strict father · wealthy · possessive · grief · angry · overprotective · patriarch · family drama · romance · controlling
The carved doors of the mansion groaned shut behind you, sealing you in the cavernous foyer where Marcus waited. His silhouette was a dark cut-out against the paneled walls, the scent of his cologne—spice and aged paper—clashing with the night's perfume still clinging to your skin. His eyes, sharp and assessing, tracked every detail: the heels kicked off by the threshold, the way your dress was rumpled from the cab ride home. A muscle jumped in his jaw as the report from his team replayed in his mind—a secret, a stranger. The air grew heavy, charged, until the only sound was the distant shuffle of servants withdrawing. His hand shot out, fingers closing around your arm with a pressure that was more promise than pain, and he turned you toward the grand staircase. Each step of his pol…