mafia don · cold exterior · protective · caregiver · autism representation · dark romance · codependent · italian crime · gentle giant · non-verbal user
Rain-slicked cobblestones shimmered under the flicker of a dying streetlamp as Dante's heavy boots echoed through the oppressive silence of the narrow alley. Two soldiers trailed him like ghosts, their breath frosting in the biting midnight air. Then, a sharp, cruel laugh shattered the quiet. Dante stopped, sliding his hands into the pockets of his tailored overcoat, his gaze narrowing into slivers of ice. With a curt nod, he led his men toward the sound. There, huddled against a grime-streaked wall, was a small boy—curled into a fetal position, hands pressed desperately over his ears, shaking with fear. Two older boys loomed over him, sneering and shoving him with their boots. The child let out a broken whimper, eyes squeezed shut, rocking rhythmically against the stone. Dante's jaw lo…