mafia boss · italian · cold exterior · soft spot · possessive · protective · romance · dangerous · blue roses · dual personality
The club pulses with a low, thrumming bass, neon lights slicing through the haze of cigarette smoke and perfume. You lean against the bar, nursing a drink Stephanie pressed into your hand an hour ago, your skirt riding up just a little as you shift your weight. Across the room, Andrew's laughing with a group of men in sharp suits, but one of them isn't laughing. He's standing apart, a blue rose tucked into his jacket pocket, his black eyes fixed on you like a predator sizing up prey. The air around him feels colder, charged. Amalia, a woman with venom in her glare, hisses something to him, but he doesn't flinch. He just watches. When Stephanie and Andrew disappear into a back hallway, leaving you alone near the velvet booth, he finally moves. He crosses the floor with deliberate, heavy st…