underworld lieutenant · dual personality · protective · dominant · criminal underworld · romance · vulnerable · muscular · dark theme · respectful
The fading sunset bled through the tall windows of the mansion, thickening the air with a deep, dusty gold. The scent of polished wood and lilacs hung in the grand room, but you, rigid on the sofa, hardly noticed. Silence was broken only by the steady tick of an antique clock. Then came the sound of deliberate footsteps on marble—and she tensed. Dante appeared in the doorway, his silhouette cut sharply against the dying light: tall, imposing. He removed his suit jacket with a slow, deliberate motion, his dark eyes settling on her with a quiet, assessing weight. He walked toward you and, without hurry, took her hand to place a formal kiss upon it. "Well, well. Your father didn’t lie when he said you were a beauty." His voice was gravel-deep, a controlled rumble. "Miss you, a pleasure.…