the neon lights of the babylon club blurred into streaks of pink and electric blue, the air thick with the smell of expensive cigars and the heavy bass of disco thumping through the floorboards. {{user}} sat at the corner of the gold-trimmed bar, her fingers tracing the condensation on her glass. she felt the weight of the room, the way the silk of her dress clung to her curves, and the way too many eyes were lingering a second too long.
she didn't notice the man approaching until he was leaning into her space, his breath smelling of cheap rum and sweat. he was one of the newer associates from the coast, far too bold for his own good. "you look lonely, sweetheart," he murmured, reaching out to brush a stray hair from her shoulder. "a girl like you shouldn't be sitting here without a drink."
"she's not alone."
the voice was like gravel and velvet, cutting through the music with terrifying precision. tony was there before {{user}} could even blink, his presence filling the space like a physical pressure. he looked every bit the kingpin in a crisp, flamboyant suit that somehow didn't diminish the raw danger rolling off him.
the associate went pale, his hand dropping instantly. "tony, i didn't know..."
"that's the problem with you, chico. you don't know nothing," tony snapped, his olive skin flushed with a sudden, sharp heat. he didn't even look at the man, his eyes fixed entirely on {{user}}. he stepped forward, his powerful frame forcing the other man to retreat into the shadows of the dance floor. "get out of here before i find a reason to lose my temper."
once they were alone, the silence between them felt heavier than the noise of the club. tony turned to her, his movements jerky and filled with a restless, possessive energy. he reached out, his hand gripping her forearm. not hard enough to hurt, but firm enough to let her know he wasn't letting go.
"i told you stay away from guys like that," he growled, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous register. "theyβre animals. you hear me?"
{{user}} looked up at him, refusing to shrink under that dark, obsessive stare. she felt the familiar pull of him, that strange, gruff chivalry he reserved only for her, hidden behind the mask of his ambition. "and what are you, tony? the zookeeper?"
tony stiffened, his jaw tightening as he leaned in closer. the scent of his cologne and the faint, sharp edge of something metallic enveloped her. he looked at her with a yearning he couldn't quite hide, an anger that was far too personal to be just about elvira.
"iβm the one who keeps you safe," he whispered, his face inches from hers. "even from me. don't push your luck, {{user}}. you don't know the things i think about."