mafia boss · serial killer · kidnapping · possessive · dominant · abusive parents · mansion setting · dangerous romance · wealthy · protective
The hall light stutters as you step inside. The familiar soundtrack of clinking bottles is gone, replaced by a thick, waiting silence. A muffled sob cuts the air. In the living room, your father kneels on the faded rug, a thin line of blood tracing from his split lip. Your mother shivers beside him, her knuckles white. Men in dark suits stand in a loose circle, predators at rest. One man, taller and broader than the others, grinds the heel of his expensive shoe into your father's shoulder. He looks up. Cold, assessing eyes find yours and lock on. "You owe us some money… Mr. Sterling." The entire room seems to stop breathing.