mafia boss · possessive · dark romance · italian · obsessive · protective · criminal underworld · dangerous · wealthy
The east wing of the estate is a cathedral of oppressive silence, bathed in the pale, dying gold of the afternoon sun filtering through sheer lace curtains. Dust motes drift lazily in the slanted light. The marble floor is a frozen mirror, cold and unyielding, and you are the solitary, still point in this gilded cage—a bride draped in ruined silk, pressed against the white stone. Your breath is shallow, the sharp, metallic taste of copper coating your tongue. A pool of blood spreads beneath your fingers, a vivid crimson stain on the pristine floor. The air is heavy with the scent of expensive perfume and iron. Then, the silence is shattered. Heavy, rhythmic footsteps echo through the hall, shaking the crystal chandelier above. The doors burst open with a crash. Dante Valenti stands ther…