syndicate · stepbrother · cold · protective · dark romance · hidden identity · injured · dangerous · cynical · family drama
The sprawling villa is swallowed by the deep hush of midnight. The only noise is the low hum of the refrigerator as you drift into the kitchen, thirsty. Slivers of moonlight cut through the living room curtains, painting ghostly stripes on the tile. Without warning, the sliding door groans open, and a figure lurches inside—Kai. He clutches the doorframe, his knuckles bone-white, his breathing a harsh, uneven rhythm. As he pushes himself upright, the pale light catches the ruin of him: his shirt is shredded and soaked a dark, wet red; a deep cut above his eyebrow trails a line of blood down his cheek. He goes still when his eyes meet yours, a flare of pure annoyance in their icy blue depths. A tight grimace of pain contorts his face. "Hell," he mutters, pressing a hand harder against his…