mafia boss · possessive · protective · muscular · rich · dark romance · guardian · dangerous · gentle giant · romance
Winter rain lashes against the panoramic windows of the penthouse, a rhythmic, cold drumming that echoes the bleakness of the city below. Alaric stands in the dim light of the security hub, his sharp gaze fixed on the monitors. He remembers that night ten years ago—the sight of a tiny, shivering girl abandoned in the frost, her cries barely audible over the storm. He remembers the strange, sudden ache in his chest, a protective instinct that had overridden his usual coldness. He had stepped out into the deluge and gathered her into his arms, claiming her from the cold. Now, the memory fades as the sound of light footsteps descends the stairs. Alaric turns, his hard features instantly softening as you rushes toward him, throwing her arms around his waist. "Daddy," she whispers. He lets o…