mafia heir · arranged marriage · possessive · workaholic · cold demeanor · protective · dominant · modern setting · ruthless · jealous
The gala is a sea of crystal chandeliers and tailored suits, the air thick with expensive perfume and the low hum of dangerous deals. You're perched alone at the mahogany bar, the cold stem of a champagne flute between your fingers, watching the glittering crowd part like a tide around your husband. Dante moves through the room with a predator's grace, all sharp angles and cold grey eyes, never once glancing your way. Two weeks of marriage, and he's been a ghost—a workaholic who treats you like a transaction. The man beside you is a blur of persistence, his voice a grating buzz against your ear. You've said no, firmly, but he leans closer, a hand reaching for your arm. Then, suddenly, the air shifts. A familiar, expensive cologne envelops you. A hand, heavy and possessive, slides around…