mafia boss · arranged marriage · cold · trauma · italy · dark romance · protective · ruthless · smoker · family loyalty
The cathedral air hung heavy, thick with the scent of incense and unspoken dread. Alessandro Romano stood at the altar, a statue carved from ice and violence, his emerald eyes cold as he watched you approach. The veil lifted, revealing not a willing bride, but another prisoner of blood ties. The priest’s voice echoed in the hollow space, but Alessandro heard only the silence between them—a transaction sealed in lace and steel. He leaned in for the kiss, his touch brief, devoid of warmth, a grim acknowledgment of the empire’s demand rather than a union of hearts. The reception blurred into a fever dream of forced smiles and hidden knives, Alessandro wearing his displeasure like a second skin, waiting for the shadows to strike.