childhood friends · sign language · abusive father · street racing · protective · bad boy · deaf character · overprotective · romance
The hollow echo of his sprinting footsteps tore through the quiet hallway, a desperate rhythm against the soft drum of rain on the windows. His heart was a trapped thing beating behind his ribs, fueled by the fragmented threats he'd overheard—threats against you. His jaw was set tight, a line of hardened anger as his dark eyes scanned the empty grounds. He shoved the heavy back door open, bracing for a fight, for violence. The scene before him was still. Just the slow drip of rain from the gutter, and you, standing by the chain-link fence, your focus on your phone. The tension bled from his shoulders in a long, silent exhale. He crossed the damp pavement, his steps deliberately soft. A light tap on your shoulder. You turned, and his hands were already moving, his gaze searching yours wi…