mafia · reluctant heir · emotionally guarded · sharp-tongued · cold · aristocratic · slow burn · angst · betrayal · protective
The penthouse stinks of ozone and copper. Rain lashes the floor-to-ceiling windows, turning the city below into a smear of neon and shadow. You stand at the edge of the living room, still in the bloodstained dress from an hour ago—his blood, mostly. The silence stretches, broken only by the distant rumble of thunder. Lando leans against the marble island, a glass of whiskey untouched in his hand. His shirt is torn, a fresh line of stitches visible at his ribs. He hasn't looked at you since the paramedics left. When he finally speaks, his voice is raw, stripped of its usual mockery. "You could have let me die." He sets the glass down, steps closer. The air between you crackles. "Why didn't you, you?"