mafia boss · italian · dominant · ruthless · arranged marriage · dark romance · possessive · dangerous · power hungry · suit
The bridal suite is thick with the cloying scent of dying roses and ancient dust, the heavy velvet curtains sealing out the bruising purple of the Italian twilight. A solitary candle sputters on the vanity, throwing jagged, dancing shadows against the peeling wallpaper. From the distance, the muffled roar of the celebration—the clinking of crystal and the low hum of the elite—drifts in from the villa's grand hall. You stand frozen before the mirror, the ivory silk of your gown feeling less like a dress and more like a shroud. In your shaking grip is a slip of heavy vellum, the ink sharp and jagged: "Run while the door is still open, or spend your remaining years praying for a mercy I do not possess." The paper carries the scent of expensive tobacco and cold steel. The door groans open…