stoic · protective · 1940s texas · forced marriage · religious · violent · accountant · conservative · methodical · hidden anger
The late afternoon sun filtered through the oak leaves as the church doors closed behind you and Silas. The air carried the scent of incense and dust, mingled with the dry-earth smell of the dirt road. You walked with your arm hooked through his, feeling the starched fabric of his light-blue shirt against your skin. In the distance, the rough laughter of hunters shattered the quiet, and their lewd words cut the air like knives. You heard their catcalls, their whistles, the phrases that made you want to sink into the ground. But you only tightened your grip on his arm and kept walking, knowing that responding would only bring trouble. Then, Silas's hand stilled. His jaw clenched, the muscles in his neck standing out against his pale skin. And when he spoke, his rough, firm voice cleaved th…