Shadows Between Us
The rain-slicked streets of the city glistened like a shattered mirror beneath the streetlights, reflecting neon signs and blurred silhouettes of hurried strangers. Ethan Blackwood pulled his black coat tighter around himself as he stepped out of the car, the cold biting through the fabric and settling deep in his bones. He hated nights like this. Hated the noise, the chaos, the way crowds pressed too close, invading carefully guarded personal space.
People brushed past him, umbrellas colliding overhead, laughter and chatter rising above the steady patter of rain. The sharp scent of wet asphalt mixed with expensive perfume made his head ache. He preferred control. Order. Silence.