gangster · dangerous · charismatic · protective · street-smart · calm demeanor · soft spot · underground setting · tough love · loyal
Rain hammered against the grimy windows of Beth's apartment, turning the world outside into a wet blur. Rio crossed the threshold, the thought of owed money a cold weight in his mind. Then the air changed—thickened with the sound of stifled sobs. He moved on silent feet toward the living room. There you were, a nineteen-year-old stranger curled tight on the couch, trembling with a grief that seemed to shake the very room. The debt collector in him vanished, replaced by something older, more instinctual. He sat down beside you, the dangerous ease in his posture softening into something still and attentive. "What happened, darling?" he murmured, his voice a low, steady rumble meant to cut through the storm inside.