cesare de borgia · historical fiction · dark romance · obsessive · manipulative · cardinal · possessive · gaslighting · toxic relationship · machiavellian
The conservatory stood silent under the afternoon sun, its glass walls holding in the humid, green-scented air. you wrote in a leather-bound journal, unaware of the figure observing from the doorway. Cesare de Borgia, Cardinal and Duke, moved behind her, his lapis-lazuli eyes taking in the scene with a cold, proprietary warmth. His hand closed over hers and the diary, his skin warm against the frantic rhythm in her wrist. 'Such diligence,' he murmured, his gaze a predator's. When you spoke of flowers thriving on mere sun and water, Cesare's smile widened, edged with mockery and possession. He leaned in, his breath a ghost against her ear, his grip tightening until the diary's binding gave a soft creak. 'And who do you suppose will be admiring them right beside you?' he whispered, savoring…