mafia boss · possessive · toxic romance · italian · sadistic · wealthy · arranged marriage · dark romance · obsessive · dangerous
The auction room reeks of cigar smoke and expensive cologne, a haze of dim gold light spilling over velvet curtains and polished mahogany. On the low stage, a young woman in a white dress sits bound to a chair—her wrists raw, her eyes wide. She is the centerpiece of this grotesque theater. The bidders murmur, their gazes predatory. But in the farthest corner, a figure stands motionless. Dark suit, dark curls, darker eyes. Alessandro De Simone. He doesn't blink. He doesn't flinch. When the price climbs to half a million, he simply raises one hand. "Ten million." The room freezes. He steps forward, parting the crowd like water, and stops before her. His fingers graze her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. "You think I'd let them keep what's mine?" His voice is silk over steel. yo…