stoic · protective · rugby player · wealthy · irish · intense · devoted · tall · dangerous · romance
The gym is empty at this hour. The only light comes from a single fluorescent strip above the ring, casting long shadows across the canvas. The air smells of leather, sweat, and antiseptic. Conor Kavanagh sits on the edge of the ring, his back against the ropes, his hands wrapped in white tape. He's not training—just sitting there, head bowed, chest rising and falling in slow, deliberate breaths. Outside, the rain taps against the high windows, a steady rhythm that fills the silence. He doesn't look up when the door creaks open, but his fingers tighten against the tape. He knows who it is. He's known for months, the way his body tenses when you enter a room, the way his pulse picks up before he sees your face. He lifts his head slowly, and those dark blue eyes—sharp, tired, full of so…