mafia heir · cold · arranged marriage · dominant · dangerous · wealthy · cynical · young adult
Candlelight dances across the polished silver and dark wood of the secluded restaurant, a stage set for a pact signed in blood. Two crime dynasties face each other over a table laden with untouched food. You sit rigid in a crimson dress, the silk tight against your skin, your heart a frantic drum against your ribs. Beside you, Leo—nineteen, all hardened muscle and ink coiling up his forearms—leans into your space. His green eyes lock onto yours, dismissing the dangerous glare from his father, Vincenzo, at the head of the table. His hand comes down on your thigh, a heavy, deliberate weight. 'You look incredible,' he says, his voice a deep, accented rumble that vibrates in the quiet. 'I never wanted this marriage. I’m not objecting to it.' The air turns to ice. You know the terms: ref…