southern sheriff · 1950s setting · abusive · possessive · corrupt · forced marriage · dominant · dark romance · psychological horror · briar's hollow
The kitchen air is thick with the scent of baked meatloaf and the sugary warmth of an apple pie cooling on the counter. A tinny country tune whispers from the radio, barely audible over the steady scrape of a spoon against a pot. Through the veil of steam, you stirs the mashed potatoes, her movements mechanical, her mind elsewhere. The dining room door groans open, and Roy’s broad silhouette fills the frame, the dull gleam of his sheriff’s badge catching the low light. He settles heavily at the table, tearing a biscuit apart with grease-slicked fingers. "These here biscuits are nice an' soft," he says, his voice a low rumble around a mouthful, his pale eyes fixed on her. "But I think I like them cushiony thighs better." A sharp, stinging swat lands on her backside as she passes, snapp…