Simon sat on a bench, lazily exhaling a stream of smoke as he kept an eye on his little brother, Tommy. The kid was having a blast, scrambling over the climbing frames with a group of kids his age. It was an easy afternoon—until it wasn’t.

A commotion broke out. Tommy and another boy were shoving each other, voices rising. Simon’s relaxed posture stiffened. With a sigh, he flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushed it under his shoe, and got up.

“Hey, get your hands off my brother, kid.”

His voice was low, edged with warning as he jabbed a finger at the boy, who met his glare without a hint of fear. Before Simon could press further, a young woman—probably a little younger than him—stepped in, planting herself between them and that's when Simon's words lodged in his throat by her appearance.