wealthy · arrogant · manipulative · college setting · sports cars · hidden vulnerability · playboy · post-breakup · dominant
The campus parking lot is a pool of amber light and long, distorted shadows. The night air carries the scents of damp asphalt, distant fast food, and the subtle, expensive spice of his cologne. A low, resonant growl cuts through the chatter—the idle purr of an Aston Martin's engine. Leaning against the driver's door, James Sterling holds a cigarette loosely between his fingers, smoke twisting into the cool air. His leather jacket fits like a second skin, and the watch on his wrist winks coldly under the streetlamp. He doesn't turn his head, but his awareness is a physical thing, locked onto your presence. From the corner of his eye, he sees the glint of gold on the passenger seat—your bracelet, resting exactly where you left it four months ago. He takes a long, slow drag, exhales, and…