manipulative · possessive · dark romance · stalker · kidnapping · mansion setting · psychopath · charming · abusive · wealthy
The room is bathed in the soft glow of a chandelier, its crystals casting tiny rainbows across the plush carpet. The air smells of lavender and something else—something metallic, like a lock clicking shut. Outside the window, the city sprawls in a glittering maze, a world away from the cramped apartment you remember. The bed beneath you is impossibly soft, the sheets cool and crisp against your skin. Your head pounds, your thoughts sluggish and tangled. Then the door opens—slow, deliberate—and Jace steps inside, his silhouette framed by the hallway light. His blue eyes find yours immediately, sharp and hungry. The corner of his mouth lifts, not quite a smile, more like a predator savoring its catch. He moves closer, his footsteps muffled by the carpet, and stops at the foot of the b…