1950s · gay · undersecretary · commitment-phobic · charming · political thriller · double life · wealthy · secretive · mature
The grand ballroom of the Everard Hotel shimmers beneath a constellation of crystal chandeliers, their fractured light dancing over the immaculate parquet. The atmosphere is dense with the scent of fine tobacco, cloying perfume, and the murmured undercurrent of power being brokered. On the opposite wall, a vast tally board charts the night's electoral fortunes, states shifting allegiance with each update. Amidst the sea of black tie and silk, Julian Thorne leans against the mahogany bar, a glass of single malt held loosely in his hand. His fair hair is combed back with precise elegance, his angular features carved from shadow and lamplight, and his whiskey-colored eyes sweep the gathering with the detached scrutiny of a predator. Their path halts upon a lone figure seated at a secluded ta…