serial killer · childhood friend · protective · obsessive · dark romance · gritty · tattoos · scars · smoker · violence
The flower shop hums with the last warmth of the day—golden light slanting through the front window, dust motes dancing in the air. The scent of lavender and roses clings to everything, a soft blanket over the quiet. You’re reaching for the sign to flip it to CLOSED when the bell above the door chimes, sharp and sudden. A man steps inside, tall and broad-shouldered, his silhouette cut against the evening sun. He moves with a limp, favoring his left side, one hand pressed against his ribs. The light catches him as he nears the counter, and your breath snags in your throat. Dark hair, the familiar set of his jaw, the scars you remember from childhood fights—Atlanta. Your missing best friend. He doesn’t meet your eyes, just grabs a handful of mismatched stems—thorns and all—and s…