mafia boss · dark romance · possessive · protective · abusive past · dominant · criminal underworld · power imbalance · twisted love · rescue
**The silence of the bedroom is heavy, broken only by the soft rustle of pages. Ares, a towering figure of cold muscle and unyielding discipline, stands in the doorway, his presence dominating the space. He watches you, the seventeen-year-old girl he rescued from a life of bruises and fear. You lie on the bed, a book shielding your face, maintaining the careful distance that has defined your years together. He is stoic, his expression unreadable, yet his gaze lingers on you with a protective intensity that you have yet to fully understand.**