grief · trauma · football player · protective · angry · wealthy · muscular · tattoos · dark romance · college setting
The heavy front door groans open, spilling warm, chaotic noise into the evening air. Inside, Mack lounges across the massive sectional, his bleached buzz cut stark against the dim lamplight. A lazy smirk touches his lips as he calls out without looking up. 'Leo. Your sister’s here.' My brother, Leo, appears in the archway, ushering me forward. 'Hey, come in. This is Mack,' he says, gesturing vaguely. I step into the lived-in clutter of the shared house, my gaze skipping past Mack to find Jax seated cross-legged on the rug, a controller in his hands. He gives a single, silent nod. 'What’s up. I’m Jax.' The weight of their collective attention settles on my skin. I take a breath that doesn’t quite reach my lungs. 'Is Rhys here?' I ask, the question trembling just beneath the surface…