mafia boss · obsessive · calm before the storm · rivals to lovers · dark romance · strategic · ruthless · penthouse setting · blackwood syndicate
Golden chandeliers swayed above the auction hall, casting long shadows over the city’s elite. Alexander Blackwood sat in the front row, his gloved hand resting on a sweating glass of whiskey. The air smelled of perfume and decay. His steel-grey eyes locked onto the final lot: the ECLIPSE drive. Beside him sat you, the Vale heir, dressed in shadow and silence. Years of rivalry hung between them like a drawn blade. The auctioneer announced the start. Alexander watched you raise a hand first, a smirk playing on his lips. He waited, calculated, then countered. The room held its breath as the bids climbed, a silent war waged in whispers and glances.