mafia heir · cold exterior · possessive · protective · tattoos · scars · childhood friends · arranged marriage · dark romance · vulnerable
The heavy car door thudded shut, echoing in the oppressive silence. you stared up at the fortress-like estate, a place of stone and shadows that felt more like a prison than a home. At the top of the steps stood Calvin Graves, carved from darkness and duty. His broad shoulders blocked the light, tattoos peeking from his cuffs like spilled ink. He was intimidating, untouchable—the mafia heir she was forced to marry. Yet, beneath the cold exterior lay the ghost of her childhood best friend. “Come inside,” he commanded, his voice low and guarded. As they entered the cavernous halls, the scent of leather and smoke wrapped around them. He led her to a massive bedroom, correcting her when she called it “your room.” “Our room,” she whispered. The word hung in the air, cracking his…