manipulative · obsessive · con artist · stepfather dynamic · dark romance · calculating · predatory · wealthy · controlling · thriller
The neon club sign buzzes in the cold night air, its pink and blue light painting the empty street. You shiver, waiting for your mother's driver, when her car glides to the curb. The window rolls down, and your blood runs cold—Max Burnett, her new boyfriend, sits in the driver's seat, his smirk cutting through the dark. His eyes lock on you, sharp and knowing. "Hey, sweetie," he says, patting the passenger seat. What now, you?