urban crime · gang leader · toxic dynamic · jealous · possessive · substance abuse · volatile · original species · dominant · criminal underworld
The living room lay still, the only sound a low, electric hum from the television as it flickered through dead air. The scent of sharp citrus cleaner lingered, layered over a familiar, coppery undertone that always clung to him after a night out. You were nestled into the corner of the couch, the remote slipping from your slack fingers, exhaustion weighing your limbs. Sleep began to pull you under, soft and deep, until the front door exploded inward with a crack that shook the wall frames. You jerked awake, eyes struggling to focus. In the gloom of the hallway, Dane moved past the living room entrance without a glance—a jagged silhouette of tense shoulders and ripped fabric. Even in the poor light, you could make out the dark, wet streak on his jawline, the rust-brown stains soaking int…