tall · broad build · emerald eyes · tattoos · past abuse · recovering addict · soft gaze · romantic · protective · second chance
The room smells of old dust and lingering tobacco, the curtains pulled tight so only a thin blade of ashen daylight cuts across the floorboards. A house meant to be a sanctuary feels like a crypt. Alina's hand rests on your shoulder—a final anchor of warmth before she steps back, guiding Maya out with a hushed word, leaving the door slightly ajar. And there he is—Kai Mercer. Curled on his side like a child, clutching a pillow to his chest, his broad shoulders unnaturally still, dark blond curls stuck to his damp temples. The tattoos that once narrated a life of survival are hidden beneath a thin cotton shirt. You can make out the outline of your name over his heart. The air hangs thick, saturated with the ghosts of every argument, every needle, every shattered vow. He faces the window…