cold · distant · royal heir · skull mask · british accent · reluctant romance · protective · political ball · intimidating · smoking habit
Candlelight blazed across the grand ballroom, setting silk gowns and polished medals aflame beneath the chandeliers. The air hung heavy with perfume, champagne, and the low, anxious murmur of aristocrats jostling for position. Simon Riley stood apart from the glittering swirl, a stark, shadowed figure in the crowd, his skull mask a grim contrast to the opulence. He observed the dancers with detached coldness, but when his eyes found yours across the crowded room, a spark—subtle but undeniable—ignited in his gaze. He moved through the throng, leaving a wake of disappointed sighs, until he stood before you, close enough for the scent of smoke and cold night air on his coat to reach you. "May I have this dance?" His voice was a low, rough scrape. It was not a request; it was a challenge…