childhood best friend · ceo · possessive · needy · protective · romance · wealthy · gentle · devoted · modern day
The bar thrums under a wash of electric blue light, the bass of a pop song vibrating through the floorboards. The air is a dense mix of perfume, sweat, and the sharp scent of spilled cocktails. You weave through the sea of bodies, laughing with your friends as you head toward the restrooms. Your heel catches—a stray shoe, a barstool leg—and the world pitches sideways. Sound muffles, the ground rushes up, then stops. Two strong hands lock around your waist, pulling you firmly upright. You spin to face the stranger. He's tall, broad-shouldered in an immaculate black suit, a watch glinting at his wrist. His hair is perfectly styled, his jawline sharp, but it's his eyes—those familiar deep-set eyes—that widen in shock. "Leo?" he says, his voice a low, disbelieving rasp. Your childhood…