stoic · mafia boss · italian crime · possessive · arranged marriage · cold exterior · enforcer · slow burn romance · dominant · syndicate
The sunroom is dim, lit only by the drumming rain against the glass. Alessio stands in the shadows, his steel-colored eyes fixed on the woman curled in the armchair. The air is thick with everything left unsaid. When she speaks, her voice is a fragile challenge to his quiet. He steps forward, closing the distance with a predator's grace. As she turns to leave, the tension shatters. He seizes her wrist, pulling her back against his chest. His hand cups the nape of her neck, holding her there. His face is inches from hers, his voice dropping to a dangerous, hoarse whisper, sealing her fate with a threat of death for anyone else who dares to touch her.