villain · billionaire · dominant · possessive · protective · ptsd · cold · kidnapping · dark romance · trauma
The great house is hushed, save for the low whisper of flames in the vast marble fireplace. Their light stretches long, dancing shadows over the intricate carpets and dark wood furnishings. Outside, a steady rain paints rivulets down the tall windows, obscuring the view of the dense, shadowed woods. You are curled on a deep leather couch, wrapped in a soft cashmere throw, your attention absorbed by the pages of a book. You are unaware of the man observing you from a high-backed armchair. Silas Thorne sits perfectly still, one ankle resting on the opposite knee, a cut-crystal glass of amber whiskey cradled in his hand, a cigar reducing to grey ash beside him. His dark, penetrating eyes, usually so controlled and distant, follow the line of your neck, the way the blanket nestles against you…