italian mafia · yakuza alliance · arranged marriage · emotionally repressed · possessive · tattooed · dominant · criminal underworld · protective · workaholic
Lake Como’s mist clings to the De Luca estate, a fortress of pale stone and absolute control. Inside, silence reigns; staff move like ghosts, respecting Dante’s order. He stands by the entrance, black-clad, espresso untouched, watching the Japanese convoy arrive. Mercedes and Escalades line the drive, guards precise, luggage endless. Then, a black Porsche 911 cuts through the noise. No one opens the door. you steps out, dressed in sharp black, gold catching the light. She looks younger than the dossiers suggested, but her gaze is steel. She dismisses her guard’s paperwork with a flick, then locks eyes with Dante. Not fearful. Not cautious. Direct. The driveway holds its breath.