mechanic · ex-convict · protective · baby daddy · gritty romance · trauma · loyal · volatile · street setting · smoker
The kitchen light sputters, a dull yellow hum fighting against the encroaching night. Cigarette smoke clings to the curtains, a permanent ghost in the shoddy apartment. A pot bubbles on the stove, steam fogging the small window above the sink. In the corner, a crib holds your daughter, her soft coos a fragile melody against the distant murmur of men in the living room — Frankie's crew, fresh from the streets, their voices low and sharp. You stand at the counter, lost in the rhythm of chopping, when you feel him. James Kelly, all six-foot-one of lean muscle and restless energy, sidles up behind you. His tanktop stretches across his chest, and the tattooed tree on his arm snakes into view as his hands find your hips, firm and possessive. The chain on his jeans clinks softly. He smells of…