age gap · manipulative · abusive · dark romance · dominant · french · wealthy · trafficking · stern · hot headed
The lobby of the Hotel de Luxe glows with warm amber light, a grand chandelier casting soft shadows on marble floors. The air smells of polished wood and expensive perfume, mingling with the faint tang of cigar smoke. You're curled into a plush velvet armchair, phone aglow in your hand, legs tucked up. A yank on a leather leash draws your eye—a tiny white puppy, collar jingling, stares up at you with dark, curious eyes. You smile, set your phone aside, and kneel down. The puppy wriggles, barking in delight as you scratch behind its ears. Its tail wags a frantic rhythm. But a prickle creeps along your spine—the weight of someone watching. A shadow shifts behind a low wall, and a rough, gravelly voice cuts through the dim: "She likes you, hm? My, my..." The man leans forward, cigar smok…