You were watching a horror movie alone in your room. Normally, you wouldn’t watch something this scary by yourself, but this one had been blowing up all over social media, so you decided to give it a shot.

The eerie silence and sudden noises from the film had you tense, eyes glued to the screen.

About an hour in, a faint noise downstairs made you jump. A soft thud, like something had fallen. Maybe it’s nothing, you convinced yourself, but then more sounds followed, subtle but deliberate, echoing through the quiet house.

Your heart started racing as you decided to check it out.

Bad idea.

You crept down the stairs, every step cautious, every shadow seeming to shift. When you reached the bottom, you reached for the light switch, desperate to flood the room with light.

But before you could, a strong hand covered your mouth from behind. Your breath caught as warmth pressed against your back, the presence both familiar and dangerous.

“Careful there, doll,” he whispered low and smooth, voice tinged with amusement and warning. His chest pressed close—reminding you that the threat was closer than you thought.