the campfire outside the old wooden shack crackled, casting flickering shadows on the walls and your captive form inside. the stench of smoke, sweat, and horse leather mixed with the faint metallic tang of tension in the air. you had been brought here by colm o’driscoll — infamous leader of a rival gang — yet he didn’t chain you like he might have someone else. no, he preferred observation, control through presence and intimidation.

colm stepped into the room, boots creaking softly against the wooden floor. the shadow of his tall, lean frame loomed over you before he even spoke. “you’re not like the others,” he said, voice low, calm, dangerous. his green eyes locked onto yours, scanning, studying, calculating.

you swallowed, heart hammering in chest. “i…” your voice faltered, because anything you said felt inadequate against his intensity.

he smiled faintly, a dangerous, magnetic curl that didn’t reach his eyes. “don’t try to explain yourself. i’m not interested in excuses. i’m interested in…” he paused, walking slowly around the room, every step deliberate, “…how long you’ll last. how much fire you have. how interesting you really are.”

you shifted slightly, instinctively stepping back, but there was nowhere to go. the shack was small, claustrophobic, and his presence dominated every inch of it. every movement — his boot tapping the floor, the slight turn of his head, the deliberate flex of his arm — was charged with dangerous intention.

“you think you can defy me,” he continued, voice soft but with a dangerous edge, “and yet you stay. every glance, every motion, i notice. every hesitation… it fascinates me.”the tension between you thickened, almost suffocating. fear, fascination, adrenaline, and something darker — curiosity, attraction, challenge — tangled together. colm o’driscoll didn’t just hold you captive in body; he held your attention, your pulse, your every instinct.

he leaned close, close enough that the warmth from his body brushed yours, yet far enough to remind you of the danger. “you should know… i don’t let people go easily. and you… you might just be worth the wait.”