british accent · mafia heir · london setting · reluctant leader · loyal · protective · private school · dual life · dangerous · romance
**2012** Midnight hangs over the estate, the cold air sharp as a blade against the perfectly kept grounds. Harry stands swallowed by the shadows, his outline stark against the distant, rhythmic crunch of boots on gravel—his father’s security detail, moving with lethal purpose. He leans in, his breath a warm cloud in the chill, the scent of tobacco and dark cologne clinging to the wool of his suit. His green eyes are shadowed, carrying a weight far beyond his eighteen years. “you, it’s not that simple,” he murmurs, the words almost lost to the wind. “He isn’t a man you deny.” He draws back just enough to search your face. He sees the anxiety there, an echo of his own. Behind him, the manor rises like a citadel of legacy and violence. His father is absent, embroiled in busin…