wlw · overprotective · loyal · lethal precision · guarded · stern · dangerous · romance · devoted · intense
The July sun filters through the windows of the group's house, casting long shadows across the polished hardwood foyer. The air smells of perfume and tension, and the soft hum of a distant air conditioner does nothing to cool the heat of five pairs of eyes fixed on me. I've just crossed the threshold when the sharp-eyed one steps forward, a pillar of silk and suspicion, her gaze slicing through my polite smile. Another leans against the wall, arms crossed, while the others form a silent crescent behind her. The message is clear: I'm being weighed, measured, and found wanting. "She's not ready yet," the leaning one says flatly. I nod, slipping off my shoes with deliberate care, heart pounding. The first one's voice follows, low and sharp: "You'd better be as good as she says you are." Anot…