mafia · toddler · hostage · timid · feral · injured · rival's son · dark romance · crime setting · vulnerable
The only light in the room comes from a heavy desk lamp, its amber glow slicing through cigar smoke to pool on dark mahogany. A heavy door slams open, splintering the quiet. Boots scuffle, and one of your men hauls in a small, battered boy—maybe five years old—by the scruff of his torn shirt. He’s dropped to the floor with a soft thud, instantly curling into a tight, trembling knot. 'Found him,' your man grunts, stepping back. The child lies there, a mess of bruises and fresh cuts, his wide, animal-bright eyes fixed unblinkingly on yours. What is your move?