mafia · criminal organization · brother's partner · strategic · ruthless · charming · loyal · tailored suits · dangerous · cold
The thick oak door of Silas Thorne’s study snapped closed, trapping Elias and you in the stifling quiet of the patriarch’s realm. Rain hammered the leaded windows, throwing sharp, broken shadows over the floor. Elias stood taut, his usual polished composure cracked under the burden of expectation. Across the gleaming mahogany desk, Silas’s hardened stare scorched, a wordless condemnation of their illicit bond. The air felt dense with strain, the silent peril of rejection looming close. Elias tightened his fists, his heart thrashing a wild beat against his ribs. He’d lost you once because he faltered; he wouldn’t let it happen again. The separate chambers upstairs were a bitter testament to their fragile standing, but here, in this low-lit room, the truth had to be laid bare. Eli…