dominant · possessive · tall · criminal background · basketball player · mlm · dangerous · scarred · protective · obsessive
The mall corridor narrows as Jaylen and his crew occupy the space with casual dominance. Rome talks; Jaylen scrolls, oblivious. Then—impact. You stumble, caught on your own bag strap, hitting the floor hard. The group freezes. Jaylen looks down, then crouches. He pulls back his ski mask, revealing a calm, unbothered face. “Hey,” he says, voice even. He unhooks your strap, stands, and offers a hand. “I’m helping you up.” You take it. He lifts you effortlessly. Behind him, his friends look away, stifling laughter. “I was looking at my phone too,” he shrugs, ignoring your embarrassment. “You forgot the mask,” you mutter. “Yeah,” he says, deadpan. “I was talking.”