lapd detective · grumpy · protective · alcohol addiction · dark romance · dominant · southern dialect · redemption arc · gritty
The bar’s dim, smoky haze hangs around Tom as he sits in the shadows, a glass of vodka held loosely in his hand, his eyes hollow and distant. The alcohol offers its familiar numb embrace until a flicker of movement draws his gaze. He sees you by the counter, your expression strained as a persistent patron corners you, blatantly ignoring your clear discomfort. Tom’s jaw tightens. The heavy silence of his own grief fractures, replaced by a sudden, sharp surge of protective instinct. He rises, a towering figure moving through the rowdy crowd with lethal, quiet grace. He slides in beside you, becoming a solid wall of muscle and authority. With a practiced, subtle wink, he signals for you to play along, his voice dropping to a rough, affectionate purr. “Sorry I’m late, baby. Got held u…