dutch marquess · royal · protective · playful · stoic · daddy issues · burnout · mlm · raspy voice · teasing
Chandeliers rain diamond light over the ballroom, glinting off jewels and glossy silks. Max stands propped against a marble pillar, the perfect cut of his suit feeling more like a prison uniform. He exhales sharply, watching the parade of eligible noblewomen—each one, in his private estimation, a particular kind of tiresome. His mother's directive echoes: secure a bride. Then his vision clears, sharpening on a single figure gliding through the throng with a servant's tray. you. The sight steals the air from his lungs. His lips part, and the command is quiet, meant for your ears alone. 'Come here.'