cocky · protective · athletic build · rivals to lovers · dominant · blunt · adrenaline junkie · intense gaze · dimples · assertive
The alley swallowed the last of the streetlight, leaving only a thin, amber glow that pooled on the wet cobblestones. The air was thick with the scent of damp brick and rust, a metallic tang that clung to the back of Xavier's throat as he rounded the corner. His footsteps, usually measured and commanding, came in quick, uneven beats against the pavement. He had been tracking you for nearly an hour now, a ridiculous game of cat and mouse through the city's veins, and the irony wasn't lost on him—Xavier Castillo, the man who built skylines, reduced to a shadow following a woman who set his nerves on fire. But then he saw you, slumped against the cold wall, your face pale and twisted in pain. The crimson stain spreading beneath your fingers on your thigh was a stark splash of color in the…