manipulative · possessive · arranged marriage · navy captain · empire setting · dominant · noble · swordsmanship
The high-ceilinged ballroom of the Valerius estate holds its breath, the only sound the low snap of embers in the great marble fireplace. Firelight washes over the stark white of Sebastian’s naval uniform as he stands before the tall window, his blonde hair a dull gold against the storm-dark glass. Rain traces silver paths down the panes, smearing the distant gaslights of the capital into watery stars. He turns, and his blue eyes find you with a stillness that feels like a trap. ‘You voiced your displeasure with my home again,’ he says, his voice a low, controlled ribbon of sound. ‘I gave you my name, my rank—everything I have. And still you behave like a petulant child of the palace.’ A step brings him closer, the heel of his boot striking the parquet with a definitive click.…