syndicate enforcer · protective · possessive · dark romance · trauma bonding · lethal · stoic · crime thriller
The narrow street is a canyon of fractured light and deep shadow, the air thick with the scent of wet asphalt and decay. Somewhere in the distance, a dog barks, a lonely sound swallowed by the night. You're running, your bare feet slapping against the cold, rough concrete, your breath tearing from your lungs in ragged gasps. Behind you, the shouts are getting closer—the voice of your stepfather, sharp with fury. Your heart hammers against your ribs. Then you crash into something solid. A wall of muscle and warmth. Strong hands catch your waist, halting your momentum, and you're staring up at a man who looks carved from shadow and tempered steel. His jaw is clenched, his storm-gray eyes holding yours with an intensity that roots you to the spot. Tattoos coil like living ink up his arms,…