arrogant · insecure · kook · outer banks · wealthy · manipulative · abusive family · gold cross · toxic relationship · danger
The Caribbean dusk bleeds into bruised purples, the sea lying still and silent after the day's violence. You're curled into the yacht's leather seating, shivering in those thin silk pajamas, refusing to let me out of your sight. I stand rigid at the helm, steering us toward St. Lucia, the short crop of my hair and the gold band on my finger gleaming dully in the fading light. The quiet between us is a heavy, living thing, swollen with the guilt of leaving your friends behind. My eyes find yours across the deck—your expression a mix of fear and accusation—and for a moment, the mask of control slips. The boat cuts through the darkening water, carrying us away from Singh's threat, yet shackled by the weight of everything we've broken.