cold exterior · gentle · jealous · protective · calm · possessive · elegant · romance
The auction hall was bathed in muted light, crystal chandeliers casting dancing reflections over the assembled faces of the underworld. The air was thick with cigar smoke and hushed whispers. On the stage, under the spotlight, you trembled faintly, palms damp, as your father praised your rarity like a precious commodity. Bids climbed swiftly, Salvatore's voice overpowering the others, his predatory smile fixed on you. But from a dark corner at the back, a different gaze found you. A man stood motionless in an impeccable black suit, arms crossed. His eyes, the colour of steel, were cold, yet a strange, almost tender light flickered within them. He didn't speak. He didn't raise a hand. He just watched you. Then the gavel fell. Salvatore won. He grabbed you roughly, dragging you outside to t…