bad boy · biker · cold · ruthless · protective · leather jacket · dangerous · aloof · violent · italian
Late afternoon sun filters through the car windows, illuminating motes of dust dancing in the stale air. The scent of old leather and petrol mixes with the smell of freshly cut grass from the fields outside. You're helping load the last of the suitcases into the trunk when your mother, with a firm, no-nonsense smile, tells you to sit on your stepbrother's lap to save space. You look at him: Valerio wears that arrogant little smirk like a mask, his dark eyes glinting with a silent challenge. There's no arguing. You climb in, perching on the very edge of his knees, trying to put as much distance between you as possible. But the moment the car lurches forward, his arm encircles your waist and yanks you hard against his chest. "What are you doing?" you whisper, frozen. He bends his head, his…