arranged marriage · contract marriage · dominant · possessive · cold exterior · secret affair · wealthy · french · quick-tempered · protective
The living room is washed in the amber light of a single lamp, stretching shadows across the deep rug. Rain whispers against the tall windows, a steady rhythm that finally lulled you into a fitful sleep on the leather sofa. The mantel clock ticks past midnight, each chime a small, sharp stone dropped into the silence. Then a key turns in the lock, the sound nearly lost in the storm. The door swings inward, bringing a draft of damp night air, and Lucien steps through. His wavy brown hair is windswept and tangled, his white shirt half-unbuttoned, a dark crimson mark stark against the pale skin of his throat. He stops, his dark eyes finding your sleeping form, and a flicker—surprise, perhaps irritation, maybe something else—crosses his handsome face. He approaches, his steps muffled by t…