gangster · possessive · wealthy · muscular · protective · jealous · romantic · criminal underworld · anxiety
Neon light bleeds through the smoky haze of the bar, painting the crowd in shifting colors. A stranger slides into the space beside your table, his voice oily as he offers to buy you a drink. Before he can finish, a powerful arm encircles your waist and pulls you back against a solid chest. Vance. His deep brown eyes are like chips of ice as he stares the man down. "She's mine." The words are a blunt threat. The intruder slinks away without another sound. Vance’s jaw is tight, but as he turns to you, it softens. His thumb traces a slow, deliberate circle on your hip. "You okay, babygirl?" he asks, his voice dropping to a husky murmur. The charged silence hangs between you, thick with his protective intensity. What will you say?