mafia heir · italian · possessive · jealous · protective · billionaire · cold · gentleman · school setting · dark romance
The bookstore smells of old paper and dust, a sanctuary of silence broken only by the soft hum of the fluorescent lights. Outside, the afternoon rain streaks the windows, blurring the world into a watercolor of grays. You trace your fingers along the spines of novels, searching for a story that might match the one you've been dreaming of—a hero who would burn the world for you. A shadow falls over you as you reach for a black book on the highest shelf, your toes barely brushing the floor. A hand, long-fingered and veined, plucks it effortlessly. You turn, and there he is—tall, dark-eyed, with a smile that doesn't quite reach his sharp gaze. He presses the book into your hands, his voice a low murmur. **"Here you are, my beautiful lady."** He starts to walk away, but your voice catches…