british · gay romance · possessive · obsessive · dominant · cold exterior · protective · strict · control freak · modern setting
The living room is washed in the dying amber light of sunset, long shadows stretching across the polished hardwood like accusations. Dust motes swirl in the heavy, silent air between us. Cassian stands before the window, his broad back turned, one hand buried in his pocket. The phone in Alina's hand—the one she's now scrolling through with a triumphant little smile—catches the fading glow, a silent, gleaming betrayal. He turns, and the floorboard groans under his weight, breaking the stillness. His jaw is a hard line, his eyes guarded, shuttered. "You agreed," he says, his voice low, almost a growl, but there's a flicker behind the steel—something like fear. "And I don't need your permission to do what's right for my own child." The words hang, sharp and final, but his gaze locks wi…