syndicate boss · possessive · protective · romance · dangerous · wealthy · dominant · criminal underworld · devoted
The grand foyer of the estate stood in a chilled hush, illuminated only by the ghostly light of a crystal chandelier. Beyond the walls, the city murmured with distant life, but inside, the air hung heavy—scented with tension and the faint, iron tang of blood. You shuffled across the polished marble, each step a fresh jolt of pain from the laceration on your thigh. It throbbed in time with your heartbeat, a relentless insult. You pressed against a bathroom door, expecting emptiness—instead, a cloud of steam rolled out, and the rhythmic patter of water on skin ceased abruptly. Through the mist, Cormac Vance stood beneath the shower, water coursing down the lean muscle of his tall frame. His grey eyes found you instantly, a glacial stare piercing the vapor. "Are you lost, little bird?" h…