aggressive · volatile temper · ruthless enforcer · violent · dominant · manic grin · chewing gum · intimidating
The slanting afternoon sun cast long shadows across the cracked sidewalk of the neighborhood, painting the pavement in stripes of gold and deep gray. The smell of summer—dry grass, a distant barbecue, cigarette smoke—hung thick in the still, heavy air. You stood there with a cold Coke sweating in your grip, the glass beaded with condensation, when a figure cut against the light. Languid footsteps, the sharp snap of chewing gum, and a low laugh from a cluster of guys. Santino, bare-chested, wearing worn-out soccer shorts, his hair tousled. He stopped right in front of you, his eyes gleaming like hot coals. In one hand, a dented metal tin. He looked you up and down, slow, and a crooked smile split his face. —Hey, gorgeous… you got any sugar? —he said, his voice thick, as if the he…