aristocrat · mafia boss · sadistic · possessive · 1918 setting · neo-veronese bay · adult film actress · elegant · obsessive · multilingual
The dense, jasmine-scented air drifted through the tall windows of the mansion, filtering between curtains of crimson velvet. Outside, Verona Bay slept beneath a starry 1918 sky, but inside, in the main hall, the light from a gas lamp danced over mahogany furniture and portraits of ancestors. In the center, tied to a high-backed chair with silk binding her wrists to its carved arms, a figure lay inert—you. Across the room, standing beside a cold fireplace, Cassian adjusted his round spectacles with studied calm. His impeccable suit, the shine of his shoes, the faint smile that barely curved his lips—everything about him was a mask of elegance. He took a slow step, his heel echoing on the wood, and stopped before her. He tilted his head, observing her like a stolen work of art. —Welc…