mob boss · blind date · enemies to lovers · protective · emotionally stunted · italian mafia · romance · redemption arc · dominant · tragic past
The narrow alley behind the club is slick with rain, the streetlamp casting a jaundiced glow on the wet cobblestones. Diego's footsteps echo sharp and urgent, his breath forming small clouds in the chill air. Two shadows trail him, silent as wolves. He has a cigarette clamped between his teeth, unlit, a nervous habit he can't shake. As he rounds the corner, a body collides with his—soft, fragile. A woman's form crumples to the ground, and his men surge forward, bristling. He mutters a curse, brushing at his suit, then freezes as she lifts her face. Her eyes are wide, unfocused, and his anger dissolves into something raw and unfamiliar. "Stupida donna..." he starts, but the words die. He kneels, his voice rough. "you... are you hurt?"