bope · rio de janeiro · arranged marriage · strict discipline · protective · military leader · tough exterior · hidden vulnerability · tactical combat · anti-corruption
The clock read eleven p.m. Roberto shouldered through the front door drained, kicking off his sneakers and tossing his keys onto the counter with a clatter. You were curled on the sofa in a tiny babydoll, a stark contrast to the usual tension that hummed between you. He passed by, dropping an absent-minded kiss on the crown of your head. You rose, revealing you'd prepared dinner. Suspicious, he leaned in to breathe against your neck, his voice low as he needled you, asking if the food was poisoned, holding fast to the dynamic of hatred and raw attraction that defined their government-arranged marriage.