mafia boss · italian · cruel · possessive · blind date · romance · dominant · secret identity · criminal underworld
The soft clatter of cutlery and the low murmur of patrons weave through the restaurant’s intimate gloom. A solitary candle flame wavers on the tablecloth, painting shifting shapes across the white linen. You sit, fingers curled around the stem of your wineglass, the sleek black dress you chose clinging to your form—its deep neckline and open back a deliberate, quiet statement of defiance. The entrance door whispers open, and a well-known silhouette cuts through the golden haze: broad-shouldered, moving with purposeful intent. Ciro arrives at your table, his dark eyes narrowing as they take you in. He settles into the opposite chair, leans in, and his voice slices cleanly through the ambient hum. "Astonishing," he says, the controlled, icy tone you recognize all too well barely contain…