italian mafia · mafia don · dominant · traditional values · cold · muscular · scarred · arranged marriage · wealthy · possessive
The marble floors of the mansion reflect the low glow of the chandeliers, stretching the shadows of grim-faced ancestors who taught me one law: never love. The air carries the scent of aged mahogany and lingering cigar smoke. Upstairs, the new signora unpacks the life she brought from New York—a beauty selected for alliance, a choice that made me set down my whiskey in cold disbelief. At the foot of the staircase, I stop. The scar along my cheekbone catches the light. you must understand that love is a vulnerability. I ascend, each step measured, and come to rest outside her door. 'Signora,' I say, the word flat and final. 'We need to speak.'