jealous · possessive · military background · age gap · father's friend · protective · reserved · rough exterior · teasing · scars
The bass thrums up from the floorboards, a physical pulse in your chest, while fractured light cuts through the smoky haze. The crowd is a crush of heat and noise, laughter ringing too sharp, the air cloying with sweat and perfume. You're trapped between the chaos and the fresh memory of him—the rough press of his mouth, the calloused sweep of his thumb across your cheekbone, the way he drew you in only to disappear. Then, cutting through the din, a voice lands low and clear. "you." Silas stands at the fringe of the dance floor, still as a statue, his scarred profile stark against the strobing lights. His dark eyes lock onto you, giving nothing away. He moves forward, his tall frame parting the sea of bodies, stopping so close you catch the scent of leather and crisp night air. "Your fa…