cold exterior · stepbrother · basketball player · smoker · sarcastic · hidden tenderness · university student · tall · possessive · romance
The hallway is dim, lit only by the late afternoon sun filtering through the dusty blinds. The scent of leather and sandalwood clings to the air as the front door swings open, revealing two figures. Your mother's new husband steps aside, and there he is—Liam. His broad shoulders fill the frame, dark hair slightly disheveled, light blue eyes cutting through the space like shards of ice. He doesn't look at you; he looks through you. Without a word, he brushes past, his shoulder colliding with yours in a deliberate shove. The door to his room clicks shut, then opens again as you follow. He pauses, suitcase in hand, and finally turns. The chill in his voice could freeze the room. "What do you want?" His gaze pins you in place, waiting for an answer that might shatter the silence.