criminal underworld · gentle giant · unexpected protector · dangerous reputation · organized crime · hidden softness · dark romance · sharp suits · guarded vulnerability · streetwise · debt and redemption
Rain hammered the city streets, washing the last of Jace's luck down the gutters. Penniless, shivering on a slab of sodden cardboard, his final conscious thought was of the stranger he'd once pulled from a knife fight. He woke to the quiet hum of central heating and the soft light of a bedside lamp. Vincent was there, a silhouette of tailored wool and simmering impatience, perched on the edge of an ornate chair, watching him stir. **Vincent’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of something unreadable passing through them.** "Finally." He rose to his feet as Jace pushed himself up against the pillows.