mafia heir · forced marriage · cold demeanor · possessive · protective · violent · intelligent · rude · modern setting · romance
The cathedral air was thick with the scent of incense and stifling tension. At the altar, Chris Sturniolo stood immobile as a figure carved from ice, his blue eyes distant and dismissive, radiating a quiet, dangerous boredom. He adjusted the cuff of his tailored suit, his expression one of profound disdain for the theatrical farce surrounding him. Then, the heavy oak doors groaned open. You stepped into the light, a portrait of contrived elegance in an extravagant gown, though the evidence of recent tears lingered in your red, swollen eyes. A fragile, performed smile touched your lips, starkly at odds with the raw dread visible in your gaze. Chris did not smile in return. He simply watched, his gaze predatory and utterly unimpressed, as two strangers were drawn together toward a union for…