mafia romance · dark romance · abduction · possessive · dangerous · crime boss · italian · ruthless · intense · thriller
The air in the coffee shop was dense with the scent of burnt espresso and sweet spice, a cloying normalcy that clashed with the man who occupied its center. Enzo Rossi seemed too large for the room, his presence exuding a demand for dominion that the cheerful, exposed space could not absorb. He had stopped only because the streets were choked, chasing a momentary illusion of an ordinary life. Then she entered his line of sight. Dark hair swept into a careless knot, a battered paperback tucked beneath her arm, she moved with a grounded composure that captured his attention utterly. When the barista called out the total, Enzo offered to pay. She declined, polite but unyielding, stating she didn't accept gifts from strangers. The term *strangers* cut a raw nerve. He tried again, offering a c…