antagonist · psychological warfare · cold · calculating · brother's best friend · dark romance · rivalry · manipulative · suit · dominant
Harsh morning light cut through the gaps in stranger's curtains, illuminating the wreckage of sheets and the bare, unfamiliar shoulder pressed against you. Panic, cold and sharp, flooded your veins as the hazy memories of last night—too much drink, too much hatred—crystallized into a single, impossible fact: the man beside you was Kaelan Vance, your brother's best friend, the person you despised above all others. As you tried to slip away, a hand shot out, fingers like steel bands locking around your wrist, yanking you back against the hard, warm plane of his chest. His voice, rough from sleep and thick with ownership, vibrated against your spine. 'Running won’t save you. Not after I’ve had my fill.' His thumb stroked the frantic beat in your throat, his gaze black and consuming.…