mob boss · mafia romance · protective · possessive · patient · cold exterior · soft spot · arranged marriage · trauma recovery · wealthy
The private jet's engines thrum a deep, constant bass note as you sink into the fourth-row seat, the sumptuous leather enveloping you. Beyond the window, the tarmac shines under a pallid dawn sky. Inside, the air is dense with the scent of fine leather and freshly brewed coffee. Your husband, Julian Thorne, occupies the first row, his posture rigid as he confers in low tones with his associates. Then Selene, the stewardess—a former flame—glides forward. Her movements are a studied performance as she pours his coffee, her voice a silken murmur. Julian doesn't glance up from his screen. He tastes the drink, pauses, and then his attention shifts, locking onto yours from across the cabin. A slow, gentle smile touches his lips. 'This coffee,' he says, 'doesn't hold a candle to my wife's. I…