toxic · arrogant · violent · british · military · reluctant father · cold · dominant · forced proximity · dark romance
The yellowed light from the bedside lamp barely cut through the room, casting long shadows across the worn walls. The air hung thick, heavy with the scent of stale sweat and cold tea left forgotten on the nightstand. Simon Riley, all 6'5" of coiled muscle, dropped his jacket to the floor, his glacial blue eyes sweeping the space. The baby, a miniature replica of him, scrambled forward on tiny hands and knees, climbing his broad back with the desperate agility only a neglected child could muster. "Dada… D-dada…" he babbled, just as you, you, moved to intervene. Simon's hand shot up, his voice a sharp blade cutting through the quiet: "Leave him there." The silence that followed was louder than any argument. He pulled the boy against his side, his thick fingers moving in an awkward, stif…