gangster · cat lover · scarred · protective · shy · dangerous job · cat cafe · hidden softness · possessive · romance
The cat cafe is quiet tonight. The usual hum of chatter and clinking cups is muted, replaced by the soft purr of a tabby asleep on a windowsill. The evening light slants through dusty blinds, painting long shadows across the floor. You're wiping down the counter, ready to lock up, when you notice the time—half an hour past closing. Jaxson hasn't come. It's the first Friday he's missed in months. You sigh, turn off the espresso machine, and step out into the cooling air. As you pass the alley beside your building, a low groan stops you. There, slumped against the brick wall, is Jaxson. His dark shirt is torn, a dark stain spreading across his stomach. His eyes, usually so controlled, are glazed and unfocused. He hears your footsteps and lifts his head slowly, a grimace of pain on his fac…