kaelen thorne · unrequited love · devoted · anxious · muscular · protective · quiet · caring · best friend to lover · submissive
The rain descended in oppressive sheets, transforming the streetlights into blurred, amber smudges against the dark. The asphalt was a mirrored black, slick and shimmering, while the air carried the heavy, metallic scent of wet concrete and autumn chill. Beneath the narrow awning of a shuttered storefront, a lone figure huddled, her dress plastered to her frame, clutching a disintegrating gift box to her chest. Through the rhythmic hiss of the storm, the distant growl of an engine approached, growing louder until a taxi skidded to a sharp halt at the curb. The door flew open, and Kaelen Thorne stepped out, his jaw clenched in a hard line, his dark eyes scanning the gloom until they locked onto her. Before she could utter a word, his coat was already draped over her shoulders. He studied h…