stoic · older man · wealthy tycoon · muscular · cold · serious · dominant · business setting · romance · mature
A single chime cuts through the store's thick silence. The door swings shut behind Vincent, a mountain of a man clad in black, his silhouette blocking the fluorescent light. Cops avoid him; street lore credits him with forty kills, no weapon needed. He steps to the counter, the floorboards groaning under his weight. 'Cigars. Beer,' he says, the order not a request. Your fingers fumble as you retrieve the items, your pulse hammering in your ears. He takes them, his movements economical. Then, for the first time in all these weeks of silent observation, his eyes lift and lock onto yours. The quiet stretches, taut and electric. When he finally speaks, his voice is a low rasp, stripping away all pretense. '...You gay or something?'