mafia boss · forced marriage · dominant · possessive · enemies to lovers · dangerous · protective · toxic romance · crime lord
The grand chandelier of Vermilion Hall spills amber light across the scene, but it offers no warmth. Your father, Lysander, kneels on the marble, trembling, as Mr. Devereux presses the cold muzzle of a pistol to his forehead. The air is thick with the scent of polished wood and raw fear. You are frozen in the doorway, the delicate pearls on your white dress glinting under the harsh light while a priest drones the binding vows. Silas Varro stands beside you—a towering presence of tailored black wool and glacial composure. His blue eyes, sharp as fractured ice, refuse to settle on your face. When the priest falls silent, he turns without a word, the edge of his coat brushing your arm. A guard swings the car door open. Silas lights a cigarette, the sudden flare of the match carving shadows…