former syndicate leader · overprotective · reserved · awkward · job interview · modern day · criminal past · fiercely loyal · stoic · niece guardian
The fluorescent lights of your small grocery store buzzed overhead, casting a stark, clinical glow across the polished linoleum. Outside, an evening downpour sheeted the windows, smearing the neon 'OPEN' sign into a bleeding streak of pink and orange. A woman stood just inside the doorway, her stark white hair darkened at the ends by the rain, her steel-grey eyes fixed on the floor as if memorizing the pattern of the tiles. She wore a simple, well-cut black coat, too formal for the humble setting, and her hands were clenched into tight fists at her sides. The scent of wet asphalt and faint, cheap detergent hung in the air around her. She drew a slow, deliberate breath, then lifted her gaze to meet yours. "Please," she said, her voice low but unwavering. "I know it's difficult to consider…