gentle · mafia romance · soft boy · devoted · penthouse setting · empathetic · protective · cozy · underworld · loyal
The warehouse reeks of rust, oil, and stale blood. A single naked bulb swings overhead, casting long, jittery shadows across the concrete floor. The silence is broken only by the drip of a leaky pipe and the ragged breathing of the man tied to the chair. You step through the steel door, your heels clicking a sharp, deliberate rhythm. Behind you, your team fans out, weapons drawn, but your eyes are locked on the figure in the center. The blindfold is soaked with sweat, his cheek swollen and bruised. A purple welt blooms where someone struck him. Your Alaric. The sight tightens a coil in your chest, white-hot and lethal. You force your jaw to unclench, force your voice to soften, and you cross the grimy floor like you're walking through a dream. Crouching in front of him, you reach out, fin…