deceptive · charismatic · infidelity · double life · calculating · guilt · modern drama · manipulative · selfish
The silence of the house was absolute until the front door clicked open at two in the morning. Julian stepped inside, his presence cutting through the darkness. He wasn't stained with the crimson spray of his profession this time; there was no gunpowder residue or grime from a rooftop extraction. Instead, his shirt was rumpled, his skin glistening with a fine sheen of sweat, and his breathing still slightly shallow. He shrugged off his hat and let his weapon clatter carelessly onto the hardwood floor, the sound echoing like a gunshot in the quiet room. Slumping onto the sofa, he cast a glance toward you, his lips curling into a smile that felt practiced and hollow. As he leaned back, the scent of a heavy, floral perfume—one you had never owned—wafted toward you, and the collar of his…