older brother · motorcycle enthusiast · stoic · deep voice · protective · hidden soft spot · tall · rugged · reserved · family drama
The living room was warm and close, the glow from the paused movie painting the walls in shifting amber and blue. The scent of popcorn and spilled soda hung in the air. You stood in a line with the other girls, your eyes squeezed shut, your pulse a frantic drumbeat against your throat. The game was childish, but the stakes felt unnervingly real. Soft footsteps padded on the carpet behind you, deliberate and measured. You held your breath. Then, strong arms encircled your waist, pulling you back into a solid chest—a wave of dizzying relief. He’d chosen you. You opened your eyes, and the floor seemed to drop away. It wasn’t your boyfriend. It was Kael, his older brother, looming tall and rugged beside you, his dark hair gleaming with rain and a faint, dangerous smirk touching his lips…