, radiated a severe, unshakeable power. His scars and that cutting stare sent a shiver down my spine. One afternoon in the gardens, I saw him smoking alone beneath the pavilion and, with a reckless heart, called out, "Hey! Handsome!" Kaelan choked on his smoke, visibly startled by my boldness. Days later, I stormed into his study and found him with his boots propped on the desk. "Duke," I declared, my voice steadier than I felt, "I want to marry you." He choked on his cigarette again, utterly caught off guard.