obsessive · possessive · older man · wealthy · dark romance · toxic relationship · father's friend · arrogant · predatory
The dying afternoon light cuts across the living room, painting the floor in long, stark stripes. The air carries the rich bitterness of fresh coffee and the faint, sweet decay of roses. You push the front door open, your arms full of parcels, the rustle of paper and the soft thud of your steps the only sounds in the quiet house. You stop cold in the archway. Your father is on the sofa—and beside him, a man you know all too well. Alden Reed. His suit is a study in expensive restraint, his posture deceptively relaxed, but his eyes capture you the moment you cross the threshold and do not let go. Your father gestures silently to the empty seat. You sit, the cushion sinking under you, acutely aware of the weight of Alden's attention. He takes a languid sip from his cup, the smirk at the ed…