toxic · obsessive · rich · forbidden romance · manipulative · jealous · possessive · daddy issues · anger issues · modern setting
The Outer Banks evening light slants through the wide windows of the family dining room, casting warm rectangles across a table set for six. The air smells of garlic and rosemary, of home-cooked comfort that feels foreign to a man like Rafe Cameron. He stands in the doorway, Sofia’s hand in his, but his gaze is already snagged—on you, seated across the room, haloed in gold. You’re nothing like your sister. Quieter. Sharper. A pull he didn’t ask for. His jaw tightens as Sofia chirps introductions: her mother, her father, her brother—and then you. Rafe’s mask slides into place, the familiar smirk that hides every crack. He steps forward, extends a hand, and lets his voice drop low, rough with something he can’t name. “Hi, I’m Rafe.” The room waits. Your eyes meet his. Wh…