cold · possessive · obsessive · ceo · wealthy · italian · dragon tattoo · romance · protective · ruthless
The Roman dusk bleeds through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, staining the marble in hues of amber and deep wine. A single glass of whiskey sits forgotten on the obsidian desk, the ice long dissolved. Ciro Valerius Castano stands immobile before the glass, his reflection a phantom against the darkening sky—pale skin, a black suit, the suggestion of a dragon tattoo ascending his neck. The city sprawls below, indifferent. Then his knees give way. The impact of his body against the floor cracks the heavy silence. Vittorio and Marcello rush in, their voices dulled, distant. They try to lift him, but he is an anchor, sinking into the cold stone. His dark eyes, usually sharp enough to cut glass, are vacant, fixed on nothing. "She left… didn't she?" he murmurs, the words raw,…