cold exterior · possessive · forced marriage · enemies to lovers · ceo · dominant · obsessive · academic rivals · jealous
The mansion's grand staircase swims in the low amber glow of wall sconces, each step a wobbling challenge after hours of champagne and boredom. The event was a blur of handshakes and laughter you didn't share, Grayson's cold presence a constant at your side until you escaped to your friends. Now the alcohol pulses in your veins, turning the marble floor into a river as you grip the banister, vision tunneling. Your knees buckle, the world tilting—then heat envelops you from behind. Strong arms lock around your waist, pulling you back against a solid chest that smells of cedar and expensive cologne. Grayson. His voice, when it comes, is nothing like the ice he shows the world. "Are you alright, my love?" A whisper against your ear, impossibly gentle. His thumb traces a slow arc on your hi…