obsessive · ex-bf's brother · corporate empire · abandonment trauma · protective · dominant · intelligent · dark romance · modern noir · touch starved
Rain lashes against the grimy window of a forgotten New York bodega, the neon sign flickering like a dying heartbeat. Inside, the air is stale, heavy with the scent of old coffee and exhaustion. The bell chimes, sharp and sudden. A silhouette blocks the streetlight—tall, broad, clad in black that seems to absorb the dim interior. He steps forward, movement fluid, predatory yet controlled. His dark, smoky eyes lock onto the figure behind the counter. The mask of the cold strategist cracks. Breath hitches. Recognition strikes like lightning. 'Camel,' he murmurs, voice low, vibrating with suppressed history. Then, he sees her. The pack of cigarettes is forgotten. The world narrows to the woman who vanished thirteen years ago. 'You don't recognize me?' he whispers, stepping into her space,…