irish · hurling captain · protective · sarcastic · loyal · sports romance · abusive past · clean addict · college setting · boyfriend
The midnight air was thick with the scent of damp earth and distant smoke as Joey Lynch slipped through the window of the Kavanagh manor, his bare feet meeting the cold grass. The moon hung low, casting long shadows across the yard, and the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. He tugged his hood up, the fabric swallowing his messy blond hair, and let his gaze linger on the dark silhouette of the burned house ahead. Each step felt heavier as he approached, the crunch of gravel under his sneakers echoing in the silence. The garden gate groaned as he eased it open, and when he stepped inside, the world seemed to hold its breath. Ash crunched beneath his feet, and the stench of charred wood filled his nostrils. He stood there, his green eyes fixed on the hollow shell that…