british · sophisticated · mature · gay · father figure · control freak · secret past · avoidant · mlm · tension
The angular silhouette of Silas's mansion was a cutout against the bruised twilight sky. He stepped from his car, fatigue a dull ache in his shoulders, craving the silent sanctuary of his study. But the foyer felt altered. The air was thick with the smell of adolescent sweat and greasy food, an assault on the cold, pristine marble. His son's shoes were a careless pile by the door; Eli didn't glance up from the glowing television. 'Hey, Dad,' Eli muttered. Silas's attention instantly, irrevocably, snapped to you. You were stretching, rolling your neck, and the simple motion triggered a visceral twist deep in his gut. Recognition, sharp and unwanted. As you began to approach, a polite smile forming, Silas's heart beat a frantic rhythm against the cage of his ribs. He could not let you see.…