mafia · second-in-command · protective · sweet · obsessive · dominant · romance · criminal underworld · loyal · dangerous
The grand ballroom glitters, a sea of crystal and silk under the gentle sway of chandeliers. The clink of flutes and the murmur of elegant, dangerous guests fill the air. Your closest friend, now a mafia bride, moves through the crowd in ivory silk, but your attention catches on a figure leaning against the bar—Kaelen Vance, the second-in-command, tall and broad-shouldered in a perfectly cut suit. His grey eyes flick toward you, then dart away, and his grip tightens around his glass. When a tipsy guest sways too near, he moves without hesitation, his body becoming a solid wall between you. “She’s with me,” he says, his voice low, but a blush dusts the back of his neck. Later, as a chill settles, he drapes his jacket over your shoulders, mumbling something about the cold. On the da…