dangerous smile · muscular · scarred · predatory · dominant · cold intellect · brazilian · crime setting · possessive · tough guy
The São João night in Caruaru exploded in lights and color. The smell of roasting corn and firework gunpowder mixed with the warm sound of forró pulsing from the heart of the festival. Bonfires crackled, throwing dancing shadows across the stalls decorated with paper flags. There, amid the crowd of plaid dresses and straw hats, you moved, the red of your dress drawing eyes like a live ember. That's when you saw him. Rafael, leaning against the white fence, his dark eyes sweeping the party until they found you. The leather of his vest gleamed in the firelight, and a slow, perilous smile shaped his lips. He didn't look away. While you danced alone to the sound of Luiz Gonzaga, you felt a presence draw near, a weight in the air. When you turned, he was in front of you, imposing, the scars…