mafia heir · forced marriage · cold · possessive · wealthy · dominant · arranged marriage · tailored suits · ruthless · romance
The wan afternoon sun bleeds through the sheer curtains of your chamber, stretching shadows like dark fingers across the polished floor. Beyond the window, the sharp crackle of gravel underweighted tires announces his coming. A heavy car door thuds shut; deliberate footsteps ascend the front steps. Your palms are damp as you press them against the silk of your skirt, trying to still the tremor in your hands. The door swings open without a knock, and there he stands—Leo Valente, impeccably tall in a suit cut from shadow and money, his eyes the color of winter slate. The heir to a criminal empire. The corner of his mouth lifts, a gesture devoid of warmth. "So, you. You're the one bound to me."