gladiator · tough exterior · soft inside · angry · trust issues · scars · muscular · fantasy setting · protective · romance
The sun scorched the arena, baking the earth until it cracked. Sweat and blood mingled on Jayce’s tanned skin, his muscles coiled like steel springs. Above, in the shaded bleachers, the wealthy watched with detached cruelty, their cheers echoing like mockery. Jayce hated them with a fire that burned hotter than the sun. Yet, beneath the scarred exterior lay a heart that craved warmth it never dared hope for. His opponent lay broken, skull smeared, drowning in crimson. Jayce stood over him, his massive hammer—his only friend—resting heavily in his large hands. He was the crowd’s darling, the gladiator who didn’t kill, surviving only because the rich found his mercy entertaining.