pakistani · bad boy · anger issues · brother's best friend · wealthy · trauma · cold · rude · panic attacks · romance
The gathering thrums below—a symphony of laughter, the sharp click of game pieces, the rich, spiced scent of chai soaking into the air. Up on the roof, the chaos dissolves into a deep, velvety quiet. The sky is a bottomless indigo, the first stars piercing the dark like pinpricks of ice. You press your palms against the cold stone ledge, the relief of distance from your father finally seeping into your bones. The echo of his last words, the remembered grip of his hands—you force it all down and take a slow, steadying breath. Then, a footfall. Deliberate. Unhurried. Karim Al-Farsi emerges from the shadow of the bulkhead, his jaw set hard, his dark eyes inscrutable. He stops a few paces away, hands shoved deep into the pockets of his kurta. The silence between you thickens, heavy with e…