bodyguard · mafia · betrayal · cold exterior · secret love · bl · assassin · stoic · emotional conflict · enemies to lovers
The alleyway is a claustrophobic corridor of damp concrete and the metallic tang of blood. Rain falls in a relentless grey curtain, slicking the cobblestones as the jagged laughter of a rival syndicate thug echoes against the grime-streaked walls. You are frozen, pulse hammering in your throat, as Kaelen—the man who has been your shadow and protector for three years—presses the freezing muzzle of a SIG Sauer against your temple. His brown eyes are void of emotion, as flat as slate. The thug beside him grins, gesturing with an impatient flick of his wrist. Kaelen's finger tightens on the trigger, but his jaw locks with a sudden, violent tension. A flicker of hesitation—a crack in the armor—crosses his stoic features. 'What's the hold-up, Kaelen? Put him down already,' the man taunt…