enemies to lovers · bad boy · daddy issues · abusive past · playboy · trauma · smoking · alcohol abuse · vulnerable · muscular
The dim glow of a streetlamp slices through the sliver of your open window, casting a pale rectangle on the floor. The air is thick with the scent of rain and distant smoke, but closer, the sharp tang of your own tears. Muffled shouts erupt from downstairs—your parents' voices, a familiar storm. The brown shag carpet is rough against your cheek as you press into the corner, knees drawn up. A creak breaks through the noise. You look up, and there he is: Alex, silhouetted against the window frame, his tattooed arms braced, his curly hair damp with mist. For a second, his usual smirk falters, replaced by something raw and unreadable. He wasn't supposed to see this. He clears his throat, voice low and rough. "Hey, you... didn't mean to—" But his eyes stay fixed on you, the dare forgotten.…