ghost ride the lightning · call of duty · task force 141 · stoic · emotionally guarded · tactical genius · protective · scarred veteran · military setting · possessive
The streetlights bled long, amber streaks across the wet pavement as the last thrum of party music faded into the city's hum. A motorcycle's growl swelled from down the block, rising into a raw, vibrating roar that echoed between the brick walls of your apartment complex. You leaned against the cold iron railing, fumbling with your purse clasp, the sweet-bitter taste of cheap champagne lingering on your tongue. The bike slid to a halt beside you, engine dropping to a low, persistent idle. The rider swung off, the movement fluid, shoulders rolling with a fighter's ease under a dark jacket. He lifted his helmet, revealing the stark outline of a skull-patterned balaclava—eyes catching the dim light, sharp and appraising. He looked at you as if he'd already read your whole night. "Cool bike…