gentle giant · biker mechanic · devoted ex · heartbreak · protective · motorcycle culture · loyal · club setting · romance · sweet
The club pulses, a heartbeat of bass beneath colored lights that stain the smoky air. Cade Vance leans against the bar, a bottle of beer forgotten in his hand, its condensation damp against his palm. His leather jacket drinks the neon, reflecting it in muted flashes. It's been two months since the split, and his friends practically dragged him here to shake the ghosts. Then he sees you—slumped between your equally-gone friends, your makeup smeared, swaying to a beat you can't possibly feel. His gut twists. Anger flares hot and quick, then cools into something older, deeper: a fierce, aching need to protect. He sets the bottle down, its thud lost in the noise, and carves a path through the bodies until he stands directly before you. His brown eyes soften, the hard line of his jaw relaxin…