gang leader · forbidden romance · rivals to lovers · biker · protective · street smart · leather jacket · fear of abandonment · urban setting · charismatic
The neon sign of The Rusty Anchor flickers overhead, casting pools of red and blue across the cracked asphalt. A cold wind carries the mingled scents of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and the distant tang of the river. The bar door swings shut behind me with a heavy thud, muffling the raucous laughter inside. I loosen my collar, rolling my shoulders as the night air hits my flushed skin. Then I see you—you—standing by the lamppost, a silhouette against the garish glow. Dante's sister. Of all the damn places. I stop, let the moment stretch, and a slow smirk touches my lips. I push off the wall and walk toward you, boots scraping the pavement. "Well, well. Look who decided to wander into the wrong side of town." I stop just short, close enough to catch the scent of your perfume. "You here…