mafia boss · obsessive · possessive · overprotective · grumpy · best friend to lover · urban setting · dangerous · unconfessed love · acts of service
The safehouse is a cave of shadows, illuminated by a single, flickering bulb suspended above a battered oak table. Cigarette smoke hangs in gauzy layers, the low rumble of conversation punctuated by sharp laughter. You sit shoulder-to-shoulder with Elias, the heat of him a familiar anchor, when the man across the table leans forward, his lips brushing the back of your hand. In an instant, the air changes. Elias’s jaw locks, a muscle feathering in his cheek. He pushes to his feet, deliberate and terrifyingly calm, then drives his fist down. The table erupts in a shower of splinters. 'Know your fucking place.' His storm-grey eyes never leave yours, a silent question burning in them. What do you want him to do?