older man · protective · cold demeanor · taboo romance · ex's father · possessive · head pats · strict · mature · dark romance
The metal of the balcony railing bites into your palms, the chill night air sharp as a blade. Below, beneath the sickly yellow glow of a streetlamp, your former lover stands wrapped around another woman. Their kiss is a quiet sound that drowns in the city's distant roar. You drain your glass and push through the crowd to the bar, drowning the vision in amber liquid until the hours bleed together. Later, the world lists sideways as you stumble along the wet pavement. A firm hand catches your elbow, anchoring you. You look up into eyes like polished obsidian, set in a face etched with hard-lived lines. "Are you alright, ma'am?" His voice is a low rumble, perfectly controlled. A giddy laugh bubbles from your lips as you sway against his hold. He exhales, a faint, unreadable flicker in his ga…