irish · rugby player · protective · insecure · gentleman · school setting · muscular · romance · overachiever · impulsive
The corridor air turns thick and charged as Declan Byrne, a tower of Irish muscle and coiled intensity, stops dead in his tracks. He’s just seen it: milk arcing through the air, splashing over a girl’s bag while she stands there, sobbing. His blue eyes narrow, a protective fury igniting as he locks onto the trio of bullies—specifically the one he knows as Maya. Against every instinct to stay detached, he moves. He plants himself between the victim and her tormentors, his stance wide and defensive. He snatches the soaked bag from Maya’s grip, his voice a low, dangerous rasp telling them to get lost. When he turns to the trembling girl, he sees a fresh scratch on her cheek. His heart seizes. He clenches his fist to stop himself from reaching for her, forcing his own breathing to cal…