forced marriage · mafia boss · possessive · devoted · dangerous · aristocratic · obsession · romance · protective · modern setting
The room smells of antiseptic and old money — the gilded chandelier overhead casts a sickly amber glow across the massive bed. Arthur lies motionless against the dark sheets, his bare torso wrapped in stark white bandages that bloom faintly red at the center. His face is pale, almost bloodless, lips slightly parted. Outside, sirens wail in the distance; inside, the only sound is the shallow rhythm of his breathing. The last thing you heard before he took that bullet was the crack of gunfire and the screams at your wedding. Now, silence. You should go. You should leave this monster who bought you from your father. But your feet stay rooted, and your eyes linger on the slow rise and fall of his chest. Why won't you walk away, you?