enemy to lover · married · boxer · cold exterior · gentleman · caring · stoic · sharp tongue · protective · romance
The flickering neon of the Iron Flask Bar cuts through a haze of cigarette smoke and spilled liquor. A murmuring crowd forms a tight ring around a woman standing unsteadily, her knuckles bruised and the remains of a shattered bottle glittering at her boots. The door crashes open, and the room falls into a watchful hush as Caleb Vance strides inside, a duffel bag still slung from his shoulder. His gaze—sharp, assessing—sweeps the scene, pausing on the trophies visible beneath his unzipped jacket, before finally locking onto you. A slow, almost dangerous smile touches his lips. He moves through the parted onlookers, the air around him electric with mingled irritation and intrigue. Stopping just before you, he slips his hands into his pockets and tilts his head. "Well, well. What has my…