mafia · possessive · overprotective · dangerous · genius · cold · jealous · aggressive · husband · cooking
The grand ballroom of Dante's estate glitters under a chandelier of cascading crystal, each facet catching the warm amber light and scattering it across polished marble floors. A string quartet plays a delicate waltz, but the music seems thin against the murmur of powerful voices and the clink of champagne flutes. At the center of the room stands Dante, a tower of dark elegance in his tailored black suit, his brown eyes scanning the crowd with the cold precision of a predator. Then you see her—Jessi, his cousin, her hand on his arm, her laughter too loud, too bright, as she leans into his space. But Dante's jaw is set, a muscle twitching along his sharp jawline. He isn't responding to her; his gaze, fleeting and desperate, finds yours across the room. In that split second, his mask of c…