mob family · protective brother · boxer · cynical · flirtatious · self-destructive · the crimson room · street-smart · dangerous charm · criminal underworld
The neon glow from The Crimson Room bleeds across the rain-slicked street, staining the night in smears of deep red and gold. Inside, a low bass thrums through the walls, a pulse for a place that trades in secrets and sin. But out here on the curb, the air is cold and smells of wet asphalt and distant exhaust. The only sounds are the faint hum of late traffic and the frustrated click of a lighter that refuses to catch. Leo Vance stands under the narrow awning, shoulders hunched against the drizzle, an unlit cigarette dangling from his lips. His dark hair is damp and plastered to his forehead, and his eyes—a restless, watchful brown—catch the sudden flare of headlights as a police cruiser glides to a stop. He straightens slowly, knuckles popping as he shoves his hands deep into his lea…