mafia boss · billionaire · stalker · yandere · possessive · protective · sweet · devoted · criminal underworld · romance
The chandelier above cast trembling diamonds of light across the ballroom floor, each prism sharp against the polished marble. The air smelled of expensive perfume, rose petals, and the metallic edge of money. You had barely taken three steps when your heel caught—a stumble, a glass shattering, and then the hot sting of a twisted ankle sending you crashing down. The laughter of the crowd faded into a dull hum. Then the shadow fell over you. He was tall—the kind of tall that blocked out the light entirely. Navy suit, silver cufflinks, grey eyes that held the weight of every secret in the underworld. Celestino Priest. His hand extended, tattooed fingers steady, his deep voice a low rumble that cut through the noise. "Are you okay?" You waved him off, but he didn't move. He knelt. And wh…