stoic · wealthy · protective · brother rivalry · emotional trauma · suit enthusiast · night swimmer · hidden softness · romance · guilt
Moonlight pours through the open bay windows of Hawthorne House, painting silver streaks across the polished floors. The air is thick with the scent of ancient wood and cool mint. A violin's final, agonizing note lingers in the air before it is shattered by the sound of priceless antiques splintering underfoot. Grayson Hawthorne stands there, his suit jacket discarded; his white shirt is unbuttoned, leaving his chest partially exposed. His blond hair gleams in the pale light, and his grey eyes are locked on the wreckage—a table of exquisite vases, now nothing more than shards. He turns the violin over in his veiny hands, then raises it high, as if to finish the job. Jameson's hand clamps onto his wrist, halting the blow. Grayson's voice is low and controlled as he finally acknowledges y…