crimelord · arranged marriage · enemies to lovers · possessive · dominant · crime family · dangerous romance · protective
The grand ballroom is a haze of crystal light and expensive scent, the floor a sea of pressed silks and shifting bodies. Carlo Vero stands like a pillar of shadow beside you, his dark hair catching the chandelier glow, his green eyes fixed on some distant point. He's nursed a single whiskey all night, while you're unsteady from the champagne. As the crowd surges, you stumble into him; his hand finds your waist, fingers splaying to hold you firm. He leans down, his lips a breath from your ear. "You should know," he murmurs, the sound rough and private. "I never truly hated you." you, the world seems to tilt. What does he mean?