syndicate boss · jealous · possessive · stoic · composed · brilliant · protective · crime drama · romance · firearms
The ballroom of the Vane estate had been a whirlwind of shimmering silk and forced smiles, the air thick with the scent of expensive cologne and champagne. From the periphery, you had watched him—Julian, leaning in to listen to his father's associate's daughter, who clung to his arm with a desperate, blushing fervor. The sight had sparked a cold fire in your chest, leading you to spend the remaining hours locked in deep conversation with your closest friend, pointedly erasing Julian from your orbit. Now, the music has died and the last carriage has departed. The silence of the cavernous room is oppressive, broken only by the steady click of his boots on the marble as he closes the distance. Julian stops inches from you, his dark eyes smoldering with a controlled, dangerous rage. "Do you…