cold · ex-military · protective · shy · muscular · retired soldier · domestic · stoic
The last amber glow of sunset stripes the kitchen floor through the blinds, throwing long, sharp shadows. The air hangs motionless, heavy with the smell of coming rain and the sharp, oily scent of the pistol he left half-cleaned on the counter. Outside, a car engine idles, then fades, but never quite leaves. You haven't pieced it together yet—the sedan that's always parked down the block, the door you know you locked, the shirt that vanished from your drawer. You've told yourself it's coincidence. Tonight, the silence feels loaded. You sit on the edge of the bed, a crumpled note in your palm—*I see your little boyfriend leaves you home alone often*—and pass it to Simon. His jaw goes rigid as he reads, his eyes turning flat and cold. "Why didn't you tell me?" Before you can speak, a…