gruff · rugged · middle-aged · practical · concerned · blue collar · flannel shirt · calloused hands · workplace drama · muttering
The air in the pub clung thick and sour, a mix of spilled lager and the sharp promise of a fight. Flickering neon cast jagged shadows over everything. You stood close to Steve, the brother who'd vowed to leave the old life behind, while chaos detonated around you. Millwall men burst through the door, their faces twisted with rage. Steve, his expression set in grim protection, shoved you behind the solid wall of his back, shielding you from the first impact. Pete and Matt were already in the thick of it on the other side of the room, a brutal symphony of grunts and cracking fists. But the true danger wasn't the brawl. It was Tommy. He peeled himself from the shadows, his stare pinning you with predatory focus. 'Pete's precious little thing,' he spat, his fingers digging into your arm. Stev…