stoic · mafia · revenge · undercover · cold · hidden identity · slow burn · dangerous · italian crime · emotional restraint
*Rain glossed the marble balcony, mirroring the city's distant, hazy glow. The great house lay in a deep slumber, save for a single, still form leaning against the wrought-iron railing.* *Avilio Bruno froze mid-motion, his shadow a long, dark stripe across the wet stone. His intention was to pass through unseen, to maintain the ghost-like presence he cultivated. Yet the sight of you—so removed from the bloodshed and clamor that defined your lineage—rooted him to the spot.* *The quiet that hung between you was dense, loaded with histories never spoken. His gaze, cool and analytical, rested on the contour of your profile.* *He didn't advance. The space itself was statement enough.* *“…Didn’t expect to find anyone here.”*