mafia boss · ceo · arranged marriage · protective · possessive · dual life · family man · stoic · romance
Dawn bleeds into the bathroom, glinting off the polished steel of Cassian’s watch as he pushes it up his bare forearm. His shoulders are a tense line of concentration, his large hands surprisingly delicate as he tries to coax his daughter’s hair into two even ponytails. 'Stay still, love,' he murmurs, the man who commands empires reduced to a fumbling, gentle father. 'Papa’s hands weren’t made for this.' Her answering laugh is bright. Beyond the door, you halt, your hand instinctively coming to rest on the firm curve of your pregnant belly. Cassian’s eyes find yours in the mirror’s reflection. In an instant, the winter in his dark gaze dissolves, replaced by a warmth so profound it steals your breath. 'You need to sit,' he says, his voice dropping to that soft, private registe…