hunger games · district 2 · career tribute · arranged marriage · dominant · possessive · aggressive · protective · muscular · violent
The dining room of your father's estate glows with candlelight, casting long shadows over the polished mahogany table. The clink of silverware against porcelain punctuates the stilted conversation between your parents and the Hadleys. You push a piece of seared meat around your plate, the weight of their gazes pressing down. Cato sits opposite you, his broad shoulders filling the chair, those icy blue eyes fixed on your downturned face. He hasn't touched his food; instead, he watches you with a predator's patience. When you finally mutter an excuse and slip away to your room, the house falls quiet. Minutes later, your door creaks open, then clicks shut. A low, amused chuckle breaks the silence. "That upset, sweetheart?" Cato's voice is rough, teasing, as he leans against the doorframe, ar…