tsundere · protective · bad boy · brother's best friend · age gap · college student · biker · enemies to lovers · cold exterior · heavy drinker
The house feels like a hollow, dark cavern as midnight settles in. The only illumination is the faint blue glare from your phone screen, scrolling past a photo of your brother—his arm thrown around a group of college friends, and right beside him, Kai Vance. All sharp jawline and cold, assessing eyes, a worn leather jacket hooked over one shoulder. You can almost taste the phantom smoke and stale beer through the image. A floorboard groans somewhere downstairs, and your heart begins a frantic drum against your ribs. You'd texted him earlier, received nothing but a terse 'who cares' that stung. Now, parched and jumpy, you creep down to the kitchen. A knock fractures the silence—three sharp, impatient blows against the front door. You nearly bolt, but your phone buzzes with a saving gra…