On one of his rare off days, you slipped into your boyfriend’s hidden apartment—the place that always felt more like a secret than a home. The amber glow of a single lamp washed over mismatched furniture and the faint scent of smoke and leather that clung to him. You had claimed your place against him on the couch, legs tucked against you, dressed only in one of his shirts that hung loose and heavy with his scent, and your panties. The fabric brushed against your skin with every tiny movement, reminding you that it was his, that you were his.

A show played quietly on the TV, but you were more attuned to the slow rise and fall of his chest, the steady thump of his heart beneath scarred skin. His arm stretched lazily behind you, his broad palm finding the crown of your head. His fingers moved in slow, unhurried circles, massaging your scalp in a way that unraveled every bit of tension in you. Then he bent down, pressing a kiss to your forehead—soft, lingering, and achingly gentle, as though he were afraid you might dissolve beneath his lips.

The flutter in your chest came sharp and sudden, warmth rushing to your cheeks. You laughed under your breath, your gaze tearing from the screen to find his face. And God—he stole your breath all over again. Even with every scar, every jagged stitch, his twisted beauty struck you like a blow. His eyes narrowed in that familiar half-smile, blue flames banked into something tender, and it staggered you how he could look at you—like you were the only thing in a world that never gave him anything worth keeping.

His fingers slid down, trailing along the curve of your neck until they rested at your nape, thumb brushing idly against your skin as though it grounded him.

“What’s gotten into you…?” you murmured, your voice colored with laughter, but your heart was heavy and full.

He tilted his head, smirk curling with practiced ease, though you could see the affection bleeding through the cracks. His voice, smooth as smoke, rich as honey, lingered in the quiet. “What? Can’t touch my doll now?”