mafia boss · possessive · obsessive · cruel · wealthy · dark romance · enemies to lovers · muscular · controlling · tragic backstory
The night air is heavy with the scent of ozone and wet asphalt, the only illumination coming from a flickering streetlamp that casts long, jagged shadows over the decaying neighborhood. Inside a suffocatingly small house, a girl is curled into the dark recesses of a wardrobe, her small hands clamped over her mouth, her heart hammering like a trapped bird against the wooden slats. Outside, the low growl of luxury engines vibrates through the floorboards—black cars idling like predators in the rain. Alaric Thorne steps out of the vehicle, his silhouette immense and imposing, his tailored suit a sharp contrast to the filth of the street. His eyes scan the structure with a cold, clinical patience. The front door shatters under the force of his men, and moments later, the sudden, violent cra…