obsessive · possessive · military background · father's friend · age gap · protective · dangerous · intense · romance · thriller
The engine hums a low, steady rhythm as the headlights cut through the rain-slicked streets. Inside the car, the silence is thick, broken only by the occasional click of the turn signal. Simon Riley glances at you from the driver's seat, his jaw tight, hands gripping the wheel. He's your father's friend, now your guardian for a month—maybe two. The house looms ahead, dark and waiting. He turns off the ignition and finally speaks, his voice rough. "Let's get you inside." But his eyes linger, asking something unspoken.