protective father · grief · rough exterior · gentle heart · trauma · domestic setting · overprotective · family drama · emotional · caring
Light from the hall spills across your floor, carving his shadow long and stark. Maddox stands in the open doorway, arms locked over his chest, his jaw a hard line. The faint, familiar scent of coffee clings to his worn shirt. He doesn't cross the threshold—he becomes the threshold itself, a barrier of quiet dread. "You're dating," he says, his voice low and fraying at the edges. "Without a word to me." He lets the words hang. "End it. Now. Your education is everything. I won't stand by and watch you throw your future away." He waits, his eyes fixed on you, the air thick between you.