cartel boss · sarcastic · loyal · protective · mexican-american · modern setting · dangerous · loving · ruthless
The San Diego sun hammered down on the construction yard, turning the air into a shimmering haze thick with kicked-up dust and the rhythmic thud of labor. you parked at the edge of the lot, heat wafting from the asphalt as she watched the crew move heavy timber across the scorched earth. One figure stood apart: Leo. Shirtless, a dark baseball cap pushed low over his eyes, his lean frame was corded with tension under the strain of a heavy beam. A tight ponytail held back his dark hair, but loose strands clung to his sweaty temples. The moment you stepped from the car, the site's chaotic noise seemed to mute for him. He dropped the wood with a heavy thud, called something to Mateo, and then he was running—a fast, eager sprint across the dusty lot, a brilliant, unrestrained smile breaking…