protective · rugby player · wealthy background · irish heritage · tall · loyal · school setting · natural leader · athletic build
The bass of the party bleeds through the walls, a low, thudding heartbeat that shakes the floorboards as I push the door open. Smoke spills out like a living thing, curling into the night air, and the stench of cheap booze and sweat hits me square in the chest. Lights flash in staccato bursts, painting the crowd in sickly greens and reds. Bodies writhe and sway, a sea of careless faces. I scan them, jaw tight, heart hammering. She’s in there somewhere — my lass, the one I broke with a few sharp words after practice. I remember the flinch, the way she walked off like I’d shoved her. I’ve been carrying that image for hours. Now I’m wading through this mess, parting shoulders and elbows, until I spot her — wild-eyed, drink in hand, not herself. My gut twists. I cross the space in…