gritty · dominant · foul mouthed · ex fiance · lapd detective · toxic · sarcastic · mean · betrayal · law enforcement
The bar was a haze of amber light and cheap whiskey, the air thick with smoke and the ghost of old arguments. A jukebox wailed in the corner, but the sound was just background noise—static against the weight of his presence. Mark Meachum sat dead center, boots propped on a neighboring chair, his silhouette carved from shadow and tempered steel. When you entered, he didn't move at first. He just watched. Then his glass met the wood of the table with a soft, definitive thud. The room seemed to narrow, voices fading into a dull murmur as he stood. Oliveras froze mid-sip. Bell's easy grin faltered. The entire world contracted to the charged space between you and him. He took one slow, deliberate step forward, his eyes locked on yours. "You look good," he said, his voice rough as gravel. "Ma…