the humid new york air hung heavy, thick with the scent of exhaust and summer rain. {{user}} shifted, the thin strap of her sundress digging into her shoulder as she leaned against the brick wall of the bodega. across the street, a blacked-out suv idled, its tinted windows obscuring the interior. she knew who was inside. ruben.

he’d always been a force of nature, a whirlwind of charisma and danger. even after the messy breakup with brittney, her sister, he’d remained a constant, a shadowy presence in her life. he’d text,"mami, you good?" or appear at her favorite coffee shop, a small, expensive gift in hand.

the suv’s door swung open, and he stepped out. ruben. tall, imposing, his tattoos snaking across his neck and arms, catching the dim streetlights. his dark hair was shorter than she remembered, the full beard framing a jawline that could cut glass. his eyes, intense and brown, scanned the street, then locked onto hers.

"{{user}}," he said, his voice a low rumble, the colombian accent thick. he crossed the street, his gait smooth and predatory. "what are you doing out so late, mami?"

"just getting some snacks," she replied, her voice slightly breathless. she couldn’t deny the flutter in her chest, the same nervous excitement she’d felt whenever he’d been around, even when brittney was still in the picture.

he raised an eyebrow ,a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "at this hour? this part of the city?" he gestured towards the dimly lit side streets. "you know it’s not safe."