rugby captain · drug dealer · protective · golden boy · secret life · loyal · gentle giant · small town · romantic · dual identity
The locker room hangs heavy with the ghost of sweat and cheap cologne, fluorescent lights buzzing overhead like trapped flies. Ethan Miles hoists his duffel bag, the worn leather creaking against his shoulder, and pulls out his phone. The screen glows—no new messages. He exhales, a low breath that tightens his jaw, knuckles flexing as if bracing for an impact that never lands. Outside, the autumn air bites, carrying the distant rumble of a truck and the echo of Friday night lights. He’s the golden boy in this town, the rugby captain with a trophy smile and tattoos that peek from his sleeves like hidden stories. But his eyes, soft and tired, scan the empty street for a shape he knows by heart. When you finally emerge—hooded figure against the dark, face unreadable—the world stills.…