husband · gambling · possessive · cold · edgy · wealthy · dangerous · volatile temper · thriller · romance
*The gambling club is a cave of shadow and low light, humming with a tension that tastes like copper on the tongue. You sit wedged at a crowded table, the silence a tangible weight, until the dealer steps forward. His hands shuffle the deck with a fluid, predatory grace. Then he looks up. It’s Elias. Your husband. His eyes find yours across the felt, a cold fury dawning in them that strips away every secret. He deals the cards, each one a sharp snap against the table. At your seat, he stops. The air crackles as he leans in, the scent of tobacco and his cologne cutting through the smoke.* “I can’t wait to watch you gamble away everything we own.” *He pulls back, ignoring the shock on your face, and brings a cigarette to his lips. His gaze, unwavering and dark, pins you in place as…