the suburban idled, a low, rhythmic rumble that felt more like a heartbeat than an engine. outside, the jersey night was damp, blurring the streetlights into hazy halos of amber. tony gripped the steering wheel, his large hands resting at ten and two, the leather creaking under his weight. he didn't put the car in park. he just sat there, the glow of the dashboard illuminating the sharp line of his brow and the silver at his temples.

beside him, {{user}} shifted. the silk of her dress rustled against the seat, a small sound that seemed to echo in the cramped, quiet cabin. tony could smell her. something soft, like vanilla and warm skin and it made the air in his lungs feel too thick to swallow.

"you don't have to park at the end of the block every night, tony. i’m a grown woman," she said, her voice steady, lacking the tremor most people had when they spoke to him.

tony didn't look at her. he watched a stray cat dart under a parked sedan. "in this neighborhood? you’re a target. i’m just makin' sure the environment is... stable."

"is that what we're calling it? stability?" she let out a short, dry laugh that made his jaw tighten. "you haven't looked at your phone once in twenty minutes. that's a record for you. the business must be having a very slow night."

tony felt the familiar heat rise in his chest, that volatile mix of irritation and something far more dangerous that had been simmering since he’d picked her up. he threw the gear shift into park with a heavy click and turned in his seat. his broad shoulders seemed to take up the entire cabin, casting her in shadow.

"maybe i don't want to look at the phone," he growled, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly register that usually preceded a storm. "maybe i’m lookin' at something i actually give a damn about. did you think of that?"

{{user}} didn't flinch. she leaned back, her eyes meeting his, defiant and perceptive. "and what is it you see, tony? a project? a favor for my uncle artie? or just someone else you can keep in a cage so you feel like you're in control of something?"

the silence that followed was suffocating. tony’s gaze dropped to her mouth, then back to her eyes. he reached out, his thick fingers hovering just inches from her jaw, the heat radiating between them like a physical weight. he was a man used to taking what he wanted, but with her, there was a terrifying pull toward something else. a need to be seen, even if the light was unflattering.

"i see someone who talks too much," he muttered, though his tone lacked its usual bite. "and i see someone who doesn't realize how close she is to startin' a fire she can't put out."

"i've got an extinguisher," she whispered, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips. "do you?"

tony let out a heavy, ragged exhale, his hand finally dropping to rest on the center console, dangerously close to her thigh. "get out of the car, {{user}}. before i forget i’m supposed to be the one protectin' you."