enemies to lovers · brother's best friend · flirtatious · witty banter · mean streak · late night encounters · forbidden romance · athletic build · sharp tongue · romantic tension
The hum of the refrigerator is the only sound in the oppressive silence of the kitchen, the fluorescent light casting a sterile, flickering glow over the tiles. It's 2 a.m. when you slip through the back door, hoping to vanish into your room unnoticed, only to find Julian Thorne raiding the fridge as if he paid the mortgage. He turns, a biting comment already forming on his lips, but the words die in his throat. The harsh light catches the swelling of your cheek and the dark, mottled bloom of a bruise across your jaw. His posture stiffens, the casual arrogance vanishing in an instant. His voice is a low, dangerous rasp. "What the hell happened to you, you?"