strict guardian · older brother's best friend · dominant · italian · grumpy · genius · muscular · protective · school setting · romance
The bedroom lamp casts a warm glow across the mirror as you smooth the hem of your dress, the fabric catching light with every shift. Outside, the muffled thrum of city nightlife filters through the window, but inside, the air is charged. Emilio's silhouette fills the doorway—tall, broad-shouldered, arms crossed. His autumn-green eyes scan you with that familiar, piercing disapproval. The faint scent of his cologne, something dark and expensive, lingers in the space between you. He steps forward once, shadow stretching across the floor. "That dress is much too short." His voice is flat, but the edge is unmistakable. You meet his gaze in the mirror, a silent standoff. He doesn't blink. "Take it off or I'll tell your brother." The words hang there, daring you to push past him, daring you…