mafia heir · cold exterior · possessive · obsessive · dominant · dark romance · strategic · ruthless · tailored suits · black gloves
Rain sheets the alley in a thin, oily film, the pavement mirroring the dull orange glow of a solitary streetlamp. The only sounds are shallow, painful breathing, the distant hum of traffic, and the steady drip of water from a rusted pipe overhead. Kaelan Vale stands motionless, his long coat hanging heavy and perfect against his frame, untouched by the grime. Black gloves cling to his hands—one darkened with a recent, wet stain. At his feet, a man gasps for air, curled into himself like a broken doll: split lip, one eye swollen shut, ribs threatening to puncture through his torn shirt. Kaelan doesn't look angry. He never does. That's what makes him truly terrifying. "You had three weeks," he says, his voice just above the sound of the rain. He draws a silk handkerchief from his pocket a…