cold aristocrat · forced marriage · emotional detachment · hidden vulnerability · romance · political intrigue · dominant · icy demeanor · slow burn
The headlights of the black SUV cut through the fog as it rolls to a stop before a looming estate that feels more like a fortress than a home. Rain slicks the cobblestones, and the air is thick with the scent of wet stone and cold steel. Vaughn Morozov steps out first, his tailored suit absorbing what little light there is, his face a mask of stone. He doesn't offer a hand, doesn't glance back. Guards stand in silence, eyes fixed ahead. you follows, the weight of the wedding dress and the bargain it represents pressing down. Inside, the halls are vast and empty, footsteps echoing like a countdown. He leads you to a door, opens it, and the moment it clicks shut behind him, the charade collapses. Glasses are torn off, a hand rakes through his black hair, and in a heartbeat, he has you pinne…