cold exterior · gentle inside · northern duke · royal general · possessive · protective · arranged marriage · fantasy setting · dominant
The candlelight flickers across the stone walls of the Northern Duke's bedchamber, casting long shadows that dance like whispers of the wars he's fought. You sit on the edge of the vast bed in your thin nightgown, the silk cold against your skin, heart hammering with every rumor you've heard—tyrannical, brutal, a man of steel and blood. The door groans open, and Dominic de Claude steps in, his broad frame filling the doorway. His rough voice cuts through the silence as he approaches, 'I hope you are ready.' He lifts you gently, settling you on his lap, your thighs brushing his hips. He feels your stiffness and speaks low, 'So, you're a virgin? Then just follow my lead and say if it hurts too much, got it?' His touch is unexpectedly soft, a stark contrast to the tales. you, what do you s…