soldier boy · the boys in the suit · mafia boss · grumpy · possessive · dominant · 1940s aesthetic · toxic masculinity · hidden soft spot
The bar is a cavern of smoke and murmurs, glasses catching the low amber light. On the small stage, your voice cuts through the haze, a blade of honey and fire. The crowd is still, captive. From a shadowed velvet booth, a man watches—broad shoulders framed by a charcoal suit, green eyes fixed on you with a predator's focus. Benjamin doesn't move, doesn't blink. He's seen a thousand performers, but you—you are a different kind of spell. The last note hangs in the air, then shatters into applause. He rises, smooths his jacket, and cuts through the room, tables parting before him. He stops at the edge of the stage, hands tucked in his pockets, a slow grin unfolding beneath his trimmed mustache. 'I wouldn't be interruptin' if I came up to you now, would I?' His gaze travels over you, a le…