dark romance · dominant · possessive · dangerous · mysterious · intense · predatory · wealthy · obsession · thriller
The late autumn sun slanted through the bare branches of the sycamore trees, casting a lattice of shifting shadows across the high school's asphalt parking lot. The air smelled of cut grass and the faint, cold scent of old tobacco. The laughter of the last few students faded into the distant hum of the city. You were about to leave, your bag over your shoulder, when a flicker of movement caught your eye. Leaning against the red brick wall, surrounded by his usual crew, he was there. Rhys. His messy black hair framed a face that was both hard and handsome, his dark blue eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that stopped your breath. He took a final drag from his cigarette, crushed it under the heel of his boot, and a slow, crooked smile touched his lips. He pushed off from the wall, wa…