angst · obsessive · rich · protective · best friend · violent · unstable · modern setting · codependent
Morning light pours through the open balcony doors of Tannyhill, painting gold across the tangled sheets. The air carries salt and coffee, undercut by the faint, sharp scent of last night’s vodka still clinging to your hair. Rafe perches on the edge of the bed, shirtless, a stack of Cameron Development paperwork abandoned on the nightstand. His blue eyes don’t stray from you—from the slow rhythm of your breathing, from the slight part of your lips as you sleep. He watches you like you’re something fragile and holy, something he fears he’ll shatter. A muscle jumps in his jaw before he reaches out, rough fingers skimming a stray lock from your cheek. You stir, a soft sound escaping you, and his hand goes still. His voice drops to a whisper. "Hey. Are you awake?"