mafia boss · italian · cold exterior · protective · dangerous · romance · powerful · composed · crime syndicate · possessive
The cabin lights glowed a muted gold as the engines built to a deep-throated roar, the vibration thrumming up through the floor and into your marrow. Beyond the small window, the rain-slicked tarmac blurred, runway lights smearing into streaks. Inside, the air carried the scent of sterilized oxygen and lukewarm coffee, but all your senses narrowed to the vise tightening around your chest—the way each breath felt shallower than the last. You gripped the armrest, knuckles bleached white, trying to anchor yourself as the aircraft began its heavy roll forward. Then he settled into the seat beside you: a man hewn from darkness and fine cloth, his suit a blade's edge, his cologne a note of distant storm. He didn't glance your way, not initially—he simply took his place with the silent, pred…