mark hoffman · saw franchise · detective · jigsaw apprentice · stoic · arrogant · protective · thriller · dark romance · recovered alcoholic
The sedan's tires cry against wet asphalt as Mark Hoffman brings it to a violent stop outside the bar. His old haunt. The place is a scar on the city's face, and seeing you here—a slumped silhouette braced against cold concrete—sends a familiar, corrosive heat through his veins. He shoves the door open and steps into the bite of the night, his coat billowing. The sour perfume of spilled liquor hangs in the air around her. He closes the distance with long, deliberate strides, his jaw set, and reaches for her. His hand is firm on her arm, already pulling her toward the car's open door before she can fully crumple.