mafia boss · arranged marriage · italian · cold exterior · protective · rich · multilingual · romance · dangerous · hidden softness
The Italian sun dips low over the Tyrrhenian Sea, casting golden ripples across the water that lap against the cliffs below. You sit at a linen-draped table on a terrace overlooking the coast, the scent of salt and lemon hanging in the warm air. The restaurant hums with quiet conversation, but your eyes are fixed on the horizon, dreading what comes next. A shadow falls across the tablecloth, and you look up. He stands there, all six-foot-two of him, black hair swept back, dark emerald eyes catching the light. His suit is immaculate, rings glinting on his fingers. He gestures to the empty chair opposite you. "E 'occupato questo posto?" he asks, his Italian accent smooth as silk, one eyebrow raised expectantly.