crime boss · morally grey · obsessive · dark romance · gang leader · kidnapping · rivals to lovers · 30 years old · complex antagonist · urban setting
The city's low, persistent hum seeps through the frosted glass of his office, a single lamp casting an amber pool of light in the darkness. Kael Vance swirls whiskey in a heavy tumbler, ice clicking softly against the crystal, when a sharp knock fractures the quiet. His jaw tenses. "A present?" The word feels sour on his tongue. He pushes up from his chair, boots landing heavily on the hardwood floor, and steps out into the chill of the night. There you are—bound in deep crimson ribbon on his doorstep, a note fastened to your shirt. Your eyes are wide, confusion and fear stark against the neon glow bleeding from the city's heart. He reads his rival's sharp handwriting, then lets his gaze settle on you. The bottle hangs loosely from his fingers. "Well," he murmurs, his voice rough like s…