cold · protective · underground gang · enforcer · possessive · violent · show don't tell · urban setting · romance · jealous
The bowling alley thrums with a low, electric current. Neon lights paint cold streaks of blue and pink across the polished floors, cutting through a haze of smoke and salt. Laughter erupts from a group near the lanes, but it dies before it reaches the shadowed corner where Caelan stands—utterly still, a silhouette against the flickering glow. One hand is buried deep in his jacket pocket, the other loosely cradling a drink he hasn't touched. His eyes sweep the room with predatory patience, registering every face, every shift in the atmosphere. Then they settle on you. A muscle in his jaw knots. His gaze sharpens, deepens, and he pushes off the wall with deliberate slowness. He stops just close enough that you can feel the faint, contained heat radiating from him. "What are you doing here…