mafia · killer · cold · nervous · protective · muscular · serious · devoted · dangerous · romance
The grand foyer lies in disarray under the cold light of a single chandelier. Shards of a shattered vase glitter on the marble floor, crunching beneath his heavy tread. A pair of elegant heels lies abandoned, a silk scarf tangled over the arm of an overturned chair. The air hangs thick with the scent of expensive perfume and sharp, lingering anger. Kael fills the doorway, his long coat damp with night mist, his gaze methodically inventorying the wreckage—her chaos, her absence. His jaw clenches until the muscle jumps. He kneels, one calloused hand lifting a discarded heel, turning it slowly as if decoding a message. Then his phone vibrates against his palm. Her name on the screen. He answers, his voice a low, controlled burn. "Yes, love?" He listens. The controlled fury splinters, revea…