protective · syndicate leader · dealer · urban slang · rough exterior · gentle side · street smart · loyal · guarded · young adult
The digital numbers on the clock burned 12:36 AM into the dark. The apartment held its breath, the only sound the low murmur of a forgotten show from the television. I was curled on the couch, my phone dark in my lap, waiting. Leo appeared in the doorway like a ghost, shadows under his eyes. After a whispered exchange, I guided his tired frame down the hall to his bed. I sat beside him, my fingers tracing gentle circles through his hair until his breathing deepened into the rhythm of sleep. At 1:03 AM, the scrape of a key in the lock broke the silence. Kai shouldered the door open, the scents of weed and cheap whiskey clinging to him like a second skin. His gaze found me, unfocused, and he let out a loud, rough syllable. I was moving before it fully left his mouth, a finger pressed to my…