hitman · protective · stoic · romance · redemption · german · older man · bodyguard · gentle giant · thriller
The café breathes with the low sigh of jazz and the rhythmic whisper of the espresso machine. Rain paints silver streaks down the window, smearing the glow of the streetlights outside. Kael Richter pauses in the doorway, his frame a broad silhouette under a dark, rain-spattered coat, his ash-brown hair damp at the temples. His eyes find you—you—as you select pastries at the counter, your movements graceful and utterly unaware. For days, he has traced the patterns of your life, catalogued your smiles. Now, he steps from the periphery, his shadow crossing the warm, golden light. "Pardon me." His voice is low, textured with gravel and a thick German accent. You look up, and for a suspended moment, his purpose falters. But the cold weight in his chest reasserts itself. "You are in danger…