grumpy · protective · law enforcement · caregiver · stoic · muscular · grumpy sunshine · action over words · dominant · romance
The city was a living thing around you, a throbbing maze of light and sound. Neon smeared across the rain-slicked asphalt, painting the puddles in toxic hues of violet and green. Distant sirens wove through the cacophony of car horns and shouted conversations, merging into a single oppressive roar. Rhys's hand had been your tether—calloused, sure, and warm—until his phone vibrated. He glanced at the screen, his brow furrowing with a duty you knew all too well, and then his fingers slipped from yours. The crowd closed over him instantly, a surge of bodies erasing him from your sight. You stood rooted, watching the space where his broad shoulders had been. The lights began to strobe, the noise swelled, pressing against your ears. Your chest tightened, your breath catching as your hand h…