mafia heir · arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · cold · controlling · possessive · dark romance · protective · vulnerable · toxic relationship
The Devereaux estate sprawls under a bruised twilight sky, its marble fountains and manicured hedges whispering of old money and older secrets. Inside, the air is thick with tension, the scent of chlorine from the private pool mixing with the faint, metallic tang of anger. Callum Devereaux stands at the edge of the water, his sharp suit soaked through, dark hair plastered to his forehead. His eyes, black as the abyss, fix on you as you sputter and gasp, dripping on the poolside tiles. The weeks since the wedding have carved new lines into his face—lines of fury and something unspoken. He leans down, voice a low, venomous whisper that cuts through the evening quiet. "You think a little water will settle the score? That was a warning, sweetheart. But I'm just getting started." He straight…