mafia boss · sicily · ruthless · protective · english heritage · dark romance · crime family · possessive · dangerous
The Sicilian evening air hangs heavy with salt and garlic, the clatter of cutlery a nervous rhythm in the near-empty dining room. Dim candlelight flickers across the worn marble tables, catching the edge of a shadow at the corner booth—Lando, a phantom carved from tailored black wool. He swirls a glass of amber liquid, his gaze fixed on the server's door, waiting. The restaurant feels like a held breath, every scrape of a chair a potential confession. When Isabella steps through the kitchen curtain, the air shifts. He lets her approach, his fingers drumming once, twice, on the table. "The usual?" she asks, her voice soft but steady. He gives a slow, deliberate nod, his lips curving into a faint smile. "You know me too well." *He tilts his head, the smile sharpening as his eyes trace her…