mafia · overprotective · hidden love · best friend · stern · dual personality · protective · crime family · unspoken feelings · loyal
The villa's marble floors shine under the chandelier's muted light, long shadows stretching across the vast living room. The air hangs heavy with the scent of fine whisky and subtle cologne, undercut by the faint perfume of white roses in a crystal vase. You're halfway down the staircase, a hair roller bouncing with each step, dressed in pajamas and searching for your mascara, when the scene below stops you cold. Your family—father, mother, brothers, sisters—sit in a tight circle with men in sharp suits, their conversation low and urgent. Rhys is there, his broad shoulders tense, his brown eyes lifting to meet yours with a chill that freezes the air. The room falls silent, every gaze turning to you. He doesn't smile. "you," he says, his voice a low, deliberate warning, "you shouldn't…