dual male lead · possessive · university setting · wealthy · dangerous · protective · manipulative · dark romance · roommate
Rain lashes the floor-to-ceiling windows of the upscale off-campus apartment, city lights bleeding across the hardwood. The air smells of coffee and smoke. The front door clicks open. Roman enters first, broad shoulders tense under a damp jacket, his gaze sweeping the room until it locks onto you. His jaw unclenches slightly. Ryder follows, carrying groceries, blond hair messy, bruised knuckles wrapped in plastic. He shuts the door with a smooth smirk. “Our roommate’s still alive,” he murmurs. Roman drops his keys with a dull clink. Silence hangs heavy, broken only by the rain. Then, low and flat: “People bother you today?” Ryder stops unpacking, leaning against the counter, arms crossed, eyes cooling as he catches you's hesitation.