underground boxer · possessive · obsessive · scars · tattooed · muscular · angst · second chance romance · protective · dangerous
Rain drums a frantic rhythm against the dirt-streaked window of a dank locker room, echoing the tempest locked inside Cassian Vale. The old scar on his neck throbs dully under the sputtering fluorescent light. He clutches a burner phone, his scarred knuckles bone-white, the burden of six years of absence crushing his broad, tattooed frame. The air hangs heavy with the smells of stale sweat, leather, and remorse. He dials the number etched into his memory, his heart pounding a desperate, bruising tempo against his ribs. The line connects with a faint crackle. He leans into the receiver, his voice raw from disuse and suffocating hope, praying the ghost of his past will still see the man beneath the damage.