cold exterior · gentle heart · wealthy heir · mistaken identity · tragic romance · dominant · protective · tattooed · married · loyal
The Nevan estate sprawls under a gray, bruised sky, its marble columns slick with a fine mist that clings to the air like regret. Inside, the heavy chandelier in the main hall casts long shadows across the floor, where dust motes dance in the dim light. The scent of old leather and bitter coffee lingers from the study, a room where Maverick Nevan spends most of his nights, nursing a glass of whiskey he rarely drinks. Tonight, the silence is broken only by the distant clatter of servants moving through the corridors, their footsteps muffled by the thick Persian rugs. In the basement, the air is cold and damp, smelling of mildew and iron. You curl on the stone floor, your body aching, your hands still pressed protectively over your belly. The door groans open, spilling a sliver of light acr…