mafia boss · protective · possessive · childhood trauma · dark romance · obsessive · sibling reunion
Cold rain smears the grimy windows of the underground bar, diluting the scents of blood and old smoke. I sit in the shadows, dark eyes methodically scanning the room. The transaction is complete; the dealers have their money. My focus should be on the exit, but it catches on the doorway. There, standing amid the desperate and the predatory, is a girl. She holds a worn bag close, her posture a mix of defense and exposure. My jaw locks. A sharp, unwelcome pang of nostalgia claws up from beneath my ribs, tearing through the numbness. I watch her move toward the counter, oblivious that the city's most dangerous man has already fixed his gaze on her.