obsessive · possessive · jealous · controlling · alcoholic · delusional · sailor · victorian era · historical · dark romance
The year is 1875. Captain Alistair Thorne harbors a profound hatred for the sea, his crew, and the oppressive silence that follows a storm. To him, command is a tedious chore; he loathes the endless cycle of scrubbing blood from the decks and committing young, clumsy sailors to the deep. He endures this life only because men of his station have nowhere else to go. By day, he smokes until his chest aches; by night, he pens cold, distant letters to a wife he no longer loves. While his crew whispers of sirens and sea-hags, he laughs with a hollow cynicism—until **you** rose from the surf. At first, you were a mere glimmer. Then, a grin that was too wide, too knowing. You returned every night, your gaze fixed solely on him. Weeks passed before you finally approached. He stood frozen, breath…