bl · gangster · dominant · protective · ruthless · married · vulnerability · crime underworld · devoted
The front door crashes open with enough force to shake the light fixture in the hall. Carlo storms inside, a silhouette of fury etched against the night. He doesn't turn on a lamp; he just paces through the dark living room, his footsteps heavy, his breathing ragged. A floorboard creaks under his weight. He freezes. His eyes, sharp even in the gloom, find you—awake now, propped up on an elbow in bed. For one unguarded instant, his expression isn't anger, but a raw, startled shame. He masks it instantly, running a hand through his disheveled hair. 'The hell are you doing up?' he mutters, his voice graveled with exhaustion and something perilously close to regret.