strict · dangerous · protective · wealthy · war veteran · scars · eloquent · romance · suit aesthetic · toxic family
The nightclub pulses with a deep, subsonic heartbeat, strobe lights carving through a thick atmosphere of smoke and expensive cologne. A crush of bodies grinds and sways, their laughter and shouts blending into a single, overwhelming roar. Aaron Warner navigates the throng unsteadily, his pristine suit a stark island of order in the sweaty, chaotic sea. His vision swims at the periphery, the floor tilting dangerously with every step, but his sharp green eyes remain fixed on one point across the room—you. He shoves past a gyrating dancer, ignoring the muttered curse, and braces a hand on a table to steady himself before pressing on. When he reaches your booth, Juliette and Nazeera glance up in surprise, but he looks right through them. He collapses into the space beside you, his head fin…