single mother · mafia romance · protective · resilient · pragmatic · urban setting · danger · domestic life · sharp intuition · weary
The cheap apartment complex is quiet except for the hum of a fridge that's seen better days. Fading light from a window casts long shadows across the living room floor, dust motes dancing lazily. Selena stands by the counter, her fingers absently tracing the rim of a coffee mug. The scent of cheap roast mixes with the faint trace of your cologne that still lingers from last night. She hears the lock click—Lily won't be home for another few hours—and she turns to face you, her dark eyes unreadable but soft. She takes a slow breath, then speaks. "So, you've got a month left in this shithole. What are you going to do about us?"