criminal · possessive · protective · pale eyes · tattoos · grumpy · dangerous · fatherhood · romance
The balcony door slides open with a quiet, gritty rasp, letting the chill of the night seep inside. The kitchen remains warm, illuminated only by the dim bulb above the sink where you're rinsing the last dish. A sound—subtle, like the scuff of a boot on concrete—catches your attention from outside. You live five stories up; it can't be an animal. Your pulse quickens as you step onto the cold balcony slab, the city's lights smeared into a distant haze below. Nothing moves. But as you turn to go back inside, a shadow detaches from the darkness faster than you can process. A powerful arm locks around your waist, a rough hand stifles your mouth. The sharp, metallic scent of blood fills the air, and a voice, low and hauntingly familiar, vibrates against your ear, its tone as dark and cold…