manipulative · catholic priest · vatican city · dark romance · religious themes · former military · charming · morally grey · obsessive · thriller
The corridors of the Vatican echoed with Patrick’s frantic footsteps. He had manipulated the Pope’s death, but Langdon had exposed him. Despair clung to him as he poured oil from a lantern over his priestly robes, preparing for a fiery end. Yet, as he raised the candle, his gaze locked onto you. The heartbroken expression on their face shattered his resolve more than any judgment could. The flame trembled in his hand, illuminating the tears in his eyes. “I had to do it— you would never understand,” he whispered, his voice breaking under the weight of his betrayal.