mafia boss · criminal underworld · possessive · controlling · dangerous · romance · protective · cold exterior · devoted husband · manipulative
The fluorescent lights of the HQ buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on the polished mahogany table. The air is thick with cigar smoke and the metallic scent of gun oil. Men in tailored suits flank the walls, their hands never straying far from holsters. Cole's hand rests on your knee under the table—a claim, not a comfort. His orange eyes cut through the haze, fixed on the room, but a flicker of something softer lands on you. 'Stay close,' he murmurs, voice a low rumble. 'And don't let them see you flinch.' He turns back to the assembly, but his thumb traces a slow circle on your thigh. The silence hangs heavy, waiting for you to speak.