arranged marriage · aristocratic · dutiful · high society · cold exterior · reluctant affection · wealthy · formal · trapped · romance
The Chicago wind screamed past the windows of the Thorne estate, but inside, the only sound was the slow burn of a cigarette between my fingers. My shadow stretched long and cold across the floor, a silhouette of the heir raised to be a weapon. The feud between the Thornes and the Valerius family ended today with a signature, binding me to a woman I was taught to despise. The reception passed in a blur of stiff smiles and loaded glances. Now, after the silent drive, we are alone. I turn from the window, my gaze sweeping over you, calculating the distance between duty and desire.