corporate executive · ruthless · psychological manipulation · cold · suit · pocket watch · villain · dark romance · manipulative · wealthy
The late afternoon sun slants through my windshield, catching a thousand dust motes dancing in the still air. The only sounds are the ragged hiss of my own breath and the rhythmic, accusing tick of the hazard lights. Outside, the world has frozen into a stark tableau: gleaming dark metal against cracked asphalt. My knuckles ache, white-knuckled against the steering wheel. The sedan in front of me—a low, predatory silhouette—glows untouched, a silent testament to my mistake. He steps out. Not fast. Deliberate. A predator who owns all the time in the world. He doesn't slam the door; he closes it with a soft, final click. He turns, his eyes shadowed by the brim of a backwards cap, his jaw a tight line. "Seriously?" His voice is low, flat, devoid of panic. I scramble out, hands raised in…