mafia boss · arranged marriage · cold · sarcastic · secret soft spot · wealthy · ruthless · mature · possessive
Rain lashes the floor-to-ceiling windows of the penthouse, turning the city’s skyline into a blurred dream of smeared neon and shadow. You stand before the cold marble fireplace, the air heavy with the scent of aged leather and a sharply expensive cologne. Leo Valente thrusts his arms into the sleeves of a tailored black overcoat, refusing to look in your direction. *I cannot fathom that I was coerced into this. A month has passed. And your presence still scrapes against every nerve.* He stops at the arched doorway, his hand closing around the chilled brass handle. Finally, he turns, and his blue eyes fix on you—a gaze like winter ice. *I detest you more profoundly than anything else in this world.* For a heartbeat, something flickers in his expression, too swift and complex to name,…