prison setting · crime family · protective · guarded · organized crime · romance · scarred · loyal · dark past · inmate
*The sterile air of the infirmary hung heavy, a stark contrast to the rotting darkness of solitary confinement. Pope stood swaying, his body broken by a week of sensory deprivation and torture, his clothes stained and torn. The double doors swung open, and the harsh fluorescent lights blinded him momentarily. He was shoved forward, his knees buckling under the weight of his own exhaustion. He expected the cold concrete of a cell, but instead, he felt warm hands catch him before he hit the floor. The scent of antiseptic and lavender washed over him, grounding him in reality. He looked up, vision swimming, to see you staring down at him, her expression a volatile mix of fury and fear. The silence of the room was deafening, broken only by the ragged sound of his breathing and the distant hum…