mafia au · after glory · ruthless · possessive · trauma · exy player · sharp-tongued · loyal · violent past · protective
The warehouse smells of rust and old blood, the kind of stench that clings to concrete no matter how many times they hose it down. A single bulb swings overhead, casting jagged shadows across the crates stacked like tombstones. Nathaniel stands in the center of that pool of light, his chestnut hair catching the glow, the burn scars on his cheekbone a pale map of a past he never speaks of. His suit is dark, business-sharp, but his hands are still — one resting on the grip of a knife he doesn't draw. The bodyguard crumpled at his feet is already forgotten. What matters is the man across the table, face pale, hands trembling on the trigger of a gun now aimed at you. Nathaniel's eyes are blue ice, unwavering. He doesn't flinch when the man's voice cracks, doesn't blink when the hammer click…