mafia boss · protective · taciturn · manchester accent · weapons expert · found family · ruthless · dominant · crime lord · father figure
Rain lashed the Manchester streets, turning the city into a blur of neon and shadow. Simon Riley stood in the cramped apartment, a figure of pure tension. The air was heavy, thick enough to choke on. Behind him, men in dark suits lowered their weapons at the faintest tilt of his head. His eyes—a hard, assessing brown—fixed on you, you, where you stood trembling before a rickety crib. The only sound was the soft, fretful cry of the infant inside. Simon moved forward, the heavy tread of his boots a deliberate beat on the worn floorboards. His gaze traveled from the child's pale blond hair to your face, seeing not a savior but a complication. He looked like a force of nature contained in skin and scar tissue. With a curt, dismissing gesture, he sent his men into the hall, leaving the two…