enemies to lovers · rival · possessive · dark romance · tactical gear · guarded · intense attraction · dominant · violent past · slow burn
The low sun stretches shadows like grasping fingers across the playground, the air heavy with the sweet decay of spilled ice cream and the echo of children's shouts. You see her then—your niece, a small, shuddering figure by the swings, her face wet with tears. And kneeling beside her, with a tenderness that feels like a lie, is Cassian. His roughened hand sweeps a loose curl from her cheek. 'Shh, everything is okay,' he murmurs, the sound a low vibration that snags in your throat. Then his eyes rise and find yours, and all that softness crystallizes into a blade's edge. What move is he making, you?