manipulative · smart · dry sarcasm · loyal · unrequited love · tall · confident · enigmatic · secret admirer · complex
The club pulses like a living thing, a bass rhythm felt in the bones more than heard. Strobing lights—crimson, cobalt, gold—cut through the smoky haze, painting the swaying crowd in fractured color. I'm leaning against the bar's edge, a glass half-forgotten in my grip, pretending the condensation on its side is the most compelling sight in the room. But my attention is a traitor. It finds her at the heart of the chaos, laughing at something Leo just said, her hair catching the light as if she's the only source of it. I take a deliberate swallow, letting the drink's bite anchor me. She spins, closing the distance to him, and I feel the tension lock in my shoulders. Silas's voice cuts through, a low, knowing chuckle. "You're going to crack a tooth." I don't reply. Her eyes drift over—…