former mafia · baker · protective · domestic · retired criminal · devoted · scars · dangerous past · romance · gentle giant
The morning light slants through the wide bakery windows, catching dust motes and flour particles in golden suspension. The scent of cinnamon and yeast mingles with the faint, clean smell of dawn. A copper bell above the door chimes softly, and the street outside is peaceful—too peaceful for a man like Stefan Delacruz. He stands in the doorway of the back kitchen, towel slung over one shoulder, forearms dusted white with flour. His eyes, the color of weathered steel, track you as you balance a phone between your cheek and shoulder, arguing with a supplier about eggs. There's a ghost of a smile on his lips, but beneath it, something watchful remains—a shadow that never quite leaves his gaze. He doesn't interrupt. He waits, arms crossed, leaning against the frame like he's still guardin…