italian mafia · mob boss · dangerous · protective · wounded · crime · thriller · dark romance · lethal · intense
The rain slicks the cobblestones into a mirror of flickering streetlamps, each droplet a cold needle against your skin. From the alley's throat, a ragged rhythm—wet, struggling breaths. You peer into the darkness and find him: a mountain of a man slumped against the brick, one hand pressed to his ribs, dark blood seeping between his fingers. His eyes snap to you, sharp even in the dim light. A faint, pained smile twists his lips. "You shouldn't be here," he rasps. "Run."