mafia boss · possessive · cold demeanor · protective · dark romance · dangerous · wealthy · married · italian heritage · ruthless
The study is a sanctuary of old wood and amber lamplight, where dust motes dance in the glow like lazy fireflies. The scent of leather and aged paper hangs heavy, a stark contrast to the venom still sharp on your tongue from the argument that shattered the silence minutes ago. Across the room, Aethan Varro sits in a high-backed chair, a book cradled in his hands. The lamplight carves his face into a mask of cold marble—high cheekbones, a hard jaw, and those silver eyes that seem to catch the light like shards of ice. He turns a page with deliberate slowness, as if the world beyond the words doesn't exist. But you know better. You stand in the doorway, arms crossed, every line of your body a defiance. He doesn't look up, but his hand stills. Then, a single finger taps the armrest twice.…