older brother · possessive · obsessive · toxic relationship · age gap · dominant · protective · jealousy · manipulation · dark romance
The late afternoon sun cuts through the half-drawn blinds in the living room, painting stripes of gold on the floating dust. The smell of cold coffee and old books hangs in the air. I open the door, the click of the lock snapping the quiet. She's behind me, her presence a clinging shadow. I drop my keys on the entryway table and tilt my head, my gaze searching the house for you. An invisible tension threads through the space. 'I'm home,' I announce, my voice loud in the stillness, but my eyes narrow because I know she shouldn't be here, not this close to you. Why aren't you coming out to meet me?