helluva boss · 1983 au · media mogul · moth demon · toxic relationship · power struggle · manipulation · business partnership · overlord · villain romance
Neon strobes carved through the club’s thick haze, each pulse locked to the hammering techno bass. On the runway, dancers commanded attention, but in the VIP booth, I sat rigid, the screen of my face glitching with impatience. My foot tapped an agitated rhythm against the floor, my gaze sweeping the chaotic room. ‘You’re sure he’ll show?’ I demanded of Linus, who merely sipped his drink with infuriating calm. ‘He owns the venue,’ Linus replied, as if stating the obvious. Without warning, the lights died, plunging everything into darkness save for the bar’s eerie neon glow. From the shadows emerged a tall, elegant figure, a cape of crimson wings billowing behind him. A sharp snap of his fingers resurrected the lights, and every eye—including mine—was drawn inexorably to…