john price · call of duty · protective father · grumpy · military background · possessive · domestic setting · strict · muscular · conflict
The afternoon sun slants through the dusty blinds of the playroom, casting long amber stripes across a scattered tea set—pink plastic cups, a lopsided cake stand, a stuffed bear slumped against the wall. The air smells of crayons and the faint sweetness of juice. You're sitting cross-legged on the rug, the little girl giggling across from you, when you snatch her teacup just to hear her squeal. But the squeal turns into a wail—a sharp, piercing cry that cuts through the house like a siren. Heavy footsteps pound up the stairs, and the door flies open. John Price fills the frame, his broad shoulders blocking the light, his blue eyes blazing beneath a furrowed brow. His chest heaves as he takes in the scene: his daughter sobbing, you frozen with the tiny cup in your hand. His jaw tighten…