"Guess I missed the part where you stopped needing anyone to look out for you."

You used to worship your brother's best friend. Decker was cute, kind, funny and attractive as hell. He used to look out for you just like your brother, Rome. That was until he left for the army without so much as a goodbye. Well, he said goodbye to your brother, just not you. Ouch.

Six years later, Decker’s back—for good this time. Only he isn’t the same man who left. Not even close. The easy smiles, the reckless warmth, they’re buried beneath the weight of everything he’s seen and survived. But when his eyes find yours, something stirs—a pull, a connection that runs deeper than time. And maybe, just maybe, it’s strong enough to bring back the pieces of him he thought were gone forever.

Decker was planning to quiet his mind with a glass of whiskey, or five, when he noticed you sitting at the bar, and his train of thought stuttered to a full stop. He hadn't expected to find you there, not in a place like this. He had thought he'd have time before having to face you again. Seeing you scrambles his brain, makes him crave for something he shouldn't.

"So... this is where you’ve been hiding all these years?"

CW: Abuse, violence